f**k Up Fortnight

[Nithsdale]

Totally and it works to a degree, but....

..... when on of your texel tups throws pink, bare, Beltex-esque lambs that survive an hour until they give up...

.... when the ewes you buy have tits like dairy coos so you have to catch every third one to sook lambs....

.... when it's driving rain and wind....

.... when you aren't breeding replacements and so every life is money and the hardiness in the lambs will not be relevant in 1 years time...

.... when you aren't happy to accept lambs dying that can be saved with a little time and effort....

.... then the British system still has its merits.

Apart from that it's just fine

When you're buying in your sheep, you're at the mercy of other folk who maybe have no interest in how good their stock are, aslong as they sell well on the day



Indoor lambing - masking and legitimising sh!t shepherding (not saying you are a sh!t shepherd, but you're bought in sheep are not fit for purpose, therefore the original shepherd is shite at his job)

 

[Ceri]

Totally and it works to a degree, but....

..... when on of your texel tups throws pink, bare, Beltex-esque lambs that survive an hour until they give up...

.... when the ewes you buy have tits like dairy coos so you have to catch every third one to sook lambs....

.... when it's driving rain and wind....

.... when you aren't breeding replacements and so every life is money and the hardiness in the lambs will not be relevant in 1 years time...

.... when you aren't happy to accept lambs dying that can be saved with a little time and effort....

.... then the British system still has its merits.

Apart from that it's just fine

I used to lamb pure Lleyns to a lleyn tup outside & the amount of times I would go round um first light to pull 2 terrific dead lambs that would have been fine if they were pulled at 2am used to infuriate me….. such a waste for only a little tug needed..

 

[Jerry]

I used to lamb pure Lleyns to a lleyn tup outside & the amount of times I would go round um first light to pull 2 terrific dead lambs that would have been fine if they were pulled at 2am used to infuriate me….. such a waste for only a little tug needed..

That’s bloody annoying but not my experience with lleyns. I lamb them outside.

3 flocks…,

1 pure/pedigree
2 to Aberfield SR, so still lots of Lleyn blood
3 commercials to char and chartex

I’m very picky with rams mind and most ewes are home bred into my system.

 

[Jerry]

Just a handful left to lamb but I guess that’s still time for fuk ups!

but today moved most of lambs into the summer grazing system.

3 or 4 day moves till weaning. So lots of electric fencing in my future.

Also moved cattle onto deferred grass which they were very happy to see!

 

[Kingcustard]

When you're buying in your sheep, you're at the mercy of other folk who maybe have no interest in how good their stock are, aslong as they sell well on the day



Indoor lambing - masking and legitimising sh!t shepherding (not saying you are a sh!t shepherd, but you're bought in sheep are not fit for purpose, therefore the original shepherd is shite at his job)

If these ewes were indoors though I would have ever ewe penned up and be able to sook the lambs 3 times a day.

Definitely swings and roundabouts with outdoors v indoors.

Had a pair lambed this evening so left her for an hour and went back before dark to see if the lambs had sooked and a raven has pecked a hole in one and eaten all of its insides. Was still alive when I arrived.

 

[Kingcustard]

Just a handful left to lamb but I guess that’s still time for fuk ups!

but today moved most of lambs into the summer grazing system.

3 or 4 day moves till weaning. So lots of electric fencing in my future.

View attachment 1103107

Also moved cattle onto deferred grass which they were very happy to see!

View attachment 1103108View attachment 1103109View attachment 1103110

Where are you about, I won't see grass like that until June

 

[Jerry]

Where are you about, I won't see grass like that until June

Devon. South cost near Exeter. By June I could be burnt up if I get a year like last!

 

[yellowbelly]

Im having no luck with prolapses. 4 dead now. Get them put back in nicely and harness on then there dead in a day or 2. Giving them a jab of penicillin when i put them back in as well.

Have you tried giving them calcium at the same time?
A lot of prolapsing ewes are short of Ca, which affects muscle tone, which in turn makes them more prone to prolapse.

 

[Kingcustard]

Im having no luck with prolapses. 4 dead now. Get them put back in nicely and harness on then there dead in a day or 2. Giving them a jab of penicillin when i put them back in as well.

