General sheep thread

wrangler

DJ98 wrote: »

Any point in feeding hay along side nuts to lambs that have no grass?

A bit would be no harm but shouldn't restrict their nuts.
Apparently if the ration is 7% fibre it's supposed to be enough fibre for sheep to keep them right but I've never tested that theory, I've ewes at the moment that are getting damn all with their ration with no ill effects

skoger

Anyone using electric dagging clippers? Spent most of yesterday doing lambs tails by hand. Think it might be time to invest in a set especially now with the new clean livestock rules. How do you find them? Any recommendations on makes/models? Mains or battery? How long would a battery last on a single charge? What about blades? I suppose dagging would be sore in them. Any bother getting them sharpened or buying replacements?

Lambman

skoger wrote: »

Anyone using electric dagging clippers? Spent most of yesterday doing lambs tails by hand. Think it might be time to invest in a set especially now with the new clean livestock rules. How do you find them? Any recommendations on makes/models? Mains or battery? How long would a battery last on a single charge? What about blades? I suppose dagging would be sore in them. Any bother getting them sharpened or buying replacements?

Go on amazon buy a cheap pair there 99% standard fitting combs and blades... bought 1 off there 2 Years ago for €70 was a good job till ewe jumped and knocked it off the wall and broke the caseing... if your doing a lot they are bulky till hold for a long period but for €70 there worth a go I'd buy another set off cheap ones again saves setting up the shears till do a batch off lambs.

Lambman

Sorry they were electric I'd imagine the battery ones would be bulkier and heavier and alot dearer.

MeTheMan

We bought these a few weeks ago with the intention of dagging.. We order a shearing comb as well as the dagging comb. The shearing comb didn't arrive in time but we gave the shearing ago anyway. 2 hours later, having never sheared a sheep before we had managed 3. Yes, that's three sheep. We were watching videos during that time as well but still. Not sure if we had the tension right but it didn't cut easy through the wool. The shearer said the comb would make a difference and that we probably had the tension to tight.

But anyway. Our plan is to crutch the ewes as we let them out after lambing and I think it will be a good job for that. Better the a shears anyway.

https://www.clippersireland.ie/ergopro-master-mains-sheep-and-cattle-clipper/

ganmo

skoger wrote: »

Anyone using electric dagging clippers? Spent most of yesterday doing lambs tails by hand. Think it might be time to invest in a set especially now with the new clean livestock rules. How do you find them? Any recommendations on makes/models? Mains or battery? How long would a battery last on a single charge? What about blades? I suppose dagging would be sore in them. Any bother getting them sharpened or buying replacements?

I’d advise against battery, imagine it dying halfway through one

MeTheMan

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Depends on how close they are to finishing weight.

“Protein for growth, energy for finishing” is the rule of thumb.

Just wonder about this here. For ewe lambs that I'm thinking of selling for breeding would higher protein be better then higher energy? We feed all the same stuff.

roosky

Killed ewes tuesday in ICM navan....€3 of levies .......are there any of there levies that i dont need to be paying

sheep breeding ire: 7c
bord bia levy: 25c
inspection levy: 50c
SRM/S levy: €2.15

Lambs had €1.02 of levies

sheep breeders ireland : 7c
clipping charge: 20c
bord bia 25c
inspection levy 50c

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

Killed ewes tuesday in ICM navan....€3 of levies .......are there any of there levies that i dont need to be paying

sheep breeding ire: 7c
bord bia levy: 25c
inspection levy: 50c
SRM/S levy: €2.15

Lambs had €1.02 of levies

sheep breeders ireland : 7c
clipping charge: 20c
bord bia 25c
inspection levy 50c

Sheep Ireland used to be voluntary but you had to pay it and claim it back........don't know if that's still the case

roosky

whats the SMR levy

sheepfarmer92

That smr levy is for vets and all the money theyre on for their 3 hour shifts

roosky

sheepfarmer92 wrote: »

That smr levy is for vets and all the money theyre on for their 3 hour shifts

only charged on the ewes though

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

only charged on the ewes though

It's to pay for the scrapie test, one ewe in every twenty five is tested for scrapie

Nekarsulm

MeTheMan wrote: »

We bought these a few weeks ago with the intention of dagging.. We order a shearing comb as well as the dagging comb. The shearing comb didn't arrive in time but we gave the shearing ago anyway. 2 hours later, having never sheared a sheep before we had managed 3. Yes, that's three sheep. We were watching videos during that time as well but still. Not sure if we had the tension right but it didn't cut easy through the wool. The shearer said the comb would make a difference and that we probably had the tension to tight.

