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- Dumfries & Galloway
southdowns i use bud. But the market often puts them through as dorsets. I know a guy using dosets tho he sells alot store as there hard to finish.
Ah bugger, sorry - knew it was one of them
southdowns i use bud. But the market often puts them through as dorsets. I know a guy using dosets tho he sells alot store as there hard to finish.
southdowns i use bud. But the market often puts them through as dorsets. I know a guy using dosets tho he sells alot store as there hard to finish.
What makes the Dorset lambs hard to finish do you think?
Funnily enough, I had a Southdown x lamb that I got to 60kg and couldn't finish.What makes the Dorset lambs hard to finish do you think?
That is strange mine are always well fleshed just getting them the right weight thats the issue most of the time. If they go through the crate at 40kg i can almost be certain there ready.Funnily enough, I had a Southdown x lamb that I got to 60kg and couldn't finish.
Was it a pet lamb? I’ve found even if from incredible breeding they are always crap to fatten.Funnily enough, I had a Southdown x lamb that I got to 60kg and couldn't finish.
That is strange mine are always well fleshed just getting them the right weight thats the issue most of the time. If they go through the crate at 40kg i can almost be certain there ready.
Would you agree with my way of thinking that over 42-43 kgs that can happen, but that’s the fault of the shepherd and not the breed? If the breed has produced you a nicely finished 40+ kg lamb then I think it has done its job and the rest is down to the shepherds skill in recognising that I think.
He was definitely an exception rather than the rule! Sold as a store in April.That is strange mine are always well fleshed just getting them the right weight thats the issue most of the time. If they go through the crate at 40kg i can almost be certain there ready.
No.Was it a pet lamb? I’ve found even if from incredible breeding they are always crap to fatten.
A lot of wise farmers look at a falling trade and instead of shifting lambs when ready, hold onto them to put extra weight on to counter the poorer price... them moan lambs don't sell as well as they've fallen out of spec[/
Wise words that some definetly go by, myself included. 16kg in July is often worth more than 18kg in September with no risk of flies, dying, more room for others etc..
What makes the Dorset lambs hard to finish do you think?
I've used Hampshire tups on my Easycares as a terminal sire for the past four years. Pretty easy lambing and tough lambs that want to get up and suck. Carcass weights won't be as heavy as Texel x lambs and possibly Suffolks but my reasoning is that you get more lambs to compensate and less work. There is a small discount for store sales. I am careful to buy from a select group of commercially-focused breeders.
Sounds like there might be some direct selling or similar involved in this plan of yours? If so, Hampshire lambs will take a bit of beating as @Coximus I think will confirm.
The abattoirs and supermarkets do it for cattle with their native beef schemes. Maybe I should write to them that they are discriminating against my continentals and that they should be more inclusive and pay the same premium for my Blondes as they do AngusWhy is it so important that the up is native?
We are supposed to be a cosmopolitan society, that is open & invites the best of the world to meet the best of British.
That applies to sheep too.
For me with the natives Suffolk or Park type Cheviot (for low input flock)
That's true, they can be a bit daggy. I treated them with crovect and didn't have any strike last yearHampshires grow really well out fo everything I have tried them on. Even hebrideans weaned 30Kg+ lambs. Do seem to have a hard check at weaning but they easily pulled 300g/day on poor grass and some ran to 700g/day (only about 10% of them and all rams) but selling 41kg at 3 months straight off the Dam cant be beaten. Down side is they are prone to daggs and seemed IMO to have very little resistance to worms - Easycare, heb X and Tex lambs all ran on with little check from worm burden but worms ran through the hampshires (in all 3 rams offspring have used on 2 separate years) and they needed treating so Im assuming lower resistance their. Also roundly 15-20p/pkg less than texels at most markets I use - usually on par with suffolk for price but if its a quiet day they sell as good as Tex. Deadweight all E/U/R grades mostly U's and Kill cleanly around the 50% from any dam.
Dont keep them past summer as with the daggness they become a fly-nightmare. I wont use one again unless Lambing a batch In Feb, as Having them around in July just sucked the sunshine out of my sky - they may grow well and sell fine but compared to Easycare x Tex types that you check with binoculars - these were in every 3rd day to pull out a strike, clean a skitty bum. Good news was from an early march lambing I got the last lot I did gone in June. May try one next year for a feb lambing to Give cashflow early in the year.
Plus's
Good birth coat, very good get up and go sucking before being licked dry often, Lambing in snow outside no problem and they were "honest sheep". Grew well on avg grass, put on good grass they rocket ahead, and given feed they rocket even more, Id say an excelent TERMINAl Breed for early lambing.
That's true, they can be a bit daggy. I treated them with crovect and didn't have any strike last year