How do I breed my own wool shedders?

[SteveHants]

All of my market lambs were woolshedder x terminal, mostly SufTex apart from first time lambers, who went to a Charollais. The choice of using a SufTex was primarily to maximise my heterosis, but had the added side effect that my lambs all looked pretty similar to mule x terminal lambs (except mine had tails). Knowing this, they went through Salisbury and made much the same money. I even managed to top the market more than once.

Pure shedders didn't do too badly once the buyers got used to them.

 

[pgk]

Those lambs were clearly out of spec on weight, quite apart from anything else, so they were never going to be sold well.

However, when we hear of shedding supporters telling us that they average an R grade lamb (so as many O’s as U’s presumably), that concerns me greatly. To me, an R grade in spec lamb is the minimum to aim for, not an average.

Must be a while since you put lambs through Farmers Fresh, have had r grades for wide loined double muscled pure bred texels! They pay the same for r and o grades so no incentive to put more high confirmation lambs through, hence rugby market for better conformation lambs and they also prefer 3h which would be penalised at FF. Horses for courses.

 

[neilo]

Must be a while since you put lambs through Farmers Fresh, have had r grades for wide loined double muscled pure bred texels! They pay the same for r and o grades so no incentive to put more high confirmation lambs through, hence rugby market for better conformation lambs and they also prefer 3h which would be penalised at FF. Horses for courses.

Fair enough if you can get the same for an O grade, as something better, but doesn’t that mean the average price paid must be lower to allow for it?

I’ve never sent lambs to Farmers Fresh, other than via Worcester market, where Terry couldn’t be stopped on almost pure continental lambs at 46kg. How times change....

 

[pgk]

Fair enough if you can get the same for an O grade, as something better, but doesn’t that mean the average price paid must be lower to allow for it?

I’ve never sent lambs to Farmers Fresh, other than via Worcester market, where Terry couldn’t be stopped on almost pure continental lambs at 46kg. How times change....

Not sure Terry is in the quality market now!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Not sure Terry is in the quality market now!

Who's he buy for now?

 

[pgk]

Who's he buy for now?

Heard he built his own abbattoir

 

[Bones]

This is my first year with easycare ewes, all ewes crossed with woolie terminal rams, and lambs sold as good as any other lambs in the market, would i be better sticking with this and buying in ewe lambs replacements, I only sell at market and never seen easycare lambs sold live , so I know I'd be in for a kicking if i did , any thoughts.. Any nice ewe lambs for sale?

 

[CopperBeech]

Those lambs were clearly out of spec on weight, quite apart from anything else, so they were never going to be sold well.

However, when we hear of shedding supporters telling us that they average an R grade lamb (so as many O’s as U’s presumably), that concerns me greatly. To me, an R grade in spec lamb is the minimum to aim for, not an average.

I think whats been said is majority R grades, not average an R.

Wouldn't get more than a handful, of O's and they would just be poor lambs.

 

[Green farmer]

Just started phase one of “swap over” . Getting sheep sheared atm, Have carefully gone through the flock and stuck coloured management tags in the ears of any ewes that have clean bellies or have partially / fully shed their fleeces. Those will then be sent to a shedder ram ( once sorted ) in the autumn. Will continue to run the charly and Suffolk alongside, for stock that ain’t being retained. Will take a few years, but fingers crossed it will pan out.

 

[Bones]

Where did u source your shedding ram

 

[Green farmer]

Where did u source your shedding ram

I haven’t yet, but have got a recommendation of a lad who a neighbour has bought from. I’m just starting to sell my lambs now, so as soon as the pot has refilled abit, I’ll be away. Shedders are still scarce enough down here.

 

[Green farmer]

Well Lads,
I got a easycare shredder in the end. Ran him, a charly and some lleyns with the ewes. The lambs are dropping now. Cannt really tell his lambs apart from the lleyns in many cases. The jury is out on the ram himself. I went for amedium sized ram, as I didnt want anything too big. His coat has fully shed 100% at this stage. Have noticed he likes to keep his distance and is very cautious, which makes him hard to catch but his not aggressive. Hope this doesnt make his offspring hard to round up, down the road.

 

[pgk]

That's the slippery slope, no turning back now! We bought 30 and a ram to try 10 years back, apart from the boys pedigree texels and his chartex we are now converted from entirely lleyn to entirely shedders. Having used Exlana rams for last few years have bought 48 Exlana ewe lambs to compare with our easycare and lleyn based ewes.

 

[Green farmer]

Some of the newborn cross bred lambs. I think their out of the easycare ram anyway?

 

[Green farmer]

Some of the easycare rams offspring twins from mainly crossbred lleyn ewes.

 

[Green farmer]

Watching the first batch of easycare sired lambs here get bigger. They are abit smaller then their charolais comrades, but ive noticed they have really small narrow little heads on them. The only thing I can think of is, that's going to come in handy when their lambing themselves in a year or two time. Would I be right in assuming a really low rate of lambing assistance ?

 

[Bones]

Watching the first batch of easycare sired lambs here get bigger. They are abit smaller then their charolais comrades, but ive noticed they have really small narrow little heads on them. The only thing I can think of is, that's going to come in handy when their lambing themselves in a year or two time. Would I be right in assuming a really low rate of lambing assistance ?

No matter what anybody says you'll have to cull for lambing difficulties, there not bad

 

[Woolless]

Watching the first batch of easycare sired lambs here get bigger. They are abit smaller then their charolais comrades, but ive noticed they have really small narrow little heads on them. The only thing I can think of is, that's going to come in handy when their lambing themselves in a year or two time. Would I be right in assuming a really low rate of lambing assistance ?

Any Easycare breeder worth their salt will be culling for lambing issues.

 

[Tim W]

Any Easycare breeder worth their salt will be culling for lambing issues.

Corrected

 

[unlacedgecko]

No matter what anybody says you'll have to cull for lambing difficulties, there not bad

Now in the last 10 days (of 35) lambing Shetlands to easycare. Estimate 90% of flock have lambed.

Assistance rate currently 1.2%. All marked to go cull at weaning.