We have now added an interactive Google map listing all our registered Oxford Down Breeders.
They are listed by Flock and breeder name and show accurate locations.
Contact details of breeders are available by emailing registrations@oxforddownsheep.org.uk
Following the success of the first Oxford ram to take part in the RamCompare scheme last year, a second Oxford Down has been added to the trial this year.
In autumn 2020 an Oxford Down ram, Weeton White Walker from Ruth Steele’s Weeton flock in East Yorkshire became the first Oxford ram to join RamCompare, which is the national on-farm progeny testing scheme organised by Signet. The ram ran with 80 Lleyn ewes on Duncan Nelless’s Thistleyhaugh Farm at Longhorsley, Morpeth, Northumberland. This organic unit supports a flock of 2000 Lleyn ewes.
Now in 2021 a second Oxford Down ram has entered the trial, Lydiard 000111 bred by Lindsay Rumming in her Lydiard flock in Wiltshire. This ram is again being used on 80 Lleyn ewes, these being part of a 1400-strong Lleyn ewe flock run by Ian Robertson at Chawton Park, Alton, Hampshire.
The Weeton ram performed well on the test and it is hoped that the Lydiard ram will further enhance the breed’s results on trial. Getting Oxford rams into the RamCompare test is a major milestone for the breed and is very important in ensuring the breed continues to develop as a terminal sire. Through their participation in the Signet performance recording scheme and RamCompare, the Weeton and Lydiard flocks have taken a significant step for the whole breed in its commercial future.
There are now seven Oxford Down flocks being performance recorded by Signet.
Updated: Nov 16
Oxford store lambs have been making a good trade through the ring at auction marts this autumn. In early September at Craig Wilson Ltd's second store lamb sale of the season at Ayr market, a pen of Oxford lambs from Mrs Pat Bell of Knowes House, Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire made £98, the second top price of the sale, which had an entry of 1485 lambs. In mid September at Leek mart's second sale of store lambs in Staffordshire, Oxford cross lambs sold to £83.50 twice, first from from R M Phillips & Sons of Ladmanlow and then from R Salt of Waterhouses. This sale had Oxford cross lambs off the Peak District from six different consignors. At the next store sale at Leek in early October pens of Oxford cross lambs again from R M Phillips & Sons sold to £88.50 and £84.
