Thinking of changing to shedding sheep. Change my mind.

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
They do make me chuckle. Bought a load of ewe lambs and ewes at a society sale for someone else a few years ago, told one of the society members we were going to use exlana rams over them. The reply was “why on earth would you want to use one of those mongrels over pure easy cares” 😂 and the usual why record, you shouldn’t record, it’s not an easy care thing to do.

I don’t think I was popular with those individuals for suggesting they only had mongrels on the Facebook group.😂 Meanwhile, those ‘original’ breeders of Easycares are apparently introducing Texel blood to improve them.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
They do make me chuckle. Bought a load of ewe lambs and ewes at a society sale for someone else a few years ago, told one of the society members we were going to use exlana rams over them. The reply was “why on earth would you want to use one of those mongrels over pure easy cares” 😂 and the usual why record, you shouldn’t record, it’s not an easy care thing to do.
Just taking the "easycare" philosophy to the n'th degree... As long as he is happy.... ;)
 

TexelBen

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Yorkshire
They do make me chuckle. Bought a load of ewe lambs and ewes at a society sale for someone else a few years ago, told one of the society members we were going to use exlana rams over them. The reply was “why on earth would you want to use one of those mongrels over pure easy cares” 😂 and the usual why record, you shouldn’t record, it’s not an easy care thing to do.
I do love the way they tout them as pure and bash exlana's. There's a lot of snobbery goes on with them on social media, in my experience and a hell of a lot of bitchyness, doesn't seem that easycare to me 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
 
I don’t think I was popular with those individuals for suggesting they only had mongrels on the Facebook group.😂 Meanwhile, those ‘original’ breeders of Easycares are apparently introducing Texel blood to improve them.
I don't think the real hardcore would entertain Texel blood. There was some mention on the society website about not introducing undesirable terminal sire traits, such as large backsides 🤔. This is because they do genuinely want to watch them lamb through binoculars. Also, I think some of them, and perhaps some of their newer customers, would sh5it themselves at the thought of setting a dog away to catch a ewe and then lambing it.
 

gwi1890

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North wales
They do make me chuckle. Bought a load of ewe lambs and ewes at a society sale for someone else a few years ago, told one of the society members we were going to use exlana rams over them. The reply was “why on earth would you want to use one of those mongrels over pure easy cares” 😂 and the usual why record, you shouldn’t record, it’s not an easy care thing to do.

The idea is great and the fact that the original flocks are using texel blood and “crossing” shows that there should be no rules of how to breed them, I think they way some think and voice their opinion on the Facebook group would be enough to put a few thinking of jumping to Easycare sheep off.
 

gwi1890

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North wales
I don't think the real hardcore would entertain Texel blood. There was some mention on the society website about not introducing undesirable terminal sire traits, such as large backsides 🤔. This is because they do genuinely want to watch them lamb through binoculars. Also, I think some of them, and perhaps some of their newer customers, would sh5it themselves at the thought of setting a dog away to catch a ewe and then lambing it.

texel x easycare bought from the original flock

02C62EF5-95A8-4CA8-B623-851F12B0BBB7.jpeg
 
I don't think the real hardcore would entertain Texel blood. There was some mention on the society website about not introducing undesirable terminal sire traits, such as large backsides 🤔. This is because they do genuinely want to watch them lamb through binoculars. Also, I think some of them, and perhaps some of their newer customers, would sh5it themselves at the thought of setting a dog away to catch a ewe and then lambing it.
Seems to me that the society is made up of old people who are for the most part close minded and jealous / bitter about anyone actually doing anything. Oh and they literally cream their pants at a myomax carrying ram 😂
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer
@Bwcho So far so good I ended up with 7 exlana cross peeler texel rams in the end replacing all the rams in one go would have been a bit pricey if i bought all exlanas. They are good rams though I'll start buying one or two exlanas every year for the shearlings starting this year.
Bit early to tell much yet the first lambs were born last year and the ewe lambs will be lambing in 6 weeks or so they scanned similarly to what the lleyns would do. They should be some strong ewes.
Got a few leftover hoggs inside being finished now and some of them are shedding but I don't expect many to shed seeing as they are only first crosses
The other lambs finished fine but heavier weights finishing then the lleyn maybe and poorer on their feet but I put both of those things down to the texel influence.
Overall a lot like the lleyn but should shed which was the original plan. Will be interesting to see how they go as mothers and especially the next generation with exlana rams on them.
 

Bwcho

Member
Location
Cymru
@Bwcho So far so good I ended up with 7 exlana cross peeler texel rams in the end replacing all the rams in one go would have been a bit pricey if i bought all exlanas. They are good rams though I'll start buying one or two exlanas every year for the shearlings starting this year.
Bit early to tell much yet the first lambs were born last year and the ewe lambs will be lambing in 6 weeks or so they scanned similarly to what the lleyns would do. They should be some strong ewes.
Got a few leftover hoggs inside being finished now and some of them are shedding but I don't expect many to shed seeing as they are only first crosses
The other lambs finished fine but heavier weights finishing then the lleyn maybe and poorer on their feet but I put both of those things down to the texel influence.
Overall a lot like the lleyn but should shed which was the original plan. Will be interesting to see how they go as mothers and especially the next generation with exlana rams on them.
Diolch yn fawr @hendrebc

I might keep in touch with you about this, to see how you're getting on with them.
 

