What is wrong with Park type Cheviots

[Devil's advocate]

Park type NCC look such nice sheep, yet many on here don't like them.

What is the worst thing about them?

 

[cheviot53]

Body size 80-100 kg needing good ground to thrive ,lambing % 170 ,so other breeds / x's would do more on the same ground BUT unlike some they do maintain / put on condition easily

 

[Nithsdale]

I'm using a Park type on Lleyns to go to the Suffolk lambing group.

Chose the Park to keep the ewe a little larger - in my system they actually don't get that much bigger than the Lleyns. Scanning/Lambing % seems to be much the same so far. I also have a LleynxNCC Park tup (homebred) and his progeny are really good so far

 

[Old Tip]

Suit good ground, have good body shape and locomotion but have a reputation for being lazy.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

When a hill Cheviot flies past me at shoulder height I can grab it and sit it in its backside. When a park type flies past me at shoulder height I’m left on my backside while the sheep is still accelerating...

 

[livestock 1]

A fella I know tried them on poorer going he didn’t have them long

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I’ve had Cheviot mules out of both the Park & the Hill type.
The park bred ones are hellish ewes, bloody huge. Rear a real set of twins plus don’t go thin while they are doing it.

But the ones out of a good type of hill ewe will achieve similar results and Kg’s of lamb weaned/kg of ewe will be better. Plus aren’t quite as brutal too deal with!

I have found I don’t need too feed them as much to maintain a healthy ewe as I would the NC Mules, so I think that’s just a Cheviot thing.

 

[livestock 1]

I’ve had Cheviot mules out of both the Park & the Hill type.
The park bred ones are hellish ewes, bloody huge. Rear a real set of twins plus don’t go thin while they are doing it.

But the ones out of a good type of hill ewe will achieve similar results and Kg’s of lamb weaned/kg of ewe will be better. Plus aren’t quite as brutal too deal with!

I have found I don’t need too feed them as much to maintain a healthy ewe as I would the NC Mules, so I think that’s just a Cheviot thing.

I don’t think anything eats as much as a mule except a

 

[livestock 1]

I was advised by a seasoned Cheviot breeder I need the hill x Cheviots for this area whatever they are

 

[Bill dog]

I'm using a Park type on Lleyns to go to the Suffolk lambing group.

Chose the Park to keep the ewe a little larger - in my system they actually don't get that much bigger than the Lleyns. Scanning/Lambing % seems to be much the same so far. I also have a LleynxNCC Park tup (homebred) and his progeny are really good so far

Sell me the notion of needing a bit more size by using the park rather than the hill Cheviot?
I totally get doing the cross onto the lleyn, but is their anything to gain by a bigger ewe ?
And thirdly is there as much selection in park tups ? Hope yer getting on grand with this lovely weather !

 

[jamesy]

Hate the big brutes with a passion. The hill type are way ahead in my humble opinion.

 

[Nithsdale]

Sell me the notion of needing a bit more size by using the park rather than the hill Cheviot?
I totally get doing the cross onto the lleyn, but is their anything to gain by a bigger ewe ?
And thirdly is there as much selection in park tups ? Hope yer getting on grand with this lovely weather !

Because, although some of the ground is steep and poor, the group I put to the Suffolk tups are running 2-300ft lower than the rest of the farm so it can stand it, IMO.

Plus... I preferred the Park tup I've got to the hill tups on offer that day. I will probably try a hill next time just for the craic

2 Park X Lleyn ewes just lambed less than an hour ago. Ran with a Park X Lleyn tup so their lambs are still Park X Lleyn (Yes, wee bit of line breeding going on )

1 crop ewe in the singles

Gimmer in the hill twins.

Both will (should!) get drawn out and put to the Suffolk this autumn)

They're a bit heavier, but not much bigger really. It's still early days (only the 3rd lambing with the Cheviot) but I'm happy with them this far... maybe want to get a group of 1/4 Park X 3/4 Lleyn - I reckon that may be the sweet spot.

 

[Old Tip]

I was advised by a seasoned Cheviot breeder I need the hill x Cheviots for this area whatever they are

Lairg type are basically a Park x Southie originally and then bred pure

 

[Bill dog]

Because, although some of the ground is steep and poor, the group I put to the Suffolk tups are running 2-300ft lower than the rest of the farm so it can stand it, IMO.

Plus... I preferred the Park tup I've got to the hill tups on offer that day. I will probably try a hill next time just for the craic

2 Park X Lleyn ewes just lambed less than an hour ago. Ran with a Park X Lleyn tup so their lambs are still Park X Lleyn (Yes, wee bit of line breeding going on )

1 crop ewe in the singles

Gimmer in the hill twins.

Both will (should!) get drawn out and put to the Suffolk this autumn)

They're a bit heavier, but not much bigger really. It's still early days (only the 3rd lambing with the Cheviot) but I'm happy with them this far... maybe want to get a group of 1/4 Park X 3/4 Lleyn - I reckon that may be the sweet spot.

Your doing something right , the ewes look bonny , as do your lambs. Can’t whack a good bit of line breeding!

 

[Jockers84]

@ OP - the reason Park Cheviots get rough ride is everyone automatically compares them with Hill cheviot types and they're arguably one of the best tried and tested breeds of sheep. We've got some pure and crossed type in our park flock, they maintain condition where continental types wouldn't.

 

[cheviot53]

Park & Caithness type are believed to be Southie x Border/English leicester then criss crossed which explains the more upright ears . Some farms up north used to run hill x caithness ewes to try and reduce size a bit & make a bit hardier . Same as some hill farms use southie rams occasionally to reduce size on hard hills .

Sell me the notion of needing a bit more size by using the park rather than the hill Cheviot?
I totally get doing the cross onto the lleyn, but is their anything to gain by a bigger ewe ?
And thirdly is there as much selection in park tups ? Hope yer getting on grand with this lovely weather !

The park sheep have been recorded for a long time ( signet and who ever took over ) hill we tried for 5 years or so in late 90's early 2000's ,not sure if any left now Woodside maybe . The irish boys like park



0

 

[Nithsdale]

Your doing something right , the ewes look bonny , as do your lambs. Can’t whack a good bit of line breeding!

Thanks. This is the first year there will be a lot of 1/2 and 1/4 Cheviot ewe lambs so I'm looking forward to August and September once they're speaned and running separate from the rest and can see them as a group

 

[serf]

How are these chevs for lambing do they cope with texel over them ok or do texels not get used in the places these ewes roam

 

[jamesy]

My hill Cheviots go to Suffolk rams with some to bfl. They lamb the Suffolk’s with no issues.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

How are these chevs for lambing do they cope with texel over them ok or do texels not get used in the places these ewes roam

They must use them a bit! I’ve had quite a few tex x Cheviots from up north. And seen a hell of a lot more than I bought too!