Pissssst! New Wool Shedder!

[Ffermer Bach]

It's something we as producers/breeders have largely ignored for decades
We concentrate on making it easy for us to produce and to grow the largest volume as fast as possible but we don't bother thinking about the quality of the end product
We then wonder why we have a reducing market in the younger generations?

I was in a meeting years ago in Llandovery, can't remember if it was farming connect and a sheep expert was giving a presentation, at the end he said any questions, I asked about the eating quality ( and how they cook) of the different breeds and he looked at me as if I had asked a question in Swahili and I think his answer was, no one was looking at that and to be honest I had the feeling that he thought I had asked an odd question. I think it was the most important question and it was a surprise that no one was looking at it.

 

[NZDan]

My Char & Chartex all get the same treatment/checking/lambing regime as the Exlanas
They have been selected (ruthlessly ) to do it alone but it's an expensive process
If you leave them alone, cull for everything including daggs then it's difficult to keep the flock at a steady number

This year is the first year that i will have any yearling rams to sell that have passed all the tests and are in the top 25% of the BLUP evaluations !
Seems like it's taken for ever & i do wonder why i bothered sometimes

It will be worth it in the end.

 

[Bury the Trash]

I find it interesting that shedding starts with increasing daylight, not temperature....

Doesnt seem to bother them at all though, in this biting easterly ...but I guess being well fed with a decent fat cover helps.

 

[NZDan]

I find it interesting that shedding starts with increasing daylight, not temperature....

Doesnt seem to bother them at all though, in this biting easterly ...but I guess being well fed with a decent fat cover helps.

Feeding level definitely has a big affect , poor feeding leads to poor shedding. I've got some ewes which will shed twice in a summer.

 

[dogjon]

If you're looking for Texel with a likely hood of shedding look for a ram that peels under there chin, the further down the neck the better. Or alternatively why not try a texel x dorper ram?
How have you got on with the other US clean skins? Royal White, Katahdin, Barbadoes Black belly? Can you get sheep from Mexico, I was impressed with the Peilfolk I saw there.

Not much to choose from in Texels here. The large processors like to slaughter at 120-140 lbs. Have not seen any Royal Whites here but it seems a sensible cross. Not impressed with Katahdins. Had a group of ewe lambs from 4 different breeders years ago. After two lambings they were pretty much at the bottom of their age group for weaning weights, had bad feet and were certainly not any better than my base flock for parasite resistance but perhaps better than the Dorpers which isnt saying much. God, dont get me started on Barbados, if you are known for having trained dogs, people are always trying to give them to you. Usually with the caveat that you get them in and loaded. They have the carcass and temperament of a small deer. Hobby herders like them as they never get tired or dogged. Often harvested with a rifle. Dont think we can import from Mexico but not sure. I am a little interested in St Croix. For all the breeds claiming parasite resistance I think they are the only one I've seen that actually is. I know of a small flock on the S. Oregon coast that has never been wormed and that is prime worm and fluke country even worse than us in the valley. Horrible goaty looking things but crossed with a Dorper might be a good idea.

 

[exmoor dave]

I find it interesting that shedding starts with increasing daylight, not temperature....

Doesnt seem to bother them at all though, in this biting easterly ...but I guess being well fed with a decent fat cover helps.

Feeding level definitely has a big affect , poor feeding leads to poor shedding. I've got some ewes which will shed twice in a summer.

All that.... plus a dose of unknown magic! ??

I try to keep a idea in my head of what weather conditions and condition of the sheep each year Vs how they shed...... but some times there's just no obvious reason for good/ poor shedding across the flock.

Ewe hoggs have been shedding for a good while now.

Feb lambing 1st cross exlana/ exmoor mules are shedding like mad, esp 2Ts.... the poorer sheep...
Quite alot of 1st cross mature ewes who normally need shearing.... have shed..... maybe they heard the word on the street that shearers will be in short supply ?

Some pure exlanas in the feb flock because they haven't made the breeding grade for the april flock...... they've not shed yet or even started ?

 

[Agrivator]

Feeding level definitely has a big affect , poor feeding leads to poor shedding. I've got some ewes which will shed twice in a summer.

But in normal wooled-breeds, poor nutrition (or even a short period of stress) in winter, can cause a break in the wool fibre, and lead to wool loss or even the whole fleece being shed. The North Country Cheviot is particularly prone.

 

[unlacedgecko]

All that.... plus a dose of unknown magic! ??

I try to keep a idea in my head of what weather conditions and condition of the sheep each year Vs how they shed...... but some times there's just no obvious reason for good/ poor shedding across the flock.

Ewe hoggs have been shedding for a good while now.

View attachment 867076


Feb lambing 1st cross exlana/ exmoor mules are shedding like mad, esp 2Ts.... the poorer sheep...
Quite alot of 1st cross mature ewes who normally need shearing.... have shed..... maybe they heard the word on the street that shearers will be in short supply ?

Some pure exlanas in the feb flock because they haven't made the breeding grade for the april flock...... they've not shed yet or even started ?

stud ewes are shedding well.

tups are almost all totally clean.

even got the odd Shetland starting to shed a bit. Shouldn’t take long to breed the wool off these.

 

[NZDan]

But in normal wooled-breeds, poor nutrition (or even a short period of stress) in winter, can cause a break in the wool fibre, and lead to wool loss or even the whole fleece being shed. The North Country Cheviot is particularly prone.

