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General sheep thread

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    #6362
    Mad about baa baas
    Registered Users Posts: 645 ✭✭✭Mad about baa baas


    Hi all.. so I normally just have ewe lambs that I keep for hoggets.. this year I have half a dozen ewes that I bought with lambs at foot mainly for the kids to enjoy the cuteness factor.. anyway was aiming to have them lambing next year say March 17th.. my issue is I think I weaned too soon and ewes are going to be morbidly obese by breeding.. 3 in particular. Not really set up to have mini flocks everywhere..any suggestions? Apologies for the essay


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    #6363
    Siamsa Sessions
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    Mad about baa baas wrote: »
    Hi all.. so I normally just have ewe lambs that I keep for hoggets.. this year I have half a dozen ewes that I bought with lambs at foot mainly for the kids to enjoy the cuteness factor.. anyway was aiming to have them lambing next year say March 17th.. my issue is I think I weaned too soon and ewes are going to be morbidly obese by breeding.. 3 in particular. Not really set up to have mini flocks everywhere..any suggestions? Apologies for the essay

    Have you a shed or house you can put them into? Give them hay/straw in there for a week to help their weight loss.

    But check them first to make sure they are actually too fat. Nice explanation of body condition scoring here: https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-9610.pdf

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



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    #6364
    Mad about baa baas
    Registered Users Posts: 645 ✭✭✭Mad about baa baas


    Sounds a plan.. thanks for that will examine properly soon. And take it from there.. how heavy would they have to be before it was a problem


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    #6365
    Farmer_3650
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Farmer_3650


    Anyone here use Agri-Lloyd Liquitrive for breeding ewes and if so, what do you think of it?


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    #6366
    White Clover
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭White Clover


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone here use Agri-Lloyd Liquitrive for breeding ewes and if so, what do you think of it?

    Never used it. Use Grovite Forte here, find it good but its expensive.


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    #6367
    Siamsa Sessions
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    Mad about baa baas wrote: »
    Sounds a plan.. thanks for that will examine properly soon. And take it from there.. how heavy would they have to be before it was a problem

    It’s more about the BCS than their weight. Around 3-4 would be OK but above 4 might be an issue. Depends on a few factors though such as breed, weather, rams fertility, grass availability, moving them too often to different fields, etc.

    There’s only so much you can do and after that nature will take its course one way or the other.

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



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    #6368
    wrangler
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    Siamsa Sessions wrote: »
    It’s more about the BCS than their weight. Around 3-4 would be OK but above 4 might be an issue. Depends on a few factors though such as breed, weather, rams fertility, grass availability, moving them too often to different fields, etc.

    There’s only so much you can do and after that nature will take its course one way or the other.

    Farmers have had ewes go down with tetany trying to thin them down and the fatter they were the more prone to tetany they were.
    Hay maybe, but not straw on it's own, straw needs protein fed with it to digest it properly, it clogs up in the ewes otherwise


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    #6369
    ganmo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,748 ✭✭✭ganmo


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone here use Agri-Lloyd Liquitrive for breeding ewes and if so, what do you think of it?

    Agri loyd stuff always seems to be over priced to me


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    #6370
    DJ98
    Registered Users Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭DJ98


    What are peoples opinions on texel x ewes? Do they make good mothers? And what ram would be most suited for them? My thinking would be either Suffolk or charolais


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    #6371
    Farmer_3650
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Farmer_3650


    DJ98 wrote: »
    What are peoples opinions on texel x ewes? Do they make good mothers? And what ram would be most suited for them? My thinking would be either Suffolk or charolais

    Majority of our flock would be half or 3/4 Texel, and while they have nice lambs, they wouldn't be very prolific and wouldn't be the best mothers. Very hard adopt lambs on to them compared to the rest of the ewes. We have crossed them with Charollais and Suffolk rams and my pick would be the Charollais, mainly down to the fact they are easier to keep clean. I find them a nice cross with belclare too for breeding ewe lambs.


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    #6372
    orm0nd
    Registered Users Posts: 4,208 ✭✭✭orm0nd


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone here use Agri-Lloyd Liquitrive for breeding ewes and if so, what do you think of it?

    over rated and way over priced


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    #6373
    Farmer_3650
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Farmer_3650


    orm0nd wrote: »
    over rated and way over priced

    What sort of money does it cost? Can't find anything about the price of it online


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    #6374
    DJ98
    Registered Users Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭DJ98


    What would be the best to feed Rams pre breeding season to improve their condition? Have a couple here that ain't doing as well as I'd like? Won't be going with ewes for another 6 weeks


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    #6375
    wrangler
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    DJ98 wrote: »
    What would be the best to feed Rams pre breeding season to improve their condition? Have a couple here that ain't doing as well as I'd like? Won't be going with ewes for another 6 weeks

    Lamb finisher ration or intensive lamb ration is what I use for rams


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    #6376
    DJ98
    Registered Users Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭DJ98


    wrangler wrote: »
    Lamb finisher ration or intensive lamb ration is what I use for rams

    I take lamb nuts would do the same job then?


