General sheep thread

OneMan37

Sami23 wrote: »

The only problem with that is do you really want a load of triplets and even a quad - I certainly don't anyway but I'd say the condition of the ewes was a massive factor.

Personally I love a high scan if they stay alive. I sold one of the quads for €25, and ewe is now out thriving with her 3 lambs. They will need creep and extra care but it’s not an issue. One triplet lost one lamb, but it wasn’t any big deal as she still had two good lambs left. For me it’s won, won.

Green farmer

OneMan37 wrote: »

Personally I love a high scan if they stay alive. I sold one of the quads for €25, and ewe is now out thriving with her 3 lambs. They will need creep and extra care but it’s not an issue. One triplet lost one lamb, but it wasn’t any big deal as she still had two good lambs left. For me it’s won, won.

Only ever scan a small amounts of triplets. They've been the ones I've had most trouble with this year. Ewes reabsorbing lambs and other losses at birth. Everything else is singles and twins here, which have been completely trouble free this year. Other issue is that those that scanned triplets are my ageing ewes, that are too long in the tooth to have the energy to rear them .

Sami23

Green farmer wrote: »

Only ever scan a small amounts of triplets. They've been the ones I've had most trouble with this year. Ewes reabsorbing lambs and other losses at birth. Everything else is singles and twins here, which have been completely trouble free this year. Other issue is that those that scanned triplets are my ageing ewes, that are too long in the tooth to have the energy to rear them .

I let out the 1 triplet here as she was last to lamb so couldn't cross foster. About a month old now.
Would I be better trying to source a foster ewe and put 1 on her or leave them as they are. I don't creep feed so obviously that won't help them either

OneMan37

Sami23 wrote: »

I let out the 1 triplet here as she was last to lamb so couldn't cross foster. About a month old now.
Would I be better trying to source a foster ewe and put 1 on her or leave them as they are. I don't creep feed so obviously that won't help them either

I would personally just try to feed the ewe nuts. And possible wean the strongest lamb at 8/9 weeks.

OneMan37

Local lad buys rams for around about €1000 just for his commercial flock. Getting close to €200 for his fat ewes right now, he has serious stock and is a serious farmer. It must pay.

OneMan37

My Hilltex ewes scanned higher than my Belclare x Texel ewes this year. New to hilltex and only have a dozen, 2 year olds, do Hilltex normally have such a high lambing % ? Mine scanned at 2.3 or 2.4 lambs per ewe.

k mac

How long after spraying rushes with mortone before you can let sheep in to graze. They say 2 weeks but ive often seen cattle let in to graze as the sprayer went out the gate

wrangler

k mac wrote: »

How long after spraying rushes with mortone before you can let sheep in to graze. They say 2 weeks but ive often seen cattle let in to graze as the sprayer went out the gate

Or sprayed with the cattle in the field, often did it with MCPA myself, I think Mortone is MCPA isn't it

k mac

wrangler wrote: »

Or sprayed with the cattle in the field, often did it with MCPA myself, I think Mortone is MCPA isn't it

Exactly so couldn't see it being any more dangerous for sheep. I think 2 days be safe enough after a drop of rain

Donegalforever

k mac wrote: »

Exactly so couldn't see it being any more dangerous for sheep. I think 2 days be safe enough after a drop of rain

I would not chance putting sheep into grass 2 days after spraying. It could turn out to be an expensive decision.
I would wait at least a week.

Hygeia is the manufacturer and you can telephone them on 091 794722.
email : info@hygeia.ie
They are very helpful.

k mac

Donegalforever wrote: »

I would not chance putting sheep into grass 2 days after spraying. It could turn out to be an expensive decision.
I would wait at least a week.

Hygeia is the manufacturer and you can telephone them on 091 794722.
email : info@hygeia.ie
They are very helpful.

Thats true might be safer wait a week.

DJ98

Got tams approval this week for mobile sheep equipment, one of the then was hurdles. I had applied for 60 linear meters, might be a stupid question but is that the equivalent of almost 200ft of hurdles??

Dinzee Conlee

DJ98 wrote: »

Got tams approval this week for mobile sheep equipment, one of the then was hurdles. I had applied for 60 linear meters, might be a stupid question but is that the equivalent of almost 200ft of hurdles??

Yep...

And not a stupid question, when I did my TAMS application I screwed the feet and metres actually.

In my opinion you can never have too many hurdles...

DJ98

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Yep...

And not a stupid question, when I did my TAMS application I screwed the feet and metres actually.

In my opinion you can never have too many hurdles...

Just have to work out now how I want to make up the 200 ft, I was going to mix and match between 5fts and 8 fts as the 5s are handy for lambing pens and the 8s then can be used for penning in the field and around the yard

Tileman

DJ98 wrote: »

Just have to work out now how I want to make up the 200 ft, I was going to mix and match between 5fts and 8 fts as the 5s are handy for lambing pens and the 8s then can be used for penning in the field and around the yard

Yea that’s exactly what I did. Got mine a few weeks ago. Have a few other bits to get before I can submit my claim though.

DJ98

Tileman wrote: »

Yea that’s exactly what I did. Got mine a few weeks ago. Have a few other bits to get before I can submit my claim though.

Does it not all have to be got the one time? And also has everything you applied for have to be got? And have you got to keep below what your proposed cost was in the beginning? It's very hard to find answers to the questions online on the department website.

Dinzee Conlee

DJ98 wrote: »

Does it not all have to be got the one time? And also has everything you applied for have to be got? And have you got to keep below what your proposed cost was in the beginning? It's very hard to find answers to the questions online on the department website.

It’s a few years since I got anything in TAMS, but this is my understanding of how it works - someone else might be along to confirm...

