Merino/beltex

[Bury the Trash]

If they had a decent birth coat Charollais would be ideal on those Merino .

 

[Global ovine]

If they had a decent birth coat Charollais would be ideal on those Merino .

Although a recent import, Charollais are being very successfully used by some Merino farmers, but only displacing the Suffolk which dominates the terminal use in this industry sector.

 

[irish dom]

A pure Merino carcass would have very poor shape in UK eyes given the EUROP carcass grading system. To give an indication of meat production from fine wool flocks in NZ's South Island, note the following:

• Very few pure Merino and Merino dominated crosses are slaughtered under a year of age. Most grow a 12 month fleece and slaughtered before their adult teeth emerge. These lambs usually kill out at 18 -21 carcasses with industry average meat yield, as meat yield is highly correlated to maturity.
• Male lambs are castrated, whereas nearly all other breeds outside of the high country have their purse ringed to become cryptorchids and slaughtered when they hit target live weights. Therefore their fat covers dictate slaughter timing as happens with ewe lambs and can be at the expense of carcass weight.
• Those Merino ewes mated to a terminal sire (usually Suffolk as many these sheep are not seen from late winter until tail docking 6-8 weeks post commencement of lambing, so easy lambing and fast growth is required) have their lambs slaughtered progressively after weaning, whether off irrigated crop or having been sold as stores. These are the farmers source of fast income.
• Two slow growing breeds together with one which does not have premium fine wool grading would defeat the dual income stream of the traditional system which has been heavily weighted towards wool income.
• The Merino breed comes in many strains, from the small Saxxony to larger Australian lines such as Collinsville. The local rainfall and topography dictates strains and hence the wool to meat income ratios.

What's the advantage of ringing the lambs bag off and leaving his balls in? Won't he still be a ram and try to ride all round him? Would prefer this method as sometimes struggle to get balls in sack

 

[Global ovine]

What's the advantage of ringing the lambs bag off and leaving his balls in? Won't he still be a ram and try to ride all round him? Would prefer this method as sometimes struggle to get balls in sack

Another 4kgs live weight compared to a ewe or wether lamb at the same age when prime for slaughter, with the benefit of growing heavier if needed due to being leaner.
Sexual activity is dependent largely on age. The faster they grow the sooner the money is banked and pasture/crop is saved for other uses.

 

[irish dom]

Another 4kgs live weight compared to a ewe or wether lamb at the same age when prime for slaughter, with the benefit of growing heavier if needed due to being leaner.
Sexual activity is dependent largely on age. The faster they grow the sooner the money is banked and pasture/crop is saved for other uses.

OK then why bother taking his bag off then?

 

[neilo]

OK then why bother taking his bag off then?

Because it stops most of them being fertile enough to get unwanted pregnancies by virtue of keeping the testicles up in the warm. Not sure how useful that is, when we all know what damage a single rig lamb can do in a flock of sheep.....

 

[clod hopper]

Because it stops most of them being fertile enough to get unwanted pregnancies by virtue of keeping the testicles up in the warm. Not sure how useful that is, when we all know what damage a single rig lamb can do in a flock of sheep.....

I did one last year as ' making' a cheep teaser. Not successful, had no lambs of him but didn't really condensed my lambing nether. Worth a go, won't do it again.

 

[Global ovine]

Because it stops most of them being fertile enough to get unwanted pregnancies by virtue of keeping the testicles up in the warm. Not sure how useful that is, when we all know what damage a single rig lamb can do in a flock of sheep.....

When the ring is as close to the tits as possible there is little chance of the testes dropping down into a cooler pocket. I guess about 11.0 million ram lambs are done this way in NZ to take advantage of the reduction in days to slaughter. Its the only growth promoter that is legal. Generally it achieves 3-4 weeks earlier slaughter.

Older crypt lambs that have not grown well should be separated from cycling ewe lambs. But these are few when store buyers buy lines within weight limits.

 

[JD-Kid]

When the ring is as close to the tits as possible there is little chance of the testes dropping down into a cooler pocket. I guess about 11.0 million ram lambs are done this way in NZ to take advantage of the reduction in days to slaughter. Its the only growth promoter that is legal. Generally it achieves 3-4 weeks earlier slaughter.

Older crypt lambs that have not grown well should be separated from cycling ewe lambs. But these are few when store buyers buy lines within weight limits.

yea thats way do them them here but meat co is trying to promote weathers for some of there programs and know a few store buyers now only taking ewe and weather lambs
more the guys that are part time finishers that run own breeding flocks to be fair tho

 

[Global ovine]

yea thats way do them them here but meat co is trying to promote weathers for some of there programs and know a few store buyers now only taking ewe and weather lambs
more the guys that are part time finishers that run own breeding flocks to be fair tho

Most of the carry-over lambs (those slaughtered over 6 months of age) come from large dry hill/high country flocks where castrating is normal practice as these lambs go through puberty before slaughter. Whereas cryptorchids are produced in environments where they are slaughtered as soon as they hit target weight from around weaning onwards.
Although most meat companies take entire rams included in "out-of-season contracts" for the chilled export trade (as 14 weeks shelf life breaks down the extra collagen in older ram lambs) they aren't keen on such for frozen export. Hence male lambs from harsher environments are castrated which can cause problems with fat depth unless sorted more carefully to prevent going over spec on good finishing pasture/crops.

 

[Nithsdale]

What's the advantage of ringing the lambs bag off and leaving his balls in? Won't he still be a ram and try to ride all round him? Would prefer this method as sometimes struggle to get balls in sack

I'm wondering more how you do it properly? Do you just put the balls as close to the body as possible and band the sack as high upto the tits as you can?...

 

[Global ovine]

I'm wondering more how you do it properly? Do you just put the balls as close to the body as possible and band the sack as high upto the tits as you can?...

Yes. See post #48 above.

 

[clod hopper]

I'm wondering more how you do it properly? Do you just put the balls as close to the body as possible and band the sack as high upto the tits as you can?...

Do it right and you have to look very hard to see any sack at all

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Do it right and you have to look very hard to see any sack at all

TBH it sounds harder work than just ringing them normally...

 

[irish dom]

But if you are just gonna take his bag off why not leave him entire? Would his balls swinging between his legs matter? I know we get a good demand for ram lambs from the ethnic market. Not being smart just curious

 

[Global ovine]

TBH it sounds harder work than just ringing them normally...

Crypting is heaps easier, as no need to capture both testes.

But if you are just gonna take his bag off why not leave him entire? Would his balls swinging between his legs matter? I know we get a good demand for ram lambs from the ethnic market. Not being smart just curious

No long scrotum to gather dags, so easier to do a clean out crutch.
If you have an ethnic market at your doorstep, then any financial advantage needs consideration. In NZ we really only have an export market as that takes 94.6% of lambs. Therefore, ease of docking, faster growth, less dagginess and money in the bank sooner makes sense.

 

[clod hopper]

TBH it sounds harder work than just ringing them normally...

No not really, instead of making sure the balls are down you push them up. Get the nack and it's just as quick

 

[Anymulewilldo]

No not really, instead of making sure the balls are down you push them up. Get the nack and it's just as quick

Yes, hadn't thought about that! I've had 30 years practise at castrating and am pretty damn quick at it. If I'd done the same just taking the sack off it would be the same!