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Which companies are the best for DNAing sheep? Looking to get a few gene markers too.

Yea it was doing 15mpg with no towing, just checking stock. Never worked it out with the trailer but it’s a lot worse. I’d keep the bike as well.

I currently do about 13k miles per year currently on a Honda 520 which is shocking on petrol. Im thinking about getting a diesel UTV and probably will end up doing 20k miles per year. Does anyone actually know what MPG they do? It’s becoming more relevant with the price of red these days.

What’s the best fodder crop for wintering ewe lambs on? Ideally to last until April. How many acres to keep 3-400 on? I don’t think our land would be good enough for fodder beet.

Thinking of having another breed of sheep on the farm. Want something hardy and maternal, that I can breed pure, keep replacements and sell surplus ewe lambs. Upland wet farm. What breeds would you suggest? Want to keep 2-300 of them.

There seems to be sheep/ breeds more prone to it than others. Texels seem to get it where as it’s very very rare we get one in a blackie-even if they are in the same batch.

What causes this kind of mould in a bale of dry silage/haylage? we also struggle to get bales without mould, which is a torture when feeding to sheep. It’s supposed to be double wrapped as well. The second picture is the usual mould that we get. In the first picture it’s spots in through the...

It’s usually around £40, which was still dear. Maybe it’s not worth the hassle now at that price? Better with concentrates?

Usually feed some beet here from December to about start of March, move on to ewe rolls from start of March. We start to lamb about 25th March. We use the beet to keep them full and we don’t use any silage. we are feeding about 1500 sheep. This year washed and delivered beet is £50, ewe rolls...

Recovered mine in tin this spring, it’s a great job.

that’s some of last years lambs, they are very similar this year. Sire is Procters Class Act, purchased for 8.5k.

I can supply you with hardy, muscley and alert Texels, without the big heads. Born outside in April. Lambs sold to 6k last year. MV accredited and Scrapie Monitored.

What type of blackface are you working with? Can you not cross in another type of blackface? There will be a bit of hybrid vigour there too. First cross using another type of blackface seems to work well

Could do with one or 2 students here, in north of Ireland.

I am going to feed ewes pre and during tupping instead of expensive and lack of winter grazing. I am going to feed beet pulp and optimate minerals through a snacker. what’s the best way to get the minerals to stick to the feed? Best way to mix? I want to use the snacker because I never feed...

As with in any breed, there are different types. I breed texels too, and I don’t go for course headed types or those with a stumpy necks. And I buy rams as dear as any. The types are there, if you look. My father always said breed the kind you want yourself, and hope someone else will like it-...

Be easy to breed shedding blackies, if you buy bare hairy ones the daughters cast anyway. And plenty of ewes don’t need clipping- even without selecting for it.

Have a lot of old grass, but working my way round reseeding it as I’ve only taken over. Don’t like lick buckets, good for spreading disease in my view. Just looking to scoot round with the snacker. Mainly blackface Scanning at 1.3, looking to go up to 1.5

Don’t want a massive scan, just would like to have a wee bit more than usual, and avoid winter grazing. Have them on fodder beet from December.

What’s people’s thoughts on a feed for pre and during tupping? Hard to get winter grass here and it’s £1 a week if you do? Plus will do away with driving around all day and those sheep that go missing, catch on briars etc. Sugar beet? Ewe nuts? Lamb pellets? Or anything else?