Best terminal Ram for easycare ewes,

[yellowbelly]

Used a Charolais on our few.....

....lambed easy enough.

Not got any more recent (or better) pics than these.....

.....but they're good shaped lambs and fair romping away now

 

[Woolless]

Used a Charolais on our few.....

....lambed easy enough.

Not got any more recent (or better) pics than these.....

.....but they're good shaped lambs and fair romping away now

Lambing ease rarely quoted as an issue with the Char, it's always soft lambs that is cast up against it?

 

[Woolless]

I'm surprised at the Hampshire being easy lambed, the ones I've seen were thick of the legs, and strong of the head,

I know what you mean but my tups have all bought from breeders with the interests of commercial men at heart.

 

[sean m]

not good pic but these are char x texel ram on easycare ewes,lambed end of march outdoors in the shallow end,stood the weather well to be fair

 

[yellowbelly]

Lambing ease rarely quoted as an issue with the Char, it's always soft lambs that is cast up against it?

Point takenSoft lambs not much of a consideration here - we're much nearer sea level than many of you guys.
That's why we've only one mob of the main flock left to clip, the flies are striking down here

 

[Woolless]

Point takenSoft lambs not much of a consideration here - we're much nearer sea level than many of you guys.
That's why we've only one mob of the main flock left to clip, the flies are striking down here

Ah, OK. Flies are the least of our issues currently. It's bloody freezing, yesterday morning in particular, and rain is needed.

 

[pgk]

I know what you mean but my tups have all bought from breeders with the interests of commercial men at heart.

Used to put Hampshire's across bottom end of our Lleyns, big lambs with long torpedo like heads popped out like piglets, rarely assisted. Only went away from them cos they were penalised at market, used to draw first of the crosses at 9 weeks off the ewes around 42 to 44kg.

 

[Nithsdale]

Ah, OK. Flies are the least of our issues currently. It's bloody freezing, yesterday morning in particular, and rain is needed.

Who'd have thought it eh - things were still soft just 2 weeks ago... bloody dry now!!

The grass/fields are looking well, but water supply is getting short for the cattle

 

[Woolless]

Used to put Hampshire's across bottom end of our Lleyns, big lambs with long torpedo like heads popped out like piglets, rarely assisted. Only went away from them cos they were penalised at market, used to draw first of the crosses at 9 weeks off the ewes around 42 to 44kg.

They're a deadweight lamb ideally. With performance like that, I would have been keeping the tups and giving the mart the elbow!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Used to put Hampshire's across bottom end of our Lleyns, big lambs with long torpedo like heads popped out like piglets, rarely assisted. Only went away from them cos they were penalised at market, used to draw first of the crosses at 9 weeks off the ewes around 42 to 44kg.

They're a deadweight lamb ideally. With performance like that, I would have been keeping the tups and giving the mart the elbow!

I was just about to say the same!

 

[pgk]

Probably should have done. Still u live n learn.

 

[Bones]

As ever it depends on your location, time of Lambing and when and how you want to market the lambs?
Having considered all those points I would suggest a good ram from any breed from a progressive ram breeder would do a good job.
Quick selling you want fast growth rate probably a Suffolk get the lambs gone, maybe a Hamp is selling on the dead.
Selling in the live ring after Christmas probably a texel/beltex
Selling all year round through a farm shape maybe a Charollais, Meatlinc.
( I think all bases covered there)

Personally I would go with s Suffolk but then i’m biased.
FJ

Might give the Charlie or rouge a try, inside lambing, first time lambers ,so the lively lambs will help,

 

[foxirl]

First-time sheep farmer with small flock of 25 ewes, 17 suffolk cross and 8 easycare. The 8 easy care ewes were bought earlier this year with 12 easycare lambs from an easy care ram but they don't seem to look as heavy as my other lambs born at the same time. Plan is to weigh them later in the week to get a better idea.

