Hi Just wondering what people’s thoughts on Cheviot mules, quite a lot of people seem to be getting them now and iv got the chance of a batch of shearlings, currently on NoE mules, will the cheviots be as good lambing? Similar milk ? And as good mothers not had anything to do with them? Any feedback welcome even any negatives people have found with them cheers
Cheviot mules
- Thread starter Reece1503
- Start date
- Location
- N.Lincs
I belirve @Anymulewilldo is a big fan of them.
I'm lambing some tex x chev mules just now and they are great mothers with plenty of milk. Only downside that I can see lambs are coming quite bare skinned, wouldn't want to lamb them any earlier
We find they breed barer skinned lambs than a traditional mule with a bit more shape. We run 150 to breeed our replacements. Downside are here if mixed with the texels they can't compete at the feed barrier so need "special" treatment which is a pain. Planning to phase them out and buy are replacements tbh just to simplify our system.
- Location
- Cheshire
I am
grand sheep
sticky
Member
- Location
- Near Stratford upon Avon
Lovely sheep.
Aspiring Peasants
Member
- Location
- North Pennines
Lambing 40 hoggs to see what they’re like. Was a bit unsure about them but now they have started lambing they are proving to be good sheep. Easy lambed, milky and excellent mothers. The lambs look very like what we expect from Texel x Mules. I would be a bit concerned about them lambing outside in this sort of weather as the lambs do not have as much wool cover as from a “normal” mule, perhaps have to be careful with tups used but if lambing inside not a problem
I don’t think they need as much feed as ordinary mules and they have grown and kept condition very easily. In some ways I seem them as more like a Texel/mule than an ordinary mule.
I don’t think they need as much feed as ordinary mules and they have grown and kept condition very easily. In some ways I seem them as more like a Texel/mule than an ordinary mule.
Aspiring Peasants
Member
- Location
- North Pennines
These are a set of twins from a cheviot mule hogg
Looks to be a pair of good lambs the bare skins normally wouldn’t be a problem for me lambing inside and got some good sheltered ground, might need a little help this year with the never monsoon season we are all having, think I might give them a try, would you say they will rest two lambs to same weight as quick as mules? They should be a little hardier than a NoE mule shouldn’t they and need less keeping
cheviot53
Member
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Good sheep but as said the lambs can be a bit pink and bare to TX , put plastic macs on a lot this year for the first time . Very similar to a mule , a better shaped lamb and mouths last longer
- Location
- East Ayrshire
Is 27am an attempt to fit more hours in the day?
Milky, attentive mums that produce a great quality lamb. Milk off their backs but bounce back easily.
Only issue imo is can tend to get a few more hung lambs if to the wrong tup, and can steal a few lambs at lambing if not spaced out.
I'd love a flock of them, but very £££ and I prefer to not buy in anymore. Probably the best sheep here on balance.
Only issue imo is can tend to get a few more hung lambs if to the wrong tup, and can steal a few lambs at lambing if not spaced out.
I'd love a flock of them, but very £££ and I prefer to not buy in anymore. Probably the best sheep here on balance.
If you have chance of some I’d get them bought and try them along side the NoE mules. We ran 600 NoE mules but they’re all gone now and won’t be coming back.
Plus points
Similar milking ability and mothering which is obviously good. Lower lambing percentage but a higher twinning rate (NoE was higher because of triplets) another plus point for me. They hold onto their flesh better if run on a high stocking rate and take less feeding for lambing as they don’t melt. Produce even batches of white faced lambs with tighter skins which is a bonus for me. Last a crop or 2 longer than NoE
Minus points.
Price to buy them ( we breed our own)
Bare skinned lambs in bad weather. Can be wild with the cheviot influence.
That’s about my opinion on the job. Hope that helps
Yes your correct lovely sheep look at the way there being pampered i had them and when in a tough environment they fall to pieces are proper mule bred from real upland blackie ewes run hard is the best mule.
sticky
Member
- Location
- Near Stratford upon Avon
That part of the wall hadn’t been washed off from last year
that would have been the 27 of march morning birth , it helps when kicking out.
sticky
Member
- Location
- Near Stratford upon Avon
I was pampering the lambs due to the weather and had the space.
All my sheep come in at the beginning/ middle of jan, regardless of breed, due to the state of the ground (wet) l’m lucky enough to have the shed space and straw.
Devil's advocate
Member
- Location
- Posh side of Barnsley
Why did the halfbred lose favour, more halfbreds than mules when I was a boy.
Best for what? Sloppy bags, fat tits and heavy wool
Joking aside I think your point about real upland sheep run hard is where a lot of mule production is falling down. To many looked after to well.
Jasper
Member
I asked my mate who’s got some what they were like and he told me not to get any because I can’t run very fast I just laughed at him . Any way we got a dozen from a farm sale and while I was backing the trailer up they all jumped out of the pen and ran away should have listened to him . They’ve just started lambing and the lambs are really good