Just watching the live stream from Carlisle. A few thoughts.
Fattest sheep competition, as ever.
Young judges judge just like old judges.
Not sure limiting the performance recorded classes to the top 10% on index is the best idea ever.
Didn’t see it but a ram lamb made 6k apparently. Females better than the males and the females entered for sale not as good as the others. That follows I suppose.How did the sale go?
What traits are used to make the top 10%?
Unless it is on weight gain, weaning weight and eye muscle size and meat yield then having the top 10% may be irrelevant!
Yes. And you want a balance of those traits, rather than an animal that is average in most but exceptional in one boosting its overall index. They also need to know what grass is!
yes. The same flocks have lambs in the open and performance class. When they didn’t limit entries it was a strong class. Once they said top 10% it slashed numbers and quality.
Top 10% is perhaps setting the bar too high, IF it’s based on the overall index. However, just having a Signet class for anything above average is too far the other way imo. It doesn’t mean there’s a class for genetically superior animals, just another outlet for the pot hunters to take a wobbler out in front of the same judge.
Personally speaking, if you’re really wanting to have a fashion parade, then just get on with it. For those that are actually interested in genetic merit, let them make their own mind up, rather than having a judge point at one they like most, which is all to often one of their mates’.
the generic merit argument is being lost in front of the very eyes of the people they need to convince this way.
Yes, just don’t look at his muscle depth or fat depth figures…Yet a lamb that made 350k last year would have qualified for that class, even at top 10%?
Yes, just don’t look at his muscle depth or fat depth figures…
Exactly this... or from what I’ve experienced making the distance between the two camps even greater. At one society sale there was a Signet class, the recorded tups were bought out and there was a very different style to the recorded sheep being presented. Not pushed, not fed ruinous amounts of concentrates and not coiffured to within an inch of their lives. However being in a show ring surrounded my staunch showmen, they felt these sheep were an embarrassment and only reinforced their view against recorded sheep, only now they they were in a public place and proceeded to tell every prospective buyer present. IMO getting recorded sheep to compete in a beauty contest is a bit of an oxymoron surely?the generic merit argument is being lost in front of the very eyes of the people they need to convince this way.
Exactly this... or from what I’ve experienced making the distance between the two camps even greater. At one society sale there was a Signet class, the recorded tups were bought out and there was a very different style to the recorded sheep being presented. Not pushed, not fed ruinous amounts of concentrates and not coiffured to within an inch of their lives. However being in a show ring surrounded my staunch showmen, they felt these sheep were an embarrassment and only reinforced their view against recorded sheep, only now they they were in a public place and proceeded to tell every prospective buyer present. IMO getting recorded sheep to compete in a beauty contest is a bit of an oxymoron surely?
you just get to make a better estimate of their genetic ability.
Yet a lamb that made 350k last year would have qualified for that class, even at top 10%?
Was he not a Jaffa, like the next nine highest-priced lambs?Had the 350K have any progeny for sale on the day or has any being seen.
Over 500 progeny notifiedWas he not a Jaffa, like the next nine highest-priced lambs?
I stand corrected!Over 500 progeny notified
I stand corrected!