f**k Up Fortnight

[Anymulewilldo]

Culling for getting cast? Sounds a bit savage?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Culling for getting cast? Sounds a bit savage?

I cull for everything.

Cast once = cull
Dags = cull
Lame once = cull
Fly strike = cull
Fail to wean a lamb as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Scan empty as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Any physical characteristic I think may affect function = cull
Be a twit in the pen/jump the race = cull
Fight the dog on gather = cull
Not meet BCS minimum at pre tupping check = cull
2nd yr draft not full mouth = cull
Edit obviously, needing lambing assistance = cull

 

[puppet]

It is nice, were lucky to get to live and work here.

Some parts are quite exposed essecially on a cold, wet windy day. If the weather was more predictable we'd be ok. Today is tho!

Windy Autum day

Gathering sheep on a misty summer day

Hard to tell what is a rock or a sheep. Certainly is challenging terrain

 

[bumkin]

I cull for everything.

Cast once = cull
Dags = cull
Lame once = cull
Fly strike = cull
Fail to wean a lamb as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Scan empty as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Any physical characteristic I think may affect function = cull
Be a twit in the pen/jump the race = cull
Fight the dog on gather = cull
Not meet BCS minimum at pre tupping check = cull
2nd yr draft not full mouth = cull

going out of sheep then?

 

[unlacedgecko]

going out of sheep then?

No.

I've 2 tooths here now that are expecting their 2nd lamb which have met all the above requirements and never had a drench.

 

[puppet]

I cull for everything.

Cast once = cull
Dags = cull
Lame once = cull
Fly strike = cull
Fail to wean a lamb as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Scan empty as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Any physical characteristic I think may affect function = cull
Be a twit in the pen/jump the race = cull
Fight the dog on gather = cull
Not meet BCS minimum at pre tupping check = cull
2nd yr draft not full mouth = cull

Year 2.
No sheep left here.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Year 2.
No sheep left here.

I know (hope!) you're being funny, but why would you keep sheep like that?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I cull for everything.

Cast once = cull
Dags = cull
Lame once = cull
Fly strike = cull
Fail to wean a lamb as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Scan empty as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Any physical characteristic I think may affect function = cull
Be a twit in the pen/jump the race = cull
Fight the dog on gather = cull
Not meet BCS minimum at pre tupping check = cull
2nd yr draft not full mouth = cull

Good job shetlands are cheap

 

[unlacedgecko]

Good job shetlands are cheap

I don't understand why anyone would keep sheep that don't meet the above. Stock are supposed to work for you, not the other way around.

Especially where you're breeding maternal sheep. Surely you'd want to eliminate anything which requires extra work? A sheep which doesn't meet the listed criteria is compromising economic out put or welfare or both.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I don't understand why anyone would keep sheep that don't meet the above. Stock are supposed to work for you, not the other way around.

Especially where you're breeding maternal sheep. Surely you'd want to eliminate anything which requires extra work? A sheep which doesn't meet the listed criteria is compromising economic out put or welfare or both.

Cast, that’s body condition.
fly strike, most of our strike is over the shoulders and down the back so I don’t see how that’s the sheep’s fault.
Lame once, everything gets 1 chance. Lame twice is different.
being excitable or strong willed, that’s just nature? Some things jump, some things turn on the dog. A good dog soon shifts them.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Fully agree with everything shearling upwards must scan and rear lambs. Been that way here for years. And the BCS in mid October is quite an important one for me. I don’t want ANY ewes going into winter thin. Although 2/4teeth ewes get drawn separate and sent out on keep and tupped again. Give them another go. Anything not putting condition on by mid December is away down the curry mile

 

[unlacedgecko]

Cast, that’s body condition.
fly strike, most of our strike is over the shoulders and down the back so I don’t see how that’s the sheep’s fault.
Lame once, everything gets 1 chance. Lame twice is different.
being excitable or strong willed, that’s just nature? Some things jump, some things turn on the dog. A good dog soon shifts them.

Cast is body shape as well as condition. Follow data and it'll be the same ewes getting cast year on year.

Strike is genetic.


