Stupid inventions...

Bury the Trash said:

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 .
I know im not looking forward to bel lying / crutching for tomorrow's kill stressful for the anjmal well. Where as the pen full of shedders are all clean .

When we used to keep pigs they had fantastic shape and ko % never had to clip
Them.
Same with continental cattle breeds no wool on them

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JockCroft said:

And they dont include a scoop in the bag or tell how big it should be. Got to get the scales out and weigh EXACTLY it says.

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neilo said:

I was more thinking of the Dolav box of dead lambs I have awaiting collection, the majority of which are out of shedding ewes, and haven’t been mothered well.

All run on the same system, the shedder X Highlanders have been nearly as good as the (aged) Highlanders for lamb survival. The Texel x shedders have been ok too. The purebred shedders have been shocking for losses when faced with a challenge, again.

I appreciate the value of not having wool to deal with, although overstated by those with a penny to make from them ime, but there are certainly performance compromises to be made.

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Kidds said:

Lots of good examples of why I am not a livestock person in this thread.

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yoki said:

The two big things throughout my life have been farming and motorcycles and they're actually fairly similar.

Neither of them make much sense, you could lead a much easier, simpler life without them, and the majority of people simply don't understand why you give yourself the hassle.

But, you either get a kick from them or you don't.

If you do, you just have to go with it whatever it entails, if you don't, stay clear.

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Jonp said:

I too was into my bikes in a former life, my last one was a Yamaha FJ 1200, had to call it a day when the points accumulated on my driving licence got the better of me racing cars and other motorbikes. It was in those days when I thought I was invincible and indestructible (and looking back an idiot). A few near death experiences convinced me otherwise. Now the most challenging thing I do is dealing with sheep now the cows have gone. Hit 64 last week so got to be more careful now with my body, not sure which would be worse in that regard, bikes or sheep.

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yoki said:

The two big things throughout my life have been farming and motorcycles and they're actually fairly similar.

Neither of them make much sense, you could lead a much easier, simpler life without them, and the majority of people simply don't understand why you give yourself the hassle.

But, you either get a kick from them or you don't.

If you do, you just have to go with it whatever it entails, if you don't, stay clear.

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exmoor dave said:

Rejections of one twin? Or walking away from whole litters?

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neilo said:

Only seem to bother licking one and getting it going, leaving the other(s) to get chilled. If you get there on time then you might save one with glucose and a warming box, but then you have a cade.
P*sses me off to see ewes marked for triplets and quads with one lamb at foot, let alone the twin marked. Highlander ewes lambing in the same fields I will often find with three (Charollais X) lambs all full and tucked up in a bunch by mum. It's just the mothering ability that is the difference IMO.

Shedding crosses of various proportions are certainly better mothers than the 'pures' (if there is such a thing), but need to decide which way I'm going this year. The last of those Highlanders are 5yrs and older now, so last chance to stay with those if I want to. Tempted to stick an Easydam over them and stick with wool, after this Spring tbh.

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Sheepfog said:

Just to throw something else in the mix have you ever thought of trying a Logie hybrid? I’ve had some a couple of years now, lambed outside to the Logie or Suffolk (fine boned commercial type). Nice efficient ewes who are great mums and produce tidy commercial lambs that very saleable liveweight at decent weights (unlike pure Lleyns that I hear a quite slow growing and won’t go to good weights).

Photos taken on a very rare sunny day!

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neilo said:

P’sses me off to see ewes marked for triplets and quads with one lamb at foot, let alone the twin marked. Highlander ewes lambing in the same fields I will often find with three (Charollais X) lambs all full and tucked up in a bunch by mum. It's just the mothering ability that is the difference IMO.

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Sheepfog said:

Just to throw something else in the mix have you ever thought of trying a Logie hybrid? I’ve had some a couple of years now, lambed outside to the Logie or Suffolk (fine boned commercial type). Nice efficient ewes who are great mums and produce tidy commercial lambs that very saleable liveweight at decent weights (unlike pure Lleyns that I hear a quite slow growing and won’t go to good weights).

Photos taken on a very rare sunny day!

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Willie adie said:

Anyone else want to give the f**king clown that designed the under bed ramp holder on Ifor Williams trailers a fat lip?

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delilah said:

Not so much a stupid invention, but stupidity in itself......why can't they just print, in big clear words, the mixing instructions for milk powder ? Every year it's the same, fannying about squinting at an essay of tiny print trying to find the only bit that matters, how many scoops in how much water. Drives me mad, have reached the conclusion that none of the people designing feed bags have ever actually fed a lamb.

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Welderloon said:

have you skinned your fingers Willie?
They are even worse if they have a slight bend

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Willie adie said:

Anyone else want to give the f**king clown that designed the under bed ramp holder on Ifor Williams trailers a fat lip?

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ritchiekirkland said:

Fffing hate them

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