- Location
- Scottsih Borders
It's a good job, or you'd never be able to ride a bicycle.It's called a kilt...
And my legs go all the way up
(with due acknowledgment to the late 'Cleg of last of the summer......)
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Border Leicesters and their future...
- Thread starter Nithsdale
- Start date
(with due acknowledgment to the late 'Cleg of last of the summer......)
Just went to see my brother’s Lleyn ewe lambs today and one is so obviously out of a Border Leicester it’s untrue. She’s a cracking lamb. Big benefit of BL on Lleyn is that they’re both MV accredited and would save people like us having to double test ewe lambs every year for embryo recipients.
- Location
- N.Lincs
Saw this girl this afternoon and it made me think of your thread @Nithsdale Farmer .............
Even crossing her with one of @neilo's Charolais hasn't suppressed the 'Big Lug' gene.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Saw this girl this afternoon and it made me think of your thread @Nithsdale Farmer .............
The ewe is a good few generations away from a Scotch Halfbred and one more from the BL tup.
Even crossing her with one of @neilo's Charolais hasn't suppressed the 'Big Lug' gene.
Good looking ewe that
Do the wise old 'herds not say long ears are a sign of good growth?
- Location
- N.Lincs
Do the wise old 'herds not say long ears are a sign of good growth?
They're still working on an EBV for it
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Apparently when Border Leicesters were the big breed at Kelso, you could expect to pay £100 per inch of ear length..
They're still working on an EBV for it
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
- Location
- N.Lincs
I think they are a really striking sheep to look at, but as for breeding for a trait that is the first thing (along with the rest of the head) to get thrown in the skip, well it doesn't bear thinking about.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
An average of the two??Was that just 1 ear, or both ears??
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Ah now don't tell me they've gone to all the bother to actively breed them long... but can't breed them to make them the same length?!?
(Tag injuries not included)
- Location
- N.Lincs
The only benefit I can see from these big ears is that there's plenty of room to put the tags in - and the replacement tags - and the replacement, replacement tags, etc, etc
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Another topical USP!The only benefit I can see from these big ears is that there's plenty of room to put the tags in - and the replacement tags - and the replacement, replacement tags, etc, etc
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
No, I'm sure that anything with such a heinous fault as odd ears would never make it to Kelso.Ah now don't tell me they've gone to all the bother to actively breed them long... but can't breed them to make them the same length?!?
(Tag injuries not included)
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
The shearlings are sold at Kelso, because they weren't good enough to be sold at the main sale, as lambs, at Lanark. Faults and all
Im not aware of Borders coming with free spades?...
depending on breeder as with any animal. Also depends on the animals care after and dietary change, all needs to be gradual. If you went from pure meat diet to lettuce over night your stomach would not be impressed, just sheep are a 100% worse(sometimes they forget they need to eat to live when there stomach hurts and just die) that combined with resting in a shed every night nice and warm to be kicked out on the side of the hill would come as quite a shock.Just my opinionSad to see such a popular breed decline so fast, guess my concern is if most commercial breeders stopped using them in the 70's what have they been doing for the last 30/40 years? and let the breed get to the rare breed at risk status
unfortunately you need to upset the apple cart big time to turn that around.you cant keep everyone happy in that situation but you might save the breed from becoming a smallholders breed.