Innovis sheep breeds

[Andy84]

I’m a bit confused about the genetic make up of a lot of these breeds. I know am Aberfield is basically a bfl x texel but what is an Aberblack, Abermax, Abertex Etc?

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Marketing tools for those who get taken in by branding

 

[neilo]

I’m a bit confused about the genetic make up of a lot of these breeds. I know am Aberfield is basically a bfl x texel but what is an Aberblack, Abermax, Abertex Etc?

Aberblack is Suffolk with a splash of Charollais.
Abertex is just a Texel, originally those that didn’t carry the Inverdale prolificacy gene they wanted in their Aberdale program.
Abermax is an Abertex crossed with a Charollais.
Aberdale is a Texel that has been bred to have 2 copies of the Inverdale hyper prolificacy gene. The daughters carry one copy and have lots of/too many lambs. A double carrying female is infertile.
Aberfield is an Abertex x BFL.
Aberfield SR (self replacing) is an Aberfield x Lleyn.

Then they also market a Focus rams over here, the Highlander as maternals, with Primera & Focus Primes as terminals.

I think that’s all of them....

They are not first crosses though, so the BFL x Texel that every Tom, Dick & Harry is now selling in the market is not an Aberfield. The value ‘should’ be the generations of selection & recording behind both sides of their pedigrees, and they should be becoming steadily more stabilised crosses. Whether you consider the hefty brand premium is worth paying for that, is your choice of course.

 

[Andy84]

Aberblack is Suffolk with a splash of Charollais.
Abertex is just a Texel, originally those that didn’t carry the Inverdale prolificacy gene they wanted in their Aberdale program.
Abermax is an Abertex crossed with a Charollais.
Aberdale is a Texel that has been bred to have 2 copies of the Inverdale hyper prolificacy gene. The daughters carry one copy and have lots of/too many lambs. A double carrying female is infertile.
Aberfield is an Abertex x BFL.
Aberfield SR (self replacing) is an Aberfield x Lleyn.

Then they also market a Focus rams over here, the Highlander as maternals, with Primera & Focus Primes as terminals.

I think that’s all of them....

They are not first crosses though, so the BFL x Texel that every Tom, Dick & Harry is now selling in the market is not an Aberfield. The value ‘should’ be the generations of selection & recording behind both sides of their pedigrees, and they should be becoming steadily more stabilised crosses. Whether you consider the hefty brand premium is worth paying for that, is your choice of course.

brilliant thata pretty much exactly the answer I was looking for!

 

[Agrivator]

Aberblack is Suffolk with a splash of Charollais.
Abertex is just a Texel, originally those that didn’t carry the Inverdale prolificacy gene they wanted in their Aberdale program.
Abermax is an Abertex crossed with a Charollais.
Aberdale is a Texel that has been bred to have 2 copies of the Inverdale hyper prolificacy gene. The daughters carry one copy and have lots of/too many lambs. A double carrying female is infertile.
Aberfield is an Abertex x BFL.
Aberfield SR (self replacing) is an Aberfield x Lleyn.

Then they also market a Focus rams over here, the Highlander as maternals, with Primera & Focus Primes as terminals.

I think that’s all of them....

They are not first crosses though, so the BFL x Texel that every Tom, Dick & Harry is now selling in the market is not an Aberfield. The value ‘should’ be the generations of selection & recording behind both sides of their pedigrees, and they should be becoming steadily more stabilised crosses. Whether you consider the hefty brand premium is worth paying for that, is your choice of course.

That's a very useful guide.

But has anyone put an Aberfield over a North Country Cheviot, as an alternative to a BFL?

 

[Andy84]

That's a very useful guide.

But has anyone put an Aberfield over a North Country Cheviot, as an alternative to a BFL?

be a good cross I would think! I know of a few fowk using them on Blackies!

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

@neilo you always have good information about innoviss, I know you have highlanders , do you have any connections with innoviss or are you just an interested observer.

 

[neilo]

@neilo you always have good information about innoviss, I know you have highlanders , do you have any connections with innoviss or are you just an interested observer.

Just an interested observer these days. I have supplied Charollais genetics for the Abermax and Aberblack programs, and was one of a couple of contracted ram breeders supplying Charollais rams when they started with their on-farm sales. The 20 yearlings a year that went through an Innovis sale used to average £900, double what those particular rams would have cost here. I guess that's the power of brand marketing.

 

[Bob the beef]

That's a very useful guide.

But has anyone put an Aberfield over a North Country Cheviot, as an alternative to a BFL?

Pretty much all my park ewes are Aberfields out of NCC. Smart looking, medium sized whiteface ewe . Not as big or hungry as a traditional cheviot mule . Mine are scanning 185-188% lambing outside mid April. I am trying a few Highlanders as well because my source of NCC ewe lambs is drying up.

 

[UpAndUnder]

If you were looking to make a flock of texel mules self replacing would the Aberfield SR on them be a good option instead of having to buy in mules each year to breed the texel mule!

 

[Yale]

Didn’t get on with Aberfields,love Highlanders.

 

[Plas king]

Whats in the Abervale?

 

[ISCO]

Didn’t get on with Aberfields,love Highlanders.

We had an Aberfield on Swales for one year. Second year he didn't tup many and then died of pizzle rot. We were disappointed at the time but now think.it was a blessing in disguise as disappointed in the cross female.

 

[neilo]

We had an Aberfield on Swales for one year. Second year he didn't tup many and then died of pizzle rot. We were disappointed at the time but now think.it was a blessing in disguise as disappointed in the cross female.

A lot have been, from what I hear. How the ewes perform in flocks is the most important test after all.

 

[neilo]

Whats in the Abervale?

Do they still produce them? I seem to remember they were bred for high intramuscular fat . Have they not been replaced by the Focus Prime now?

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

What is the highlander derived from?

 

[neilo]

What is the highlander derived from?

A NZ Romney x NZ Texel, with a splash of Finn iirc.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

A NZ Romney x NZ Texel, with a splash of Finn iirc.

Is that the same as the easy Dam ?

 

[neilo]

Is that the same as the easy Dam ?

Pretty much I would imagine, but swap out the Finn blood for a different very prolific, milky breed (I forget which) iirc. Each marketing machine will obviously claim their’s is better of course.?

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Pretty much I would imagine, but swap out the Finn blood for a different very prolific, milky breed (I forget which) iirc. Each marketing machine will obviously claim their’s is better of course.?

Just looked it up on their website NZT NZR and East Friesian. How did you start out with highlanders ? for how long ? and do you like them ?