Gritstone / Lonk/ Rough Fell ....why aren't they more popular

[reverand]

It was on a massive sign above the auction ring at Clitheroe.

www.lonk-sheep.org

I mean how can anyone not like them,they're the best looking sheep by a mile.

It's still there I think. I will look on Thursday. The tups do look the part

 

[reverand]

Talking of lonks, look what I found in the wrong field

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

There is someone experimenting with creating mules from prolific Roussin over a Rough Fell ewe. The lambs have just been born.... things are looking good..... well they look nice

Just been thinking about the exact same thing...then I came across your post! Any news on the out come or possible photos? I'm thinking of a weather resistant higher output hill going ewe to produce high quality lambs.

 

[hendrebc]

Isnt the lonk a swale or blackie or something else maybe? With some southdown added into them quite a long time ago?

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

Isnt the lonk a swale or blackie or something else maybe? With some southdown added into them quite a long time ago?

Yes, basically a dalesbred crossed with a southdown. Not so long ago plenty of lonks could be seen with a top knot.

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

Gritstone just look dopey, had a few stores last winter! Be interested in running a handful of Lonks and Rough Fell just out of curiosity. Never seen a Lonk, saw some Rough cull ewes at the mart once and was surprised how big they were, looked very white too, I'm used to the greyish colour of Swaledales.

 

[pgk]

Daughter bought half a dozen a few years ago, not prolific I think because they got fat very easily on our grass. Crossed tup on a couple of small Easycares n kept ewes they produce cracking easy finished lambs to texel.

 

[reverand]

Just been thinking about the exact same thing...then I came across your post! Any news on the out come or possible photos? I'm thinking of a weather resistant higher output hill going ewe to produce high quality lambs.

My neighbor crossed some grits with a rouge and called them red grits. They never came to much and they are all gone now. The fact he used a grit is the problem. Texel over lonk is far better

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

My neighbor crossed some grits with a rouge and called them red grits. They never came to much and they are all gone now. The fact he used a grit is the problem. Texel over lonk is far better

My uncle crossed the rouge over swales maybe 35 years ago, they won't up to much either! I had some texel lonks and they were good sound sheep. They had 'Snowdon' in the eartag l never found out if that was the farm name or the breeders name, you might know?

I was thinking rough fell crossed with roussin as @Sandpit Farm mentioned. Anyway, was searching the depths of the mind and remembered the first time time I every bought sheep of my own.....charollaise x bfl out of rough, sounded perfect at the time (Near 30 years ago) on paper. In practice totally useless! No wonder I'd blanked from my mind!

 

[reverand]

I don’t know a snowden. It goes to show not all crosses work eh. I’ve never had anything to do with roughs but like lonks they are big ewes, try a roussin this time and let us know.

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

I don’t know a snowden. It goes to show not all crosses work eh. I’ve never had anything to do with roughs but like lonks they are big ewes, try a roussin this time and let us know.

Well I haven't got any roughs yet! I was after some other folks experiences first!

I'd psyched myself up to buy some dalesbreds last year, went to the breed sale and damned near all the pens had at least one sheep flat on the pasterns. That really put me off the breed so I didn't bother! I've still got a bit of thinking time so I'll ponder all the options!

 

[scottish-lleyn]

We used to have a lonk wedder pet when we where kids he was the size of a mini and we used to ride him about the farm all day aslong as he got a slice of bread he was happy

 

[Highcountryshepherd]

There is someone experimenting with creating mules from prolific Roussin over a Rough Fell ewe. The lambs have just been born.... things are looking good..... well they look nice

so you've breed a cross breed a mule is the offspring of a Bfl tup any thing else is a xbreed surley ? There are rough fell mules about

 

[brigadoon]

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[suma]

Well I haven't got any roughs yet! I was after some other folks experiences first!

I'd psyched myself up to buy some dalesbreds last year, went to the breed sale and damned near all the pens had at least one sheep flat on the pasterns. That really put me off the breed so I didn't bother! I've still got a bit of thinking time so I'll ponder all the options!

can you tell me what you mean by ,flat on the pasterns. ive never heard this befod

 

[reverand]

It means their foot ankle area is not straight up but flat

 

[suma]

It means their foot ankle area is not straight up but flat

thankyou .this is something i see in quite a few grit tups at sale time.we have used grit sheep for over 60 years, as a commercial flock. but stoped buyeing grit tups, because the standards had droped , tups had got smaller and softer and as you say flat on the pasterns. its a shame realy because thay used to be a good honest sheep for us and did well on very poor land.

 

[Adam@Rumen]

thankyou .this is something i see in quite a few grit tups at sale time.we have used grit sheep for over 60 years, as a commercial flock. but stoped buyeing grit tups, because the standards had droped , tups had got smaller and softer and as you say flat on the pasterns. its a shame realy because thay used to be a good honest sheep for us and did well on very poor land.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Sorry for my late response. These are the Rough Fells with their Roussin lambs. I stole the pics from a Facebook page for Black Poplar Roussins. They are based in Lincolnshire and I know they are working hard to improve their Roussins. Rachael Middleton runs the flock and I believe she is now breed secretary.

@TALDLONKTUP2

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

Sorry for my late response. These are the Rough Fells with their Roussin lambs. I stole the pics from a Facebook page for Black Poplar Roussins. They are based in Lincolnshire and I know they are working hard to improve their Roussins. Rachael Middleton runs the flock and I believe she is now breed secretary.

@TALDLONKTUP2

Thanks for that, much appreciated