General sheep thread

Dinzee Conlee

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Well, the line I'm following is predators of (insert pest) and examining (insert pest) lifecycle, and seeing where it's weakness' are.

But, that doesn't work while using conventional management as most of the chems are harmful to the critters I want to work for me.

Ha, am watching Edwardian Farm, and they just applied a mix of tobacco and sulphur to sheep...
Not sure if it was more for scab and mites...

OneMan37

Had Hoggs running with an older ram for 2 weeks, lambed nicely, then left them with, a ram lamb for 4 weeks, should of been lambing this week and last, but not 1 lamb. They have elders so guessing they will start to lamb again in few weeks as all sheep ran with rams for a month be4 scanning. Mind you the ram lamb was small but never running a ram lamb with lambs/hoggs again.

Kevhog1988

Birdnuts wrote: »

Lambs and grass flying on my place in North Mayo - the right combination of peaty soils and a drying easterly.

i was in erris easter weekend. Plenty of lads had stock out but all were eating sileage as far as i could see. Belmullet was the warmest place in Ireland last Saturday.

DJ98

Going to do a bit of boundary fencing here in the coming weeks. What size stakes would be best to use for sheep wire and 2 strands of barbed wire, 5ft or 6ft and what thickness? Also what type, have used the incised ones from balcas before and found them quite good or would would I be better to pay that bit more for cresoted posts?

joe35

DJ98 wrote: »

Going to do a bit of boundary fencing here in the coming weeks. What size stakes would be best to use for sheep wire and 2 strands of barbed wire, 5ft or 6ft and what thickness? Also what type, have used the incised ones from balcas before and found them quite good or would would I be better to pay that bit more for cresoted posts?

If putting 2 strands of barbed wire you would need to go 6ft. We done a bit of fencing here last year. Got 5ft posts and once we started we ended up exchanging them for 6ft.

Not sure what brand the are but I'd be going cresoted. Especially if it's your own ground

farawaygrass

I bought hoggets last sept from a man who bought them as lambs, probably from 3/4 farms. They lambed and were grouped up into one group with all my other sheep. Some of them though have started jumping walls. Walls are in good nick, but they nose a few stones down and then jump. I have made them jump back, build the wall and it wouldn’t be long til they would jump again. I started moving the ones that jumped to another field, one with sheep wire all around so can’t jump. After 4 rounds of breakouts I think I have all the offenders now in that field, with their lambs.
Also put a temp wire along the wall they were jumping so not 100% sure I have them all but got most.
What would ye think is the best thing to do with them? Am I better of fattening them up and selling them? Other thing I was thinking is to mark them and put them back with other sheep and see will the electric wire stop them.
Last thing I want is for them to spoil the rest.
If I have to put a right wire up I’d have to do both sides of the wall so won’t be very dear, but not too cheap either. If I sell them I’ll be taking a hit on price I paid plus hoggets will be dear this year so kinda a double whammy

Young95

Anything to give a pet lamb that’s constipated? In pain when trying to ****e ?

Green farmer

farawaygrass wrote: »

I bought hoggets last sept from a man who bought them as lambs, probably from 3/4 farms. They lambed and were grouped up into one group with all my other sheep. Some of them though have started jumping walls.
What would ye think is the best thing to do with them? Am I better of fattening them up and selling them? Other thing I was thinking is to mark them and put them back with other sheep and see will the electric wire stop them.

Guessing you've one or two ringleaders doing it ? I tend to cull them here. Have some jumpers here that are rearing lambs and will go to factory in autumn with their lambs. As you say they'll keep breaking out when the opportunity arises and will teach others the same trick. Haven't tried electric fence, but find once they can clear ordinary fences, they'll just keep breaking them.

White Clover

Young95 wrote: »

Anything to give a pet lamb that’s constipated? In pain when trying to ****e ?

Liquid Paraffin. Is there an opening at the back to let it out?

