General sheep thread

thelegend1979

Census is in AIM, click on link and you should get the option to create.

Lambman

Anybody import sheep from the UK I'm looking into importing some ewes and a ram what's involved and is it costly?

Inchilad

Lambman wrote:

Anybody import sheep from the UK I'm looking into importing some ewes and a ram what's involved and is it costly?

I imported a ram and 2 ewes last yr.had to pay for vets fee and testing.about 250.cost 180 to haulier(md workman).was hassle free enough.costly though.ram turned out to be infertile.

Lambman

Inchilad wrote: »

Lambman wrote:

Anybody import sheep from the UK I'm looking into importing some ewes and a ram what's involved and is it costly?

I imported a ram and 2 ewes last yr.had to pay for vets fee and testing.about 250.cost 180 to haulier(md workman).was hassle free enough.costly though.ram turned out to be infertile.

I'm looking till import 12 ewes and a breeding ram which I'll get fertility tested as you say could end up expensive otherwise... could you break down them figures for me inchillad like cost off vets fees that side and this side and the paperwork off it all thanks

Sheep breeder

Inchilad wrote: »

I imported a ram and 2 ewes last yr.had to pay for vets fee and testing.about 250.cost 180 to haulier(md workman).was hassle free enough.costly though.ram turned out to be infertile.

What breed did you buy and where did they travel from. The sheep have to be blooded and vet inspected and rams have to be also brucella tested. The haulage is usually well worth the money but most fellas want it done for nothing.

Inchilad

Sheep breeder wrote:

What breed did you buy and where did they travel from. The sheep have to be blooded and vet inspected and rams have to be also brucella tested. The haulage is usually well worth the money but most fellas want it done for nothing.

Hampshire downs from wales.maes glas flock.would be one of the top breeders in uk.have great sheep in fairness.id have to go looking for the invoice to breakdow of costs.it can vary from vet to vet regarding fees.the haulier sorts the paperwork on this side of things.will go back next summer for replacement ram.

Inchilad

Lambman wrote:

I'm looking till import 12 ewes and a breeding ram which I'll get fertility tested as you say could end up expensive otherwise... could you break down them figures for me inchillad like cost off vets fees that side and this side and the paperwork off it all thanks

So i went and picked the sheep and paid deposit.they sort out vet to come and take bloods from the sheep and test for brucellosis and mv and smth else i cant remember what.when bloods are cleared and paper work completed by them,haulier collects sheep and brings them here.he takes care of paper work over here.thats how it worked out for me.hope that helps.

Lambman

He's telling me till expect till pay £130+ per ewe over there for vets fees surely that can't be right? Genotypeing mv test b.ovis test samples for scrapie 24 hour pre transport health check and filling out a vet cert.

Sheep breeder

Lambman wrote: »

He's telling me till expect till pay £130+ per ewe over there for vets fees surely that can't be right? Genotypeing mv test b.ovis test samples for scrapie 24 hour pre transport health check and filling out a vet cert.

Usually the flocks are mv accredited and all is required is a copy of there flock clearance and most sheep are all ready genotypes for scrapie and only rams are brucella tested and the vet does a health check and the health cert and pass to travel.
We are registered as importers and always never rush in transporting and wait till they line up with others to make the transport cost cheaper. Had a guy who wanted a bull out of Holland which he paid 3k for and was in a rush and quote of 2k soon changed his mind to wait till the spring of the year,

roosky

I have a group of 45 ewe lambs and every day there are 4 or 5 caught in briars..... the have grass but seem to seek out the briars.

I should have sheared them in September but that’s gone so is there anything I can do to prevent this.... cutting all briars is not an option

Kevhog1988

roosky wrote: »

I have a group of 45 ewe lambs and every day there are 4 or 5 caught in briars..... the have grass but seem to seek out the briars.

I should have sheared them in September but that’s gone so is there anything I can do to prevent this.... cutting all briars is not an option

electric fence along it?
Had a ewe that was constantly doing the same.  put in a lick bucket and she seemed to stop since. I think she might of been lacking in something?

ganmo

Is spraying an option?
I find if ya spray the bottom few feet if they get caught up in them the briars end up breaking

roosky

Spraying or fencing not an option as its just a bit of winter grazing but might try the lick and a mineral bolus to rule out anything lacking

Sheep breeder

roosky wrote: »

I have a group of 45 ewe lambs and every day there are 4 or 5 caught in briars..... the have grass but seem to seek out the briars.

I should have sheared them in September but that’s gone so is there anything I can do to prevent this.... cutting all briars is not an option

If they are in thr briars they are low in cobalt, best give them a bolus

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

Spraying or fencing not an option as its just a bit of winter grazing but might try the lick and a mineral bolus to rule out anything lacking

Is it rented land or why is spraying not an option.
It wouldn't work this time of the year anyway , but walking around with the sprayer during the growing season wouldn't be wasted.
It;s either that or shearing I suppose, they just like to follow nice grass into the ditch....it's their nature to forage

Willfarman

It's actually fibre they forage for in the ditches. They'd rather be at it than the loveliest grass on the field.

mcgiggles

Lambing should be starting in 6 weeks (over about 2.5/ 3 weeks) is it too early to Heptavac p them now to pass on the immunity?

kk.man

mcgiggles wrote: »

Lambing should be starting in 6 weeks (over about 2.5/ 3 weeks) is it too early to Heptavac p them now to pass on the immunity?

