General sheep thread

razor8

here's the label attached

Buford T. Justice XIX

I said I'd remind people who haven't sent in their Sheep Census yet that Friday is the last day to do so but it's online only.

If you haven't registered for Agfood as yet, you might be starting to go about it now as it will take a while to get registered and you don't want to be at that craic on Friday.

DJ98

Looking at buying in lamb ewes. Looking at 2 different batches, one are mules and the other lleyns, both scanned 2.0. Which ewe would people consider to be the better mother? Looking for pros and cons of both.

Siamsa Sessions

DJ98 wrote: »

Looking at buying in lamb ewes. Looking at 2 different batches, one are mules and the other lleyns, both scanned 2.0. Which ewe would people consider to be the better mother? Looking for pros and cons of both.

Both similarly good in my experience but it depends on the ewe herself, how she’s treated/fed, no of other ewes in the field, housed vs non-housed at lambing, age, how she was reared, good fencing vs poor fencing, etc. All these things will affect how she performs more so than whether her genes are half Llyen or half mule in my experience

Buford T. Justice XIX

Nice article in the Findo on John O'Connell.

https://amp.independent.ie/business/farming/sheep/the-cows-had-to-go-the-figures-werent-stacking-up-38943277.html?__twitter_impression=true

Green farmer

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

I said I'd remind people who haven't sent in their Sheep Census yet that Friday is the last day to do so but it's online only.

If you haven't registered for Agfood as yet, you might be starting to go about it now as it will take a while to get registered and you don't want to be at that craic on Friday.

Just doing the census online. Anyone know if you put in lambs carried over the winter into section 3. "It says remaining sheep, include ewes and rams not included in section A&B. "
Or do you just record sheep over 12 months of age ? Thanks

razor8

Need to record everything in section 3. Supposed to capture every sheep on your holding

Hard Knocks

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Nice article in the Findo on John O'Connell.

https://amp.independent.ie/business/farming/sheep/the-cows-had-to-go-the-figures-werent-stacking-up-38943277.html?__twitter_impression=true

Was at a walk on their farm last year
Lovely family

roosky

I have a friend that bought 30 ewes off me and put them to the ram on October 20th, he only got them scanned in a day (118 days after ram went in).....they scanned very poor with a lot of singles ......I’m just wondering could a scanner pick up twins that late or is there a good chance these singles will have twins when the lamb.....the ewes consistently scanned 1.85 to 1.9 with me they were in great condition going to the ram and were well fed upto now but we not scanned 1.05 for him .....any ideas ?

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

I have a friend that bought 30 ewes off me and put them to the ram on October 20th, he only got them scanned in a day (118 days after ram went in).....they scanned very poor with a lot of singles ......I’m just wondering could a scanner pick up twins that late or is there a good chance these singles will have twins when the lamb.....the ewes consistently scanned 1.85 to 1.9 with me they were in great condition going to the ram and were well fed upto now but we not scanned 1.05 for him .....any ideas ?

Scanner would be foolish to put a litter size if they were too far in lamb, most would just declare them pregnant or not if they couldn't determine litter size.
i wonder were they overfat

razor8

roosky wrote: »

I have a friend that bought 30 ewes off me and put them to the ram on October 20th, he only got them scanned in a day (118 days after ram went in).....they scanned very poor with a lot of singles ......I’m just wondering could a scanner pick up twins that late or is there a good chance these singles will have twins when the lamb.....the ewes consistently scanned 1.85 to 1.9 with me they were in great condition going to the ram and were well fed upto now but we not scanned 1.05 for him .....any ideas ?

When did he buy them?

weatherbyfoxer

sounds like a ram issue,scanner should pick up twins even at that stage..unless sponged there will be a minimum spread on of 14 days in pregnancy stages on a group of ewes

roosky

razor8 wrote: »

When did he buy them?

I sold them to him first week of September they were all given a good NCT and he had a world of grass for them, they were as good as if not better looked after than I would have done but the lambs just aren’t in them !

razor8

Was it an experienced scanner? Or a fella from Louth?

Birdnuts

Pity folk in the West with early lambs - neighbour of mine there has had to rent extra indoor facilties since there is no prospect of them getting out any time soon.

charolais0153

Birdnuts wrote: »

Pity folk in the West with early lambs - neighbour of mine there has had to rent extra indoor facilties since there is no prospect of them getting out any time soon.

Weve started dropping, justbgoing to spread them out over the land, small groups, in sheltered fields

Bleating Lamb

Not lambing here till after Paddy’s day but land is beyond saturation point.One neighbour tends to always sail close to the wind as regards probably having too many ewes for his land.He has no indoor facilities and the sheep have the fields ploughed black and it’s only mid February.The spots where he is feeding hay and nuts are especially black!

Siamsa Sessions

We finished lambing 25-Jan and all are out since then. Tis messy where they were for the last 2 weeks but moved them yesterday to a drier part of the farm. I cut back on ewe numbers to trial early lambing and I'm never so glad that I did. Grass is very scarce and they don't have any interest in the hay I put out for them. I'm giving them beet pulp with the ration to try and spread out the costs. We've another 30 replacement ewe lambs eating hay in the shed to try and take the pressure off a bit outside.