But anyway. Our plan is to crutch the ewes as we let them out after lambing and I think it will be a good job for that. Better the a shears anyway.

https://www.clippersireland.ie/ergopro-master-mains-sheep-and-cattle-clipper/

I found this video the clearest for instruction.

https://youtu.be/LZl11JSyE2I

roosky

wrangler wrote: »

It's to pay for the scrapie test, one ewe in every twenty five is tested for scrapie

right so it €13 per ewe and i was just unlucky to have one of my 6 tested......did i mention the factory is a ****

wrangler

roosky wrote: »

right so it €13 per ewe and i was just unlucky to have one of my 6 tested......did i mention the factory is a ****

No, where are you getting the €13,
They're charging €2.15 per ewe and testing one out of 25 so they're charging 25 multiplied by €2.15 for the test.....it doesn;t matter whose sheep is tested, it's still €2.15 for every sheep....Your's mightn't have been tested even,
This was brought in during BSE and the department won't let go of it since. It;s nothing to do with the factory

Just hope you don't have a positive

charolais0153

wrangler wrote: »

No, where are you getting the €13,
They're charging €2.15 per ewe and testing one out of 25 so they're charging 25 multiplied by €2.15 for the test.....it doesn;t matter whose sheep is tested, it's still €2.15 for every sheep....Your's mightn't have been tested even,
This was brought in during BSE and the department won't let go of it since. It;s nothing to do with the factory

Just hope you don't have a positive

He multiplied his 6 ewes by 2.15.

wrangler

charolais0153 wrote: »

He multiplied his 6 ewes by 2.15.

Oh right, I didn't know where the €13/ewe came from....it's supposed to be a random test but I've sometimes sent a near casualty and they seem to be tested so I doubt the random aspect

MeTheMan

Nekarsulm wrote: »

I found this video the clearest for instruction.

https://youtu.be/LZl11JSyE2I

There isn't a youtube sheep shearing video I haven't watched at this stage! I could talk a man through it. Blow for blow. But couldn't get the clippers going nice. The wool didn't fall off them like you'd usually see. Small blows of about a foot and it was like the clippers were getting clogged.

wrangler

MeTheMan wrote: »

There isn't a youtube sheep shearing video I haven't watched at this stage! I could talk a man through it. Blow for blow. But couldn't get the clippers going nice. The wool didn't fall off them like you'd usually see. Small blows of about a foot and it was like the clippers were getting clogged.

Can you not get a shearer to show you....there must be one near you.
What are you shearing, sheep should be very easily shorn this time of the year.
Some sheep can be very sticky but usually earlier in the season.
What sort of shears, is it a conventional one with motor above you and a drive shaft or the one with the motor in your hand.

See a guy from westport shore over 300 sheep in a day with a handshears, the experts reckoned he closed the shears at least 40000 times in the day, I even think dagging a few lambs is hard work

Nekarsulm

MeTheMan wrote: »

There isn't a youtube sheep shearing video I haven't watched at this stage! I could talk a man through it. Blow for blow. But couldn't get the clippers going nice. The wool didn't fall off them like you'd usually see. Small blows of about a foot and it was like the clippers were getting clogged.

Too much tension on the blade? Are the blades getting hot?
Are you squirting oil on them after every sheep, and before you stop the clippers?
Did you try getting the combs and cutters resharpened? Just in case for some reason they aren't properly ground.

Siamsa Sessions

Kildare changed the name of the IFA levy to “Farmer levy” in the last sheet we got.

You’d have to wonder if tis to hopefully confuse lads in case they opt out of paying it

MeTheMan

It's a hand held shears. The one I linked in the other post. We were doing something wrong anyway. Have a feeling the tension was to tight. The shearer had a look at them and said the blade looked blunt so I'd say we tightened the tension to much and blunted them. Our usual shearers were coming that weekend we just said we'd give it a go after we bought the hand held one. It was also a dagging blade/comb that was on it so that wouldn't of help. But that's what we really bought them for. Crotching them after they lamb. Have ordered the shearing blade/comb since. This was a few weeks back.

