General sheep thread

clonagh

Anyone use Draxxin for badly lame ewes? Is it as good as some lads swear it is? I know its dear but with the way sheep prices are it might be cheaper to repair than replace...

Siamsa Sessions

Don’t worry about grass lads - Teagasc are predicting growth of 60-70 this week. Though it might be only in fields in cloud cuckoo land.

They’d have a lot more credibility if they were offering options on how to manage without grass rather than trying to be optimistic and talk up things all the time.

OneMan37

What’s the best ram for Dorset ewes leaning towards a Charollais ram.

Dinzee Conlee

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

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

Ive still some growth,deos be green in fields etc,being near sea etc is a blessing.......ive faced alot worse situations than right now


Was it 2012 a winter lasted into may,off a very bad summer before it....if that didnt sink us,nothing will

Dinzee Conlee

Deleted User wrote: »

Ive still some growth,deos be green in fields etc,being near sea etc is a blessing.......ive faced alot worse situations than right now


Was it 2012 a winter lasted into may,off a very bad summer before it....if that didnt sink us,nothing will

It was 2012 I think, the fields were brown from frost til into May...

Ah, we have some grass too, but I'm wary til growth improves... But then, when it does kick off, we should all be sound at this time of year... Problem is, I've been saying that for a month

Danzy

Some fields definitely went back.

Who could blame them. Bitter cold at times.

Birdnuts

Danzy wrote: »

Some fields definitely went back.

Who could blame them. Bitter cold at times.

The UK Met just mentioned somewhere on these islands had a grass frost every day of April this year, and that it was colder than March overall!! Only saving grace my end was that was pretty dry which meant for better grass utilisation compared to other years

wrangler

We hosted a sheep conference here on the 15 may 2012, I had a contract fencer in the week before, I remember it well, the land was loooking like it is now, The guy fencing came to me and said, ''What are you going to show them next week ?????........is it how not to grow grass''.
Weather changed then and there was lovely grass everywhere for the conference.
If you remember 2012, it started to rain then on the june weekend and never stopped and caused the fodder famine in spring 2013

wrangler

I've an opportunity to get out.
Whats a well laid out sheep tunnel worth to rent per year for 200 ewes

J.O. Farmer

wrangler wrote: »

I've an opportunity to get out.
Whats a well laid out sheep tunnel worth to rent per year for 200 ewes

You could either go with a rate/ week or a flat rate for the winter.

Maybe €100/ week or €500 for the winter?

farawaygrass

wrangler wrote: »

I've an opportunity to get out.
Whats a well laid out sheep tunnel worth to rent per year for 200 ewes

Will your lleyn sheep be up for sale?

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

Will your lleyn sheep be up for sale?

Early days yet,

Young95

wrangler wrote: »

Early days yet,

Surly you’d be lost without ur few ewes wrangler?

wrangler

Young95 wrote: »

Surly you’d be lost without ur few ewes wrangler?

Devastated, don't you know :rolleyes:

White Clover

wrangler wrote: »

Devastated, don't you know :rolleyes:

You'll probably see after them and lamb them for the tenant

wrangler

White Clover wrote: »

You'll probably see after them and lamb them for the tenant

The OH will probably have to be bet outa the lambing shed alright but not me

joe35

Isn't it this time of year everyone hates sheep.

wrangler

joe35 wrote: »

Isn't it this time of year everyone hates sheep.

It has often been said that you should get out of sheep in may when you can remember the lambing....... sure If I was in the civil service I'd be long time retired

Green farmer

Out walking the fields last night and today. Feels like we might be on the verge of a burst of grass growth...... hopefully

wrangler

Green farmer wrote: »

Out walking the fields last night and today. Feels like we might be on the verge of a burst of grass growth...... hopefully

Yea... felt a twinge of optimism myself.. :eek: moi even:D

farawaygrass

joe35 wrote: »

Isn't it this time of year everyone hates sheep.

