Mayo mules

farmers101

Just wondering what people think of mayo mules? Ewes and hoggets? The good & bad stories? What are they making as hoggets and 1st crops?

jomoloney

nothing bad really, they can be a bit wild at first , but they usually calm down and settle very well

good points, make good mothers. always keep their lambs near and to gether even when they are a couple of months old
good milkers, no feet problems, very healthy and hardy, easily maintained.
usually wean about 1.8 lambs per ewe

I will be going to Ballinrobe again this year, have bought off the same seller for the last few years now

farmers101

What sort of money does the hoggets make in ballinarobe?

airneal

140-160 euro for good quality hoggs.

farmers101 wrote: »

What sort of money does the hoggets make in ballinarobe?

farmers101

Would ya get many lambs from the hoggets the 1st year? What the best ram to cross them with?

airneal

Ya, I had an average of 1.8 lamb/ ewe each and every year. I would cross with either the Texel or Suffolk depending on the size of the mules. Sometimes with the Mayo Mule, Suffolk cross lambs take a lot of feeding and in the process get very dirty with scour. I prefer the Scotch Mule myself, but the Mayo Mule is a good hardy ewe. I would go with the Texel ram!! You'll have nice clean, thrifty lambs.

What type of ground do you have?

farmers101

airneal wrote: »

Ya, I had an average of 1.8 lamb/ ewe each and every year. I would cross with either the Texel or Suffolk depending on the size of the mules. Sometimes with the Mayo Mule, Suffolk cross lambs take a lot of feeding and in the process get very dirty with scour. I prefer the Scotch Mule myself, but the Mayo Mule is a good hardy ewe. I would go with the Texel ram!! You'll have nice clean, thrifty lambs.

What type of ground do you have?

I would have heavy land.. have ch rams... would ch be a good cross with them, was thinking about buying 15-20 mule hoggets!! does there be many hoggets in ballinrobe mart at this sale? Are they hard lambed out of texel?

airneal

I would definitely go with the Texel on the heavy land! Charolais is a softish breed anyhow, not sure it would be the best ram for the Mule, as Mule is half softish with the BF leicester! Lambs will need a lot of attention at birth, unless your going to be full time in the maternity ward with them! Trying to finish them off grass, my not be the best option! I would go with the Texel! Or you could put half with the Ch and half with the Texel for the first year just to see how they fare!

Easy lambed, providing you have a good sized ewe in the first place! Beltex would be another good option for ye regarding ram!

Usually good display in ballinrobe every year.

Vandy West

airneal wrote: »

Ya, I had an average of 1.8 lamb/ ewe each and every year. I would cross with either the Texel or Suffolk depending on the size of the mules. Sometimes with the Mayo Mule, Suffolk cross lambs take a lot of feeding and in the process get very dirty with scour. I prefer the Scotch Mule myself, but the Mayo Mule is a good hardy ewe. I would go with the Texel ram!! You'll have nice clean, thrifty lambs.

What type of ground do you have?

Have some mayo mules myself, the oldest of them are about 3 1/2 years now. Was told they tend to fall apart after a few years and suffolk x horny ewes with a suffolk ram would be more durable, eat less and give as many lambs. Anyone know how long the mules usually go for?

airneal

The Mule ewe is a softish enough ewe. In later years i.e. over 5 years, they require a higher level of maintenance regarding feeding. The thing about the Mule, is that they are great dams (as ewes) in ever regard. Their body shape does "slacken" around 5 years, but they still go on to produce excellent quality lambs, just under a higher level of care from the farmer.