Like the concept of no shearing, easy lambing etc and the ewes seem to have good feet and milk well so hoping to increase numbers a bit. Of the 12 easycare lambs 8 are ewe lambs so would have 16 easycare for breeding later this year (8 ewes and 8 ewe lambs). Based on the replies above was considering buying a charollais ram and put them with the suffolk cross and the 8 easycare ewe lambs and keep one of the best ram lambs from the easycare ewes to put back with the ewes (except its mother) in October to breed some more easycare lambs with the intention of again keeping the ewe lambs. Obviously cant put the easycare ram with the ewe lambs as they would be half sisters of the ram.

This would give me over 20 to 25 easycare breeding sheep for the following year and would give me an idea of what lambs from the charollais easycare cross would turn out like.

Just cant justify the expense of buying two rams for such a small flock.

Any advice would be great.

 

[Woolless]

First-time sheep farmer with small flock of 25 ewes, 17 suffolk cross and 8 easycare. The 8 easy care ewes were bought earlier this year with 12 easycare lambs from an easy care ram but they don't seem to look as heavy as my other lambs born at the same time. Plan is to weigh them later in the week to get a better idea.

Like the concept of no shearing, easy lambing etc and the ewes seem to have good feet and milk well so hoping to increase numbers a bit. Of the 12 easycare lambs 8 are ewe lambs so would have 16 easycare for breeding later this year (8 ewes and 8 ewe lambs). Based on the replies above was considering buying a charollais ram and put them with the suffolk cross and the 8 easycare ewe lambs and keep one of the best ram lambs from the easycare ewes to put back with the ewes (except its mother) in October to breed some more easycare lambs with the intention of again keeping the ewe lambs. Obviously cant put the easycare ram with the ewe lambs as they would be half sisters of the ram.

This would give me over 20 to 25 easycare breeding sheep for the following year and would give me an idea of what lambs from the charollais easycare cross would turn out like.

Just cant justify the expense of buying two rams for such a small flock.

Any advice would be great.

I think you're right not to go to great expense on your scale. Would be false economy to use one of your own tup lambs if he was just the best of a moderate lot, though. If yours aren't shaping up, then an older proven tup from a good flock should be a good value purchase and he could serve all your Easycares.

 

[foxirl]

I think you're right not to go to great expense on your scale. Would be false economy to use one of your own tup lambs if he was just the best of a moderate lot, though. If yours aren't shaping up, then an older proven tup from a good flock should be a good value purchase and he could serve all your Easycares.

Thanks Woolless. Have around 4 months before I need to decide anyway so gives me more time to see what way the lambs go. In Ireland so not many easy care around so sourcing a ram close by may be difficult. A large easycare breeder about 130 miles away but its a long round trip just for 1 ram.
Other option is just go with a charollais ram this year to see how that goes and sell all offspring. Then buy an easycare ram and maybe 15 - 20 easycare ewe lambs next year.

 

[Bones]

Thanks Woolless. Have around 4 months before I need to decide anyway so gives me more time to see what way the lambs go. In Ireland so not many easy care around so sourcing a ram close by may be difficult. A large easycare breeder about 130 miles away but its a long round trip just for 1 ram.
Other option is just go with a charollais ram this year to see how that goes and sell all offspring. Then buy an easycare ram and maybe 15 - 20 easycare ewe lambs next year.

What county are you in ? Keep an eye out on donedeal , you still might be better traveling to get a ram with a bit of length and height to put into your potential replacements

 

[Green farmer]

What characteristics would you look for in a good easycare ram ?

 

[foxirl]

What county are you in ? Keep an eye out on donedeal , you still might be better traveling to get a ram with a bit of length and height to put into your potential replacements

Wexford. Do you know any breeders down that way. Length and height doesn't seem to be the issue. They just don't seen to be filling out like the other lambs. Lots of grass so that's not the issue. Ewes are a good size and I saw the ram that the lambs came from and was in no way small.

 

[Bones]

Wexford. Do you know any breeders down that way. Length and height doesn't seem to be the issue. They just don't seen to be filling out like the other lambs. Lots of grass so that's not the issue. Ewes are a good size and I saw the ram that the lambs came from and was in no way small.

Are the other lambs filling out better or have they more wool? I wouldn't know any breeders down that far ,

 

[foxirl]

Other lambs seem to be filling out better but as you say, maybe its the wool. Plan to weigh a few of them this weekend so will update the thread then.