A mature Bluefaced Leicester ram has one of the most distinctive-looking heads in sheepdom! Here are some BFL ram facts…
A BFL ram, despite his size, has a superb temperament overall. Experienced shepherds (even those who have kept other breeds), and newbies alike have attested that BFL rams are easy to get along with and manage.
A BFL ram is used to cross on a Hill breed ewe, such as a Scottish Blackface, Swaledale, Cheviot, or Clun Forest, to create the famous “Mule.” In the United Kingdom, the BFL ram is a fundamental part of their “stratified 3-tier breeding system.” Here in North America, the BFL ram is creating Mules out of a number of other available breeds as well.
Besides the production of Mules, the Bluefaced Leicester has also proven itself to be a tremendous cross for fleece improvement. In the US, fleece for the handspinner’s market is in demand, and the BFL makes a great cross for this purpose.
Some of the most popular BFL crosses are with Border Leicester, Wensleydale, and Shetland. We’ve seen other 2- and 3-way crosses including Corriedale and Texel! There are many other fleece breeds that you might try. High percentage crosses (3/4 and above) create gorgeous fleeces for handspinning.