Bwcho

Member
Location
Cymru
We had pure Lleyns for a number of years but struggled with fly strike as we bred them with tighter fleece. We do have a lot of wooded water meadows. Bought easycares from iolo Owen and having moved over have now bought 3 exlana rams on figures. They have performed well although last tup we bought in was a recorded easycare, his lambs have better shape than we are used to. Exlana ewes bought in have not done as well as we would have liked, think they may have struggled with the transition to our harder ground. Main issue we face with shedders is low lambing percentage compared with the Lleyn for which we are still seeking an answer. Possibly because we run our ewe lambs too hard, have sent them on tack this year so would like to be able to report 2023 shearlings are doing 180%😊
That's interesting. Have you noticed any other differences between the easycares and exlanas? And would you have a preference? I appreciate this is almost straying into another topic of its own.
 

Kingcustard

Member
That's the only thing that puts me off. I sell all my lambs live :unsure:
I used to sell everything live, but now have 280 easycares and going up again next year and they hang up really well, and once you get into the way of it the abattoir is the way to go, no hoping the buyers are at the ringside or some catastrophe sends the price tumbling. Now hang up all my conventional lambs too bar the first 200 in May June when the marts are through the roof up here in Scotland.

I still am not a huge fan of them but have had 4 lamb in the last fortnight in the snow and wind and they are still living.

Just finishing lambing the first 150 mules and never seen so many bad udders, prolapses and guts out, went from 500 mules to 300 last year and will be going down again next year until they are gone, either all easycares or buy 200 Highlanders or logies for March lambing to try and catch the early trade and break up lambing.
 

Kingcustard

Member
I have them on high energy tubs and silage and so far not had any disasters.

Also now lambing 220 older ewes to the NZ Suffolk, just do the first time lambers pure as they NZ Suffolks can be a bit big on the first time lambers.

Shocked by the weights of the lambs, first draw at 4 months old and there were almost 50 lambs at 50kg+.

I have them on the worst grass we have, rushes, permenant pasture and nothing fertilised.

They also don't seem to eat as much grass, the mules are hard on the grass through the winter and fields turn to mud, but the easycares never seem bare, even at a higher sticking rate.
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
I used to sell everything live, but now have 280 easycares and going up again next year and they hang up really well, and once you get into the way of it the abattoir is the way to go, no hoping the buyers are at the ringside or some catastrophe sends the price tumbling. Now hang up all my conventional lambs too bar the first 200 in May June when the marts are through the roof up here in Scotland.

I still am not a huge fan of them but have had 4 lamb in the last fortnight in the snow and wind and they are still living.

Just finishing lambing the first 150 mules and never seen so many bad udders, prolapses and guts out, went from 500 mules to 300 last year and will be going down again next year until they are gone, either all easycares or buy 200 Highlanders or logies for March lambing to try and catch the early trade and break up lambing.
Last spring I sold exlanas and beltex x lambs same day at Exeter. The exlanas of same LW as the woollies made same money. Doesn't always work like that but they're definitely better excepted in local markets than they used to be, presuming they're half decent shape.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Last spring I sold exlanas and beltex x lambs same day at Exeter. The exlanas of same LW as the woollies made same money. Doesn't always work like that but they're definitely better excepted in local markets than they used to be, presuming they're half decent shape.

To be fair, you could have sold a three legged scabby Shetland to advantage last Spring. When numbers are short and demand is on fire, quality really doesn’t matter.

Trade was pretty good through Nov & Dec this year, but my Exlana (& crosses) were between five and ten pound behind the Charollais crosses at the same weights.
I appreciate that they are a maternal breed, and accept/want a poorer carcass from them, but the purebreds are pitiful on that score, from the shoulders right through to the hindquarter. Obviously that lack of shape and width should make for better lambing ease and reduced losses, but there is always a balance to be made economically.
 

Kingcustard

Member
To be fair, you could have sold a three legged scabby Shetland to advantage last Spring. When numbers are short and demand is on fire, quality really doesn’t matter.

Trade was pretty good through Nov & Dec this year, but my Exlana (& crosses) were between five and ten pound behind the Charollais crosses at the same weights.
I appreciate that they are a maternal breed, and accept/want a poorer carcass from them, but the purebreds are pitiful on that score, from the shoulders right through to the hindquarter. Obviously that lack of shape and width should make for better lambing ease and reduced losses, but there is always a balance to be made economically.
I take my pure entire ram lambs to the abattoir and they grade out as Rs and occasionally Us and hit the maximum 22kg if they are 45kg or above. Wouldn't dream of selling them live weight. They grade the same as my mule cross texels but would be £20 less in the live ring at least.

I loaded them at a neighbours farm onto the lorry and he was laughing at them, but they averaged £132, and the only way I could have got more was 16p/kg for E grades.
 

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