Lambing Question

[Wishful Thinker]

Ewes scanned yesterday and looks like the teaser I used for a first has worked a treat. Scanner suggested out of 120 nearly 100 will lamb within 10days of each other. Usually they are spread out over 2 months, so I need any tips you can think of to help me out not used to them all together I work full time so going to take a week off.
Can have up to 20 individual pens? But usually keep in them for 3 days so won't be enough. How do others working big numbers cope inside?

 

[GTB]

Loads of hurdles I'm afraid. Either that or lamb outside.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Very clever Scanner to tell you they will lamb within 10 days!!
I would be very interested to know if they do.

 

[Nh6050]

I used to sponge 150 at lest 75% would lamb first cycle over 3days. 25 pens should be fine. Get them out at 24 hours if strong. Take 10 days off you should catch most of them. The tighter they lamb together the better as seems less problems as your on top of job. Good luck.
We used teaser first time this year as sponges are to expensive now. And we got 180 tupped in 18 days.

 

[Nh6050]

If scanning man is experienced he can group them for you if not raddled.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Plenty of coffee and pro plus

 

[MRT]

Dry, fed - out the door. You could buy a pack of lamb macs if you are worried for if you are out of space and it is pissing down. Cheaper than a shed?

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Dry, fed - out the door. You could buy a pack of lamb macs if you are worried for if you are out of space and it is pissing down. Cheaper than a shed?

New shed going up, will hopefully be finished, it's mainly for cattle but can double up as lambing shed. Do the lamb macs actually work?
Scan man usually very accurate and he did impress me yesterday, I have 5 blue texels, saw one repeating and took note as knew it would stand out, he said she was 32 day's in lamb, I made it 31, maybe fluke but certainly impressed me.
1 day in individual pen people find ok then?
Any novel ideas to speed up bedding watering etc?

 

[Clive Tee]

If you're short of hurdles and tight lambing inside, try penning for just a day instead of three, then move into another pen holding say 4-5 ewes with their lambs. Leave them there for the next 2 days and would hope they're OK then hopefully. That's what we've done for years, not had any problem. Occasionally get a difficult one we leave isolated for longer, bad lambing, small lamb/whatever, but most OK with this.

Might still need more hurdles though but it saves a few.

 

[Man_in_black]

What time of year you lambing? Definitely say 24 hours inside is enough, longer they stay in just more chance of catching something.

Just be prepared, know exactly where everything is, don't cut corners with cleanliness thinking it'll save time & don't rush ewe.

Have you got anyone helping? Mistakes & accidents are bedfellows with exhaustion.

 

[caboblaney]

Yes group pen are a good job. Try to leave a top of grass in sheltered fields. All so made a few shelter with timber and corrugated iron and put a good bed of straw .and a creep gate.if the lambs are getting a really bad night.lamb loved them

 

[Downton_shep]

24 hours is plenty of time for twins. Communal pens take up a lot of room which is a luxury most people don't have. At least if their out in a field the ewe will take her lambs off to find some space if there's plenty of shelter to go around. Wouldn't even bother penning singles unless your adopting.

 

[slaney]

New shed going up, will hopefully be finished, it's mainly for cattle but can double up as lambing shed. Do the lamb macs actually work?
Scan man usually very accurate and he did impress me yesterday, I have 5 blue texels, saw one repeating and took note as knew it would stand out, he said she was 32 day's in lamb, I made it 31, maybe fluke but certainly impressed me.
1 day in individual pen people find ok then?
Any novel ideas to speed up bedding watering etc?

I find using sawdust for a while before lambing cuts down on bedding once lambing starts (that's if ewes are being housed for a while before lambing that is)

I bed with sawdust only indoors until just before ewes are to lamb.

With regards to watering small pens I've seen several pics of automatic watering systems using water pipes on the forum.

I think @Gator put them up maybe I'm wrong

Make sure you have every conceivable veterinary product ready the last thing you want to do is have to leave the yard during those few days.

I would consider hiring someone to help.

Say 100 ewes = 170 lambs born alive over 10 days. If the worker saved 3 lambs per day which is very reasonable to see a they would be well worth it. As they would be bedding and feeding and moving ewes to paddocks when your busy watching the next lambers

 

[neilo]

I used to sponge 150 at lest 75% would lamb first cycle over 3days. 25 pens should be fine. Get them out at 24 hours if strong. Take 10 days off you should catch most of them. The tighter they lamb together the better as seems less problems as your on top of job. Good luck.
We used teaser first time this year as sponges are to expensive now. And we got 180 tupped in 18 days.

Really? I have around 100 due to lamb over 4-5 days and run very tight with 35 individual pens. If every goes well and you have no problems whatsoever, you might get away with 20, if you have enough mothering/communal pens and you have somewhere to turn them to afterwards.

I assume from the fact they have been scanned already, that they will be lambing in January (?), in which case you won't be able to rely on turning them out at 24 hours.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Really? I have around 100 due to lamb over 4-5 days and run very tight with 35 individual pens. If every goes well and you have no problems whatsoever, you might get away with 20, if you have enough mothering/communal pens and you have somewhere to turn them to afterwards.

I assume from the fact they have been scanned already, that they will be lambing in January (?), in which case you won't be able to rely on turning them out at 24 hours.

Yes due from 15th January. Would be scared putting them out after just a day, would have dry ground but we can are a bit exposed.