Second-hand ewes for meat

This story showed that a farmer could make good money with slaughter lambs, provided they had the right stock and followed the correct breeding programme.

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Crossbreeding for slaughter-lamb production has many advantages, not least of which is the fact that a farmer can work with relatively inexpensive ewes, and can still get the full benefits of hybrid vigour.

This is the view of Flip Snyman, of Frischgewaagd Farm at Bethal, Free State, who buys commercial Merino ewes due to be culled because their wool production is beginning to decline as a result of their age.

These are used once only, when they are mated to stud Ile de France rams. When their offspring are weaned, both ewe and lambs are put into a feedlot for rounding off and are marketed together after being sheared.

BEST COMBINATION

Snyman decided on this combination because the Ile de France is a fast-growing, early maturing breed which produces excellent crossbred lambs, while the Merino ewe is able to contribute good wool to her offspring. She is also a fairly small animal so more ewes can be kept on a given piece of land, resulting in more lambs.