Suffolk sheep, why did they go out of fashion.

[Greythundercloudys]

Why did this happen, we used to have 14 Suffolk when l left the school, not had one for at least 15 years, l suppose they are soft and do get shitty arsed no matter how often there dosed, but a good mule ewe with Suffolk lmb are nice to see and no bother with the weight either, they still sell well as stores, maybe lv answered my own question.

 

[ISCO]

Haven't gone out of fashion here. Our main terminal sire for deadweght lambs, fast growing easily finished.
Need the right strain though, not reared on adlib cake.

 

[JP1]

Mainly the breeders not the breed ..........

 

[Yale]

Legs like....

 

[ISCO]

Mainly the breeders not the breed ..........

Just about sums it up.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Not gone out of fashion here. Got 6 Suffolk tups and 3 nz Suffolk. My store buyer can’t get enough of them out of mule ewes. Easy to get 46kg Hoggs. You just have to get the right Suffolk’s.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Depends were you buy from mine are a mix of GB and NZ breeding. Lambs don't get creep or through feed at any time before they are sold as yearlings a bit smaller than some but much better heads and legs
Most who try them come back
And why do people complain about big legs and heads on overfed pampered tups and then go and buy one?

 

[spin cycle]

Why did this happen, we used to have 14 Suffolk when l left the school, not had one for at least 15 years, l suppose they are soft and do get shitty arsed no matter how often there dosed, but a good mule ewe with Suffolk lmb are nice to see and no bother with the weight either, they still sell well as stores, maybe lv answered my own question.

the texel arrived

 

[Sheepfog]

They certainly went out of fashion after certain breeders ruined them chasing bone and big heads.

Finer boned UK Suffolks are making a come back now though. Nothing to touch them for growth rates and they’ve got impressive muscle depth now. Vigorous lambs at birth that can grade well. I think they’ll gain market share in the next few years.

 

[Estate fencing.]

The reason they have gone out of fashion is the same as why the Texel will be out in 10 years. People can’t keep buying tups that don’t last and have been bred for big heads. You have to be so careful in selecting your tup breeders. My field of tups look like a field of big ewes. small heads, thin legs and length is what I like in tups.

 

[ISCO]

The reason they have gone out of fashion is the same as why the Texel will be out in 10 years. People can’t keep buying tups that don’t last and have been bred for big heads. You have to be so careful in selecting your tup breeders. My field of tups look like a field of big ewes. small heads, thin legs and length is what I like in tups.

Will look about like our field of tups then. I've been told ours look poor but they do the job and live for years.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Will look about like our field of tups then. I've been told ours look poor but they do the job and live for years.

Mine certainly aren't poor, there are fit and very strong they just don’t look “tupy”. Also they run away when I try to find them and try to kill my when I shear them!

 

[ISCO]

Ours arn,t poor either but the comment came from someone who likes cake fed Kelso giants.
Ours all come from a top Suffolk breeder and most are in top 5% on ebvs

 

[Northern territory]

I find there feet far superior to texel, they just don’t grow like hell and go mishapen. Less mastitis. Do tend to be a bit dirtier though. Only got one but he has turned some good lambs.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

They were over fed on cabbages and cake and not bred for the practical sheep job.
You still see these show type rams with legs like tree trunks and great coarse heads and shoulders.
Butchers hated them as the meat to bone ratio was awful.

Because they have been fed so much when they do graze grass they seem to have no resistance to worms.
I am sure the "new" breeders will eventually return the breed to a useful sheep, but it will be a long time before I ever buy one.

 

[Al R]

Because their sh!t

 

[neilo]

The reason they have gone out of fashion is the same as why the Texel will be out in 10 years. People can’t keep buying tups that don’t last and have been bred for big heads. You have to be so careful in selecting your tup breeders. My field of tups look like a field of big ewes. small heads, thin legs and length is what I like in tups.

We Brits are seemingly good at doing that with all breeds, then look round for another saviour from abroad. It used to be Europe we looked to, bring various continentals in to make up for what we'd screwed up here. The world has gotten smaller though, so the new wonder sheep come from New Zealand. No doubt they will go the same way soon enough too.

 

[Katarina]

Sheepdog and Neilo sums it all up basically. Why would you buy something that will cause you problems at lambing. And basically that’s what suffolk tups became . Lambs with big heads and big boned that wouldn’t lamb easily. As a crossing breeding ewe suffolk x is a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Sheepdog and Neilo sums it all up basically. Why would you buy something that will cause you problems at lambing. And basically that’s what suffolk tups became . Lambs with big heads and big boned that wouldn’t lamb easily. As a crossing breeding ewe suffolk x is a force to be reckoned with.

no necessarily more so than the wrong Texel used on the wrong ewes, even my chunky Sufftex is fine on big hipped ewes that arent in overcondition.

 

[Katarina]

Basically a Texel with a big head will do the same thing. Are the suffolk breeders who have crossed over to Texel breeding repeating the same trait mistakes in another breed!!