Aberfield x Cheviot ewe lamb price

[neilo]

If I’m speaking to JB, very very poorly

Joking apart, I have heard from someone whose Aberfield X Cheviots (as 3 yr olds) scan 20% lower than their draft Cheviot dams, all on a lowland farm. He doesn’t use Aberfields any more.

I wish you better luck than him.

 

[Jim75]

That innovis warning beacon of yours is still working then

 

[neilo]

That innovis warning beacon of yours is still working then

Not at all, I was very surprised when he told me. Logic would suggest that any BFL x Texel should certainly increase numbers over a Cheviot, more so one selected for the job.

From the start, I have probably posted more positive comments regarding that company’s breeding programs than most interested parties on here and I have run a flock of Highlanders since 2008. I certainly have more confidence in some of their breeding programs, and the people behind them, than in several other heavily marketed miracle workers.

 

[Jim75]

I’ll let you off this time @neilo

 

[scrubbuster]

You still never told us what they scanned??

 

[Jim75]

You still never told us what they scanned??

Is this bumping the price up. Over 200%, like I said, dreadfull................dreadfully high

 

[scrubbuster]

Is this bumping the price up. Over 200%, like I said, dreadfull................dreadfully high

Happy Birthday by the way!

 

[Jim75]

Happy Birthday by the way! View attachment 636094

You’ve unmasked me @scrubbuster #scotchlamb was on the menu and it was damn good

 

[Al R]

You’ve unmasked me @scrubbuster #scotchlamb was on the menu and it was damn good

Happy birthday Jim, I hope it tastes better than Heinz Scotch Broth which smells/tastes like billy goat! What age are they to scan at 200%?

 

[Jim75]

Happy birthday Jim, I hope it tastes better than Heinz Scotch Broth which smells/tastes like billy goat! What age are they to scan at 200%?

Far far better than that. Home made curry ..........gimmers

 

[Woolless]

Joking apart, I have heard from someone whose Aberfield X Cheviots (as 3 yr olds) scan 20% lower than their draft Cheviot dams, all on a lowland farm. He doesn’t use Aberfields any more.

I wish you better luck than him.

Any ideas as to how that would happen?? Seems incredible!

 

[Ysgythan]

Not at all, I was very surprised when he told me. Logic would suggest that any BFL x Texel should certainly increase numbers over a Cheviot, more so one selected for the job.

From the start, I have probably posted more positive comments regarding that company’s breeding programs than most interested parties on here and I have run a flock of Highlanders since 2008. I certainly have more confidence in some of their breeding programs, and the people behind them, than in several other heavily marketed miracle workers.

You’re confusing him with me. I’m firmly in the snake oil camp

 

[neilo]

Any ideas as to how that would happen?? Seems incredible!

No, he was surprised too, and certainly clued enough at what he's doing.

I've heard quite a few others reporting lower %ages than expected from the crossbreds too, but none quite as low as that. The look nice though.

 

[ford4000]

I've been disappointed with the number of twins from my aberfield x lleyn ewes this year as well, not a disaster, but less than the mules they live with and less than their Lleyn mothers who don't even get flushed. 1 Good point though is hardly any triplet from them on a year I've had too many from the other ewes! !

 

[Ysgythan]

I've been disappointed with the number of twins from my aberfield x lleyn ewes this year as well, not a disaster, but less than the mules they live with and less than their Lleyn mothers who don't even get flushed. 1 Good point though is hardly any triplet from them on a year I've had too many from the other ewes! !

Every cloud

 

[scrubbuster]

Got some more this year if anyone fancy a few?

 

[scrubbuster]

This year's. Stronger than last year I would say. About 42, 43kg

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

No, he was surprised too, and certainly clued enough at what he's doing.

I've heard quite a few others reporting lower %ages than expected from the crossbreds too, but none quite as low as that. The look nice though.

I was talking to the fellow on the innovis stand at sheep north the other year and asked him what percentage the pure aberfields scanned at. He said 140 maybe 150. "Really?" Said I, "I'd have thought it would have been much higher than that" he gets on high horse, "oh no, you don't want any higher than that!" Me "but surely, if you're breeding a tup to increase the percentage of other ewes you need it to be much higher.......over 200%?" He, now getting arsey "we're at 1000ft and on poor ground, we can't stand any higher than that" before pointing to a poster of the greenest field you've ever seen.

It seems they're purposely breeding out the effect of the bfl, so what's the point of them? It was a very good idea that they appear to be defeating by idiotic execution. I suppose it's a classic example of believing your own bulls**t

 

[neilo]

I was talking to the fellow on the innovis stand at sheep north the other year and asked him what percentage the pure aberfields scanned at. He said 140 maybe 150. "Really?" Said I, "I'd have thought it would have been much higher than that" he gets on high horse, "oh no, you don't want any higher than that!" Me "but surely, if you're breeding a tup to increase the percentage of other ewes you need it to be much higher.......over 200%?" He, now getting arsey "we're at 1000ft and on poor ground, we can't stand any higher than that" before pointing to a poster of the greenest field you've ever seen.

It seems they're purposely breeding out the effect of the bfl, so what's the point of them? It was a very good idea that they appear to be defeating by idiotic execution. I suppose it's a classic example of believing your own bullpoo

That’s interesting. When they first came out, they were claiming that they would produce around 170%, just a bit less than the Aberdale, which people were starting to say was just too prolific. It sounds they’ve tempered their claims, but very low for any BFL X I’d have thought.

For balance, I should add that I had Romney breeder trying to justify a 130% lambing rate to me once, as ‘that’s all you want with outdoor lambing’, when he had a ruck of ewe lambs to sell me. I decided that having to pay a rent ruled them out entirely. I went to a meeting last night where the same man had sold them their Romney stock. He explained how he was disappointed that they were lambing at 140%. Back on topic, he said that Innovis had persuaded him to try a couple of Aberfields.

 

[Woolless]

I was talking to the fellow on the innovis stand at sheep north the other year and asked him what percentage the pure aberfields scanned at. He said 140 maybe 150. "Really?" Said I, "I'd have thought it would have been much higher than that" he gets on high horse, "oh no, you don't want any higher than that!" Me "but surely, if you're breeding a tup to increase the percentage of other ewes you need it to be much higher.......over 200%?" He, now getting arsey "we're at 1000ft and on poor ground, we can't stand any higher than that" before pointing to a poster of the greenest field you've ever seen.

It seems they're purposely breeding out the effect of the bfl, so what's the point of them? It was a very good idea that they appear to be defeating by idiotic execution. I suppose it's a classic example of believing your own bullpoo

Well, now it makes sense what @neilo said about pure Cheviots scanning better than Aberfield x Cheviots on the same place. Surely the Aberfield x ewes are intended as a mule equivalent, so the Aberfields should be run on better ground (i.e. mule ground) so they can express what should be their much better prolificacy and be selected on the same? You're right, it sounds madness.