All got one time - you can only apply for payment once.
So if you had 3 items on an application, you can’t buy one thing, apply for payment, buy the next, apply for payment, etc...

You don’t have to get everything you applied for - for instance I applied for more fencing than I eventually put up.
But once you apply for payment on that application, you can’t reapply for payment for something else on that application again...

I don’t think you have to keep below the applied cost - but you will only be paid up to what you originally applied for...

Now, like I say DJ, been a while since I looked at TAMS, probable best if someone else could confirm above...

Dinzee Conlee

How are ye doing for grass lads?

Not looking good here - no regrowth and the grass that’s here has turned red and burnt in the wind and frost...

Going out with the creep feeder for the hoggets to see if we can extend things out a bit...

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

How are ye doing for grass lads?

Not looking good here - no regrowth and the grass that’s here has turned red and burnt in the wind and frost...

Going out with the creep feeder for the hoggets to see if we can extend things out a bit...

Yea,, started feeding the ewes earlier this week, paddocks are lasting twice as long now at least and I can push them to graze them better as well, feeding a kg/day

Sami23

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

It’s a few years since I got anything in TAMS, but this is my understanding of how it works - someone else might be along to confirm...

All got one time - you can only apply for payment once.
So if you had 3 items on an application, you can’t buy one thing, apply for payment, buy the next, apply for payment, etc...

You don’t have to get everything you applied for - for instance I applied for more fencing than I eventually put up.
But once you apply for payment on that application, you can’t reapply for payment for something else on that application again...

I don’t think you have to keep below the applied cost - but you will only be paid up to what you originally applied for...

Now, like I say DJ, been a while since I looked at TAMS, probable best if someone else could confirm above...

Most of the above is spot on except you can buy all your items at different times no problem. On my last application there was 6 months between some of my purchases.
You don't have to buy everything you applied for.
Only allowed 1 payment application as said above and your costs can be below or above what you were approved for but max you get paid is what you were approved for.
Hope this helps.

wrangler

Sami23 wrote: »

Most of the above is spot on except you can buy all your items at different times no problem. On my last application there was 6 months between some of my purchases.
You don't have to buy everything you applied for.
Only allowed 1 payment application as said above and your costs can be below or above what you were approved for but max you get paid is what you were approved for.
Hope this helps.

But if you over price it, you'll be the first to be refused if it's oversubscribed.

Green farmer

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

It’s a few years since I got anything in TAMS, but this is my understanding of how it works - someone else might be along to confirm...

All got one time - you can only apply for payment once.
So if you had 3 items on an application, you can’t buy one thing, apply for payment, buy the next, apply for payment, etc...

You don’t have to get everything you applied for - for instance I applied for more fencing than I eventually put up.
But once you apply for payment on that application, you can’t reapply for payment for something else on that application again...

I don’t think you have to keep below the applied cost - but you will only be paid up to what you originally applied for...

Now, like I say DJ, been a while since I looked at TAMS, probable best if someone else could confirm above...

Other option, is not bother with tams. Buy what you want. put your purchase through your farm accounts and take the tax deduction on it over 8 years. Maybe different for big items like buildings etc, but for spending a grand or two on sheep equipment, it's an option.

Dinzee Conlee

Green farmer wrote: »

Other option, is not bother with tams. Buy what you want. put your purchase through your farm accounts and take the tax deduction on it over 8 years. Maybe different for big items like buildings etc, but for spending a grand or two on sheep equipment, it's an option.

But can you not do all that and get TAMS as well?

I think TAMS is good if it’s stuff you actually need. And I think hurdles and fencing are always needed

MIKEKC

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

But can you not do all that and get TAMS as well?

I think TAMS is good if it’s stuff you actually need. And I think hurdles and fencing are always needed

You can only write off what you spend sgainst tax. That is total cost less tams.Very little difference at the end of the day. If the job was big and you had a big tams payment it would obviously be a boost to cash flow

Dinzee Conlee

MIKEKC wrote: »

You can only write off what you spend sgainst tax. That is total cost less tams.Very little difference at the end of the day. If the job was big and you had a big tams payment it would obviously be a boost to cash flow

Yes, the tams payment would be the same as income, so go against your tax so to speak...
But surely it’s still better to spend a lesser amount, and claim the tax in that than spend more?

Birdnuts

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

How are ye doing for grass lads?

Not looking good here - no regrowth and the grass that’s here has turned red and burnt in the wind and frost...

Going out with the creep feeder for the hoggets to see if we can extend things out a bit...

Run of cold nights and cool dry winds crimping things alright my end - looks like similar for rest of the month too so creep feeding unavoidable it seems

Green farmer

Birdnuts wrote: »

Run of cold nights and cool dry winds crimping things alright my end - looks like similar for rest of the month too so creep feeding unavoidable it seems

Starting to fret here as well. Ok for another bit, but things are going to get very tight here very quickly. Just no growth atm. Think their some rain and slightly increasing temperatures from midweek onwards, just hope it's enough to get things moving.

Danzy

Ok at the moment but picked out the part of a meadow to feed. This lift in temperature would want to happen this week.

Reminds me of a milder start to the year as 2018.

farawaygrass

Creeping here already due to almost no grass. Giving the ewes a bale of silage too and cattle are in a field now a long time getting silage too. No place to move them on to. I see temperatures are rising next week but the wind still seems to be coming from the east which never makes for food growth

Dinzee Conlee

Thoughts welcome on below...

Would I be better creeping hog and moving around what bit of grass I have...

Or...
Putting them in a small paddock with a round bale and the creep feeder? And hold them there til things look like they have turned around a bit?