News

2nd January 2012

Breeders urged to focus on quality in preparation for 2012 breeding sales

The arrival of the New Year and with it the countdown to lambing is always a good time to reflect on how the last year has gone.

There can be few more valuable activities in the farming year than simply sitting down and taking stock of what’s worked well and what hasn’t, which tups have clicked with your ewes and which you’d be better off not using again.

And, with that in mind, it is also important that breeders cast a critical eye over the ram lambs which have been retained to make shearlings, says chief executive John Yates.

“There is no doubt that Texels enjoyed an excellent trade in 2011, but as always when commercial ewe prices were high buyers were more cautious with their ram spend. It’s a familiar pattern and one likely to repeat itself in 2012.”

So, says Mr Yates, with the prime lamb trade having been strong all year and the hogget trade likely to develop in the same vein many poorer type sheep would be better off sold as prime sheep now rather than being run on to make rams. “Commercial ram buyers have high expectations of the quality of ram Texel breeders produce and everyone must be mindful of meeting that expectation. Add into that high feed costs and the likelihood is that many breeders will lose money on their lesser quality rams.

“There is no excuse for turning out poor quality rams when the prime sheep trade is at record levels. Both deadweight and liveweight values finished 2011 20% higher than a year ago and cull ewes are £15 a head (25%) dearer than at this time last year, meaning any ewe scanning barren is better off sold than given another chance.”

It is easy to believe every ram lamb you have will make a great shearling, says Mr Yates. “But by killing the poorer types now you’ll be helping to increase the value of those you do retain as a smaller number of rams for sale will ensure buyers bid strongly for them.”