The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: nutterly_uts on July 12, 2014, 05:09:04 pm
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Hi everyone :wave:
I'm looking at Zwartbles as I really like what I'm reading. I don't know how logistical it would be to keep them pure, so I wanted to ask what people were using to crossbreed them with.
I'd have access to rough fell, texel and beltex, and I'm sure I've read that Zwartble to Texel gives good lambs? What about them to southdown? I'm guessing primative would be a no?
Its all a bit what if at the moment, but all info welcomed
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Zwartbles seem to have been crossed successfully with a variety of breeds, we have supplied a farmer who puts them to Welsh ewes to produce a good breeding ewe, have seen super Balwen crosses, but also cross well with commercial breeds - we have produced some nice Zwartbles/texel type crosses, they do well in crossbred show classes.
Try some Zwartbles meat if you can as that is a strong selling point as it really is different and leaner.
Came across a link to this article today on facebook [size=78%]http://www.agriland.ie/news/zwartbles-popularity-rise/ (http://www.agriland.ie/news/zwartbles-popularity-rise/)[/size]
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My neighbours used a Zwartbles ram on some Gotlands and kept the ewe lambs. Then they used a Suffolk ram on the Cross bred ewes. If you're intersted I could take a photo next time I'm round.
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Ooh yes please :)
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We have a a couple of pictures of our crossbreds on our fb page - might take a bit of finding though - page is Redgate Zwartbles Flock 252 pic in Aug 2012 at Minsterley show, also Aug2013 at Sarn show.
If you join the Zwartbles Sheep group on FB and ask the question I am sure that people will post some pictures for you as there are quite a few people with crossbreds.
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I only have pures so can't speak from personal experience on Z crosses, but I have visited flocks with cracking Z x Cheviot and Z x Charollais ewes. Have also heard people talking positively about Z x Blackface and Z x Suffolk.
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Blacksheep I have liked you on FB AND have joined the Zwartbles page but I wasn't sure if I could ask about crosses on there :)
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Thank you nutterly_uts.
I am sure that you can ask on the Zwartbles Sheep group, breeders and the society are keen to promote the value of the breed as a good crossing breed so hopefully you should get some replies and maybe pictures :)
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Thanks for the advice. I've posted so will see what appears :)
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I have a few Zwartbles X Cheviot ewes, they are cracking sheep.
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We have pedigree Zwartbles and meat sheep.
We use a Zwartble ram with both a Dorset x Ryeland ewe and a Lleyn ewe. These fat lambs are the result.
Certainly worth doing.
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Newbie Question: If you cross Ewe breed 1 with Tup breed 2, will that produce the same result as Ewe breed 2 and Tup breed 1? ???
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Newbie Question: If you cross Ewe breed 1 with Tup breed 2, will that produce the same result as Ewe breed 2 and Tup breed 1? ???
I'm only a newbie too, but I was told Zwartble x Texel and Texel x Zwartble were very similar as an end result, but that using a Zwartble Ram on Texel Ewes was an easier first time lambing, but that Zwartble ewes were better mothers.
I dont know if works the same for other breeds, I was only asking about Zwartbles :D
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Interesting thread for me too, Ive got a zwartbles tup lamb that I am wondering will be OK to use on 2 ryeland cross shearlings and a suffolk shearling this year or would this make for a difficult first lambing for them?
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The conformation of a Zwartble--small head,long neck,narrow shoulders. No problem lambing. Zwartble ram, Ryeland x ewe.
Living in the country is ok. The entertainment is a bit basic but the beer is excellent!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks zwartbles, very helpful. Love the look of your meat lambs btw :excited:
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Newbie Question: If you cross Ewe breed 1 with Tup breed 2, will that produce the same result as Ewe breed 2 and Tup breed 1? ???
O-level biology answer : I guess it depends what is on, or affected by what's on, the Y chromosome.
In terms of the lamb, I can't think of any obvious things off the top of my head, but in terms of the lambing, one would think about the size of the tup's shoulders and rump, and possibly head if horned or expecting singles, and about the motherliness and milkiness of the ewe.
If there are any differences, I bet they are mainly about colour. ;)
With Blue-Grey cattle, the normal cross is Whitebred Shorthorn bull on Galloway cow, but we have some which are t'other way about. As far as I can tell they seem to be just the same.
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I don't know how logistical it would be to keep them pure, so I wanted to ask what people were using to crossbreed them with.
I'd have access to rough fell, texel and beltex, and I'm sure I've read that Zwartble to Texel gives good lambs? What about them to southdown? I'm guessing primative would be a no?
I've no experience of Zwartbles (only their fleeces :spin:) but just looking at your list of breeds there... I'm not sure what would be the point of a Rough Fell tup on a Zwartbles ewe, but the other way about could be an interesting first step in a breeding programme.
Texel and Beltex tups on Zwartbles ewes would both give marketable fat lambs, I would have thought.
Southdown x Zwartbles would give a very interesting fleece - can I book three, please?! :excited: :spin: :knit:
The only reason to put a primitive on a Zwarty would be fleece, wouldn't it? If you tried Shetland, that could be a very interesting fleece, as would Hebridean. I'm assuming you mean primitive tup on Zwarty ewe. Zwarty tup on an experienced Shetland ewe would be feasible (Shetlands have nice wide pelvises) but if the lambs are large they'll affect her tummy muscles, so it's perhaps only something you'd do once or twice per ewe.
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I've no experience of Zwartbles (only their fleeces :spin:) but just looking at your list of breeds there... I'm not sure what would be the point of a Rough Fell tup on a Zwartbles ewe, but the other way about could be an interesting first step in a breeding programme.
Texel and Beltex tups on Zwartbles ewes would both give marketable fat lambs, I would have thought.
Southdown x Zwartbles would give a very interesting fleece - can I book three, please?
My BF has Rough Fell and Texels, and my friend has Southdown, so I listed those as they are easily accessible rams :) I've not sat down and worked out the logic or decisions yet, I was just curious as to how well they crossed across breeds.
I wondered about primitive because of their size more than fleece aspects, but definitely something to think about :)
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Hi, I crossed a Zwartbles ram with a Mule, Charollais and a Gotland (the latter was a mistake he jumped the fence!). The ewes produced lovely lambs (all black) although they didn't fatten as quickly as my other commercial crosses (Ryeland ram) and at market were sold as stores. The Gotland babies were just like Zwartbles only smaller - I was a bit concerned about lambing with the Gotland being so much smaller but she had no problem at all.