Which breed of Cheviot ??

OneMan37

Going to purchase some PB Cheviot ewes this year, which type would people recommend for a low land farm selling fat lambs in June. the Lairg type or the Wicklow Cheviot. I will run them on marginal ground once weaned.

ganmo

To get into pedigree breeding? Or what's your aim?

Jimbo789

I’m setting up a flock from scratch and had originally being thinking of buying Lanark or other breed of pure breed blackface horned ewe to breed mules which would end up being the main breed of the flock, but also breeding some replacement blackfaces so I could keep it as a closed flock.

I was then considering using Lairg type North Country cheviots instead of the blackfaces.

Cheviot mules are starting to become much more popular in UK. Traditionally the cheviots were crossed with a Border Leicester ram to give the Cheviot half bred but now using Bluefaced Leicester ram is more popular.

The only problem is getting Lairg type North Country Cheviots in Ireland. There some Park types but I haven’t seen any Lairg type for sale anywhere. Scotland seems to be the only place where there is any of good quality.

OneMan37

ganmo wrote: »

To get into pedigree breeding? Or what's your aim?

No, just, want Cheviot's (any kind)to cross with a more prolific breed like the belclare and keep the ewe lambs out of them for breeding. I'm considering the Lairg hill type or the Wicklow Cheviot as I can source both quite easily.

OneMan37

Jimbo789 wrote: »

I’m setting up a flock from scratch and had originally being thinking of buying Lanark or other breed of pure breed blackface horned ewe to breed mules which would end up being the main breed of the flock, but also breeding some replacement blackfaces so I could keep it as a closed flock.

I was then considering using Lairg type North Country cheviots instead of the blackfaces.

Cheviot mules are starting to become much more popular in UK. Traditionally the cheviots were crossed with a Border Leicester ram to give the Cheviot half bred but now using Bluefaced Leicester ram is more popular.

The only problem is getting Lairg type North Country Cheviots in Ireland. There some Park types but I haven’t seen any Lairg type for sale anywhere. Scotland seems to be the only place where there is any of good quality.

Why would you choose the Lairg type ahead of other cheviot types ?
There are 3 Lairg breeders in Ireland and all of them are in Donegal, I have sourced a Ram from one of the breeders in the past, if you wish to contact him, pm me and I can send on his details.

Jimbo789

OneMan37 wrote: »

Why would you choose the Lairg type ahead of other cheviot types ?
There are 3 Lairg breeders in Ireland and all of them are in Donegal, I have sourced a Ram from one of the breeders in the past, if you wish to contact him, pm me and I can send on his details.

Lairg type North Country Cheviots are smaller, eat less and hardier than Wicklow cheviots.

I'd say it wouldn’t be as easy to get a decent number of ewes as getting a ram.

stantheman1979

Why bother with cheviot’s!!! There’s more enjoyable ways to lose money!! Why have you dismissed the Lanark and chosen cheviot’s??? The Lanark’s would be easier managed, lamb themselves, have a better scan rate, better lambs, ram lambs easier to fatten. I wouldn’t take a Cheviot if I was paid, the worst sheep in the country

ganmo

Ah at least cheviots have a bit of size to them

stantheman1979

A bit of size to them!! That’s very true!! How many lambs will you get outta them??? I bought Cheviot ram lambs in blessington few years ago. They got taller instead of fatter. Such torture. They ended up costing me money. You obviously haven’t seen many Lanark sheep because they have lovely bodies on them!!

Jimbo789

stantheman1979 wrote: »

Why bother with cheviot’s!!! There’s more enjoyable ways to lose money!! Why have you dismissed the Lanark and chosen cheviot’s??? The Lanark’s would be easier managed, lamb themselves, have a better scan rate, better lambs, ram lambs easier to fatten. I wouldn’t take a Cheviot if I was paid, the worst sheep in the country

I wouldn’t buy Wicklow Cheviots. North Country Cheviots are completely different breed of sheep.

OneMan37

stantheman1979 wrote: »

Why bother with cheviot’s!!! There’s more enjoyable ways to lose money!! Why have you dismissed the Lanark and chosen cheviot’s??? The Lanark’s would be easier managed, lamb themselves, have a better scan rate, better lambs, ram lambs easier to fatten. I wouldn’t take a Cheviot if I was paid, the worst sheep in the country

Lanark Sheep are hard to fatten, my friend has them and I'm not keen at all also them are wild as the wind and my fields aren't all fenced perfectly. However the mule interests me or the cheviot crossed with a Belclare or Suffolk. My plan is to purchase NCC and cross them with a Belclare for higher lambing rate's and potentially run them on the hill. I may also keep Cheviot's crossed with my Suffolk ram. Are the Mule as easy lambed as the Lanark ?

