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Author Topic: Starting my own pedigree flock  (Read 13418 times)

Remy

  • Joined Dec 2011
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #30 on: April 21, 2014, 08:06:59 pm »
I started in sheep by accident, I'm a horses person and we moved to a smallholding in Shropshire 10 years ago.  Our grass is very lush (ex-dairy farm) and I was having trouble keeping on top of it so I wondered about either having a small flock of sheep or getting a farmer to graze some.  Before I could decide, a friend of mine who's husband was a sheep farmer asked if I wanted some orphans!  Well I couldn't refuse .. that is how I started, I knew nothing at all about sheep!  The orphans, four ewes and two wethers, did well and another farmer friend said I ought to breed from the ewes as they were good samples.  Oh dear, in for a penny in for a pound so I got myself a very cheap Ryeland ram and over the next couple of years got some fabulous cross lambs. 


I then decided to enlarge the flock and was lucky enough to be offered five pedigree Charollais ewe lambs from a top breeder for a very cheap sum - as the ewes hadn't made market size at that time.  I got some excellent lambs from my ewes.


After another year or so I thought I might like to add a bit of colour into my flock - this is when things got expensive!  I chose Zwartbles and Gotlands (and even Herdwick) as I loved the look of them, and ended up buying a Zwartbles ram, and keeping a good quality home bred Gotland ram lamb to mate with the unrelated Gotlands.  BUT even though I got some beautiful offspring, it wasn't so easy to sell them.  As has been said, you do need to build up a reputation in the breed and one of the best ways to show off your stock is at a breed show, something I just didn't have the time for.  The pedigrees usually won't compete with fat market lambs at livestock sales as the commercial crosses generally grow at a faster rate, so I ended up selling all the pedigree lambs at give away prices, and decided to concentrate on commercials.


I had a bad year a while back where I lost a few of the pedigrees at a great financial loss - it took a long while to recoup my losses!  I still have my Zwartbles and Gotland ewes but sold the rams.  I got some very interesting lambs though - I crossed a Herdwick with a Gotland and the fleece was amazing!


If you are set on having a pedigree flock good luck to you, but as said above, it will take some time to attain top prices for lambs.  :sheep:
1 horse, 2 ponies, 4 dogs, 2 Kune Kunes, a variety of sheep

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #31 on: April 22, 2014, 05:47:02 pm »
Pedigree sheep for most a long term project and like a new car the moment you buy and they leave the breeder you can knock  25% or more of their worth

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #32 on: April 23, 2014, 03:10:15 pm »
:love: my Coloured Ryelands. Docile, good doers, great mums, pretty easy lambing, good feet, lovely fleece, tasty lamb at 6 months old.

Downside - lots of fleece so you need to watch for strike.

Have become much more popular since we bought our first ones in 2007 ( coincidentally) so more showing classes for the breed, if you plan to show.

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #33 on: April 23, 2014, 03:19:17 pm »
I'm with Rosemary. I love  :love: my Ryelands/coloured Ryelands. Too laid back to jump the fences. Easily bucket trained.
I spin their fleece too.
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

JHunter2013

  • Joined Apr 2014
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #34 on: April 26, 2014, 01:09:18 pm »
We've decided to go with the Clun Forest :) Will  be getting some later this year :)

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #35 on: April 26, 2014, 01:35:58 pm »
Lovely looking :sheep: .  Best of luck with your new flock :thumbsup:

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Starting my own pedigree flock
« Reply #36 on: May 28, 2014, 10:39:52 pm »
good luck  :thumbsup:
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

 

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