I think you you start liking them again, and from June on you love them! Remember that meme on Facebook

farawaygrass

Green farmer wrote: »

Out walking the fields last night and today. Feels like we might be on the verge of a burst of grass growth...... hopefully

Walked two fields yesterday that I “hopefully” have locked for silage and was pleasantly surprised. The heat today should do wonders.
If you were back twenty years again wrangler would you still have went at the sheep at the scale you did? I haven’t see your posts as positive in a long time as today with the talk of possibly getting out!

wrangler

farawaygrass wrote: »

Walked two fields yesterday that I “hopefully” have locked for silage and was pleasantly surprised. The heat today should do wonders.
If you were back twenty years again wrangler would you still have went at the sheep at the scale you did? I haven’t see your posts as positive in a long time as today with the talk of possibly getting out!

I like sheep, my health is not great though, found the lambing very hard.
They get bad press undeservedly. if you do everything to look after them they're great little soldiers, you just lamb them and they go off with their lambs after 48 hrs and look after them. I've made more money since I changed to sheep than I ever did with cattle.
An opportunity has come along now, but it's early yet, might've left it a couple years other wise...... nothing sorted yet and CAP reform has huge implications for me so a lot to consider

farawaygrass

wrangler wrote: »

I like sheep, my health is not great though, found the lambing very hard.
They get bad press undeservedly. if you do everything to look after them they're great little soldiers, you just lamb them and they go off with their lambs after 48 hrs and look after them. I've made more money since I changed to sheep than I ever did with cattle.
An opportunity has come along now, but it's early yet, might've left it a couple years other wise...... nothing sorted yet and CAP reform has huge implications for me so a lot to consider

Best of luck with any decisions you make

J.O. Farmer

wrangler wrote: »

It has often been said that you should get out of sheep in may when you can remember the lambing....... sure If I was in the civil service I'd be long time retired

Maybe a long time retired but maybe a long time dead too.
People need some interest when they retire be it farming, golf or whatever else floats your boat.

You'd see it at times people retire after 40-50 years and have nothing to do because they did nothing but work and then they don't live long enough to enjoy their retirement.

If you do get out make a plan of what you'd like to do, maybe a list of places you'd like to see and get away even for day trips with your OH.

wrangler

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

Maybe a long time retired but maybe a long time dead too.
People need some interest when they retire be it farming, golf or whatever else floats your boat.

You'd see it at times people retire after 40-50 years and have nothing to do because they did nothing but work and then they don't live long enough to enjoy their retirement.

If you do get out make a plan of what you'd like to do, maybe a list of places you'd like to see and get away even for day trips with your OH.

Cardiologist told me 7 or 8u years ago to get rid of the farm, He said It's a young mans game, when you tackle a sheep you can't take half of her. young people are only allowed lift 30 kg or something yet farmers lift 50kg.
I thought he was bluffing, but see his point now. lifting 50 kg when you're maybe 25 kg overweight yourself puts huge pressure on your heart but of course we don't listen.

Green farmer

Sorry to hear that wrangler. Sounds like you've to prioritise looking after yourself. Hope it all works out ok for you.

joe35

After taking maggots out of a ewe. 1st may, summer is here

OneMan37

wrangler wrote: »

I like sheep, my health is not great though, found the lambing very hard.
They get bad press undeservedly. if you do everything to look after them they're great little soldiers, you just lamb them and they go off with their lambs after 48 hrs and look after them. I've made more money since I changed to sheep than I ever did with cattle.
An opportunity has come along now, but it's early yet, might've left it a couple years other wise...... nothing sorted yet and CAP reform has huge implications for me so a lot to consider

Well said, sheep are great little soldiers alright. You're wiser than many, knowing when it's time to prioritize one's health isn't a trait all us farmers have. If your heart is playing up mind the cold, my dad died out in below zero temps while over exerting his heart.

Ard_MC

Green farmer wrote: »

Out walking the fields last night and today. Feels like we might be on the verge of a burst of grass growth...... hopefully

Not up here in the NW. Hailstones still bouncing of the ground.