General sheep/lamb info please for a newbie.

EP90

General sheep/lamb info please for a newbie.
Hedging done, fence up, shelter up, and a plan for dealing with rushes, but I need some help to be ready in a couple of months for 2 or 3 lambs. I could try to get the info off the net but takes hours on dial up.


I have a water supply but what’s the recommended drinker/trough to install in a field. I have a spare water tank but at 4 x2 x 2 feet it seems a little large and would probably have to be half buried for lambs to get a drink, so what height should it be? Lambs would be gone to slaughter at the end of year so not concerned with ice protection.


Also wondering about transport for collection and final run to the abattoir. I have an old Land rover truck that I can use but wondered if there are any regulations regarding the transport of livestock, especially the abattoir run?


When killed and butchered how do I know that’s its my lamb that’s returned to me, is it just trust or is there a marking system?


thanks yet again...

Username John

EP90 wrote: »

General sheep/lamb info please for a newbie.
Hedging done, fence up, shelter up, and a plan for dealing with rushes, but I need some help to be ready in a couple of months for 2 or 3 lambs. I could try to get the info off the net but takes hours on dial up.


I have a water supply but what’s the recommended drinker/trough to install in a field. I have a spare water tank but at 4 x2 x 2 feet it seems a little large and would probably have to be half buried for lambs to get a drink, so what height should it be? Lambs would be gone to slaughter at the end of year so not concerned with ice protection.


Also wondering about transport for collection and final run to the abattoir. I have an old Land rover truck that I can use but wondered if there are any regulations regarding the transport of livestock, especially the abattoir run?


When killed and butchered how do I know that’s its my lamb that’s returned to me, is it just trust or is there a marking system?


thanks yet again...

Don't bury the trough - get a concrete block or 3 if you need em, and put it beside it, so the lambs can get up to reach it. They'll figure it out.
If its buried, and low - you run the risk of small lambs falling in (not sure how small your lambs will be). The risk is small, but I seen it happen
I still use 40 gallon barrels halved. Something like this, only the plastic type barrel.

Your landrover will do their last trip just fine

Cant answer your last Q, as I have yet to slaughter one of our own lambs.

Best of luck.

EDIT : I should have said, I suspect the way it works re slaughter, is you make local inquiries as to who the best and trusted butcher in your area is, and you go with them.

EP90

Thanks John,
Lambs will be aquired shortly after weaning, so will go with your advice re water trough. Pleased about my transport as it will save hunting down a trailler. There is a local butcher/slaughter man so that will be my starting point but was curious as to how they keep track of the carcass, I'll ask!!
regards,

redzerologhlen

EP90 wrote: »

Thanks John,
Lambs will be aquired shortly after weaning, so will go with your advice re water trough. Pleased about my transport as it will save hunting down a trailler. There is a local butcher/slaughter man so that will be my starting point but was curious as to how they keep track of the carcass, I'll ask!!
regards,

I know the fellow I brought my lambs to this year would only cut up the carcass when I was there. I had 4 lambs last year in a half acre and they drank very little water all summer so no need for a big trough for them.

EP90

I now have a name for a slaughter/butcher so I’ll go and have a chat. Regarding the trough, I already have a plastic water tank but at 4 foot long and two foot high I think it’s just too big, the last thing I want is a lamb in it.. I’ll just have to part with a few bob and get something more suitable…

Username John

EP90 wrote: »

I now have a name for a slaughter/butcher so I’ll go and have a chat. Regarding the trough, I already have a plastic water tank but at 4 foot long and two foot high I think it’s just too big, the last thing I want is a lamb in it.. I’ll just have to part with a few bob and get something more suitable…

What age will you be getting lambs at EP? I think you mentioned you will be getting them at weaning, so they'd be hardy enough then. I would still go with the few blocks around the water tank, and they'll be fine.

Is it some kinda house water tank like this? If so, we have one like that too, that we picked up somewhere, and we still use it every now and then.
Put it against the ditch, and put the blocks at the front, so they will walk up to get at the water, but even if they were pushed, they wont end up in the water. I should add we also use an old bath as well, which would be similar size, and a few blocks to allow bigger lambs to get up a bit higher to reach into it, and we haven't had any issues...

Again, best of luck with whatever you do. Let us know when you get the lambs, and how they go for you.

Oh, whereabouts in the country are you?

rancher

EP90 wrote: »

General sheep/lamb info please for a newbie.
Hedging done, fence up, shelter up, and a plan for dealing with rushes, but I need some help to be ready in a couple of months for 2 or 3 lambs. I could try to get the info off the net but takes hours on dial up.


I have a water supply but what’s the recommended drinker/trough to install in a field. I have a spare water tank but at 4 x2 x 2 feet it seems a little large and would probably have to be half buried for lambs to get a drink, so what height should it be? Lambs would be gone to slaughter at the end of year so not concerned with ice protection.


Also wondering about transport for collection and final run to the abattoir. I have an old Land rover truck that I can use but wondered if there are any regulations regarding the transport of livestock, especially the abattoir run?


When killed and butchered how do I know that’s its my lamb that’s returned to me, is it just trust or is there a marking system?


thanks yet again...

Why not a small drinker like this if you have a water supply, bolt it to a wall or stake in the ground, only holds a small amount of water, water will be always fresh, and its easy to clean out and vermin won't be swimming in it, sheep like their water to be clean

EP90

Username John wrote: »

What age will you be getting lambs at EP? I think you mentioned you will be getting them at weaning, so they'd be hardy enough then. I would still go with the few blocks around the water tank, and they'll be fine.

Is it some kinda house water tank like this? If so, we have one like that too, that we picked up somewhere, and we still use it every now and then.
Put it against the ditch, and put the blocks at the front, so they will walk up to get at the water, but even if they were pushed, they wont end up in the water. I should add we also use an old bath as well, which would be similar size, and a few blocks to allow bigger lambs to get up a bit higher to reach into it, and we haven't had any issues...

Again, best of luck with whatever you do. Let us know when you get the lambs, and how they go for you.

Oh, whereabouts in the country are you?

Water tank is exactly the same, I'd put the ballcock at one end with a cover over the top to stop damage.

A few miles outside Cavan.

EP90

rancher wrote: »

Why not a small drinker like this if you have a water supply, bolt it to a wall or stake in the ground, only holds a small amount of water, water will be always fresh, and its easy to clean out and vermin won't be swimming in it, sheep like their water to be clean

The're very neat and I do have a water supply, it would also not be so effected by ice. I'll be going with my existing water tank ( because I all ready have it) but will keep this in mind as a replacement.
Thanks,