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Breeding Mule sheep

  • 14-08-2014 10:03PM
    #1
    Chak
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭


    Hi, I'm a young farmer in the process of taking the reigns on the home farm. We run a cross bred mid season flock with texel rams but looking to improve prolifacy. Looking at breeding mule sheep this year with the aim of keeping the ewe lambs for breeding. Any advice on what's the best crosses to have??


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Comments

  • #2
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,002 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    Moved from Animals & Pet Issues, you should get a better response here in the Farming forum OP.


  • #3
    jt65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 572 ✭✭✭jt65


    Chak wrote: »
    Hi, I'm a young farmer in the process of taking the reigns on the home farm. We run a cross bred mid season flock with texel rams but looking to improve prolifacy. Looking at breeding mule sheep this year with the aim of keeping the ewe lambs for breeding. Any advice on what's the best crosses to have??

    Blue Leicester


  • #4
    Farrell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,262 ✭✭✭Farrell


    Chak wrote: »
    Hi, I'm a young farmer in the process of taking the reigns on the home farm. We run a cross bred mid season flock with texel rams but looking to improve prolifacy. Looking at breeding mule sheep this year with the aim of keeping the ewe lambs for breeding. Any advice on what's the best crosses to have??
    Brother has a few Texel x Mayo/Donegal Mountain Ewes
    Lambed from Hoggets - have 2&3's, good Mothers & Can feed all 3.
    Some of them don't like boundaries:mad:


  • #5
    jt65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 572 ✭✭✭jt65


    CHAK

    hadn;t time to search earlier but look at the second and fourth pic in this link and you will some ewes bred from texel X ewe and blueleicester ram

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=90487729&postcount=451


  • #6
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    Big fan of the proper mule here, I keep a flock of lanark Horneys and cross with a blue Leicester, some of this years one are up on 55kg and only born end of March/early April.
    Like them because when they scan 2 they'll sell 2, there lambs are harder finished but are easier to get them to big weights, the ewe lambs off them sell well but I usually keep first cross off them here.
    Overall I think they are a very good sheep if you get the right one, a lot of mules bred from poor quality mayo hornys and give mules a bad name IMO


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  • #7
    jt65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 572 ✭✭✭jt65


    razor8 wrote: »
    Big fan of the proper mule here, I keep a flock of lanark Horneys and cross with a blue Leicester, some of this years one are up on 55kg and only born end of March/early April.
    Like them because when they scan 2 they'll sell 2, there lambs are harder finished but are easier to get them to big weights, the ewe lambs off them sell well but I usually keep first cross off them here.
    Overall I think they are a very good sheep if you get the right one, a lot of mules bred from poor quality mayo hornys and give mules a bad name IMO

    agree

    big fan of the mayo mule myself , good lamb crop, make great mothers with lots of milk, very few feet problems , not as prone to fly strike as others, and they're usually on their second pension book before culling,

    source a a few every year and keep first and second crosses ewe lambs

    just happened to have a few bl X texel ewes which show OP the type of stock he get off the bl


  • #8
    Chak
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Chak


    razor8 wrote: »
    Big fan of the proper mule here, I keep a flock of lanark Horneys and cross with a blue Leicester, some of this years one are up on 55kg and only born end of March/early April.
    Like them because when they scan 2 they'll sell 2, there lambs are harder finished but are easier to get them to big weights, the ewe lambs off them sell well but I usually keep first cross off them here.
    Overall I think they are a very good sheep if you get the right one, a lot of mules bred from poor quality mayo hornys and give mules a bad name IMO

    Thanks, ya I looked up them lanarks there fine looking sheep compared to a run of the mill horney. Where would be best to buy a few? Looking at getting around 30 this year and see how it works out.

    Have you ram a ram with the mule ewe lambs you keep? If so how did they turn out as mothers and that?


  • #9
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    Chak wrote: »
    Thanks, ya I looked up them lanarks there fine looking sheep compared to a run of the mill horney. Where would be best to buy a few? Looking at getting around 30 this year and see how it works out.

    Have you ram a ram with the mule ewe lambs you keep? If so how did they turn out as mothers and that?

