aberfield sheep

[missjones]

has anyone used them?
the farm i worked at last year used them and interested to hear people's opinions to produce lambs for meat,

aberfield ewes? any good for retaining ewes to sire for meat lambs?
having spoken to the chap i worked with he suggested using aberfield ewes on a texel x..
i thought about aberfields on a lleyn ewe?

opinions thoughts pics welcomed

i have tried to contact 2 people at innovis but neither responded

Thanks

 

[Dave6170]

@scrubbuster

 

[scrubbuster]

He is out with the ewes I will tell you in a couple of years! I wouldn't use him a terminal sire. I put him out with NCCs to breed replacements.

 

[missjones]

NCCs? aren't they used for meat lambs though with good conformation?

 

[scrubbuster]

Well I hope the wedders will go fat. They should be similar to cheviot mules

 

[gatepost]

Blue faced Leicester cross Texel,which is what they are, maketh a good ewe, but no terminal sire, , lambs may end up too big before they finish.

 

[scrubbuster]

Good ewes I am hoping for. I think you will be proven correct on the wedder lamb front. That said I used a BFL and his male lambs did surprisingly well in the fat ring

 

[Nithsdale]

NCCs? aren't they used for meat lambs though with good conformation?

NCC is a hil ewe for breeding commercial ewes from. It just also happens to produce a quality fat lamb itself...

They should be abit better as Chev Mules. And the resulting fat lambs will be better too, as youve already got 25% terminal blood in the ewe

 

[Ysgythan]

@ford4000

 

[RhysHopkins]

Used aberfields for the last two years on Welsh mountains and very pleased with them. Will be lambing the lot of yearlings in March so will let you know about maternal then.

But can't fault them for fat lambs at all. Ram lambs coming off the hill fat at 37-45kg at the end of August. Sold a lot of the first cross ram lambs for breeding to people who don't want to pay innovis prices. The difference between them and the pure Welsh is unbelievable. But we did pick a more texel looking ram.

 

[Yale]

Aberfield lamb on a highlander x mule ewe last summer.

 

[GTB]

Blue faced Leicester cross Texel,which is what they are,

No need to pay silly money for them.... you could breed your own.

 

[Sheepfog]

Never used them but I've heard that they have tremendous growth rates, as good as out and out terminal sires.

Always thought an Aberfield would be a good cross for Lleyns and NCCs for producing female replacements. Should produce some good skinned fast growing lambs.

 

[reverand]

No need to pay silly money for them.... you could breed your own.

I would like to think I've paid for a bit of selection and recording. Time will tell.

 

[reverand]

I have selected 90 ewes that have been recorded by myself for feet for the last two years. Fingers crossed

 

[Ysgythan]

Recording, when it's only them using those EBVs? All in all it seems it's some good marketing.

 

[gatepost]

I would like to think I've paid for a bit of selection and recording. Time will tell.

Hybrid vigour ,yes. figures no more than within flock, so you can get the best of what is there , but not a transferable EBV.

 

[reverand]

Recording, when it's only them using those EBVs? All in all it seems it's some good marketing.

You could be right on the recording front, I don't know. From what I saw and was told they record a lot more than most tup breeders, work in progress I suppose. You are definitely right about marketing. There are quite a few aberfield around here and from what I've seen its all good

 

[reverand]

Hybrid vigour ,yes. figures no more than within flock, so you can get the best of what is there , but not a transferable EBV.

Perhaps not. I know the blue faced Leicester is not the favourite breed on here but I would put my neck on the line and say as suppliers to the mule breeders innovis is one of the most and best recorded. Correct me if I'm wrong. P's. I don't work for them

 

[hilux]

Mongrels. That's what they are. As @Ysgythan says they only use their own figures. Tried abertex, bought one in top5% the other in top10% and really disappointed in the lambs. Why put aberfield on a lleyn? You've got an excellent maternal ewe which would probably do better with a terminal sire on them ie. texel,Charolais..etc. or if you're wanting an easier lambing put them back to a lleyn.