Introducing Cambridge Sheep Genes to improve Lambing %

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
I have a copy of "Genetics of Reproduction in Sheep" by R B Land and D W Robinson, published 1985, if anyone is interested. It is a collection of scientific papers by a number of authors on the subject.

I once purchased a Lleyn tup that was allegedly one of six. I contacted the breeder who verified the litter size. He confirmed that the ewe had had six without assistance, adding that the ewe had reared "only five" as one had unfortunately got into the water bucket and drowned!
 

farmer james

Member
Mixed Farmer
As the title says - Im rather happy with where my now closed flock is and is going inn terms of health, genetics, wool / growth etc but Im lambing around 150-180%, with the main varying factor being the toughness of winter, and a higher than ideal number of singles - I'd ideally cull these and intend to, retaining only twin bearers and their lambs - however It was suggested to me by someone keeping Easycares that Cambridge sheep could provide me with a % boost - they crossed Cambridge into their poorest performing group of EC's and then bred them back to easycare going forward - and found a sharp uplift - half the number of singles and a few triplets as well (all reared by mother). They didnt cull these as they now had genetics for a higher %, however these genetics were different from the other twin bearing group so should widen the lambing % gene pool.

Would this work, or are their any massive issues to watch out for with Cambridge sheep?
Did you try a Cambridge tup in the end? If so how has it worked?
FJ
 
Yes I did but late in the season so only on 5 home bred ec type ewes and 5 easycare proper and one badger face. I retained 2 ewe lambs from a twin ec and 1 from a badger face. Homebred all had single rams.
This year the camv x ewe lambs all had twins to an easycare x tex ram and no issues. I'm worried about twinning ewe lambs but they are all at 55kg noow so not affect final size too much.
I will probably add more Cambridge in going forwards if these 3 prove any good. I've also put some lleyn blood in and will see where that goes.
 
Yes I did but late in the season so only on 5 home bred ec type ewes and 5 easycare proper and one badger face. I retained 2 ewe lambs from a twin ec and 1 from a badger face. Homebred all had single rams.
This year the camv x ewe lambs all had twins to an easycare x tex ram and no issues. I'm worried about twinning ewe lambs but they are all at 55kg noow so not affect final size too much.
I will probably add more Cambridge in going forwards if these 3 prove any good. I've also put some lleyn blood in and will see where that goes.
Do you know which of the major genes your ram carries?
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
Fraid not. I brought a 8yold toothless ram from a small flock of 8 ewes.....he did his Job and decided to go live alone in the woods, too tame for my liking, followed me pining for a head scratch so gave him to a riding stables.

Definitely have a word with Prof Davies about the major genes. He's a very knowledgeable man. From what I glanced at of his stand at Malvern last year, the rams are now being genotyped.

Had Cambridge rams a yonk ago, the first cross ewes needed keeping an eye on due to prolificacy (found Beltex a handy cross on them, but the world wanted lighter lambs back then) with second crosses (a milky line of Lleyn would be ok, we used the Polled Dorset of those days (milkier than more recent ones)) being easier to manage.

Nice sheep, imo. There's still Cambridge influence in the flock, which is no problem. Moving away from higher percentage of Cambridge was nothing to do with the breed itself.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
My flock is mostly descended from our flock of Cambridge crosses, with the prolificacy diluted at last.
In the early noughties we ran a flock of (up to 15/16) Texel X ewes, bred from our Cambridge crosses. All the Texel rams were high index SRS rams and all were singles, in order to try to dilute the prolificacy. They still regularly scanned around 220%, without flushing.
Numbers, quality & milkiness were great, lambing ease from so much Texel, less so.
First & second cross Camtex were certainly good lowland sheep.:)
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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