In regards to suffolk * horny ewes by a suffolk ram, its a matter of preference. Personally, I don't like the look of the suffolk by horned ewe. Lambs prone to scour, bits of horns and bad on the feet. Wouldn't go near them. I'd have the Mule anyday, even if they do require an extra bit of feeding. The cross you mention in my opinion would be no different in terms of feeding in relation to the Mule. You'd want fairly good ground for that suffolk cross.

razor8

I have mules I bred myself, I have 10 that are in there 9th year and some of them still have the best lambs on the farm. This maybe an exception, I bred them myself and yes they did take a lot of feeding before lambing (This 10) more of an experiment to see how far they could go! But they are great sheep, always two even lambs at birth averaging 5/6kgs at birth, quick up to suck etc very low mortality

I crossed some of them on Texel’s three years ago and kept all ewe lambs and there are excellent sheep as well, have used Suffolk’s as well but more impressed with Texel’s as ewes

Unfortunately breeding them yourself has its disadvantages. I keep 30 scotch Horneys which average 1.4/1.5 and this year I had a disaster with the amount of ram lambs (nearly 70/80%).

I had seen great ewe lambs making €120 at second ballinrobe sale last year. Was very tempted to buy. There would be only 4 or 5 buyers I would purchase from, allot of the mules there were from poor quality horneys, I like good bone in my mules. One thing to watch out for is their mouths. A hogg mouth is a huge problem with the Leicester and usually gives the mule a bad name for mouths going early, basically bottom part of mouth doesnt meet the pad properly

Overall I have tried many breeds, from borris, Suffolk x, Texel x and the mule outperform them all easily

Vandy West

airneal wrote: »

The Mule ewe is a softish enough ewe. In later years i.e. over 5 years, they require a higher level of maintenance regarding feeding. The thing about the Mule, is that they are great dams (as ewes) in ever regard. Their body shape does "slacken" around 5 years, but they still go on to produce excellent quality lambs, just under a higher level of care from the farmer.

In regards to suffolk * horny ewes by a suffolk ram, its a matter of preference. Personally, I don't like the look of the suffolk by horned ewe. Lambs prone to scour, bits of horns and bad on the feet. Wouldn't go near them. I'd have the Mule anyday, even if they do require an extra bit of feeding. The cross you mention in my opinion would be no different in terms of feeding in relation to the Mule. You'd want fairly good ground for that suffolk cross.

The mules have done fairly well so far, so will probably stick with them but may mix in a few suffolk x horny depending on prices this year. Do you buy the lambs or the hogetts? Good Hoggets at 140 would seem good value, but anymore than that would it be better to buy the bigger lambs if you can get them at 120?

leoch

COULD U EXPLAIN WAT U MEAN ABOUT THE MOUTHS NOT MEETING THE PAD PROPERLY I AM A NOVICE WHEN IT COMES TO SHEEP

airneal

Yep, I had Mules longer than that!! 10 years+! Sentimentality was part of it, as the group of ewes were the first I ever bought and they never let me down.

Body length is another important aspect when selecting good quality Mules, often with Mayo sheep or indeed the Scoty's, they are short and bulky, and this is passed onto a lot of Mules. One very important thing to say about Mules often being sold, is that a lot of farmers do not really know what a Mule is. You often see Greyfaces sold as Mules on Donedeal or in the paper. Two completely different sheep!!

Another good ewe that I have bred for many years before they were given an official name is the Hilltex (Texel * Horned). Although not as prolific as the Mule, they are equally as good in regards to milk, mothering, growth rate etc.

http://www.irishtexel.com/catalogues/Hiltex.pdf

airneal

Overshot mouth means the upper jaw is protruding out further than the lower 1. Affects the feeding of the sheep and growth rates etc. Undershot means the opposite of over, bottom jaw sticking out. Some rams have a slight overshot mouth, can be difficult enough to identify, as purebred animals have a lot of natural rings around the mouth area, 1 breed I often see it in is the suffolk.

leoch wrote: »

COULD U EXPLAIN WAT U MEAN ABOUT THE MOUTHS NOT MEETING THE PAD PROPERLY I AM A NOVICE WHEN IT COMES TO SHEEP

airneal

I breed them now myself. But you wouldn't be wanting to pay anymore than 140 for good quality hoggs. Usually, do a deal with the farmer, instead of wreckless bidding when they go through the mart. A lot of breeders now sell to the same farmers each and every year.

Yep, if you get good lambs, you can breed away, providing they are over the 40 Kg. Does stunt the growth a little though of the "lamb - Mother". Although doesn't effect the new born lambs.

