Confessions of the Sheep/Beef Cattle/Pig Addicts

[Hill Ground]

A bit of a tangent, but what are people thinking 're breeding of mule crosses? I.e are you selling all lambs off a terminal sire or keeping gimmers and crossing again?

If I'm being dumb and someone else is already talking/have talked about this do point me the right way. Tia

I like em, BUT, I like to breed them myself. People talk of first crosses scanning badly, probably to do with all being singles, pushed hard for sale, fed and such. Then back to reality with a bump and they don't flush well if not being kept in the manner to which they are accustomed!!

All ours are kept from twins, that lamb themselves etc etc, find them all good!!

 

[Afarewyth]

Are people mostly crossing back to the first cross or going for triple cross, mulexsuffolkxtexel for example?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Most of my fences are straight lines to be fair, I don't have much unfenced keep.
Also 50 of them will buy you some sort of a sheep

Ahhhh, 90% of ours in unfenced. And the worst field uses 18 posts to follow the edge of the field UP ONE SIDE you don’t have to buy them every year though. We’ve plenty here 7/8 year old plus.

50 of them buy 2 of my type of lamb…

 

[Anymulewilldo]

A bit of a tangent, but what are people thinking 're breeding of mule crosses? I.e are you selling all lambs off a terminal sire or keeping gimmers and crossing again?

If I'm being dumb and someone else is already talking/have talked about this do point me the right way. Tia

We sell everything to kill. Used to keep texel x ewe lambs out of the twin mule ewes. But when I came to actually crunching the numbers they consistently scanned 15% below the mules. Used to buy Suffolk x mules in. Cropped like hell for me but burnt out and culled after 3 crops.

 

[edn]

Are people mostly crossing back to the first cross or going for triple cross, mulexsuffolkxtexel for example?

That would probably be heading towards too much terminal breeding- likely to be lambing problems, less lambs etc.

 

[Afarewyth]

That would probably be heading towards too much terminal breeding- likely to be lambing problems, less lambs etc.

Oh really, how would that be different to double crossing to get a 3/4?

 

[edn]

Oh really, how would that be different to double crossing to get a 3/4?

I think it depends what you’re wanting to do- lots of people will cross mules once for replacements (as said usually texel or Suffolk) so they’re 50% mule, 50% terminal. This is a compromise- less lambs than out of the mule and less maternal perhaps but better quality lambs.
If you go another generation of terminal breeding and keep replacements you’re up to 75% terminal breeding and 25% mule as you say above- The prolificacy and maternal ability would be diluted even further, probably too much for most commercial shepherds.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

We sell everything to kill. Used to keep texel x ewe lambs out of the twin mule ewes. But when I came to actually crunching the numbers they consistently scanned 15% below the mules. Used to buy Suffolk x mules in. Cropped like hell for me but burnt out and culled after 3 crops.

The last year I had 100% mules they scanned at 230%. Started keeping Texel and Beltex crosses off them and scanning went down to about 180% to 190%. Much more workable for me and higher value lambs. Just saying

 

[Gulli]

Ahhhh, 90% of ours in unfenced. And the worst field uses 18 posts to follow the edge of the field UP ONE SIDE you don’t have to buy them every year though. We’ve plenty here 7/8 year old plus.

50 of them buy 2 of my type of lamb…

I have significantly fewer sheep than most people think, definitely not as many as most on here so sometimes I just put them in an unfenced field until they decide to get out

 

[Afarewyth]

I think it depends what you’re wanting to do- lots of people will cross mules once for replacements (as said usually texel or Suffolk) so they’re 50% mule, 50% terminal. This is a compromise- less lambs than out of the mule and less maternal perhaps but better quality lambs.
If you go another generation of terminal breeding and keep replacements you’re up to 75% terminal breeding and 25% mule as you say above- The prolificacy and maternal ability would be diluted even further, probably too much for most commercial shepherds.

Ahh I see what you mean. I wasn't going to breed the second cross I was just curious if it matters what the 2nd cross is, would there be much difference between a mulexsuffolkxsuffolk/mulextexelxtexel lamb and a mulexsuffolkxtexel lamb for selling?

 

[Lincs]

I have more sheep than my wife knows about so keep them in groups on different farms

I have significantly fewer sheep than most people think, definitely not as many as most on here so sometimes I just put them in an unfenced field until they decide to get out

 

[Bob the beef]

Very quiet and civilised tonight for a Sunday

 

[Cowpoke82]

Very quiet and civilised tonight for a Sunday

No gecko or smithy

 

[unlacedgecko]

No gecko or smithy

I'm lurking.

YM knee is like a football so she's lying on the sofa while I do everything. Managed to rustle up a very passable roast chicken dinner this evening.

But cooking, cleaning, stockwork and dogs don't leave much time for spouting shite with internet fwends.

 

[JSmith]

I'm lurking.

YM knee is like a football so she's lying on the sofa while I do everything. Managed to rustle up a very passable roast chicken dinner this evening.

But cooking, cleaning, stockwork and dogs don't leave much time for spouting shite with internet fwends.

I’m waiting in the wings with the ball gag my friend, they think their safe but we’ve both got them covered

 

[Cowpoke82]

I'm lurking.

YM knee is like a football so she's lying on the sofa while I do everything. Managed to rustle up a very passable roast chicken dinner this evening.

But cooking, cleaning, stockwork and dogs don't leave much time for spouting shite with internet fwends.

Sounds painful I hope she is back to normal soon

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I'm lurking.

YM knee is like a football so she's lying on the sofa while I do everything. Managed to rustle up a very passable roast chicken dinner this evening.

But cooking, cleaning, stockwork and dogs don't leave much time for spouting shite with internet fwends.

Please do send YM the best and get well
Soon from all members on the thread. We do appreciate what a hero she really is…

 

[unlacedgecko]

Sounds painful I hope she is back to normal soon

You and me both. I used to be fire and manoeuvre, now I'm dusting and hoover

 

[Anymulewilldo]

You and me both. I used to be fire and manoeuvre, now I'm dusting and hoover

Well at least it gives you reason to wear that maid outfit smithy bought you for Christmas around the house while you’re dusting

 

[livestock 1]

I’m here bit of a random night replacing a sewer pipe in a cottage the lab has had its seventh pup up to now just checked a cow we penned up to calve off to get decontaminated again