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    #6377
    wrangler
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    DJ98 wrote: »
    I take lamb nuts would do the same job then?

    Yea, it'd be the same thing.
    I'd usually give them .5kg twice a day
    How much per day were you intending to give them


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    #6378
    Dinzee Conlee
    Registered Users Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭Dinzee Conlee


    Anyone recommend a good electric clippers?
    Just a handheld job, for dagging and the likes...


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    #6379
    Farmer_3650
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Farmer_3650


    Anyone ever get grass tested to see what trace elements it was lacking in? Wasn't aware this could be done until today, always thought it was just the soil that was tested.


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    #6380
    charolais0153
    Registered Users Posts: 6,225 ✭✭✭charolais0153


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone ever get grass tested to see what trace elements it was lacking in? Wasn't aware this could be done until today, always thought it was just the soil that was tested.

    We done it as part of a trial. Hard male head nor tail of it, nothing stood out and not really acted on


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    #6381
    wrangler
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone ever get grass tested to see what trace elements it was lacking in? Wasn't aware this could be done until today, always thought it was just the soil that was tested.

    Yea , herbage analysis, I don't know if you could depend on an analysis of whats growing at the moment, My wife calls it 'enriched water''


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    #6382
    Buford T. Justice XIX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,633 ✭✭✭✭Buford T. Justice XIX


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone ever get grass tested to see what trace elements it was lacking in? Wasn't aware this could be done until today, always thought it was just the soil that was tested.

    We get bloods done for the cows a few times a year and get the silage done as well to make sure we minimise problems and get our minerals adjusted to take account of the results.

    FBA labs in Cork and IAS labs in Carlow are two that we've used in the past.


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    #6383
    Farmer_3650
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Farmer_3650


    charolais0153 wrote: »
    We done it as part of a trial. Hard male head nor tail of it, nothing stood out and not really acted on
    wrangler wrote: »
    Yea , herbage analysis, I don't know if you could depend on an analysis of whats growing at the moment, My wife calls it 'enriched water''

    How would I go about getting it tested? Probably be left until next year, but would just be interesting to see what results come back from it.


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    #6384
    Siamsa Sessions
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    How would I go about getting it tested? Probably be left until next year, but would just be interesting to see what results come back from it.

    Cut a sample, put it into a sealed sandwich bag (or similar) and post or deliver it to the nearest lab

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



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    #6385
    DJ98
    Registered Users Posts: 1,344 ✭✭✭DJ98


    What the best length and thickness of stake to use when putting up sheep wire, with a strand of barbed and electric wire on top?


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    #6386
    Siamsa Sessions
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 3,822 Mod ✭✭✭✭Siamsa Sessions


    DJ98 wrote: »
    What the best length and thickness of stake to use when putting up sheep wire, with a strand of barbed and electric wire on top?

    If the sheep wire is 3 feet and the strand of wire is 4-6 inches above that, then you need 4 feet above the ground.

    A foot below ground is enough for most ground types so you’ll probably need 5 foot stakes.

    Re diameter: 2-3 inch stakes might be a bit light so depending on your budget, you could go for 4-5 inch

    Trading as Sullivan’s Farm on YouTube



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    #6387
    Tileman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,212 ✭✭✭Tileman


    Personally I’d go 6 ft if your doing two strands above the sheep wire


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    #6388
    joe35
    Registered Users Posts: 461 ✭✭joe35


    The father is thinking of upgrading the tractor. We've on 06 mc cormick 100hp. Would like a bit extra power so probably look for 110hp with loader. No major work to be done but the father is fierce hard on a tractor so hence the extra power. Any suggestions, how much is it to import a tractor. Would be looking for something 2017 upwards with a loader. And spend as little as possible!!!


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    #6389
    joe35
    Registered Users Posts: 461 ✭✭joe35


    We fenced last year. They had no 6ft posts in stock so went with 5ft. There grand for sheep but too short for cattle.

    We ended up waiting a few weeks and getting the 6ft ones to finish off. If it was me I'd go with the 6ft


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    #6390
    roosky
    Registered Users Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭roosky


    Farmer_3650 wrote: »
    Anyone ever get grass tested to see what trace elements it was lacking in? Wasn't aware this could be done until today, always thought it was just the soil that was tested.


    There is little correlation between the soil sample, grass sample and the blood sample as in your soil and grass could be fine for let’s say selenium but you animals could be deficient because something else is not allowing them to take it up from the grass.....much better to blood the animals and see what they are lacking rather than trying to guess from soil or grass samples


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    #6391
    wrangler
    Registered Users Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    Ten days ago a lovely ewe lamb here developed a rectal prolapse, I usually get them to a factory as soon as possible but this one has got toxovax so the 42day withdrawal won't be up until the 7th sept, I've got a vet to stitch them in the past but have also had them burst out the stitches and spending that much on a €100 lamb doesn't make sense either so I tried a prolapse harness and believe it or not it's still working.


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