[FiB]

I've just about given up on breeding pure... So if I'm going for a cross, may as well make it a good one! My priority is keeping lambing simple (so no combos that result in lambs that are likely to have to be pulled), retaining hardiness (we are quite high up) .. LOVELY fleece and an acceptable carcass.  I am going to see a nearby breeder of Icelandic soon, so wondering about buying a ram lamb...... What do peeps think?

[bazzais]

I would also be interested in this.

[SallyintNorth]

Lovely sheep, not a novice fleece.  We're still wondering whether we should clip in the autumn and house over winter - our three were too warm here in the unseasonably warm backend, and when the spring looked like being a very warm one we were seriously concerned about overheating / getting cast in the now heavily pregnant ewes.

Our crossbred lambs look to have a very thick pelt too - it will be interesting to see how they develop.

Pics are the first two crossbred lambs (dad's a Dutch Texel) with mum (the brown one) and aunties, closeup of one of the lambs, Icelandic x DT lamb with Auntie Darcy and her texel(ish) x texel foster lamb.

[SallyintNorth]

Given your requirement

My priority is keeping lambing simple (so no combos that result in lambs that are likely to have to be pulled), retaining hardiness (we are quite high up) .. LOVELY fleece and an acceptable carcass.

I'd be looking at a Shetland dad and then a meat breed on the outcome of that.  We've been finding Dutch Texel to be better on the no-pull lambing front (though we do pick tups with narrower shoulders and less exaggerated backsides) and to have very nice fleeces.

So far - limited experience over two years - I have been very impressed by the Shetland Xs - there seems to be a lot of hybrid vigour there   This being Shetland crossed onto Manxes, Charollais-type commercials, and a Shetland x commercial ram lamb on Shetland Xs, Manxes and Dutch Texel x commercials.  (Also BFL x out of Shetlands, although you won't be wanting wimpy soft BFLs where you are )

I don't know much about the Beulah, though, so I'm not sure about the start point in terms of carcase. 

[FiB]

Wow lovely pics!  Beulah similar in size and hardiness to Lleyn.... But with slightly finer fleece.  Lleyn seem slightly better for finishing on grass.... All the last lambs to go were the Beulah (but some of that could have been a bit of hybrid vigour (Lleyn ewe, Beulah tup).   I love my Beulah though and don't really want a wholesale change of ewes...  I've given up keeping pure for the mo as I lamb late, so my lambs are never going to compete favourably at the breed sale early September....


So Icelandic tricky breed then.  We will have a barn so could hand shear whenever.... But then it is what to do for company as we would only have the ram on that regime....

[SallyintNorth]

Would you be wanting to market fleeces to handspinners?

From what you say about the Beulah, the cross would certainly be interesting...   - but would likely still be a specialist fleece if the offspring inherits the double coat of the Icelandic...

The Icelandics we have have a touch of Berrichon a few generations back and are I think a better carcase for that.  (Read between the lines here, FiB )

[Me]

I'm basically posting this because I have the photo! It is about as close I as I ever get to the Beulahs and she tried to run one way, then the other before stopping for a moment to consider a kamikazi run - but it is a Beulah cross Charmoise 8 week old single out of a no tooth broker (I must admit it is the best one)
With my limited Beulah experience I would say the Beulah given their age are tougher than the Lleyn, but milk (age accepted) and carcass quality just isn't there compared to the Lleyn. If you could bottle and sell craziness they would make my fortune! 

[Anke]

However a nice Shetland tup (probably white if you want larger carcass) would be ideal! Great fleece, will produce light lambs for the Xmas sale (30 - 35kgs liveweight end of Nov) and/or good hogget for just after shearing the next summer. 1st time fleeces should be really good and even if you sell to the WMB should be ok in price. Obviously spinners would also be interested.

Easy on the ewes for lambing too. Not sure if you get short tails, but the boys would be better ringed as they otherwise will grow horns.

[Ladygrey]

Shetlands would produce lovely wool and some lines are more meaty than others (white Rench lines) my Tup is pretty big, well for a shetland anyway, must be 60kgs at the least

Thats odd, when I have rung mine they have always grown horns anyway  not as big as a full rams horns but still big and curved...

[Marches Farmer]

Some horned breeds come out with horns already started (ouch!)  Beulahs have a reputation for becoming broken-mouthed quite young.

[Me]

Don't you have a proven Shetland tup going Lady G?

[FiB]

Mmmm choices choices!  I have been trying very hard to avoid owning a ram .....  As I know it will add one more headache to the land rotation equation.... But am contemplating buying an unproven but likely looking ram lamb for ram lamb prices (rather than proven tup prices), putting him in early and then borrowing a Lleyn ram from neighbour late November as insurance... If the ram lamb works out I'd keep for another year then sell, if not... Eat . Win win.  If anyone near me has any ram lambs that they think might fit the bill, I'm interested. And yes, I'd be looking to sell the (surpless  )fleece privately.

[FiB]

And yet another breed I havnt come accross, me! Charmoise...goes to look up!  It's funny my Beulah aren't mad at all.... Not quite as tame as my Lleyn, but pretty calm.  very nosey......

[Me]

They appear calm because they are planning something.

[FiB]

They appear calm because they are planning something.