f**k Up Fortnight

[puppet]

We do a special kind of stupid here.

Plenty examples here. Last year a triplet was licking her lambs in the shed but wouldn't let them sook. Turned her out day 3 with no lambs.

She had her own triplets a week later
Somewhere there is a ewe which rejected her triplets last year. Hopefully we sold it cast.

 

[Jonp]

We do a special kind of stupid here.

Big TexX ewe with a stunner of a prolapse, took both of us at it. Finally got it back in, metacam and in the trailer to a close-by paddock for observation until the blessed day.

Went to put a black cable tie in her tag. WTF is this ??!!?? Already has one from last year. We must have cut the tail off to stop it poking her eye. And didn't see the tiny remaining bit at sorting time. Speechless.

You're not alone, looking back in my records the sheep that died this year from a horrible, vet job, prolapse was marked down last year as a cull...for a small prolapse! I really should study my records more otherwise what's the point of them. I'm quite dull sometimes.

 

[Wood field]

Certainly not alone , one of our prolapse and guts out was a cull from last year
I was a bit soft and allowed the boss to “ give it another chance “

 

[steveR]

Started mentally working on solving a problem for next year. We're not really bothered with prolapse here, but can't help that when you put a new bale in, they have to stand on their back legs to eat the bit off the top. Which of course is the same as the bit on the sides or the bottom. Not a good idea when you've got a belly full of twins due in three weeks time . Thinking about flipping the hake upside down and sheeting the top.

Yep, WTH is all that about??

Seen them practically jumping on top, before now

 

[steveR]

10/10 for the girl in Starbucks this morning. Stig of the dump turns up with sweaty hat hair sticking sideways out of my head, hay and straw sticking to my jumper, mud splattered leggings and smelling of au de ovine and her smile never faltered
Bad news;
It's raining again!
I'm running out of space indoors.
Last weeks vet job is dead halfway up the field.
Had to chase a hogg across the field with a hint lamb at 1am this morning.

Good news
The hung lambs head and tongue are nearly normal sized this morning.
All this year's hoggs are extremely maternal! They love their babies a lot!

Feckin' rain.... Another 6mm this morning. I lay in bed and looked at the ewes snug in the yard and contemplated getting the extra yarding sorted this morning "just in case" it doesn't stop raining.....

I do hope you tipped the lass in Starbuks as well....

Maternal sheep... the best kind, right up to the moment they love other Mum's babies! That is the moment I actually think lambing indoors with wee pens is a good idea!

 

[steveR]

Certainly not alone , one of our prolapse and guts out was a cull from last year
I was a bit soft and allowed the boss to “ give it another chance “

As you do... First cable tie went in here, yesterday....

 

[Wood field]

As you do... First cable tie went in here, yesterday....

State my mrs is in , I might have to put a cable tie in her ear
Apart from the rain and the buggy spinning all four wheels trying to get to the moor sheep
We’ve had no disasters!
Brought moor ewes in as there’s a few earlier lambers with them, put on what is usually a rocky but dry ish piece of rough ( it’s now saturated with pools of standing water) and access to a small grassy field Bales to ring feeders after my brew then feed shed and rush home
Boss has a scan in Huddersfield at 4 then consultation after that
It’s all good fun !

 

[Jonp]

Feckin' rain.... Another 6mm this morning. I lay in bed and looked at the ewes snug in the yard and contemplated getting the extra yarding sorted this morning "just in case" it doesn't stop raining.....

I do hope you tipped the lass in Starbuks as well....

Maternal sheep... the best kind, right up to the moment they love other Mum's babies! That is the moment I actually think lambing indoors with wee pens is a good idea!

No mothering is almost as bad as miss mothering. Went in the shed early yesterday to find a cold, wet, shivering lamb stood with it's head pressed into the corner rather like a dunce. After a bit of tail lifting found the mother, who despite my best patient efforts, would have nothing to do with the lamb.
Luckily a shearling then slipped out her lamb and got a foster. Loves them both. Trying to avoid pet lambs!
Indoor lambing has it's bonuses.
Still raining, still a swamp.

