General sheep thread

DJ98 · 24-10-2017 7:48pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

I bought a few lambs today. First time having sheep and all of them have tails. They are 36kg average. What's the best way of docking them at this stage. They are all ewes and I would rather have them docked when selling in spring. Pics attached.

This was discussed earlier in the week in a different thread, not sure which one tipping time I think, it is gone too late now to be removing tails without causing unnecessary suffering to the animal but then others will have different views and ways around this

Might I add very nice looking sheep

RobinBanks · 24-10-2017 8:06pm

DJ98 wrote: »

This was discussed earlier in the week in a different thread, not sure which one tipping time I think, it is gone too late now to be removing tails without causing unnecessary suffering to the animal but then others will have different views and ways around this

Ok thanks I will have a look. Unfortunately I wasn't there when they were bought. It would have turned me off then but it is what it is now. I don't want them all dirty either so I don't know what to do now. Thanks for reply

sea12 · 24-10-2017 8:16pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Ok thanks I will have a look. Unfortunately I wasn't there when they were bought. It would have turned me off then but it is what it is now. I don't want them all dirty either so I don't know what to do now. Thanks for reply

I've posted elsewhere on not docking lambs at this stage. Nice looking sheep. What weight and how much if u don't mind me asking

RobinBanks · 24-10-2017 9:21pm

sea12 wrote: »

I've posted elsewhere on not docking lambs at this stage. Nice looking sheep. What weight and how much if u don't mind me asking

I've seen your reply on cutting the tails off. I would prefer cutting than using rings and I know both are very cruel and inhumane. At least with the cutting it's swift and in a day or two I'm sure the pain will ease but the ring would be constant pain for an excessively long period.

Avg. weight is 36kg and price was €75 each. I got 18 in total.

charolais0153 · 24-10-2017 9:26pm

Arent there bulls that are banded at weanling and older?

Kevhog1988 · 24-10-2017 9:42pm

What ram should I put to Suffolk x ewes & ewe lambs. Ive only 10 so one ram to do the lot is best for me.

IH784man · 24-10-2017 9:48pm

Charollais or vendeen

DJ98 · 24-10-2017 10:28pm

theemigrant wrote: »

What ram should I put to Suffolk x ewes & ewe lambs. Ive only 10 so one ram to do the lot is best for me.

Belclare or lleyn if you want nice replacements
Charollais or texel for the factory

J.O. Farmer · 24-10-2017 10:36pm

DJ98 wrote: »

Belclare or lleyn if you want nice replacements
Charollais or texel for the factory

I'd say with 10 you're better going for the factory. Half them nice replacements will be rams and maybe another couple not so nice. You could finish up with maybe 2 or 3 nice replacements from 10 ewes.
Factory the lot and you'll get them 2 or 3 somewhere anyway and possibly better.

Also avoid the texel with ewe lambs. Charolais is probably most popular/easily sourced ram.

DJ98 · 24-10-2017 10:39pm

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

I'd say with 10 you're better going for the factory. Half them nice replacements will be rams and maybe another couple not so nice. You could finish up with maybe 2 or 3 nice replacements from 10 ewes.
Factory the lot and you'll get them 2 or 3 somewhere anyway and possibly better.

Also avoid the texel with ewe lambs. Charolais is probably most popular/easily sourced ram.

First year lambing here we only had 12 ewes and ended up with 18 lambs 12 of which were ewes, do you could be lucky

J.O. Farmer · 24-10-2017 10:52pm

DJ98 wrote: »

First year lambing here we only had 12 ewes and ended up with 18 lambs 12 of which were ewes, do you could be lucky

Yeah but you could also be unlucky and end up with 12 rams. Also unless you intend on changing the ram every year no point in trying to breed replacements with 10 ewes.

LambMaster · 25-10-2017 10:37pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

I've seen your reply on cutting the tails off. I would prefer cutting than using rings and I know both are very cruel and inhumane. At least with the cutting it's swift and in a day or two I'm sure the pain will ease but the ring would be constant pain for an excessively long period.

Avg. weight is 36kg and price was €75 each. I got 18 in total.

Some of my best ewes are ones that managed to skip docking, they can get dirty in their first year but after that they seem to be okay. You could always put on a ring, cut the tail, leave the ring on for 24hrs and then cut it off. It stops the bleeding and not much suffering in comparison to leaving a ring on for a couple of weeks. If it was myself I would leave it. Great looking lambs by the way.

LambMaster · 25-10-2017 10:40pm

theemigrant wrote: »

What ram should I put to Suffolk x ewes & ewe lambs. Ive only 10 so one ram to do the lot is best for me.

Vendeen and Charlaios should work well, yet I would be more inclined to go for a more maternal breed like Belclare for the ewe lambs.

