[Paul and Caroline]

Hi

I have 5 Texel X Ewe (pet) lambs of which I intend to keep 2 to breed from. They were born 31/3/2016 and I want to put them to the tup next Autumn for lambing in 2018.

The question is which ones to keep?

What criteria do you all use when making this decision? Do you immediately eliminate any that have shown any symptoms of illness even though apparently fully recovered and fit now? Do you go for the biggest or feistiest (if there is such a word but if not you know what I mean!!), or most placid. Are there any specific characteristics, physical or behavioural that you look for?

Grateful for any pointers....

[shep53]

depends  on you , for me they would be the fittest in condition , the largest in size , with the type of fleece I want and if pure looking like the breed .   I think for you temperament may be an important factor the quieter the better .     

[TheSmilingSheep]

As ever, agree with Shep.....
If you're only keeping two, it may be that what you want are two ewes who are easy to handle, and wont get stressed every time you need to do something with them - a feisty pure bred highly strung ewe might breed exceptionally well, but might make the sheep owning experience for you an utter nightmare!  whereas two tame(ish) ewes may not be the strongest and sturdiest, and may have the occasional need for attention, but may make the whole shepherding experience a joy and a lovely learning curve....

[roddycm]

I would keep the best grown and strongest duo! You don't want any weedy ewes that have issues lambing. When I have ever chosen replacement breeders to keep I find my eye is naturally drawn to certain ones time and again so my decision becomes easy. Keep your favs!

[SallyintNorth]

Being ill and getting over it wouldn't necessarily rule one out for me.

Things that do rule them out include :

Mucky bum even when wormed
Repeatedly gets bad feet (once, recovers alone, no problem.  Twice needs attention is out.)
Barges at me or past me, runs off away from the other sheep when being gathered.
Any issues with breathing
Narrow at the front - between the front legs

The biggest, chunkier ewes don't always make the best breeders.  Often the best breeders are a little on the scrawny-looking side.  But when starting out, I'd pick strong, calm ones.

I'd keep three, though, not two.  If you have two and one dies...  Whereas if you have three and one dies, the others still have company.

[Old Shep]

I agree with all above. Good size and confirmation, no tendency to foot problems would be my main criteria.

[Rosemary]

Check the mouths -any dodgy ones I wouldn't keep

Second keeping three not two.

[Marches Farmer]

I agree three is better than two.  With Texels I wouldn't keep anything with a very short neck or very broad head.  Otherwise I go for 100% healthy all its life, good teeth, sound feet and thick horn on the clees, clean back end and a friendly but not pushy disposition.

[landroverroy]

 You're only keeping 2 or 3, so realistically this is not a major economic decision! And it's actually a no brainer - you keep the tamest, favourite ones.
 You will get little pleasure from keeping the biggest nicest looking ones, merely because they are "the best" if they are unfriendly, difficult to catch and even more difficult to handle once you have caught them.

[Paul and Caroline]

Hi guys thanks for all the comments - one of the earliest bits of advice we were given was to bucket train our animals and my word are they bucket trained! They are in a 3 acre field and no matter where they are within that field all we have to do is shake the bucket and they dance over the brow of the hill like the cast of the Sound of Music! Mind you we have just given them their Heptivac P+ injections and they roundly objected to that so we will see what happens next time we have to pen them!

I have one that had pneumonia and made a full recovery after the Vets intervention - she was my favourite to keep as she is big, robust and very friendly and I have one that had occasional (but frequent) coughing fits for the first few months (now apparently gone) so based on your suggestions I should probably discount those two. Of the remaining 3 the biggest one least likes to be handled - she doesn't bolt but makes it clear she objects! - so it looks like my breeding lambs have more or less selected themselves! One of those is the smallest of the lot however they are going to have another 12 months at least of growing and developing before tipping so we will see how it goes......

[SallyintNorth]

You're ignoring te advice given by most of us that you should keep three, not two, then?

[Paul and Caroline]

Sally no - I am following the various suggestions that I discount those with any respiratory problems (past or present) and also any that might present handling problems - there are three that fall into one or other of those categories - which leaves two..... If I am unfortunate enough to lose one of the retained ewe lambs I have a farmer with over 2000 Ewe lambs as my neighbour (from whom I got my original 5) and he is more than willing to sell me one of them. Might sound heartless (and I am not) but this seems to be the most sensible choice in the circumstances.....

[shep53]

 

[SallyintNorth]

Fair 'nuff