General sheep thread

sea12

arctictree wrote: »

Are you saying that the ewe sat on him?

Yes sorry cracked screen on phone so hard to see the spelling mistakes. It's like looking out of the car windscreen on a frosty morning

Siamsa Sessions

One of the best ewes in the place had triplets here during the worst of the snow (Thurs night here). She was outside in a sheltered grove as she never settled in the shed.

Found the 3 of them dead in the snow yesterday morning. Gutted but hopefully that’ll be the only snow-related losses

wrangler

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

One of the best ewes in the place had triplets here during the worst of the snow (Thurs night here). She was outside in a sheltered grove as she never settled in the shed.

Found the 3 of them dead in the snow yesterday morning. Gutted but hopefully that’ll be the only snow-related losses

She hadn't a hope, even to bring her in after lambing would've made the difference, she'd have settled inside once her lambs were with her

wrangler

wrangler wrote: »

She hadn't a hope, even to bring her in after lambing would've made the difference, she'd have settled inside once her lambs were with her

This is lambing at the fireside, Whole flock is under cameras this year
cameras show one picture at a time and then the four together in a loop

20180303_220015.jpg

20180303_220033.jpg

20180303_220021.jpg

wrangler

A quad tonight, she's had fifteen lambs in five lambings starting with a double at a year old, no selective breeding just her mother was a black pet lamb and other half likes to keep black lambs, This one has only ever had one ewe lamb and her mother only had two. this quad is four ram lambs as well, so I'd be a long time putting a flock together outa them

farming93

I had 16 ewes lamb yesterday /last night with 32 lambs I managed to keep them alive and separated but of course two lambed before 4 am this morning and one ewe took up with three lambs and the other with only one and I already had the head gate in use for a ewe that done the same the previous day , I check them every three/four hours but there's always some that won't show signs of lambing plus I'm that badly stuck for space with this weather I've had to put the ewes and lambs with the last of the in lamb ewes which doesn't make spotting what's going to lamb any easier . the joys of it !! haha

razor8

This might be useful for someone considering the weather

Hypothermia in lambs Administration

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=143&v=mTi6k6C2dXA

wrangler

razor8 wrote: »

This might be useful for someone considering the weather

Hypothermia in lambs Administration

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=143&v=mTi6k6C2dXA

A great remedy for lambs that are too far gone for stomach tubing, OH does it here and would put some under the skin behind the shoulders as well,
She usually says that if he doesn't bleed even a drop going under the skin, it's not going to work.
I'd be nervous of doing it but when it's either that or the lamb die I suppose you'd chance it.
have you ever done it

farming93

snow here has turned to slush and will hopefully be gone by tomorrow, we're due plenty of rain but the fields are dry and well sheltered would I be ok letting lambs out that are a week old or would i be better off waiting another few days ? I was planning on letting them out tomorrow morning but don't want to risk them getting hypothermia. what are yous all doing or what are your opinions here?

Siamsa Sessions

farming93 wrote: »

snow here has turned to slush and will hopefully be gone by tomorrow, we're due plenty of rain but the fields are dry and well sheltered would I be ok letting lambs out that are a week old or would i be better off waiting another few days ? I was planning on letting them out tomorrow morning but don't want to risk them getting hypothermia. what are yous all doing or what are your opinions here?

Hard to know - depends on shelter, temperature, breed (hardy or not), amount of rain, grass, meal for ewes, etc.

We’re leaving a few out tomorrow all going well, and they’re 1-2 weeks old. They’ll have a pick of grass, meal, and shelter. Plus ewes are hardy variety. Very glad of that now!

razor8

wrangler wrote: »

A great remedy for lambs that are too far gone for stomach tubing, OH does it here and would put some under the skin behind the shoulders as well,
She usually says that if he doesn't bleed even a drop going under the skin, it's not going to work.
I'd be nervous of doing it but when it's either that or the lamb die I suppose you'd chance it.
have you ever done it

I bought a bottle 2 years ago with proper needle but thankfully I hadn’t the need to use it yet!

I’d imagine it’s essential for outdoor lambing flocks

arctictree

I have just about enough room for a couple more ewes to lamb. Looking at the weather, I am aiming for Tuesday to turn out the first bunch, about a week old. There will probably still be snow on the ground but ill keep them going on nuts for a few days until it thaws. Place is sopping wet here and still six foot drifts around. I have a couple of flocks outside and they are both missing one or two sheep but what can you do, you'd never find them in this snow.