Hagimalone · 28-10-2017 9:23am

anyone an update on current butcher lamb prices?

Willfarman · 28-10-2017 3:54pm

God 10 sheep would only be enough to annoy you when lambing. Go a minimum of 30 or don't give yourself the hassle.

DJ98 · 29-10-2017 5:00pm

Would rolled barley be ok to feed to rams?

charolais0153 · 29-10-2017 7:12pm

DJ98 wrote: »

Would rolled barley be ok to feed to rams?

Yes. Introduce it slowly. Doesnt have to be rolled for sheep

Birdnuts · 29-10-2017 9:19pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Yes. Introduce it slowly. Doesnt have to be rolled for sheep

Is there an "acidosis" risk?? - only mentioned it cos one of our neighbours had a bad dose of it after feeding a mix that had barley in it. Might have been something else in it that might have caused it but just thinking aloud

charolais0153 · 29-10-2017 9:47pm

Birdnuts wrote: »

Is there an "acidosis" risk?? - only mentioned it cos one of our neighbours had a bad dose of it after feeding a mix that had barley in it. Might have been something else in it that might have caused it but just thinking aloud

Ya. All meal is. Slow and steady or youll only put them backwards

DJ98 · 29-10-2017 11:56pm

How long on average do people tend to leave rams with ewes? 6 weeks?

charolais0153 · 30-10-2017 1:01am

September to december

sea12 · 30-10-2017 9:54am

DJ98 wrote: »

How long on average do people tend to leave rams with ewes? 6 weeks?

As long as your prepared to lamb them in spring but in general 6-7 weeks.

tomwaterford · 30-10-2017 9:57am

DJ98 wrote: »

How long on average do people tend to leave rams with ewes? 6 weeks?

5 - 6 weeks tops,it's long enough to be lambing tbh

Try to aim for 90% first 17 days,

also I came to suspect the ram would be doing as much harm as good the longer he's about with the sheep

razor8 · 30-10-2017 10:22am

tomwaterford wrote: »

5 - 6 weeks tops,it's long enough to be lambing tbh

Try to aim for 90% first 17 days,

also I came to suspect the ram would be doing as much harm as good the longer he's about with the sheep

What harm do you think he is doing?

tomwaterford · 30-10-2017 10:30am

razor8 wrote: »

What harm do you think he is doing?

I used be feeding ould square bales at round feeders etc and he'd be pucking and hassling etc to get into the feeders (before I seen this I'd let him in for months)

Constantly just going about being a nuisance jumping and following/running after sheep and they not tipping etc

I do be slightly over anal about looking after em when they in lamb....
wouldn't hardly let my own dogs after them,be extra careful before changing diet (hence the feeding before turning in) etc....

dunno how applicable this would be to horned sheep though?

roosky · 31-10-2017 11:15am

DJ98 wrote: »

How long on average do people tend to leave rams with ewes? 6 weeks?

I have it back to 4 weeks the last three years due to work commitments but only ever have 2-3% barren, doesn't pay me to have extended lambing

RobinBanks · 02-11-2017 2:56pm

I bought some lamb 2 weeks ago. Noticed that a couple are starting to limp. One of them kneels on front legs sometimes. They are limping a few days now so it's morn than just standing on something hard

I will put them in sat morn and have a look but any ideas on common issues with feet?

charolais0153 · 02-11-2017 5:06pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

I bought some lamb 2 weeks ago. Noticed that a couple are starting to limp. One of them kneels on front legs sometimes. They are limping a few days now so it's morn than just standing on something hard

I will put them in sat morn and have a look but any ideas on common issues with feet?

Lameness. More than likely scald , might be something nastier like footrot either. Give them a few days to get out of it and try to source a footbath then and some antibiotics lile alamycin

LambMaster · 02-11-2017 5:57pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

I bought some lamb 2 weeks ago. Noticed that a couple are starting to limp. One of them kneels on front legs sometimes. They are limping a few days now so it's morn than just standing on something hard

I will put them in sat morn and have a look but any ideas on common issues with feet?

I usually find that ewes can become lame whilst in lamb if their hoof is any way overgrown or over trimmed due to the extra weight that needs to be supported. However, I would only expect this to be occurring if they were going to lamb before mid-way through January. Some of mine get Laminitis which causes the hoof to weaken. You can get a Zinc paste from Agridirect which works very well and helps to harden the hoof.

farming93 · 02-11-2017 8:39pm

Think I'll be going vaccinating the ewes before housing in January. I spent three hours putting them through the footbath today with 70per cent of the flock lame over the last few days. Will footbath again Monday and Thursday to try get back on top of it but it is hard to keep on top of foothbathing as depending on work I might not see the farm during daylight hours for 8 or nine days. Anyone use vaccination?

General sheep thread

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