A new feature to the website will be a look at members’ Rouge flocks. We will start with our Chairman Pat Imlah. If you would like to feature in the future please contact us at secretary@rouge-society.co.uk
The Bennachie Flock. Flock code AGA
A couple of gimmers out with Flo. He was purchased as a lamb from Belgium, he only had a couple last year and they have promised great things for 2015
Back in 1987 Roger and I went to a local farm Knock to purchase some pedigree Blue Du Maines. Whilst there we saw Rouge De L’Ouest and so we ended buying three Blues and one Rouge in lamb. The Blues only lasted a few years but 28 years on and the Rouges are still here. We sold our first ram lamb September 1988.
Roger and I always tried to concentrate on good skins and carcass. We were fortunate in that as the breeders were reducing up in the North East we could buy the best ewe from each flock. We then went down the route of being EAE accredited as well as Scrapie Monitored. This move was so we could sell recips to local Texel and Beltex breeders that were flushing. But we could no longer buy in new Rouge females. This meant we concentrated on the purchase of rams. The most influential ones in the past were Belnies Nannu Nannu, Bennachie All Star, Magherabeg Collin, Kingholm Trendsetter, Ruval Franko and Broadwood Jason. The best ewe bloodlines were Knock, Muiresk, Broadwood, Gardrum and Straiton.
Biggest Gamble taken was buying new rams from a photograph from Belgium.
Biggest successes have been Champion at the Highland Show, Champion at Carlisle sale twice and buying new rams from Belgium.