General sheep thread

Siamsa Sessions

Only have 9 of them but first mountainy ewe lost a big single lamb here this morning too. Out of a Suffolk ram and all the other lowland ewes have had no trouble lambing. The mountainy one’s lamb was huge though - touching 7 kg.

To top it off, she was dead herself by this afternoon. Gave her penicillin this morning and she stood up after a while and picked a bit of grass, drank some water too.

Don’t think our experiment with mountainys will be repeated :-)

kk.man

DJ98 wrote: »

Texels

I've a texel here on low land breeds and he is getting the road next year. If I lamb again I'll buy a Charlie to replace him.

Green farmer

Even though I’m very fond of texel, I’ve moved away from them. Too many issues with big singles. Using charolais and Suffolk now. Think the charolais edge is overall on the Suffolk. Having said that I’m wouldn’t mind trying a hampshire or any other breed if I can across one that suited.

kk.man

Green farmer wrote: »

Even though I’m very fond of texel, I’ve moved away from them. Too many issues with big singles. Using charolais and Suffolk now. Think the charolais edge is overall on the Suffolk. Having said that I’m wouldn’t mind trying a hampshire or any other breed if I can across one that suited.

+1
I bought Hampshire stores once years back. In a short period I fattened them and sold them to a butcher. He told me they were the best lambs he ever had and could I give him more. I couldn't ever source them again.

Green farmer

My young Lleyn ram died recently as well, so might source some breed of a maternal ram next autumn as well, or mightn’t bother and leave it till next year as should have plenty of replacements hopefully. I’ll try every breed under the sun, a lucky ram of any breed is what I want.

arctictree

Lad, have a ewe here with her cleanings out but no lamb, and shes not showing any signs of lambing. What ye think? Abortion?

Dinzee Conlee

arctictree wrote: »

Lad, have a ewe here with her cleanings out but no lamb, and shes not showing any signs of lambing. What ye think? Abortion?

With how long?

Lambman

Is she due? Did u try putting your hand in her?

wrangler

arctictree wrote: »

Lad, have a ewe here with her cleanings out but no lamb, and shes not showing any signs of lambing. What ye think? Abortion?

Cleanings can come with the lamb, you may put a hand in her.

Lambman

Could be a sign there dead in her tho... I'd be checking asap

Lambman

Could be a sign there dead in her tho... I'd be checking asap

MeTheMan

We have texels here, haven't any major problems with lambing. Prefer texel over a Suffolk any day. Had Suffolk here a few years back and replaced with texel. Dirty feckers them Suffolk lambs. Couldn't keep a shears sharp enough.
Had one texel out of action with hoof problems last year but they done the job this year.

Anyone run a belclare? They seem like a good sheep. Don't know anyone with hands on experience though.

orm0nd

MeTheMan wrote: »

We have texels here, haven't any major problems with lambing. Prefer texel over a Suffolk any day. Had Suffolk here a few years back and replaced with texel. Dirty feckers them Suffolk lambs. Couldn't keep a shears sharp enough.
Had one texel out of action with hoof problems last year but they done the job this year.

Anyone run a belclare? They seem like a good sheep. Don't know anyone with hands on experience though.

we're running belclareXtexel ewes and vica versa, belclare are a real joy to work with , fanatastic mothers and easily handled, first couple of years we were well over 200% lambing off mule ewes, but since we introduced the texel X it has slipped back a bit,
having said that top quality belclare rams don't come cheap


bought a rouge at the premier sale last autumn , some very promising lambs by him so far and will be keeping replacements by him also

DJ98

Had a ewe loosened a lamb yesterday evening, got a Foster lamb for her this morning and rubbed the Foster lamb in the ewes own lamb as it was still wet on one side and hadn't been moved, also put salt on the lamb but the ewe or lamb has no interest in each other, Foster lamb could be a week old and a scotch ewe, gave the lamb a bottle this evening as it wouldn't attempt to suck, any suggestions for what I can try tomorrow, if the ewes in the adoption crate shell lie down and refuse to stand

stantheman1979

DJ98 wrote: »

Had a ewe loosened a lamb yesterday evening, got a Foster lamb for her this morning and rubbed the Foster lamb in the ewes own lamb as it was still wet on one side and hadn't been moved, also put salt on the lamb but the ewe or lamb has no interest in each other, Foster lamb could be a week old and a scotch ewe, gave the lamb a bottle this evening as it wouldn't attempt to suck, any suggestions for what I can try tomorrow, if the ewes in the adoption crate shell lie down and refuse to stand

Horned ewes are stubborn out!! I find skinning the lamb works well with them. If that doesn’t work tie her back leg back good and tight and she won’t lie down. Also she won’t be able to put up a fight and the lamb will suck away. Or else tie her head up to the top of the adoption unit and she won’t lie down.

Buford T. Justice XIX

MeTheMan wrote: »

We have texels here, haven't any major problems with lambing. Prefer texel over a Suffolk any day. Had Suffolk here a few years back and replaced with texel. Dirty feckers them Suffolk lambs. Couldn't keep a shears sharp enough.
Had one texel out of action with hoof problems last year but they done the job this year.

Anyone run a belclare? They seem like a good sheep. Don't know anyone with hands on experience though.

