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Author Topic: My survey on sustainable sheep systems and subsidies. Some expert views needed.  (Read 2123 times)

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
https://rau.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/what-is-the-importance-of-performance-recording-and-improv

I have been a member for several years on this forum, starting with 35 Suffolk/Texel sheep and now several years later i have 100 sheep of mainly Scottish blackface and a few Texel X Lleyn and counting, which are due to lamb from 20th April  :).

I always keep an eye on the site and have learnt a fair bit about sheep on here. I am doing a survey on sheep and performance recording for improving ewe efficiency and I know there are a lot of people on here that would have good views to share and would appreciate some input.

 With or without Brexit there has always been a risk of subsidy removal from livestock farming. Therefore one must ask:
“Is sheep farming sustainable?” I’ve decided to explore this area and as part of my research, I would appreciate for as many U.K commercial sheep farmers/farm managers or anyone with experience working with breeding sheep systems to take a short time to express their views on the relationship between; ewe efficiency, performance recording and farm subsidies.

https://rau.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/what-is-the-importance-of-performance-recording-and-improv

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Done. You will never work out which reply is mine...

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
 :D I think I figured it out :) some great points an interesting views for sure. Had some interesting replies so far and just uploaded it yesterday. My aim for my own flock is to get as many kgs of lamb produced from grass from as little kg put to the ram because I've worked with huge sheep and when they have rear less than 2 lambs the huge feed bills (even forage) for these beasts takes a huge chunk out of the lamb prices. Have ten Lleyn X texels weighing 60-70kg (all weighed before tupping) in lamb to a charollais this year each scanned with two lambs. A long time to weaning but I am excited to see how they perform. (all reared one lamb as a ewe lamb and one reared 2)

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Have a look at my website charmoise.co.uk forage only, outdoor lambing, recorded terminal sires, low lamb mortality, low ram cost per ram sired, fully guaranteed rams

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
I enjoyed that, thanks :)

I answered as though I was still a proper farmer in the uplands, not the very small scale operation I’m on now, I hasten to add ;)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Have ten Lleyn X texels weighing 60-70kg (all weighed before tupping) in lamb to a charollais this year each scanned with two lambs. A long time to weaning but I am excited to see how they perform. (all reared one lamb as a ewe lamb and one reared 2)

To me though a 70kg ewe is a big ewe, too big, 60kg ewe is more efficient, isn't there a biggish NZ study concluding the same? The exact same ewes genetically treated better as lambs returned less money when lower stocked at 70kg than higher at 60kg

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Thanks for any replies, much appreciated

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Have ten Lleyn X texels weighing 60-70kg (all weighed before tupping) in lamb to a charollais this year each scanned with two lambs. A long time to weaning but I am excited to see how they perform. (all reared one lamb as a ewe lamb and one reared 2)

To me though a 70kg ewe is a big ewe, too big, 60kg ewe is more efficient, isn't there a biggish NZ study concluding the same? The exact same ewes genetically treated better as lambs returned less money when lower stocked at 70kg than higher at 60kg

Yes i suppose its still quite big, I must look at the weight recordings once more as I cant remember exactly but i know it was in the sixty range for the lleyn X. The blackface were 50-60kg and an odd one over that

 

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