[Foobar]

Pure BWM on BWM ewes.  If I was to cross them I think I would go with a Lleyn ram or similar.  I'd never use a fast growing terminal sire as I feel that would impact the taste too much.  I prefer slow growing animals that are full of flavour.


I'd really like to produce a shedding black sheep ... but living in Wales I'm not sure how well shedding sheep would cope with all the rain?

[Porterlauren]

Foobar - There are already shedding black sheep, some easy cares do come out black very occasionally and I know a man who has used exlana rams across the last of his parents bwm (inherited with the farm) to produce a shedding back sheep.

R.E Shedding sheep and welsh rain  . . . . . . . . the original easy care breed developed in the 60's were bred on Anglesey, and there are plenty of people (myself included) who run shedders in rainy wales!

All this talk of taste . . . . . . . . I honestly think some people are fantasists. . . . . although some rare and minority breeds give what is defiantly a different tasting meat, when it comes to most other breeds, there is far far more in the butchering, hanging and cooking that effects the taste than the ram used!

[Sbom]

Aberfield on Romneys
Blue texel on zwartbles this year
Aber Romneys finish on grass alone and grade really well, tex/zwa is a trial as the pure zwartbles take forever to finish

[kris]

 well  more on my ram  front  i have  spoke to a couple of breeders regarding oxford downs and going to see  some Wednesday   i know they are pedigree  but i am after the  quality and shape   they are reasonably priced as well  they are proven  shear lings  which  is a bonus at least they have proven  they  can  perform

[mab]

easycares in rainy wales here too.

I'm planning on using a lleyn ram lamb this year as my neighbour has offered one for free and with 9 easycare ewe lambs from this year I've probably got enough ewe's for now, and next years crossed lambs can all go. No idea how the cross will go but as the lleyns are quite chunky I've decided not to let him near this years ewelambs  - they'll wait 'til next year.

[Marches Farmer]

I once had a tutorial on meat quality with a master butcher who lectured in the subject and he reckoned that Portland was the sweetest lamb, followed by Southdown. 

[devonlady]

I used a Texel on Jacobs last year, was a wee bit worried as the Jacobs were shearlings but, though I had to assist at one birth they were fine. Big, strong lambs that grew well on grass and were sent off at 20 weeks. Really good weights and little fat and the meat is lovely!

[beagh-suffolks]

for the crossbred flock we use  an ile de france ram on the suffolk crossed ewes,  we have found this makes for a very quick growing and easy lambing and lovely tasting lamb 

[Azzdodd]

Texel ram on various cross bred ewes mainly cheviot X Welsh or along them lines. All lambs go into a box ewe lambs included. All ewes lambed unassisted this year in the field hardy an all went beetween June/July of grass alone.

[Me]

I once had a tutorial on meat quality with a master butcher who lectured in the subject and he reckoned that Portland was the sweetest lamb, followed by Southdown.

Only the second best MF!!

[nimbusllama]

Castlemilk Moorit ram on 3 CM ewes and one Torwen Badgerface ewe, and he goes in today!  .... this is a crossbred ewe lamb (one of twins) from the Torwen this year...

[Big Benny Shep]

We are using 2 half Dutch texel x texel, 4 pure texel and a lleyn, possibly looking for a charmoise next year tho

[Marches Farmer]

I once had a tutorial on meat quality with a master butcher who lectured in the subject and he reckoned that Portland was the sweetest lamb, followed by Southdown.

Only the second best MF!!

That's what he said.  I've never tasted :Portland so I couldn't possibly comment!

[Marches Farmer]

well  more on my ram  front  i have  spoke to a couple of breeders regarding oxford downs and going to see  some Wednesday   i know they are pedigree  but i am after the  quality and shape   they are reasonably priced as well  they are proven  shear lings  which  is a bonus at least they have proven  they  can  perform

There were some nice OD's at the Welsh NSA ram sale this year.  Very good conformation and not overfat - some of the Texels could hardly waddle into their pens and heard several instances of Texel Throat.