The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: sloan-89 on May 27, 2015, 04:23:31 pm
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I have 4 shetland Ewes 2-4 crop.
I also have 2 zwartble Ewes and a zwartble tup.
Does anyone know if it would be a good idea to tup shetlands with tup?
Comments very welcome :-)
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In theory the Shetlands should manage - they have a wide pelvis, and Zwarts aren't the biggest / chunkiest of lambs.
I don't know if I'd try it... but then, I have bought Shetland ewes in lamb to a Blue-faced Leicester, and they managed fine. So perhaps I would, if I had a reason to want to.
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Not quite the same but a friend of mine used a Zwartble tup on his Heb ewes this year and they produced some superb lambs - growing really well!
I don't think he had any issues lambing but I know none of the ewes were first timers...
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I used a zwartble on a hebridean x ryeland ewe lamb this time (only because she was a particularly well grown lamb) and she lambed a beautiful single ewe lamb unassisted. :)
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Great question - I was just about to ask it myself!
We're in a similar situation in that we have pure Z ewes and a lovely Z tup to go with them.
(http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j216/Blutack/TAS2011/Sheep/Ace/Ace2.jpg)
However we also have four Manx Loaghtan ewes who ran with a Shetland tup lamb last year and each gave us cracking twin lambs. Two of the Manxs are still wild and will be going for meat in the autumn, but I'd like to keep the tamer two. However, for this to be practical, they need to run with our Z-tup.
Our farmer neighbour said that after seeing how narrow and leggy the Zwartbles lambs were, he'd do it without hesitation, but I'd love to hear from more folks who've done similar, before we commit.
Yeoman - would you be able to speak to your friend and confirm how many (if any) of his Hebs needed assistance?