The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bionic on April 19, 2013, 10:42:19 am
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I have 2 Ryeland rams lambs that I haven't castrated. One coloured and one white.
When can I tell if they would make good breeding stock?
Alternatively, at what age should they go on their one way journey?
thanks
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Usually any time from around 6 months. Preferably before teeth erupt at about a year but is one a few quid extra for slaughter. You want them to reach 40kg min before sending.
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If you you want to breed from them for personal pleasure and to fill the freezer then your really just want them to gain weight and grow well, a good carcas from a butchering point of view, with a good back end as thats where the main meat joint is on sheep.
If you want to register them as tups and breed from them to achive good examples of the breed then check out the breed standard in the flock book and see how yours match up. Failing that have a look at pictures of the show winners on the intertnet and learn to recognise a good Ryeland. I have a coloured lamb who is 3 weeks old now and is quite likely to be registered and two whites for whom the jury is out at present.
Its easy to spot a great lamb that stands out right from the start but not so easy to spot the wallflowers who suddenly blossom over night.
Why not see if there are any local shows with ryeland classes in your area and go along. You can speak to breeders and judges as well as looking at what other breeders concider to be their best. Or take your own lambs along and see if they trouble the judges. Even if the lambs you have now are not worth breeding from it s a great way to find out what you need to focus on to improve your flock.
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Bear in mind you'll likely need them genotyping (scrapie test) if you do register them. Pfizer do a really easy pinprick tester. I think they were through Innovis Animal Health.
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Pedwardine, I don't know anything about scrapie testing. I will have to look that up.
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Sally, You will find that it is unlikely any of you sheep are likely to get scrapie. All of mine were tested when the scheme was first launched and we only kept top rate results. ARR/ARR and you will find that most of the Ryeland breeders would have done the same, as certain results had to be slaughtered as part of the scheme.
Any questions please contact me.