- Location
- North Antrim
We "hoke" them out.
We hoik things out down here too
TexX ewes - which Tup to use?
- Thread starter Nithsdale
- Start date
Great morning! Heavy dew, but lovely and warm... very thick fog first thing though, couldn't see much more than 100ft.
Nothing in the TexX's, again... 4 pairs and a single in the commercials - and a dead pair (first drowned in the bag, 2nd looked slightly rotten)
4 pairs and a single in the hill ewes, no dramas
“I will find her and I will cull her”
Great film!!
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Day has been really nice here. No risk of rain, warm and the fields are getting a chance to dry out! It's to be good all week looking at the Met Office app - except Friday which at the moment is looking quite wet.
Finished the day with nothing in the TexX's, another 4 twins and 2 more singles in the hill ewes taking them upto 11 lambed today and there were another 5 twins and I think it was 3 singles in the commercials taking them up to 14 today... certainly did not feel like 25 ewes lambed
The singles are pretty big in the commercials I've had to help with a few. Those ewes have somehow gotten fat as hell, too, in the last fortnight!
I'll be coming up for 1/4 of the way into lambing now, I think - I'm guessing around 130-140 ewes lambed (out of 600), 90ish twins running and 40-50 singles - with very, very few triplets so far. No doubt this will run like last year did and the spare lambs will come late through lambing hopefully this year they will not be needed in such demand, but a few early would have been nice - I could have put 2 lambs on some ewes instead of just 1... the next 10-14 days I will be very busy
Finished the day with nothing in the TexX's, another 4 twins and 2 more singles in the hill ewes taking them upto 11 lambed today and there were another 5 twins and I think it was 3 singles in the commercials taking them up to 14 today... certainly did not feel like 25 ewes lambed
The singles are pretty big in the commercials
I've had to help with a few. Those ewes have somehow gotten fat as hell, too, in the last fortnight!I'll be coming up for 1/4 of the way into lambing now, I think - I'm guessing around 130-140 ewes lambed (out of 600), 90ish twins running and 40-50 singles - with very, very few triplets so far. No doubt this will run like last year did and the spare lambs will come late through lambing
hopefully this year they will not be needed in such demand, but a few early would have been nice - I could have put 2 lambs on some ewes instead of just 1... the next 10-14 days I will be very busy 
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Regards your comment about big singles, why don't you get the ewes scanned @Nithsdale Farmer? Singles could go on the worst going, twins on better, triplets inside/close at hand? My singles were split off before I started snackering the others and have been on restricted grass (though their latest paddock is a bit strong). They'll go on to the sacrifice field to lamb this time, with haylage and a couple of leftover energy buckets, when the twins go on to the grass at the weekend.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Aye, I know.
Space to run separately is an issue without running some ewes on the ground I shut off to keep for lambing though.
This year, I'm unhappy the commercials are as fit but it's been a very kind winter. I've fed them very little.
I look at scanning every year... I'll do it one of these times
- Location
- N.Lincs
You can only do what will fit in with your system but, IMHO, scanning is one of the most cost effective things that we have ever done.I look at scanning every year... I'll do it one of these times
It is here too very cheap for what it saves me. But if nithy can't run the 2 mobs separately then it won't be much use. A farm I used to help out on didn't scan when I was there and everything seemed fine. One year they decided to try because they did have separate places to run mobs and being able to manage the ewes better means they now have so many more twins they struggle to find room for then all in inbye land after they have lambed and now all the singles have to go to the hill not just the older ones like before. It's a good problem to have I'd say! They must have been losing quite a few extra lambs at some point but they can't pinpoint when. Must be a combination of things but I wouldn't say the place was badly run before. Something must have been amiss though.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
I help one of my best mates when he scans... I'm also friends with the scanner man. We have spoken before about it and his honest opinion is if you can not utilise the information, it is pointless to do it.
