General sheep thread

Oldira

This is my first year with a crop of lambs (70 odd, lambed Mid March to Mid April) so I am not really sure what my best options are.

1/ I hope to keep 6-8 ewe lams as replacements but should I let them to the ram later in year or just wait until Autumn 2018
2/ Would I then be better selling the rest of ewe lambs at Mart for future breeding or fatten for factory.
3/ For the wethers, I have plenty of good grass so am I better trying to get factory ready or let them off as stores?
4/ Wht live weight should a lamb be in order to reach the 21kg kill weight. Good conditioned lambs. 45-54kg?

Hope questions are not too silly. Thanks

Farmer_3650

Oldira wrote: »

This is my first year with a crop of lambs (70 odd, lambed Mid March to Mid April) so I am not really sure what my best options are.

1/ I hope to keep 6-8 ewe lams as replacements but should I let them to the ram later in year or just wait until Autumn 2018
2/ Would I then be better selling the rest of ewe lambs at Mart for future breeding or fatten for factory.
3/ For the wethers, I have plenty of good grass so am I better trying to get factory ready or let them off as stores?
4/ Wht live weight should a lamb be in order to reach the 21kg kill weight. Good conditioned lambs. 45-54kg?

Hope questions are not too silly. Thanks

1. What weight would them Ewe Lambs be? They reckon they should be at least 60% of their mature weight when being let out to the Ram. I'd say they should be ok to breed this year.

2. It depends on Shape, Breed etc. If you think they would make nice Ewes, sell them for breeding. If not go to the factory with them.

3. Since you have the grass, you could be as well to fatten them for the factory.

4. It can vary with age, breed etc. This time of year I would say between 45 and 50kg

ganmo

Oldira wrote: »

This is my first year with a crop of lambs (70 odd, lambed Mid March to Mid April) so I am not really sure what my best options are.

1/ I hope to keep 6-8 ewe lams as replacements but should I let them to the ram later in year or just wait until Autumn 2018

If they'll be 50 kg come mating I'd say plough on and let them to the ram

2/ Would I then be better selling the rest of ewe lambs at Mart for future breeding or fatten for factory.

The most you'll get in the factory is factory money but in the mart ya might get more but ya won't get less

3/ For the wethers, I have plenty of good grass so am I better trying to get factory ready or let them off as stores?

What weight are they now?
store lamb prices aren't wonderful right now but they're not bad either.

4/ Wht live weight should a lamb be in order to reach the 21kg kill weight. Good conditioned lambs. 45-54kg?

Depends on breed. But you'd rarely have to get them up above 52

Hope questions are not too silly. Thanks

Nope not silly

arctictree

Lads - when would be the best time to buy ewe lambs for fattening as hoggets for next year?

If I buy now, I have a longer period to hold them over for but if I buy later, I may be getting the weaker lambs.

Ard_MC

arctictree wrote: »

Lads - when would be the best time to buy ewe lambs for fattening as hoggets for next year?

If I buy now, I have a longer period to hold them over for but if I buy later, I may be getting the weaker lambs.

Id say now till the end of September. Ppl in the West and north west just starting to show stores and rams are probably the first out the gate.

Lambman

Yea stores only really coming out now... no difference in price off ewes or rams as off yet... I'd be tempted till purchase ewe lambs now at a lighter weight 30-35kg so you won't have 2 many fasteners bidding u up and as u say the later on lambs is likely gonna be the poorer lambs were as now it's just farmers getting rid off his stores he's not for keeping.

Lambman

How do I find out the stars on a charollais ram? It's simple for a texel u just go till flock book on there website and put in tag but how do I find it out for a charollais?

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

How do I find out the stars on a charollais ram? It's simple for a texel u just go till flock book on there website and put in tag but how do I find it out for a charollais?

Go to sheep ireland website and use the ram search. If you have the tag number of him should tell you his stars if he is recorded.

Lambman

Ard_MC wrote: »

Lambman wrote: »

How do I find out the stars on a charollais ram? It's simple for a texel u just go till flock book on there website and put in tag but how do I find it out for a charollais?

Go to sheep ireland website and use the ram search. If you have the tag number of him should tell you his stars if he is recorded.

Thanks for that it's a tool that will come in handy in the future... can't find my ram on there though or the breeder for that matter does that mean there's no stars for him even though he's only a hogget and I've purebred papers her from charollais society for him?

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

Thanks for that it's a tool that will come in handy in the future... can't find my ram on there though or the breeder for that matter does that mean there's no stars for him even though he's only a hogget and I've purebred papers her from charollais society for him?

Yeah not all breeders are recording so if he isn't showing up on the ram search id say he hasnt any star's.

Lambman

Ard_MC wrote: »

Lambman wrote: »

Thanks for that it's a tool that will come in handy in the future... can't find my ram on there though or the breeder for that matter does that mean there's no stars for him even though he's only a hogget and I've purebred papers her from charollais society for him?

Yeah not all breeders are recording so if he isn't showing up on the ram search id say he hasnt any star's.

I've also an older texel there same story pedigree cert lying here somewhere but no stars for him I've him that long I could near give them till him haha... was some ram in his day first I ever bought €430 euro as a ram lamb was there at neighbours when he was a week old and liked him a lot ended up buying him later in the year owes me nothing at this stage might buy a few horneys for him tillntip.this year as its at the stage he has a lot off offspring running with the ain't flock.

