Draft ewes for terminal crossing.

[primmiemoo]

When starting to build up the flock, I'd buy Beulah Mule store lambs, and pick out tidiest ewe lambs. Didn't have the nerve to lamb them as hoggs, but they'd be rewarding when lambing to the Poll Dorset as 2ths. 4ths onwards they'd run with the Texel.

 

[A.sci]

What kind of price will romney drafts be this season?

 

[Lincs]

Depends on what sort of land you're running 'em on I suppose.

We have a block of lowland moorland that we graze for one of the local estates. It's in some sort of scheme so no inputs/improvements allowed but basically it's just 'space out of doors'.
Herdwicks (put to good Texel tups) do it for us.....


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Buy 4 or 5 croppers out of Cockermouth. The old girls think they've died and gone to heaven when they get here - doesn't rain a quarter as much, hardly ever snows and is two top coats warmer.

Sadly gone are the days when we could by 'em for 40 quid. They were a fair bit dearer last year and I guess they'll be up again this year.

What sort of money would genuine draft Herdwicks be?

 

[Tomo23]

Just looking at this reminder me on. Whatever ever happened to @CopperBeech. Not been on for nearly 12 months. Did I miss something?

 

[cubby]

I put our 5 crop blackies to an aberfield get a well fleshed wedder to sell in September at 45kgs and I retain the ewe lambs to put to an abertex to get good vigorous lambs which go on and thrive

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Just looking at this reminder me on. Whatever ever happened to @CopperBeech. Not been on for nearly 12 months. Did I miss something?

People are allowed to leave

 

[yellowbelly]

What sort of money would genuine draft Herdwicks be?

They've really gone up these last few years - should've kept quiet about how well they do down here
Don't buy anything flash, just good working ewes. Anywhere 3 to 5 crop, although it's noticeable there's a lot more 3 croppers in the big sale at Cockermouth lately.
Recent averages of ours..

2019.....£50
2020.....£73.57
2021.....didn't need any.
2022.....£80
2023.....£79.75

 

[Tim W]

Just looking at this reminder me on. Whatever ever happened to @CopperBeech. Not been on for nearly 12 months. Did I miss something?

You'll find him on Instagram as JJlivestock ---- but you'll need a bit of time as he's quite prolific

 

[Estate fencing.]

They've really gone up these last few years - should've kept quiet about how well they do down here
Don't buy anything flash, just good working ewes. Anywhere 3 to 5 crop, although it's noticeable there's a lot more 3 croppers in the big sale at Cockermouth lately.
Recent averages of ours..

2019.....£50
2020.....£73.57
2021.....didn't need any.
2022.....£80
2023.....£79.75

Dear then for ewes that aren’t worth much at the end. I know someone who runs a load to breed mules. Killed 300 in October for £21.

 

[Lincs]

They've really gone up these last few years - should've kept quiet about how well they do down here
Don't buy anything flash, just good working ewes. Anywhere 3 to 5 crop, although it's noticeable there's a lot more 3 croppers in the big sale at Cockermouth lately.
Recent averages of ours..

2019.....£50
2020.....£73.57
2021.....didn't need any.
2022.....£80
2023.....£79.75

Thanks I couldn’t find an average. Was hoping more like £50. I have alot of little ‘tup’ fields i gathered up when i started and i just dont use them now but i can’t bring myself to give them up. Normally make hay on them but its a pain driving all over tedding it.
My plan was 40-50 Herdwicks lambed outsided from mid April on a low input all in all out system but looks like im back to the drawing board

 

[yellowbelly]

Dear then for ewes that aren’t worth much at the end. I know someone who runs a load to breed mules. Killed 300 in October for £21.

It's horses for courses though.
Ours just live off what they can find on a SSSI that's just basically the same sort of vegetation that they've come from only 1000' lower.

They usually do about 160% and all lamb outside, with very little help.
We do bring them home to lamb though, just 'cos it's easier for us.

Our culls would be £10-£15 better than that.

If you've got decent grass, I'd agree, you want a ewe that's worth a bit as a cull. Our Herdy culls will only weigh 35-40 kg.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Thanks I couldn’t find an average. Was hoping more like £50. I have alot of little ‘tup’ fields i gathered up when i started and i just dont use them now but i can’t bring myself to give them up. Normally make hay on them but its a pain driving all over tedding it.
My plan was 40-50 Herdwicks lambed outsided from mid April on a low input all in all out system but looks like im back to the drawing board

Get a north welshy ewe for that

 

[Lincs]

Get a north welshy ewe for that

That was my first thought but im scared of them getting out constantly

 

[Estate fencing.]

That was my first thought but im scared of them getting out constantly

There fine really, I ran mine behind 2 strands of electric with arable all the way around

 

[yellowbelly]

Thanks I couldn’t find an average. Was hoping more like £50

You could maybe pick up some harder done 5 croppers for that sort of money and if you're going to run 'em on good grass down on you're silt, they'd mend a lot better than they would on our Warren - it's all heather and gorse and just 'space out of doors'.

 

[Lincs]

There fine really, I ran mine behind 2 strands of electric with arable all the way around

TBF I ran a load of cull ewes for a chap up until Christmas and they were a mix of all sorts. Welsh, Beulah, Chev, Herdwicks, Jacobs etc etc. they were complete arseholes for 48hrs but soon settled down. The Welsh didn’t flock particularly well and always looked for the gap when i was working with them but they may be the answer

 

[Lincs]

You could maybe pick up some harder done 5 croppers for that sort of money and if you're going to run 'em on good grass down on you're silt, they'd mend a lot better than they would on our Warren - it's all heather and gorse and just 'space out of doors'.
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I guess there is only one way to find out! Was just looking at a cheap low input type system

 

[unlacedgecko]

I guess there is only one way to find out! Was just looking at a cheap low input type system

Shetland ewes are the ultimate in cheap low input sheep.

 

[Lincs]

Shetland ewes are the ultimate in cheap low input sheep.

No cull value

 

[unlacedgecko]

No cull value

Doesn't matter if you don't pay a lot for them in the fist place