The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: kanisha on August 25, 2012, 12:38:56 pm

Title: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: kanisha on August 25, 2012, 12:38:56 pm
Anyone else get this?

I know that dorset sheep are considered non seasonal and as such can produce two lambs crops with in one year but has anyone had this  in other breeds? I read that portlands do this ( ancestral influence of dorset sheep)
Title: Re: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: SallyintNorth on August 25, 2012, 01:36:09 pm
We discuss this regularly, and usually get conflicting answers!  I shall watch with interest...

Our Charollais tups are ready to work much earlier in the year than the Texels, and now that we have some half-Charollais ewes, we are finding that some of the ewes are cycling earlier than they used to.
Title: Re: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: kanisha on August 25, 2012, 02:21:48 pm
Ok I'll rephrase the question slightly anyone any experience of a ewe with a lamb at foot lambing 5 months and  six weeks after her previous lambing ie concieving whilst having a six week old lamb at foot that she raised healthy and the same for the second ?
Title: Re: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: SallyintNorth on August 25, 2012, 02:25:46 pm
Oh!  No, I didn't realise you meant that at all!   :o

The people l have known with Dorsets have had spring-lambing and autumn-lambing flocks; they haven't attempted to get any single ewe to rear two crops a year.
Title: Re: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: RichStaffs on August 25, 2012, 03:56:12 pm
What breed is it?

I think the usual for dorsets is 3 crops in two years, i.e. lambing every 8 months rather than twice a year.
Title: Re: two lamb crops per year?
Post by: kanisha on August 25, 2012, 04:05:12 pm
Ouessant and its not the only recorded incident but the most clearly documented until then everyone just raised an eye brow..... :o