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Regarding Shetland ewes on low cost system, isn’t this what you do! Was just giving an example, thought you’d be along to sing there praises
Thank you for the tag. Slightly different. I'm using Shetlands for the base ewe of a shedding low input high output composite. Eventual ewe characteristics -
LW 55-60kg at 3.5BCS
Sheds fleece
Excellent feet and teeth
High maternal, rear lambs in big mobs on daily (or more) moves
Scan 200%+ off grazed forage only
Be able to wean triples off grass only
Shetland has a poor carcass and small litter size. I'm incorporating double myomax and inverdale to mitigate both.
F1 easycare/Shetland gimmers. Some shed completely and almost all are clean on belly and breech.
There's 200 for sale. If they don't go these will be tupped by Exlana this autumn. I expect all the F2 to cleanly shed.
Stud gimmer. She's easycare (performance recorded flock bred up from blackies) X inverdale (from @MJT). This autumn she'll go to a double myomax shedder (from @Woolless).
Inverdale tup (single myomax)
Double myomax shedder
If I didn't have such an aversion to wool I suspect a very useful ewe could be made a lot faster by just putting an inverdale tup on the Shetlands directly.
Additional Shetland "con" is their unique character. You'll soon see how good (or not!) your dogs are, as they don't flock properly. They light in the paddock, but heavy in the pen. And they've a wanderlust unmatched in any other breed. I've met the whole district!
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