Crossing over to the dark side!

[Estate fencing.]

View attachment 968485

These are my original tups. Bought as tup lambs from a lleyns based flock, they're all twin weaned. I specifically selected hair type coats as I believe these will get me to a clean shedding tup faster.

Commercial flock is very low input, with a low capital spend on initial stock.

Much (much!) more has been spent on the stud flock. But the same hard culling policy applies.

Jump out the handling system = cull
Repeatedly walk through the electric fence = cull
Need treatment for lameness (1 strike and you're out) = cull
Require assistance at lambing = cull
Generally offend me in any other way = cull

But no not making any money currently. Still in establishment/expansion phase. Projected to make profits from year 4 (currently year 2). And projected to make excellent profits from year 5, as larger numbers of shedding inverdales come online.

Eventually I'd like to have an elite performance recorded core flock, producing females for a commercial flock going to a shedding terminal. However, I want to stabilize the composite first.

I like it. Thought of system and going to make it work. Not just thrashing around like a one armed swimmer.

 

[unlacedgecko]

I like it. Thought of system and going to make it work. Not just thrashing around like a one armed swimmer.

I feel clarity of vision and willingness to follow it through are important.

Break down the objective into smaller goals and work away. First job is get the wool off. However, I won't compromise feet or lambing ease.

From F2 onwards I'll cull for shedding ability.

Some people try and do too much at once and don't get anywhere. I know someone who started converting to Shedders 8+ years ago. But they're trying to do other things at the same time, and so still shear 1/3 of their flock.

 

[Northern territory]

I feel clarity of vision and willingness to follow it through are important.

Break down the objective into smaller goals and work away. First job is get the wool off. However, I won't compromise feet or lambing ease.

From F2 onwards I'll cull for shedding ability.

Some people try and do too much at once and don't get anywhere. I know someone who started converting to Shedders 8+ years ago. But they're trying to do other things at the same time, and so still shear 1/3 of their flock.

Why not exlana then or easycare or is that too much capital invested when you can breed those traits in.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Why not exlana then or easycare or is that too much capital invested when you can breed those traits in.

I wanted large critical mass of stock straight away.

How much for exlana or easycare ewes?

 

[Northern territory]

I wanted large critical mass of stock straight away.

How much for exlana or easycare ewes?

Wouldn’t know but a pretty penny at current breeding prices I would imagine. If I took a block of land on away from our holding I would seriously look at some form of easycare shedding ewes.

 

[Devil's advocate]

out of interest what would these regular breeds be?

Swaledale Cheviot if you must.

BFL

Texel

Get those three all shedding or better still hair sheep

I'm in.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Wouldn’t know but a pretty penny at current breeding prices I would imagine. If I took a block of land on away from our holding I would seriously look at some form of easycare shedding ewes.

My Shetlands arrive on farm at £20/hd, which includes £8 haulage. I suspect I can get 5 or more Shetlands for the price of an easycare 2 tooth.

 

[Estate fencing.]

My Shetlands arrive on farm at £20/hd, which includes £8 haulage. I suspect I can get 5 or more Shetlands for the price of an easycare 2 tooth.

Have you bred any up from welsh ewes?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Have you bred any up from welsh ewes?

No. The Welsh are trading stock all put to a terminal. Flocks are kept biosecure from each other.

Welsh have too many iceberg diseases to base my long term maternal flock on.

 

[gwi1890]

Swaledale Cheviot if you must.

BFL

Texel

Get those three all shedding or better still hair sheep

I'm in.

I tupped pedigree texel ewe lambs with a easycare tup also the person I bought my shedding ewes from crossed texel with his ewes, I don’t think what your looking for is that hard to find barring the BFL

 

[unlacedgecko]

Swaledale Cheviot if you must.

BFL

Texel

Get those three all shedding or better still hair sheep

I'm in.

Come back to me in 5yrs and I'll have tups which can do everything those breeds can.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Come back to me in 5yrs and I'll have tups which can do everything those breeds can.

I think you will struggle to match the bfl for the ability to die for the shear fun of it.

 

[unlacedgecko]

I think you will struggle to match the bfl for the ability to die for the shear fun of it.

I meant in terms of improving litter size in daughters.

 

[Estate fencing.]

No. The Welsh are trading stock all put to a terminal. Flocks are kept biosecure from each other.

Welsh have too many iceberg diseases to base my long term maternal flock on.

So is shetland free of mv and scab. We are going to Shetland in October so am intending to have a look at some farms.

 

[unlacedgecko]

So is shetland free of mv and scab. We are going to Shetland in October so am intending to have a look at some farms.

Yes it is. And a few other things. There's quite the protocol for bringing stock onto the island.

It's a beautiful country and the people are really welcoming and friendly.

Just stay well at from the draft ewe sales. I don't need you pushing up my averages!

 

[Estate fencing.]

It's a beautiful country and the people are really welcoming and friendly.

Just stay well at from the draft ewe sales. I don't need you pushing up my averages!

When are they?

 

[unlacedgecko]

When are they?

October!

 

[Estate fencing.]

October!

What a strange coincidence. Might go for a look. Don’t think my dogs have the ability for shetlands though.

 

[unlacedgecko]

What a strange coincidence. Might go for a look. Don’t think my dogs have the ability for shetlands though.

Neither do mine. I'm well known in the local area...

 

[unlacedgecko]

Stud tups

Inverdale from @MJT. Bare belly and breech, so his daughters should produce clean shedding tups.

Performance recorded easycare from @Woolless
Double myomax. Chosen on figures and for his hair type coat. My most expensive sheep

He goes over the inverdale daughters. I'll then gene test tup lambs to find my double myomax inverdale.

2nd tup I've had from the same farm and very happy with both. Unfortunately my original one was killed by a dog last month.