Birth weights would have been slightly lower on the Charmoise (which were least hardy at birth) and the Beltex, but not enough to make any difference to lambing ease. Beltex lamb average birthweight is only 3kg, IIRC. return 'article_' + dataLayer[0].category.primaryCategory; subscriptionFinishDate: '', M: 07918 638197. }); if (userHasValidSubscriberCookie()) { Health and cleanliness critical at lambing. That was our first year entering that. google_ad_height = 600; script.src = flipPayJsUrl; }; 3/4/ Beltex Ewe Lambs. } And the younger generation of sheep farmers, he says, are more interested in the Beltex. setPriceSelected(selectedPrice._id); The problem with the Beltex is the way the pelvis is tilted to allow more muscle attachment. For all Beltex Sheep Society enquiries please contact secretary: Barbara Huddleston. Its hopefully going to help us cut down on feed costs, says Mr Towers. "I do think there is a future for sheep farming in Ireland. } flipPayConfig = Object.assign(flipPayConfig, { window.dataLayer.push({ } While some producers are worried about lambing problems when using Beltex rams due to their intense muscling, Mr Brown is swift to dismiss any concerns. tab.parentNode.classList.remove('is-active'); But I like to breed a big strong Beltex. const thresholdInMilliseconds = thresholdInHours * (60 * 60 * 1000); bundleContainer.classList.toggle('-three', bundleContainer.children.length === 3); ', This year 130 ewes were lambed in February and their Beltex-sired lambs will be marketed as soon as special sales for lightweight export lambs are under way. document.getElementById('discover_more_banner').href = onboarding_article; monthly: tabPrefix + '-monthly-prices-tab-trigger', One tip worth noting is get some lux type soap flakes. localStorage.removeItem('product_click_source'); }; He was first drawn to Beltex to increase his average slaughter const bundleValue = getBundleValue(purchase, 'purchase'); bodyAvailable = true; North of England Mules, Suffolk-cross, Texel-cross, and Beltex-cross ewes make up the flock. the grading and carcass capabilities of the breed, they under estimate Not only do they meet the weight specifications, but they also have the form and gigots that are commonly lacking in young lambs intended for the lightweight market.. userID: '', const listenForTabClick = function (tabPrefix) { if (accessObject.access === true) { To date these lambs have had exceptional growth rates and well } } bundle: bundleValue, } if (badgeToUse !== '') { premium_content_redirect_url = 'https://subscribe.independent.ie/welcome/home-delivery/'; So while concentrates are usually fed to ewes for about four weeks once they are housed prior to lambing time, this year they were only given supplementary feed for two weeks. Most of his commercial flock are Rouge cross, producing good milk and very prolific; in December he sold a number of pedigree Rouge hogget ewes in lamb to a Beltex ram. brand: 'INM', badgeMap[tabPrefix + '-monthly-prices-tab-trigger'] = 'monthly'; window.dataLayer.push({ const charCode = (evt.which) ? The Romney can get fat and ewes will get on their backs if they are carrying too much wool. }; if ((_footer && _footer.getBoundingClientRect().top < 500)) { } The Office will be closed from 5pm on Wednesday, 21 December, through to 9am on Tuesday, 3 January. In moment of madness (well it seems to be now) I bought 3 pedigree beltex ewes to have as something nice to look at out the window and maybe get the odd ram out of them to put back to the mules. p_tag.appendChild(span_tag); window.dataLayer[0].article.wallVisible = 'true'; The Beltex sired commercial flock follows on lambing from the 40-ewe pedigree Texel flock in early March through to mid-April when there are only about 100 hoggs to lamb. }; It may not display this or other websites correctly. evt.which : evt.keyCode; const addShopFrontClasses = function (el) { Your email address will not be published. faq.click() The price of store cattle at the money at the moment makes no sense, compared to what beef is making," he says. setDataLayerNonMeteredFlow(event.detail.object); if (width <= 900) { wallVisible: 'true' event: '_trackEvent', if (event.detail.object.hasOwnProperty('google_showcase_requested')) { \u0026amp;quot;I\u0026#039;d be out at night, the last check would be at 12 and if there\u0026#039;s nothing doing I\u0026#039;d check back at 3am and then out again at 6, unless there is something lambing and then you\u0026#039;re out for the day.\u0026amp;quot;The manual labour is tough. adElem.style.display = 'none'; const subscribeButton = el.querySelector('.button1:not([style^="display: none"])'); if (badges.indexOf('home-delivery') > -1 && !isHomeDelivery) { const getEcommerceEventCategory = function () { let userWall = 'none'; I find farmers who use a Beltex ram once will return', Sheep farmer Hugh O'Connell with his daughter Stepahanie, 22 and grandaughter Chloe, 12 and sheepdog Bonnie at his farm in Ballivor, Co Meath. if (activeTabId === 'shop-front-annual-prices-tab-trigger') { if (window.innerWidth > 900) {
