Thinking of changing to shedding sheep. Change my mind.

[Bones]

It's certainly a good idea to have an 'A' and 'B' flock. Best time to start on a project like this is a year before, ear-notching everything that disappoints so that there is a sound base to start the shedding flock from.

What type of reasons do you put a ewe in the b flock.

 

[Woolless]

Any photos?

Good old @Tim W has done my work for me

 

[Woolless]

What type of reasons do you put a ewe in the b flock.

Lambing issues, poor feet, low index, moderate shedding, poor maternal, generally not keen etc. Most of my B flock are currently ewes that have never been recorded but a few get demoted from the recorded flock each year.

 

[Bones]

Lambing issues, poor feet, low index, moderate shedding, poor maternal, generally not keen etc. Most of my B flock are currently ewes that have never been recorded but a few get demoted from the recorded flock each year.

I'll probably end up doing the same , was going to sell at back end, but sheep numbers are very low , but hate keeping ewes that needed lambs pulled, just to lazy to push, will have to put them to an even easier lambing ram than an easycare,,will see I might sell on.

 

[Green farmer]

, but hate keeping ewes that needed lambs pulled, just to lazy to push, will have to put them to an even easier lambing ram than an easycare,,will see I might sell on.

Would have thought easycare would be an ok lambing sire ? Will be culling alot of ewes here this year that had lambing difficulties. In my case I just had a lot of ewes, that verged on being too small which resulted in tight lambings. But I understand where your coming from in trying to keep a steady flow of high quality replacements coming through. Numbers can drop very fast at the opposite end some years.

 

[Bones]

Would have thought easycare would be an ok lambing sire ? Will be culling alot of ewes here this year that had lambing difficulties. In my case I just had a lot of ewes, that verged on being too small which resulted in tight lambings. But I understand where your coming from in trying to keep a steady flow of high quality replacements coming through. Numbers can drop very fast at the opposite end some years.

I wouldn't mind a leg down or some thing like that, but the ewes are smaller than my mule and mule crosses, even pulled a pair of lambs that were by a Rouge Ram , that all said it would have been no more than 5 % assisted, I think when you have to catch them outside it just more work to it and you tend to remember it more,

 

[Woolless]

I'll probably end up doing the same , was going to sell at back end, but sheep numbers are very low , but hate keeping ewes that needed lambs pulled, just to lazy to push, will have to put them to an even easier lambing ram than an easycare,,will see I might sell on.

It's just a good way to utilise a young ewe that's blotted her copybook and removes temptation to put back to an Easycare.

 

[MDL POWERUP]

Good old @Tim W has done my work for me

they look better than I expected!

 

[neilo]

The vast majority of my lleyn crosses, ie 75% lleyn out of a purebred lleyn sire, All killed out at U grade this year. I put it down to the fact that I bought the fattest lleyn ram I could. I suspect he was one where abit of texel Gene's sneaked in at some stage. Cannt see why the same couldnt be done to a shedder with a peeling texel ? As long as they dont dilute the maternal aspects.

That’s why I said ‘unadulterated’. A Lleyn with Texel blood in would surely be comparable to the terminal x Exlana, rather than a pure Exlana (or Easycare), both in terms of carcass grade and the extra lambing intervention needed.

There is always a compromise to be made between conformation (under EUROP grading) and lambing ease, and everyone has a different level at which they are satisfied. I currently hit 75% E & U grades from my Highlander based flock, with 5-10% intervention at lambing. A 20kg E grade lamb earns me a premium of £3/hd, which is OK if it doesn’t cost me anything in terms of increased losses or labour, but of course it does, hence the compromise.

I quite appreciate the idea of having poorer confirmation (& woolless) maternal lines, and accepting lower grades, meaning I could lamb far higher numbers on my tod. I know that financially, I would be better off doing so, but the leap is a big one for anyone that can judge a carcass imo.?

 

[unlacedgecko]

That’s why I said ‘unadulterated’. A Lleyn with Texel blood in would surely be comparable to the terminal x Exlana, rather than a pure Exlana (or Easycare), both in terms of carcass grade and the extra lambing intervention needed.

There is always a compromise to be made between conformation (under EUROP grading) and lambing ease, and everyone has a different level at which they are satisfied. I currently hit 75% E & U grades from my Highlander based flock, with 5-10% intervention at lambing. A 20kg E grade lamb earns me a premium of £3/hd, which is OK if it doesn’t cost me anything in terms of increased losses or labour, but of course it does, hence the compromise.

I quite appreciate the idea of having poorer confirmation (& woolless) maternal lines, and accepting lower grades, meaning I could lamb far higher numbers on my tod. I know that financially, I would be better off doing so, but the leap is a big one for anyone that can judge a carcass imo.?

just as well I can’t judge a carcass ??

