Lambing losses.

[ladycrofter]

I waited until May 1 one year with a small flock. May 1 - howling gale and snow

 

[will6910]

I started lambing on the 22nd Feb, was told by family and friends I’m stupid and useless for lambing so early and wait to middle march like others do. So far I have 20 ewes and lambs outside about 3 weeks and all the rest is still inside on silage as never more than a hour off dry weather since. Thought I was doing well for loses in lambs till shearlings snd ewe lambs started and now iv given up counting. But I do know iv lost 11% off my ewes since start off January this year

 

[Jonp]

I started lambing on the 22nd Feb, was told by family and friends I’m stupid and useless for lambing so early and wait to middle march like others do. So far I have 20 ewes and lambs outside about 3 weeks and all the rest is still inside on silage as never more than a hour off dry weather since. Thought I was doing well for loses in lambs till shearlings snd ewe lambs started and now iv given up counting. But I do know iv lost 11% off my ewes since start off January this year

Started on the same day as you, last year in early march the ewes and lambs were sunbathing on hard ground and about 50% lambed outside. This year 2 lambed outside (hard core welshies ), just been round the sheep, welshies ok, lleyns ok but the saddest looking ones are the Charollais twins....don't think they like the hail and relentless cold heavy rain. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny so maybe they'll pick up a bit before the forecast next week of rain, otherwise considering rounding up the worst of the twins tomorrow and bringing them back to the shed to try and salvage them as outdoor feeding is nigh on impossible. All the best.

 

[will6910]

Started on the same day as you, last year in early march the ewes and lambs were sunbathing on hard ground and about 50% lambed outside. This year 2 lambed outside (hard core welshies ), just been round the sheep, welshies ok, lleyns ok but the saddest looking ones are the Charollais twins....don't think they like the hail and relentless cold heavy rain. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny so maybe they'll pick up a bit before the forecast next week of rain, otherwise considering rounding up the worst of the twins tomorrow and bringing them back to the shed to try and salvage them as outdoor feeding is nigh on impossible. All the best.

Thank you. I’m glad I’m lambing all inside. Lambed ewes lambs after the ewes in hope be better weather for smaller lambs to be turned out but not this year

 

[Jonp]

Thank you. I’m glad I’m lambing all inside. Lambed ewes lambs after the ewes in hope be better weather for smaller lambs to be turned out but not this year

Yes the weather is a lottery, some years you win others you don't. Have you worked out why you lost so many ewes?

 

[d-wales]

Right.....Friday night thinking time!!!

So far my singles (touch wood) have lambed great. 1 dead out of over 30, havnt touched them yet.

Twins and triplets a bit different

What would the financial difference between having tough mountain ewes selling 120% ish (mainly singles, mainly untouched) and normal types selling 150%ish percent. (Industry average).

Taking into account a higher stock rate for mountain ewes, being kept tighter at lambing and possibly finishing quicker as being singles.

I was thinking a lot about this as the hail was hitting me in the face yesterday morning and almost getting the quad stuck in gate ways.

Have a couple of beers and start thinking

 

[will6910]

Yes the weather is a lottery, some years you win others you don't. Have you worked out why you lost so many ewes?

2 took something and faded away to skeletons and died. Had some take listerious. 1 ewe lamb took pneumonia. 1 triplet must had dead lambs inside as she was sick on evening and was dead by bedtime. Then had c section ewe die to 3 weeks after she had it. Never had one die before after a c section. Complained about vet as done whole section in under half hour, never sprayed the wound or injected at all afterwards and said give her Metacam and shel be ok. Then by time she started to be sick and I started her on antibiotics it was too late. And a Suffolk ram died in middle off it all with laryngitis

 

[Jonp]

2 took something and faded away to skeletons and died. Had some take listerious. 1 ewe lamb took pneumonia. 1 triplet must had dead lambs inside as she was sick on evening and was dead by bedtime. Then had c section ewe die to 3 weeks after she had it. Never had one die before after a c section. Complained about vet as done whole section in under half hour, never sprayed the wound or injected at all afterwards and said give her Metacam and shel be ok. Then by time she started to be sick and I started her on antibiotics it was too late. And a Suffolk ram died in middle off it all with laryngitis

Listeria from the silage? Good feed but always a risk? Vet job doesn't sound right, anything invasive should get ABs.
Been very wet here but I suspect you've had it even worse where you are and it's been real hard going, your bad luck doesn't help either.
It's got to dry up.... hasn't it?

 

[will6910]

Listeria from the silage? Good feed but always a risk? Vet job doesn't sound right, anything invasive should get ABs.
Been very wet here but I suspect you've had it even worse where you are and it's been real hard going, your bad luck doesn't help either.
It's got to dry up.... hasn't it?