Mind you, might be worth it just to get rid of the empties
In an expensive winter getting rid of the empties before starting to feed would be a good thing but... Your selling when everyone else is selling empty ewes after scanning and usually the price is poor or not as good as it can be. If you pick them out at the end of lambing they will be in much better condition having been fed and less cull ewes about being sold. So potentially they are worth a lot more then. Swings and roundabouts.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Foggy again, but not as thick as yesterday morning. Quite a thick smurr though, didn't really feel like it was raining but I was well soaked.
Nothing again in the TexX's. I'm going to them last in the morning now, give them a bite of feed and sit and watch the lambs run and play for 5 or 10 mins... it's a nice way to end first rounds
3 singles and 5 twins in the commercials, and 4 twins and 2 singles in the hill ewes. No problems or drama this morning so a laid back cruise around banding lambs. Everything is nice and content... long may it continue.
Nothing again in the TexX's. I'm going to them last in the morning now, give them a bite of feed and sit and watch the lambs run and play for 5 or 10 mins... it's a nice way to end first rounds
3 singles and 5 twins in the commercials, and 4 twins and 2 singles in the hill ewes. No problems or drama this morning so a laid back cruise around banding lambs. Everything is nice and content... long may it continue.
- Location
- central scotland
Do you remember “play your cards right “ that’s what I do with this thread , I guess if I have had more or less lambs and higher or lower losses great credit to you for posting always look forward to reading about your roundsFoggy again, but not as thick as yesterday morning. Quite a thick smurr though, didn't really feel like it was raining but I was well soaked.
Nothing again in the TexX's. I'm going to them last in the morning now, give them a bite of feed and sit and watch the lambs run and play for 5 or 10 mins... it's a nice way to end first rounds
3 singles and 5 twins in the commercials, and 4 twins and 2 singles in the hill ewes. No problems or drama this morning so a laid back cruise around banding lambs. Everything is nice and content... long may it continue.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Thanks.
I originally started putting my lambing days on here, just as a carry through of the original topic, selecting the Suffolks for the ewes and I promised id keep everyone updated...
3 years later I'm quite enjoying my 'blog'.
This thread is as close to keeping a diary as I get. I'm finding it quite good writing down what I have each day - I feel I have a better gauge as to where things are. Like I said last night I couldn't believe 25 ewes had lambed yesterday, felt more like just 10 or 12!
Certainly winning at play your cards right (for now!). Better not to look at the losses too closely sometimes
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
More lambed in both lots (but nothing in the TexX's)...
Can't remember how many from where I left off earlier, can't be bothered figuring it out right now but in total 10 pairs in the hill ewes and 4 singles... 8 twins in the commercials - but 1 had 1 dead so is a single, 1 triplet - 1 lamb was rotten so twins and 4 singles. 1 was still in the bag so drowned.
Had a twin rejected yesterday so it's now twinned onto her.
I make that 26 today, again didn't feel like that many had lambed. Been a pretty good day, things feel like they are going really well (so I'm expecting something will hit the fan very soon!!).
Weather finished the day as it had started - pretty foggy and a heavy smurr. Very warm all day. Ditched the smock and just had my fleece on this afternoon and was still feeling hot driving round the fields with sleeves rolled up. With the moisture still in the ground and this heat, the grass won't be long til it's motoring
Can't remember how many from where I left off earlier, can't be bothered figuring it out right now
but in total 10 pairs in the hill ewes and 4 singles... 8 twins in the commercials - but 1 had 1 dead so is a single, 1 triplet - 1 lamb was rotten so twins and 4 singles. 1 was still in the bag so drowned.Had a twin rejected yesterday
so it's now twinned onto her.I make that 26 today, again didn't feel like that many had lambed. Been a pretty good day, things feel like they are going really well (so I'm expecting something will hit the fan very soon!!).
