The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Devonshiredumpling on May 18, 2025, 11:27:45 pm
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After breeding Wilshire horn for six years, we decided to introduce a Charolais Ram to our flock to bulk up the lambs. This was a big success, although we found that the new lambs were less resistant to winter weather on account of their bare head and ears.
We had been told that the lambs would be self shedding due to a dominant gene, but they did not shed a single hair. They all had to be dagged the following year, and we had to spend a fortune on a shearer in May (when we finally managed to get one).
We have decided against keeping any of the ewe lambs for breeding. But at least the lambs do reach finishing weight in 18 months instead of three years!
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There's no guarantee that putting a non shedder with a shedder will produce shedding offspring. We currently have a non shedding ram with our Wiltshire Horn ewes. Results so far are mixed, shedding wise. Based on last year's lambs some of which we've kept, we have one who partly sheds, one who doesn't and one who does. This year's lambs are still quite young (born in March) so it's hard to know what they will turn out like. It's all a bit of a lottery. I think you can only guarantee shedding offspring if you put a shedder to a shedder.
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Were the progeny horned, out of interest?