The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: SheepMad95 on August 31, 2014, 09:59:48 pm
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I have some herdwicks ewelambs, so I'm in the process of finding and buying a herdwick ram lamb to breed from them. I want some advice.. I have some mule x Suffolk tame lambs, but I was wondering of any one had bred herdwick x mules before, and what the lambs are like? Good for selling on to slaughter? Good conformation/grades etc???
Thank you in advance
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Never come across that cross although im sure it will have been done by somebody, possibly as an accident. The ewe lambs might be handy for breeding as sort of a slightly upgraded 3/4 hill ewe but I can't imagine they would grade out very well as neither herdwicks or mules do. Mules are bred to enhance the abilities of the hill ewe and as such the ewe lambs are very sought after and put to a terminal sire produce a good lamb, their male lambs are more of a byproduct. One thing I would say is herdwick ewe lambs in my experience are not usually well enough grown to be tupped and it really sets them back. We do tup a lot of ewe lambs of many different breeds but herdwicks are one of the few breeds we just don't do it on any more.
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I have some herdwicks ewelambs, so I'm in the process of finding and buying a herdwick ram lamb to breed from them. I want some advice.. I have some mule x Suffolk tame lambs, but I was wondering of any one had bred herdwick x mules before, and what the lambs are like? Good for selling on to slaughter? Good conformation/grades etc???
Thank you in advance
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Where are you based SheepMad95? We're also in the process of sourcing a Herdwick ram or looking for one to get in for a few weeks in October