    Loughash farms in Tyrone have a sale every year but make crazy money and not all there hyped up to be. Have got some very good ones on done deal

    Cutting back in sheep numbers here due to expanding family and dropping rented farms as don't have the time anymore so may have some to sell


  • #10
    Chak
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Chak


    razor8 wrote: »
    Loughash farms in Tyrone have a sale every year but make crazy money and not all there hyped up to be. Have got some very good ones on done deal

    Cutting back in sheep numbers here due to expanding family and dropping rented farms as don't have the time anymore so may have some to sell

    Where are you based yourself? I'm on the Galway Offaly border.


  • #11
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    Bit far away I'm on the Leitrim Cavan border.


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  • #12
    Chak
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Chak


    razor8 wrote: »
    Bit far away I'm on the Leitrim Cavan border.

    Ya but very few seem to be available around the midlands. Mainly costal county's going by done deal anyway. Out of interest what have ya and what's it worth? Want to get a rough idea of what I'll have to spend.


  • #13
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    Chak wrote: »
    Ya but very few seem to be available around the midlands. Mainly costal county's going by done deal anyway. Out of interest what have ya and what's it worth? Want to get a rough idea of what I'll have to spend.

    Need to go through them and decide what I will sell yet, no idea what to ask but would like to think €100 plus with the prices of breeding ewes at the minute. See hoggets on done deal looking for €175


  • #14
    Farrell
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,262 ✭✭✭Farrell


    Side point
    When you buy privately you send the pink slip to the department.
    Anyone know the address?


  • #15
    jt65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 572 ✭✭✭jt65


    Farrell wrote: »
    Side point
    When you buy privately you send the pink slip to the department.
    Anyone know the address?

    Buyer sends to his/her local DVO, most of which are closed now ,

    ours goes to Naas even though wer'e in the mid west


  • #16
    whitetail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34 ✭whitetail


    Hi there is two sales on in Ballinrobe mart late august and September very good selection of mules.


  • #17
    AntrimGlens
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,095 ✭✭✭AntrimGlens


    razor8 wrote: »
    Big fan of the proper mule here, I keep a flock of lanark Horneys and cross with a blue Leicester

    Razor, do you notice the mules getting smaller nearly every year. I know around here and i was at the mule ewe lamb sale on monday with about 3000 lambs and notice that they're getting finer all the time. the lanarks that they're using just don't have the scope any more as they've gone for tight skins and coloured faces but don't have the power in my opinion. I know you keep your own but do you find it a problem when buying lanark replacements?


  • #18
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    AntrimGlens wrote: »
    razor8 wrote: »
    Big fan of the proper mule here, I keep a flock of lanark Horneys and cross with a blue Leicester

    Razor, do you notice the mules getting smaller nearly every year. I know around here and i was at the mule ewe lamb sale on monday with about 3000 lambs and notice that they're getting finer all the time. the lanarks that they're using just don't have the scope any more as they've gone for tight skins and coloured faces but don't have the power in my opinion. I know you keep your own but do you find it a problem when buying lanark replacements?

    I know from been in Ballinrobe last year that there are only a handful of very good mule lambs pens there, 80% would be very fine as you say. The pure Lanark’s probably don’t have much milk . Some breeders seem to be going down the looks route rather than the genetic route for certain. Just look at the silly prices flying around. I tried some of harkins sheep but not a big fan just well marketed
    I got a few Lanark’s/swale s two years and they are mighty sheep, they look inferior to some of the Donegal hornys I have but they breed a serious lamb and no trouble. Maybe just lucky, il definitely be going back to same farmer again. Id say this is the best crop of mule lambs i ever had, must take out the camera at the weekend


  • #19
    AntrimGlens
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,095 ✭✭✭AntrimGlens


    I know some people who think the swale are a poor mans sheep, but i honestly believe they are a super sheep and a good ewe to cross with, they would live on fresh air and super mothers and will give you good markings on mule ewe lambs if thats what you want. They might be a bit flighty but when you don't need to do feet and they will easily rear and lamb and a half you don't need to be handling them much.
    I was at a walk the other day where Afbi had done research on swale/lanark/lleyn and belclares and looked at different aspects of breeding/feed conversion/lambing % etc and they had transponders on each batch and you could see the difference on a map where the swales grazed and the rest grazed. The swales grazed on the heather and higher ground whereas the rest all stayed around the periphery of the hill and grazed the grassier areas, and there was 0.03% of a difference in lambs weaned per ewe.

