NZ Romney - gestation

[Corn & Horn]

Do romneys have a shorter gestation than other breeds ? Only really worked with mules until this year and work on a gestation of 147 days for them , with a few lambs being popped out before (mainly problems). With the romneys we have had nearly 15 % lamb between 142-147 days. All pretty good lambs on the whole , with plenty of milk - so not concerned , just interested what people think! Thanks

 

[Global ovine]

Since the 1980s probably all Romneys and their derivatives in NZ have had selection pressure against difficult births. The result of this has enabled management change to greatly reduce production costs by lowering labour inputs and vet bills, because lambs are smaller at birth (due to shorter gestation) and wedge shaped. This shape factor continues throughout the adult life of the ewe shown in larger pelvic aperture which has the greatest effect for easy lambing.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

They do tend to be less than 147 days, especially if they are in good condition and there is plenty of grass.
Just lambed 1300 which started on 8th April, tups put in on 12th November, but 200 had lambed by 8th.
Only a 100 left today which should be the start of the second cycle.

 

[Corn & Horn]

They do tend to be less than 147 days, especially if they are in good condition and there is plenty of grass.
Just lambed 1300 which started on 8th April, tups put in on 12th November, but 200 had lambed by 8th.
Only a 100 left today which should be the start of the second cycle.

Blimey , that’s quick. How many staff do you need to lamb that number ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Blimey , that’s quick. How many staff do you need to lamb that number ?

On a ring fenced block that's a 1 man job.

 

[unlacedgecko]

They do tend to be less than 147 days, especially if they are in good condition and there is plenty of grass.
Just lambed 1300 which started on 8th April, tups put in on 12th November, but 200 had lambed by 8th.
Only a 100 left today which should be the start of the second cycle.

Do you think it's worth tupping for 1 cycle only?

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Blimey , that’s quick. How many staff do you need to lamb that number ?

2 and a student. But only one and the student full time.
Start at 6.30am and finish hopefully by 7.30pm

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Do you think it's worth tupping for 1 cycle only?

Probably yes as all the problems seem to come in the few in the second cycle!!!

 

[unlacedgecko]

Probably yes as all the problems seem to come in the few in the second cycle!!!

It's something I'm considering. Or reducing tupping to 21 days.

 

[Hilly]

On a ring fenced block that's a 1 man job.

Lambed 1300 on your own before ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Lambed 1300 on your own before ?

I've done 1,000 Romney's and easycares for a customer a few years ago. Went well.

Last year the Mrs did our 1,400 across 2 blocks 10mins apart. I was driving a truck.

This year she's doing 550 ewes and 150 ewe lambs on 2 blocks 30mins apart. I'm driving a truck 250 miles away.

Genetics and feeding are key.

I once did 1,000 cull ewes put to terminals and it did not go well. Ewes were fed very well up to lambing point, with resultant huge lambs. I absolutely despised it, was a major motivation to run my own stock so I have control over everything.

 

[Jop]

We had a Romney ram break in with our Romney ewes a month before our intended tupping date last October. I am pretty sure he was in for less than 12 hours but he did manage to get around 10 ewes in lamb in that time. The first one lambed on day 147 but the last was on day 152. It may have been just this one ram had a slightly longer gestation but I always believed them to be quicker than this. Used to lamb some Dorset’s and I always felt they were more like a 145 day gestation period, that was just my experience of a few.

 

[Six Dogs]

I've done 1,000 Romney's and easycares for a customer a few years ago. Went well.

Last year the Mrs did our 1,400 across 2 blocks 10mins apart. I was driving a truck.

This year she's doing 550 ewes and 150 ewe lambs on 2 blocks 30mins apart. I'm driving a truck 250 miles away.

Genetics and feeding are key.

I once did 1,000 cull ewes put to terminals and it did not go well. Ewes were fed very well up to lambing point, with resultant huge lambs. I absolutely despised it, was a major motivation to run my own stock so I have control over everything.

I guess it’s depends on what else you are doing at lambing time-3 of us here lambing 1550 ewes but recording 900 ewes linking lambs to ewes-everything rung at the time
Alternatively if no recording and getting a tailing gang in then ratio of sheep to shepherd for lambing can go up massively

 

[unlacedgecko]

I guess it’s depends on what else you are doing at lambing time-3 of us here lambing 1550 ewes but recording 900 ewes linking lambs to ewes-everything rung at the time
Alternatively if no recording and getting a tailing gang in then ratio of sheep to shepherd for lambing can go up massively

Absolutely. System has a massive impact.

We don't ring anything, as a general rule.