Docking

[romneymarsh]

I think you are right here @exmoor dave. This year I have effectively been running two flocks under two systems at lambing, my A flock is my pure Romney ewes that I want to keep replacements from. I am grabbing and tagging these at birth but only after I know they have suckled for the first time. They are caught, tagged, tailed and then recorded on the psion reader, luckily I have invested in some management tags this year which has made the job a breeze especially on those two tooths that refuse to get closer than 5 metres! I would highly recommend the Zee tags one piece tag for this. My management tag number is not the same as the main tag number on my ewes, this was easy enough to do with my psion when I tagged them.

Next step for me next year is to single sire mate my ewes for one cycle so that I can determine which rams are throwing the best lambs. Also may record birth weights and mothering ability at lambing.

Only problem I have had doing grabbing and tagging at birth is after a busy day doing other things and not doing it one day and having to catch up the next day. Surprising just how quick they can run at two days old!

My other flock the "B" flock is made up of Romneys mated to terminal sires and my old flock of mules and various other breeds! These are just left alone at lambing and checked for problems twice a day. These were scanned as earlys and lates so after my early group is finished (should be any day!) they will be mobbed up and tagged and tailed then. Bought the tepari docking iron for this after borrowing a neighbours last year. Am tagging them at this stage so I can track growth rates through out the year.

I think my B flock is the ideal way of lambing as you do not disturb the ewes at all during lambing, in an ideal world the DNA linking would be more affordable. I think one man could probably lamb 1500 ewes on my B flock system but closer to 1000 tagging and grabbing at birth.

All sounds familiar. Big endorsement here for Zeetag one piece. As soon as lambs are dry enough to spray I number lambs with same number as ewe. Blue for twins green for single.

@Jop What tags are you putting in lambs EID or a management tag and do you double tag all ewe lambs.

With pairs how do imbolize the one you're not working on ? I am contemplating a weld mesh box to hang off the back of the quad.

Lambs Ears change a lot in two days and I find it much easier to get tags in the right place once they've firmed up a bit.

I try and do what you do but do get behind sometimes. I have found it better to ring at about 3-5 days by drifting off unlambed ewes and then dogging the ewes and lambs into an enclosure ( Prattley or net pen) .

You're a better man than me to be tagging and grabbing 1000 ewes lambing , I get behind recording just 250 out of a total outdoor lambing flock of 800.

 

[Six Dogs]

Maybe all us Zee tag users should get together and get one big shipment?
Can't work out why Cox won't stock them

 

[Jop]

All sounds familiar. Big endorsement here for Zeetag one piece. As soon as lambs are dry enough to spray I number lambs with same number as ewe. Blue for twins green for single.

@Jop What tags are you putting in lambs EID or a management tag and do you double tag all ewe lambs.

With pairs how do imbolize the one you're not working on ? I am contemplating a weld mesh box to hang off the back of the quad.

Lambs Ears change a lot in two days and I find it much easier to get tags in the right place once they've firmed up a bit.

I try and do what you do but do get behind sometimes. I have found it better to ring at about 3-5 days by drifting off unlambed ewes and then dogging the ewes and lambs into an enclosure ( Prattley or net pen) .

You're a better man than me to be tagging and grabbing 1000 ewes lambing , I get behind recording just 250 out of a total outdoor lambing flock of 800.

I am putting shearwell Set tags in all lambs, every lamb gets double tagged. I was going to just slaughter tag all the ram lambs but for the extra 8p/lamb I am keeping things simple and just double tagging everything. I am very happy with the shearwell tags and have no problem putting them in young lambs.

When I catch pairs I make sure I always grab both and don't work on one at a time or else I find mother runs off! I just grip both lambs one on top of the other between my legs as I am stood up if that makes sense? Just find it harder with triplets! I have a toolbelt I wear with my tags, taggers, rings, pliers and psion all in it so when I grab the lambs I have everything I need.

I am recording around 550 ewes this lambing out of 1100 total number, but I am confident that I could do quite a few more but I guess its days when you have lots of problems you can get behind.

Maybe all us Zee tag users should get together and get one big shipment?
Can't work out why Cox won't stock them

I bought all mine off Quicktag who I think are based in Northern Ireland, they were very helpful and more than happy to import them. Total cost this year was exactly £1/tag for 500 tags including delivery.

 

[romneymarsh]

Maybe all us Zee tag users should get together and get one big shipment?
Can't work out why Cox won't stock them

I have spoken to various of their reps at shows ' couldn't be less interested ' .

 

[exmoor dave]

I have spoken to various of their reps at shows ' couldn't be less interested ' .

I think shearwell sell a biggish flag tag

 

[rhuvid]

What's the price of a Docking Iron? And who sells them?

 

[Hilly]

What's the price of a Docking Iron? And who sells them?

http://www.tepari.com/sheep-equipment/docking-equipment.aspx

 

[exmoor dave]

What's the price of a Docking Iron? And who sells them?

Shearwell are uk tepari agents

 

[unlacedgecko]

http://www.shearwell.co.uk/p/686/te-pari-docking-iron

£408 inc VAT for high wind option.

 

[Gator]

All lambs are ringed, tagged, marked and recorded with in 48 hours and never had any problems since I started lambing inside. When I limbed out side it was a major balls up. If I waited a week it would mean gathering everything on the moor witch added stress to the ewes that still had to lamb as well as miss mothering, no small fields to hold them while they recovered, not allowed to fence so on 300 acre moor miss mothering was a big problem.
Never used the iron so carnt comment , thing I've found the best way now, less work less stress.......... less swearing. Life's good, for now

 

[romneymarsh]

I think shearwell sell a biggish flag tag

The big positive for the Zeetags one piece is that it's pretty much snag proof. Any Shearwell tag of the same size would have to be a cattle tag.

 

[romneymarsh]

All lambs are ringed, tagged, marked and recorded with in 48 hours and never had any problems since I started lambing inside. When I limbed out side it was a major balls up. If I waited a week it would mean gathering everything on the moor witch added stress to the ewes that still had to lamb as well as miss mothering, no small fields to hold them while they recovered, not allowed to fence so on 300 acre moor miss mothering was a big problem.
Never used the iron so carnt comment , thing I've found the best way now, less work less stress.......... less swearing. Life's good, for now

We all have to do what's best for our farm and the system we choose. There is no real right or wrong just better.

 

[JD-Kid]

We all have to do what's best for our farm and the system we choose. There is no real right or wrong just better.

totaly if i lambed inside i'd ring etc before letting them out no point getting them back in and if paying for hired help they have to do something for there shift