Excitable or strong willed is genetic. I want quiet docile animals that put there energy to production not being silly. I don't want anyone injured by stock. I've shot rams that had poor temperament.

I've no shortage of good dogs here, but I don't want any hassle. When there's a job to do it just needs to be done and on to the next one.

If your system works for you, then it works for you

I know what sort of sheep I want to run, and I'm breeding towards it.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Cast is body shape as well as condition

For gods sake don’t try a Cheviot tup…

 

[Woolless]

Cast, that’s body condition.
fly strike, most of our strike is over the shoulders and down the back so I don’t see how that’s the sheep’s fault.
Lame once, everything gets 1 chance. Lame twice is different.
being excitable or strong willed, that’s just nature? Some things jump, some things turn on the dog. A good dog soon shifts them.

Everything has a genetic component. @unlacedgecko is uncompromising in his criteria but better that than the other way. It's the bottom 10% that cause the work.

 

[beardface]

Woke up this morning to see this on the lambing camera.....

...(for those of a squeamish disposition, don't 'click' on it to enlarge - for the rest of us, who are used to it, 'click' away)....


Plus a draft Cheviot with a big swolen head sticking out. Delivered it and it's twin safe and sound, so it's not all bad news

Only 3 more days to go 'til the proper start date so hopefully things will settle down soon

You have to admire them when they fulfill there main ambition in life in a spectacular fashion. Had 3 sheep hang themselves in stock fence last year. Why amd how we're the second and third words that came to mind.

 

[unlacedgecko]

You have to admire them when they fulfill there main ambition in life in a spectacular fashion. Had 3 sheep hang themselves in stock fence last year. Why amd how we're the second and third words that came to mind.

Sounds like your stock fence is too slack. Why are sheep putting their head through the fence?

 

[Guleesh]

Cast is body shape as well as condition. Follow data and it'll be the same ewes getting cast year on year.

Strike is genetic.


Excitable or strong willed is genetic. I want quiet docile animals that put there energy to production not being silly. I don't want anyone injured by stock. I've shot rams that had poor temperament.

I've no shortage of good dogs here, but I don't want any hassle. When there's a job to do it just needs to be done and on to the next one.

If your system works for you, then it works for you

I know what sort of sheep I want to run, and I'm breeding towards it.

I think your approach is spot on, 6 years now of recording nearly all the faults you listed, and it's shown us that it's the same ewes and their daughters that will repeat the same problems - if they live long enough to. We'd love to be able to cull at the rate you're going, but with hefted hills, it's near impossible for us to go through them that fast. Ewes you'd be culling, we put to a terminal tup for all future tupping. But whilst we're still low on, and building up numbers of 'A flock' ewes then we'll cross some 'failed' purebred ewes and keep their ewe lambs - provided their faults weren't too major - I'm thinking hybrid vigour might fix some of the issues in the short term.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I cull for everything.

Cast once = cull
Dags = cull
Lame once = cull
Fly strike = cull
Fail to wean a lamb as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Scan empty as a 2 tooth or older = cull
Any physical characteristic I think may affect function = cull
Be a twit in the pen/jump the race = cull
Fight the dog on gather = cull
Not meet BCS minimum at pre tupping check = cull
2nd yr draft not full mouth = cull
Edit obviously, needing lambing assistance = cull

What percentage of your ewes do you cull in a year?

 

[Woolless]

I think your approach is spot on, 6 years now of recording nearly all the faults you listed, and it's shown us that it's the same ewes and their daughters that will repeat the same problems - if they live long enough to. We'd love to be able to cull at the rate you're going, but with hefted hills, it's near impossible for us to go through them that fast. Ewes you'd be culling, we put to a terminal tup for all future tupping. But whilst we're still low on, and building up numbers of 'A flock' ewes then we'll cross some 'failed' purebred ewes and keep their ewe lambs - provided their faults weren't too major - I'm thinking hybrid vigour might fix some of the issues in the short term.

An 'A' and 'B' flock is a good idea IMO.

 

[unlacedgecko]

What percentage of your ewes do you cull in a year?

Draft Shetlands, 90%.

First F1 2tooths are due to lamb next month.