Forgot to bolus ewes and running with tups today

[Chasingmytail]

Been on and off the farm, you know this and that. Completely slipped my mind and just realised havent bolused the ewes. To be fair they are looking very well but got this far and had a good lambing this year Id like to keep the bolusing up.

When can we bolus them? Or can we leave it say Feb time? Or from experience is it best to get it done sooner.

 

[Al R]

Get them done now and then again 2-3 weeks pre lambing.
im not sure how I’d forget the item that gives the most profitability to the sheep mind
What make are you using?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Have you tested to know what's required?
A trace element drench will give an instant boost whilst a bolus gets working if you give both now. If they're needed.

 

[Chasingmytail]

Get them done now and then again 2-3 weeks pre lambing.
im not sure how I’d forget the item that gives the most profitability to the sheep mind
What make are you using?

Somehow I didnt write it down in the diary. We spend a lot of time off farm so constantly catching up.

We use the Agrimin Smartrace with the 4 in 1. Seen a vast improvement.

I wont be able to to it until the weekend so is that ok? I need to check with Agrimac.

 

[Al R]

@Obi Wan your not the only one...........

 

[Obi Wan]

@Obi Wan your not the only one...........

AI R - Nice one buddy, thanks for the pointer.

 

[muleman]

Ive never bolused ewes....is it worth it? What does anyone use, can you see the benefits?

 

[cotswoldcs]

Interesting how some find boluses a real benefit whilst others don't bother at all. We tried a complete bolus programme and didn't notice any significant difference in performance or health but some swear by bolusing.

I've not been able to do copper bolus as gun was broken and a replacement didn't arrive before tupping. Did blood test a month ago which didn't reveal any significant problems but have a known copper deficiency and still get the odd lamb with swayback at lambing. I'm inclined not to stress the ewes at tupping and wait until the first cycle is complete when a large percentage of sheep will be tupped. The copper bolus is really to protect the lamb from swayback rather than improve fertility in ewes. Or am I wrong?

 

[muleman]

Interesting how some find boluses a real benefit whilst others don't bother at all. We tried a complete bolus programme and didn't notice any significant difference in performance or health but some swear by bolusing.

I've not been able to do copper bolus as gun was broken and a replacement didn't arrive before tupping. Did blood test a month ago which didn't reveal any significant problems but have a known copper deficiency and still get the odd lamb with swayback at lambing. I'm inclined not to stress the ewes at tupping and wait until the first cycle is complete when a large percentage of sheep will be tupped. The copper bolus is really to protect the lamb from swayback rather than improve fertility in ewes. Or am I wrong?

I never bolus.....but drench with farmsense maxigro pre tupping and agrilloyd liquithrive(which aint cheap) pre lambing. Maybe a bolus would work out cheaper...or better as presumably its there all the time and released as needed? (I tell a lie,i copper bolus at start of jan for swayback as copper deficient area)

 

[neilo]

I never bolus.....but drench with farmsense maxigro pre tupping and agrilloyd liquithrive(which aint cheap) pre lambing. Maybe a bolus would work out cheaper...or better as presumably its there all the time and released as needed? (I tell a lie,i copper bolus at start of jan for swayback as copper deficient area)

IF there is a need for any trace element supplementation, then it is worth bolusing. If there isn't a need, or any deficiencies are so slight that a (very short acting) drench will cover it, then you'd probably see little benefit from bolusing.
In your case, the bolus (containing copper) at around a pound a sheep, would do the job of the Agrilloyd drench and the copper bolus, and supply the TE's for 6 months, rather than the 6 days the drench will last. Have you established the need for the drenches though, or just do them because they claim to boost output? Some farms won't need either, especially if they are putting sweetie buckets and feeding concentrates as well.

 

[neilo]

Interesting how some find boluses a real benefit whilst others don't bother at all. We tried a complete bolus programme and didn't notice any significant difference in performance or health but some swear by bolusing.

I've not been able to do copper bolus as gun was broken and a replacement didn't arrive before tupping. Did blood test a month ago which didn't reveal any significant problems but have a known copper deficiency and still get the odd lamb with swayback at lambing. I'm inclined not to stress the ewes at tupping and wait until the first cycle is complete when a large percentage of sheep will be tupped. The copper bolus is really to protect the lamb from swayback rather than improve fertility in ewes. Or am I wrong?

If you have copper deficiency then it can certainly effect lambing percentage quite dramatically too, but that will depend on the severity of any deficiency. I used to use a few bags of powdered cattle minerals (containing copper) fed out in buckets at lambing time, which is certainly an easy & cheap way to boost levels for a short time over tupping.

We used to get a bit of swayback at home, if we didn't supplement copper, but only when we ran mules. When we changed to continental crosses, we never had swayback again, presumably as they are so much more efficient at absorbing it.

 

[muleman]

IF there is a need for any trace element supplementation, then it is worth bolusing. If there isn't a need, or any deficiencies are so slight that a (very short acting) drench will cover it, then you'd probably see little benefit from bolusing.
In your case, the bolus (containing copper) at around a pound a sheep, would do the job of the Agrilloyd drench and the copper bolus, and supply the TE's for 6 months, rather than the 6 days the drench will last. Have you established the need for the drenches though, or just do them because they claim to boost output? Some farms won't need either, especially if they are putting sweetie buckets and feeding concentrates as well.

I havnt really established a need for the drenches....just do them cos always done it and hardly dare not do it now! The agrilloyd is 'chelated' the rep tells me ,which means it will last for about 4 months,not 6 days, but maybe an old wives tale! Costs upwards of a pound tho so bolus in january sounds better job if i could trust it to do the copper job aswell and prevent swayback.

 

[neilo]

I havnt really established a need for the drenches....just do them cos always done it and hardly dare not do it now! The agrilloyd is 'chelated' the rep tells me ,which means it will last for about 4 months,not 6 days, but maybe an old wives tale! Costs upwards of a pound tho so bolus in january sounds better job if i could trust it to do the copper job aswell and prevent swayback.

Yes, definitely an old wives tale. I have seen no independent evidence to back up any claims of chelates lasting longer, and certainly not a hope of it lasting 4 months!

All of the boluses that contain copper, apart from Cosecure iirc, just have copper oxide rods (usually 4g) in them, which is the same as in copper capsules like Copinox, etc. A bolus will do all that any drench will do, but might take longer to get into the system. A drench will give a big hit quickly, but the uplift won't last long.

 

[puppet]

We have not given any bonuses or drenched for years without any obvious issues. Scanning at 180 for ewes most years. Had 2 swayback lambs to Blackies years ago but never to any other breed.
Best to do some testing rather than blindly keep dosing animals. Plenty other things which will affect your lambing more than this.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Definitely good idea to test. I know we are in a very copper deficient area so I copper bolus everything just before tupping and then put out copper minerals February through to lambing. Before my time but Grandad forgot to copper at tupping one year, we had 62 barrens out of 580 ewes instead of 5-10. Now I bolus as I tail them so I know which are done.
Started using CoseIcure boluses in the shearlings that had reared as Hoggs and the ewe lambs as they arrive in September, my scanning % went up 12% in the shearlings and 10% in the ewe lambs (not that I wanted more lambs in them but the empty rate dropped too)
If you aren't in a copper deficient area and they are fit ewes I'd leave them alone till Christmas then pop a 4g copper for swayback. ??