My name is Yvonne Brady, I am from Tulsk, Co. Roscommon We carry out two enterprises at home both suckler cows: Comparison of Hybrid Dissertation, DCU, Ireland

My name is Yvonne Brady, I am from Tulsk, Co. Roscommon. We carry out two enterprises at home both suckler cows, calf to beef and we farm sheep and keep a pedigree Texel flock within the flock. I started off this flock when I was 16 by buying 5 pedigree Texel sheep and have expanded since. I also work in agricultural advisory full-time, but I have taken a career break till January as my studies have taken my main concern. While working in advisory you have many different farmers both young and old coming through the doors every day since I have started there two years ago.

While working in the advisory you would have farmers coming in asking what types of sheep they should buy and what breeds are better than the next. This god me thinking why id picks one breed over the other or would hybrid or purebred be better. My understanding is it depends on land type, location, time, money, and knowledge. On another note, many farmers might prefer an animal look e.g. the large muscle backs of spotted Dutch sheep or the large ears of border leister sheep. Yet again farmers might like both sheep crossed and have a mixture of both traits they like.

“Crossbreeding provides new combinations of ewe and ram traits from different breeds to meet special needs and may increase overall productivity. The generation of hybrid vigor or heterosis in tire’ initial cross when two or more breeds are crossed is a bonus.” Mitchell, Jane (2000). Problem Statement: The reason why I am exploring this topic is that many people men and women who may not be farmers there is enough evidence to show my people pick hybrid or purebred or visa versa.

Many people who have never farmed before having inherited farms do not understand any concept of sheep farming and do not know what type of sheep to farm. The common black face sheep are associated with the mountains which are not typically accurate because if you cross them with blue leister, they create a lovely speckled mule sheep which are known for good mothering ability and good breeders. Blackface purebred sheep also make good lowland sheep for boggy pastures as it does not take much to fatten them.