our charolais x easycare lambs sometimes top the market , as hoggets they can be around 50 kgs lw , very even to look at and certainly no worse than mule x whatever
Easycare sheep experiment
- Thread starter SR7
- Start date
Kingcustard
Member
Ffs are you trying to please @neilo and the EC boys in one haha
But we have had more birth weight issues with them though got charmois this year very easy to lamb etc etc but I dont we will get much over 42 kgs but maybe more kgs per ewe due to better survival etc
Kingcustard
Member
SHOTS FIRED hahahaha
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
Yes I do believe our EasyTexel NZ sired rams will improve maternal abilities compared to their UK cousins. I know nothing about Logies and to be fair they are 1 of a small number of breeders trying to breed functional as opposed to show pony tups of various breeds.
The majority of our new customers (500 + in the last 4 years) run Texel x ewes and want to change so I assume they are either dissatisfied with what they currently have or believe that our genetics will benefit them. The main complaints are tups that die too soon and then the normal lack of prolificacy, lambing difficulties,mastitis, poor feet. The last 2 years has also seen complaints about about Texel x lambs lack of birth coats and difficulty in finishing off grass only diets. Our rams are mainly used for outdoor lambing so lambing ease and birth coats are critical.
All our imported Texel are assessed in NZ on SIL on a Terminal basis AND a 'Dual Purpose with Meat basis'. The recorded traits include reproduction ( this is capped so triplets are penalised.), survival when outdoor lambing, growth and adult size ( anything above 70Kgs is penalised). They also have a full DNA profile including GDF 9 for prolificacy and and are separately tested for foot rot susceptibility. We also record the same traits with SIL
- Location
- Ledbury, Herefordshire
Ive had Char x "Exlana" do similar, as well as SufTex x Exlana.
If you get the right char, I found it ideal for first time Exlana types, get them to raise a fat lamb to see if they are worth putting in the GP flock.
That said, I didn't really start with the "best" Exlanas, I started with random culls that did everything else but shed properly, so I knew they'd lasted ages in a flock with a decent culling policy and knew that with one cross to a shedding ram would produce shedding offspring.
- Location
- Ledbury, Herefordshire
I found they crossed well, but Id be super wary now because I keep hearing people are putting texel in char and I would be using them specifically for ease of birth plus growth rate.
To me lots of pure Texel seem to have wide shoulders and big heads, and also there's the heterosis thing, which is why I went for SufTex after that.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
This is it exactly. They're compared to a mule unfairly because they are cheaper and easier to keep.
I still think that some of the folk who really have a problem with them is because they know wool is actually a cost to their business but don't feel prepared to change. Next best thing is convince themselves that shedders are no good.
- Location
- North Antrim
There speaks a man who doesn't realise the hold that tradition has on hill farmers in particular. A more conservative and suspicious bunch than you could find, but you would know that if you farmed.
- Location
- Fife
That# basically what innovis are doing with their shedding aberfield.
ringi
Member
Are they also doing the shedding hill sheep side of a shedding mule system?
- Location
- Fife
The aberfield is marketed as a mule replacement. No need for hill sheep at all.
ringi
Member
So they hoping to get the same result without the hybred vigour of a mule.
M-J-G
Member
I would guess very little, I think it's mostly instinct
Kingcustard
Member
I have a field of gimmer's who were nice and canny then the idiot tup went in with them and now they are all bonkers, definitely part learned behavior
M-J-G
Member
Yes, wild sheep make others wilder, I had however assumed the point that I was replying to was about sheep learning maternal behavour from their mother.
- Location
- West Country
No need for a aberfield either… there buying up Exlanas to piggyback on shedding… just buy the real thing!
exmoorromney
Member
No, they are marketed as a crossing ram with better confirmation.