The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Humphrey on June 09, 2012, 10:22:47 pm

Title: Grey faced dartmoor ram lamb swap????
Post by: Humphrey on June 09, 2012, 10:22:47 pm
Hello, not sure if this is a strange ask??? I have a ram lamb born at the beginning of March and looking to swap him for a ram lamb of the same breed. if interested pm me and I will send you more details and pictures. I am located in  south Wales..
Thanks Ryan
Title: Re: Grey faced dartmoor ram lamb swap????
Post by: plt102 on June 12, 2012, 02:23:48 pm
We have a gfd ram lamb that we would be willing to swap as we want to keep his dad for another season.Might be worth seeing how he grows up in a month or two as we were going to get him checked and registered later in the year. Would be more than happy to exchange photos of him and his mum and dad. We are in west oxfordshire.
Title: Re: Grey faced dartmoor ram lamb swap????
Post by: Haylo-peapod on June 12, 2012, 03:52:46 pm
Are you both wanting to swap 'registered' ram lambs? If so, wait and see what the inspectors say as it is not a done deal that a ram you put forward for registration will actually get studded. The GFD inspectors are very rigorous and many rams put forward are not approved for registration.
 
 
Title: Re: Grey faced dartmoor ram lamb swap????
Post by: Hazelwood Flock on June 12, 2012, 04:21:39 pm
That's right Haylo-peapod, as an inspector I would also say hang fire until inspections have been done. Just as a guide, your boys need to be sound in the mouth & testicles, have a straight leg 'in each corner', be nicely marked but not excessive (i.e black under chin, in horn sockets and lots on knees) black around the hooves is fine. Ram lambs should also have a good broad face and look 'rammy', narrow feminine faces are not desirable. The body should be nice and square, not narrow at the shoulders or dippy in the back. The back end should be nice and wide, with the tail set high, not sloping and 'goose rumped'.
If your lambs meet the above criteria, then only the fleece will make a difference. A soft tight curly fleece is undesirable, as is a straight starey one. The fleece should be even front to back, not narrow staple at shoulder and wide at rump. GFD lambs MUST be shorn by 31st july - both sexes.
Hope that helps!