The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Azzdodd on September 12, 2017, 12:57:29 pm
-
I have just purchased 30 shetland ewes of a friend who was giving up. He used various tups on them over the years he said but lambs only ever went for stores or fat lambs.
My questions are :
1. Can these small ewes take a larger tup
2. Will the ewe lambs from them be good replacement ewes
3. I have 3 tups 1 texel 1 Southdown 1 blue face x cheviot (which I use on my Welsh ewes to breed a mule type) which would you recommend im a complete novice when it comes to these sheep.
-
Traditional cross was a Hill Nothie ram
-
Shetlands are good crossers, yes. They can lamb large lambs but carrying them will have an effect on their belly muscles over three or four pregnancies. One very respected breeder uses Shetland first time, then 3 crops commercial, then back to Shetland.
Yes you'll get good breeding ewes from crossing. The classic cross on Shetland is the Cheviot, much sought after for ewes. I have several Shetland x BFL sheep and they're excellent breeders - albeit maybe a bit prone to triplets :/. So in your case I'd certainly use the Cheviot x BFL now, as if they've had several large tup crops already this might be the last time you want to cross them.
-
I'd use the texal, perfect cross. You'll get decent lambs for sure!
-
I'd use the texal, perfect cross. You'll get decent lambs for sure!
I'd use the Texel on the (Cheviot x BFL) x Shetland ewes, i.e. the offspring of these ones. The latter will make better breeding ewes, in my opinion, than the direct cross. Then the cross to the Texel is onto a scopier ewe (decent frame, milky, motherly, hardy, good feet) for great fat lambs and really decent ewe lambs.
-
Don't discount the Southdown. The skull is no wider than a Texel but without the shoulders and short neck. I always try to breed my Badger Face pure for the first lambing, although this year they'll be going to the Southdown as I'm getting a BF ram lamb so I'll put him with the old ewes so at least one half of the equation knows what it's doing.
-
Thanks everyone for your replies I was planning on putting them all to the blue face x cheviot after reading up abit on the internet. They haven't been put with anything substantial in there life. First year badger face,second Jacob an third a Shetland there mixed ages but All have lambed so I think they will be ok to a bigger tup. There all on fresh grass an there looking great ????
-
They sound great, I'll be interested to hear (and see!) how you get on :thumbsup: