[Marlboro]

A few weeks a go we took two wethers, a Texel X and a Beulah to the local abbatoir and put them in the freezer. Both one of twins, mum and grass reared. They both killed out well, the Texel carrying about 4K more than the speckled, oddly the legs on the speckled were proportionately larger than the shoulders compared to the texel.
When it comes to taste we both agree the speckled wins hands down, the fat is really tasty and has no greasiness to it at all, it is probably this that makes the meat seem the best but we do not know. Anyone else tried a comparison?
Shame I haven't used a speckled tup on the beulahs this year, went for a Blue instead, my butcher says he has never dressed a Blue cross so it's clear he doesn't fancy them. I guess we will find out next year!

[Big Light]

It all depends on your point for production, if you want to sell lambs commercially then texel cross with quick finishing and good confirmation is the best, if you really want something really good to eat for your self or to sell to a niche market then the primatives are the best. The fat renders down quicker with no greasiness or taint and becomes crispy, obviously you don't get the big carcase but as you can see in the attached pictures the meat, with its lovely marbelling, is a 18 month old Hebridean wether and it tasted as good if not better than it looks 

[Marches Farmer]

Around here a Jacob or Badger Face X Southdown or Ryeland is known as a Farmer's Cross.  It's the one the farmer takes to the abattoir for his own consumption!  We have pure bred Southdown, which is supposed to be the sweetest-tasting lamb, although a very knowledgeable friend of ours swears by Portland.  Anyone we give some to says it's the best they've ever tasted, which is why we're probably going to start selling direct to the public, once we've gone through all the hoops and loops and gone on a course to learn how to wash our hands properly.

[thenovice]

What! You don't have to wash your hands after handling livestock or raw meat do you? Why didn't the government tell me this?

[twizzel]

I've taken all commercial types Texel x, Suffolk x and Hampshire Down x through to finishing and all have come out really well. I haven't been disappointed with the meat at all, so commercial types can and do still taste fantastic! I don't really want slow growing lambs, I prefer them to be gone by October/November so no fussing with them in winter, which leaves space for new cade lambs to come in during January and February.

[Big Light]

You can finish hebs and take them October November time the draw back is that once boned out you get 8 - 10 kilos of meat whilst if you keep them as hoggets you get 17 - 18 Kilos of meat
If you take beef as a comparison Simmental and Aberdeen Angus can be great bits of beef but they generally don't match wagyu
As I said everything depends on what Individuals are looking for I've tried a lot of commercial combinations
but the fat is definitely a different structure to that of the primitives and i find the primitives have a more delicate taste
Just a personal observation but as has been said before people who eat it claim its the best they have ever had
In fact a  7 year old girl who had previously eaten our lamb recently was out for dinner and told the host it was the second best dinner she had ever had (the best being our lamb)
Although it has to be said that probably the best thing of anything is the one you produce your self putting a plate of your own food on the table is the most satisfying

[twizzel]

But a rare breed is that for a reason... I want something that will finish on grass before winter sets in, that has a good kill out %, that is lean with a small covering of fat. I don't want something that will take forever to finish, need overwintering etc etc. But then that is where possibly small holders and commercial farmers differ- my OH is a beef farmer so everything on the farm has a purpose and earns its keep, the lambs need to be gone by November as that is when the livestock comes in for the winter, so primitive wouldn't work for us and I am more than happy with the taste of our commercial lambs (and having sent 16 off this year I guess our friends and family are too).
 
 

[thenovice]

I have had some lovely tasting commercial types, esp 1 poll dorset

[Marches Farmer]

It's horses for courses, isn't it?  I can almost certainly find enough local customers for our rare breed pork and lamb but don't produce enough to extend further.  On the other hand, with climate change, who knows whether or not my breeds' genetics will make a major contribution to feeding the nation in the future?  They are the result of centuries of selective breeding by people who knew far more about livestock than I ever shall, and didn't have a roomy lambing shed with piped water and electricity and access to vaccines and antibiotics either.

[Bramblecot]

My Shetlands crosses are very low maintenance, the lambs are up and running within minutes (fingers crossed) .  They are sent on in Nov at an average 28kg from which we get approx 14kg of meat. 

The joints are small and popular with friends and family (even then some halve the legs).  And the skins make beautiful rugs.  Can't ask for more really    So long as we are happy with what we produce, there is room for all sorts.

[Blacksheep]

Our Zwartbles produce an excellent lean meat, they can go to weights of up to 60 to 70kg (finished as lambs not hoggett) even without going overfat. They don't offer the best butchers confirmation but certainly no shortage of meat on them due to the size. First lambs will go off in May, Feb born, and all over 40kg. Our customers certainly notice and like the different taste compaired to normal fattier lamb, the leaner meat is definately a lot more popular with children too.  We have just started with Shropshires this year, so should be able to do a comparison next year with a more traditional lamb.