FINNSHEEP QUOTES

Farmer quotes on finnsheep from around the world...

“The Finns ...have a great future as part of Australia’s expanding lamb export and domestic, markets, and as a tool for lifting farm profits due to more lambs with less fat.” S. McIntyre, Dunkeld, Vic,Aust.

“A small infusion of Finn blood can make a big difference. A quarter Finn ewe will lamb 25% higher than the base breed without altering the base breed’s traits...This year’s lambing percentages from the halfbred two-tooth ewes... will be close to 180%.” D. Wheeler, Canterbury,NZ.

“There is compelling farmer evidence...that one-quarter Finn blood will almost totally eliminate bearing problems...the Finn-Texel influence should also improve hogget fecundity...This year we mated our top 250 hoggets and got 200 in-lamb which is our best result yet.” B. McCorkindale, Manuka Gorge, NZ.

“Hogget lambing of 100% or better can add at least $70/ha economic surplus to a farmer.” D. Daniell, Masterton, NZ.

Inclusion of Finn two-tooths...has lifted July scanned lambing percentages 20%..(they) recorded 172% lambing, 20% up on last year.” P. Boddie, Te Kuiti, NZ..

“(I) am making the most out of rising lamb prices by using Finns to boost ...lambing percentages from 100% to 140%.” G. Wyllie, Golden Bay, NZ.

Mature finncross ewes...produced 180% of lambs while a draft of Finn-Romney ewes lambed down at Portland... has produced 140%.” T. Knight, Hamilton, Vic, Aust.

“a first-cross (Finn- Merino) ...give a lambing percentage of 180%, while a Finn-Leicester-merino cross...lift(s) lambing percentages by 30%. I. Ross, Balmoral, Vic, Aust.

“The Merino-Finn ewes produced 148% of marked prime lambs and 24.5 micron wool.” J. Hosken, St Arnaud, Vic, Aust.

“Lambing percentages ranged from...87% for the half Romney half Finn hoggets...through 169% for the two year old ewes with the same genetics to 194% for the three and four year olds.” A. Ramsden, Kumeroa, NZ.

(I have) “ achieved 218% lambing, including hogget lambs from... half-bred Finn(s) and the lambs are still averaging 270g/day from birth to sale.” I. Stewart, Colyton, NZ.

“Finns assure us of the ability to mate all hoggets at 100% plus.” T. Low, Hawkes Bay, NZ.

"East Friesian/Finn/Merino maiden ewes...were joined over four weeks, scanned 175%..." T. Dupleix, Western Plains Prime Lamb Group, Vic, Aust.

"My Finn-Rambouillet ewes normally lamb 210% every eight months. We use Suffolk-Hampshire rams because the lambs are not too big at birth when you have multiples. We sell the lambs at 110-115 lb at about 120 days for about $US100. We have had Finn genetics for over thirty years. Our Finn ram Glen Avon 159, sold to the UNSW was the best ram we have ever bred. Finns are less susceptible to coccidiosis and other infectious diseases. Finn-Dorsets are a good cross for out of season breeding." Prof. J. Judy, Germantown, Iowa, USA.

"We achieved nearly 100% for our maiden Finn-Merinos and 140% for maiden Finn-Dorsets. These sheep are definitely the way to go. The lambs were the best we've ever seen." D & J. Ramage, Violet Town, Vic, Aust.

We have several hundred Finn-Merinos from which we usually sell 210% from the spring lambing. We use Dorset rams and get just as good a price per lamb as we used to get for the 120% from our first-cross ewes. In good seasons our ewes lamb twice per twelve months and give in excess of 100% in their autumn lambing."M. James, Tas, Aust.

"We sell several hundred Finn-Merino wethers each year to the works. Grown out on stubbles they reach huge weights with no fat penalty and we usually achieve the highest lamb prices with them. We sell the ewe portion to prime lamb producers." T. Stephens, Pyramid Hill, Vic, Aust.

"We had a paddock of several hundred Finn-Merinos lambing in stubble. We sold 168% off them and achieved the top market price." L. Borden, St Arnaud, Vic, Aust.