easyram

[easyram1]

But they would have been exactly the same genetics, would they not?

I do not know what others are breeding or agents are selling. What I do know is Mr H did not buy off me as is implied in his post

 

[CharcoalWally]

The 4 British texels are not that great - 1 superb one, 1 good one and 2 average to poor ones. They were the first Rams I ever bought and I have learnt a lot about sheep etc since then.

The 2 NZ texels came from easy ram this year and are shearlings.

The 122 with the British are all four tooth or six tooth. They are made up of the worse NCM (as in ones I wouldn't keep ewe lambs from) and a random selection of suf x.

The 178 with the NZ ones are made up of the best NCM, 100 suf x theaves that haven't lambed and topped up with a random selection four/six tooth suf x.

Currently both groups are coming to the end of being flushed. Rams are in neighbouring field to their respective groups and have been for a week. Tomorrow they are going out.

When I split the groups all tags were scanned and recorded. They will remain separate for as long as possible and maybe even all the way through - including during lambing.

My intention is to breed NZ Tex x NCM replacements or to sell them as breeding sheep. Everything else will go fat - will probably creep feed all twins/trips, singles won't be. Any of the NZ Tex x NCM that have ewe lambs that look ok I'll mark and keep separate - then not creep them either.

I like the fact that you're wishing to do a comparism between the tups @focussed , but I note that you've given the NZ Texels your best ewes in a pre-selected draw , which is hardly going to give an unbiased result , if these ewes have been drawn on superior past performance.

Opening the gate and simply splitting the ewes in half with no selection between ram groups would have given an even draw for them to work on?

 

[focussed]

I like the fact that you're wishing to do a comparism between the tups @focussed , but I note that you've given the NZ Texels your best ewes in a pre-selected draw , which is hardly going to give an unbiased result , if these ewes have been drawn on superior past performance.

Opening the gate and simply splitting the ewes in half with no selection between ram groups would have given an even draw for them to work on?

Yes your idea would have of course been fairer but I didn't want to do that.

 

[S J H]

I like the fact that you're wishing to do a comparism between the tups @focussed , but I note that you've given the NZ Texels your best ewes in a pre-selected draw , which is hardly going to give an unbiased result , if these ewes have been drawn on superior past performance.

Opening the gate and simply splitting the ewes in half with no selection between ram groups would have given an even draw for them to work on?

Strongest run at the front though

I'd still be interested to see the results.

 

[Beefnsheep]

I got 2 nz texel lambs last year and put them over 100 of my best mules to bread replacements. Marked all the ewes and then lug marked all the lambs, males and females differently. I can tell them before the walk into my scales. There the bloody wooly things. I often find them heavy but lean. They don't grade as well as brittish texel x mule lambs and a llyen x texel/mule that I tried alongside them are so far miles ahead.

I am tupping 50 of the nx texel x mule ewe lambs in a group of 140 so will wait and see how they mother lambs before I decide to buy and nz texels again.

Obviously the sound the dream from all the promotion behind them and the testing etc. But from a practical farming point of view I am not sure. Unless I find the nz texel x ewes to be a lot better from a mastitis point of view I can't see any benifits from them yet.

I got 2 nz texel lambs last year and put them over 100 of my best mules to bread replacements. Marked all the ewes and then lug marked all the lambs, males and females differently. I can tell them before the walk into my scales. There the bloody wooly things. I often find them heavy but lean. They don't grade as well as brittish texel x mule lambs and a llyen x texel/mule that I tried alongside them are so far miles ahead.

I am tupping 50 of the nx texel x mule ewe lambs in a group of 140 so will wait and see how they mother lambs before I decide to buy and nz texels again.

Obviously the sound the dream from all the promotion behind them and the testing etc. But from a practical farming point of view I am not sure. Unless I find the nz texel x ewes to be a lot better from a mastitis point of view I can't see any benifits from them yet.

out of interest hubba hubba what will you tip those nz texel x ewe lambs with?

 

[hubbahubba]

I do not know what others are breeding or agents are selling. What I do know is Mr H did not buy off me as is implied in his post

I never said I bought them off you but yeh i never relised the topic name was easyram. I bought ones that I thought were better and more suited to me. All what I am saying is how I got on with nz texels.... so far. They clearly work with others I am just dissapointed in my lambs out them.

 

[hubbahubba]

out of interest hubba hubba what will you tip those nz texel x ewe lambs with?

Some will go to a lleyn with UK texel x lambs and some to a beltex with scotch mule lambs.

 

[hubbahubba]

How they go on the grid is my main concern and why I haven't switched over entirely until I am sure. In NZ it is about maximum number of lambs alive, here it is a lot more about the quality on the grid.

Do you have any pics of the NZ Tex x NCM lambs?

My nz texels went to scotch mules. I will get some pics this week when I get them in there groups to go to wintering.

I lamb inside. Always scan just over 200%. Unsure how you will get more lambs from a nz texel as a UK texel. Can't say I noticed nz texel lambs any easier to lamb but for lambing outside you maybe would.

 

[CharcoalWally]

"S J H, post: 2954530, member: 238"]Strongest run at the front though

I'd still be interested to see the results.[/QUOTE]
You think? Strongest run spread throughout the group here, But if it's a concern , use a shedder and split the ewes one after another as they run through. Not a problem.

 

[Top Tip.]

I think @neilo has nailed it when he says that it is how the tup is reared defines how many ewes he will settle I well recall a Suffolk tup i sold to a neighbour,he was run alongside a texel,the texel was infertile and the Suffolk left all 80 ewes in lamb.

 

[Newby]

I think @neilo has nailed it when he says that it is how the tup is reared defines how many ewes he will settle I well recall a Suffolk tup i sold to a neighbour,he was run alongside a texel,the texel was infertile and the Suffolk left all 80 ewes in lamb.

It also depends if you want them to or not

 

[Top Tip.]

It also depends if you want them to or not

 

[Newby]

My neighbour for example has a scroaty looking little black horned tup, which I'm sure could tup all mine overnight (just because I don't want him to)

 

[Top Tip.]

My neighbour for example has a scroaty looking little black horned tup, which I'm sure could tup all mine overnight (just because I don't want him to) [/QUOTE

I understand that situation very well

 

[ISCO]

We have a NZ Texel which we put on North Country Mules to breed replacements. Having tried ordinary texel cross mule ewes 20 years ago I was always pleased with the quality of the lambs they produced back to suffolk or charolais. The problem I had with The traditional cross texel ewe was that they were the most obstinate, awkward sheep I have ever worked with, could never mother a lamb on and working with them in the pen was a terrible experience and so we stoped keeping them.
When I read about NZ Texel I was keen to try them as selected for maternal traits. The NZ texel cross ewes we now have are far easier to work with, lamb easily and have good lambs. When the ram came he did not know what cake was which is good.
The only reservation I have with our particular ram, and from other comments on here I am sure it is just ours, is that he has never seemed as virile as he should be. If run with another ram he gets dominated and we have not got the quantity of cross ewes at this stage as envisaged. I would try another though.
Currently considering a Highlander to go on mules to breed replacements

 

[cheviot53]

.
Currently considering a Highlander to go on mules to breed replacements

NO if you have really good ground then maybe , Have you looked at a LOGIE HYBRED

 

[CharcoalWally]

NO if you have really good ground then maybe , Have you looked at a LOGIE HYBRED

Have you been working with the Highlander on our side of the country?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

NO if you have really good ground then maybe ,

 

[cheviot53]

Have you been working with the Highlander on our side of the country?

Yes since 2008

 

[CharcoalWally]

Yes since 2008

So what do you think?