- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Agree on the beltex etc struggling with the climate definitely not suited
always got plenty of hay or silage not the greatest quality hence willing to try kale or rape, as a break crop then reseed with a better lay than the pp currently covering the farm.
Main objective is to get the ewes right for this system, yes maybe cut back numbers a bit.
As long as you've got enough winter keep for them, why cut numbers back? Or compromise on growth rates from ram breed?
Swedes will provide more keep than Kale or rape, assuming you aren't in a dry area.
I don't feed concentrates to any of mine, twin bearing ewe lambs and triplet ewes included. I can't remember seeing a case of twin lamb in any of tat flock since I've been doing it (2008 onward). Again, not with mules. I do however get them off the grassland so that lambing paddocks have a chance of getting some cover by April. Mine are mostly wintered on various root crops, but the ewe lambs have stayed on rotationally grazed grass all winter, as it's been so mild it's kept growing slowly.