Got the 100 odd sheared in a few hours with two shearers going. Wool fell of most of them. Oddly the fella they were at the day before they said everyone of the sheep were a battle to shear. Oils still in on them.

Lambman

Nekarsulm wrote: »

MeTheMan wrote: »

There isn't a youtube sheep shearing video I haven't watched at this stage! I could talk a man through it. Blow for blow. But couldn't get the clippers going nice. The wool didn't fall off them like you'd usually see. Small blows of about a foot and it was like the clippers were getting clogged.

Too much tension on the blade? Are the blades getting hot?
Are you squirting oil on them after every sheep, and before you stop the clippers?
Did you try getting the combs and cutters resharpened? Just in case for some reason they aren't properly ground.

I'd say too little tension oil them up well and move the blade over and back with your fingers with a bit of resistance any easier too loose any tighter too tight. What you see on YouTube will never learn you its all about the holding and we're till place your other hand (not holding the shears till keep the skin tight and for straightening the legs.

Hard Knocks

MeTheMan wrote: »

Just wonder about this here. For ewe lambs that I'm thinking of selling for breeding would higher protein be better then higher energy? We feed all the same stuff.

What weight & when do you intend to sell.

Ewe & lamb nut would be better than a lamb finisher nut.

Nice clean aftergrass, move them regularly to keep it fresh
Make sure they’re dosed for worms & give some vitamin drench
Shear them will help them grow.

wrangler

MeTheMan wrote: »

It's a hand held shears. The one I linked in the other post. We were doing something wrong anyway. Have a feeling the tension was to tight. The shearer had a look at them and said the blade looked blunt so I'd say we tightened the tension to much and blunted them. Our usual shearers were coming that weekend we just said we'd give it a go after we bought the hand held one. It was also a dagging blade/comb that was on it so that wouldn't of help. But that's what we really bought them for. Crotching them after they lamb. Have ordered the shearing blade/comb since. This was a few weeks back.

Got the 100 odd sheared in a few hours with two shearers going. Wool fell of most of them. Oddly the fella they were at the day before they said everyone of the sheep were a battle to shear. Oils still in on them.

I'm sure you've looked on youtube on how set the blade, that's very important too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMHOzt3d5Vw

Green farmer

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Kildare changed the name of the IFA levy to “Farmer levy” in the last sheet we got.

You’d have to wonder if tis to hopefully confuse lads in case they opt out of paying it

That’s not on, if their trying that. Whenever I’m in Kildare at the counter, I tell them, no agent, no ifa, the only one other then myself to get anything out of the cheque is my wife.

B Rabbit

Nekarsulm wrote: »

I found this video the clearest for instruction.

https://youtu.be/LZl11JSyE2I

Would be better off using Godfrey Bowen technique. Way less handling / battling the sheep to move them around and you can get very long blows with a bit of practice.

EDIT: The video kinda shows the technique but you wouldn't do around the tail at the start like he did.

The OG right here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65cqHTsldxc

MeTheMan

Hard Knocks wrote: »

What weight & when do you intend to sell.

Ewe & lamb nut would be better than a lamb finisher nut.

Nice clean aftergrass, move them regularly to keep it fresh
Make sure they’re dosed for worms & give some vitamin drench
Shear them will help them grow.

Bit early for selling ewe lambs around here yet. Had them in for weaning last weekend and weighed a few some ewe lambs hitting low 40kg I'd say average mid 30s though. Will be separating them from the ram lambs this weekend (all together atm just to keep them as far from the ewes as possible) so could throw the ewe lambs different feeding. Nice grass coming atm so won't need much. Few would be ready to go in the next few weeks. Just need a bit of size to them.

They're being cobalted and dosed every few weeks. Lambs are staying really clean this year. Don't know if it's the weather or what. I'll get a picture at the weekend to see what ye think of them if I remember.

MeTheMan

wrangler wrote: »

I'm sure you've looked on youtube on how set the blade, that's very important too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMHOzt3d5Vw

I have ya. The blades came setup anyway and all looked right to me. We'll give the dagging a go anyway and come next year try a few ewes ourself earlier in the year. See how it goes.