top of page

Exploring Mule Births in France

  • Writer: Mules Qui peut
    Mules Qui peut
  • 49 minutes ago
  • 3 min read

As part of the Mulet Conference, the Mule qui Peut association was asked if we had any idea of ​​the number of saddle mules or small mules currently present in the country. Faced with this question, I recalled some work I had conducted during my studies: an analysis of equine births recorded by the SIRE department of the IFCE (French Institute for the Conservation of Animals and Animals). Some of this data is publicly available and provides an approximate picture of French mule production.


I emphasize this approximate aspect: the SIRE data sometimes seems incomplete, even poorly reported.


Documents Used


For this brief overview, I relied on two sources:

  • The first is the equine registration file from 1976 to 2024. It provides an overview of mule production, including OC and ONC.

  • The second is the birth register by year and department, which seems to only include mules of known origin.


Are you ready? Let's take a quick demographic tour of the world of the French mule.


First database: SIRE records


Let's start with a general overview. Between 1976 and 2024, the SIRE data recorded 10,835 mules, divided into five categories: Mule, ONC Mule, Poitevine Mule, OC Mule, etc. For simplicity, I grouped "Mulet" and "ONC Mule" together, which, after verification, appear to refer to the same thing. Here is the resulting distribution (see graph).


A peak in births was observed around 2010, which then declined. It's difficult to say what this reflects: perhaps a microchipping campaign or an IFCE census?


As for breeds, the very high proportion of ONC mules complicates the analysis. This category encompasses very different profiles: from the small pack mule to the large driving mule, including the riding mule.


Starting in the 2020s, we have noted a slight increase in OC mules. This could correspond to the emergence of breeding operations outside of traditional breeding grounds, particularly with projects focused on the riding mule.


A few other graphs also allow us to visualize:


  • the distribution by sex (unsurprisingly, it's around 50/50),


  • the distribution by coat, where bay, dark bay and black pangaré dominate.


Second database: the birth register


The second file covers the years 2008 to 2024 and provides a portrait of production by region. It lists 2,614 births. Only draft mules appear here, probably because the registration only covers breeds recognized during this period (Poitevins and Pyrenees).


The same trend is observed as in the SIRE: a peak in births around 2010, followed by a decline that stabilizes on a plateau starting in 2014.


The historic production regions still dominate: Poitou and the Pyrenees, with also some pockets in the Alpes de Haute-Provence, Ardèche and Aveyron.




Conclusion


It seems that we are currently in a phase of relative stability for mule production in France. Aside from the major historical breeds, it remains difficult to determine the predominance of any particular type of mule, particularly because of the "ONC" category, which encompasses a bit of everything.


In terms of trends, historical breeds seem to be slightly declining compared to ONC and OC mules. The decline appears more pronounced for the Pyrenean mule, while the Poitevin mule is roughly maintaining its proportions.


Conversely, OC mules seem to be on the rise, perhaps thanks to the rise of the recreational mule and new uses.


So here are some suggestions based on this data. But be warned: these conclusions remain debatable and are more a matter of curiosity than exact science. After all, this is just the analysis of a guy in his underwear behind his computer... Thanks for reading, and see you soon!


Source:


First dataset – Equine file (March 27, 2025): https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/fichier-des-equides/



Operating script – Analysis and visualization (Python, Google Colab): https://colab.research.google.com/drive/1k2nSbopzcH9_rMgVgJwd5oteZae0FiR8?usp=sharing_]()

 
 
 
bottom of page