 

[primmiemoo]

Thought the big fling out of couples went well, yesterday ~ bu-u-ut, rained streams overnight, so 10 couple are back indoors. They're either the youngest doubles, or the thinnest skinned pure Charollais, but the weather wasn't properly forecast or they'd still be in. The last lamb was b. in the afternoon ~ a single, with the spare from a triplet successfully twinned on (from the ewe's pov). The spare has a very poor suck reflex, though. His dam rejected him on sight, so he's been in the lap, etc, from the outset

Had to apologise to the singles group of the next lot for telling them they'd have only 5 days before coming in ~ over a week ago. They'll be ok, though. I don't think it's as cold here as up country.

 

[BAF]

I've got 4 or 5 pens left before the eviction process has to begin. I think I might have some of those lamb macs in the garage someone gave me, if I've still got them they might get a trial tomorrow. Turned it up to 11 and hammered out everything at work this morning and they're not sawdusting the sheds until tomorrow afternoon so got the whole day at home!

 

[Wood field]

I've got 4 or 5 pens left before the eviction process has to begin. I think I might have some of those lamb macs in the garage someone gave me, if I've still got them they might get a trial tomorrow. Turned it up to 11 and hammered out everything at work this morning and they're not sawdusting the sheds until tomorrow afternoon so got the whole day at home!

Last year we used a hay shed as a big crèche
Put a ring feeder and a water trough in and was able to empty mothering pens in to the crèche
Can’t do it this year as the bosses cows are in there

 

[steveR]

No mothering is almost as bad as miss mothering. Went in the shed early yesterday to find a cold, wet, shivering lamb stood with it's head pressed into the corner rather like a dunce. After a bit of tail lifting found the mother, who despite my best patient efforts, would have nothing to do with the lamb.
Luckily a shearling then slipped out her lamb and got a foster. Loves them both. Trying to avoid pet lambs!
Indoor lambing has it's bonuses.
Still raining, still a swamp.

Sums up the past 3 months really......

 

[Estate fencing.]

You're not alone, looking back in my records the sheep that died this year from a horrible, vet job, prolapse was marked down last year as a cull...for a small prolapse! I really should study my records more otherwise what's the point of them. I'm quite dull sometimes.

I don’t do records just have pockets full of orange tags with “cull on them” on a few pence to put 2 in and never miss them again.

 

[Jonp]

I don’t do records just have pockets full of orange tags with “cull on them” on a few pence to put 2 in and never miss them again.

My notes only amount to ewe tag, spray number, ram or ewe lamb and their tup....and comments column.
Twins sprayed red, singles blue, find it easier to spot if someone is missing a lamb in the field.

 

[Jonp]

Sums up the past 3 months really......

Trudge across the swampy field with some trepidation as I get near the gate to the hill fields where the ewes and lambs are.
Quick scan to see if there's any lonely white blobs, if none my spirits rise as I go through the fields and, so far, I've come back a happy man. I won't be one day I know.
Amazes me how tough little lambs are, it must be a struggle to get motivated to get a suck in constant rain.
At least it's not cold. Or snowing. Yet.

 

[steveR]

Trudge across the swampy field with some trepidation as I get near the gate to the hill fields where the ewes and lambs are.
Quick scan to see if there's any lonely white blobs, if none my spirits rise as I go through the fields and, so far, I've come back a happy man. I won't be one day I know.
Amazes me how tough little lambs are, it must be a struggle to get motivated to get a suck in constant rain.
At least it's not cold. Or snowing. Yet.

I am assessing my modest turn out area, and expanding it and wondering on putting the big calf feeder out again. Wrapped with some mesh and a bit of straw underneath...

 

[Wood field]

We find as long as they can get out of cold driving winds they do ok
Walls, rushes, old trailers anything that offers a shelter

 

[Jonp]

I am assessing my modest turn out area, and expanding it and wondering on putting the big calf feeder out again. Wrapped with some mesh and a bit of straw underneath...

A week ago I was contemplating putting a gazebo up....couldn't find anywhere without mud to stand it. Silly idea. Sleep deprived.

 

[Jerry]

We find as long as they can get out of cold driving winds they do ok
Walls, rushes, old trailers anything that offers a shelter

I find lamb Macs are very valuable in a wet time.

 

[Wood field]

I find lamb Macs are very valuable in a wet time.

Only used them during beast from the east , still have some somewhere
Lot depends on the sheep , our woolly hill girls don’t mind anything except constant driving rain