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I quite appreciate the idea of having poorer confirmation (& woolless) maternal lines, and accepting lower grades, meaning I could lamb far higher numbers on my tod. I know that financially, I would be better off doing so, but the leap is a big one for anyone that can judge a carcass imo.?

It's a bit like whether to follow the Woolworths business model (pile them high sell them cheap) or the Waitrose business model (get a premium for quality). Now which one of those businesses would you rather have?

 

[Tim W]

That’s why I said ‘unadulterated’. A Lleyn with Texel blood in would surely be comparable to the terminal x Exlana, rather than a pure Exlana (or Easycare), both in terms of carcass grade and the extra lambing intervention needed.

There is always a compromise to be made between conformation (under EUROP grading) and lambing ease, and everyone has a different level at which they are satisfied. I currently hit 75% E & U grades from my Highlander based flock, with 5-10% intervention at lambing. A 20kg E grade lamb earns me a premium of £3/hd, which is OK if it doesn’t cost me anything in terms of increased losses or labour, but of course it does, hence the compromise.

I quite appreciate the idea of having poorer confirmation (& woolless) maternal lines, and accepting lower grades, meaning I could lamb far higher numbers on my tod. I know that financially, I would be better off doing so, but the leap is a big one for anyone that can judge a carcass imo.?

That's why many use the maternal ewe with a terminal sire model
= ease of lambing & efficient ewe with a grow like stink carcass lamb

Leaps of faith are interesting & become easier when you see more people take them ?
Lambing outside---nooooo!
Wool shedders---no way!
Sell what the market wants (R grade) ----never !!

 

[Woolless]

they look better than I expected!

They're a decent lamb and very good eating.

 

[neilo]

It's a bit like whether to follow the Woolworths business model (pile them high sell them cheap) or the Waitrose business model (get a premium for quality). Now which one of those businesses would you rather have?

That rather depends on whether any/enough people will pay for that extra shape, which is not necessarily quality, it generally has lower intramuscular fat/higher shear force. As you mention Waitrose, the ‘Quality’ lamb they are promoting is sired by Focus Prime rams, which are bred for higher imf and are pretty poor conformation.

Whilst there is a niche export market for those 3/4 Beltex types through some of the Northern marts, we certainly don’t see that big a premium here. The vast majority of lamb sold in the UK is through supermarkets, who require 18kg R 2/3L, nothing more. That’s fairly easily achieved by most half decent breeds, shedding or not.

 

[unlacedgecko]

It's a bit like whether to follow the Woolworths business model (pile them high sell them cheap) or the Waitrose business model (get a premium for quality). Now which one of those businesses would you rather have?

Sports Direct I'd say is a better analogy.

I'll take the low cost model every time.

 

[hendrebc]

Sports Direct I'd say is a better analogy.

I'll take the low cost model every time.

Low cost is certainly less risky imo. If you haven't spent it you don't have to earn it back.

 

[Green farmer]

Low cost is certainly less risky imo. If you haven't spent it you don't have to earn it back.

Last year I finished my own store lambs. Pumped them full of meal over the winter and finished them in spring. The market went flat and I more or less ended up selling lambs to pay the meal bill. This year I put the same amount of stores on rough ground, gave them a shake of oats every second day and finished them recently on the spring grass. Prices were better this year, but you can guess which tied up less money and left more of a margin behind ?

 

[hendrebc]

Last year I finished my own store lambs. Pumped them full of meal over the winter and finished them in spring. The market went flat and I more or less ended up selling lambs to pay the meal bill. This year I put the same amount of stores on rough ground, gave them a shake of oats every second day and finished them recently on the spring grass. Prices were better this year, but you can guess which tied up less money and left more of a margin behind ?

I fed some lambs this winter on some grass (that could have gone to the ewes) and some pellets but they didn't eat much really. If the trade hadn't gone up as much as it had early in the year if have been better off selling them as stores in September. Luckily I didn't have enough ewes for the grass I had and it was too wet to keep the cattle out any longer or I could have done that instead.

 

[clod hopper]

I can't see it being much of a problem when prices are high for springers or hoggs later on, but when prices are on the decline and they start to get picky that's when I think they'll struggle. Maybe best to ring tails and balls and sell as hoggs?

I agree, if I was to change I'd be thinking of my marketing too. Early and late season lamb if l was selling at live market. My thoughts only . Best of luck with your venture will be interesting seeing how you get on ?

 

[TexelBen]

Well @hendrebc youve gone and done it. Tup ordered with @Tim W ?