- Location
- North Antrim
I broadly agree with you on this topic, I think however there is a grey area where the correct rams with conformation, skin and natural fleshing ability can make the adjustment to a forage only system. The problem is feeding and especially trimming make the selection of these tups more difficult. Just as a matter of interest have you ever bought a tup lamb on the open market that adjusted and thrived on your system.I bought a ram lamb at Builth I (early August) this year. He stood out in my field of ram lambs when he came out of quarantine, and he still does now. Everyone that has viewed the sheep in that field, has picked him out and got excited about him. The reason is that he was fed well up until sale, so had a head start on growth AND he was trimmed for sale. That trimming is still evident now.
Don't get me wrong, he looks a cracking ram and is showing the traits for which I bought him, but when I handle the lambs in a pen, he lacks muscling compared to a lot of the others running with him. You wouldn't know it from a photo though.
My acid test is to see what he looks like in the Spring, after running without hard feed, and when he's shorn bare with the rest. That will tell me how well his genetics can cope without high levels of feeding. I have had shocks in the past, where £2k ram lambs have been the poorest in the field the next year, but responded to hard feed again (before swelling). I noted similar genetics used heavily & successfully in a couple of other flocks at the time, which went on my mental 'avoid' list.