Commercial Flock.

THE COMMERCIAL SHEEP FLOCK.                     [home]

    The commercial sheep flock at Lower Rye Farm is predominantly made up of home-bred Texel x Cambridge ewes. A nucleus flock of Cambridge and prolific Cambridge x ewes are crossed with high index Texel rams from that breeds' Sire Reference Scheme, selected for growth rate and muscling traits, and the progeny kept for replacements to be crossed with our own high index Charollais rams. A small number of strong Suffolk x and Texel x ewes are bred to a Cambridge ram each year to supply replacements for the nucleus flock. All ewes suitable for breeding replacements are marked at lambing time, they must have good feet, achieve at least 200% lambing, exhibit strong maternal behaviour, have plenty of milk with small teats and be of good carcass confirmation. Through following this rigorous selection procedure for several years we now have a self contained flock from which we sell 200% lambs, all of which are sold finished. We top the local markets on almost every occasion with prime lambs. In addition, we have a practically nil replacement cost with our cull ewes fetching top prices in the market and coming to more than the cost of our home bred replacements.

Texel x Cambridge ewe with Charollais lambs.

    Selection for good feet and severe culling for soft, overgrown feet in both Charollais and commercial flocks over several years has eradicated the need for routine foot paring and drastically reduced the number of lame sheep needing treatment.       

    We cross our commercial flock with the best confirmation, high index Charollais ram lambs from the pedigree flock each year, which are then isolated for the required 6 months before testing for MV prior to re-entry into the pedigree flock. These rams  are almost always the first shearlings to be sold off the farm the following year. Following this system we reap the benefits of the Sire Reference Schemes in both maternal and sire lines. We are totally convinced as to the benefit of this genetic input which we have seen in ever improving fleshing of the loin and gigot and increased weights at similar levels of finish and on an all forage diet. We are also seeing lambs grow faster to finishing weights. This was even more apparent in an intensive January lambing flock we used to run - lambs were creep fed from weaning at 6 weeks and were all sold finished at 40-42 kgs by 12 weeks of age. 

   In May 2000, the commercial sheep at Lower Rye Farm were awarded the Champion flock in the Moreton-in-Marsh and District Show' annual flock competition on the first time of entering. We also came second in the 'Best Kept Commercial Rams' class - to one of our largest ram customers!

   In June 2000, we entered commercial lambs in the cross-bred classes of the 3 Counties Show prime lamb competition, again for the first time. The classes are judged at 3 local Wednesday marts with one lamb being balloted for slaughter overnight and entry into the carcass competition the following day at the show. The Lower Rye flock came 3rd in the Andoversford heat with the first three places all going to Charollais sired lambs. Again the winners of the class use High Index Charollais rams sourced entirely from the LOWERYE flock!

   In September 2000, we entered cross-bred lambs in the butchers lamb classes at Moreton-in-Marsh Show and were awarded 3rd place behind behind two pens of pure Beltex. On the first time of entering, I hadn't realised the level of preparation and presentation I was up against and our lambs were straight from the field (several farmer spectators declared our Charollais X lambs as the best carcass lambs so the desired effect was achieved!). The judge however, is always right on the day and the 1st prize pen of 'belties' did look very well. The points awarded for this competition, along with points for the commercial ewes and rams, meant that I was awarded the Champion Shepherd in the Moreton-in-Marsh Show District for 2000 (and some very welcome cash!!!).

    In 2001 no flock competitions were held due to the UK Foot and Mouth outbreak.

    In May 2002, we again entered the sheep flock competitions in Moreton-in-Marsh Show. We were extremely pleased to have a "clean sweep" of prizes, winning the Champion Flock (with 98% marks), Champion Commercial Rams (with 95% marks) and the Champion Shepherd.

    We have again won the Champion Flock in the Moreton-in-Marsh Show District in 2003 and were again only beaten in the commercial rams by one of our customers!

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