Charollais sheep breeders enjoy open night

THE recent Charollais Sheep Open Evening

hosted by Newtown-ards breeders David and Liz Mawhinney, with Harold and Rebecca McBratney, saw Charollais breeders treated to a super

selection of sheep, stock

judging, trimming demonst-ration and lovely food supplied by local gourmet caterers.

Chairperson Sheila Malcom-son welcomed everyone to

the event and thanked the

hosts for putting their pre-mises and their sheep at the club’s disposal.

She also thanked Strabane Mills for its sponsorship of the stockjudging competition and William McAllister for acting as judge.

Derek Fenton, from Rashark-in, very ably demonstrated the art of trimming sheep and offered advice to those who were keen to learn.

Stock judging results:

Seniors – 1st Liz Watson; 2nd Norman McMordie, Tommy Fenton and Ian Goudy.

Junior Section – 1st Robert McLaron; 2nd Luke McLaron.

Breeders will be putting all their skills to the test as they get ready for their Premier Sale, which takes place in Dungannon Market on Monday, July 25. Show 9.30am, sale noon. Some 165 head, 15 shearlings and senior rams, 132 ram lambs and 18 ewe lambs will be on offer for sale. Judge for the event is Charles Sercombe, National Chairman of Charollais Sheep.

Northern Ireland breeders are renowned for the high standard of their sheep and

this year will be no exception.

This sale is a prime opportunity not only for pedigree breeders to purchase new bloodlines but also the commercial farmer who will be able to choose from the cream of the flocks.

Purchasing a high quality ram is an important part of sheep breeding and is every bit as important to the commercial farmer as the pedigree breeder.

In the current uncertain climate, with costs rising, farmers need to look at how to be more efficient and one of the most effective ways is to produce lambs with good liveweight gain that will be ready for market in as short a period as possible.

Using a Charollais ram has the potential to achieve this. One of the principal features which commercial farms rate about using Charollais is their growth rate with comments including:

“You really had to be on the ball weighing the lambs or they could be overweight.”

“Easy lambing and fast growth rate are the qualities which set the Charollais apart.”

“Great grass to meat ratio and reach finished weights quickly.”

“You need to buy a good one, it might seem dear at the time but pays in the long run. A Charollais ram should have plenty of shape and length and a tight fleece.”