Ewe Sponging Question

[sheepwise]

Drew the sponges from ewes at noon today, been in 14 days.Also jagged 500i,u.PMSG. When should I put the tups in? Was hoping to cover 10 ewes with one tup and 6 each to 2 others.At this rate would I need to hand-mate them? I was hoping to just let the tups get on with it as they have been semen tested with high fertility and from past experience with natural service have high libido.Is the danger in putting in too early that a tup could "drain" himself out on a single ewe coming into heat quite sharp and so unable to cover all the remaining ewes? TIA.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I was told that too, tup might literally shag himself out on one lucky, lucky ewe

Was told to counter this by putting the tups in after 36 hrs. That way he will most likely have to spread himself around a few because they should start to accept a tup after 24 hrs.

Took the sponges out at 6pm Friday night, I'm up at 6 tomorrow to put the lads in. Supposed to be a nice day tomorrow too, better than today's pouring rain.

 

[neilo]

Drew the sponges from ewes at noon today, been in 14 days.Also jagged 500i,u.PMSG. When should I put the tups in? Was hoping to cover 10 ewes with one tup and 6 each to 2 others.At this rate would I need to hand-mate them? I was hoping to just let the tups get on with it as they have been semen tested with high fertility and from past experience with natural service have high libido.Is the danger in putting in too early that a tup could "drain" himself out on a single ewe coming into heat quite sharp and so unable to cover all the remaining ewes? TIA.

Whether one ram will cover all ten ewes will depend on the ram IME. Some pick a favourite ewe and shag her to death, others will run from one to the next, serving them once each.

Agree with post above, and advice is to put the rams in at 36 hours. I usually put active, mature rams into groups of ten ewes at 24 hours and never had much of a problem.

What of ewe are they? 500 iu would be more than enough unless you are trying to bring a breed a long way out of season. I use 400iu in Charollais in early/mid July or would get lots of triplets.

 

[sheepwise]

Whether one ram will cover all ten ewes will depend on the ram IME. Some pick a favourite ewe and shag her to death, others will run from one to the next, serving them once each.

Agree with post above, and advice is to put the rams in at 36 hours. I usually put active, mature rams into groups of ten ewes at 24 hours and never had much of a problem.

What of ewe are they? 500 iu would be more than enough unless you are trying to bring a breed a long way out of season. I use 400iu in Charollais in early/mid July or would get lots of triplets.

Charollais ewes, was what the vet recommended,did wonder myself to be honest.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Looks like our lads have finished.

Sponged 11 and 8 covered. I'm a bit disappointed with that. Should I be?

 

[Blod]

If you didn't use PMS then you will get the odd on who will not be in sync. Especially this early.

 

[sheepwise]

22 sponged here,sponges out Sat 12 noon,tups in Mon 6.00a.m.,20 covered by Mon 12 noon.

 

[slaney]

Looks like our lads have finished.

Sponged 11 and 8 covered. I'm a bit disappointed with that. Should I be?

I would be I sponge in batches of 50 between 6 rams and there might be 1 not covered. And I don't use pmsg and would always be mating round first week of august. All suffolks here for early lambing so I spose they might be a but more naturally early lambing than your breed. What breed are yours?

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Hampshire Down.

And yes we did use PMSG.

 

[crazy_bull]

I have a few pedigree Beltexs Theaves that I would like to lamb at the same time as my Mules that I sponge to synchronise, can I sponge never lambed ewes? I don't want to mess them up.

Thanks

 

[slaney]

I have a few pedigree Beltexs Theaves that I would like to lamb at the same time as my Mules that I sponge to synchronise, can I sponge never lambed ewes? I don't want to mess them up.

Thanks

Yes no problem at all