IH784man

Lambman wrote: »

I've also an older texel there same story pedigree cert lying here somewhere but no stars for him I've him that long I could near give them till him haha... was some ram in his day first I ever bought €430 euro as a ram lamb was there at neighbours when he was a week old and liked him a lot ended up buying him later in the year owes me nothing at this stage might buy a few horneys for him till tip this year as its at the stage he has a lot off offspring running with the ain't flock.

Thinking on doing the same soon buy cheap full mouth horned ewes lamb to a Charolais sell lambs as stores and sell ewes

Ard_MC

Lambman wrote: »

I've also an older texel there same story pedigree cert lying here somewhere but no stars for him I've him that long I could near give them till him haha... was some ram in his day first I ever bought €430 euro as a ram lamb was there at neighbours when he was a week old and liked him a lot ended up buying him later in the year owes me nothing at this stage might buy a few horneys for him tillntip.this year as its at the stage he has a lot off offspring running with the ain't flock.

Hard to get rams like that now that last the pace. Hard to beat hil tex ewes..u could have a few nice ewe lambs. Id hit the west for the ewes. Big fan of them here.

charolais0153

Ard_MC wrote: »

Hard to get rams like that now that last the pace. Hard to beat hil tex ewes..u could have a few nice ewe lambs. Id hit the west for the ewes. Big fan of them here.

Sale of hiltex tomorrow n ballirobe

Ard_MC

charolais0153 wrote: »

Sale of hiltex tomorrow n ballirobe

Never been to that sale..any i have here i bred. Do they be dear as hoggets there?

sonnybill

Green farmer wrote: »

Going to buy some clik online. Who's reliable and straightforward to order off ? Agridirect ????

Not animal farmacy, purchased from them once and only once 2 years ago, paid by card , good delivered then 1.5 years later had woman on phone saying I owed them, gave her the card payment date, amount etc, okay thanks sorry I called , problem our end , she must have left another woman rings 2 months later same deal.. They gone bust now and liquidator letter in the door today and I have to reply in writing for flippin 20 odd euro to prove I paid ... Hassle and they were useless anyway

tomwaterford

Was talking to a lad today,told me there's a clearence sale in new Ross Monday evening of a lad getting outta sheep



*I'm unaware of the quality of the sheep/noway connected to this

Just in case anyone from down around there is interested??

spudeater

I see Gordan and Yvonne Johnston are taking a step back from the coal face as well. Great people and not afraid to ask a question or raise a point

ganmo

good ppl to share info here too

DJ98

Has anyone on here got experience of the blue the Maine sheep, be it ewes or rams?

Bleating Lamb

Used Heptavac P Plus today on some ewe lambs.The bottle was left out of the fridge by accident overnight last night in an outside garage with door closed.It should be ok to use I hope?

Thanks for any replies.

Just bumping this,thanks.

DJ98

Ram lambs broke in to ewes today, mid March born weighing 35kg seen a couple of them jumping on ewes, would these be active or just playing?

serfspup

DJ98 wrote: »

Has anyone on here got experience of the blue the Maine sheep, be it ewes or rams?

great ewes prolific easy lambed but need plenty of feed .
lambs are bare like charollais.

they tend to be very lean so not that suitable to very tight stocking,
ideal for mating to texels and ewe lambs

Farmer_3650

DJ98 wrote: »

Ram lambs broke in to ewes today, mid March born weighing 35kg seen a couple of them jumping on ewes, would these be active or just playing?

Most of our Ram Lambs would be around the same weight and age. They are in a field with about 10 Ewes for Culling and I have not seen them jumping on Ewes yet. I'd say they were only playing but you'll know for sure when you let the Rams out.

Farmer_3650

Anyone heading to Ballinrobe next Friday for the Mayo Mule and Greyface Sale? I've never been to it before and I've never had Mules before but I'm planning on buying a 10 or 12 Mules to see how good they really are. Still unsure whether I will be buying Ewe Lambs or Hoggets yet.

Bleating Lamb

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Used Heptavac P Plus today on some ewe lambs.The bottle was left out of the fridge by accident overnight last night in an outside garage with door closed.It should be ok to use I hope?

Thanks for any replies.

Just bumping this,thanks for any replies.

farming93

Could anyone tell me the name of a company that sells the ram harnesses basically so I can put the ram out with the ewes for the ram effect and the harness prevents him putting anything in lamb. I seen the name of the company on the internet ages ago but for the life of me I just cant find it again. Thanks.

orm0nd

farming93 wrote: »

Could anyone tell me the name of a company that sells the ram harnesses basically so I can put the ram out with the ewes for the ram effect and the harness prevents him putting anything in lamb. I seen the name of the company on the internet ages ago but for the life of me I just cant find it again. Thanks.

On the phone here.. GOOGLE....no mate harness

roosky

i have about twenty cull ewes some are mud fat, what is the trade like for them now, Icm navan where i send the lambs seem to pay very little for culls

rangler1

farming93 wrote: »

Could anyone tell me the name of a company that sells the ram harnesses basically so I can put the ram out with the ewes for the ram effect and the harness prevents him putting anything in lamb. I seen the name of the company on the internet ages ago but for the life of me I just cant find it again. Thanks.

i think it'scalled No Mate
I think there's a crowd in Monaghan advertising it.... agrihealth...can't find it now either