serfspup

there are horses for courses.and there are huge variations within breeds.
cheviots can test fences so have your external fences 100% they love eating briars and ivy and will chew though a hedge like nothing else.
ram lambs can b hard finished so wether them..simple..and they can reach top weights.(i keep a couple each year for mutton and its very tasty without being over fat)
criss crossing wicklow/lairg/park works well here and far from being the worst sheep ever will be sticking with them.
suffolkXcheviots are great sheep but the suffolk is offsetting the wicklow faults.so if using belclare i think lairg type might be better.

it may not be politicaly correct to say but there is the possibility that your land and system can't support a lot of twins

OneMan37

serfspup wrote: »

there are horses for courses.and there are huge variations within breeds.
cheviots can test fences so have your external fences 100% they love eating briars and ivy and will chew though a hedge like nothing else.
ram lambs can b hard finished so wether them..simple..and they can reach top weights.(i keep a couple each year for mutton and its very tasty without being over fat)
criss crossing wicklow/lairg/park works well here and far from being the worst sheep ever will be sticking with them.
suffolkXcheviots are great sheep but the suffolk is offsetting the wicklow faults.so if using belclare i think lairg type might be better.

it may not be politicaly correct to say but there is the possibility that your land and system can't support a lot of twins

Thanks good advice, much appreciated as I'm not an experienced farmer. Used to help my dad, but I often just done what he told me to do, without taking it all in.
I like the Lairg Cheviot and intend in going with them and cross them and retain the ewe lambs from the crosses, I also have 50 cross Belclare ewes as well as the Cheviots. I may not run cheviot's on the hill as I have 40 acres of lowland grazing, but may move singles up to a fenced in commanage if grass becomes scarce as I increase numbers.

One question. Why Make wethers out of ram rams ? Does it increase the rate of growth ?

razor8

serfspup wrote: »

there are horses for courses.and there are huge variations within breeds.
cheviots can test fences so have your external fences 100% they love eating briars and ivy and will chew though a hedge like nothing else.
ram lambs can b hard finished so wether them..simple..and they can reach top weights.(i keep a couple each year for mutton and its very tasty without being over fat)
criss crossing wicklow/lairg/park works well here and far from being the worst sheep ever will be sticking with them.
suffolkXcheviots are great sheep but the suffolk is offsetting the wicklow faults.so if using belclare i think lairg type might be better.

it may not be politicaly correct to say but there is the possibility that your land and system can't support a lot of twins

Don’t see many cheviots around apart from the Wicklows. Were in the country are the lairg or park types and how prolific are they?

OneMan37

There are lairg breeders in Donegal. I believe there are 3 in total in Donegal. I have a few Lairg type and are mostly coming with doubles with none barren. however I don't have large enough numbers to say they are prolific. I could source some PB Lairg ewe lambs for you including my own if interested.

serfspup

OneMan37 wrote: »

Thanks good advice, much appreciated as I'm not an experienced farmer. Used to help my dad, but I often just done what he told me to do, without taking it all in.
I like the Lairg Cheviot and intend in going with them and cross them and retain the ewe lambs from the crosses, I also have 50 cross Belclare ewes as well as the Cheviots. I may not run cheviot's on the hill as I have 40 acres of lowland grazing, but may move singles up to a fenced in commanage if grass becomes scarce as I increase numbers.

One question. Why Make wethers out of ram rams ? Does it increase the rate of growth ?

they will be easier finished,

if you have a good ram lamb (from a good ewe) you can leave him entire for breeding but anything else off with them

OneMan37

serfspup wrote: »

[/B]
they will be easier finished,

if you have a good ram lamb (from a good ewe) you can leave him entire for breeding but anything else off with them

Thanks,,,, So really Squeze your ram lambs to finish better ? I will bear this in mind,,,No Wonder my dad done this.

OneMan37

serfspup wrote: »

[/B]
they will be easier finished,

if you have a good ram lamb (from a good ewe) you can leave him entire for breeding but anything else off with them

I looked on lots of sites and the teagasc site apparently a study was done and the findings were that uncastrated lambs made better weight and were less fatty so reached target weight earlier using less feed and no difference was noted in the taste so i think its just a matter of preference.but thanks for the advice.

IH784man

OneMan37 wrote: »

I looked on lots of sites and the teagasc site apparently a study was done and the findings were that uncastrated lambs made better weight and were less fattyso reached target weight earlier using less feed and no difference was noted in the taste so i think its just a matter of preference.but thanks for the advice.

You need a bit of fat when finishing to get paid more for them

serfspup

sometimes when you read through the research fully you would be surprised as what passes as a study.

cheviot ram lambs will finish to higher weights and will be leaner but you would want to be sowing rape to do it or horseing meal into them.

rings on first week and less hastle with them .