[Womble]

Ewe lambs are easy to sell

To who?     (genuine question)

[Dogwalker]

But even using a shetland tup on shearling welsh mules is no guarantee of easy lambing.

I've made the mistake of giving feed buckets too early and having big lambs needing help birthing.
My neighbour joked I'd let his texel tup in for a dirty weekend.  They're bigger than his pure texels.

[SallyintNorth]

Ewe lambs are easy to sell

To who?     (genuine question)

Me, for one!  Anyone wanting sheep that will be hardy and produce good fat lambs.  Especially anyone wanting nice fleece on 'em

Seriously, commercial farmers like this cross.  The Beltex confers great conformation, the Shetland hardiness (especially feet) and more lively lambs - and a wider pelvis than a pure Beltex , the supermarkets want smaller lambs with great conformation....  What's not to love? 

[Womble]

That's interesting Sally.  All I see in the fields around here are Texel, Beltex, Blackie, Mules and the occasional Suffolk tup.

P.S. Want to buy some mad loaghtans? 

[SallyintNorth]

That's interesting Sally.  All I see in the fields around here are Texel, Beltex, Blackie, Mules and the occasional Suffolk tup.

You're probably right - but it would take quite an experienced eye to distinguish a Shetland X or 1/4 Shetland commercial ewe from one that didn't have a bit of primitive in it.  If I get a chance, I'll try to get a pic of some of the part-Shetland commercial girls we have, along with some that don't have any Shetland in the mix - they really don't look very different.

P.S. Want to buy some mad loaghtans? 

Twice a day every day at the moment, I find Pricket and her Shetland x lambs, and I think how much I like my Manxes, what good mothers they have been and are, and wonder whether I might get some more...

So the only issue is how many sheep I have - I already have 16 lambing this time, 5 ewe hoggs to join my little flock next time, and two ewe lambs out of 2 lambings this year so far that look like I'll want to keep them on...  I was only supposed to have 20... 

[Me]

Personally I think, if I wanted to tup hoggs, I'd do what a some of the Beltex breeders are now doing and use a Shetland tup.  Easy lambing, lambs not too large to tax the ewe, lambs come out running and looking for the milk bar, are hardy (so can withstand some early neglect  ) and persistent

I can't understand this choice when the Charmoise exists and will do all the shetland does and produce an excellent fat lamb

[shep53]

I am going through just that internal mental debate sally.

Was looking at a group of 25 hoggs today, all scanned as singles.

On poor PP, a life-line bucket, and occasional bit of hay, I think they have had two small bales in the last few weeks. . . . mainly just to keep them quiet.

It's a fine balance between a fat hogg, a big lamb, and a bad birth. . . . . . . . and a skinny hogg, a small lamb, an easy birth. . . . but feck all milk. . . . .

    You could have a look at Eblex Better Returns    go into   Breeding and right at the bottom breeding from ewe lambs