May/June lambing
- Thread starter Andy84
- Start date
cattleman123
Member
- Location
- devon
Done this once...worked fairly well ,the main problem is stopping the ewes getting to fat and also in my area the Ravans played havoc, lambs hit the ground and get away well,when we ringed them we gave them a spray of clicksin to stop maggots,i know someone who does nothing lets them run tails and balls.
- Location
- Penzance
We have lambed may-july before, would you believe it, accidentally ofc tho... The pros are that you don't have to feed as much going up to lambing. The bad side to it is that you really don't wanna be lambing same time as shearing, upturning pregger ewes, not good at all... It depends on breed tbh. I keep Pure Lleyn, lamb from April through to may, they're finished around September time, sometimes get the odd straggler... I think for every system things work differently. But I wouldn't advise lambing ewes in the height of summer, blowfly, overheating and such... What works for some may not work for others... 
cattleman123
Member
- Location
- devon
Another problem on a warm day everything crowds under the shade...some even lamb in with the rest ,can be a problem for mismotheringWe have lambed may-july before, would you believe it, accidentally ofc tho... The pros are that you don't have to feed as much going up to lambing. The bad side to it is that you really don't wanna be lambing same time as shearing, upturning pregger ewes, not good at all... It depends on breed tbh. I keep Pure Lleyn, lamb from April through to may, they're finished around September time, sometimes get the odd straggler... I think for every system things work differently. But I wouldn't advise lambing ewes in the height of summer, blowfly, overheating and such... What works for some may not work for others...
- Location
- Penzance
It can indeed, yes
- Location
- Ceredigion, wales
We accidentally lambs some ewe lambs in May one year. Had to catch every lamb to apply spot on before the blowfly got there.
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I think it also depends on how the grass growth in an area goes, here there is always the risk of a drought just when the lambs start to need quality grazing, and old HLS grass has lost what little feed value it had by mid summer, result runty little lambs, but on the right farm I think it is a sensible option.
Speedstar
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
looking out the window this morning to 4" of snow sounds a good idea
I like to lamb to hit the grass rise & on Salisbury Plain this is about 1st May....so when we lambed there that's what we did
Tups out for 3 weeks for 1st to 21st May lambing
Only problem i ever had was it being very warm and everyone lambing under the same hedge which gave some mis mothering
I never feed ewes anyway but the pressure is off with this system
Flies etc = shedders, no worries
Finishing lambs ? They don't finish at the same time as March born lambs obviously but you need to devise a system to finish them to best advantage ----many late lambers either finish them on turnips now or sell as strong stores?
Tups out for 3 weeks for 1st to 21st May lambing
Only problem i ever had was it being very warm and everyone lambing under the same hedge which gave some mis mothering
I never feed ewes anyway but the pressure is off with this system
Flies etc = shedders, no worries
Finishing lambs ? They don't finish at the same time as March born lambs obviously but you need to devise a system to finish them to best advantage ----many late lambers either finish them on turnips now or sell as strong stores?
- Location
- Northumberland
Its just for northern hills above 1000 feet.
exmoor dave
Member
- Location
- exmoor, uk
Once had a heifer calve down midsummer, I guess she didn't do much of a job licking the calf off because when we found them the calf was white with fly eggs.
It was a truly bizarre and horrific sight!
None had hatched and I'm not sure that they could do much damage to a calf even if they had hatched.
We sheared the calf with sheep clippers!
- Location
- Mendips Somerset
im lambing some ewe lambs in may this year , (after accidental crop last year) will creep lambs off mothers , get weaned then gone , as above need to watch crap grazing mid summer on just when lambs need quality grazing as rumen kicks in , locals call may offspriing "cuckoo lambs" that dont do without help ,
locally later lambs have been claimed not to 'do' as well, pretty much also what we found in the past but taking the fact that early lambs got the creep is a big obvious difference (the more subtle one being that the creep had more mins and vits in what is a 'cobalt problem area' and also sheep are happier/do better in cooler conditions ?
with regards to Shedder lambs, they have got a thick birth coat in my ltd experience and good milk suppl;y will make a dirty backside in the early days. I would say that in this situation no ringing would be best ....its not fun seeing small lambs with maggots around the tail or bag....
with regards to Shedder lambs, they have got a thick birth coat in my ltd experience and good milk suppl;y will make a dirty backside in the early days. I would say that in this situation no ringing would be best ....its not fun seeing small lambs with maggots around the tail or bag....
- Location
- Ceredigion, wales
I know one farm locally that' right down by the sea and they lamb in May. Might be enough of a sea breeze there to keep the maggots away. Don't think they feed their ewes at all pre lambing but do have to grow root crops to finish the lambs. Also iirc some tail end lambs are housed and finished on pellets.
alwayslearning
Member
- Location
- Northumberland
Ewes won't have as much time to regain condition after weaning going into winter. Add on the fact more lambs in early winter can lead to lean ewes
M-J-G
Member
Plenty lamb up here in May.
Although May up here is probably more like what April is like in more southern parts.
When I worked in the research sector we lambed a batch of ewes in mid June 2000, too hot that year. But I've seen plenty of Junes with ground frost and cutting winds.
Although May up here is probably more like what April is like in more southern parts.
When I worked in the research sector we lambed a batch of ewes in mid June 2000, too hot that year. But I've seen plenty of Junes with ground frost and cutting winds.
- Location
- Devon
Is that managed as a separate group or just running with the rest? If with the rest cocci, worm burdens and grazing competition will all be against the late ones.
CopperBeech
Member
- Location
- A Welsh man lost in England
Lamb about 2500 in May. Works well enough, lots of grass, good weather. Sell lambs from about September and mainly miss the glut.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Greythundercloudys
Member
Iv had odd ones lamb in early June, the lambs weren't worth a dam, looked young in September, so l still think finished by 1st week is best, unless your up a mountain, but looking at the weather today, l might be wrong!!