It's a case of managing and surviving now for the next few weeks.

And we're one of the lucky ones. I'm seeing pictures on Twitter of fields under water that won't can't carry sheep/lambs for another month. Maybe the cattle farmers have it right - put everything in til March and don't even look at the fields til then?

Lambman

Lambing starting here from monday on all doubles inside sold all triplets and have singles out eating just silage on a big run but no fortune a grass. Weather brutal here thank God I'm not already lambing. Ewes in good condition slow bagging up this year. Doing nothing different getting same feed stuff unless silage wasnt as good as last year but it should be better and looks better. Thinking on selling a few older single bearing ewes at point off lambing all full mouth suffolk/texel/mule ewes in lamb till texel say average weight 85+kg. What they worth?

farawaygrass

Lambman wrote: »

Lambing starting here from monday on all doubles inside sold all triplets and have singles out eating just silage on a big run but no fortune a grass. Weather brutal here thank God I'm not already lambing. Ewes in good condition slow bagging up this year. Doing nothing different getting same feed stuff unless silage wasnt as good as last year but it should be better and looks better. Thinking on selling a few older single bearing ewes at point off lambing all full mouth suffolk/texel/mule ewes in lamb till texel say average weight 85+kg. What they worth?

I’ve lambing a week and very disappointed with how slow milk is. Like you don’t think I done anything different to other years and ewes in very good condition. Frustrating

Tileman

farawaygrass wrote: »

I’ve lambing a week and very disappointed with how slow milk is. Like you don’t think I done anything different to other years and ewes in very good condition. Frustrating

Did u feed any soya in your feed?

farawaygrass

Tileman wrote: »

Did u feed any soya in your feed?

No, but same as every other year, an 18% nut. And they used have buckets of milk.

orm0nd

Rough going here, sheds packed. turned out another 40 ewes with 72 lambs yesterday. Strip grazing and moving fence every third day. Using a back fence otherwise, we would severely affect regrowth.

Impossible to feed meal to the ewes outdoors, as numbers too big. Lambs starting on creep.

Going to be very tight on grass in a month, no sign of a window to spread fertlizer.

The joys of early lamb in the west.

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

No, but same as every other year, an 18% nut. And they used have buckets of milk.

Is soya in the first three ingredients on the list of ingredients .is it the same ration as usual .
Ewes might have been on heat just before the rams went out which would delay lambing for up to a fortnight.

farawaygrass

wrangler wrote: »

Is soya in the first three ingredients on the list of ingredients .is it the same ration as usual .
Ewes might have been on heat just before the rams went out which would delay lambing for up to a fortnight.

I’m buying it I’m bulk so will have to ask for the label. But ya same nut as other years. Doubting myself now was I under feeding a bit

arctictree

Lads, I have a ewe with triplets on the point of lambing. She prolapsed bad a few days ago. I fixed her up but shes been down since. Been giving her pen strep and ceto phyton but she seems to be getting worse. I fear she is going to die soon. Would ye get a cesarean done at this point or any other options?

Siamsa Sessions

arctictree wrote: »

Lads, I have a ewe with triplets on the point of lambing. She prolapsed bad a few days ago. I fixed her up but shes been down since. Been giving her pen strep and ceto phyton but she seems to be getting worse. I fear she is going to die soon. Would ye get a cesarean done at this point or any other options?

Is she eating? Or showing any interest? Did you try her with ivy? She's a sick sheep if she doesn't nibble the ivy.

Without knowing more, I'd be inclined to give the vet a call. He/she might just handle her and if the cervix is open, the lambs might come out that way. If not, then I'd prefer a Caesarean to a dead ewe and 3 dead lambs.

If you're comfortable enough doing it yourself, you could handle her too and see if the cervix is open. You'll know by how far in your arm goes: not far = not open. If you think you have to push your arm harder, then stop. she's not open.

arctictree

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Is she eating? Or showing any interest? Did you try her with ivy? She's a sick sheep if she doesn't nibble the ivy.

Without knowing more, I'd be inclined to give the vet a call. He/she might just handle her and if the cervix is open, the lambs might come out that way. If not, then I'd prefer a Caesarean to a dead ewe and 3 dead lambs.

If you're comfortable enough doing it yourself, you could handle her too and see if the cervix is open. You'll know by how far in your arm goes: not far = not open. If you think you have to push your arm harder, then stop. she's not open.

She's not eating so I'm worried she'll just go downhill. Vet was out yesterday, checked her over and advised to continue what I was doing. I think she's a good few days from lambing as we are not due to start until Saturday and she's showing no signs of it. Might have to get a C section done if she gets much worse. Maybe the lambs are dead in her and its making her sick. Prolapse was really bad the other day. I had real difficulty getting it back in...

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

I’m buying it I’m bulk so will have to ask for the label. But ya same nut as other years. Doubting myself now was I under feeding a bit

At least 2+lbs/day at this stage divided in at least two feeds .

farawaygrass

wrangler wrote: »

At least 2+lbs/day at this stage divided in at least two feeds .

For ewes carrying twins?