    Would love to see some pics of your swale/lanark crosses.


  • #20
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    interesting research with the transponders, i suppose thats there natural environment, i have a few rushy bottoms they could stay on but might need updating the broken down fences!

    next day i have them in il get there picture took!


  • #21
    razor8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭razor8


    A few of my lanark/swale crosses and mule lambs especially for you Antrim!!


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  • #22
    Cran
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭Cran


    razor8 wrote: »
    A few of my lanark/swale crosses and mule lambs especially for you Antrim!!

    Nice heads :D


  • #23
    AntrimGlens
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,095 ✭✭✭AntrimGlens


    razor8 wrote: »
    A few of my lanark/swale crosses and mule lambs especially for you Antrim!!

    Ah razor good to see ewes with a bit of length in them compared to small heads and short horns. Nice ewes and nice mules too. Cheers


  • #24
    Vandy West
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 181 ✭✭Vandy West


    Was at ballinrobe mule sale today. Top pen of hogs was 215. Top pen of LAMBS was 234! Both by same breeder. Prices overall were by about 20-30 per head over last year. All but two pens of hogs made over 160. Last year average price was probably about 140-150.
    Seems strange prices going up when lamb price is staying the same just about.


  • #25
    rangler1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Vandy West wrote: »
    Was at ballinrobe mule sale today. Top pen of hogs was 215. Top pen of LAMBS was 234! Both by same breeder. Prices overall were by about 20-30 per head over last year. All but two pens of hogs made over 160. Last year average price was probably about 140-150.
    Seems strange prices going up when lamb price is staying the same just about.

    A lot of cattle farmers upping sheep nos now, lamb market won't stand any increase in supply......back to €70/lamb methinks


  • #26
    sea12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,244 ✭✭✭sea12


    Vandy West wrote: »
    Was at ballinrobe mule sale today. Top pen of hogs was 215. Top pen of LAMBS was 234! Both by same breeder. Prices overall were by about 20-30 per head over last year. All but two pens of hogs made over 160. Last year average price was probably about 140-150.
    Seems strange prices going up when lamb price is staying the same just about.

    Yep can't understand that. Bought lovely cross ewes last year for 120. They fairly cheap compared to this year. Can't understand who is paying that for them,? The returns don't justify them prices vandy


  • #27
    Cran
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭Cran


    Vandy West wrote: »
    Was at ballinrobe mule sale today. Top pen of hogs was 215. Top pen of LAMBS was 234! Both by same breeder. Prices overall were by about 20-30 per head over last year. All but two pens of hogs made over 160. Last year average price was probably about 140-150.
    Seems strange prices going up when lamb price is staying the same just about.

    Was there yesterday, bought those pens at 150 & 152 if that's correct. I think the hoggets and lambs tbh were the best standard I ve seen at the sale which might have added to prices. Lambs very good trade, but good quality available between 110 to 140


  • #28
    Chak
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6 ✭Chak


    Bought some mule ewe lambs in ballinrobe last weekend, what would be the best ram to cross them with for breeding replacents? Was told by man up there that a llyn would be good? Any suggestions?


  • #29
    whitetail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34 ✭whitetail


    Chak wrote: »
    Bought some mule ewe lambs in ballinrobe last weekend, what would be the best ram to cross them with for breeding replacents? Was told by man up there that a llyn would be good? Any suggestions?

    Suffolk or Charolais two good crosses


  • #30
    sako 85
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 191 ✭✭sako 85


    whitetail wrote: »
    Suffolk or Charolais two good crosses

    Whitetail, would a Ram Suffolk ram be a little hard lambed for their first year, or do you reckon they'd be ok?


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  • #31
    Cran
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,272 ✭✭✭Cran


    Chak wrote: »
    Was told by man up there that a llyn would be good?

    Wonder was that me, had he a wavy head of hair :D

    I'll post a pic of couple of Lleyn cross mule lambs for ya


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