Confessions of the Sheep/Beef Cattle/Pig Addicts

[Anymulewilldo]

You say that, but turning the (white) lights off at night mean the sheep lamb naturally, like outdoor flocks do. I leave my pedigree ewes with the lights off overnight these days, and rarely even bother checking them on the camera between 10pm and 6am.
Far better than leaving lights on and being on call all night, every night.

most nights all ours are going down by half 11, just those lambing stirring up usually. Tonight I looked at 10:50 and all but 3 were laid down so lights off. I was told last year I should leave the lights off and check them by head torch. To my mind that just upsets them more as if the lights are on they really don’t care if I’m wandering about. But then my ewes can be very malicious at times

 

[livestock 1]

That's a killer doing it that way.better off one person just does the nights we find.

Yes I would need another person to do that though.

 

[neilo]

most nights all ours are going down by half 11, just those lambing stirring up usually. Tonight I looked at 10:50 and all but 3 were laid down so lights off. I was told last year I should leave the lights off and check them by head torch. To my mind that just upsets them more as if the lights are on they really don’t care if I’m wandering about. But then my ewes can be very malicious at times

I leave the lights off and don’t moither them at all if I can help it (IR camera helps in that regard, if I bother).
Outdoor mob aren’t checked after dark, and nothing lambs before first light, so why not get the indoor ones to do the same? Nature’s a wonderful thing, work with it.

Pedigree ewes, lambing indoors in March, had lights out by 8pm most nights. I think I went out twice between 11 & midnight, having seen something lambing on the camera. Otherwise I just went to bed until 6am.

Shepherds are great at making work of the job imo, and I’ve been as guilty as anyone in the past.

 

[Optimus]

I leave the lights off and don’t moither them at all if I can help it (IR camera helps in that regard, if I bother).
Outdoor mob aren’t checked after dark, and nothing lambs before first light, so why not get the indoor ones to do the same? Nature’s a wonderful thing, work with it.

Pedigree ewes, lambing indoors in March, had lights out by 8pm most nights. I think I went out twice between 11 & midnight, having seen something lambing on the camera. Otherwise I just went to bed until 6am.

Shepherds are great at making work of the job imo, and I’ve been as guilty as anyone in the past.

We tried that an it didn't work for us they still lambed.

 

[livestock 1]

We tried that an it didn't work for us they still lambed.

We’ve not managed the leaving them to it on a night system very well it’s either a muddle up or lost lambs or both

 

[copse]

I’ve spent most of the day up ladders in the old sheds swapping old halogen lights for new LED floodlights. You get a really good view of the lambing ewes from the rafters. Although at one point I was informed by a student that if I didn’t shut up making helpful suggestions she’d come and kick the bottom of the ladder away I was only trying to help

Hopefully you haven’t put up Chinese LEDs like I have or you’ll wish you had stuck with the halogen lights. Can almost smell prawn crackers when I switch them on

 

[copse]

We’ve not managed the leaving them to it on a night system very well it’s either a muddle up or lost lambs or both

Same here as a right mix up come morning.

 

[livestock 1]

Same here as a right mix up come morning.

Seems easier just staying up on hand than trying to untangle that lot

 

[livestock 1]

Didn’t end up going to bed probably just as well it’s been fairly busy for some reason.
So the temporary separation continues with the mrs but at least if all goes tits up I have this

 

[Estate fencing.]

There’s things other than sheep to look at?

Tits (not sheep ones either)

 

[Estate fencing.]

Hopefully you haven’t put up Chinese LEDs like I have or you’ll wish you had stuck with the halogen lights. Can almost smell prawn crackers when I switch them on

We got a load of them put up in one shed, Poor old ewes got epilepsy with the flickering, shed now called disco shed.

 

[yellowbelly]

Didn’t end up going to bed probably just as well it’s been fairly busy for some reason.
So the temporary separation continues with the mrs but at least if all goes tits up I have this

You'll be able to swap culinary tips with @Mc115reed ....it'll be like some bizarre farming version of Masterchef

 

[Estate fencing.]

Anyone watch “Deep South beef and sheep” on YouTube, good sheep farm in nz and said on there last night that he had just give a sheep antibiotics for the first time in 20 years.

 

[yellowbelly]

Anyone watch “Deep South beef and sheep” on YouTube, good sheep farm in nz and said on there last night that he had just give a sheep antibiotics for the first time in 20 years.

It's a wonder he could get it into the syringe after all that time - mine would have gone a rubbery in the bottom of the bottle by then.

I wonder what he put down for the expiry date in his medicine records

 

[Gedd]

Arable farmer alert?

With less than 150 acres of arable i do t think so

 

[spark_28]

Atleast the BF ram has left something. Knowing my luck the ewe lamb will end up in the river

 

[Bill dog]

Atleast the BF ram has left something. Knowing my luck the ewe lamb will end up in the river

Best of breeding those . With a touch of artistic license , and a good story , that tup lamb will light up the Lanark tup lamb sale ! The Muirkirk mafia will be all over him !
Or @Anymulewilldo will bid highly for him !

 

[Bill dog]

Yes I would need another person to do that though.

Do you ever get vet students, or hired in lambing help ?
I’ve had a student the last 3 years , and I’m done with them .
All keen , but not enough common sense . I can’t be bothered any more nannying them . The latest kept looking at her watch .
It’s only 10 minutes since you last looked , ffs.
Oh I’m reading a text message !
Eh ?
Some fancy i phone watch apparently , totally beyond me !

 

[Estate fencing.]

Best of breeding those . With a touch of artistic license , and a good story , that tup lamb will light up the Lanark tup lamb sale ! The Muirkirk mafia will be all over him !
Or @Anymulewilldo will bid highly for him !

So it’s either worth £10k or £10.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

So it’s either worth £10k or £10.

£12.50 this year…