Yeah all silage here. No other option with way they are housed for winter. Was to be dry here today and light showers afternoon. Had did have 2 showers but got 6 mm in them. So glad I didn’t try anything outside today

 

[puppet]

I lamb 24 Apr.

Everything is sold store in Oct.

Good fat lambs £110 in September, £182 for average fat lambs in March.
If we all knew the future we could cut ewes by a third and make the same money

 

[Hill Ground]

Right.....Friday night thinking time!!!

So far my singles (touch wood) have lambed great. 1 dead out of over 30, havnt touched them yet.

Twins and triplets a bit different

What would the financial difference between having tough mountain ewes selling 120% ish (mainly singles, mainly untouched) and normal types selling 150%ish percent. (Industry average).

Taking into account a higher stock rate for mountain ewes, being kept tighter at lambing and possibly finishing quicker as being singles.

I was thinking a lot about this as the hail was hitting me in the face yesterday morning and almost getting the quad stuck in gate ways.

Have a couple of beers and start thinking

I've a friend who has switched from his 160-70% scanning romneys to 120%scanning welshies. He rekons he's better off.

He's on chalk Downland mostly though, so his welshies find it easy going.

If your on ground that can support 200% mules easily, then I don't think it would be a sensible swap, but if your trying to farm intensive sheep on marginal ground I can definitely see the argument for it!

 

[muleman]

I don't think farming as a trade is going to be viable with the weather we are getting nowadays, we are just worrying how to get through lambing but before you know it it will be silage and haytime, absolutely impossible with this type of weather we are stuck with now.

 

[neilo]

I don't think farming as a trade is going to be viable with the weather we are getting nowadays, we are just worrying how to get through lambing but before you know it it will be silage and haytime, absolutely impossible with this type of weather we are stuck with now.

Yes, it’s been wet all winter this time, but it will dry up, and quickly.

This time last year we’d had a February that seemed like May, followed by a damp March, then a cracking April for outdoor lambing.

I’d not go planning on changing anything much because of one wet winter, and we’ve had plenty wetter over the years.

 

[Nithsdale]

Yes, it’s been wet all winter this time, but it will dry up, and quickly.

This time last year we’d had a February that seemed like May, followed by a damp March, then a cracking April for outdoor lambing.

I’d not go planning on changing anything much because of one wet winter, and we’ve had plenty wetter over the years.

A damp March?

It pee'd it down my entire lambing last year, just constant every day! - SEPA figure was 163.6mm (March 'average' is around 110mm). I was utterly sick with it.


It's been wet this year but we are still 30mm-ish less rain than last year and I've actually had a fair few nice and dry days. What's made the ground worse this time is it's been pretty wet since late June - with only a short heatwave the first week of September... I'm a bit tired of rain this year - especially after last year's, but I'm nowhere near as fed up as I was at this point last year.



Agree not changing anything. 2012 was wet from start to finish the entire year (with over double our annual rainfall) and this year is a walk in the park compared, so far.

 

[muleman]

Yes, it’s been wet all winter this time, but it will dry up, and quickly.

This time last year we’d had a February that seemed like May, followed by a damp March, then a cracking April for outdoor lambing.

I’d not go planning on changing anything much because of one wet winter, and we’ve had plenty wetter over the years.

We've had 10 months of rain, we expect wet winters.
Doesn't look like changing anytime soon, will be 12 months rain by the looks of it.

 

[muleman]

A damp March?

It pee'd it down my entire lambing last year, just constant every day! - SEPA figure was 163.6mm (March 'average' is around 110mm). I was utterly sick with it.


It's been wet this year but we are still 30mm-ish less rain than last year and I've actually had a fair few nice and dry days. What's made the ground worse this time is it's been pretty wet since late June - with only a short heatwave the first week of September... I'm a bit tired of rain this year - especially after last year's, but I'm nowhere near as fed up as I was at this point last year.



Agree not changing anything. 2012 was wet from start to finish the entire year (with over double our annual rainfall) and this year is a walk in the park compared, so far.

2 shocking wet lambing times in a row, I remember last year thinking it was a once in a lifetime!

 

[Bigsingle]

This is the worst ground condition lv put lmbs out in a good few years. Looks a wee bit better drier to Tuesday but nothing special.

 

[Nithsdale]

2 shocking wet lambing times in a row, I remember last year thinking it was a once in a lifetime!

Every lambing seems to be a once in a lifetime : doesn't matter if it's good, bad or wet

 

[DB67]

Wettest I can remember fields being at this time of year.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Wettest I can remember fields being at this time of year.

Exactly what I said yesterday, never seen our land this wet at this time of the year…we can normally travel to any part now spreading muck….yesterday it was along the rig tops and only in one field