The Hebridean Mule

Heb Mule gimmer lambs (photo David Braithwaite)

Hebridean sheep are indeed Hardy Economical Black Sheep (HEBS) but, pure-bred, they struggle to be commercially profitable under the management systems of most flocks. Hebs are kept for a wide variety of reasons, some in situations where being profitable just doesn`t work, often due to the small size of the flock.

However, Hebridean sheep can be profitable given the right circumstances. Arguably, crossbreeding is the most reliable way to generate positive income over costs from a Hebridean flock.

Hebridean mules result from putting a Bluefaced Leicester (crossing type) ram with a Hebridean ewe. The offspring from a Bluefaced Leicester ram on any dam are generally referred to as 'mules', hence the name Hebridean Mule when Hebridean ewes are used.

These crossbred lambs have hybrid vigour and benefit from the complementarity of the positive attributes the two founding breeds give i.e. hardiness, easy lambing, milk quality and longevity from the Hebridean; and a large frame and prolificacy from the Leicester.

Tupping time with the Bluefaced Leicester
(photo David Braithwaite)

Hebridean Mule ewe lambs grow on to become very useful commercial mothers and are proving themselves able to do well on marginal land. At about 60kgs when fully grown, Heb Mule ewes are a neat and efficient commercial sheep. A large study published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board[1] showed that the most economical size of a commercial breeding ewe is between 55 and 65 kilos liveweight, thus placing the Heb mule in a most favourable position.

[1] Kirk, T. et al (2019), Optimising Mature Weight for Farm Efficiency and Profitability, AHDB.

Heb Mules (photo David Braithwaite)

Examples of the use of Hebridean Mules
as mothers of commercial lamb in 2024

Heb Mules go where Scotch Mules fear to tread
Taigh Fada, North Uist

Stuart Entwisle-Baker farms his 13Ha croft, Taigh Fada, on the west of North Uist. He also has common grazing on hill ground and machair (floristically rich, raised-beach coastal grazing). He runs 30-40 sheep in a mixed flock of Hebrideans, Heb Mules and others. They are outside all year with the ewes coming in to lamb. They summer on the inbye which is very wet in winter, so they generally winter on the sandy, free-draining machair.

He bought Hebridean Mule ewe lambs in autumn 2020 and has found that they work well on his croft. Stuart commented that Scotch Mules [Bluefaced Leicester x Scottish Blackface] had been tried by his neighbours but with limited success due to their relatively high maintenance demands.

The sheep lamb indoors through April and into May and remain inside for just a couple of days if the weather is good enough to 'turn out'. Lambing in 2024 with the Heb Mules was typically good. All the lambings were straightforward and there were no losses, leaving 171% reared 'to sale' from all of the ewes put to the tup.

Selling at Thanestone Mart, Aberdeen through an arrangement with a regular haulier from the Isles, the Suffolk cross lambs were all off the croft by the end of August. They were sold as strong stores to £94/head, averaging a very pleasing £89.50. “The faster maturing Suffolk lambs were strong sheep by late August and were a credit to our croft when they were turned into the sale ring at Thanestone after their long journey,” said Stuart. Gross Sales per Ewe were £153.

Winter feed costs in the Outer Hebrides are high, small bale hay costing £7.60/bale delivered. Any sheep therefore need to be efficient and produce a reasonable return. This is why Stuart chose to invest in Hebridean Mule ewes. Pleased with their general performance, he has bought further ewe lambs in autumn 2024.

Some of the Taigh Fada flock:Hebrideans and their lambs, Hebridean Mules and their Suffolk cross lambs (photo Stuart Entwistle-Baker)

North Farm, Nether Silton, North Yorkshire

Suffolk x Heb Mule lambs (photo David Braithwaite)

14 Heb Mule ewes (4 gimmers + 10 x 3 & 4 crop ewes) were put to the Suffolk tup and left 25 lambs available for autumn sales, giving 179% reared 'to sale'. Sold in one lot as stores through Thirsk mart in early October, they achieved £98/head. Gross Sales per Ewe were £175.25.

Ettleton Farm, Newcastleton, Scottish Borders

Heb Mules and Suffolk X lambs (photos David Braithwaite)

12 Heb Mule gimmer shearlings were put to the Suffolk tup and left 21 Suffolk cross lambs available for the autumn sales, giving 175% reared. Sold through Longtown mart as stores with the ewe lambs put through a breeding sheep sale, they sold to £119/head and averaged £103.60. Gross Sales per Ewe were £181.25.

Producing Hebridean Mule Lambs in 2024

Hebridean Ewes with their Mule lambs (photo David Braithwaite)

Ardoch Flock, Kinross & Inverness-shire

The Ardoch flock was in the middle of a change of farm in 2024 with the farming operation in Kinross moving back to the family home-farm in Inverness-shire. So, a year of some reorganisation but a Heb mule breeding programme at scale. 105 Hebridean ewes were put to the Bluefaced Leicester tup and produced 147 lambs for autumn/winter sales. Giving 140% reared. 85 lambs were sold as stores through Dingwall mart to £85.00, at an average of £76. Early in the season, six ewe lambs were sold privately as breeding sheep for £50 per head.

Gross lamb sales were £6,760. The better end of the ewe lambs (56) were retained for breeding on the home farm and valued at £90.00 per head, totalling £5,040. Total lamb value £11,800; average per ewe £112.38.

Ettleton Farm, Newcastleton, Scottish Borders

The overall average price for the 34 lambs was £87.82, leaving Gross Sales per Ewe (all ewes put to the tup) of £149.30, £20.30 up on the previous year. Gross sales of almost £150 per ewe is an outcome that places the Hebridean ewe as a profitable sheep under this management system.