General sheep thread

Sheep breeder

stantheman1979 wrote: »

Yeah I said I am now thinking of doing night shift feeding in morning and putting out sheep before grabbing a few hours sleep. We’ve 240 lambing from 15 feb (old girls, ewes that have prolapsed been lame, had a single last yr) that I’ll fatten and sell when they’re weaned. And 780 from 10 March

Not trying to be smart here if you pay peanuts you get ...., last year a neighbour got a guy to do night lambing and reckon it was the best money spent on the farm for he year, the guy tipped away all night at jobs forked up to the cattle, watered ewes and bedded pens and filled meal for the morning etc, all because he was not a lazy guy and wanted to be doing something all night and had a big interest in what he was at and is booked again to lamb this year,

stantheman1979

Before we had as many stock I did the exact same thing to get experience of dealing with big numbers of sheep lambing at the same time. I’m the same hate being bored or idle so I would push in silage bed pens exact same It’s not that long ago and I did it for less than the figures quoted here. Bigger fool me I suppose

charolais0153

stantheman1979 wrote: »

Before we had as many stock I did the exact same thing to get experience of dealing with big numbers of sheep lambing at the same time. I’m the same hate being bored or idle so I would push in silage bed pens exact same It’s not that long ago and I did it for less than the figures quoted here. Bigger fool me I suppose

How long ago?

razor8

Some story here on the mountain Shepard’s in Georgia

https://www.rferl.org/a/28817495.html

charolais0153

Made a bit of a lamb warmbing box today. Will probably put a bit of perspex on top to look in and a vent of some sort. Total cost €0

early_riser

Anyone ever use one of these http://www.odonovaneng.ie/product/ewe-sheep-restraint/ . What are they like to use? might be a handy thing to have and not expensive

ganmo

early_riser wrote: »

Anyone ever use one of these http://www.odonovaneng.ie/product/ewe-sheep-restraint/ . What are they like to use? might be a handy thing to have and not expensive

ya have one somewhere.
ideal if you need to bring a ewe on the quad or something

White Clover

I am going to purchase some sheep hurdles. I think the drop pin ones would be a better job.
Any recommendations on what to buy and of course what not to buy would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Green farmer

White Clover wrote: »

I am going to purchase some sheep hurdles. I think the drop pin ones would be a better job.
Any recommendations on what to buy and of course what not to buy would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Yes, drop pin all the way. I have the cormac ones. Their the lowest in the market, to throw your leg over. I Find the 5ft cormac ones only ok. to be honest some weren’t welded the best and have cracked along where their joined back to frame. I wouldn’t buy again. They also make 6ft ones, which are made much better as have a support welded down middle, unlike their 5ft’s.

farming93

Bought my drop pin hurdles off steel products here in Wicklow three years ago absolutely smashing job I wouldn't be without them also bought a weighing scales off them last year too. I think they were 26 /€27 including vat but I wouldn't be without them

White Clover

farming93 wrote: »

Bought my drop pin hurdles off steel products here in Wicklow three years ago absolutely smashing job I wouldn't be without them also bought a weighing scales off them last year too. I think they were 26 /€27 including vat but I wouldn't be without them

Is that buffalo steel products?

TheDoc77

Another vote for the buffalo steel hurdles. Very well made, will last for years. I got some u frames, a back gate and a two way divider for front of shoot from Stanley and use the 5 foot hurdles to make up a race so get extra use out of the hurdles that way too. Also got the telescopic arm so u can stand back from the race so works very well to sort sheep

White Clover

TheDoc77 wrote: »

Another vote for the buffalo steel hurdles. Very well made, will last for years. I got some u frames, a back gate and a two way divider for front of shoot from Stanley and use the 5 foot hurdles to make up a race so get extra use out of the hurdles that way too. Also got the telescopic arm so u can stand back from the race so works very well to sort sheep

The u frames are for to keep the race rigid?
If you don't mind, what did that set up cost you excluding the hurdles?

farming93

White Clover wrote: »

Is that buffalo steel products?

