Lime in lambing pens

[Stewartry hill]

Do many people use lime in pens at lambing if so what kind and how much and is it worthwhile

 

[GTB]

Hydrated lime, about a fiver for 25kg in wynnstay. Handful in every pen between occupancies. Also sprinkle a bit in the big pens where the ewes tend to lamb or if the pens get a bit wet/ dirty.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

£4-50 for Bolshaws Hydrated Lime x25kg

 

[bovine]

People overestimate what a bit of lime or other magic disinfectant powder can achieve. The pens really ought to be mucked out each time, or at the very least after every few sheep. Nothing can disinfect a soggy straw pen with a festering cleansing or two.

I think a decent layer down before the straw is a good precaution and gives a nice dry start.

Now you will all tell me you don't have time, yet some people manage.

 

[scholland]

People overestimate what a bit of lime or other magic disinfectant powder can achieve. The pens really ought to be mucked out each time, or at the very least after every few sheep. Nothing can disinfect a soggy straw pen with a festering cleansing or two.

I think a decent layer down before the straw is a good precaution and gives a nice dry start.

Now you will all tell me you don't have time, yet some people manage.

Any thoughts or experience with the pine wood shavings that are in the press currently? And yes i know the testimonial are on the manufacturer website!
http://www.stockmaxshavings.com/sheep/

 

[bovine]

Pine is a natural disinfectant. No direct experience.

 

[icanshootwell]

Do many people use lime in pens at lambing if so what kind and how much and is it worthwhile

Waste of time in my opinion, either clean pen or spray some disinfectant to kill germs

 

[Newby]

Waste of time in my opinion, either clean pen or spray some disinfectant to kill germs

What disinfectant do you recommend?

 

[icanshootwell]

I use sperrys , i think thats what its called, very strong, good for foot rot too.

 

[kfpben]

Mucked out, scraped with shovel to the floor then FAM 30 at a low rate between every ewe here.

Worked very well last year. Fingers crossed for this year...

 

[exmoor dave]

Using cubicle lime this year cause I've got loads in stock

TBH it's no where near as good as the usual absorbent power ("drybed" i think) we normally use, that is genuinely good stuff, keep pens dry and doesn't choke you or the animals up...... smells nice as well!

Lime is much much cheaper but you have to use quite a lot to get a similar effect as "drybed" so not much £ in it.

 

[bovine]

I think I'd prefer no disinfectant to spraying bedding with a wet disinfectant.

 

[Hummin-Cummins]

Before each ewe and lambs all pens are mucked out, scrapped out with shovel, pressure washed on hot wash, dried with towel then sprayed with disinfectant, air dried, put nice layer of lime powder down then some top quality bright sparkley wheat straw! We do this as have loads of time at lambing as 500 ewes take up no time at all lol [emoji23]

Is this up to your standards @bovine

 

[exmoor dave]

Before each ewe and lambs all pens are mucked out, scrapped out with shovel, pressure washed on hot wash, dried with towel then sprayed with disinfectant, air dried, put nice layer of lime powder down then some top quality bright sparkley wheat straw! We do this as have loads of time at lambing as 500 ewes take up no time at all lol [emoji23]

Is this up to your standards @bovine

I hope it was farm assured straw

 

[Hummin-Cummins]

I hope it was farm assured straw

Of course [emoji12]

 

[jonny]

Liming pens kills the disease where it is instead of spreading it around the shed , rarely clean out between ewes normally just dismantle pens after lambing and push all out the door with the loader

 

[Punch]

When I came back from college we mucked out every pen. Sprayed with disinfectant. Air dried. Fresh straw.

Now I'm older just plenty fresh straw but remove clensing if ewes not eaten it.
Not sayin it's right but easier and quicker.
Muck out at end or between batches.

 

[ffukedfarmer]

Liming pens kills the disease where it is instead of spreading it around the shed , rarely clean out between ewes normally just dismantle pens after lambing and push all out the door with the loader

I don't muck out either. Just dust a bit of dry disinfectant then plenty of straw.

 

[Gator]

Muck out when finished, plenty of lime clean straw after each ewe un lambs pass through, works for us.

 

[Dkb]

Always remove clensing if it's left and lime with fresh straw between ewes as well as straw to every pen every day.

Clean out a pen if it gets very wet but must admit most pens are not cleaned out.

Never had any major disease outbreak though. Would have had a few lambs getting joint I'll but lining seems to have stopped that the last 2 years.