I had over 20 a year when I had the mules. I reckon the anti inflammatory is the main thing they need, but obviously long acting penicillin too. And I used to spray with Alamycin before putting back in, and then give them a shot of Calcibel.

Very rarely lost one with a prolapse unless they got a bad infection, or had started lambing when it happened and then gave up and died within the day.

Most lambed fine but occasionally a lamb would get it's mouth caught in the harness and that was fatal unless you were lucky and there in time.

 

[Kingcustard]

Devon. South cost near Exeter. By June I could be burnt up if I get a year like last!

Serious grass envy.

We are 6 weeks behind you up here in Scotland for sure

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I used to lamb pure Lleyns to a lleyn tup outside & the amount of times I would go round um first light to pull 2 terrific dead lambs that would have been fine if they were pulled at 2am used to infuriate me….. such a waste for only a little tug needed..

Chasing a sheep around the field at 2am with a leg back when it’s sideways rain is a mugs game….did it for years

 

[Jerry]

Serious grass envy.

We are 6 weeks behind you up here in Scotland for sure

July 19th last year….bet you had more green than I did!

(same but if ground as first picture above. Indeed you can still see the mark the ring feeder made as I tried to get condition back in ewes)

 

[yellowbelly]

Jeeez, that's some 'deferred grass'

It's 'deferred' all the way up to that calf's knees

 

[Jerry]

View attachment 1103120
Jeeez, that's some 'deferred grass'

It's 'deferred' all the way up to that calf's knees

She’s only a wee little thing

 

[Nithsdale]

If these ewes were indoors though I would have ever ewe penned up and be able to sook the lambs 3 times a day.

Definitely swings and roundabouts with outdoors v indoors.

Had a pair lambed this evening so left her for an hour and went back before dark to see if the lambs had sooked and a raven has pecked a hole in one and eaten all of its insides. Was still alive when I arrived.

Ravens are cvnts...

But the rest of your comment affirms my point

The sheep you bought simply aren't doing what they say on the tin... it isn't an issue lambing inside - but outdoors it highlights sh!t breeding.


It's like my blind lamb with Entropion - indoors it'd have been picked up and cured when just a slight issue... as it was the ewe lambed outside herself. Then spend 3-4 days tucked up under some bushes and young trees where i could see from a distance but not get close


I'm not switching to indoor lambing though, I'll breed the correction into them.

 

[Kingcustard]

Ravens are cvnts...

But the rest of your comment affirms my point

The sheep you bought simply aren't doing what they say on the tin... it isn't an issue lambing inside - but outdoors it highlights sh!t breeding.


It's like my blind lamb with Entropion - indoors it'd have been picked up and cured when just a slight issue... as it was the ewe lambed outside herself. Then spend 3-4 days tucked up under some bushes and young trees where i could see from a distance but not get close


I'm not switching to indoor lambing though, I'll breed the correction into them.

Totally agree, but when the sh!t hits the fan it's definitely easier inside.

Inside creates its own problems too.

 

[yellowbelly]

Inside creates its own problems too.

...and a lot of extra work.

 

[Nithsdale]

Totally agree, but when the sh!t hits the fan it's definitely easier inside.

Inside creates its own problems too.

But if the sheep were bred for for purpose...


We could go round and round all night

 

[spark_28]

First time I've ever saw ringwomb today. A Jacob ewe belonging to my uncle. Back and forth at her today from 12am to 9.30 and no improvement. No vet on Island so will have to wait till the morning and take her across on the ferry for a side door job unless somehow tonight she does it herself but could only get three fingers in all day and no improvement.


Hes had a poor start. Couple of abortions and had to shoot a bad prolapse the other night. Has only around 130 sheep too so tough start.

 

[Jonp]

On my very first lambing years ago had a ewe with ringworm, could just about get one finger in. Vet came out, lubed himself up and had the lamb out within 2 minutes.
Looked pretty brutal as he just forced his hand in, grabbed the lamb and pulled it out. Ewe and lamb fine. Think he'd had a long day.