Author Topic: Best Ram breed for my Suffolk x mule first timers? (Read 3073 times)

SMH · « **on:** July 28, 2019, 12:16:02 pm »

Hi there, we are new to breeding our own lambs, having only ever bought in and kept through for hogget meat until now. However we decided to give our 6 x March 2018 born girls a go at producing 2020 lambs for us this time and are wondering what best Ram breed might be for them. They are Suffolk x mules but we figured putting a Suffolk to them might be a bit mean first time sizewise, though all but one of them are quite large to be fair. No doubt there are perhaps lots of other reasons not to as well, or other breeds that would just be a better idea...??

We'd prefer non-horned breed. Would welcome any advice.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2019, 10:21:01 am »

I always use a Shetland for first timers if I possibly can. Easy to lamb, very active lambs jump up and find the milk bar straight away. Mum learns her job with practically no stress. From those mothers you’ll have lambs which will finish well enough by the end of the summer / early autumn no bother.

Then next time, they all know their jobs and their ligaments will be nice and relaxed, so from that cross you could use pretty much any ram you chose.

You can get polled Shetlands but it might take a bit of searching. However, only the male lambs would have horns anyway, and if you castrate as promptly as you are able, the horns will be pretty small.

If you don’t fancy Shetland, my next pick would be a Charolais, for many of the same reasons (also easy to lamb, very active lambs jump up and find the milk bar straight away. Mum learns her job with practically no stress. Just need to be aware that the lambs will have very light fleece at birth, so in bad weather either have the mums inside and or jacket the lambs.). Charolais cross from those mothers should give top quality and top performance fat lambs.

If you use Charolais and are tempted to keep any of the ewe lambs on, be aware that Charolais will start to cycle much earlier than many other breeds

Other than that, Charolais x make fab ewes.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2019, 10:22:33 am »

Do you know the mix in the Mules? If Swaledale cross, they’ll have a much wider pelvis than if a Blackface cross.

Me · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2019, 01:53:48 pm »

Charmoise provide the best in terms of lambing ease etc and also a top quality meaty lamb. See charmoise.co.uk

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2019, 05:47:24 pm »

Lleyn are easy lambing on first timers. Avoid anything with wide shoulders but they should cope with something more substantial than a Shetland. Most of my shearling Lleyns went to a Poll Dorset before I bought my Lleyn ram which was pretty good too.

SMH · « **Reply #5 on:** July 31, 2019, 01:05:10 pm »

Thanks very much to all and for comprehensive reply SallyintheNorth - I had been considering Charolais so that is a definite possibility - and also Lleyn had been my thought as a favourite option from my limited knowledge and looking around etc so may go down that route thanks Twizzle!

The Vendeens look nice - I was not familiar with them but checked out as someone was selling a nice young ram but I fear he would be too big and I'd be no better off than with a Suffolk, though they don't have the big heads....

Good point re the pelvis thing - sadly I am not sure - may be able to check before making a decision though if farm they came from can actually tell me but if they have various different crosses amongst their ewes then they will not likely know now.

SMH · « **Reply #6 on:** July 31, 2019, 01:29:23 pm »

Will take a look at the Charmoise - again not one I know much about - thanks Me!

twizzel · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2019, 01:30:44 pm »

The lleyn would be a good option if you want to keep a few of the ewe lambs to breed from in future too. Good luck with whatever you decide!

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2019, 01:33:56 pm »

I would say Lleyn, the ewe lambs are great to retain as breeding ewes and the rams are a decent weight too. I started with Mules and crossed with a lleyn every time - several generations of sheep ago!