Best ewe Indoor February lambing.

I’ve still got 120 dry ewe lambs running on 30 acres so that will be no good for 6 weeks when they finally move. The plan is not to keep dry sheep again.
Im lucky with my buildings as we used to be a larger setup with cattle as well before the partnership breakup and so it’s easier for me to make the food for them and keep them in rather than chasing around after ground and having to travel to check them but I do have my own straw.
 

Bones

Member
Location
n Ireland
A traditional BFL crossed onto a Cheviot ewe produced a Cheviot mule. Some people really struggle too grasp that a mule MUST have a BFL sire. A man tried selling me Cheviot mules a couple of years ago. I thought this strange as I know he has no Cheviot ewes. Turns out he’s bought a Cheviot tup and crossed it with his NC mules. I told him 1) they aren’t Cheviot mules, showed him a picture on my phone of my northern sourced ewe lambs.
2) what you’ve done is breed mongrels
3) they aren’t even good mongrels and were worth at most £58 as stores too kill.
He hasn’t spoken too me since… 🤔
A cheviot ram crossed on to a mule ewe , makes for a fantastic ewe, which is hardier than a mule , less triplets that a mule , more milk than a pure cheviot and can lamb out side, Great sheep
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
I’ve still got 120 dry ewe lambs running on 30 acres so that will be no good for 6 weeks when they finally move. The plan is not to keep dry sheep again.
Im lucky with my buildings as we used to be a larger setup with cattle as well before the partnership breakup and so it’s easier for me to make the food for them and keep them in rather than chasing around after ground and having to travel to check them but I do have my own straw.
That’s the same as where I shepherd. We have plenty of shed space, more straw than we could ever use and 30 acres of seeds for silage and flushing ewes on. He wants them in early in the new year so we done make a mess of the park land and I want them in so they can be done proper in the early hours of the morning because I go off for a full days work. We run manly nc mules and nz suffolk cross. But might be going over to lleyns in the future (have a flock of my own as well) because the 5 that are living with them are by far the best condition.
 
That’s the same as where I shepherd. We have plenty of shed space, more straw than we could ever use and 30 acres of seeds for silage and flushing ewes on. He wants them in early in the new year so we done make a mess of the park land and I want them in so they can be done proper in the early hours of the morning because I go off for a full days work. We run manly nc mules and nz suffolk cross. But might be going over to lleyns in the future (have a flock of my own as well) because the 5 that are living with them are by far the best condition
Are suffolks out of the mules?
Are they good milky mothers?
Was looking on easy rams website the other day and wondering about 1 for the scotch mules.
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Are suffolks out of the mules?
Are they good milky mothers?
Was looking on easy rams website the other day and wondering about 1 for the scotch mules.
Yeah they are out of mule, mainly nc but have some myself out of scotch that are much stronger (and usually end up selling as theaves). There much better mothers and milk well and are nothing like the English Suffolk cross mules. Tups look dreadful when they come and don’t expect any preformance figures for them (even though you pay a premium for this 🤔).
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
So how have you cut back on the feeding, is it because the lambs were off earlier and the ewes have held onto their condition better?
Yes, I think the ewes didn't get pulled down as they were coming off their lactation curve. Thought the lambs did well too as they spent all their time eating rather than chasing the ewe round for a dribble of milk. Had to try something as I couldn't justify spending so much money on winter feed.
Don't fert fields but have seen a year by year improvement in the grass quality as I move the sheep and cattle through the fields. Move them quick in the spring and slow it down as the grass takes off. Going to try ewes & lambs cows & calves together as a mob this year to see if that makes a difference.
 

Jonp

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Gwent
I run 3.5 to the acre on pp, although I've 30 acres of seeds this year due to more sheep, and l have to be off some rented ground for 8 weeks. My ground is to heavy to out winter and feed so they have to come in. The Chev mules have been in since the week before Christmas and the scotch mules + the Suffolk mules have been in since the 8th of Jan. All are doing ok and are due on the 15th of march then once lambed back out obviously but there hasn't been much grass growth on the old turf.View attachment 1019973View attachment 1019974View attachment 1019975
Serious shed envy!
My shed is small, DIY job, 18m x 12m. Can cram 120 ewes in and 8 - 10 calving cows straight after lambing. If the weather's kind it's fine but nasty weather is a challenge to say the least. If I get more sheep will have to split lamb them; ewes then cows then ewes again. To old to man up and outdoor lamb.
IMG_20200115_071105.jpg
 

Jaffa Cakes

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
NI
A traditional BFL crossed onto a Cheviot ewe produced a Cheviot mule. Some people really struggle too grasp that a mule MUST have a BFL sire. A man tried selling me Cheviot mules a couple of years ago. I thought this strange as I know he has no Cheviot ewes. Turns out he’s bought a Cheviot tup and crossed it with his NC mules. I told him 1) they aren’t Cheviot mules, showed him a picture on my phone of my northern sourced ewe lambs.
2) what you’ve done is breed mongrels
3) they aren’t even good mongrels and were worth at most £58 as stores too kill.
He hasn’t spoken too me since… 🤔
Thanks, every day a school day!
 

Kingcustard

Member
Yes, I think the ewes didn't get pulled down as they were coming off their lactation curve. Thought the lambs did well too as they spent all their time eating rather than chasing the ewe round for a dribble of milk. Had to try something as I couldn't justify spending so much money on winter feed.
Don't fert fields but have seen a year by year improvement in the grass quality as I move the sheep and cattle through the fields. Move them quick in the spring and slow it down as the grass takes off. Going to try ewes & lambs cows & calves together as a mob this year to see if that makes a difference.
I always reckon when you have sheep and cattle in the same fields that the ewes and lambs do a lot better, someone once said it's because the cows hoover up all the Worm eggs but that may be poppycock
 

copse

Member
Mixed Farmer
Serious shed envy!
My shed is small, DIY job, 18m x 12m. Can cram 120 ewes in and 8 - 10 calving cows straight after lambing. If the weather's kind it's fine but nasty weather is a challenge to say the least. If I get more sheep will have to split lamb them; ewes then cows then ewes again. To old to man up and outdoor lamb.View attachment 1020068
That ewe on the left looks a bit lean !
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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