Lambing losses.

[Nithsdale]

Be included in your guv shepherd license.
Scanning result - (sales + retention) = mortality

Shut the f**k up, man!!

Stop giving the numbnuts who might read this, that have the power, ideas on how to govern us harder



If a 'shepherd license' is ever introduced or declarations of lamb losses - I'm coming for you...

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Indoors too, if you had to record and account for every loss, so that they could be monitored by govt or assurance/buyers.

I was just thinking outside lambing was more visible especially if weather bad.

 

[Nithsdale]

I was just thinking outside lambing was more visible especially if weather bad.

With the amount of trees getting planted it won't be that visible for much longer

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

With the amount of trees getting planted it won't be that visible for much longer

There won’t be many sheep the way they’re going on!

 

[Agrivator]

Maybe the question for the future should what level of losses our buyers (public) think is acceptable?

In the remote chance that the public (whoever that is!!) became concerned at the level of lamb losses, explain that ewes have a high prolificy
simply because no matter how hard we try to keep every thing alive, a significant amount of losses is inevitable,

In fact, in a natural situation, it is to the benefit of the ewe if one of her triplets dies. Just explain why.

The same applies to a lean ewe with twins. In fact there is a case of a young boy in the Lake District who, when his mother produced twins, wondered which one was going to be knocked on the head.

And don't mention out door pigs,

 

[Nithsdale]

There won’t be many sheep the way they’re going on!

Sortof my point..

 

[Radio]

As far as livestock losses are concerned, the public and government shold concentrate on human losses and care in maternity and geriatric wards.

 

[Nithsdale]

Weather here was worse last night than expected - seriously heavy rain and strong winds. Bitterly cold first thing. First job was lambing a twin ewe which had a prolapse harness on. My free hand was ungloved and on the ground for only a handful seconds before it was starting to hurt with the fiercely cold mud and water


Softer lambs born yesterday/through the night and morning didn't really have much chance and I'd lose not quite 1% of my expected lamb crop. No clipboard wielding do-gooder tree hugging clueless tvvat could comprehend that's just what we have to put up with sometimes

 

[AftonShepherd]

My "like" above is for the last sentence, not your losses

 

[ritchiekirkland]

Iv had a couple like that this time, one made it to the field before I noticed.

I’ve got a three crop ewe like that ! Only ever noticed as had to lamb her as a gimmer .

 

[Nithsdale]

My "like" above is for the last sentence, not your losses

I figured you weren't celebrating my misery


You'd have snow did you?


It's the only bad night I've had, so far, so I won't complain aslong as it doesn't do it again, or worse! Should be less than 100 left to lamb by end of tomorrow so not many more bigger days left. Don't want to jinx things but it's going reasonably well

 

[AftonShepherd]

I figured you weren't celebrating my misery


You'd have snow did you?


It's the only bad night I've had, so far, so I won't complain aslong as it doesn't do it again, or worse! Should be less than 100 left to lamb by end of tomorrow so not many more bigger days left. Don't want to jinx things but it's going reasonably well

Hills were white down to just above the house, but I've only 30-odd lambing just now and the couple that have lambed since last night all seem to have survived the cold and wet. Even the triplets that were scanned as twins ...

 

[neilo]

I figured you weren't celebrating my misery


You'd have snow did you?


It's the only bad night I've had, so far, so I won't complain aslong as it doesn't do it again, or worse! Should be less than 100 left to lamb by end of tomorrow so not many more bigger days left. Don't want to jinx things but it's going reasonably well

Always good when you can see the end in sight.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Always good when the whole fudging thing is over .

agreed

 

[farmerm]

Weather here was worse last night than expected - seriously heavy rain and strong winds. Bitterly cold first thing. First job was lambing a twin ewe which had a prolapse harness on. My free hand was ungloved and on the ground for only a handful seconds before it was starting to hurt with the fiercely cold mud and water


Softer lambs born yesterday/through the night and morning didn't really have much chance and I'd lose not quite 1% of my expected lamb crop. No clipboard wielding do-gooder tree hugging clueless tvvat could comprehend that's just what we have to put up with sometimes

Nothing breaks me down quicker than lambing in the wet and cold. Whilst March has no weather certainties I can think of nothing worse then intentionally lambing in the short day months and you chaps who do it outside, on the hills, hats off to you but I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China.

 

[Hooby Farmer]

The weather last night was worse than anything we had during the winter and nothing like that was forecast for here it didnt settle til late this afternoon. Everything coming sideways couldn't see for sleet and rain and wind and it was ice cold to boot. Walked the sheep last night at 12.30 lambs huddled and wet but all living, out this morning around 6am to a dead ewe and 6 dead lambs.

 

[Nithsdale]

Nothing breaks me down quicker than lambing in the wet and cold. Whilst March has no weather certainties I can think of nothing worse then intentionally lambing in the short day months and you chaps who do it outside, on the hills, hats off to you but I wouldn't do it for all the tea in China.

The days are exactly the same, just compressed.

I don't like lambing after the clocks change. You work later/longer hours and I struggle to stop/fit in evening meals etc... At least lambing now my cut off at night is 7pm (dark here), so that's when I have a bath and my tea is cooking... get an hour or 2 rest before bed as well. Personally it works well.

Seen enough bad weather in April to know it's not really any better lambing then... dad's got stories of digging lambs out of snow drifts in May, too

 

[d-wales]

With the rain, wind and sleet that we've had today and the rain that I can currently hear bouncing off my roof.....I'm thinking wouldn't it be great to have tough welsh ewes scanned with singles and not have to worry about tomorrows morning checks of the fields, when the quad needs 4x4 turned on to get over flat fields.

 

[Henarar]

Not very nice for the lambs out tonight, heavy, cold rain

 

[Jonp]

Not very nice for the lambs out tonight, heavy, cold rain

Same here in south Wales. Heavy showers with hail all day. Hammering down now. Glad I'm not up in the hills.