Covers for gathering big numbers of lambs

[Logie Durno sheep]

Into weaning time now, and saw some videos in NZ of people using long covers for lambs that are breaking against the dogs. Anyone know what's best to use? There's 800 plus lambs in some of the group's. Thanks

 

[scholland]

Few folk have used off cuts of herring fish nets here to gather skatty Shetland Hill lambs.
Not sure how well it worked tbh.
Any barking dogs?

 

[Stuart J]

Into weaning time now, and saw some videos in NZ of people using long covers for lambs that are breaking against the dogs. Anyone know what's best to use? There's 800 plus lambs in some of the group's. Thanks

Where I worked in mid Canterbury they used big long hessian type covers.

 

[exmoor dave]

Scaffhold debis netting might fit the bill

1 &2 m hights
50m lengths
Very cheap

 

[Logie Durno sheep]

Yeah I wondered about Hessian covers or maybe that netting?? Exmoor dave or stuart, any ideas where to get it cheap? Wondered about nocking in a post and tying it to gateways and make a funnel. Yeah one barks, but the lambs are mental

 

[Logie Durno sheep]

Have just found some of that scaffold covers online it is very cheap!! Think I might try getting two 50m ones and see how that works... lambs are mental this first couple of weeks. Think man and beast alike would benefit ha

 

[Bury the Trash]

used it to keep birds out shed for grain storage sometime ago


http://www.scaffolding-direct.co.uk/debris-netting-2m-x-50m-green.aspx

 

[Old Tip]

Is that he stuff they throw over hedges to stop birds nesting when they want to be digging them up later in the year. Good idea, we use a roll oh old heavy duty sheep netting to make a funnel for the fell sheep as getting five hundred into a pen at once is a bit of hassle when the lambs keep breaking back. Just roll it up again when we've got the job done

 

[Tim W]

I've used hessian type stuff hung from post to post....if there is a little breeze to keep it fluttering you will be surprised how effective it is

 

[andybk]

you need to look up jute roll , builders use it for frost protection on walls ,builders merchants etc somewhere around 50p- 90p m , for a roll according to height and thickness , should think a meter high will be tall enough tied to stakes, the cheaper more open weave will be lighter to carry about
http://www.builderdepot.co.uk/jute-...MI6b7w-crZ1QIVJr7tCh1KSQUyEAQYASABEgJH5_D_BwE

 

[Logie Durno sheep]

Ahh brilliant thanks everyone for your help!! Looks like I am going down the local builders merchants today!

 

[sherg]

Very often a 50m roll of electric flexi net on the end of the prattley to make a funnel works really well its easy to put up and take down as well

 

[beardface]

Think I'll buy a roll myself, got lambs on ley behind electric and could do with something to stop them breaking back and potentially through the wire. Gets a bit testing after you've bollocked the dog three times for dragging lambs down as it's been herding them for 20 mins ha

 

[Old Tip]

I often think I must be a bit of a failed farmer dealing with big groups of sheep and struggling to pen them. All the photos on here or Facebook showing big groups of sheep penned and going through the shedder etc.
This thread has boosted my faltering ego no end, thanks for the counselling session @Logie Durno sheep

 

[dunk999]

Chase them the wrong way for half an hour then let a dozen dogs to get 800 in a pen

 

[Dave6170]

We just use a strip of silage sheet

 

[Keepers]

Can be hard sometimes to get a large number in a pen, all of the dogs now can do everything by swear words...

We have a big barky collie (scotch collie) and he pushes them well, the border collies can't see much in the long grass we have here. Sometimes can take a couple of attempts or re runs to get them in, specially when mob size is up to 4,000.
But we get there in the end, no one is perfect and sometimes it can take us longer than we would like!

Don't think we would be able to use sheets or covers here due to the ground/long grass

 

[TrewithickFarm]

Was thinking about this the other day, but didnt think about scaff netting. Always have problems getting ewes out of field and onto road or other field due to using electric fencing. can make a nice funnel with that stuff.

 

[Logie Durno sheep]

I often think I must be a bit of a failed farmer dealing with big groups of sheep and struggling to pen them. All the photos on here or Facebook showing big groups of sheep penned and going through the shedder etc.
This thread has boosted my faltering ego no end, thanks for the counselling session @Logie Durno sheep

 

[Logie Durno sheep]

Haha I am here to make you all feel better about your dogs!!