Flock expansion- mules or Shetlands

[TheRock]

Currently running mostly blackface, want to keep this a closed flock. Will grow this organically by keeping more ewe lambs. Plan is expansion by 500 mules or 1000 shetlands.

Mule gimmers £130-160 - probably would need housed over winter most likely- plan on building sheds anyway.

Shetland draft ewes at £30 - £40 out winter, minimal lambing. Tupped to Texel. Already Have 200 and get £40-50 for stores.

What’s your thoughts? 2 completely different systems.

 

[Bones]

Can you breed your own mules,

 

[unlacedgecko]

Currently running mostly blackface, want to keep this a closed flock. Will grow this organically by keeping more ewe lambs. Plan is expansion by 500 mules or 1000 shetlands.

Mule gimmers £130-160 - probably would need housed over winter most likely- plan on building sheds anyway.

Shetland draft ewes at £30 - £40 out winter, minimal lambing. Tupped to Texel. Already Have 200 and get £40-50 for stores.

What’s your thoughts? 2 completely different systems.

Which one will leave the most profit?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

We've done both systems over the years but we used Beulahs instead of Shetlands.
Both systems work, it's all about what you want to achieve. We always finish everything and we started to fall behind with our lightweight texels out of the Beulahs that were mud fat at 37kg. Swapped to mules to get the 41-44kg lambs the market wanted. Although we've always bought big tupping ewe lambs rather than shearlings, I hate lambing first time shearlings and there is always a % of non breeders in them that have to go in Feb after scanning for £65-£80.

Another reason we swapped from the hill ewes was the replacement costs. When they were £25-£35 straight off the mountain we could stand too lose a few over the winter when their age got the better of them. We'd lamb them and finish the lot, usually make £10 over cost on the ewes. then it got as the ewes were £40-£55 and we could still only get 1 crop then they'd have too go before they started dying of old age.
It made more sense too us to spend £75-£90 back then on a big ewe lamb that potentially would be with us for 6 years rather than £40-£50 on a ewe for 1 crop.
I do look at the mountain ewes at sales many a time and wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Who knows? ?

Sorry for the essay. I can talk for hours about sheep production!!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Currently running mostly blackface, want to keep this a closed flock. Will grow this organically by keeping more ewe lambs. Plan is expansion by 500 mules or 1000 shetlands.

Mule gimmers £130-160 - probably would need housed over winter most likely- plan on building sheds anyway.

Shetland draft ewes at £30 - £40 out winter, minimal lambing. Tupped to Texel. Already Have 200 and get £40-50 for stores.

What’s your thoughts? 2 completely different systems.

I'd question the ethics of tupping a Shetland with a texel. Obviously depends on the Shetland and the texel, but still...

 

[Jockers84]

Really depends how much work you’re wanting to commit to, also feed/maintenance costs. Hill sheep to a terminal sire leave me with the best margin and the least head aches ?

 

[Estate fencing.]

I would go for the Shetlands every day. Mules are good sheep at producing a lot of lambs but by Christ they are a lot of work.
1000 Shetland would rear more lambs than 500 mules without the infrastructure and work IMO.

 

[Estate fencing.]

I'd question the ethics of tupping a Shetland with a texel. Obviously depends on the Shetland and the texel, but still...

What did you put your Shetlands to?

 

[Jim75]

Definitely a Shetland. Only downside is if you’re self replacing and attempting to keep Shetland tups contained ? shove a Suffolk or texel over them, they’ll spit them out. Going to try an aberfield over some and keep the progeny hopefully, nice middle of the road ewe

 

[livestock 1]

You are proposing to purchase either a Range Rover (produce decent lambs crop well heavy to keep)
Or a Fiat Panda (cheap to run but lambs don’t add up fast)
Is there nothing in between?
Lairg Cheviot? Lleyn?
More like a VW Passat?

 

[jamie]

I'd question the ethics of tupping a Shetland with a texel. Obviously depends on the Shetland and the texel, but still...

A Shetland ewe will lamb easier than alot of breeds. I've been doing it for years. Admitedly to sensible texels. Tried some to a Suffolk this year.

In answer to the op, I'd go shetland.

 

[Bob the beef]

Which one will leave the most profit?

As above

Look at return on investment, and the shetlands will win hands down. Tried to expand my flock a few years ago and went about buying draft cheviot ewes from the north, but the return on the investment didn't stack up in hindsight. When you have to pay £85 -£100 for a 5 crop ewe, and a good % will only give you 1crop of lambs, you are much better putting a large number of small cheap mouths on the ground

 

[unlacedgecko]

What did you put your Shetlands to?

Easycare bred up from lleyns. Tups selected for hair type coat and easy lambing shape. Have previously lambed someone else's easycare ewes (bred up from Welsh mountain) to these tups. Out of 110 ewes I assisted 1 which had twins come together.

Have previously lambed someone else's Shetlands to texel and berrichon. It was hellish.

 

[Estate fencing.]

That seems a good cross. I have 100 welsh ewes that go to a nz Suffolk so I can keep the ewe lambs out of them. I payed £58 for them 2 years ago as hoggs. I can’t believe how little I have to do with them and how poor the ground is and their to fat really.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

That seems a good cross. I have 100 welsh ewes that go to a nz Suffolk so I can keep the ewe lambs out of them. I payed £58 for them 2 years ago as hoggs. I can’t believe how little I have to do with them and how poor the ground is and their to fat really.

You have to go a long way to beat the Welshie!

 

[Jockers84]

You are proposing to purchase either a Range Rover (produce decent lambs crop well heavy to keep)
Or a Fiat Panda (cheap to run but lambs don’t add up fast)
Is there nothing in between?
Lairg Cheviot? Lleyn?
More like a VW Passat?

I was sort of thinking the same, it’s two extremes. What about using the current shetlands to breed shetland cheviots? Bigger ewe, better lambs, some sort of value in the cull ewe, easy kept, wedders have more value, still last well, can be lambed as hoggs.

 

[Nithsdale]

Am I the only one getting real fear just thinking of 1000 Shetland ewes
That's 1000 individually minded escape artists strokers




They will easily out perform any Mule flock, though

 

[livestock 1]

Am I the only one getting real fear just thinking of 1000 Shetland ewes
That's 1000 individually minded escape artists strokers




They will easily out perform any Mule flock, though

Out perform any mule flock?

 

[NZDan]

I'd question the ethics of tupping a Shetland with a texel. Obviously depends on the Shetland and the texel, but still...

Most of the Shetlands I scan are either tipper with a Texel, some times with a BFL X Texel one place uses BFL X Suffolk

 

[Nithsdale]

Out perform any mule flock?

As a return on investment (profit), yes