Coopworths benefiting from vigorous selection methods

Press, 2 June 1989, Page 16

Coopworths benefiting from vigorous selection methods

Poor breeding in the early stages of developing Coopworths was responsible for discrediting the breed, said a Coopworth farmer, Mr Stuart Wilson, of Hinds.

He told the annual conference of the Coopworth Sheep Society that he believed many inferior Romneys were crossed with Border Leicester rams and the progeny called Coopworths. The stigma of lightboned animals with poor constitution and inferior wool, which resulted from the poor breeding, still hung over the breed today.

A “ridiculous” situation had arisen at autumn ewe fairs where pens labelled Border-Romney received better prices than wellbred Coopworths.

“It doesn’t make sense. Sure you have hybrid vigour, but there is no guarantee as to the background of the parents,” he said.

The vigorous selection methods of Coopworth

breeders now meant the hereditary background of nearly all sheep sold was vastly superior to the Coopworth of 10 or 15 years ago. It was the hereditary background that ensured high production figures. Mr Wilson said he aimed to achieve a 150 per cent lambing and did not think it difficult if enough feed was available in the autumn.

“The Coopworth ewe nowadays has enough twinning ability in her genetic background that any reasonable stockman can expect 130 to 140 per cent lambing given the body weight at tupping is in the 60kg range.

"I also believe in the old fashioned idea of flushing ewes at mating. Good bodyweight is only part of the story. If ewes are not going forward when the rams are out, a lot of potential percentage can be lost.”

Mr Wilson thought in many circumstances Coopworths had too many

triplets. If feed was short the subsequent loss of ewe bodyweight could have an adverse effect on the next year’s lambing.

He said he had never selected ewe lamb replacements with the criteria of coming from multiple births. With a high lambing percentage — actual birth percentage being between 160 and 170 per cent — most of his ewe lambs were either twin or triplet born. He could, therefore, cull on other faults.

Many people who criticised Coopworths quoted poor fleece weights of older ewes.

“They aren’t miracle animals after all. After rearing twins or triplets every year for five or six years how can anyone expect a ewe to clip skg of wool?

“My ewes in 1987 clipped an average of 5.2 kg after dropping 160 per cent over the tailing board and spending part of the year on crop stubble, and on turnips and

kale until two weeks before starting lambing.” Other critics claimed the breed was not suitable for producing heavyweight lambs. “Having personal ex-

perience of producing WX lambs, I can say that Coopworth ram or cryptorchid lambs are quite capable of reaching the weights required for this grade,” he said.