Easycare sheep experiment

[Sheep92]

Speak to the easycare society. They will probably have members in Ireland.

Or give me a call. I have several contacts who can supply that amount from 1 farm. I can also undertake ewe lamb selection and organise transport.

I might take you up on that, apart from Campbell there's no other place where that number could be bought from one farm over here, do you know of flocks that can export to Ireland?

 

[Sheep92]

I think the only flock that is Mv accredited is that fella in Northern Ireland, whose name escapes me, who has 3000 or so of them.
Everything here being mv accredited is one of the reasons I had to go with Exlanas, rather than Easycares, or a mix of them.

I will be visiting him in the summer, just thought there might be more of a selection of flocks your side of the pond. I am interested in the exlana also. I have been doing a small amount of breeding up over the years which is a very slow process. I will be selling all the mule ewes I have left this year after weaning so have the opportunity to replace them with an easier managed hardier sheep

 

[unlacedgecko]

I might take you up on that, apart from Campbell there's no other place where that number could be bought from one farm over here, do you know of flocks that can export to Ireland?

I'd have to research. They're not MV accredited though.

 

[neilo]

I will be visiting him in the summer, just thought there might be more of a selection of flocks your side of the pond. I am interested in the exlana also. I have been doing a small amount of breeding up over the years which is a very slow process. I will be selling all the mule ewes I have left this year after weaning so have the opportunity to replace them with an easier managed hardier sheep

I know where there will be some mv accredited Exlana for sale over here after weaning...

 

[Woolless]

I know where there will be some mv accredited Exlana for sale over here after weaning...

I wondered what your social media advertising campaign had been leading up to

 

[neilo]

For future reference, a group of Easycare breeders got together last year and set up a group breeding scheme for recording and improving shedding genetics. They bought the top index Exlanas at last year's sale, as well as from a recorded flock of Easycares over here and several from Campbell. I was told that one of the member flocks was running 6000 ewes (Romneys and Easycares) and several of the others are in quite a big way too.

Given the large populations and commercial selection, they have potential to make some large strides.

 

[neilo]

I wondered what your social media advertising campaign had been leading up to

I doubt I'll be selling them for breeding.

 

[steveR]

I doubt I'll be selling them for breeding.

 

[JHT]

For future reference, a group of Easycare breeders got together last year and set up a group breeding scheme for recording and improving shedding genetics. They bought the top index Exlanas at last year's sale, as well as from a recorded flock of Easycares over here and several from Campbell. I was told that one of the member flocks was running 6000 ewes (Romneys and Easycares) and several of the others are in quite a big way too.

Given the large populations and commercial selection, they have potential to make some large strides.

For future reference, a group of Easycare breeders got together last year and set up a group breeding scheme for recording and improving shedding genetics. They bought the top index Exlanas at last year's sale, as well as from a recorded flock of Easycares over here and several from Campbell. I was told that one of the member flocks was running 6000 ewes (Romneys and Easycares) and several of the others are in quite a big way too.

Given the large populations and commercial selection, they have potential to make some large strides.

Woolly?

 

[Sheep92]

I know where there will be some mv accredited Exlana for sale over here after weaning...

Ehhhh I'm ok thanks

 

[pgk]

I think the only flock that is Mv accredited is that fella in Northern Ireland, whose name escapes me, who has 3000 or so of them.
Everything here being mv accredited is one of the reasons I had to go with Exlanas, rather than Easycares, or a mix of them.

Please note we are mv accredited and have always been with our woolshedders, unfortunately very few others, Derek Steen up in Scotland still me thinks also has mv accredited shedders.

 

[pgk]

Will possibly be in the market for 250 to 300 pure easycare ewes/ewelambs this summer, any of you breeders over there advise me on the best way to go about this? Based in southern Ireland, do I go Wales England or Scotland? Is there much involved bring them over? Are many flocks mv accredited?

Ivan Belton up in Wicklow used, pro-Brexit, regularly take across various breeds and seemed to have it well sorted. I think now UK is a "third country" rules have changed significantly. Would be much easier getting them out of the 6 counties, if they can be got.

 

[CopperBeech]

For future reference, a group of Easycare breeders got together last year and set up a group breeding scheme for recording and improving shedding genetics. They bought the top index Exlanas at last year's sale, as well as from a recorded flock of Easycares over here and several from Campbell. I was told that one of the member flocks was running 6000 ewes (Romneys and Easycares) and several of the others are in quite a big way too.

Given the large populations and commercial selection, they have potential to make some large strides.

They sound like terrible people @neilo

 

[neilo]

They sound like terrible people @neilo

I’d be surprised if they don’t make some rapid genetic progress, taking what is supposedly the best from both shedding camps, then testing and recording progeny in large commercially run flocks.

Time will tell no doubt.

 

[CopperBeech]

Here’s hoping!

 

[CopperBeech]

Here one for @neilo first set I’ve lambed. As you can see the old exlana ewe is flighty as hell and not very maternal

 

[CopperBeech]

 

[SR7]

I have only 4 easycares left to lamb and apart from the last few they have lambed very well on their own etc. Now at the end of lambing, the lambs are starting to get quite big and some have needed a pull. I started lambing on the 1st of April. I take it the bigger lambs are due to more grass being available now? So for next year should I start lambing earlier to make the singles easier to manage?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

I have only 4 easycares left to lamb and apart from the last few they have lambed very well on their own etc. Now at the end of lambing, the lambs are starting to get quite big and some have needed a pull. I started lambing on the 1st of April. I take it the bigger lambs are due to more grass being available now? So for next year should I start lambing earlier to make the singles easier to manage?

Or shut the singles up tight on a bare field.

 

[SR7]

Or shut the singles up tight on a bare field.

I have them at 10 per acre on a bare field. How many singles per acre should I have?