Had to dig out a few troughs I left beside the ditch earlier. Buried up to my shoulders in snow. I should have left them in the middle of the field where there is very little snow but I was afraid they would be nicked!

ganmo

Poking a stick into the drifts is the only way of finding them

Birdnuts

Anyone want tp speculate what Spring lamb will make this year?? - feed bills at this stage must be horrendous for those out of the traps this past month. Hoping things will be easier later in the month when my lot kick off

mcgiggles

Another set of twins gone this morning. Sent to lab. Hopefully get some answers. Haven't got results of last twins that were sent in. He's been going between vet and lab to try to get some answers. Between ewes dying, emptys and abortions, its looking like we're going to be lambing less ewes than last year despite having a higher number. Himself is pissed to say the least

Siamsa Sessions

wrangler wrote: »

She hadn't a hope, even to bring her in after lambing would've made the difference, she'd have settled inside once her lambs were with her

That ewe who lost the triplets has a very big dug now. In the past, the milk seemed to just dry up itself but I never saw one with a dug this big. Obviously nothing is drinking her.

Is there much I can do or will it just fade itself?

wrangler

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

That ewe who lost the triplets has a very big dug now. In the past, the milk seemed to just dry up itself but I never saw one with a dug this big. Obviously nothing is drinking her.

Is there much I can do or will it just fade itself?

Don't know what the advice is but I never do anything with them. can you sell her, she'll be worse next year, good price for ewes at the moment.
Has she had any antibiotic

arctictree

Let the lambs out today. Takes a bit of pressure off me. Lovely morning and patches of grass showing in the field. Hopefully we don't get another blast of that weather.

DJ98

What are lads paying for high tensile sheep wire?

Green farmer

€110 of a 100 meter roll.

razor8

Quote: Green farmer
Are lads leaving sheep in or out ? Their saying potential for .5ft to 1.5ft of snow Thursday evening/Friday morning. I don’t know what to believe the amounts are so varied. I’d be thinking sheep are clever and will find the sheltered spots in the hedges, but who knows. The more info I get the more confused it’s sounding.


I can't believe you don't put them in, you've more shed space than any of us.
I don't know how you'll have any grass before june with all your sheep out in this wet year and the damage they're doing to your ryegrasses.
Is it not a bit of a domino effect, later grass, later lambing, slower thrive, more lambs left over next january or selling 25kg stores in September, be interesting to see how it plays out

Did you put them in after or how did you manage down south?

Green farmer

razor8 wrote: »

Quote: Green farmer

Did you put them in after or how did you manage down south?

Thankfully got on fine. I kept them out but gave them free access to shed, so they could go in and out as they pleased. Was worried about locking them in as the shed has no side wall and the length of it is facing east. Heard horror stories about snow drifting far into sheds. But luckily we didn’t get excessive snow compared to the rest of the country. Lads up and down the east coast got it much worse then us here. Glad to see the back of it all the same. Scary thing about it was the unknown element and having no control over it. How did you fare out up the country ?

ganmo

could of been better. still no in or out access, getting tired of trecking through snow

charolais0153

Snow is a distant memory now(only got about an inch) but the gutter and mud wasnt long coming back:(

Siamsa Sessions

Lamb born here yesterday with a swollen belly. He’s drinking fine and otherwise is OK. He seems to have been born like that, as in it’s not just a big belly of milk.

Any ideas what it might be?

razor8

Green farmer wrote: »

Thankfully got on fine. I kept them out but gave them free access to shed, so they could go in and out as they pleased. Was worried about locking them in as the shed has no side wall and the length of it is facing east. Heard horror stories about snow drifting far into sheds. But luckily we didn’t get excessive snow compared to the rest of the country. Lads up and down the east coast got it much worse then us here. Glad to see the back of it all the same. Scary thing about it was the unknown element and having no control over it. How did you fare out up the country ?

We didn’t get the worst of it either. Pipes froze in one shed after someone turned off dripping tap for few hours during the day. East dose of Cavan got some very bad drifts

ganmo

Been trying to keep one ewe alive for the last few days...walked into the shed today to find a different one had croaked. Grr

J.O. Farmer

ganmo wrote: »

Been trying to keep one ewe alive for the last few days...walked into the shed today to find a different one had croaked. Grr

Ah the old first sign of the sick sheep being a dead sheep. I think we've all been there. At least she had the decency not to put you any extra work or expense treating her.

Oldira

How are lads fixed for grass? Growth is non-existant here. Ewes due to start lambing on Paddys Day and have the locked into a small paddock. But I have no sign of lush grass to turn them out after lambing. Will a pick of grass and meal supplement help with milk for a few weeks?

arctictree

Not much grass left here. Bad management on my part, will know better next year. I have the ewes and lambs out on a paddock with a little grass in it and will be feeding them meal until the growth comes.