The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: beagh-suffolks on March 18, 2016, 10:15:02 am
-
for my project i am doing an investigation into the use of EBV's by sheep breeders and would like to ask if anyone has any views on this topic, all discussion is greatly appreciated. i have already handed out and returned a questionnaire but would like peoples personal opinions on the matter.
-
Been using BLUP for 25+ years so have some views (backed up with raw data)
What do you want to know?
-
Bought a ram one year to see if high EBV's made any difference. None at all that I could see. I run rare and traditional breeds and, provided the conformation is good and feet sound, healthy pedigree rams are what I want. Slower finishing is fine with me.
-
Haven't had any experience using them with sheep, but we certainly do take them into account when buying bulls and bull semen.
If they were widely used in Texel-land, I'd be urging BH to take note of them. Small lambs at birthing and fast growth rates is what I want! Not these socking great tanks of lambs - they're all very impressive, maybe, but it wears their mothers out carrying the two of them around for the last few weeks.