NSA Scotsheep 2010 –
9,000 Scottish Sheep Producers get the chance to view the ‘Dorset Effect’!

When I was elected onto the Breed Council at the 2008 AGM, I was quickly told that I was first Scottish Dorset breeder to have held this position. I firmly felt that this honour was accompanied by a responsibility to do everything I could to promote the breed ‘north of the Border’. After the hang –over from the AGM cleared I was left with the question ‘Where do I start?’

I didn’t have to wait long for some help and at my first Council meeting William Carson suggested that the Breed Association target the host farms at the various NSA events, offering them the chance to use a Dorset ram on their ewes. This would ensure that Dorset cross lambs would be available to view by thousands of sheep producers across the country. This was just the kind of idea I was looking for and volunteered to pursue the host of Scotsheep 2010.

Soon after this meeting the NSA announced Douglas and Lynda Graham of Mains of Burnbank Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling as the 2010 hosts. Mr and Mrs Graham run 1000 ewes and a herd of 100 pedigree Limousin cows on the 400-acre Mains of Burnbank and the nearby 300-acre rented farm of Munnieston. The sheep flock comprises 650 Blackface ewes, with 200 bred pure and 450 crossed with Bluefaced Leicester tups, 300 Mule ewes crossed with Suffolk and Texel tups and a pure-bred flock of 50 Bluefaced Leicster ewes owned by their sons, John (12) and James (11). All Mule ewe lambs, except those retained for breeding, and prime lambs are sold through Caledonian Marts.

A quick enquiry with Yell.com provided the telephone number I was looking for and I managed to make contact with Mr Graham. We had a long and detailed conversation about sheep in general, his flock production methods and (of course) the attributes of the Dorset Breed. After offering Mr Graham a Poll Dorset ram, very kindly donated to the Breed Association by David Rossiter’s Huish Flock, he informed me that he had received a similar offer from the Beltex Society. Knowing that I had my work cut out I directed Mr Graham to the Association website as I knew he could view the 2009 May Fair Champion from William and Karen Carson. In addition, I arranged to meet Mr Graham on the Breed Association Stand at the Royal Highland Show to discuss the matter further.

Wanting to make a good impression at our meeting and beat off the competition from the Beltex Society I carried out a fair amount of preparation. I gathered some impressive data from Signet’s breeding evaluation of the Dorset Breed and the study carried out in Wales on the comparisons between the Dorset, Texel and Lleyn as a terminal sire on the Welsh Mountain – I was able to draw direct comparisons with the Scottish Blackface. This study showed that the Texel produced a heavier lamb but the Dorset’s productivity was the deciding factor – more lambs on the ground meaning more pounds in the pocket. This evidence seemed to impress Mr Graham and he agreed to accept the ram from the Association on the proviso that he would put about 25 mule ewes to him, having commercial lambs on the ground at Scotsheep 2010.

Now came the logistics – Cornwall to Stirling is no walk in the park!

David Rossiter had decided to take sheep to the Breed Association sale at Carlisle on Friday 28th August 2009 – a successful trip as he won the reserve overall championship with a ewe lamb, which incidentally travelled further north as it was bought by me! This ensured that the chosen ram travelled from the south of England to almost the Scottish Border. The ram was then uplifted by a contact of Brenda Wear who lives close to Mr Graham’s farm.

I telephoned Mr Graham that night to ensure that the ram had arrived safely, which it had. When asked what he thought Mr Graham said “Aye, he’s a big old fellow”. With that understated seal of approval we agreed that I would contact him at ‘tupping time’.

When I did get round to contacting him he still seemed satisfied with his new arrival who had worked hard serving his mob of Scotch Mule ewes. Mr Graham also told me that he had eventually succumbed to the repeated advances of the Beltex Society and accepted a ram from them too.

This news filled me with some mixed emotion but it quickly turned into satisfaction when Mr Graham recounted his experiences of ‘tupping’ time. It transpires that the Beltex ram had been put to a mob of Scotch Mule ewe lambs as they were a bit smaller and it was felt he would cope better. This was not to be – the Beltex was still too small to tup any of the lambs and had to be taken out long before the end of one cycle! I am sure most people admit that the Beltex has pretty impressive confirmation but if they can’t work in a commercial environment then this benefit is questionable.

Our ram had no such problem and was easily able to cope with a mob of well grown ewes – demonstrating a combination of confirmation, productivity and size.

I have arranged to visit Burnbank Farm during February to see the ram and group of ewes he has ‘tupped’. During this visit I intend taking some photos which will be used in a press release for the Scottish Farmer and my next instalment for the ‘Dorset Diary’!

James Royan