[hastyreply]

I've got a probably weird question. I have hair sheep. A Royal White is a breed from two different Hair sheep breeds. Dorper rams and St. Croix ewes. Would you get the same results using Dorper ewes and St. Croix rams?

I believe the original cross was dorper ram on large frame St Croix ewes. After that they culled the characteristics they didn't want they would cross back in the ones they did. This goes on for many generations until there is a uniformity in the lamb crop. So it's not just a simple cross. You can't cross dorper ram on St Croix ewes and call them Royal white. The main reason they used St Croix ewes is they wanted the mothering ability of the St Croix. They are tougher moms with very little lambing problems.

I have St Croix/Dorper crosses. There is probably some Royal White back there. This year I bought a St Croix ram to cross on them to get more St Croix back in them. I'll see what I get and how I like it. I am trying to breed some ewes from this cross. I like the badger faces that pop up in the St Croix even though they have tried to eradicate it for years. This is a grandmother and granddaughter. The one in between all white but she's produced color. I don't have enough ewes to cull ruthlessly yet. I may loose color as well with the St Croix ram but time will tell.

 

[bergere]

The original post was dug up from 2007, so some of the folks that posted years ago, might not be around to answer.