Onwards and Upwards
Member
- Location
- Warwickshire
Just a quick question. What numbers do you look to limit your outdoor lambing groups at?
As few as possible, to an extent. 50-60 would be my maximum but usually aim for 40 or so in a 2+ha field/paddock. We're lucky to have lots of small fields here. Some fields make better outdoor fields than others mind.
No matter how big the field is they seem to find a difficult corner furthest from the entrance they all like to lamb in and then wait until it's pouring with rain before they all start lambing.
Singles 600 twins 900 but try to give more acres than the singles.
i wouldn't want electric fences around my lambing fields.I think that for a successful lambing population density is less important than having ''nesting'' places for ewes to lamb in
They like a bit of privacy & somewhere to hide away to birth
It doesn't have to be much more than a tuft of long grass, a few rushes or a dip in the ground (hedgerows are ideal)
The above will lamb more ewes with a higher stocking density than a larger flat field with only electric fencing around all edges and fewer ewes
I've had to do it and it's fine as long as there are other shelter features within the lambing areai wouldn't want electric fences around my lambing fields.
there's plenty of small fields and hedges here, ideal for lambing especially as ive allowed a bit more height to them over the yrs.I've had to do it and it's fine as long as there are other shelter features within the lambing area
Used to fence 80 care blocks of scrub/downland for lambing & it worked well
Flat exposed leys with electric fencing is another matter
i wouldn't want electric fences around my lambing fields.
As few as possible, to an extent. 50-60 would be my maximum but usually aim for 40 or so in a 2+ha field/paddock. We're lucky to have lots of small fields here. Some fields make better outdoor fields than others mind.
No matter how big the field is they seem to find a difficult corner furthest from the entrance they all like to lamb in and then wait until it's pouring with rain before they all start lambing.
I heard it said before that waiting on rain to lamb is an evolutionary thing, washes away birthing fluids faster as regards to predators.
Mine are anything from 200 down to 50 depending how fast they lamb move the ones that haven't lambed once maybe twice a week till they get down to about 50 in the field by the house at the end of April then that's when I probably loose the most at the end when I'm busy doing other things and don't go around as much as I shouldJust a quick question. What numbers do you look to limit your outdoor lambing groups at?
Always thought it was the effect of lower atmospheric pressure which tends to cause this as well.
We have to use lots of electric fences when lambing to stop the silly beggars lambing on the side of the ditch banks and dropping them straight in the water. Lamb survival in water births is not very high!!
Mine are anything from 200 down to 50 depending how fast they lamb move the ones that haven't lambed once maybe twice a week till they get down to about 50 in the field by the house at the end of April then that's when I probably loose the most at the end when I'm busy doing other things and don't go around as much as I should
Not bad they wouldn't have a huge amount of grass in front of them and would be cutting the cake down only twins lambing out and hill ewe singles all x bred ewes and draft ewe singles lambing inDoes lamb birth weight creep up at the end, when you're down to a low stocking rate and the grass is growing better. That would certainly be what would create any issues here if stocking rate got to low.
Stocking rate is more important than mob size, if you run reasonably maternal ewes of course. One in a pen is about right for some breeds, in order to avoid mismothering.