hillman
Member
- Location
- Wicklow Ireland
As it’s coming up to to ram buying season and flicking through different maternal rams, these popped up anybody being running them and has mature females on the ground?
Easy dams
- Thread starter hillman
- Start date
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
I’ve been running Highlanders since 2008 and, apart from having wool, they do everything I want in a commercial ewe. I would expect Easydams to do much the same, being near identical breeding.
Sorry @easyram1
surprised you not gone down shedding route
- Location
- Fife
I have suggested he get exlana rams and upgrade his Highlanders on more than one occasion.surprised you not gone down shedding route
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
‘upgrade’?
I’ve been trying to do just that , without losing too much on production traits in the pursuit of shedding.
- Location
- Fife
Global ovine
Member
- Location
- Central Otago NZ
Sorry you should be.
My being involved in the original importations to the UK allows me some knowledge into the source stock that make up the UK branded Easydams. They are Tefroms (Romney, East Friesian, Texel), Greeline (Coopworth, EF, texel) and Textra (Coopworth, EF, Texel) all in slightly different proportions according to the original trial results each stud flock achieved based on the goal strengths that emerged from the different sires from each of the EF and Texel breeds. All three studs had leading Romney, Coopworth and Texel flocks for performance (SIL). All three were in Southland on heavy ground in a cool moist maritime environment. All three had similar breeding goals.
The East Friesian component (milking, growth and early puberty) has visually disappeared, both the pink noses/feet and long thin legs, but the early puberty leading to high pregnancy rates in ewe lambs and lamb growth remains. The Texel component is evident via improved multiple born lamb survival, carcass thickness for retaining condition and selected increase in carcass meat yield and shorter finer and bulkier wool.
All three studs are part of a group that was an initial user of genomic analysis/evaluation using 50k chip technology and have shared the use of elite sires.
These 3 flocks have a long history of dominating sires in the overall maternal index and trait rankings produced by SIL (owned by B+LNZ funded by sheep and beef producers levies).
The only commonality Highlanders share with the Southern composites mentioned above are; they started with common goals, of more production at less cost and ran large numbers, either as one brand (Highlanders) or as a 3 separate stud flocks of the southerners with thousands of supporting commercial ewes, and all 3 way composites retain three quarters of the original hybrid vigour.
However Highlanders took a different route to achieve this. Firstly North Island hill Romney only was their maternal base, Finn was their source of genetic lift in numbers of lambs born and Texels from North Island sources. The remnants of the Finn remains more evident in Highlanders than the EF remains in the Southern Composites. This is because Finn offers increased protection to the devastating disease Facial Eczema (fungal toxin in pastures) prevalent in the warm and humid lower altitude North Island regions, not an issue in the cooler deep south.
Highlanders were very well marketed throughout NZ (I know as I was a Romney breeder at the time, having a number of ram clients trying them out) but they had very little permanent impact in the south.
Highlander sires have not proven to be as numerous or high ranking as the southern Composites.
Many of the southern Composites (of the 3 making up Easydams) have now been used by North Island Composite breeders in an effort to improve various traits, as identified by SIL.
I often hear the comment, "the Highlanders were a good step up and learning tool to the Composite they run now" ....... usually one of the 3 mentioned above. But these comments were made by South Island farmers. So its up to UK farmers to decide which NZ environment is more similar to theirs.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
They would be, and I have advised several people that have enquired about Highlanders that they might find it worth looking at Easydams instead. Given the breeders behind each composite, I would fully expect them to be a better 'type' of sheep than the Highlander marketing machine, not to mention having a higher health status.
From a personal perspective, they still have wool though, which I am still dabbling with breeding off here.
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- Location
- Scottish Borders
I’ve run 2 easydam tups over 200 Romney ewes , and so far I’m delighted with the lambs, and have said as much to the dark Lord Hulme .
I was needing a new maternal tup, so tried them rather than a romney, and so far so good .
They’ll be in tomorrow for a fly spray, so I’ll get some pictures!
M-J-G
Member
I was saying it in jest, I know nothing about them apart from the fact the sales pitch could be convincing for anyone who's of that disposition.
- Location
- Scottish Borders
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Do you know what they look very similar too…. 
- Location
- Fife
Suftex tups in the back? How do you find them?
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
In answer to the question yes there are Easydam ewes out there but the earliest users are probably not regular Forum viewers ( yes they do exist) . Over the next few weeks I will get pictures and comments from 'Happy Users' The really high levels of repeat sales indicates that people are pleased with the results
- Location
- Scottish Borders
gpcwm
Member
- Location
- welsh border
Used an easydam over some of our
Romneys last autumn. So far pleased with outcome, cleaned the heads up and nice tight fleece.
Romneys last autumn. So far pleased with outcome, cleaned the heads up and nice tight fleece.
hillman
Member
- Location
- Wicklow Ireland
What breed are the mums?