Mules are still supreme

[Agrivator]

Part of the report from the recent Kirkby Stephen sale of 10,580 Mule Gimmer (ewe) Lambs.


''After a couple of years of some sheep producers looking to alternative breeds of sheep, the North of England Mule Gimmer lamb bounces back to prove herself as possibly the most resilient longstanding and prolific breeding sheep in the UK and this resulted in an abundance of sheep producers from Aberdeen in the north to Cornwall in the South being present keen to secure Mule Gimmer Lambs.

Aside from top pens the strongest well bred tupping lambs met fantastic competition from start to finish with plenty of these selling from between £125-£150 regardless of the size of pens.''

 

[Tim W]

Average price?
Assume 100% clearance

 

[livestock 1]

I can remember a thread a while back criticising these sheep

 

[Highland Mule]

“DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highlands Marts Ltd, (September, 14th) sold 3,907 ewe lambs and gimmers at the Highland Mule Breeders Association annual show and sale.
Highland Mule gimmers (1,127) averaged £179.24 (+£36.21 on the corresponding sale of last year) and sold to £210 from Mountrich Farm, Dingwall.
Highland Mule ewe lambs (2,743) averaged £112.50 (+£26.65 on the corresponding year) and sold to £155 from Milton Farm, Aberarder.”

 

[Guiggs]

Nope

 

[sean m]

Nope

 

[Greythundercloudys]

Yes they are these days, wedders making around 70 stores, ewes lmbs 110+, not bad an average of bf ewes, l bet bf aged ewes will be some trade this year.

 

[sean m]

Part of the report from the recent Kirkby Stephen sale of 10,580 Mule Gimmer (ewe) Lambs.


''After a couple of years of some sheep producers looking to alternative breeds of sheep, the North of England Mule Gimmer lamb bounces back to prove herself as possibly the most resilient longstanding and prolific breeding sheep in the UK and this resulted in an abundance of sheep producers from Aberdeen in the north to Cornwall in the South being present keen to secure Mule Gimmer Lambs.

Aside from top pens the strongest well bred tupping lambs met fantastic competition from start to finish with plenty of these selling from between £125-£150 regardless of the size of pens.''

this year maybe,all the arable boys/estates jumping on the back of a good lamb trade,easy to source,plenty about etc,ideal for the man that has little idea of the job and does'nt intend been in it to long

 

[neilo]

Part of the report from the recent Kirkby Stephen sale of 10,580 Mule Gimmer (ewe) Lambs.


''After a couple of years of some sheep producers looking to alternative breeds of sheep, the North of England Mule Gimmer lamb bounces back to prove herself as possibly the most resilient longstanding and prolific breeding sheep in the UK and this resulted in an abundance of sheep producers from Aberdeen in the north to Cornwall in the South being present keen to secure Mule Gimmer Lambs.

Aside from top pens the strongest well bred tupping lambs met fantastic competition from start to finish with plenty of these selling from between £125-£150 regardless of the size of pens.''

Haven’t the sale reports from mule sales (& all other sales come to that) always spoken of buyers coming from all ends of the country?

‘Paper never refuses ink’ is the old saying, and never more try than when an auctioneer starts writing a report.

 

[Nithsdale]

"Mule sale trade in line with every other sale this year"

What a nothing story

 

[Agrivator]

Haven’t the sale reports from mule sales (& all other sales come to that) always spoken of buyers coming from all ends of the country?

‘Paper never refuses ink’ is the old saying, and never more try than when an auctioneer starts writing a report.

Don't be such a miserable bugger.

 

[livestock 1]

"Mule sale trade in line with every other sale this year"

What a nothing story

Are Lleyn’s up by a similar amount?

 

[Bracklandbarn]

But you can’t compare popularity of Mules over other breeds by their public selling tactics surely? Other maternal breeds in the UK are popular because shepherds want to know a bit more about the sheep they are working with I.e closed flocks, genetics, disease risk etc... so more private sales. How else are you to sell a mule if you can’t tart it up admire it pretty face in a market?

 

[Nithsdale]

Are Lleyn’s up by a similar amount?

Sales haven't been yet.

But these Mule sales have only just caught up with their trade for last year...

 

[Agrivator]

"Mule sale trade in line with every other sale this year"

What a nothing story

Rejoice at such good news. It all helps to pay for the creep feeding and purl dip.

And next year's Blue tup/s.

 

[livestock 1]

But you can’t compare popularity of Mules over other breeds by their public selling tactics surely? Other maternal breeds in the UK are popular because shepherds want to know a bit more about the sheep they are working with I.e closed flocks, genetics, disease risk etc... so more private sales. How else are you to sell a mule if you can’t tart it up admire it pretty face in a market?

The last bit is the worst part of it all

 

[Nithsdale]

But you can’t compare popularity of Mules over other breeds by their public selling tactics surely? Other maternal breeds in the UK are popular because shepherds want to know a bit more about the sheep they are working with I.e closed flocks, genetics, disease risk etc... so more private sales. How else are you to sell a mule if you can’t tart it up admire it pretty face in a market?

But mind on these old boys bidding away on these pretty faces are hell bent on winning her... to make up for the failure in their youth when they thought they were it, but didn't get that pretty face in the nightclub


They won't be runner up twice

 

[livestock 1]

Talking to a neighbour today who was planning on cutting mule lamb production down a touch and keeping more mule ewes.
The fortnight getting them tarted up for the sale was unpleasing for him when he has other jobs looking at him.
I reminded him how much they had gone up by this year and to think carefully before making his decision
Replacement draft Swale ewe depreciation was mentioned too

 

[Nithsdale]

Rejoice at such good news. It all helps to pay for the creep feeding and purl dip.

And next year's Blue tup/s.

FREE SPADES FOR EVERYBODY!

 

[Nithsdale]

Talking to a neighbour today who was planning on cutting mule lamb production down a touch and keeping more mule ewes.
The fortnight getting them tarted up for the sale was unpleasing for him when he has other jobs looking at him.
I reminded him how much they had gone up by this year and to think carefully before making his decision
Replacement draft Swale ewe depreciation was mentioned too

One of the most prominent Scotch Mule breeders in this area who has always sold 400 first draw lambs at the Nithsdale Trophy Scotch Mule Ewe Lamb Sale (Thornhill, now Dumfries) - and more often than not won the trophy and top priced pen - packed the job in about 4 years ago. Sells the whole lot privately off the farm. No dressing, no colouring, no drama or hassles... Best thing he ever did he says.


We stopped selling ewe lambs as soon as the face and neck trimming crept into it