Lanark Texels
- Thread starter Ysgythan
- Start date
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
That sounds like a step in the right direction. Should cascade down the breeding pyramid?
People voting with their wallets has sent the message up and it will spread from the top.
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
I spent an hour at Lanark watching the judging on Wednesday. Totally amazed by the crowds which were similar to Edinburgh Suffolk Sales in the late 80s and early 90s when that breed also appeared invinciple and people were talking then of Suffolks with better tops and gigots. Also amazed by size of sheep, many of which must have been 100Kgs+ at 6 months of age.
So the question for me is as always is whether Lanark and all it represents is likely to be the future of the sheep industry post Brexit ? As a matter of interest we will continue to expand our own Texel flock as quickly as possible
So the question for me is as always is whether Lanark and all it represents is likely to be the future of the sheep industry post Brexit ? As a matter of interest we will continue to expand our own Texel flock as quickly as possible
Yep, it's all about actions. What did you actually think of the judging?
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
I am a mere ex Suffolk breeder. I only watched the Open Class but I was glad he switched the top 2 lambs right at the end but what would I know
- Location
- Mendips Somerset
yea we all know how that turned out , That £130,000 ram didnt look very mobile (stiff front end unless that was fat ) Biggest problem in all breeds is the ped breeders tend to be very remote from the fat ring , mostly breeding eye candy .
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They went on to be champion and reserve
- Location
- South east scotland
not sure if i believe anybody actualy spent or received that money yesterday?? But im just jealous.
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
Perhaps I know more than I think
sheepwise
Member
- Location
- SW Scotland
The 130,000gns lamb was bought for his head.
Yes. That's not going to stop. There's two trades now e.g. Milnbank selling a lamb for 15k to a group of Kelso Shearling breeders and buying a handling lamb for 9k. That sort of money on offer will dictate a trend.
sheepwise
Member
- Location
- SW Scotland
Thought the 42,000gns highland show lamb was a cracker with a great carcase.
His pen mate was a classic example. Couple of years ago he'd have been a 500gns lamb. Because he had shape though he made 2k
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Wouldn't his balls be of more use
sheepwise
Member
- Location
- SW Scotland
Don't know if you agree, but a commercial farmer handling lambs as they were coming to the ring told me that a lot of the really bare lambs(peelers) are getting far too narrow and hard of their tops.
Wouldn't have said that it was just some of the peelers like that, there were also big stuffy lambs with plenty of wool on them with hard shoulders too. But overall as the OP says there were plenty of lambs with good tops, ends and mobility too. Better than there has been for a while.
My only concern is the size of the sheep in the sale now, some of them just aren't natural and I have no idea how some of the breeders are getting them into that size and condition. I really don't want to see the breed turn into Suffolks but I'd be concerned that's the way some of the top breeders are driving it. Mobility of a couple of the top price lambs was not great.
highland-man
Member
- Location
- Caithness
A guy said to me that he was pleased to see some fleshy , shapey lambs being in demand as it had "stopped being a breeding competition and had now become a feeding competition". I thought that was accurate! Lots of march born lambs at or near 100kg.
- Location
- Herefordshire
I've got a ewe .amb nigh pn 100% peeled,she looks like a yearling !.She's around 74 kgs with no feed and never had a worming..Did you think the judge got it about right ? ☺Wouldn't disagree. Lots of hog's skins there. Some of those peeling a bit as well