The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Dizzycow on May 04, 2011, 07:51:02 am
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Very, very reluctantly and sadly I am considering putting my ten beautiful Hebridean ewe yearlings up for sale. They were born last may, it is / was my intention to bring in a tup this autumn and lamb next spring. They will make a very good 'starter flock'.
I haven't made the final decision yet, I can't quite bring myself to(!) but am wondering if anyone knows roughly what I should charge for the flock if I do sell them?
Thanks, Vikki :'(
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would depend if they were registered?
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Sorry, should have said that. Yes, they are registered.
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Where are you? I might be interested in a few registered ewes for our registered tup. Are any 4 horned as I particularly want those. Would not be up for 10 though as some of my unreg ewes will probably be here for ever.
Rose
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I think only one is four horned, I can go and check! We're near Dunfermline. Where are you? If I don't sell them I'll be looking for a tup....!
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Down in Suffolk so a bit far. I'm not in any hurry for new ewes at present but will take advantage if I hear any available. I'm going to take my time to get registered ewes this time after starting with unreg. The trouble is I am too fond of some of my ewes so have to go slowly in grading up
Rose
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Yes, you are a bit of a hike away! I've spent the day mulling it over and have decided that I will battle on and keep my girls for now. I do adore them. Good luck with yours!
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I think only one is four horned, I can go and check! We're near Dunfermline. Where are you? If I don't sell them I'll be looking for a tup....!
I will have registered tups for sale. I'm a bit south of you near Biggar.
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Thick question, but I'm new to this! If I bought a tup would I have to keep him separated from the girls the rest of the year round? (I was in India many years back and in a village they had a magnificent goat who had a red and white spotted handkerchief tied around his middle which was keeping his essentials out of mischief! Crude but efficient!)
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There's no definitive answer to this question. If you leave the tup in all year round you will not know when your ewes will lamb. Hebs are generally seasonal breeders but there are enough little unseasonal surprises around to disprove that rule. Some tups are fine running with the ewes when they are lambing but some are not - a ewe in labour gives off strange messages to a male, who may butt her and even kill the new lambs - or he might not. The simplest answer is to keep the tup in with the surplus male lambs which will be going for meat. We wean our lambs in late August then run them on for a full year, sending them off in early August. We have several tups so even for those couple of weeks (while the grass recovers) they are not alone, but you could do it so the shearlings went off one day and the lambs were weaned the next, or even the same day. This system requires a minimum of 3 paddocks, so you can also wean the ewe lambs but keep them separate from the tups and from their brothers.
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I may be interested,. but not in all 10. I'm north of you & Dumferline is near enough to do a day trip.
I currently keep Shetlands and am looking for a second breed Hebrideans would be perfect. Do you have photo's?