Cheviot Mules

[CollCrofter]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

 

[Bob the beef]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

Have a wee search through the threads. Been plenty on the same topic last couple of years.
Basically Cheviot mules are a very good , prolific mother, that will rear 2 lambs well and sell well as a ewe lamb or still be worth significant money when selling as cast.
Downside , as you mentioned are the tups, and the issue that never gets talked about much is the wether lambs. Always found them painful to try and flesh up and fatten. Will need a big bag of cake.

But have a read through the threads and draw your own conclusions

 

[CollCrofter]

Have a wee search through the threads. Been plenty on the same topic last couple of years.
Basically Cheviot mules are a very good , prolific mother, that will rear 2 lambs well and sell well as a ewe lamb or still be worth significant money when selling as cast.
Downside , as you mentioned are the tups, and the issue that never gets talked about much is the wether lambs. Always found them painful to try and flesh up and fatten. Will need a big bag of cake.

But have a read through the threads and draw your own conclusions

Thanks, I will do. I did a quick search but nothing jumped out at me. I'll have a proper scout this evening

 

[Dave6170]

We had them and they were great mothers but we had a really wet bad winter a few years and it really showed on them. Put a nz sufftex on cheviots now and they're good. And the wedders are much better

 

[CollCrofter]

We had them and they were great mothers but we had a really wet bad winter a few years and it really showed on them. Put a nz sufftex on cheviots now and they're good. And the wedders are much better

Are you keeping ewe lamb replacements from the Sufftex? I wouldn't even know who to phone for a Sufftex tup

 

[Gator]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

Thats just what im trying here. god likes a trier
Picked these up yesterday, Just hope they stay ive long enough. Bonus there still alive this mornin

 

[sticky]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

I'm not as far north as you and so obviously have no knowledge of your ground or climate but if you have concerns about it then probably not the way to go imo.
Would you consider running scotch half breds on your place? If not there in lies your answer, possibly.

 

[Dave6170]

Are you keeping ewe lamb replacements from the Sufftex? I wouldn't even know who to phone for a Sufftex tup

Yeah tried a few and they are fine. Nice tight skins. Not as quiet at the mule though. They were easy to work with. Sufftex a bit flighty

 

[Agrivator]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

Buy a good traditional BFL, and only one with good teeth.

Feed it well.

Make sure it is properly covered with a Clostridial vaccine at least annually.

And if it dies, buy another one.

 

[Dave6170]

Buy a good traditional BFL, and only one with good teeth.

Feed it well.

Make sure it is properly covered with a Clostridial vaccine at least annually.

And if it dies, buy another one.

And tuck it in bed every night

 

[Bob the beef]

And tuck it in bed every night

And as soon as tupping is over , bed it down on deep straw inside until May....

 

[TexelBen]

Buy a good traditional BFL, and only one with good teeth.

Feed it well.

Make sure it is properly covered with a Clostridial vaccine at least annually.

And WHEN it dies, buy another one.

There you go, fixed that for you

 

[Nithsdale]

I was wondering what people's opinions would be regarding Cheviot Mules. I was thinking about buying a BLF and trying out on maybe 30-50 ewes. My concern is I have seen BFL tups doing not so well in these parts and was thinking the 'softness' would be passed down to any potential ewe lamb replacements. Any thoughts or experience would be great, cheers!

What are you used to lambing, out of your Cheviots?

 

[hally]

Nothing soft about Cheviot mules, very good ewes but everybody seems to have cottoned on to this judging by the trade for them this year. Get them breed bring them down to Longtown for me

 

[tinsheet]

Thats just what im trying here. god likes a trier
Picked these up yesterday, Just hope they stay ive long enough. Bonus there still alive this mornin

Did you get your free shovel?

 

[DanM]

Are you keeping ewe lamb replacements from the Sufftex? I wouldn't even know who to phone for a Sufftex tup

speak to @easyram1 for a sufftex!

 

[Gator]

Did you get your free shovel?

oooooooh yee of little faith

 

[shearerlad]

I’ve been using a pure BFL from Logie Durno on my Cheviots. Working at 900-1000 feet south facing in November/December single sired with 50.He has been out wintered on a lb/day plus silage.
Ready for his third season. He maybe doesn’t produce the flashiest of lambs for selling but I’m not looking to sell

 

[shearerlad]

Can’t get close enough to the LD tup for a photo!! Found this on my phone from the summer, a gimmer by him out of a keppoch bred draft ewe

 

[CollCrofter]

I'm not as far north as you and so obviously have no knowledge of your ground or climate but if you have concerns about it then probably not the way to go imo.
Would you consider running scotch half breds on your place? If not there in lies your answer, possibly.

I'm open to anything, tbh. Might be hardier then the BFL?

Yeah tried a few and they are fine. Nice tight skins. Not as quiet at the mule though. They were easy to work with. Sufftex a bit flighty

Don't fancy anymore flighty sheep . The Cheviots can be nightmares on occasion. The amount of times I've given up a gather with a good few of them scrambling over the shore with the odd few going for a swim never to be seen again!

And as soon as tupping is over , bed it down on deep straw inside until May....

Maybe better in my spare room?

There you go, fixed that for you

Beat me to it!

What are you used to lambing, out of your Cheviots?

Just Cheviots. Bred out the blackies over the years and now most ewes will be as near as pure.

Nothing soft about Cheviot mules, very good ewes but everybody seems to have cottoned on to this judging by the trade for them this year. Get them breed bring them down to Longtown for me

That an official order? I could definitely breed some hardiness into them here Even the ped Lims I got have adjusted over the couple of years being here, they look more like polled highlanders now with the coat on them!

I’ve been using a pure BFL from Logie Durno on my Cheviots. Working at 900-1000 feet south facing in November/December single sired with 50.He has been out wintered on a lb/day plus silage.
Ready for his third season. He maybe doesn’t produce the flashiest of lambs for selling but I’m not looking to sell

I was getting put off till I read your comment