Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Very poor? On what do you base your opinion? Showed your comment to one of our vets today and she was quite shocked to see your comments.
The chronic and acute levels of lameness in the national flock.

The endemic levels of scab.

Castration and tail docking without pain relief. Hell, I'll bet most producers don't even give pain relief when treating lameness.

High levels of assisted lambings.

Breeding a "tight coat" which makes an animal more susceptible to fly strike.

Texel throat.
 
Last edited:

Top Tip.

Member
Location
highland
The chronic and acute levels of lameness in the national flock.

The endemic levels of scab.

Castration and tail docking without pain relief. Hell, I'll bet most producers don't even give pain relief when treating lameness.

High levels of assisted lambings.

Breeding a "tight coat" which makes an animal more susceptible to fly strike.
And your flock is perfect? Please let us know how you achieve perfection.
 
The chronic and acute levels of lameness in the national flock.

The endemic levels of scab.

Castration and tail docking without pain relief. Hell, I'll bet most producers don't even give pain relief when treating lameness.

High levels of assisted lambings.

Breeding a "tight coat" which makes an animal more susceptible to fly strike.
Sounds bad where you are! My experience of farming is quite different with the vast majority of farmers doing everything possible to ensure the welfare of animals under their care.
 
High levels of assisted lambings.
This lamb was assisted. Ewe would have suffered otherwise and lamb would have died. Bad welfare?

>95% of our ewes lamb unassisted and we mark any problems as non breeders btw

Screenshot_20220419-223350_Gallery.jpg
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
You’ve heard of the five point lameness eradication plan!!…. @unlacedgecko has his own, it’s only got four points…
Identify the problem animal
Load
Aim
FIRE 🔫

🤣

I really do worry people have a wrong impression of me.

All lame animals receive prompt treatment. In the first instance (assuming only 1 foot) it's appropriate antibiotics, NSAIDs and a cull mark.

Severe lameness on 2 or more feet to the point that mobility is significantly compromised is a welfare issue and euthanasia is the best option.

Animals being treated receive 3x treatments, with 48hrs between treatments. Anything not weight bearing at the end of this week is a welfare case and euthanasia is the best option.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife

Lame sheep have been treated once already. Their heads are marked orange reflecting this and they're being brought in to be treated again (as well as any other lames being identified and treated).

Edit, they're also now all dead. That was pre tupping checks. Anything that's treated for lameness doesn't see the tup again.

The flock is a work in progress, but as genetic gain improves through the generations I'm confident there will be less lameness.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
This lamb was assisted. Ewe would have suffered otherwise and lamb would have died. Bad welfare?

>95% of our ewes lamb unassisted and we mark any problems as non breeders btw

View attachment 1030331

That's a policy I follow with my own sheep.

I don't mean assisting at lambing is poor welfare. No animal should be left.to suffer. If a ewe needs help she should get it asap.

But high levels of assisted lambings would suggest unsuitable rams are being used.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Just on lameness, I've been lucky enough to do quite a bit contract work on a large flock (2500+ ewes) and not seen a single lame ewe or lamb.

I've worked on other flocks where the lameness is less than 1%, mainly closed maternal flocks.

But then I've seen others where lameness appears endemic.

It's claimed tail docking is done for welfare reasons, to reduce daggs and fly strike.

Of the people that are breeding replacement females, how many are dagg scoring? How many are breeding for reduced tail length?
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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