That's an excellent idea.I always carry a small plastic shoe horn it’s a great help easing the head through especially in the hogs saves a lot of pulling and damage.
Another one for next year!
That's an excellent idea.I always carry a small plastic shoe horn it’s a great help easing the head through especially in the hogs saves a lot of pulling and damage.
How do you introduce it, pls? To the top of the lamb's head, or side?I always carry a small plastic shoe horn it’s a great help easing the head through especially in the hogs saves a lot of pulling and damage.
When I was milking and calving cows regular I'd have frequently cupped my hand up over the calves brow to do the same job, but having typical farmers hands there just isn't the room to do such a thing with a sheep.When you have the nose out just slip it over the brow then you can ease it through the vulva puts a lot less strain on the sheep
The mistake a lot of folks make is to pull the lamb straight. you have to pull the lamb down towards the ewes heels. This opens up space in the top of the pelvic canal for the head.I'd also love to see how you do that.
And surely that only helps 'engage' the head?
More often than not, when a head needs 'wiring', it is too help pull it through a tight channel when simply pulling doesn't help.
I can't see how you can do that from 'outside'.
One of the similarities between calving and lambing.The mistake a lot of folks make is to pull the lamb straight. you have to pull the lamb down towards the ewes heels.
If the lambs head is tight in the vulva put a couple fingers up the ewes arse and push the back of the lambs head and it will just pop outOne of the similarities between calving and lambing.
The passage of the calve/lamb should be seen as an "up and back down" loop (assuming the mother stays on her feet) as opposed to a straight path.
I'd be worried about getting poo on the fingers and then having to go in to the womb again and introducing it there?If the lambs head is tight in the vulva put a couple fingers up the ewes arse and push the back of the lambs head and it will just pop out
Use your other/spare hand.I'd be worried about getting poo on the fingers and then having to go in to the womb again and introducing it there?
I was just about to post that I'd heard the above suggestion on here in the last couple of years. Definitely works a treat, used it a few times since.If the lambs head is tight in the vulva put a couple fingers up the ewes arse and push the back of the lambs head and it will just pop out
It's well worth all the hassle if it generates 90kg+ sheep that still need wormedits not a faff at all.
as ive written above, it mixes very very easily with out the need to part mix.
how much easier need to be
never keep orphans even though they are most likely to be of triples here, because if nothing else they are a pita.It's well worth all the hassle if it generates 90kg+ sheep that still need wormed
Just squeeze either side of the head on the outside of the ewe with your spare hand and it'll pop out, no need for the risk (however small) of tearing something by putting a hand inI'd be worried about getting poo on the fingers and then having to go in to the womb again and introducing it there?
That’s what I used to do, slight strain on legs and squeez head through from outside. One of those lambing snitch things like @neilo posted was a revelation tooJust squeeze either side of the head on the outside of the ewe with your spare hand and it'll pop out, no need for the risk (however small) of tearing something by putting a hand in
Use your other/spare hand.
Would be a bit wrong to say wool on a sheep is a stupid invention but equally not wrong to invent a sheep without wool ?
If you are aiming at conformation Wooled breeds have been improved for ages longer than any current shedders have had chance too. Got to start somewhere .That depends on what compromises you have to make to 'invent' that, imo.