- Location
- Fife
Thanks for that.
Anyone have any info on market, dates, recommended agents, recommended hauliers etc.
Nz beltex
- Thread starter hendrebc
- Start date
Thanks for that.
Anyone have any info on market, dates, recommended agents, recommended hauliers etc.
MJT
Member
They are usually barstewards with the dogs, either scatter or you get a couple that literally sacrifice themselves and charge off away from the flock . They do calm down eventually , worked on farm that used 200 Shetland ewes as basis to breed its commercial ewes, never failed to get them where I wanted but definately gives the dogs a workout
CharcoalWally
Member
- Location
- West of Scotland
I know a guy that used to work with them and if memory serves he got them off Shetland which must be practically the only place you'll get any numbers to choose from.
They are notorious for not responding well to being dogged. They think nothing of fighting with the dog and charging off into any little hidey hole they can find where they can't be easily winkled out.
Best not to farm them anywhere near a cliff. Able little sheep though , possibly the most commercially viable of the island breeds.
- Location
- Fife
They seem like a great cheap way into sheep.
But if they don't respond to a dog I wouldn't dare chance then behind electric.
They need room, we had some for a while but didn't have enough though ground for them. Very different to move with dogs than other sheep, they don't really flock. Once the dogs learn what's on it can be ok. Sales start up here in a fortnight also be ones at thainstone I would think.
http://www.slmg.co.uk/livestock-sales
http://www.slmg.co.uk/livestock-sales
CharcoalWally
Member
- Location
- West of Scotland
I had to go back to the OP to check I wasn't on the wrong thread.
We started on sending beltex to NZ.
We're now searching the UK to find Shetland sheep.....
God , these threads don't half meander hither and thon.........
We started on sending beltex to NZ.
We're now searching the UK to find Shetland sheep.....
God , these threads don't half meander hither and thon.........
CharcoalWally
Member
- Location
- West of Scotland
Out of interest @Top Tip. , what tups did your friends put over them?
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
You could always ask your two friends with lots of Shetlands who are going to the islands next month to buy more......
Or would that be too easy?
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Two things about Shetlands - they WILL get out, lots!
They ARE barstewards to gather, as said they don't flock, they hide, break off and fight the dog like devil's lol.
Gathered 150 off a small hill the other day, two of us, four good dogs, a truck and a quad and we still missed a few lol.
Rear very good lambs to a Tex, Suffolk or Cheviot though
Going to do a dose more this year, put to charmoise, Tex, suftex and a load to the exlana.....
Oh and some to our 'shetlana' and 'shetex' tups.
Watch this space
They ARE barstewards to gather, as said they don't flock, they hide, break off and fight the dog like devil's lol.
Gathered 150 off a small hill the other day, two of us, four good dogs, a truck and a quad and we still missed a few lol.
Rear very good lambs to a Tex, Suffolk or Cheviot though
Going to do a dose more this year, put to charmoise, Tex, suftex and a load to the exlana.....
Oh and some to our 'shetlana' and 'shetex' tups.
Watch this space
CharcoalWally
Member
- Location
- West of Scotland
See, you should have mentioned that. That might be the sort of thing @unlacedgecko would be interested in.
- Location
- Fife
If they were real friends they would have mentioned it already and I'd be going with them
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
If they were real friends they would have mentioned it already and I'd be going with them
I'm fairly sure it's been mentioned a couple of times. Two lorries coming down so may just fly up!
Thing is..... Who's going to farm sit?
The other friend was going to pass on his mobile number to me when he got it fixed? Couple of folk I could pass your details to, figure if I mention it to you if might get him organised?! [emoji23]
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Haha new phone delivered today!!!
- Location
- Fife
NZDan
Member
- Location
- Broomfield, New Zealand
I scanned some Beltex x Shetland ewes last year, great wee ewes as well, not really any bigger than a Shetland and had been mated to a Texel x Chevease tup.
Most of the Shetland ewes I scanned are mated to BFL or BFLx tups. I scan one lot of Shetland mules, bloody food Mules.
When it comes to dogs, if you put a dog around 100 Shetlands they'll run in 120 different directions.
Most of the Shetland ewes I scanned are mated to BFL or BFLx tups. I scan one lot of Shetland mules, bloody food Mules.
When it comes to dogs, if you put a dog around 100 Shetlands they'll run in 120 different directions.
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
I'll do you mate's rates
Exactly.
Friend has a lot of Shetland ewes on big hills. They get guys and plenty dogs in to gather, shearing time they got what they thought was a clean gather, think it was about 400 ewes. Went again to take lambs off in autumn similar number of ewes but 50 had fleeces on! [emoji36]
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
We got our idiots in. . . . . a lad who works for us and me. Good dogs, quad, truck.
The poor lad hadn't been warned, and there was a lot of swearing.
I was also swearing whilst climbing under a blackthorn hedge to remove one ewe that was busy trying to leather any dog that crawled into the hedge to get her out.
Eventually we got them in, all of them.
Just finished jabbing the lambs and clicking the ewes and were congratulating ourselves on a job well done. . . . .
And half a dozen ewes and their lambs walked past the handling system, giving us the proverbial finger as they did so!
Picked up a few escapees a couple of miles away!