The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SallyintNorth on October 05, 2022, 07:51:50 am
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I know we all have our favourites and always sing their praises very loyally, but I need some truthful input here.
Several members of the community here are finding our Shetland x hogget meat too rich for their systems, so I am having to consider changing my breeding practises. But I do not want to give up on what the Shetland x ewes to a Shetland tup gives me, being hardy sheep, generally good feet, generally fairly resistant to fly strike, and, most importantly, utterly hands-free lambing and (almost) hands-off mothering.
I have literally never had to put my hands inside a Shetland ewe who's been put to a Shetland tup, and the single occasion on which I had to assist a lambing of a Shetland x ewe to a Shetland tup, was an out of season (August lambing) fat, aged maiden (not supposed to breed, but our Nigel Ever Ready Golden Balls and his work ethic... ::) :D), and she had the first lamb coming breech.
So I don't want to lose out on that, because I am getting on and we don't have anyone else experienced enough or with enough time and able to make the commitment to take over if our lambing becomes more hands-on.
My thought so far...
Could go Mule with maybe a Dorset tuo, but Mules have too many triplets
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Posted in error, this thread https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/sheep/hands-free-outdoors-lambing-mothering-hardy-fast-maturing-off-grass-breeds/msg777706/#msg777706 is the right one.
Locking this thread now.