Sheep
Stud Sheep
All of our stud ewes are performance recorded and since their inception we have found that by selecting for certain traits in these flocks we can influence the performance of our commercial flocks.
These flocks are MV accredited and every ram we sell is inspected prior to sale by our vet.
Rams and Gimmers from the purebred flocks are sold at our annual on-farm ‘Great from Grass’ ram sale which takes place in August each year. This is without doubt one of the highlights of the farm calendar year and we look forward to welcoming customers and friends back for what has turned into an enjoyable social occasion.
Texels
Starting with just four ewes as a 21st birthday present for John this flock now numbers 150 ewes which for thirty years have been bred with a very commercial focus.
We are looking for the type of ewe that will breed a ram lamb that will grow into a shearling with shape and length whilst also breeding a ewe lamb that will develop into a ewe with appropriate maternal characteristics.
From early on in our Texel breeding program we have performance recorded our flock which is now has one of the highest average indexes in the country.
Current stock sires include:
- Glenway Gladiator
- Incheoch Fat Sam
- Fearn Expert
- Fearn Hercules
- Fearn Hannibal
- Fearn Horatio
Beltex
Our 30-ewe Beltex flock was founded to complement the Texel flock and offer our ram buyers an alternative type of tup.
Over the years the flock has been developed successfully from a small nucleus, with Cowers Lane Beryl, an influential female in the flock’s foundation and ongoing development, having bred a number of excellent female progeny which now form the backbone of the flock.
As with the other breeds the Beltex tups are sold from home and at our annual sale, having historically been sold at local markets and the main breed sale at Carlisle.
Highlights for the flock include the Carlisle sale in 2004 when six tups were sold to average £2200.
In recent years sires have been selected with the aim of adding size and power to the flock, with rams from Andrew Baillies Callacrag flock being used along with two shearlings purchased from Zoe Rennie at Kelso.
- Rennie Jock
- Rennie Jumbo
- Callacrag Hotshot
- Wannops Firecracker
- Logie Durno Jonah Iomu
- Feoch Kirky
It’s unlikely that you are going to run a Beltex ram with 100 ewes but if its shape and killing out % you’re after the Beltex ram is hard to beat.
Suffolk
Founded with 100% New Zealand genetics our Suffolk and Sufftex flocks are long and athletic, the rams they produce have an impressive work ethic and like many of the rams we produce can cover up to 100 ewes in a season.
Stock sires include two rams purchased from the Logan family at Romavale and the best homebred rams which are retained for use on the flock which now consists of 150 ewes.
Over the past two years we have lambed our Suffolk ewes outside, we have been really impressed by how they get on with it, they are quite different to conventional suffolks.
Aberfield
We are the Scottish breeding partner of Aberfields for Innovis breeding sheep, producing rams for our on-farm sale, other on farm sales and privately.
Over the past ten years we have used them extensively throughout our crossbred ewe flock and find that their genetics compliment the other breeds we farm.
They are prolific, maternal and hold their flesh well through the winter whilst producing an ideal prime lamb when crossed with one of our terminal sires.
Romney
In 2023 we took the opportunity to buy a flock of Romney ewes, we had been using rams for a couple of years as they were the next logical step for the Aberfield cross ewes, and we wanted to offer those genetics to our ram customers. To date we have used both High Country and Wairare Romney rams to enhance our flock.
Commercial Sheep
Our 2000 crossbred ewes managed commercially on a forage-based system with an extensive health plan and culling policy adhered to throughout.
These ewes produce high quality replacement females for ourselves and others at our annual sale and prime lambs for Morrisons supermarkets and Macbeths Butchers in Forres.