Yes that is correct.
It is believed shedding is caused by a stop in wool growth then a re start. Shedding sheep stop growing wool over the late winter and then when they restart again the new wool pushes the old wool out, better fed sheep grow new wool earlier and faster.
Nonshedding sheep don't have that stop in wool growth, unless they go through a stress period which then causes that break in the wool growth, same mechanics different reasons.

 

[NZDan]

Not much to choose from in Texels here. The large processors like to slaughter at 120-140 lbs. Have not seen any Royal Whites here but it seems a sensible cross. Not impressed with Katahdins. Had a group of ewe lambs from 4 different breeders years ago. After two lambings they were pretty much at the bottom of their age group for weaning weights, had bad feet and were certainly not any better than my base flock for parasite resistance but perhaps better than the Dorpers which isnt saying much. God, dont get me started on Barbados, if you are known for having trained dogs, people are always trying to give them to you. Usually with the caveat that you get them in and loaded. They have the carcass and temperament of a small deer. Hobby herders like them as they never get tired or dogged. Often harvested with a rifle. Dont think we can import from Mexico but not sure. I am a little interested in St Croix. For all the breeds claiming parasite resistance I think they are the only one I've seen that actually is. I know of a small flock on the S. Oregon coast that has never been wormed and that is prime worm and fluke country even worse than us in the valley. Horrible goaty looking things but crossed with a Dorper might be a good idea.

The Royal white is a Dorper x St Croix I think?
I used Damara early on in my program, they had a lot of weaknesses but got the wool off really quickly, I can see the BBB being used the same way, use a ram once, it should get the wool off and add fecundity, mothering ability and give you a little freedom to add some wooly genetics as well. @Tim W what are your thoughts?

 

[Tim W]

But in abnormal wooled-breeds, poor nutrition (or even a short period of stress) in winter, can cause a break in the wool fibre, and lead to wool loss or even the whole fleece being shed. The North Country Cheviot is particularly prone.

I've corrected the above for you
''Normal'' sheep shed their wool ---it's only selective breeding by man that has given them excessive thick fleeces that they retain & require our intervention/ maintenance

 

[Tim W]

The Royal white is a Dorper x St Croix I think?
I used Damara early on in my program, they had a lot of weaknesses but got the wool off really quickly, I can see the BBB being used the same way, use a ram once, it should get the wool off and add fecundity, mothering ability and give you a little freedom to add some wooly genetics as well. @Tim W what are your thoughts?

In my limited experience BBB gives;
1) decent shedding ability ---better than Katahadin but not as good as the Wilts
2) fecundity ---but who wants more than 2 lambs in our grass based systems?
3) some mothering traits including an extended breeding season
4) incredible hybrid vigour when added to the usual UK/NZ breeds
5) Some taste/eating quality uplift? Don't know enough about this but the 1 purebred BBB i ate was undoubtedly different to the usual UK lamb taste

 

[Ffermer Bach]

just looked at photos of Barbados Black Belly, they look like a cross between a Tor Ddu and a Goat!

 

[clod hopper]

just looked at photos of Barbados Black Belly, they look like a cross between a Tor Ddu and a Goat!

Ugly looking things!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Ugly looking things!

If an animal is profitable then it's not ugly. Just like a good dog can't be a bad colour.

 

[Bury the Trash]

I've corrected the above for you
''Normal'' sheep shed their wool ---it's only selective breeding by man that has given them excessive thick fleeces that they retain & require our intervention/ maintenance

 

[Agrivator]

I've corrected the above for you
''Normal'' sheep shed their wool ---it's only selective breeding by man that has given them excessive thick fleeces that they retain & require our intervention/ maintenance

Do you think an ancient mariner, deep-sea fisherman, captain Birdseye, a lifeboatman or other Sea-Salts would appreciate a
warm insulating gansey made from the wisps of shedded wool from your own pathetic woolshedders?

And many of them are pleased to survive and return home to a wife, children and a nice cosy woolen carpet.

Sheep have been domesticated for thousands of years. How long since you started keeping them?

 

[Agrivator]

If an animal is profitable then it's not ugly. Just like a good dog can't be a bad colour.

A lot of experienced shepherds would claim that white is not the best colour for a Border Collie.

Or that white would not be a good colour for a Labrador, unless it was being used to hunt Albino Seals.

 

[unlacedgecko]

A lot of experienced shepherds would claim that white is not the best colour for a Border Collie.

Or that white would not be a good colour for a Labrador, unless it was being used to hunt Albino Seals.

Why wouldn't a white lab be any good? Never seen a guide dog handler complain about the colour of his animal!

Peg dog lab, beating dog labs, sniffer dog labs, deer tracking labs, none of them would be negatively affected by being white.

What difference would the colour of a sheepdog make? Old wives tale, just like the one where a dog's no good if it doesn't have a spot on the roof of its mouth. Or it is no good if it doesn't have a spot?!

 

[Woolless]

Do you think an ancient mariner, deep-sea fisherman, captain Birdseye, a lifeboatman or other Sea-Salts would appreciate a
warm insulating gansey made from the wisps of shedded wool from your own pathetic woolshedders?

And many of them are pleased to survive and return home to a wife, children and a nice cosy woolen carpet.

Sheep have been domesticated for thousands of years. How long since you started keeping them?

You're correct in that wool is a great product. But that doesn't change @Tim W's comment that wool has been selectively bred for and is not found to anything like the same extent in most wild sheep. Nor does it change the fact that for most flocks it will reduce profit margins at current prices.

And 'pathetic woolshedders' is a bit strong.