Clement Lynch,
Park, Co Derry
Rams went out with Clement’s crossbred ewes on Saturday 31 October. This year, there are 360 crossbred ewes to breed, which are mostly Mule or Suffolk-type females.
Nine rams are running with the 360 ewes and include Suffolk, Texel and Belclare sires. The plan is to let rams run with these ewes for approximately six weeks.
All rams have been raddled to get a better handle on breeding activity, especially with ewes moving to winter grazing.
There are also 60 ewe lambs to be mated. These animals will be bred to a Charollais ram, although breeding will not start for this group until next week.
Hill ewes
The rams will go out with the hill ewes around 10 days after breeding starts for the crossbred ewes.
There are 160 Lanark-type Scottish Blackface ewes to be bred in the coming weeks.
A big change to the usual breeding system will see a Swaledale ram running with ewes, along with a Bluefaced Leicester ram.
This is the first year that Clement is trying a Swaledale ram on his hill flock.
His aim is to get some hybrid vigour back into ewes and address barren rates. Hill ewes are being treated for fluke this week, in readiness for breeding.
Dermot McCullagh, Slaughtneil, Co Derry
Breeding is well under way on Dermot’s farm, with rams going out to ewes on 24 October and, so far, there has been plenty of breeding activity.
All ewes in the flock are Scottish Blackface breeding, with around 330 ewes to be mated over the next six weeks.
Blackface hoggets and second-lambing ewes are bred back to the Blackface ram, with the aim of getting future flock replacements. Older ewes are then bred to crossing rams.
Dermot is running six Bluefaced Leicester rams. Each sire was turned out to approximately 35 ewes, with the aim of getting Mule lambs to sell as flock replacements and stores next autumn.
Change of breed
Dermot is also trying something new with his breeding plans this year. Two Aberfield rams were recently purchased for breeding.
The Aberfield is a composite breed, made up of Texel and Bluefaced Leicester genetics, and bred primarily for maternal ability and prolificacy.
The breed is also sold on the promise of having good growth rates and comes with performance records.
Dermot decided to give the breed a try as an alternative to using Bluefaced Leicester rams, partly to increase lamb growth rates and conformation, avail of higher sale prices and test their longevity.
James McCay,
Drumquin, Co Tyrone
Rams went out to the crossbred ewes on James’s farm on Monday 19 October. This autumn, 150 crossbred ewes are being mated, most of which are half-bred or three-quarter bred Texel, with the remainder being hill breeding.
The flock does not lack ram power, with three Texel, one Charollais and a Bluefaced Leicester ram running with ewes.
Rams have been fitted with a crayon harness and, in the first week, James counted 80 ewes already mated.
The plan is to leave rams with the crossbred ewes for six weeks. However, they may get an extra couple of weeks, as any late breeding animals will lamb at the same time as the Blackface ewes.
Hill ewes
There are 160 Blackface ewes to be bred. Rams will go out with these animals on Monday 9 November.
Ewes will be brought down from the hill for better-quality grazing during the breeding period, which will run for six weeks.
Blackface ewes will be bred to Texel, Bluefaced Leicester and Blackface rams.
The hill ewes will get a fluke treatment at the start of this week and will be run through the footbath, if there is a dry period when handling. Ewes were also given a mineral bolus four weeks ago, which should cover trace elements through the breeding period.
Karol and Peter McCaughan, Ballycastle, Co Antrim
Karol and Peter turned rams out to crossbred ewes and part of their hill flock on Saturday 31 October. Both flocks are lambed at the same time, as this fits in better with off-farm employment.
There is approximately 260 crossbred ewes on farm, most of which are a mix of Mule, Texel and Lleyn breeding. Lleyn ewes will run with two Lleyn rams, with one batch of 60 animals and a second group of 40.
Breeding groups
The remaining crossbred ewes are Mule- and Texel-cross animals. Texel-cross ewes will run with a Cambridge ram, another composite breed with Finnish Landrace genetics and strong maternal traits.
Texel rams will run with the Mule ewes and the first crop of ewe lambs bred from the Cambridge ram.
Any ewes deemed not suitable for getting replacements will be crossed with a Suffolk ram for easy distinction and to help improve sale value of lambs. Around 150 Scottish Blackface ewes are now running with Blackface rams, with another 200 Blackface ewes going to the ram on 20 November for lambing outdoors.
All rams will be fitted with a harness to mark ewes mated and breeding will run for at least six weeks. Ewes have been fluked and given a mineral bolus in advance of breeding.
