WHY DUTCH SPOTTED SHEEP ?

The Parkinson family farm at Thirlby has been farmed with sheep and cattle for over 70 years through the Parkinson generations . They lamb 350-400 texel ewes . Tim Parkinson comments . “ My daughter and her partner ‘ Ash Park Dutch Spotted Pedigree sheep ’ was how we first got into the Dutch spotted breed . They started off buying six before they came to be so popular . We were all very interested to see what the lambs would turn out like if we crossed them against my texels as I feel the texel needed length adding into their carcass which the Dutch spotted had . We first crossed our texel

shearlings three years ago to a Dutch spotted ram lamb . From this we were able to see that the lambs were quick on their feet . From our first year the lambs that produced where all white , the following year black and this year they are spotted . When lambing we have found they have plenty of milk and are very good at mothering straight away .”

“ We sell all our commercial lambs at Thirsk Auction market and from their supply such as Taste Tradition and Hartshead .”

“ We like to sell our lambs at 42-48 kilos . This year my daughter lambed her commercial flock at the beginning of February and will be ready to sell August . Next year we ’ re going to lamb a little earlier and have some ready for the Easter trade as thats where the tighter skin lambs succeed which you get from the Dutch spotted breed . Last year we averaged £ 125- £ 130 with our crossbreeds .”

“ This year I have kept 50 Dutch spotted cross gimmers which are due to lamb end of end of April .”

“ When I buy a Dutch spotted ram I ’ m looking for length , good shape rump and tight skin , with all these and the shape of a texel they produce the perfect carcass .”

MAIN TRAITS

• Thrive on a grass-based system producing a quality meaty carcase

• Light boned with a large framework

• High killing out percentage , lean meat and a unique taste

• Easy lambing with lambs getting up quickly to suck

• High yielding with plentiful milk

• Good mouths and excellent hard feet

• Mature weight Females 75kg - 95kg Males 115kg - 135kg

• Easy to handle with an inquisitive nature

2021 DSSUK Sale Dates

www . dutchspottedsheep . co . uk Office 07958 540 749 office @ dutchspottedsheep . co . uk Chairman Keith Harryman 07712 655 740

22 May - H & H Carlisle , Spring Sale Pedigree Ewes and Lambs at foot 27 August - H & H Carlisle , Rams & Ewes 1 September - Welshpool Livestock Auc�on Rams & Ewes 3 September - Bea�es Livestock Auc�on , Northern Ireland from 7pm 20 September- NSA Builth Wells 6 December - Welshpool Ladies Day In-lamb ewes and empty ewe lambs 9 December - H & H Carlisle , Ladies Day In-lamb ewes and empty ewe lambs

Details and entry forms will be published and distributed to members before each sale