Green farmer

Green farmer wrote: »

Guessing you've one or two ringleaders doing it ? I tend to cull them here. Have some jumpers here that are rearing lambs and will go to factory in autumn with their lambs. As you say they'll keep breaking out when the opportunity arises and will teach others the same trick. Haven't tried electric fence, but find once they can clear ordinary fences, they'll just keep breaking them.

Culled a few rogues early this year, life has been much less interesting and infinitely more enjoyable.

Young95

White Clover wrote: »

Liquid Paraffin. Is there an opening at the back to let it out?

Yea there is . I presume the vet would have that yes ? How much would I need to give him ? And how often ?

Siamsa Sessions

Young95 wrote: »

Yea there is . I presume the vet would have that yes ?

Yeah, they should have it. Stomach tube the lamb with whatever amount the vet recommends.

AntrimGlens

Moved the ewes with twins last night onto a fresh bite, grass really isn't growing here at the moment. Just off the phone from ordering 2T of ewe rolls to feed them in the fields to try and stretch grass a bit for a fortnight. I've never had to feed ewes meal after lambing, grass has always been plentiful. I weaned the January lambs this morning and housed the ewes with some straw to try and give me a bit more breathing space, will put the creep feeder out with them as they're coming fit. Saying that I've about fifteen acres of silage that's ready for baling in a fortnight and only nine small heifers turned out onto some rough grazing, no cows and calves out yet.

Young95

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Yeah, they should have it. Stomach tube the lamb with whatever amount the vet recommends.

How many mls should he get ?

wrangler

AntrimGlens wrote: »

Moved the ewes with twins last night onto a fresh bite, grass really isn't growing here at the moment. Just off the phone from ordering 2T of ewe rolls to feed them in the fields to try and stretch grass a bit for a fortnight. I've never had to feed ewes meal after lambing, grass has always been plentiful. I weaned the January lambs this morning and housed the ewes with some straw to try and give me a bit more breathing space, will put the creep feeder out with them as they're coming fit. Saying that I've about fifteen acres of silage that's ready for baling in a fortnight and only nine small heifers turned out onto some rough grazing, no cows and calves out yet.

Feeding a kilo/day for the last fortnight and probably will for the next fortnight.
I'm pleased with the grass growth here when I see how poor it is on land that isn't even stocked yet. Nitrogen put out 1st april performed very badly compared with nitrogen that was put out 1st March this year

Siamsa Sessions

Young95 wrote: »

How many mls should he get ?

I'm not sure - ask the vet.

I had a calf sick and the vet said give her 100ml now and another 100ml in a few hours. The calf would have been around 60kg. Maybe work back from there - e.g. if the lamb is 15kg, then give it 25ml now and another 25ml in a few hours if nothing happens.

But look, don't take what you read on an online discussion forum as gospel. Ask the vet to be sure.

OneMan37

Anyone ever try putting a border Leicester ram over Dorset ewes ? Like the fact that the BL is docile like the Dorset and clean with good size.

Dinzee Conlee

wrangler wrote: »

Feeding a kilo/day for the last fortnight and probably will for the next fortnight.
I'm pleased with the grass growth here when I see how poor it is on land that isn't even stocked yet. Nitrogen put out 1st april performed very badly compared with nitrogen that was put out 1st March this year

Have mu hoggets in a small paddock with a bale of silage...

Grass has come on the past week, but I am thinking will give em more silage and keep em there.

Would be afraid that if I let em off now, would only be in the same boat with no grass in a short while again...

farawaygrass

Green farmer wrote: »

Guessing you've one or two ringleaders doing it ? I tend to cull them here. Have some jumpers here that are rearing lambs and will go to factory in autumn with their lambs. As you say they'll keep breaking out when the opportunity arises and will teach others the same trick. Haven't tried electric fence, but find once they can clear ordinary fences, they'll just keep breaking them.