Read more
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Clement Lynch,
Park, Co Derry
Rams went out with Clement’s crossbred ewes on Saturday 31 October. This year, there are 360 crossbred ewes to breed, which are mostly Mule or Suffolk-type females.
Nine rams are running with the 360 ewes and include Suffolk, Texel and Belclare sires. The plan is to let rams run with these ewes for approximately six weeks.
All rams have been raddled to get a better handle on breeding activity, especially with ewes moving to winter grazing.
There are also 60 ewe lambs to be mated. These animals will be bred to a Charollais ram, although breeding will not start for this group until next week.
Hill ewes
The rams will go out with the hill ewes around 10 days after breeding starts for the crossbred ewes.
There are 160 Lanark-type Scottish Blackface ewes to be bred in the coming weeks.
A big change to the usual breeding system will see a Swaledale ram running with ewes, along with a Bluefaced Leicester ram.
This is the first year that Clement is trying a Swaledale ram on his hill flock.
His aim is to get some hybrid vigour back into ewes and address barren rates. Hill ewes are being treated for fluke this week, in readiness for breeding.
Dermot McCullagh, Slaughtneil, Co Derry
Breeding is well under way on Dermot’s farm, with rams going out to ewes on 24 October and, so far, there has been plenty of breeding activity.
All ewes in the flock are Scottish Blackface breeding, with around 330 ewes to be mated over the next six weeks.
Blackface hoggets and second-lambing ewes are bred back to the Blackface ram, with the aim of getting future flock replacements. Older ewes are then bred to crossing rams.
Dermot is running six Bluefaced Leicester rams. Each sire was turned out to approximately 35 ewes, with the aim of getting Mule lambs to sell as flock replacements and stores next autumn.
Change of breed
Dermot is also trying something new with his breeding plans this year. Two Aberfield rams were recently purchased for breeding.
The Aberfield is a composite breed, made up of Texel and Bluefaced Leicester genetics, and bred primarily for maternal ability and prolificacy.
The breed is also sold on the promise of having good growth rates and comes with performance records.
Dermot decided to give the breed a try as an alternative to using Bluefaced Leicester rams, partly to increase lamb growth rates and conformation, avail of higher sale prices and test their longevity.
James McCay,
Drumquin, Co Tyrone
Rams went out to the crossbred ewes on James’s farm on Monday 19 October. This autumn, 150 crossbred ewes are being mated, most of which are half-bred or three-quarter bred Texel, with the remainder being hill breeding.
The flock does not lack ram power, with three Texel, one Charollais and a Bluefaced Leicester ram running with ewes.
Rams have been fitted with a crayon harness and, in the first week, James counted 80 ewes already mated.
The plan is to leave rams with the crossbred ewes for six weeks. However, they may get an extra couple of weeks, as any late breeding animals will lamb at the same time as the Blackface ewes.
Hill ewes
There are 160 Blackface ewes to be bred. Rams will go out with these animals on Monday 9 November.
Ewes will be brought down from the hill for better-quality grazing during the breeding period, which will run for six weeks.
Blackface ewes will be bred to Texel, Bluefaced Leicester and Blackface rams.
The hill ewes will get a fluke treatment at the start of this week and will be run through the footbath, if there is a dry period when handling. Ewes were also given a mineral bolus four weeks ago, which should cover trace elements through the breeding period.
Karol and Peter McCaughan, Ballycastle, Co Antrim
Karol and Peter turned rams out to crossbred ewes and part of their hill flock on Saturday 31 October. Both flocks are lambed at the same time, as this fits in better with off-farm employment.
There is approximately 260 crossbred ewes on farm, most of which are a mix of Mule, Texel and Lleyn breeding. Lleyn ewes will run with two Lleyn rams, with one batch of 60 animals and a second group of 40.
Breeding groups
The remaining crossbred ewes are Mule- and Texel-cross animals. Texel-cross ewes will run with a Cambridge ram, another composite breed with Finnish Landrace genetics and strong maternal traits.
Texel rams will run with the Mule ewes and the first crop of ewe lambs bred from the Cambridge ram.
Any ewes deemed not suitable for getting replacements will be crossed with a Suffolk ram for easy distinction and to help improve sale value of lambs. Around 150 Scottish Blackface ewes are now running with Blackface rams, with another 200 Blackface ewes going to the ram on 20 November for lambing outdoors.
All rams will be fitted with a harness to mark ewes mated and breeding will run for at least six weeks. Ewes have been fluked and given a mineral bolus in advance of breeding.
Read more
British Wool clears 11m kilo overhang
Sheep Management: hill flock breeding strategies and inspection prepartion
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