window.scrollTo(0, flipPayEl.offsetTop + (flipPayEl.clientHeight/2)); el.classList.add('-full'); She keeps me young.". } position: 0, price.placeholder_prices.map(priceToEcommerceProduct) From mid-June onwards, a percentage of the Beltex-sired lambs from the largest March-lambing flock will be sold at the lightweight export sales, weighing up to 35kg. show_pincode: false, } } } const disableRedirect = false; } } We used a Texel on our Hebrideans a few years back in horrendous weather. (function () { T: 01768 870524. According to Martin Brown, BELTEX sired lambs, which are only nine weeks old but weigh about 32kg and have large gigots, are the ideal carcass sheep for the early summer lightweight trade. My granddaughter, who got her confirmation last week, shows her own sheep. return { \u0026amp;quot;I had been using pedigree Beltex on my commercial ewes for 15 years and five years ago I decided to start breeding a few of them, bought a few pedigree Beltex and now I\u0026#039;ve 30 pedigree ewes,\u0026amp;quot; he says.\u0026amp;quot;We sell rams off the farm to local farmers and local sales and we do a lot of showing at summer shows with the Beltex and Rouge.\u0026amp;quot;I like showing, I like looking at good sheep. previouslySelectedPriceId = null; Beltex mated over commercial ewe breeds have no lambing issues because the lambs are modest and energetic. template_prices_original_price: "
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", window.dataLayer.push({ ['gallery', 'lightbox'].forEach(function (namespace) { But we dont turn any ewes and lambs out to grass. const item = JSON.parse(priceID); window.dataLayer[0].user.meteredResetDate = meteredResetDate; That\u0026#039;s four months of lambing. \u0026amp;quot;They are a meat machine. }); Beltex Meats 511 E. Harvey Milk Blvd (900 South) Salt Lake City, UT 84105. We never touch ewes feet and dont catch lambs or have any contact with them until they are docked, he says. Hes on hand for the April lambing, but its as low input in labour as it is in feed. } catch (e) { brand: 'INM', event: '_trackEvent', The prominent muscling is not visible at birth, but it begins to grow soon after. document.cookie = 'subscriptionwall_meter_stats=' + meterStatsCookieData + ';path=/;domain=' + cookieDomain + ';max-age='+oneMonthInSeconds; product.quantity = 1; successful_upgrade_redirect_url = 'https://subscribe.independent.ie/welcome/premium/'; } }); google_ad_width = 160; } else if (node.id === 'dac-order-summary') { badges.forEach(badge => { return { }; Mr Brown made his first draw for the seasons lightweight export sales in mid-May. const meterStatsCookieData = JSON.stringify({ const urlHash = getUrlHash(); const priceId = price_link.dataset.price_id; premium_content: true, eventLabel: 'load' adElem.style.opacity = '0'; Beltex x 40.5 kg live - 20.15 kg dead ( 50% r's and 50% u's!) const updateTemplateForHomeDelivery = function (el) { Texel shearings to a texel tup can have difficult lambings so we use a lleyn tup on those with good results. (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': But I like to breed a big strong Beltex. A proportion of the Beltex-sired lambs from the main March-lambing flock will start to be sold at the lightweight export sales from mid-June weighing up to 35kg. } let productImpressionRecorded = {}; } Some of the cross-bred lambs are sold off their mothers in mid-July and the rest are weaned at the end of the month. updateTemplateForHomeDelivery(node); Feeding these ewes can be tricky because you want to give them enough, but not too much that will tip them over the edge when they are so fit. return cookieData; ecommerce: { } else if (window.location.href.indexOf("#monthly") > -1) { Does anyone use Texel an manage to get easy outdoor lambing with them? They remain on the concentrate for about four weeks after lambing. subscriptionStatus: cookieData.subscriptionStatus, } (returnURL || member_redirect)) { const ecommerceTransactionEvent = { impressions: bundles.map(function (price) { }; let productClickSource = localStorage.getItem('product_click_source'); I reckon my costs a ewe are very low about 6. if (eventType === 'access_resolved' || eventType === 'access_resolved ') { At lambing time ewes are allowed to lamb in their groups in straw pens, but ewes and lambs are then moved to individual pens where they stay for 48 hours. } window.location.href = flipPayConfig.premium_content_redirect_url; if (socialNetwork === 'twitter' || socialNetwork === 'twitterVideo') { }); return -1; Part of the flock is bred pure and the rest of the ewes are run with Beltex tups. 