Weather finished the day as it had started - pretty foggy and a heavy smurr. Very warm all day. Ditched the smock and just had my fleece on this afternoon and was still feeling hot driving round the fields with sleeves rolled up. With the moisture still in the ground and this heat, the grass won't be long til it's motoring
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Forgot to add my picture... long days are definitely taking their toll on me
This girl had a single last year, and went to the hill for the summer. Come shearing she came in... not in great condition. The hill ewes were awful shearing but I pushed on and got them done - apart for her. I opened her leg but gave up after clearing the neck. Never seen such bad shearing before. She's the first I've ever released from the board unshorn - and I've been shearing 1,500 sheep most years since I was 20...
She then slipped every hill gather until late autumn so never got shorn. She is obviously heavy fleeced but I had expected there to be more on her. She's certainly doing well with it and as you can see, she had twins today.
I'm no statistician, but clearly more wool equals more lambs
This girl had a single last year, and went to the hill for the summer. Come shearing she came in... not in great condition. The hill ewes were awful shearing but I pushed on and got them done - apart for her. I opened her leg but gave up after clearing the neck. Never seen such bad shearing before. She's the first I've ever released from the board unshorn - and I've been shearing 1,500 sheep most years since I was 20...
She then slipped every hill gather until late autumn so never got shorn. She is obviously heavy fleeced but I had expected there to be more on her. She's certainly doing well with it and as you can see, she had twins today.
I'm no statistician, but clearly more wool equals more lambs
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Fog clinging to the top of the hill this morning but really clear below, might have been a drizzle through the night, everything is wet. But it's really mild and nice doing first rounds
4 twins and 1 single in the commercials - the single was a twin, first born up and going but she looked in trouble working. 2nd coming all scrunched up inside, dead another has lambed, had 1 lamb, still covered in fluids, I'm reckoning on her having a 2nd (the fun and excitement having bets with myself - I'd miss this if I scanned ).
4 twins and 1 single in the hill ewes, no dramas or fuss. 1 lamb born yesterday is missing though. Hopefully it's just sleeping in rushes and I missed it.
4 twins and 1 single in the commercials - the single was a twin, first born up and going but she looked in trouble working. 2nd coming all scrunched up inside, dead
another has lambed, had 1 lamb, still covered in fluids, I'm reckoning on her having a 2nd (the fun and excitement having bets with myself - I'd miss this if I scanned ).4 twins and 1 single in the hill ewes, no dramas or fuss. 1 lamb born yesterday is missing though. Hopefully it's just sleeping in rushes and I missed it.
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
Bit like knowing if your having a boy or a girl ifhaving a baby better a surprise imoFog clinging to the top of the hill this morning but really clear below, might have been a drizzle through the night, everything is wet. But it's really mild and nice doing first rounds
4 twins and 1 single in the commercials - the single was a twin, first born up and going but she looked in trouble working. 2nd coming all scrunched up inside, dead
4 twins and 1 single in the hill ewes, no dramas or fuss. 1 lamb born yesterday is missing though. Hopefully it's just sleeping in rushes and I missed it.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Suffolk lambs this morning
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
rubbish
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Forgot to add my picture... long days are definitely taking their toll on me
View attachment 778874
This girl had a single last year, and went to the hill for the summer. Come shearing she came in... not in great condition. The hill ewes were awful shearing but I pushed on and got them done - apart for her. I opened her leg but gave up after clearing the neck. Never seen such bad shearing before. She's the first I've ever released from the board unshorn - and I've been shearing 1,500 sheep most years since I was 20...
She then slipped every hill gather until late autumn so never got shorn. She is obviously heavy fleeced but I had expected there to be more on her. She's certainly doing well with it and as you can see, she had twins today.
I'm no statistician, but clearly more wool equals more lambs
Knew things were going too well...
These lambs looked a bit hungry this morning so I've been keeping an eye on them. I'm not happy so caught the ewe... bag is pretty hard
potentially some milk on 1 side, so she's in the shed. 1 lamb is in the pet pen. I've fed the other but left it on her... I'm hoping she can rear 1.