Cost of a sheep caesarian.....

[blackisleboy]

So, whats the going rate for one of these?
And are they worth it in a commercial flock.....

 

[twizzel]

I think roughly £120-150ish inc meds. This year I got a live ewe to cull at weaning (£75) and live twins (£125 each as they go into a lamb box scheme so on a normal year better than fat price) so yes was worth it. Success rate is better if you spend less time trying to get it out before you ring the vet, be it calving or lambing. Make the call early.

 

[Big Ambitions]

Not had the Bill through yet, but I’d hazard a guess at £120ish. Is it worth it? Well I got a good cull ewe and two healthy lambs. I’d say morally, you should do your best by your stock, so a c-sec would be “gold standard”. Plus there’s always a fair chance that you’ll get live lamb(s) out of her, especially if you make the decision quickly enough. If nothing else, you’ll get a cull ewe, which pays for a good chunk of the c-sec costs.
Just my two-pence

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Our local Vets were saying that they had done more this year than ever before. The majority were pedigree and the breeders didn't even bother to try to get them out if they were singles!!
Not sure of the ethics of that and I definitely won't be using any rams from a breeder who does that!!

 

[Al R]

I asked my vets and they said if I took the ewe to them (45-50minutes away) it would be £120-130 daytime hours. The parting comment was if it’s commercial do a farmers caesarean but if the ewe is worth big money pedigree and so are the 2-3 lambs inside then it’d be worth it.

I’m lucky I employ a young girl for lambing who has ridiculously small hands and there has been a few times this year where she was the only one who could get her hand in to put wires over the head, without her I’m not sure what would have happened

 

[Al R]

Our local Vets were saying that they had done more this year than ever before. The majority were pedigree and the breeders didn't even bother to try to get them out if they were singles!!
Not sure of the ethics of that and I definitely won't be using any rams from a breeder who does that!!

Yes I feel the same, know of a few pedigree breeders who sell at big ram sales, all of that breed through the side door and even some that are ET into scotch mules are side door’ed too

 

[Dave6170]

Waiting for the bill, got 1 live lamb then the gimmer dropped dead next day in the pen on front of dad.

 

[Mc115reed]

£110 for the C section I had this year, £20 worth of drugs but they used my drugs this year as I had everything to hand, £45 call out for out of hours... it’s £25 for out of hours if I take it in too them but they’re 45 mins away snd she was ready too leave then and I would of spent 20 mins getting loaded up and quick check round before I left...

I’d £175 all in for a C section good economics for commercial sheep? No it’s not really but Iv got respect for the sheep I keep and I take the sh!t times with the good times so if Iv got too take a vets bill on the chin then i will...

Ewe is a tidy beltex x texel she’ll make £120 in culls easy,
Lamb is a big texel single rate he’s going he’ll be dead before 12 weeks and make £100+ so £220 all in, less £10 creep on the lamb, £175 on the C section... without thinking about other costs I’ll make £45 on the pair so atleast Iv done right by the ewe and it’s not bankrupt me... call me soft

 

[yellowbelly]

So, whats the going rate for one of these?

This one didn't cost anything (apart from a new scalpel blade)......

....haven't had one shove her guts out the back for a couple of years but this 4 cropper did on Friday night

You don't have to hang about after pulling the trigger and you never really know if the lambs are near enough to term to survive but nothing ventured and all that.
They were a few days short of being 'fully cooked'....

......... but they're doing fine and sucking like good 'uns now

 

[Al R]

This one didn't cost anything (apart from a new scalpel blade)......

....haven't had one shove her guts out the back for a couple of years but this 4 cropper did on Friday night

You don't have to hang about after pulling the trigger and you never really know if the lambs are near enough to term to survive but nothing ventured and all that.
They were a few days short of being 'fully cooked'....

......... but they're doing fine and sucking like good 'uns now

Well done I usually go off if there’s colostrum they should make it, always found before that is to early or a lot harder to keep going.

 

[ford4000]

Only ever had one ceserean, that was about 20 years ago on a pure texel, her big lamb was coming backwards

 

[jonny]

Local vet here was €85 last year

 

[spin cycle]

trouble with c sections is that you can give up lambing ewes at first sign of trouble.....i have good hands for the job though

 

[Al R]

trouble with c sections is that you can give up lambing ewes at first sign of trouble.....i have good hands for the job though

Wouldn’t be allowed near my ewes with those nails...... they harbour bugs and you could easily tear a uterus when going in for legs!

 

[spin cycle]

Wouldn’t be allowed near my ewes with those nails...... they harbour bugs and you could easily tear a uterus when going in for legs!

never had any trouble...do take your point though

 

[bean]

£147 was the last one I had done that includes a visit and drug's but ended up with a good single and live ewe

 

[DairyGrazing]

Our local Vets were saying that they had done more this year than ever before. The majority were pedigree and the breeders didn't even bother to try to get them out if they were singles!!
Not sure of the ethics of that and I definitely won't be using any rams from a breeder who does that!!

I can remember our old old old vet telling me one days he was on his way to do C sections on 10ish pedigree Belgium blue cows.

 

[spin cycle]

I can remember our old old old vet telling me one days he was on his way to do C sections on 10ish pedigree Belgium blue cows.

wern't all belgian blues delivered like that once upon a time

 

[DairyGrazing]

I asked my vets and they said if I took the ewe to them (45-50minutes away) it would be £120-130 daytime hours. The parting comment was if it’s commercial do a farmers caesarean but if the ewe is worth big money pedigree and so are the 2-3 lambs inside then it’d be worth it.

I’m lucky I employ a young girl for lambing who has ridiculously small hands and there has been a few times this year where she was the only one who could get her hand in to put wires over the head, without her I’m not sure what would have happened

Our current vet had a C section brought into the practice in Mold or Ruthin. At some stage the ewe escapes and gets into the local supermarket and starts bleeding everywhere.

 

[DairyGrazing]

wern't all belgian blues delivered like that once upon a time

I got that impression but it was over 20 years ago I was struggling to remember the details. I think he said they did it three times then they were knackered.

Its like if you speak to the grazing lads they'll tell you everyone was milking 7ft high skinny holsteins in the late 90s early 2000s.

How widespread was it actually in both cases?