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Poll Dorset Rams

  • 14-10-2020 1:42am
    #1
    OneMan37
    Registered Users Posts: 223 ✭✭


    Poll Dorset rams are the most commonly used sire for the production of prime lambs in Australia. They have very high growth rates that enable lambs to reach targeted market weights quickly.

    Why have they not caught on in the UK or Ireland as terminal Sires ?


Comments

  • #2
    Jd310
    Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭Jd310


    Find them with very soft feet and get too fat for the factory before their weight and dont die out that well.
    Great mothers and bags of milk but.


  • #3
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    I had one for a few years. Nice quiet lambs, easily lambed. Good mothers and can breed out of season. Feet are poor so a regular trim needed. Conformation is just OK with them. The horned are supposed to be better sheep all round but the horns put me off, tbh.


  • #4
    Green farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,005 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    Seen some rams in the mart in roscrea a few times. Looked like fair big sheep.


  • #5
    Westernrock
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭Westernrock


    Jd310 wrote: »
    Find them with very soft feet and get too fat for the factory before their weight and dont die out that well.
    Great mothers and bags of milk but.

    +1 on that just found them too soft overall, tried both poll and horned but found them soft in general and too fond of dying!


  • #6
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭razor8


    OneMan37 wrote: »
    Poll Dorset rams are the most commonly used sire for the production of prime lambs in Australia. They have very high growth rates that enable lambs to reach targeted market weights quickly.

    Why have they not caught on in the UK or Ireland as terminal Sires ?

    They kill at much lighter weights over there. 17/18kg dead weight would be norm


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  • #7
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    Westernrock wrote: »
    +1 on that just found them too soft overall, tried both poll and horned but found them soft in general and too fond of dying!

    I bought a Charolais and a poll Dorset at the same time, both ram lambs for the ewes.

    I got sickened going around the field every day picking up the Charolais but the Dorsets were fine. The Charolais didn't seem to like much hardship in terms of rain and we get lots of that in spring here. They probably needed to be kept inside for a week or two longer but the Dorsets seemed well able for the weather.

    Lad I sold him to got on great with him so different strokes, I suppose.


  • #8
    Young95
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 561 ✭✭✭Young95


    I think there a great sheep .. draft them at a lighter weight as they’ll have the fat cover for it . Don’t find much problems with there feet . Might get the odd one that there feet grow outwards but In most cases they just need a trim and arnt exactly lame . So they stay thriving .


  • #9
    Westernrock
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭Westernrock


    Buford T. Justice XIX wrote: »
    I bought a Charolais and a poll Dorset at the same time, both ram lambs for the ewes.

    I got sickened going around the field every day picking up the Charolais but the Dorsets were fine. The Charolais didn't seem to like much hardship in terms of rain and we get lots of that in spring here. They probably needed to be kept inside for a week or two longer but the Dorsets seemed well able for the weather.

    Lad I sold him to got on great with him so different strokes, I suppose.

    Doctors differ and patients die I guess!
    I would have the charollais over them any day, found the charollais livelier and quicker to suck, I would always go for a charollais with a bit of head cover though.


  • #10
    White Clover
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,680 ✭✭✭White Clover


    Westernrock wrote: »
    Doctors differ and patients die I guess!
    I would have the charollais over them any day, found the charollais livelier and quicker to suck, I would always go for a charollais with a bit of head cover though.

    Agree on the Charollais. I notice the whiter the face the more head cover they have. I don't like the brown/pink faces for that reason.


  • #11
    Baseball72
    Registered Users Posts: 208 ✭✭Baseball72


    When I saw this thread, I thought it should be in the EFL/Football league thread!

    I'm sure Derby County have lots of fans, well some fans, in Dorset....I'll sign off now..................


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  • #12
    Green farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,005 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    White Clover wrote: »
    Agree on the Charollais. I notice the whiter the face the more head cover they have. I don't like the brown/pink faces for that reason.

    Some suspect the charly with the bit of white cover has abit of texel in there somewhere. They But that's only speculation........ personally I like that type, as I found them slightly more docile as rams to work with, but may not leave behind as muscled offspring. (had both types of charolais rams here this year)


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