Milkiest terminal?

[Man_in_black]

I know there's variables, but generally speaking, what would folk say is milkiest terminal ewe?

Diolch

 

[neilo]

I know there's variables, but generally speaking, what would folk say is milkiest terminal ewe?

Diolch

The poorest one, as they will be partitioning less energy to meat and more to milk?

I've always found Texels milky, and to have reasonably persistent lactations, but I'd imagine the better shaped ones would be less so.

 

[Man_in_black]

The poorest one, as they will be partitioning less energy to meat and more to milk?

Certainly an interesting observation my mate. The more extreme "tup" looking ones drying up sooner.

 

[yellowbelly]

I've never been a fan of very milky ewes - it usually ends in mastitis, odd shaped bags, bit tits and

I like 'em with nice, roundy little bags and 'just enough' milk to rear their lambs properly.

 

[hendrebc]

When we had a lot of Suffolk cross lleyn ewes they were always very milky more so than their pure lleyn half sisters. Had a few pure Suffolks to try (disaster as you'd expect running them commercially) but shortage of milk wasn't the problem. A Suffolk ewe lamb did a good job of twins.

 

[Woolless]

When we had a lot of Suffolk cross lleyn ewes they were always very milky more so than their pure lleyn half sisters. Had a few pure Suffolks to try (disaster as you'd expect running them commercially) but shortage of milk wasn't the problem. A Suffolk ewe lamb did a good job of twins.

Hence the popularity of the Suffolk x Mule? A lot of Texel x ewes about now though. The best of the F1 shedding Texel x Easycare ewes I had were really good sheep.

 

[neilo]

Hence the popularity of the Suffolk x Mule? A lot of Texel x ewes about now though. The best of the F1 shedding Texel x Easycare ewes I had were really good sheep.

No mule blood, but when we went from Suffolk X Cambridge to Texel X Cambridge, there was a step change in milkiness, lambing ease, lamb vigour and maternal ability, without getting into the obviously better carcass traits.

That was 30+ years ago, but I still wouldn't have a Suffolk on the farm if you paid me.

 

[NorthumbrianFarmer]

What about crossing something with a rouge? They used to be dairy sheep and very fined boned for lambing

 

[neilo]

What about crossing something with a rouge? They used to be dairy sheep and very fined boned for lambing

32 yrs ago admittedly, but the Rouge crosses we had milked like Charollais (poor persistency) and had even softer teats. Their thin skin made them very prone to cuts (& then orf and mastitis).

 

[NorthumbrianFarmer]

32 yrs ago admittedly, but the Rouge crosses we had milked like Charollais (poor persistency) and had even softer teats. Their thin skin made them very prone to cuts (& then orf and mastitis).

I didn’t realise they had changed too much. What did you cross them with out of curiosity

 

[neilo]

I didn’t realise they had changed too much. What did you cross them with out of curiosity

We had homebred & bought in crosses from Welsh mules, Scotch Halfbreds and Suffolk mules. Those out of the Scotch Halfbreds were smartest, but least milky or prolific, unsurprisingly.

None of them stayed that long.

 

[NorthumbrianFarmer]

We had homebred & bought in crosses from Welsh mules, Scotch Halfbreds and Suffolk mules. Those out of the Scotch Halfbreds were smartest, but least milky or prolific, unsurprisingly.

None of them stayed that long.

Bought 20 rouge x out of north England mules in the store last year. Will see how these fair. Hopefully they turn out better

 

[Man_in_black]

Bought 20 rouge x out of north England mules in the store last year. Will see how these fair. Hopefully they turn out better

What's the plan with them ? I've always fancied trying rouge in the mix myself

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

What about crossing something with a rouge? They used to be dairy sheep and very fined boned for lambing

Been trying that for a couple of years. Good lively lambs and easy born because they’re so fine boned, but very bald like a Charollais. Lambed some Rouge x hoggs this year, they lambed easily and seem to have plenty of milk, and quality lambs, the main problem is some rejected their lambs. There was no halfway, they either loved the lambs or hated them, that’s put us off lambing anymore.

The Rouge tup swept up over some Mules and they’ve come out good tight skinned lambs and obviously hardier coming from a mule.

 

[Man_in_black]

. Lambed some Rouge x hoggs this year, they lambed easily and seem to have plenty of milk, and quality lambs, the main problem is some rejected their lambs. There was no halfway, they either loved the lambs or hated them, that’s put us off lambing anymore.

What tup did you use on them ?

Could the rejection thing be down to them being Hoggs? Unless she absolutely battered it, I've often given a Hogg a second chance if everything else ticked boxes & they often get their act together the following year.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

What tup did you use on them ?

Could the rejection thing be down to them being Hoggs? Unless she absolutely battered it, I've often given a Hogg a second chance if everything else ticked boxes & they often get their act together the following year.

Beltex tup. I agree it could be down to being hoggs, and I think we will give them a second chance as shearlings, whether we’ll keep anymore will probably depend how they do. One other thing, our Rouge tup is very fit, never been lame and can get round a lot of ewes.

 

[NorthumbrianFarmer]

Been trying that for a couple of years. Good lively lambs and easy born because they’re so fine boned, but very bald like a Charollais. Lambed some Rouge x hoggs this year, they lambed easily and seem to have plenty of milk, and quality lambs, the main problem is some rejected their lambs. There was no halfway, they either loved the lambs or hated them, that’s put us off lambing anymore.

The Rouge tup swept up over some Mules and they’ve come out good tight skinned lambs and obviously hardier coming from a mule.

Glad to hear a positive experience. Was getting worried there. The guy was talked to at the highland show about rouges told me a Charolais and a rouge are the same sheep but rouge has the milk gene

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Glad to hear a positive experience. Was getting worried there. The guy was talked to at the highland show about rouges told me a Charolais and a rouge are the same sheep but rouge has the milk gene

They breed a good carcassed lamb as well.

 

[Man_in_black]

Glad to hear a positive experience. Was getting worried there. The guy was talked to at the highland show about rouges told me a Charolais and a rouge are the same sheep but rouge has the milk gene

@neilo

 

[delilah]

Friesland x Suffolk.