Lambing outdoors- catching ewe and lambs

[Fellstoflats]

I'm a shepherd so I can work my dog. The dog is the key part.

According to my folks, the only job I ever wanted was to be a shepherd, so I could have dogs and a Landy..

The dogs make the job.

 

[unlacedgecko]

I was just thinking this. If they banned using sheep dogs with sheep tomorrow I don’t think I’d farm sheep any more.

I know for sure I fücking wouldn't. Shetland ewes with lambs at foot and no dogs?

 

[CopperBeech]

I know for sure I fücking wouldn't. Shetland ewes with lambs at foot and no dogs?

Agreed. But even if I could manage it, I just don’t think I would.

 

[Fat Lamb]

In the past, I’ve travelled extensively for business and relied on others to do regular checks. That made me manage without a dog and as a result we reconfigured field lines etc to not need them. Now, I just find there’s no need. I can get any sheep caught within a couple of minutes without any hassle (maybe 15 minutes if they’re on the outlying land)

I can't believe you're shepherding blackies outside without a dog and find it so easy. If I turn up without one they look at me and I swear I can see them laughing. I'm convinced that if they had fingers and a voice they'd stick 2 up at me and tell me to feck off!!

 

[yellowbelly]

I thought the only reason for keeping sheep was the pleasure you get from seeing your dog/s work

............why else would you put up with all the other aggro associated with the ovine species

 

[unlacedgecko]

I thought the only reason for keeping sheep was the pleasure you get from seeing your dog/s work

............why else would you put up with all the other aggro associated with the ovine species

I thought you did it for the enormous wool cheque?

 

[Hilly]

I have a huntaway and I say catch that sheep and bring it here , she normaly brings them to me then downs them.

 

[yellowbelly]

I thought you did it for the enormous wool cheque?

Yeah, in about 1960 but it's all been spent now

 

[Hilly]

A farm without a dog is a strange thing for me to contemplate, wouldn’t be for me not having dogs .

 

[neilo]

I thought the only reason for keeping sheep was the pleasure you get from seeing your dog/s work

............why else would you put up with all the other aggro associated with the ovine species

^this. On the most miserable, wet day, when everything is going wrong, even this (I’m reliably informed) miserable shepherd can’t help but muster a smile when the girls are doing their thing.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Out of curiosity, has anyone ever written down what it costs to run a pair of sheepdogs for a year? Including buying the dogs, time spent training at a reasonable rate and all food/vet bills? I’d bet it’s a solid four figure sum - or the profit on a chunk of lambs. I can see why most do it, but I’m happy that my solution works too.

I haven’t actually spent time properly training a dog since I got my first pup when I was 12. Since then the pup has been tied too one of the steadier older ones and just got on with it.
I’ve a couple of mates with 3-400 ewes each. Neither run a dog, but they don’t take anything away on keep, both farms pretty much bottleneck into the yard from every direction. So they manage with a quad.
My ewes seem too know the moment I try moving them without a dog. They even know which dog they can muck with and which one will grip the first one that puts a foot wrong.
As for the feeding sheep on keep... some days I’d give anything for another 2 decent dogs too add too the team!!

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Ran a mob of 2200 stores behind rappa 3 strand last winter. The thought of doing anything with them without dogs makes me want to vomit.

I’d be sat under the hedge hugging my knees and crying I think!!

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I know for sure I fücking wouldn't. Shetland ewes with lambs at foot and no dogs?

Don’t bother with them until weaning, then work them into a bunch and shoot anything that breaks away?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I'm convinced that if they had fingers and a voice they'd stick 2 up at me and tell me to feck off!!

Sounds about right...

 

[Highland Mule]

I can't believe you're shepherding blackies outside without a dog and find it so easy. If I turn up without one they look at me and I swear I can see them laughing. I'm convinced that if they had fingers and a voice they'd stick 2 up at me and tell me to feck off!!

I run a mixed flock apart from at tupping. Blackies and mules to wake the terminals up and terminals to slow the blackies and mules down. Running all the hoggs together for the first winter helps too, and a daily feed in troughs over snow time means they’re not stressed by humans. The sheep helps, but as @Anymulewilldo said, having the fields arranged to allow flow/ flight back to the right place is the biggest help.

 

[glasshouse]

In the past, I’ve travelled extensively for business and relied on others to do regular checks. That made me manage without a dog and as a result we reconfigured field lines etc to not need them. Now, I just find there’s no need. I can get any sheep caught within a couple of minutes without any hassle (maybe 15 minutes if they’re on the outlying land).

As for bad experiences, I’d rather not go there.

Have you got a petrol dog?

 

[Highland Mule]

Have you got a petrol dog?

Honda Foreman. Put about five gallons a year through it so barely used.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Honda Foreman. Put about five gallons a year through it so barely used.

Mid winter my Honda TRX will use that a fortnight!

 

[Highland Mule]

Mid winter my Honda TRX will use that a fortnight!

It’s become a personal challenge of mine to keep the miles off it and the weight off my waist. Under 4000 km in 18 years (although I’ve only had it for the last seven).

 

[Anymulewilldo]

What I find interesting is how cheap a man with dogs is. A man without a dog is probably not much more than £5 less. For £5 an hour or less you get a highly trained animal operative, if someone was bringing something like a trained protection dog or security dog to a job they would charge a decent premium.

People ring up “can you come get my sheep in with your dogs? I can’t catch half of them”
I’d go, gather. Got very bored of being given £20/£30 and a look that said they’d done me a favour. The last place I went the teenage son nearly flattened my best dog with his trials bike. I put them back in the motor and came home. Just left the sheep there. If anyone asks now the answer is no. How do I manage my own sheep if my dogs get hurt ars@ing about gathering for other people for a few quid. I don’t think £5k each would replace them. It’s just too much hassle and risk for me.