Primera rams

[d-wales]

Hello everyone, has anyone had any lambs from these rams this year?if so what you think of them, I've got a few coming in April, but to impatient to wait and see, pictures would be great as well,thank you all

 

[Jon.S]

We have some due in about 10 days so will let you know. What ewes have you used them across?

 

[d-wales]

A mix between welsh mule ewes and suff X ewes, and then ran with some speckles in case the suffolks missed any, about 1-50 , then mule an speckle ewe lambs about 1-100, to be fair they look as good now as they did when I bought them

 

[Jon.S]

We put ours on texel x mules. Didn't seem to lose much condition after working. Keeping the buggers in after was the problem after they broke 2 new rails and went for a jaunt to my next door neighbours ewes!!

 

[Johnny400]

I have used one over the last few years. Lively wee lambs that get up and sook no probs and grow quick. You dont get 'bonny' even groups of lambs tho, if you are a live seller may be a problem. My problem with them is they grow to about an 19kg carcass then get quite fatty. Maybe they have improved since our ram as he must be now 5 years old.

 

[Jon.S]

We sell deadweight with a flat rate payment so not too bothered about grades. Do they finish well off grass?

 

[d-wales]

Mine will all be off grass, or stores if not looking likely to make it in time for Xmas

 

[Johnny400]

We sell deadweight with a flat rate payment so not too bothered about grades. Do they finish well off grass?

They do finnish well on grass. Should do you job fine.

 

[Gilchro]

I have used one over the last few years. Lively wee lambs that get up and sook no probs and grow quick. You dont get 'bonny' even groups of lambs tho, if you are a live seller may be a problem. My problem with them is they grow to about an 19kg carcass then get quite fatty. Maybe they have improved since our ram as he must be now 5 years old.

Is a 19kg carcass not around ideal size for the marketplace?

 

[neilo]

Is a 19kg carcass not around ideal size for the marketplace?

Not if you can get paid up to 21kg, and put that extra weight on cheaply enough.

 

[neilo]

We put ours on texel x mules. Didn't seem to lose much condition after working. Keeping the buggers in after was the problem after they broke 2 new rails and went for a jaunt to my next door neighbours ewes!!

They are supposed to be very easy lambing, grow fast and get fat easily (or earlier/lighter weights), but the grading isn't going to be as good as with most terminal sires. You'd likely get away with it from Texel x ewes, but from Mules???? I know you said you don't get paid on grades, but are you still paid full price on O's?

Seems a 'different' way of doing things, keeping a large, terminal sire x ewe, then crossing it with a poorer confirmation ram. Would it not be better to change the maternal side, and keep your Texel rams? Obviously take longer to change over, but lower cost system with the same output perhaps. Just thinking aloud, not criticising you.

 

[Jon.S]

To be honest after last lambing I thought I'd try something different. Would quite happily settle for a poorer conformation live lamb than a E grade dead one! It was a quick (and cheaper) way of seeing what they are like. Although the plan is over time to change to a smaller, hardier ewe that isn't a feed bin on legs! Have looked at the aberdale ewe from Innovis but have heard some mixed stories about them.

 

[Johnny400]

Is a 19kg carcass not around ideal size for the marketplace?

Yes, but i get paid to 21kg. Also if you can get a U grade and couple more kgs on the carcass then that could be an extra £10+ at todays money.

 

[jemski]

I bought one a few years ago. Half way through tupping he developed a huge growth between the toe on a hind foot. They were very good about it when I called and gave me another ram for free. That year is wasn't overly impressed by the lambs, they were fine, but I decided to try char x tex ram.
The following year the primera died out of the blue the day before the rams went out with the ewes. I didn't replace him. I now have 3 char x tex and one pure char as my terminal sires. So far am very pleased with them. No lambing problems,and lambs that grow well off grass and weigh like lead.

 

[d-wales]

Anyone got any updates about the primera rams?

 

[Jon.S]

So far so good, lambed pretty easily and lively little buggers. 2 rams covered 90 ewes in about 14 days so was quite pleased with that.

 

[d-wales]

Now as people are getting into the middle of selling lambs, how do they think their primera x lambs have done this summer? ive put mine to ewe lambs to lamb end april and ive just had them home to look at them, and they seem to be doing fine , about half are over 30kgs. how have they done on older sheep?

 

[Johnny400]

Mine had limited use last year but was used on a few pure Char ewe hoggs. I have one entire lamb that was a twin at birth but the hogg reared one, he was 42kg at weaning. Might use him on the hoggs this year. No hard feeding on ewe or lamb.
Actually hes quite a smart lad. Its what the primera is needing is a good slash of Charollais or similar.