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Author Topic: Which Ram?  (Read 1929 times)

toaster

  • Joined Apr 2012
Which Ram?
« on: June 29, 2012, 05:32:41 pm »
I have four shetland ewes. Last year we used a pure Shetland ram over them
I'm not sure what to do this winter, the male offspring next year will go off for meat and the females will too or may be kept on.
I have two choices, I already have both these males:
Pure Shetland again using my same ram from last year, I have no interest in showing but something makes me want to keep them pure and help preserve the breed (though only my oldest ewes are registered) but lower potential meat yield
Use my orphan ram from this year who is an Aberdale sheep and pretty meaty looking - I like the idea of using him to increase the size of the lambs but would the Shetland ewes cope? (they are aged 2-5 and none will be maiden lambers)
Does anyone have any advice please?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: Which Ram?
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2012, 05:55:43 pm »
If I understand the breed, shetlands have wide hips and will cross with much bigger terminal sires. I hear some folk are putting them to a Texel or Beltex with cracking results - I also hear good things about a shetland x NCC as a maternal ewe.


Why not put one ram in for one cycle and the other in after and see which of the resulting offspring you like the best?

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Which Ram?
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2012, 06:05:36 pm »
If the Shetlands have lambed before as you say, they should be just as capable as a commercial ewe even with a bigger ram, due to their special confirmation which is ideally suited to easy lambing.
Of course there is a slightly higher risk of complications when you use a bigger ram, but no more than if the ewe and ram were big.
NB this doesnt apply to all primitives, Shetlands are a bit unusual, tho it may be fine with some others.
 

omnipeasant

  • Joined May 2012
  • Llangurig , Mid Wales
Re: Which Ram?
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2012, 09:42:46 pm »
I agree with Steve. Put both rams in and see how it turns out. They should produce lambs to suit themselves like our badgers who can cope with a bigger tup.

By the way, do all you can not to sell your gimmer lambs for meat. As you said the breed needs preserving.I am sure on here an ad will find them breeding homes.

 

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