I've had Belclares since the first type, as Ormond says, a pleasure to work with, good crops of lambs and well able to mother and bring them to good weights.

arctictree

Lambman wrote: »

Could be a sign there dead in her tho... I'd be checking asap

Dead lamb in her. Thanks.

wrangler

DJ98 wrote: »

Had a ewe loosened a lamb yesterday evening, got a Foster lamb for her this morning and rubbed the Foster lamb in the ewes own lamb as it was still wet on one side and hadn't been moved, also put salt on the lamb but the ewe or lamb has no interest in each other, Foster lamb could be a week old and a scotch ewe, gave the lamb a bottle this evening as it wouldn't attempt to suck, any suggestions for what I can try tomorrow, if the ewes in the adoption crate shell lie down and refuse to stand

If you pour water on a dry sponge it'll just run off it, it's the same trying to get a dry lamb to absorb lambing fluids, we bath a dry lamb in very salty warm water before we try to put the fluids on him, the fluids will spread around him and be absorbed better that way, tie his back two legs together and front two legs together so he looks like a newborn and take them off after 5 mins with her. It takes a lot of effort, ewes are no fools. That all only works directly after lambing,
However if it's three or four hours after lambing you can make her think she's lambing again by putting a hand into her and working her to get her licking again
The adoption crate is the last resort here and seldom used

roosky

i have scabbivax left in car for a few days, box says keep refrigerated....would ye chance it ??

sonnybill

Never lambed before , they delicate enough as opposed to char bull calves.. I’m afraid I’m going to pull the leg out of shoulder socket , big single ewe lamb to start and twin ewe lambs then both Lanark x blackface hoggets to a Suffock ram, fine lambs

farming93

First ewe lambed , on her back in the field two cold lambs beside her she must of just licked them before going on her back. Anyways I took them in one came round straight away the other wasn't coming around . I brought it in and left it against the fire for three hours and it was as good as new . As I got it into the house I noticed the crows had made two flesh wounds in the lambs back . Sometimes luck does be on your side another five minutes id say I would of had two dead lambs and a ewe with no eyes .

wrangler

farming93 wrote: »

First ewe lambed , on her back in the field two cold lambs beside her she must of just licked them before going on her back. Anyways I took them in one came round straight away the other wasn't coming around . I brought it in and left it against the fire for three hours and it was as good as new . As I got it into the house I noticed the crows had made two flesh wounds in the lambs back . Sometimes luck does be on your side another five minutes id say I would of had two dead lambs and a ewe with no eyes .

One thing I've learn't with lambing is that you have to be with them every couple hours

arctictree

wrangler wrote: »

One thing I've learn't with lambing is that you have to be with them every couple hours

You wouldn't believe what they get up to. Was doing some jobs in the shed earlier. A ewe was lambing in the corner of the main pen so I was keeping an eye on her. Didn't another ewe try to lick one of her lambs and she butt the ewe and sent her through the perspex window and out into the field!

wrangler

arctictree wrote: »

You wouldn't believe what they get up to. Was doing some jobs in the shed earlier. A ewe was lambing in the corner of the main pen so I was keeping an eye on her. Didn't another ewe try to lick one of her lambs and she butt the ewe and sent her through the perspex window and out into the field!

You've definitely experienced a lot of diiferent hardships this year, every year won't be like this year, some years you just sail through

148multi

farming93 wrote: »

First ewe lambed , on her back in the field two cold lambs beside her she must of just licked them before going on her back. Anyways I took them in one came round straight away the other wasn't coming around . I brought it in and left it against the fire for three hours and it was as good as new . As I got it into the house I noticed the crows had made two flesh wounds in the lambs back . Sometimes luck does be on your side another five minutes id say I would of had two dead lambs and a ewe with no eyes .

I find the best and quickest way to heat lambs up, put one in a bag or bin liner, then into a sink of warm water, just head up, it's like putting them back in the womb.

Green farmer

Lost a ewe today and another two weeks ago to suspected fluke. Both had bottleneck and gone very thin. Fair disappointing as done a month ago with tribex. Must have brought in some resistance when I was establishing flock a few years ago as never used tribex here before last year. All duotech from here on out.

Dinzee Conlee

Green farmer wrote: »

Lost a ewe today and another two weeks ago to suspected fluke. Both had bottleneck and gone very thin. Fair disappointing as done a month ago with tribex. Must have brought in some resistance when I was establishing flock a few years ago as never used tribex here before last year. All duotech from here on out.

I think Triclabendazole has a lot of resistance, it’s the same ingredient in fasinex as far as I know...

Use flukiver here, which I think has closantel... I see duotech has both closantel and oxfendazole... not sure what the second one does?

DJ98

Have a ewe lying down that is refusing to stand or won't eat, due to lamb next week, any idea what is wrong? Does she need calcium?
She is sitting up and alert but won't stand 9r eat

Buford T. Justice XIX

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I think Triclabendazole has a lot of resistance, it’s the same ingredient in fasinex as far as I know...

Use flukiver here, which I think has closantel... I see duotech has both closantel and oxfendazole... not sure what the second one does?

Oxfendazole is a normal white wormer that also does inhibited stomach worms.

wrangler

DJ98 wrote: »

Have a ewe lying down that is refusing to stand or won't eat, due to lamb next week, any idea what is wrong? Does she need calcium?
She is sitting up and alert but won't stand 9r eat

Get electrolytes into her as soon as possible if she doesn't eat, If she hasn't twin lamb disease she soon will have, If they don't eat they start metabolising their own fat which is poisonous. Has she two or three lambs in her