The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: FiB on May 12, 2014, 06:23:38 pm
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I've just about given up on breeding pure... So if I'm going for a cross, may as well make it a good one! My priority is keeping lambing simple (so no combos that result in lambs that are likely to have to be pulled), retaining hardiness (we are quite high up) .. LOVELY fleece and an acceptable carcass. I am going to see a nearby breeder of Icelandic soon, so wondering about buying a ram lamb...... What do peeps think?
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I would also be interested in this.
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Lovely sheep, not a novice fleece. We're still wondering whether we should clip in the autumn and house over winter - our three were too warm here in the unseasonably warm backend, and when the spring looked like being a very warm one we were seriously concerned about overheating / getting cast in the now heavily pregnant ewes.
Our crossbred lambs look to have a very thick pelt too - it will be interesting to see how they develop.
Pics are the first two crossbred lambs (dad's a Dutch Texel) with mum (the brown one) and aunties, closeup of one of the lambs, Icelandic x DT lamb with Auntie Darcy and her texel(ish) x texel foster lamb.
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Given your requirement
My priority is keeping lambing simple (so no combos that result in lambs that are likely to have to be pulled), retaining hardiness (we are quite high up) .. LOVELY fleece and an acceptable carcass.
I'd be looking at a Shetland dad and then a meat breed on the outcome of that. We've been finding Dutch Texel to be better on the no-pull lambing front (though we do pick tups with narrower shoulders and less exaggerated backsides) and to have very nice fleeces.
So far - limited experience over two years - I have been very impressed by the Shetland Xs - there seems to be a lot of hybrid vigour there ;) This being Shetland crossed onto Manxes, Charollais-type commercials, and a Shetland x commercial ram lamb on Shetland Xs, Manxes and Dutch Texel x commercials. (Also BFL x out of Shetlands, although you won't be wanting wimpy soft BFLs where you are ;))
I don't know much about the Beulah, though, so I'm not sure about the start point in terms of carcase.
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Wow lovely pics! Beulah similar in size and hardiness to Lleyn.... But with slightly finer fleece. Lleyn seem slightly better for finishing on grass.... All the last lambs to go were the Beulah (but some of that could have been a bit of hybrid vigour (Lleyn ewe, Beulah tup). I love my Beulah though and don't really want a wholesale change of ewes... I've given up keeping pure for the mo as I lamb late, so my lambs are never going to compete favourably at the breed sale early September....
So Icelandic tricky breed then. We will have a barn so could hand shear whenever.... But then it is what to do for company as we would only have the ram on that regime....
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Would you be wanting to market fleeces to handspinners?
From what you say about the Beulah, the cross would certainly be interesting... :thinking: - but would likely still be a specialist fleece if the offspring inherits the double coat of the Icelandic...
The Icelandics we have have a touch of Berrichon a few generations back and are I think a better carcase for that. (Read between the lines here, FiB ;) )
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I'm basically posting this because I have the photo! It is about as close I as I ever get to the Beulahs and she tried to run one way, then the other before stopping for a moment to consider a kamikazi run - but it is a Beulah cross Charmoise 8 week old single out of a no tooth broker (I must admit it is the best one)
With my limited Beulah experience I would say the Beulah given their age are tougher than the Lleyn, but milk (age accepted) and carcass quality just isn't there compared to the Lleyn. If you could bottle and sell craziness they would make my fortune!
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However a nice Shetland tup (probably white if you want larger carcass) would be ideal! Great fleece, will produce light lambs for the Xmas sale (30 - 35kgs liveweight end of Nov) and/or good hogget for just after shearing the next summer. 1st time fleeces should be really good and even if you sell to the WMB should be ok in price. Obviously spinners would also be interested.
Easy on the ewes for lambing too. Not sure if you get short tails, but the boys would be better ringed as they otherwise will grow horns.
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Shetlands would produce lovely wool :) and some lines are more meaty than others (white Rench lines) my Tup is pretty big, well for a shetland anyway, must be 60kgs at the least
Thats odd, when I have rung mine they have always grown horns anyway :thinking: not as big as a full rams horns but still big and curved...
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Some horned breeds come out with horns already started (ouch!) Beulahs have a reputation for becoming broken-mouthed quite young.
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Don't you have a proven Shetland tup going Lady G?
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Mmmm choices choices! I have been trying very hard to avoid owning a ram :innocent: ..... As I know it will add one more headache to the land rotation equation.... But am contemplating buying an unproven but likely looking ram lamb for ram lamb prices (rather than proven tup prices), putting him in early and then borrowing a Lleyn ram from neighbour late November as insurance... If the ram lamb works out I'd keep for another year then sell, if not... Eat ;D . Win win. If anyone near me has any ram lambs that they think might fit the bill, I'm interested. And yes, I'd be looking to sell the (surpless ;D )fleece privately.
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And yet another breed I havnt come accross, me! Charmoise...goes to look up! It's funny my Beulah aren't mad at all.... Not quite as tame as my Lleyn, but pretty calm. very nosey......
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They appear calm because they are planning something.
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They appear calm because they are planning something.
:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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I have seen Shaun the sheep on telly, all sheep are planning something!!!
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My Lleyn were out the other day, I'm sure it was the Beulahs idea though
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Don't you have a proven Shetland tup going Lady G?
Yes I will do, I dont want to put him in the market yet as he is 100% healthy, never had a problem with feet or anything, been bred for worm resistance, has a superb fleece, lovely nature, will walk on a halter etc etc so dont want him to go to meat, he is too good!!
He is perfect and I wish I could keep him but I'm not going to have the use for him next tupping time! so really want him to go to a breeding home, or I have sons from him if anyone wants ram lambs...
If I dont sell him I will pop him in with some of the bigger ewes, or my best fleeced shetlands :thinking:
He is in Hampshire :)
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We have a couple of Beulah x shetland lambs this year - they have medium length tails, and the fleece is a good combination of the both- one female lamb who is all black which we call silky because her fleece looks like silk, and a boy who has the buelah markings except the speck
als are ginger not black. We have 6 shetland pedigree ram lambs-- As a community group we are undecided whether we keep our ram ( i would like to keep him) but some others want to get a bigger breed now all our sheep have lambed -We are in swansea so along way from Bala. :)
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Well that is all making Shetland look a good option.... But then it becomes about whether I can get one not to big a travel away...... Will still go and have a look at nearby Icelandic though :innocent: Thanks all
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Well that is all making Shetland look a good option.... But then it becomes about whether I can get one not to big a travel away...... Will still go and have a look at nearby Icelandic though :innocent: Thanks all
Have a look at the Shetland sheep society website, and see if any near you are for sale - they have a for sale section on there.
If you give me your rough area I can get you the details of the local contact person (by pm).
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I've got a shetland ram lamb near Llanidloes. Fawn katmoget, not registered yet but can be.
Born beginning of April.
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I've got a purebred zwarble tup lamb born late March as a single asking £90?
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I tried a Wiltshire horn tup lamb on Shetlands and was happy with the out come.
The lambs were small at birth but grew quickly compared to the pure lamb.