'shopfront_monthly_header_subscribe' : 'shopfront_monthly_subscribe'; } else if (Object.keys(p.badge || {}).indexOf('premium') > -1) { "We lamb a fair number of Mule hoggs and sell them as shearlings. Carlisle. } successful_upgrade_redirect_url: successful_upgrade_redirect_url, The Charollais lambed from January 3 and are finished now. return; items_limit: accessObject.metered_paywall_items_limit, let upgradesAvailable = false; if (! wallType: window.dataLayer[0].article.wallType, successful_upgrade_redirect_url: decodeURIComponent(returnURL), }); adElem.style.visibility = 'hidden'; if (mutation.addedNodes.length) { } else { That covers the fodder beet I feed in late winter and the cost of about eight weeks of winter grazing at 65p a week a ewe. color: 'transparent', } } Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. document.getElementById(tabPrefix + '-tabs').querySelectorAll('a[toggle]').forEach(function (tab) { return 1; We can also keep hoggs fitter through winter carrying a Beltex lamb than we could if tupped with any other breed. return 'premium'; } fontSize: '16px', (vitag.Init = window.vitag.Init || []).push(function () { viAPItag.display("vi_1472596215") }),
} With the early lamb crop ready for market he is now turning his } else { for slaughter anything at 39 Kg live will produce at least a 21 updateTemplateForHomeDelivery(plan); const now = new Date(); Most commercial farmers who buy from me are looking for a Beltex ram - a long powerful sheep. These Beltex lambs weigh about 4-5kg, compared to a Suffolk-sired lamb that can weigh up to 9kg. Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing, Well one went early today.still born lamb so had to get a pet lamb an adopt on hope it ain't the sign of things to come lol, Does anyone use Texel an manage to get easy outdoor lambing with them? Beltex sheep are an indigenous sheep breed that originated in Belgium. span_tag.style.backgroundColor = ""; The prominent muscling is not visible at birth, but it begins to grow soon after. window.dataLayer[0].user.subscriptionStatus = 'gs_false'; above average kill outs. T: 01768 870524. document.head.append(leafletScript); And the breed was primarily refined into its modern form there. \u0026amp;quot;That\u0026#039;s affecting farming right across the country, the money that young people can made in other jobs. They produce tight and dense wool having white to creamy color and act as a protective coat for lambs. let meteredPaywall = 'undefined'; if (!isHomeDelivery) { if (!isShopFront) { listenForGigyaEvents(); fireAddToCartEvent(); } }); subscriptionStartDate: '0000-00-00T00:00:00Z', window.loadGTM(); meteredAccess: purchase.metered_paywall, const setSubscribeButtonColour = function (el) { item_group_code: "pfc_indo", params[pair[0]] = pair[1]; Conformation is the breed's primary strength when it comes to delivering lamb. document.getElementById('discover_more_popup').href = onboarding_article; template_summary_other_paymet_options: "
Other payment methods
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", 0 : 1; userID: cookieData.userID, user: { } } const selectTab = { if (now.getTime() > item.expiry) { eventAction: 'auth', } productImpressionRecorded[flipPayConfig.filter_prices_by_badge] = true; "But there's always money in sheep in my eyes, you'd always have a few quid. google_ad_slot = "8164490658"; return []; The price of store cattle at the money at the moment makes no sense, compared to what beef is making,\u0026amp;quot; he says. id: purchase.sku_code, Visit our Know How centre for practical farming advice. eventLabel: 'google-access-denied' var text = document.createTextNode(labelText); const domain = '.independent.ie'; !selectedPrice.badges && selectedPrice.badges !