# Crossbreed question~ icelandic x  suffolk or hampshire



## Codym907 (Dec 21, 2017)

I'm looking into getting either suffolk or hamp ewes this spring and was wondering if anyone has success breeding either of the two to an icelandic ram. How do the crossbreeds turn out for meat not so much wool?


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## mysunwolf (Dec 21, 2017)

That cross should be fine for meat, depending on the quality of all the breeds. The lambs will be a little smaller, flightier, and grow a little slower with the Icelandic sire, but will still have decent muscling and should be a great forager so may do better in a pasture-based system. The lambs will also be polled. You may get quite a bit of variety in personalities, wool, and bone structure.

Hope this helps.


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## Bossroo (Dec 21, 2017)

Codym907 said:


> I'm looking into getting either suffolk or hamp ewes this spring and was wondering if anyone has success breeding either of the two to an icelandic ram. How do the crossbreeds turn out for meat not so much wool?


I would stick with the Suffolk x Suffolk as to the most efficient and least expensive production for meat.  The Hampshire's wide front end structure is quite wide and a number of ewes have difficulty giving birth causing still born lambs. The Suffolk x Hamshire was very popular as a x-bred sire over white faced ewes as they yield a very nice carcass .  However , if the lambs favored the inherited genes for the Hampshire wide front end structure, the ewes have difficulty giving birth.  With the icelandic ram, you would be inscreasing your costs in time and labor to yield a decent amount of meat. In other words, you would be going backwards in meat production as well as being more flighty and harder to handle, so the least option.


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## Codym907 (Dec 21, 2017)

Thank you! The reason I'd be using an icelandic ram is because that's what I have at the moment and the icelandics do great in Alaska, specifically the winters. Would putting a Suffolk ram over icelandic ewes not be a good idea because of the size? I'm newish to sheep so I'm just trying to gain as much information as I can before I get more.


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## Bossroo (Dec 21, 2017)

Codym907 said:


> Thank you! The reason I'd be using an icelandic ram is because that's what I have at the moment and the icelandics do great in Alaska, specifically the winters. Would putting a Suffolk ram over icelandic ewes not be a good idea because of the size? I'm newish to sheep so I'm just trying to gain as much information as I can before I get more.


I would put a " for sale" sign on the icelandic ram , then buy a Suffolk ram x Suffolk ewes. Another good ram would be a standard Southdown or Dorset or Dorper  for the best meat  at the least cost / efficiency of production.


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## Codym907 (Dec 22, 2017)

If I were to keep my icelandic ewes (because they have really great wool) would it be okay to breed with the suffolk ram? Or do you think that they would have trouble because the suffolks are a larger breed?


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 22, 2018)

I don't see any reason not to use the Icelandic ram. I would be a little hesitant to use a Suffolk ram on Icelandic ewes though as the lambs seem to be born several pounds heavier (at least in this area and what I see online).

Contrary to what others thoughts are.. Some food for thought.. You already have the Icelandic ram so it wouldn't hurt to use him on a couple Suffolk ewes ya get. If you really want to go for bigger lambs than you see of the cross offspring you can always get a Suffolk ram for next year.
In one of the Icelandic sheep facebook groups there was a conversation about Icelandic crosses for production breeding as terminal sires. One person had a picture of a great lamb that was real big and meaty. Icelandic ram on Suffolk ewe. 140lb at 4 months old and no grain!


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## Bossroo (Jan 23, 2018)

In one of the Icelandic sheep facebook groups there was a conversation about Icelandic crosses for production breeding as terminal sires. One person had a picture of a great lamb that was real big and meaty. Icelandic ram on Suffolk ewe. 140lb at 4 months old and no grain![/QUOTE]Dollars to doughnuts that lamb is way more than twice as old as claimed.


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