Rams and ewes

[Magpie]

We have some mixed-breed sheep, which we would soon like to replace with purebreds. We therefore don't want them breeding anymore, so we are taking out the rams this week. Just want to know if we might be a bit late for that (remember to reverse the seasons, northern latitude-ers!) and if the rams might have started their business already. Haven't seen any sign yet, and I did see one of last season's lambs still feeding off it's Mum yesterday, so hopefully all will be well.

[Jack]

Gidday

Well not knowing how far north or south you are I am not sure. But it will depend more on the breed of ewe that you have, like a polled dorset you may be too late as they can breed almost any time of the year, but most other breeds normally only start about now.

A bit can also depend on the condition of the ewes.

How many sheep you got? and what breed you changing to?

[Magpie]

Hi Jack

We are in Otago, and have 28 sheep, including one entire ram and a few (accidental!) crypts. They are mostly bitsas, with Romney and Perendale in them, and a couple of Suffolks. They are full and fat at the moment, grass coming out our ears! But a few of them are old girls, so look a bit tatty.

We'd like to replace them with either Dorpers or Wiltshires - shearing such a few is a pain, and anyway our blade shearer indicated he wants to retire...

[Jack]

Gidday

So am I in Otago, North that is.

By the sound of it some of your sheep are a bit like me, past the use by date. So you are probably right to replace them. However, you have just picked a couple of breeds that I know nothing about. I have 25 perindales and once upon a time in another life I had a Poll Dorset stud, and done several years shearing and farming, but I am very reluctant to give any advice on your chosen 2 breeds except in a very general way.

In the mean time, if you are going to be selling your present sheep, you would probably be better to leave the ram running with them and sell them altogether as run with the ram.

And yes, shearing is a pain, especially when you get older.

[Magpie]

I think we'll be letting the old girls live thier lives out in peace with us, and eat whatever young'uns we can. So do you think the ram would've started?

As an aside, do you know much about the North Otago A&P Show? I hope to go for the first time this year, and am hoping that it's better than the Mosgiel one... all sideshows and rides, a few goats and half a dozen dairy cows. I want to see lots of different animals in the flesh!

[Jack]

Gidday

The ram probably hasn't started yet. After a bit of a disaster with the tupping last year I ended up with a very very late lambing. I am now a fan for late lambing here.

The other thing against what you have just said, letting them see their lives out, is that you have to be prepared for very high losses and end up burying sheep all winter.

The show? It is a reasonable size for a hick little town but I caint guarrantee that it's better than Mosgiel.

[PeterNZ]

They are full and fat at the moment, grass coming out our ears!

I started crying when I read this. We haven't had rain since weeks if not months!!!! We are just at the southern end of Northland!!!!

We'd like to replace them with either Dorpers or Wiltshires - shearing such a few is a pain, and anyway our blade shearer indicated he wants to retire...

I always wonder why people want to get Dorpers. They shed their wool and are not a good meat breed. What is the reason why you want to have Dorpers? Just out of interest!

We take the Ram from our girls now. I am a bit nervous because we are a bit late this year. But we do not have many paddocks left with food (see above re. rain).

BTW, our sheep should be same like yours. Mixed all over the place!

Cheers

Peter

[Magpie]

Well, the boys are apart from the girls now, all went smoothly. They really are fat though, so I'm sure it's a good thing they won't be lambing this year. We had trouble with prolapse last year, so I really don't want to go through that again. We had a dry spring this year, but then it's hardly stopped since. Warm-ish days, and rain most nights = lots of grass!

I'm much more in favour of the Wiltshires than the Dorpers, Peter, it's my my OH who likes the Dorpers. I think he likes the look of them, and thinks we'll get more if we sell our excess stock later on. I hadn't heard they aren't a good meat breed, what is it about them that makes them not so good? I know quite a few folk here with Wiltshires, so I know we could get some easily, and could swap rams too.

We have a couple of coloured sheep in among our present sheep, I had visions of spinning or felting their wool, but last year's lot is still in the shed, quitely mouldering away. Just not enough hours in the day!

[PeterNZ]

I hadn't heard they aren't a good meat breed, what is it about them that makes them not so good?

See, this comes from just telling stuff you heard somewhere. I looked into Dorpers 4 years ago and then they said, the meat production wouldn't be very good, low carcass weights, high fat contents etc. I was looking for a webpage which supports this and all I found was, that Dorpers produce a good meat quality and butchers are excited about them. So sorry, I admit I was wrong and I take back what I said above. The only thing I couldn't find was, if pure bred Dorpers are getting the same good results as crossed with another breed. Most of the information I found was cross breeds with dorpers.

So I better shut up now and wait until something comes up I really know about! Anyone wants to talk about beer brewing?

Cheers

Peter

[ohareward]

Hi Magpie, I was reading your posting. I don't know anything about sheep, but I got onto this site and it might help you decide.
Robin.
http://www.backwoodshome.com

[Magpie]

No worries Peter! I really don't know that much about them myself, so it would just have been interesting to hear another opinion. The only negative I had heard is that they are suseptable to footrot.

Thanks for that link Robin, I had that in my favourites, but had forgotten about it. Great article on Dorpers there!

[NZAmish]

Anyone wants to talk about beer brewing?

Cheers

Peter

BTW this place seems to have a few kiwis.
Man do I feel at home.

[tracey]

Dorpers are pretty popular here in the States for meat. Texels, to some degree, as well. Soay and Icelandics appear to be the hottest thing, though. Not sure how the icelandics will do in extreme heat, and you may not want to deal with the fleece.

As for breeding...well...I'm way out of sync with your season. But a fat ewe is difficult to get bred....or so they say.

[paddy]

Hello Magpie

You have to take into account what type of land you have and what winter feed you have.

The Hardier sheep will live on and eat anything and also are supposed to taste alot better as they have a more varied diet of all wild grass's etc.

The softer larger type sheep will be just grass eaters and when winter comes will only put weight on when eating bagmeal unless you have winter grass. When a lamb has been on bagmeal they arent supposed to taste very nice compared to a grass fed lamb.

[Bonniegirl]

We have a dorper ram, and he'll be sold on soon. We have 3 dorper crosses (with perendale). Personally I wouldn't go for dorpers again. PeterNZ is right about the weight gain they don't seem to have grown quite as well as the perendale x romney lambs last year.

Can't fault the meat at all, it is very nice, but and it's a big but, they seem to be so high maintenance.

They seem to need drenching more than the perendale, they get drenched twice a year at shearing and that's it, unless they look like they need it. This year we very nearly lost one of the lambs with barbers pole.

Their feet are a nightmare, get a bit of rain and they limp! The perendales get the odd limp due to scald but they rarely get treated for it, they're just a pain to catch! They come right with no interference.

Regarding the shedding, our pure bred dorper ram doesn't shed 100% and he's has had flystrike twice and thats with fly preventative treatment.

If you want self shedding sheep it seems wiltshires are the way to go, but before you buy one do your homework and make sure what you buy one that does shed 100%.

Personally I think sheep are a regular pain in the proverbial sometimes and if they didn't taste so good and tidy up the paddocks so well then I doubt I'd have any at all!