At the RCH Ile de France Stud as well as the commercial side of our farm, we emphasize the Ile de France’s innate ability to deliver many multitudes at a very young age and heavy lambs ready to be weaned for market.

We farm with early maturing animals that distinguish themselves in all conditions and contributed to the popularity of the Ile de France breed over many years. The best reproducing ewes have the ability to excel in extensive as well as intensive systems as effective superlamb factories. RCH’s mission is the same as the Ile de France Society’s mission that was set up years ago: – “Super Slaughter Lamb Production, Quality Meat to the Consumer”.

In times of drought, only the best adapted animals thrive, so type and structure are very important within the stud. If feed is affordable, breeders make adjustments and shift the ceiling of animal production, by always ensuring that animals have access to optimal nutrition, which is where there is a tendency to focus primarily on the best growers. This can easily diminish the importance of efficiency. Droughts and expensive feed condemn ineffective animals, so breeders learn the hard way. This forces them to reaffirm the true fundamental principles of animal breeding and reaffirms the emphasis on the optimal type of animals within the breed that can withstand the test of time.

We will not change our breeding policy … RCH abide by our early maturing animals.

However, it has been repeatedly demonstrated, not only with sheep, but even in cattle, that true stalwarts in a breed are the medium-frame-type animals that are easier to adapt in a wide range of environmental and nutritional conditions as high-legged and late maturing animals. Nature does not tolerate extremes.

Capacity and muscling is much more important than size.