Vandy West wrote: »

The mules have done fairly well so far, so will probably stick with them but may mix in a few suffolk x horny depending on prices this year. Do you buy the lambs or the hogetts? Good Hoggets at 140 would seem good value, but anymore than that would it be better to buy the bigger lambs if you can get them at 120?

razor8

leoch wrote: »

COULD U EXPLAIN WAT U MEAN ABOUT THE MOUTHS NOT MEETING THE PAD PROPERLY I AM A NOVICE WHEN IT COMES TO SHEEP

airneal has summed it up very well!

If you buy the right mule you wont be disappointed

f2

Have kept mules, the texel cross is probably the best cross ive had, the charrollais is fine too but the texel would look a lot better, they are hard fed before lambing, you would be talking a good kilo of meal at 21% protein per head plus good silage at least, some mule ewes would do 6 or 7 cops of lammbs, they do need care but will rear 1.8 lambs, in my opinion for whats its worth. the Borris ewe is another great ewe, similar in keeping to the mule but the lambs have a better wool type and she crosses well with the suffolk.

airneal

Just have a question there on the Borris Ewe. The Borris ewe is the (Border Leicester * Wicklow Cheviot) cross ewe * Suffolk ram ??

i.e. BL * WC = Ewe * Suffolk ram = Borris ewe?

So basically its similar to the scotch halfbred crossed with suffolk ram!!?

f2 wrote: »

Have kept mules, the texel cross is probably the best cross ive had, the charrollais is fine too but the texel would look a lot better, they are hard fed before lambing, you would be talking a good kilo of meal at 21% protein per head plus good silage at least, some mule ewes would do 6 or 7 cops of lammbs, they do need care but will rear 1.8 lambs, in my opinion for whats its worth. the Borris ewe is another great ewe, similar in keeping to the mule but the lambs have a better wool type and she crosses well with the suffolk.

airneal

Would the Borris ewe be similar to these?

http://agriimages.co.uk/blog/suffolk-x-scotch-half-bred-ewe-lambs-for-sale-mon-27th-aug/

razor8

airneal wrote: »

Would the Borris ewe be similar to these?

http://agriimages.co.uk/blog/suffolk-x-scotch-half-bred-ewe-lambs-for-sale-mon-27th-aug/

thats what they are supposed to look like but you will see very few pens like them in Tullow

was a few pics of them in last weeks journal. A fenton guy who's breeding i have from a few years ago was pictured with a prize

airneal

Up in Donegal where I'm from, theres a ewe called the "Milford Ewe". Exact same cross, only that it is the ordinary Cheviot * Border cross * Suffolk. I suppose this is what differentiates it from the Borris ewe.

Although I have seen an article today saying that the exact cross is unknown, but expert locals reckon that the Horny's and Leicester breeds are involved.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0053172

I mean there is loads of different commercial flock breeding. The Borris, Milford and Mule ewe all resemble each other. I suppose the important thing to point out is the wool quality as you say.

I remember my uncle buying a bunch of Cheviot Mules long ago. They were like specimens from around Blakewells time. And today they're making a comeback over in the UK.

razor8 wrote: »

thats what they are supposed to look like but you will see very few pens like them in Tullow

was a few pics of them in last weeks journal. A fenton guy who's breeding i have from a few years ago was pictured with a prize

airneal

Quality breed, would make lovely breeding dams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjeuCiC2pfA

razor8

They would and would make a nice price by the time you get them back to Donegal!

Cran

razor8 wrote: »

thats what they are supposed to look like but you will see very few pens like them in Tullow

was a few pics of them in last weeks journal. A fenton guy who's breeding i have from a few years ago was pictured with a prize

There is very little if any Border in the Borris ewes anymore, to their detriment in my opinion

tabby aspreme

There's a bit of texel in some of the ewes you get in Tullow and Blessington, there's more than Cheviot / Suffolk in them and it can be hard to spot with some first crosses

f2

The real borris ewe is the wicklow cheviot crossed with a suffulk ram