4 weeks from due date...i have mine penciled in for that time frame.

mcgiggles

kk.man wrote:

4 weeks from due date...i have mine penciled in for that time frame.

Cheers, couldn't remember if it was 6 weeks or closer :-)

Willfarman

2 weeks is plenty of time if they have been done previously. I do them when the first one lambs and get on ok, 6 weeks would pretty much be the length the antibodies would be passed through the milk so doing them too early would be worse than too late. Greysides will look in shortly and advise perhaps.

Lambman

Would you not be feard off them getting a bang though doing them on the point off lambing with all the stress and handling couldn't be good for them?

Willfarman

Do them in a group pen. Automatic syringe in one hand and marker in the other. I'm not cornering them in a field with a quad and dogs or anything.!

Lambman

Hard till give a subcutaneous injection with one hand I never seen it done

Willfarman

http://youtu.be/BhcnsKLSTgE I’m not tying one hand behind my back? But here you go anyway. Enjoy!!

wrangler

Willfarman wrote: »

2 weeks is plenty of time if they have been done previously. I do them when the first one lambs and get on ok, 6 weeks would pretty much be the length the antibodies would be passed through the milk so doing them too early would be worse than too late. Greysides will look in shortly and advise perhaps.

i wouldn't see any point in doing them that near lambing, ewes seem to come in heat together and if 75% lamb in the first week they are not covered, you're playing the odds, we'd only vaccinate the adult lambs about one year in five when we'd lose the second lamb so just because you're getting on OK doesn't mean it's working.
A neighbour got sick before lambing and forgot to vaccinate, his son did the lambing and it was criminal to see the number that died.....outdoor lambing in a mucky year like this, they were bringing them to us to put them in the hot box, but it was a waste of time.
Had to run them in the end when ours started to lamb.....needless to say our lambing and intensive care area was well power washed and disinfected after them, suppose it was foolish in hindsight to have anything to do with them

Willfarman

It’d be a week here after the first lamb before they’d start coming in earnest. And 6 weeks till the last one would lamb. Clostridial disease really comes into play in thriving lambs a month old plus so that’s when you want the antibodies in the milk. It’s not a newborn issue. So I found practically no losses from doing them this way as opposed to when I was going by the book! Often finding best thriving singles dead at month old.

Also you’d want to remember not to do the lambs until they are 6 weeks old if the ewes are done because the antibodies in the milk render the vaccine ineffective,

wrangler

Willfarman wrote: »

It’d be a week here after the first lamb before they’d start coming in earnest. And 6 weeks till the last one would lamb. Clostridial disease really comes into play in thriving lambs a month old plus so that’s when you want the antibodies in the milk. It’s not a newborn issue. So I found practically no losses from doing them this way as opposed to when I was going by the book! Often finding best thriving singles dead at month old.

Also you’d want to remember not to do the lambs until they are 6 weeks old if the ewes are done because the antibodies in the milk render the vaccine ineffective,

It was tetanus and lamb dysentary in the first week was the problem with my neighbour, antibodies in the milk are no good to a lamb over 48 hrs, the intestine closes off and won't absorb antibodies.....that's why it's important to get as much colostrum into the lamb in the first 12 hrs......All the immunity is is put in place in those first few feeds .
Heptavac p+ will only protect the lamb for 4 weeks from pnuemonia and 10 weeks I think from the clostridials, so quite possible you were losing good lambs a month old with Pnuemonia.......that's why we do PMs
All research indicates that it takes 4 weeks to get maximum protection in the colstrum

Willfarman

Ah makes sense.. I think I’ll revise my regime and go a few weeks earlier. Thanks Rangler. Is there any vaccine to help with ecoli scour/ watery mouth? And the cursed joint I’ll?

charolais0153

Willfarman wrote: »

Ah makes sense.. I think I’ll revise my regime and go a few weeks earlier. Thanks Rangler. Is there any vaccine to help with ecoli scour/ watery mouth? And the cursed joint I’ll?

Give spectam at birth(didnt have any ecoli last year) and dip navels. I dip navels a few hours after again

wrangler

charolais0153 wrote: »

Give spectam at birth(didnt have any ecoli last year) and dip navels. I dip navels a few hours after again

Spectram seems to work well. the vet at Kiernans seminar last week stressed how how infectious it was and to stand back and look at what you're doing yourself, ie seeing to to an ecoli lamb and going immediately to lamb a ewe and maybe clearing the new lambs mouth with your finger. when the Ecoli bug goes into the stomach ahead of the colostrum is a huge challenge
We were always very conscious of that and always used a glove for lambing and clean disnfected pen then to go to, only had two ecolis out of 800 lambs last year.
and of course getting enough colostrum.