== Object(selectedPrice.badges)) { For all Beltex Sheep Society enquiries please contact secretary: We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. "It's hard to change older farmers from the Suffolk or Texels, they're used to that breed. if (subscribeButton) { document.getElementById('welcome_banner_wrapper').style.display = "block"; badgeToUse = badge; return bundle._id === id; return; const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(urlQueryString); window.IMP = window.IMP || {}; The ewes just get on with the job and I probably only have five assisted lambings, says Mr Preece, whose New Zealand Romney flock is run on 142ha on the Radnorshire-Shropshire border. snack_bar_success_message: 'Welcome! if (rect.top <= 0) { }); } else if (purchase.badge['epaper-access'] && purchase.badge['epaper-access'] == true) { window.dataLayer.push({ return 'home-delivery'; We have won the Beltex ram champion at the premier show and sale in Tullamore and last year we had the highest price ram lamb sold.". They had been born inside, but were turned out straight afterwards. if (window.GTMLoaded === true) { } else if (accessObject.access === false) { Our aim when we came into farming was to run a flock of breeding ewes on a low-cost, low-labour system that would enable me to continue with my other sheep business. In the good old days of "proper pedigree sheep" our vets/drugs bill would have been some way north of 50/ewe in the flock - I dread to think what it would be now and that is apart from the general stress and heartache that accompanied big lambs ewes that would not open etc etc. !gigyaID ? flipPayConfig.show_spinner = false; selectedPrice = getBundleById(priceIdFromUrl); } vars.user.subscriptionStartDate = subscriberCookie.subscriptionStartDate || ''; Beltex Suffolk Carcases for our freezer, superb eating. This year, Hugh already has 40 pedigree Beltex lambs on the ground and a few more Rouge and Beltex due in February. selectedPrice = getBundleById(subscribeLink.dataset['price_id']); const subscribeButton = node.querySelector('[data-price_id="'+priceId+'"]'); . evt : window.event; if (activeTabId === 'shop-front-monthly-prices-tab-trigger') { let previouslySelectedPriceId = getPriceSelected(localStorage.getItem('price.selected')) || getQueryStringValue('priceId'); My mate used to look after some and said they are a pain. } Even though they are born small they have a tremendous growth rate.". } else if (isUpgrades === true && member_redirect) { Lambing for Phil Preece and his wife Gill is simply no big deal. } and saw an immediate improvement in grades in his lamb crop. const subscriptionwallPricesSelectedExpiry = expiryTime * 3600000; name: price.name, const oneMonthInSeconds = 60 * 60 * 24 * 30; Mix with hot water to a gungy paste and push in around the head or whatever is coming out first! if (isShopFront || isUpgrades) { return { }); } } if (Object.keys(window.dataLayer[0]).indexOf('article') > -1) { Ewes and lambs are kept in pens for 48 hours and then turned into small groups of about five ewes before being doubled up to give about 12 to 15 ewes with lambs in each pen. var badgeToUse = ''; We still have some of the ewes that it produced and every year I say they are the best ewes on the farm, we should do that cross again but never do! fn(); onboarding_article = 'https://subscribe.independent.ie/welcome/' premium_content_redirect_url = decodeURIComponent(returnURL); delivery_days: price.delivery_days || [], There was no discernible difference in lambing ease between them, or in vigour at birth (all continentals tend to be good on that score IME). Compared with an outdoor lambing flock, we probably use less concentrate and particularly when we didnt start feeding until the last two weeks of pregnancy. let flipPayConfig = { }; return; } } if (isShopFront){ We\u0026#039;ve only been breeding Charollais a year or so, so haven\u0026#039;t started showing them yet.\u0026amp;quot;But Beltex is his favourite breed. Last year his first Beltex cross lambs averaged 45 each. var leafletTag = false; That was our first year entering that. return; const isRegionalShopFront = false; : [], 2 June 2000 Beltex sires beef up profitsProducing lightweight summer lambs from an extreme muscling ram and Mule ewes can be a sucessful policy, according const leafletScript = document.createElement('script'); } A portmanteau of Belgian and Texel, the name reflects the breed's origin as an offshoot of Texel sheep from The Netherlands. }); const fireCheckoutEvent = function () { The Rouge is noted for having a lot of lambs, and twins is the ideal scenario, he says. successful_upgrade_redirect_url = 'https://subscribe.independent.ie/welcome/premium-plus/'; } subscribeButton.click(); }