Starting a pedigree flock

[ringi]

As my own observation from too many years in sheep, many breeds seem to me to have lost rib eye bulk. Been trying to find photos I have of bare clipped Park NCC from the early 70's. They were definately squarer along the the back, a better chop as it was then

There are not enough Park NCC performance recorded rams to blame such breed wide changes on performance recording.

 

[ringi]

No, that’s across all breeds and sellers in my local area.

Have you done a flock search on signet to find flocks that proformance record within a day's round trip?

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Have you done a flock search on signet to find flocks that proformance record within a day's round trip?

I live in the middle of a big sheep keeping area and I’ve just done a search for Texel. The nearest flock coming up is 121 miles away

 

[Highland Mule]

Have you done a flock search on signet to find flocks that proformance record within a day's round trip?

That’s great in theory but not in practice. I get the feeling that’s as close to farming as you get though - fair?

 

[Highland Mule]

I live in the middle of a big sheep keeping area and I’ve just done a search for Texel. The nearest flock coming up is 121 miles away

Doesn’t appear to be any in Scotland - could that be correct?

 

[JockCroft]

There are not enough Park NCC performance recorded rams to blame such breed wide changes on performance recording.

Where did I say EBV were to blame for the changes. Its the Breeders that select to suit what they think is best.

It just seems too many commercial tup buyers that they are selecting for what suits the select circle of Pedigree breeders. This is applicable to many breeds.

 

[Woolless]

I live in the middle of a big sheep keeping area and I’ve just done a search for Texel. The nearest flock coming up is 121 miles away

Doesn’t appear to be any in Scotland - could that be correct?

Texels have their own 'i-Texel' recording programme, they're not on Signet. So I'm not sure who that flock is @Aspiring Peasants ?

 

[ringi]

I live in the middle of a big sheep keeping area and I’ve just done a search for Texel. The nearest flock coming up is 121 miles away

Most Texel are on https://www.itexel.uk/ that is a rebranded system using the signet software.

 

[Highland Mule]

Texels have their own 'i-Texel' recording programme, they're not on Signet. So I'm not sure who that flock is @Aspiring Peasants ?

Nearest to me was Easyram. ITexel doesn’t allow search by location.

 

[ringi]

Nearest to me was Easyram.

If I recall correctly EasyRam is not pure UK Texel so is not allowed in the system controlled by the Texel magic circle.

 

[Guleesh]

Unfortunately a lot of farmers only say they want functional rams but then consistently spend good money on overfed monsters that melt away and invariably die leaving little to show for their brief time in the flock.

Trouble is they often leave plenty to show, spreading their unsuitable genetics into the flock. The cure of course is to buy an even bigger overfed monster the following year...

 

[Toby Rochester]

What kind of cheviots ? Park type hill type or south type ?

Most likely hill I like a good hardy sheep and most of my sheep experience is with them I find they get on well in my area

 

[Toby Rochester]

Buy the best foundation stock you can afford. Buy fewer better ones. Don’t buy a bad trait (teeth, crap legs etc) those traits will be guaranteed to throw through.

Thanks that's what I was thinking I haven't got much land and would be my first flock of my own so I was definitely leaning towards the quality over quantity approach.

 

[Rich_ard]

More cabbages

Trouble is they often leave plenty to show, spreading their unsuitable genetics into the flock. The cure of course is to buy an even bigger overfed monster the following year...

 

[AftonShepherd]

Thanks that's what I was thinking I haven't got much land and would be my first flock of my own so I was definitely leaning towards the quality over quantity approach.

If you're only wanting a small flock for showing and selling, then maybe the in-lamb ewe sale at Lockerbie in February would be a place to start. They will be fed obviously, but if you're wanting to sell at the big sales that's almost definitely a necessary evil.

I'm going the opposite route and trying to develop a small stud flock that not only survive, but raise strong lambs without any unnecessary expensive inputs. BUT I have no interest in showing or selling at breeding sales, merely want something that's going to thrive on my hills.

 

[Tim W]

"Signet Silver" is the top 25% of proformance recorded rams for the attributes that make up the index. This gives a large number of rams to select from for good teeth and feet etc while excluding the rams that are large only due to lots of cake. Eg use the EBVs to exclude the worce for growth rate etc, then ignore the EBVs while selecting from what remains.

There are no EBVs for teeth and feet as good breeders tend to cull hard, and when you cull there is not enough data to calculate EBVs. Also to calculate EBV it ideally needs a scale with at least 5 points and about the same number of sheep in a flock given each relative grade.

I think you are confusing Signet with the ''silver'', ''gold '' etc used by SheepIreland ?

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Texels have their own 'i-Texel' recording programme, they're not on Signet. So I'm not sure who that flock is @Aspiring Peasants ?

---

J R & N R Hulme
Flock Code: UK 0 304652 -Latest EBVs
Prefix: EASYTEXEL
Tel: 01939 270670
M: 07971 970918
[email protected]
Pikesend Farm
English Frankton
Ellesmere
Shropshire
England
SY12 0JZ Distance: 121 miles

 

[Rich_ard]

Hello, I am looking to get a pedigree flock of north country cheviots set up. My goal is to show the sheep and produce good salable rams and ewes my question here is how exactly does one go about establishing the flock and registering them under my own herd name etc and what general advise does everyone have. Thanks in advance

Is this going to be a hobby. As in you like going to shows and the social side. If you are setting up a flock I take it you don't have any at the moment. You will need a flock no if not already got one. Department for that.

 

[ringi]

I think you are confusing Signet with the ''silver'', ''gold '' etc used by SheepIreland ?

Ireland uses a system of one to five stars. But it seems both Signet and Ireland is moving to a system of stating the breeding values in money.

 

[neilo]

I think you are confusing Signet with the ''silver'', ''gold '' etc used by SheepIreland ?

Signet have a thing where they issue gold, silver and bronze cards for recorded sheep too. I forget the criteria as I don’t do sale cards.
Available to breeders on request iirc.

I’ve never considered it a good idea as it further simplifies the promotion of overall index, rather than encouraging the consideration of trait ebvs.