thats a cracking lamb, do you know roughly how old it will be
Thinking of getting a beltex...am I mad
- Thread starter Northeastfarmer
- Start date
thats a cracking lamb, do you know roughly how old it will be
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Sorry I don't, the breeder sent me the image just to say how chuffed she was and that she'd be back for some more stock. She gave me permission to use the image and while I'm not a great user of social media to advertise I thought it might be nice send her a link to this page if folk responded favourably to her stock.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Occasionally I get some that restore my faith in them.....
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
@neilo, just like any other breed that has a big show following give it 6 or 7 generations on your own farm with your own culling regime and you'll have a field full of them.
I often think the problem with all nucleus flocks is that the stock has way too many diverse blood lines in them. Look at the pedigrees of the big name animals and the pedigrees are melting pot of different flocks built to catch the eye. A significantly successful breeder of Beltex once told me 1 in 10 tups breed worth what you pay for them. The rest throw lambs that harken back to other tups in their pedigree that didn't work out. I would guess that holds true for other breeds as well. My rewards mentally and fiscally have came once my stock has reached the point where my females have lines that can be traced back to a handful of real breedy ewes from amongst the 18 ewes I purchased initially 7 or 8 years ago and I buy tups who are the sons of older tups still being used because they actually work ( and haven't died). I refuse to buy famous name shearlings unless they were used as lambs and I can actually see lambs they produced. I'n my opinion diverse pedigrees produce diverse lambs.
Of course I could be wrong and I know I'm teaching grandma to suck eggs, so, sorry if this is a simpletons view of sheep breeding. I've always been interested in 'stuff' but I'm not known for being overly clever in the minutia.
I often think the problem with all nucleus flocks is that the stock has way too many diverse blood lines in them. Look at the pedigrees of the big name animals and the pedigrees are melting pot of different flocks built to catch the eye. A significantly successful breeder of Beltex once told me 1 in 10 tups breed worth what you pay for them. The rest throw lambs that harken back to other tups in their pedigree that didn't work out. I would guess that holds true for other breeds as well. My rewards mentally and fiscally have came once my stock has reached the point where my females have lines that can be traced back to a handful of real breedy ewes from amongst the 18 ewes I purchased initially 7 or 8 years ago and I buy tups who are the sons of older tups still being used because they actually work ( and haven't died). I refuse to buy famous name shearlings unless they were used as lambs and I can actually see lambs they produced. I'n my opinion diverse pedigrees produce diverse lambs.
Of course I could be wrong and I know I'm teaching grandma to suck eggs, so, sorry if this is a simpletons view of sheep breeding. I've always been interested in 'stuff' but I'm not known for being overly clever in the minutia.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Aye up. I'm on the edge of joining the crazy gang
I know a picture doesn't show the whole animal. But would this boy be ok on my Lleyn and NCCxLleyn ewe Hogg's. My fear is he's very blocky/square
I haven't bought him... yet
I know a picture doesn't show the whole animal. But would this boy be ok on my Lleyn and NCCxLleyn ewe Hogg's. My fear is he's very blocky/square
I haven't bought him... yet
- Location
- Scot Borders
I would be nervous of putting a square muscly tup like that on ewe lambs personally, but I have zero experience of lambing beltexes so I may well be wrong.
)
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Aye, that is my thought too. But I wanted the experts opinions. I've no experience of Beltex...
He is a cracking tup, otherwise
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Have you thought about a Charollsis for your ewe lambs ? They’d leave you a belter of a lamb!
MJT
Member
Whats he look like front on ? He doesn’t look too heavily boned and hasn’t a breeze block of a head , as well as having a higher set head than some which is a good thing . I’d personally have no worries about Using him on your type of ewe lambs.
- Location
- Perthshire, Scotland
I reckon he would be spot on for the job @Nithsdale Farmer
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
It's a friend's tup, he send a short video with that picture bit I don't want to post the video on YouTube so that I can upload to here...
It's poor, but here is the best stillframe of his front... as he is turning to run away
And side on
Size is hard to tell, he says they're smaller than some Beltex you see as they're done mostly off grass and not fed (although, I've no idea what they're grazing in that field but it isn't grass!)
Theres this one, and another similar, for sale if I want them. Would the 2 do 140 ewe lambs?
MJT
Member
It's a friend's tup, he send a short video with that picture bit I don't want to post the video on YouTube so that I can upload to here...
It's poor, but here is the best stillframe of his front... as he is turning to run away
View attachment 913073
And side on
View attachment 913074
Size is hard to tell, he says they're smaller than some Beltex you see as they're done mostly off grass and not fed (although, I've no idea what they're grazing in that field but it isn't grass!)
Theres this one, and another similar, for sale if I want them. Would the 2 do 140 ewe lambs?
I’d expect that type of ram to serve 70 each easily yes ! He isn’t extreme and looks mobile , can’t see why using them would be a problem . I’ve used and sold thicker types for use on ewe lambs and not had any complaints , so far ......
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Right, so... my hoggs are away on wintering (which is actually all year round tack) which is a little higher than my own farm - . It's all old PP / hill.
Running dry, they grow well and I feel I missed a trick not getting a lamb from them this year...
Beltex being slow growing should take minimal reserves out of the Hogg to rear off poor grass next summer so won't 'knock' the hoggs too much - I can't really feed too much concs, as the estates cattle run the same ground, mixed grazing and know what a feed bag is... - I'm no feeding their coo's!
Ultimately, the Beltex lamb weaned @ 12 weeks can be sold store to a premium. The aim is for a modest 100 lambs, from the 140 hoggs. If I can sell them for £50ish i should be clearing ALL costs for the year and leaving me a small ££ in my pocket for my trouble. But it isn't about making money, it's about the hoggs paying their way instead of costing me to winter them.
That's my reason for Beltex, instead of just chucking out my Lleyn or NCCxLleyn tups... or trying a Char.
I'm happy to be corrected but I feel my target is moderately low and safe, which should be achievable
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
- Location
- Scottish Borders
You are correct about not wanting to drag the mum down, same reason I am using a Charmoise. The char tup would possibly leave you more options, as in some would finish with you, and store the rest etc. I haven’t used a char on ewe lambs, but there is a Welshman who would likely let you know how good the lambs are, and how little drag they have on mum !
But on my gimmers , the char was cracking. They are now going all my terminal bound romtex ewes !!
But on my gimmers , the char was cracking. They are now going all my terminal bound romtex ewes !!
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
You are correct about not wanting to drag the mum down, same reason I am using a Charmoise. The char tup would possibly leave you more options, as in some would finish with you, and store the rest etc. I haven’t used a char on ewe lambs, but there is a Welshman who would likely let you know how good the lambs are, and how little drag they have on mum !
But on my gimmers , the char was cracking. They are now going all my terminal bound romtex ewes !!
Would that be the wannabe Welshman, Char breeder who uses the Beltex on his hoggs
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Oh, yes , awkward one that then !Would that be the wannabe Welshman, Char breeder who uses the Beltex on his hoggs
But being the marketing guru that he is, I expect there is a valid reason !
- Location
- N.Lincs
Get it bought Niths, I'll give you 50 quid for Beltex X store lambs
Seriously though, I can see you're concern about his shoulders - head looks good and he looks a cracker in all other departments.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Beltexes are better than Chars
- Tags
- bruiser registration