Why Choose Charollais
2017 lambing percentages
Quads, Triplets, Doubles
168 Sets of Triplets -
120 naturally reared them to
weaning age.
800 Sets of Doubles -
All successfully reared to
weaning age.


Why Choose Charollais Sheep
HISTORY
The breed was first imported from
OUTSTANDING QUALITIES
Active and fertile rams – Charollais rams are renowned for being hard-working. They reach sexually maturity from 7 months of age and will work for most of the year. They certainly are keen and ready for work for early lambing flocks. Most Charollais rams will work for 6 or 7 seasons and many have been known to live for 10 years or more. Farms and research projects have found that Charollais rams sire more lambs than other terminal sires working at the same time.
Easy lambing – Charollais rams will without question give shepherds (and ewes) easier lambing. The skeletal structure of the breed; without heavy bone, broad shoulders or big heads makes lambing a joy. First time users of the breed cannot believe how easy birth is with the breed.
Robust vigorous lambs - Lambs are straight up on their feet, bleating and ready to suckle. The trouble-free birth ensures they are not stressed and the nature of the breed means they ‘get up and go’.
Fast growth – growth rates for Charollais cross lambs are excellent. Their length, wide loin and good hind quarter confirmation mean heavy, well-fleshed lambs. Single lambs can achieve weights of 40kg in just 8 weeks .
Prolificacy – The breed has very strong maternal traits. Mature ewes lambing in December will average 180%; this will rise to 210 – 220% in February. Eight out of ten ewe lambs will take the ram from 7 months of age and will lamb at 130% +. The ewes have an extended breeding season.
BREED IMPROVEMENT
The Charollais breed is managed by one of the most progressive thinking Societies in the
The Society, together with Charollais Sires the breed’s performance recorded group, is involved in many trials :-
- The use of Charollais rams on indexed Mule ewes
- Comparison of high – v – low index rams
- The development of computer tomography to improve the selection of rams
- The improvement of selection indices for recorded Charollais rams
- Investigation into quantitative trait loci in sheep
- Resistance for scrapie
- Use of Charollais rams on hill ewes to improve carcass quality
The Society organises a variety of events to promote the use of Charollais to commercial farmers. It also runs a programme of conferences, meeting and training days to help our breeders keep abridge of new developments in the prime lamb industry.
Growth Rates
Average Birth Weight | Av. Weight Gain 0 - 56 days | |
RAM LAMBS | ||
Single | 5.0 kg | 500 g / day |
Twin | 4.5 kg | 420 g / day |
EWE LAMBS | ||
Single | 4.7 kg | 395 g / day |
Twin | 4.0 kg | 380 g / day |
MULTIPLES | 3.5 kg | 330 g / day |
Mature Bodyweight
- Rams 100 - 150 kg
- Ewes 80-100 kgs