Yes it is.

sea12

farming93 wrote: »

Yes it is.

Yea Buffallo are good lads with good quality products. Nice to deal with too.

sea12

Do lads normally chop bales of silage for sheep. Used to feed hay to the ewes but just have dry hoggets now and feeding them silage. They are in both types of bale feeders the ring type snd the ones on their side. Find a good bit of waste. With them pulling it out. Do lads normally chop it?

Kevhog1988

farming93 wrote: »

Bought my drop pin hurdles off steel products here in Wicklow three years ago absolutely smashing job I wouldn't be without them also bought a weighing scales off them last year too. I think they were 26 /€27 including vat but I wouldn't be without them

What did you pay for the scales??

ganmo

sea12 wrote: »

Do lads normally chop bales of silage for sheep. Used to feed hay to the ewes but just have dry hoggets now and feeding them silage. They are in both types of bale feeders the ring type snd the ones on their side. Find a good bit of waste. With them pulling it out. Do lads normally chop it?

inside?
chopped some this year and have them earmarked for feeding inside

sea12

ganmo wrote: »

inside?
chopped some this year and have them earmarked for feeding inside

No they are outside

farming93

theemigrant wrote: »

What did you pay for the scales??

I think it was €600 it's costly alright its a very good quality scales though. It just has the normal clock on it .

Green farmer

sea12 wrote: »

No they are outside

Feeding chopped silage for a few years outside now in ring feeders. Abit of waste alright, but not excessive. They do inhale it though. I put a pallet under bale, so they eat it nearer to the end. Next year might try non chopped.

orm0nd

Just a note on the hurdles. If you ever intend penning sheep in the field Stanley do a hurdle with the legs rounded in a skid. Think Buffalo might do them as well. Real pita trying to pull leg hurdles on grass.

Pin and eye all the way

tomwaterford

sea12 wrote: »

Do lads normally chop bales of silage for sheep. Used to feed hay to the ewes but just have dry hoggets now and feeding them silage. They are in both types of bale feeders the ring type snd the ones on their side. Find a good bit of waste. With them pulling it out. Do lads normally chop it?

Always chop them.....it would upset ya to see what they pull under themselves otherwise

Sheep breeder

Buffalo steel are great hurdles and mark and John are great fellas to deal with, got us out of a hole at the weekend with an extra delivery of hurdles due to ewes lambing hard and fast.

TheDoc77

White Clover wrote: »

The u frames are for to keep the race rigid?
If you don't mind, what did that set up cost you excluding the hurdles?

Approx €500 for 20 foot race

White Clover

Thanks for the replies lads, looks like buffalo steel are well thought of.

Next question! Would anyone have measurements for walk through troughs?
I have to make a couple for a temporary job.
Thanks again.

Kevhog1988

White Clover wrote: »

Thanks for the replies lads, looks like buffalo steel are well thought of.

Next question! Would anyone have measurements for walk through troughs?
I have to make a couple for a temporary job.
Thanks again.

Im definitely buying one also. Have a ewe here at home gone lame, looks like she got a prod of. thorn just above her hoof. Im after spending a half hr the past two nights with her foot held in a bucket of warm water and disinfectant to steep it.

wrangler

theemigrant wrote: »

Im definitely buying one also. Have a ewe here at home gone lame, looks like she got a prod of. thorn just above her hoof. Im after spending a half hr the past two nights with her foot held in a bucket of warm water and disinfectant to steep it.

She probably needs an antibiotic as well, sounds like it's infected
She must be quiet if she allows that

Kevhog1988

wrangler wrote: »

She probably needs an antibiotic as well, sounds like it's infected
She must be quiet if she allows that

Gave her a shot already. She was quieter tonight than the last two nights

DJ98

Do rams need to be vaccinated with heptavac p?