Ya I think your are right. It’s just in them. Trouble is I have 20 ones that jumped in a secure field/prison, and I think there is a good few in that group that are capable of being ringleaders in their own right. Think the butchers hook will have to stop them unfortunately

Green farmer

farawaygrass wrote: »

Ya I think your are right. It’s just in them. Trouble is I have 20 ones that jumped in a secure field/prison, and I think there is a good few in that group that are capable of being ringleaders in their own right. Think the butchers hook will have to stop them unfortunately

I heard someone say an old boy told them years ago to leave a weak point in a fence. Hide yourself the other side and shoot the first two out. After that you'll have no problems with them breaking. I wouldnt subscribe to that extreme course of action and pretty sure they were talking tongue in cheek, but apply cull tags to the first two out sorts out alot of issues :-) surprised how quiet the rest are after the ring leaders sorted.

farawaygrass

Green farmer wrote: »

I heard someone say an old boy told them years ago to leave a weak point in a fence. Hide yourself the other side and shoot the first two out. After that you'll have no problems with them breaking. I wouldnt subscribe to that extreme course of action and pretty sure they were talking tongue in cheek, but apply cull tags to the first two out sorts out alot of issues :-) surprised how quiet the rest are after the ring leaders sorted.

😂 where’s my gun!

Young95

How’s lads grass situation? I can confirm that it’s worse than 2018 here anyways

Young95

Young95 wrote: »

How’s lads grass situation? I can confirm that it’s worse than 2018 here anyways

Down to fcuk all.....have had a drought here 3 of last 4 years this time of year....so somewhat used to it now


20 mm rain forcast for monday,so never taught in feb,that by may id be looking for rain :pac:

Mad about baa baas

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Down to fcuk all.....have had a drought here 3 of last 4 years this time of year....so somewhat used to it now


20 mm rain forcast for monday,so never taught in feb,that by may id be looking for rain :pac:

This year is very different where I am anyway. . Previous drought were due to heat and one wet day solved it all. This year is very cold and Monday rain not bringing any great rise in temperatures..I have fields empty 3 weeks and I'd.swear they had more grass last week.. that breeze is a killer..

wrangler

Mad about baa baas wrote: »

This year is very different where I am anyway. . Previous drought were due to heat and one wet day solved it all. This year is very cold and Monday rain not bringing any great rise in temperatures..I have fields empty 3 weeks and I'd.swear they had more grass last week.. that breeze is a killer..

Very cold this morning again, hard to believe for nearly may 1st

Green farmer

wrangler wrote: »

Very cold this morning again, hard to believe for nearly may 1st

I planted some hedging over the winter. Frost killed a good bit of it In the latest few weeks.

farawaygrass

Very tight alright and as you said it’s the breeze is the killer. I see local dairy farmers who have fields locked since last winter and heavily covered with fertiliser and slurry, it’s real green but only got grazing covers in it. They would be planning to normally cut in 2-3 weeks.
Last year at this time was way ahead grass grass but I do remember a hard frost the first week of may. It done a lot of damage to bedding plants and if you remember, the leaves on the trees turned black almost, and stayed poor looking nearly all year.

Dinzee Conlee

My hog are in a small field with silage the last week or more...
Thing is, I would say we’re still a week away from having any decent grass in any paddock...

Bit of rain here yesterday did some good, but it’s higher temp we need more than anything.,,

At least the cold east wind has stopped here...

Might chance another bit of fertiliser at the weekend on a few paddocks and then we’ll see what’ll happen...

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

My hog are in a small field with silage the last week or more...
Thing is, I would say we’re still a week away from having any decent grass in any paddock...

Bit of rain here yesterday did some good, but it’s higher temp we need more than anything.,,

At least the cold east wind has stopped here...

Might chance another bit of fertiliser at the weekend on a few paddocks and then we’ll see what’ll happen...

Wind is gone from the east alright but it's still from north, or a bit west of north which isn't much better

Dinzee Conlee

wrangler wrote: »

Wind is gone from the east alright but it's still from north, or a bit west of north which isn't much better

Not much wind at all down with us the past few days, thankfully...