suffolk or charollais for lleyn

Bald n Grumpy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Have used a lleyn to tup Suffolk ewe lambs and catch any returns in the ewes.
Nice lambs kept some and sold as yearling ewes looked tidy.
All depends if your Suffolk is like a Shetland pony or your lleyn has more texel in it than is good for it. But if you've got decent lleyns and Suffolk's its a good cross
 

Stockwell

Member
Brother in law puts NZ Suffolk’s on his lleyns and sells the females as mv recipients. They are storming ewes and you have to join the waiting list if you want to buy the cross gimmers, next years are all sold already.
 

Paul86

Member
I would be inclined to say suffolk as well if you can get the right sort of suffolk ram.
Using that cross here and find it good. Make good factory lambs and the ewe lamb is easy sold. They go mad for that speckled face suffolk Cross, lamb/hogget here.
 

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Resurrecting this one.
With some Lleyn featuring in our ewes this seemed an appropriate thread.

Considering trying a Char ram at the moment, I had them 30 years ago, but I recall them being quite lean, is this still the case?
We currently run Hampshire rams as a terminal and they do cover easily, how will a Char compare on that front?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Resurrecting this one.
With some Lleyn featuring in our ewes this seemed an appropriate thread.

Considering trying a Char ram at the moment, I had them 30 years ago, but I recall them being quite lean, is this still the case?
We currently run Hampshire rams as a terminal and they do cover easily, how will a Char compare on that front?

That depends on the Charollais, as it would with all breeds.

Whatever the breed, if the ram has the potential to grow to a mature weight of 150kg plus, then the commercial lambs off them will struggle to finish at slaughter weights as they will lack maturity/still be growing. As with most UK breeds, plenty of breeders are chasing size in Charollais, so quiz the breeder well...
 
Run 350 pedigree lleyn, March lambing, lowland Devon. Planning to drop half the lleyn to form a B flock, for feb lambing to catch earlier market for fat lambs. Don't want to creep feed. Need to choose good terminal sire for lleyn. Suffolk or Charolais? Discuss
Try one of each for a year or two and then make your decision. Different breeds perform differently on different farms and systems and with different ewes (even of the same breed). You need to find the one that works for you not the one that works for Joe Bloggs
 

TlymarT_028

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North West
Try one of each for a year or two and then make your decision. Different breeds perform differently on different farms and systems and with different ewes (even of the same breed). You need to find the one that works for you not the one that works for Joe Bloggs
Would be my answer exactly. The OP says half of a 350 flock dropped so going to need more than 1 tup anyway surely. Each will make good lambs dependant on genetics of both ewes and tups. I imagine it will end up a choice based between own preference and on farm performance. As others have said both will make good fat lambs and all lambs will be quite saleable one way or another but I would imagine that the suffolk ewe lambs especially may sell easiest of the lot :unsure:
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
That depends on the Charollais, as it would with all breeds.

Whatever the breed, if the ram has the potential to grow to a mature weight of 150kg plus, then the commercial lambs off them will struggle to finish at slaughter weights as they will lack maturity/still be growing. As with most UK breeds, plenty of breeders are chasing size in Charollais, so quiz the breeder well...
This 100 times , there are plenty of good growth rate rams that arnt huge of all breeds , if your buying on size your likely to be dissapointed , seen suffolks in a line up that looked tiny but god they handled well , you can handle loin and back end (educate yourself on assessing fat ,the dock will tell you a lot ) , signet will give you the growth rate ,Big rams often have good growth but the skill for commercial sheep is a growth curve that flattens some at killing weights , which doesnt give you good sale ring rams , Huge demand for functional suffolk ewes , not so ,those old edinburgh genetics
 

andyt87

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Glamorgan
Got a bunch of Exlana x Lleyn yearlings and wondering what ram to put over them. Tempted to go with Charollais for first 2 crops before putting them with texel and keep some as replacements.
 

andyt87

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Glamorgan
Exlana surely?

Not looking to go down shedding route really. Edit: Not against the idea, but don't see it as a priority over the fat lamb production side. Not got any experience of them as a terminal to comment.

They are off someone who is breeding up to shedders from Lleyn base and we get pick of non-shedder ewe lambs. Fit what we want as a medium sized, no fuss ewe with good length.
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
Been shopping for another Charollaise tup to help go over the Lleyns.
View attachment 1053683View attachment 1053685View attachment 1053686

His breeding is strongly based on that of a certain high profile breeder know to frequent theses parts…😂

Any guesses?
I bought a lamb yesterday similar sire at builth , you will find that was a very astute buy ,credit where credit is due i take my hat off to the breeder in question" there were some sublime sons (as shearlings) sold as well .
 
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