Improve Sheep flow through race

G

garfield89

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Aug 31, 2020

• #1

For foot bathing the flock I'm using a portable 10ft race with corrugated sides.
Mostly goes well but theres a few spring lambs or old ewe that once in, will try back up and hold the job up.
This is normally solved by me kneeling and shoving from behind. Its effective but I'm not always fond of using the formaldehyde dip as mouth wash.
To help I'd thought of taking corrugated sides off the race. Maybe corrugating the hurdles on the run up to the race and creating a smooth bend with them.
Any tips with this?
Will try to upload a pic of set up if I can find one

 

JD-Kid

Member

Location

Akaroa.. New Zealand

• Sep 1, 2020

• #2

can they see the water in the footbath alot will be shy with that. also if. very strong the smell puts them off
also trying to keep them going ahead once out of race or a pen full of them helps draw them though it

 

Kiwi Pete

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Owaka, New Zealand

• Sep 1, 2020

• #3

Straw in the footbath can stop it looking like "the edge of the world" and stategic lighting may also help them take the plunge.

You could also try putting a diagonal hurdle or 2 in the race, so they can hop over it but discourages them backing out, our scanning contractor has a short chute with 3 diagonal bars to help them into his crate.
As @JD-Kid says the smell is likely putting them off a bit too, is it possible to create more draught or better ventilation to reduce the pong at sheep level?

 

Kiwi Pete

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Owaka, New Zealand

• Sep 1, 2020

• #4

Straw in the footbath can stop it looking like "the edge of the world" and stategic lighting may also help them take the plunge.

You could also try putting a diagonal hurdle or 2 in the race, so they can hop over it but discourages them backing out, our scanning contractor has a short chute with 3 diagonal bars to help them into his crate.
As @JD-Kid says the smell is likely putting them off a bit too, is it possible to create more draught or better ventilation to reduce the pong at sheep level?

 

Ysgythan

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Ammanford

• Sep 1, 2020

• #5

I seem to remember some research published in the sheep farmer that said curved races, running uphill and going from light to dark all helped.

 

M-J-G

Member

Location

Sunny Scotland (But I wasn't born here)

• Sep 1, 2020

• #6

+1 for straw
Also if it's possible to run them through in the direction of the field or road back to the fields so they think they are escaping.

 

Gator

Never Forgotten

Honorary Member

Location

Lancashire

• Sep 1, 2020

• #7

Another +1 for straw, had a batch of 300 lambs to put through the bath, after the first 50 i was losing the will to live, nowt like lamb's and a footbath for raising ones blood pressure, put some straw in and clam was restored, the rest just walked straight through. Love when a plan comes together

 

N

Northern territory

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Sep 1, 2020

• #8

Think @neilo used daggings as well. I know your pain we have similar issues with lambs.

 

neilo

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Montgomeryshire

• Sep 1, 2020

• #9

Northern territory said:

Think @neilo used daggings as well. I know your pain we have similar issues with lambs.

Click to expand...

Yes. Anything at all that breaks the shine of a smooth water surface will help, along with running them through with their mothers before weaning. It would probably be cheaper to put a fleece in the footbath this year, rather than straw!

2/3 of my lambs haven’t seen a footbath this year as they haven’t needed it yet. I’m not looking forward to the time when

 

G

garfield89

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Sep 1, 2020

• #10

Kiwi Pete said:

Straw in the footbath can stop it looking like "the edge of the world" and stategic lighting may also help them take the plunge.

You could also try putting a diagonal hurdle or 2 in the race, so they can hop over it but discourages them backing out, our scanning contractor has a short chute with 3 diagonal bars to help them into his crate.
As @JD-Kid says the smell is likely putting them off a bit too, is it possible to create more draught or better ventilation to reduce the pong at sheep level?

Click to expand...

I'll try take the sides off the race, might give a bit more ventilation

 

S

Six Dogs

Member

Location

Wiltshire

• Sep 1, 2020

• #11

We but some upholstery foam 2 “ thick and cut to fit the footbath works a treat and uses less solution

 

L

livestock 1

Member

• Sep 1, 2020

• #12

Kiwi Pete said:

Straw in the footbath can stop it looking like "the edge of the world" and stategic lighting may also help them take the plunge.

You could also try putting a diagonal hurdle or 2 in the race, so they can hop over it but discourages them backing out, our scanning contractor has a short chute with 3 diagonal bars to help them into his crate.
As @JD-Kid says the smell is likely putting them off a bit too, is it possible to create more draught or better ventilation to reduce the pong at sheep level?

Click to expand...

It’s not Jock is it?

 

L

LAMBCHOPS

Member

• Sep 1, 2020

• #13

We run through empty a few times early in life Add sawdust too on run up to
Bath and inside therafter

 

Bury the Trash

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Sep 1, 2020

• #14

livestock 1 said:

It’s not Jock is it?

Click to expand...

or Elvis ?

 

JD-Kid

Member

Location

Akaroa.. New Zealand

• Sep 1, 2020

• #15

have heard of the foam idea before but would be quite heavy once wet. straw. easyer to fork out. once finshed

 

S

Skintagain

Member

Location

Perched on the Pennines

• Sep 1, 2020

• #16

Put 100 through yesterday for first time in their lives. Put a full black fleece in and they just pottered through like a dream. Fleece acted as a soaking mat

 

G

garfield89

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Sep 6, 2020

• #17

Great advice, thanks for sharing