- Location
- central scotland
Not just Swales that this happens with though
Mule gimmer lambs
- Thread starter Swaley
- Start date
- Location
- Fife
Seems to be a lot of variation in aberfields, was talking to a lad last night who’d bought some ewe lambs an he was very disappointed with how’d they’d grown, little dumpy things he said! I have some ewes that I bought just to try a few an I’ve been pleased with the lambs I’ve had, my ewes are up on the leg an very smart, lambs come very shapey to a charlie!!
Aberfield is a stabilised texel X BFL tup. The wide variation in the ewes for sale is due to people putting these tups on any ewe, then selling the ewe lambs as "aberfield".
As an aside, I like little dumpy ewes. Fat is very important for breeding females. And small is efficient is beautiful.
I havnt seen a Blackie x swale but can imagine they are a grand sheep to keep, have you any if so any photos.stick a 1/4 Northumberland blackface into your ewes do them a world of good...
I love them mules with a touch of blackie in them. Put some real width in the lambs
- Location
- Cheshire
I’ve plenty of mules out of the blackie x swale ewe. Don’t keep them myself. I see some cracking ewes coming into Hexham, a proper strong hill ewe. Can see both parents in them well. I’m told they aren’t as hard as a swale but the lambs are worth £££ more, as are the cull ewes.
But what do I know? I’m just a lowland man who buys mule ewe lambs. It’s not as if I’m the target market or anything!!
- Location
- Fife
I’ve plenty of mules out of the blackie x swale ewe. Don’t keep them myself. I see some cracking ewes coming into Hexham, a proper strong hill ewe. Can see both parents in them well. I’m told they aren’t as hard as a swale but the lambs are worth £££ more, as are the cull ewes.
But what do I know? I’m just a lowland man who buys mule ewe lambs. It’s not as if I’m the target market or anything!!
I can see what a blackie tup would bring to a swale ewe. Can't really see the benefit of a swale tup on a blackie ewe though...
- Location
- Cheshire
Plenty of swale tups head north over the wall. Every now and then I get a batch of SBF lambs that go a bit Holstein on me. Always assumed they had a swale grandfather
johnspeehs
Member
- Location
- Co Antrim
If you can get the coats tight on them you can get away without the black and white faces, tight skins are more important than sharp ears in my humble opinion.if you can get a big strong traditional type with little wool you would have a decent mule out of him.
- Location
- Fife
Plenty of swale tups head north over the wall. Every now and then I get a batch of SBF lambs that go a bit Holstein on me. Always assumed they had a swale grandfather
2018 I lambed a grouse moor in Angus that was producing 1sr cross lambs.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
They look a stronger type right enough.
They look decent sorts of yowes, where do you buy them?
Think swales are a bit harder than blackies and they'll travel and stay further up the hill, so ive been told. Think this is why they use swales tups on blackie yowes
livestock 1
Member
The Scotch lads come down for the Swale shearling tups to put them through the blackie ewes to harden them up a touch
The Blackie tups (there’s about four main types) are put through the Swale ewes to get a bit carcass back into them
As far as my experience goes that’s what happens
The Blackie tups (there’s about four main types) are put through the Swale ewes to get a bit carcass back into them
As far as my experience goes that’s what happens
Cheers
Lazonby auction main swaledale yow sale
We usually sell a few yowes at that sale
Shouldn’t be using a BFL tup at all you should be using an Aberfield! That’s what all the progressive farmers are doing! Mules are dead in the water.....(picks up bag of popcorn and gets comfy.....)
Shouldn’t be using a BFL tup at all you should be using an Aberfield! That’s what all the progressive farmers are doing! Mules are dead in the water.....(picks up bag of popcorn and gets comfy.....)
not really a progressive farmer here, weve been using them for 5 6 years now to have the option of a saleable ewe lamb an a decent fat lamb off grass, works well. Lambed some of aberfield x welsh hoggs this year. Depends on the type of ewe they've been breed from i suppose. Not into fashion just what works and gets on with the job with no hassle. Tried a bfl years ago but couldt finish the ram lambs on grass, only grow frames.At last, someone with decent sheep and which are also properly tagged in the back of the ear.
What are the lambs by?
The mules have only gone down the Bonny face route is because that’s what buyers want, so they’ve produced to the market. Why do white lambs often make less? I keep debating wether to cross my Leicesters with a traditional sire to add power, and performance recorded genetics as well as a bit of hybrid vigour as the two gene pools have moved apart. Bit like putting a Friesian over a Holstein. The problem is if I do that it’ll probably spoil my chances of building a name in the Leicester circle which has always been my aim, because the lambs potentially won’t be as Bonny. I personally quite like but dark brown lambs. The swaledales can be half the problem being poor in conformation with pretty heads. The only way things will change is If the tops breeders start to change fashion