- Location
- east Ayrshire
On a completely different note 5 blueface liecster tups for sale at reasonable money any takers?
Did you swap rams, or add a second? Although can't see any possible hassling each other affecting litter size, only increased chance of missing one.I put 1 ram in with 150 ewes, first 10 days 120 served and they did 157%, put another ram in on day 11 and the remaining 30 did 131% . All bought off 1 farm which is a closed flock I buy from every year, all had same treatments and all were 1 bunch until the day the rams came out.
I'm taking a heap of mine to see Harry tomorrow morning, I could pick them up on the way past!On a completely different note 5 blueface liecster tups for sale at reasonable money any takers?
I added the second. The 2 rams are never bothered with each other though and just stay far ends of the fields from each otherDid you swap rams, or add a second? Although can't see any possible hassling each other affecting litter size, only increased chance of missing one.
Nah I am going to fert test them and get rid of the problems and keep the one that's or two that did work.I'm taking a heap of mine to see Harry tomorrow morning, I could pick them up on the way past!
That reads as though the ones with the blues were younger sheep? I had a disastrous scan on a batch of younger sheep a few years ago and I put it down to keeping too much terminal blood while trying to push numbers up. I did wonder since if a younger sheep subconsciously reacts more to stress/weather/too thin/too fat ie she has a few more goes at producing lambs so plays it safe and releases one egg, whereas the draft will give it her all under similar conditions.Well scanned my swales today and it was a massive tail of two halves the half that went to the swale tups ave 183% which I have to say I was pleased with as there daft ewes.
Then I scanned the ewes with the bluefaces the one tupped in first 3 weeks were 153% which was bad enough for me and then the second lot tupped in last 3 weeks was 99% which is a disaster never had as poor a scanning since moving away from draft blackies. Shall be testing all tups next year pre tupping.
I only have daft swales this is the first year I have used swale tups to breed some of my own replacements so all are the same age ewes.That reads as though the ones with the blues were younger sheep? I had a disastrous scan on a batch of younger sheep a few years ago and I put it down to keeping too much terminal blood while trying to push numbers up. I did wonder since if a younger sheep subconsciously reacts more to stress/weather/too thin/too fat ie she has a few more goes at producing lambs so plays it safe and releases one egg, whereas the draft will give it her all under similar conditions.
Tried to edit the post but can't seem to but the ewes that went to swale tup scanned 193% not 183% so even happier with that sheep with blues averaged 125% still pee'd at them.Well scanned my swales today and it was a massive tail of two halves the half that went to the swale tups ave 183% which I have to say I was pleased with as there daft ewes.
Then I scanned the ewes with the bluefaces the one tupped in first 3 weeks were 153% which was bad enough for me and then the second lot tupped in last 3 weeks was 99% which is a disaster never had as poor a scanning since moving away from draft blackies. Shall be testing all tups next year pre tupping.
So what's the overall % then, about 160%? Still good for swales, they don't all scan like mulemans. When you start tupping your shearlings you'll not want any where near that. Whats made you change from buying drafts to breeding your own?Tried to edit the post but can't seem to but the ewes that went to swale tup scanned 193% not 183% so even happier with that sheep with blues averaged 125% still pee'd at them.
That’s a fair go I would be very happyJust scanned 500 mules and NZ Suffolk cross. Ewes did 217% and theaves did 190% with just 3 empty. So very happy with that and looks good for the shepherd.
Down from 235% but more Suffolk crosses.That’s a fair go I would be very happy
The only down side to this is that you'll also produce 50 or 60 swaledale wethers@hill shepherd
My normal scanning is normally 170% to 180% for the swales with the blueface liecsters.
My theory on breeding my own replacements is that I breed the mules for my own use and sell off the extras as gimmers and have got the mules to the point I am only needing to produce 70 or so a year for my own use so if I can produce 50 or 60 home bread swales in a two or three years it will reduce the draft ewes I am buying by about 75% as I will have a younger flock of swales which should in theory last longer than the drafts I buy reducing the cost of production of my mules.
What????? I thought swales only had ewe lambsThe only down side to this is that you'll also produce 50 or 60 swaledale wethers
Why don’t you just buy ewe lambs off hard hill farms? They never seem over dear to me.What????? I thought swales only had ewe lambs
But seriously my calculations even getting £25 less per lamb than a mule weather I should still be slightly up on working with as many drafts
The main reason is the hard hill farms keep the best of there lambs for there own replacements and only sell there second/third draws where as producing my own I can keep the top draw and select the best ewes and buy the tups to make the best type of lambs for my flock and also the less I can buy in the less likely I am to buy in someone else's problems.Why don’t you just buy ewe lambs off hard hill farms? They never seem over
What parts of the farm were both lots on? Spoke to someone today that was told by a scanner that there have been a few disappointing scans in D&G but a lot of good ones in Ayrshire.Tried to edit the post but can't seem to but the ewes that went to swale tup scanned 193% not 183% so even happier with that sheep with blues averaged 125% still pee'd at them.