Winter Dipping Options?

Bleating Lamb

I know it depends on factors like number of sheep you have,handling facilities available for use,access to a dipping pond/tank set up,relative costs of options but what way do people generally ‘Winter Dip’ or protect their sheep from scab etc?
Some people say that mobile dipping only does a middling job of treating sheep properly?....have used it myself before and found it fine.Dont have a dipping tank so am thinking of injecting the ewes and dry hoggets with Dectomax this year.Does it work well?...be interested to hear people’s thoughts/experiences in recent years with Winter Dipping and what methods they use.

Thanks for any replies or thoughts on this relevant topic for this time of the year.

Cran

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

I know it depends on factors like number of sheep you have,handling facilities available for use,access to a dipping pond/tank set up,relative costs of options but what way do people generally ‘Winter Dip’ or protect their sheep from scab etc?
Some people say that mobile dipping only does a middling job of treating sheep properly?....have used it myself before and found it fine.Dont have a dipping tank so am thinking of injecting the ewes and dry hoggets with Dectomax this year.Does it work well?...be interested to hear people’s thoughts/experiences in recent years with Winter Dipping and what methods they use.

Thanks for any replies or thoughts on this relevant topic for this time of the year.

Nothing beats dipping, use bath here at least every 2 years and shower in between. Would bath every year if had time

wrangler

Cran wrote: »

Nothing beats dipping, use bath here at least every 2 years and shower in between. Would bath every year if had time

Agreed,dipping does a great job on them, every time you use dectomax you'll bring the day closer that dectomax and all ivermectins will be useless on your farm for worms. so why use it for scab
Precast dipping tubs for about €500 and a small concrete draining yard is not hard to put in in a corner somewhere

Bleating Lamb

wrangler wrote: »

Agreed,dipping does a great job on them, every time you use dectomax you'll bring the day closer that dectomax and all ivermectins will be useless on your farm for worms. so why use it for scab
Precast dipping tubs for about €500 and a small concrete draining yard is not hard to put in in a corner somewhere

Would have limited space here to put in a tub...also there is the issue of what you do with the dirty waste dip mix after it’s use.

MeTheMan

We have a dipping tank and drain yard but the man with the shower is coming Friday to do the ewes. Dipping is tough work. The shower is a lot handier. The sheep come out the other end soaked. It turns a full day's slog into an hour of, I wouldn't even call it work. Tank might be better if there is lots of ticks in the sheep but couldn't fault the shower.

We'd dip lambs some years but haven't used the tank in must be three years now.

For anyone who dips, we would sit the sheep on there arse at the edge of the tank and with our knees give them a hoof and a spin so they landed facing us. Then two dunks and hold them for a min and off they go. This was the way the boss man insisted on doing it.
Is there a reason you wouldn't just back them into it?

wrangler

MeTheMan wrote: »

We have a dipping tank and drain yard but the man with the shower is coming Friday to do the ewes. Dipping is tough work. The shower is a lot handier. The sheep come out the other end soaked. It turns a full day's slog into an hour of, I wouldn't even call it work. Tank might be better if there is lots of ticks in the sheep but couldn't fault the shower.

We'd dip lambs some years but haven't used the tank in must be three years now.

For anyone who dips, we would sit the sheep on there arse at the edge of the tank and with our knees give them a hoof and a spin so they landed facing us. Then two dunks and hold them for a min and off they go. This was the way the boss man insisted on doing it.
Is there a reason you wouldn't just back them into it?

I got scab in my sheep once, did them wwith dectomax twice without curing and then showered twice again unsuccess fully......at these stage I had spent well over the price of the tub and still had to buy one. I dipped them twice then and cured it immediately.
When I'm dipping them I just throw them in whatever way they come to me, it's much easier to push them in backwards.
I ve a small pen beside the tub that holds six, first two falls in when I open the gate. we dip them two at a time and they're left in for a full minute so there's plenty of time to rest and you'd be doin 100+/hr

Cattlepen

Look up “dipping sheep the easy way” on YouTube

charolais0153

Cattlepen wrote: »

Look up “dipping sheep the easy way” on YouTube

He didnt dip the heads thpugh. Arent the ticks or mites or something in the ears?

Cattlepen

charolais0153 wrote: »

He didnt dip the heads thpugh. Arent the ticks or mites or something in the ears?

I did notice that but I thought it was a handy way of dipping. Something not as elaborate would do. Maybe lowering and raising with teleporter or similar. But , dipping their heads of course!!

charolais0153

Cattlepen wrote: »

I did notice that but I thought it was a handy way of dipping. Something not as elaborate would do. Maybe lowering and raising with teleporter or similar. But , dipping their heads of course!!

I seen one where there ia a dummy sheep in front and a slide behind her and when the sheep goes up to her she sildes into the tub

Cattlepen

charolais0153 wrote: »

I seen one where there ia a dummy sheep in front and a slide behind her and when the sheep goes up to her she sildes into the tub

Yea, it’s incorporated into one of the IAE yard systems. I still think the one on YouTube could be tweaked and made simpler. It’s would be effortless and very effective. I did my time muleing with a dipping tub and getting covered with op dip.
I have jetter now but it is not without its problems. I might attempt a version of the one on YouTube. It would be easier on man or beast.
I’m actually surprised you can still get op dip. It is seriously dangerous

MeTheMan

This one gets heads and all. I'd be worried the winch could stop working while they are under though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNLfX3Wkpgw

This is a handy setup as well. We have no slide/slip way into our tank. It would help a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0huIaRd5Rw

dglhills

Is everyone who is using non OP dip happy with it? Strongly considering switching over for the obvious health benefits for myself.

Bleating Lamb

Looking like Saturday will be a dry day and a neighbour is dipping his sheep and said I can top up tank and dip after.Isnt it a good idea to leave the ewes in the night before to empty out if possible?...

tabby aspreme

dglhills wrote: »

Is everyone who is using non OP dip happy with it? Strongly considering switching over for the obvious health benefits for myself.

I'm using it for years but it cannot be got for the last few weeks, out of stock everywhere

Bleating Lamb

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Looking like Saturday will be a dry day and a neighbour is dipping his sheep and said I can top up tank and dip after.Isnt it a good idea to leave the ewes in the night before to empty out if possible?...

Just bumping this,would people leave ewes in for a while before dipping to empty out ?

wrangler

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Just bumping this,would people leave ewes in for a while before dipping to empty out ?

Yea I'd starve them overnight, much easier handle ewes if they,re hungry and the bath stays cleaner