[Hillview Farm]

Just wanted a rough idea of what your lambs weigh and at what age and breed?

Trying to get an idea of what different breeds weight at what ages.

[Ladygrey]

I weighed my lambs yesterday

Shetland cross lambs (either ryeland or charrolais rams with shetland mums) weighed between 25 and 27 kilos, they are between 3 and 2.5 months old.

Lambs have never had any feed or creep/cake, neither have mums

Suffolk cross mule lambs weigh around 23 kilos

Shetland cross ryeland, 3 months old with mum




Shetland cross charrolais twins 2.5 months old with mum

[smudger]

Lady grey


Thx for posting photos. Given the current fiasco of the SSS I am looking at crossing my shetland mums next year ad looking at what tups to cross with - any difference between charalois and ryeland from an ease of lambing perspective? Is rate of growth similar? What is wool quality like?

[Ladygrey]

Hi there 

I wouldnt put a shetland to a ryeland, I have just bought in my shetland ewes and crossbreds that were in lamb to a ryeland.
The lambs tend to have quite large heads and are not as easy as the charrolais was, however the charrolais cross lambs in my other breed ewes got a bit stuck, I think this was due to me putting him onto the ewe lambs so my fault!

The ryeland crosses do have a tendancy to get a little fat whearas the charrolais cross (so far) seems to be built like a mini beltex, short legs and all muscle.

The ryeland crosses unfortunately inherit 100% ryeland wool (well at least mine did) none of the fineness of the shetland! it was a nightmare shearing Betty (ryeland cross shetland shearling ewe lamb) as she had a full fleece of ryeland wool, the height of the shetland but built like a bull with the attitude to match!!

She is very sweet though and Im putting her to the charrolais this autumn

The charrolais lambs have an incredibly soft fleece, however its my first time usuing charrolais ram so no idea what fully grown fleece would be like!
They were born on the 19th of April and weigh 25-26 kilos, they are very short legged and wide so weigh alot more than they look. They grow just a tad faster than the Ryeland crosses, as they are a month younger and only 1 kilo less in weight.

[twizzel]

Last years lambs at killing just over 6mths old deadweight between 21kg and 26kg so roughly 42-52kg. Texel and Suffolk X
I can tell you this years lambs in a couple of weeks when we send the first lot off! but they are heavy... they have had good grass, all Texel X so have grown very well.

[SteveHants]

Some of my 6-8 week old "easycare" and Lleyn x Suftex singles are pushing 30Kgs.... 

[Hillview Farm]

Just weighed my lamb for the freezer. 37kg at just under 3 months, no feed, average grass and hes a twin.

I'm chuffed!

[ferretkeeper]

Given the current fiasco of the SSS

What's happening there? Was just thinking of joining to register this years lambs...

[Anke]

Given the current fiasco of the SSS

What's happening there? Was just thinking of joining to register this years lambs...

Unless you are showing your Shetlands AND have success with it AND get your name known amongst the Shetland breeders AND your sheep are outstanding, I wouldn't bother registering plus membership fees. BECAUSE if the your answer to the above is NO, then the price you will get for your animals is just equal the meat value. (And I will be shot down by any SSS member for saying this.)
 
I am not registering my stock anymore, and this is my last year of membership. I will continue to buy sheep at the breed sales, but will only keep enough to have to sell very few and eat the rest ourselves...
 
Shetlands are a very undervalued breed and I love them and will continue to keep them, but money they certainly won't make...
 
PS.: This is my PERSONAL experience and opinion, others may have different views. And NO I don't know what is going on with the SSS and why, but I don't think they will stay around in their current shape or form for much longer...