Outside lambers

[Benn]

First time lambing outside due to lamb next week.lambing into field with no hedges but has a small poly tunnel in which i leave open but does anybody put out any temp shelters for them?or am i being soft?

 

[Beef farmer]

@Bowden89

 

[Wink]

I don't put out anything (not sure would be allowed anyway tbh) but use small fields (small flock anyaway) in well sheltered fields with belts of trees around the perimeter, some fields have trees within them and dips within the field that they can shelter in if the weather is bad etc.

 

[Tim W]

First time lambing outside due to lamb next week.lambing into field with no hedges but has a small poly tunnel in which i leave open but does anybody put out any temp shelters for them?or am i being soft?

You're being soft
Polytunnel will be plenty good enough ---as long as they have grass ahead of them it will be fine, just relax and get a good nights sleep ,get a good breakfast and then wander out to count the lambs

 

[Benn]

i wish i get a good nights sleep got 2month baby .
I havent got much grass so having to feed.
What is max stocking rate
Im looking at 20 acre then move day after lambed.

 

[CopperBeech]

Right now we are lambing a flock where 800 odd are out side and 400 inside. Even with being given lambing dates that were two weeks out, the ones in the shed have been way more than twice the work as those outside and currently probably getting the same number of love to dead lambs. Weather has been mostly ok though.

 

[Tim W]

i wish i get a good nights sleep got 2month baby .
I havent got much grass so having to feed.
What is max stocking rate
Im looking at 20 acre then move day after lambed.

Sounds like inside lambing without a roof!
If you are going to catch the newly lambed ewes every day and turn them onto fresh pasture your 20/acre will soon reduce so you should be able to manage them ok?

 

[It was already broken.]

Weather makes or breaks the job outdoors in my experience. Just the same as farming anything else. Its a lot easier to sleep at night knowing the forecast is 10 degrees and still rather than 1 degree and driving sleet.

 

[Benn]

Sounds like inside lambing without a roof!
If you are going to catch the newly lambed ewes every day and turn them onto fresh pasture your 20/acre will soon reduce so you should be able to manage them ok?

Its three acre fields that are only 30feet wide so easy to catch any problem ewes i thought?
And its only that and a 5 acres field i be moving them into that has any grass at all so bit limited.
Landlords!!!had enough grass to stock down to 5 acre at lambing then all went tits up couple months ago and has me in worst of two worlds now!

 

[MF 135 Man]

It'll be fine

That is if you've good hardy enough sheep. We have welsh ewes(suffolk Tup) and Suffolk X ewes(berrichion Tup), we had 100 in about six acres and walked them out as they got going. We leave the door open on a small barn for them to use if needed. out of the 60 that have lambed so far none have lambed in the barn. same system for the last four years and never has a lamb been born in the barn. might just be in the breeding or they feel safer outside.

one thing we do is leave the horse box out in the opposite end of the field with the door open as another option, even if they just use it as a wind break. My advice would be make a pen up now before lambing or at least a good catching and holding area so you have some where to corner ewes and lambs to turn ewes over or ewes with heads hanging out. it surprising how well you think you might be able to catch them but put a head hanging out of them or a lamb at foot and they find two extra gears. so we build a pen with a funnel to walk any problem ewes in or anything that need inspecting .

We been lambing out here for two weeks now in rain sleet and some sunshine and we have only lost 3 lambs out of 60 ewes(one single and a set of twins) lambed which was during a 3 day rain spell last week. 90% of this success is in the breeding. the other 10% is in the field selection and not being over fed In my opinion.

Are you in Wiltshire/somerset? So low ground? and what ewes are you using? what tup over them?

Huw

 

[spark_28]

I lamb outside in the western Isles and I cant recall losing a lamb to weather (will happen this year now) . that's only 40 lambs a year though. Most important thing is having the ewes in correct condition, if their right their lambs will have enough fat cover to withstand most elements. lambs are hardier than we all think but its easy to get apprehensive about the weather. Im checking the forecast about 8 times a day and ive not started lambing yet.

 

[Benn]

It'll be fine

That is if you've good hardy enough sheep. We have welsh ewes(suffolk Tup) and Suffolk X ewes(berrichion Tup), we had 100 in about six acres and walked them out as they got going. We leave the door open on a small barn for them to use if needed. out of the 60 that have lambed so far none have lambed in the barn. same system for the last four years and never has a lamb been born in the barn. might just be in the breeding or they feel safer outside.

one thing we do is leave the horse box out in the opposite end of the field with the door open as another option, even if they just use it as a wind break. My advice would be make a pen up now before lambing or at least a good catching and holding area so you have some where to corner ewes and lambs to turn ewes over or ewes with heads hanging out. it surprising how well you think you might be able to catch them but put a head hanging out of them or a lamb at foot and they find two extra gears. so we build a pen with a funnel to walk any problem ewes in or anything that need inspecting .

We been lambing out here for two weeks now in rain sleet and some sunshine and we have only lost 3 lambs out of 60 ewes(one single and a set of twins) lambed which was during a 3 day rain spell last week. 90% of this success is in the breeding. the other 10% is in the field selection and not being over fed In my opinion.

Are you in Wiltshire/somerset? So low ground? and what ewes are you using? what tup over them?

Huw

Yeah low ground in valley but wind howls through valley,

Got the best breed 'LLEYN' isnt that right @Man_in_black

80% back to lleyn and rest to hampshire as trial.

 

[scottish-lleyn]

Yeah low ground in valley but wind howls through valley,

Got the best breed 'LLYEN' isnt that right @Man_in_black

80% back to llyen and rest to hampshire as trial.

LLEYN you mean spell it right man.

 

[Benn]

YEAh that how spelt
Be fair man i getting 4 hour sleep with new baby

 

[Benn]

Still best breed however spell it

 

[Tim W]

Still best breed however spell it

I used to think that -----until I bred the wool off them

 

[Benn]

Im still tempted with exlanas will
You have any with lambs at foot for sale?

 

[Man_in_black]

If your confident in their BCS (bit late now if you ain't!) then just be as hands off as you can be. I was nervous wreck last year but it really is the better way imo for you, the ewes & lambs. Much cleaner & healthier. Im not bothering with iodine this year (apart from numpty that lambed in mud patch). No joint issues. No bill for straw. No labour on cleaning pens.

I've never used Hampshire but your ewes should lamb pures easy. Do you scan?

 

[Nithsdale]

If your confident in their BCS (bit late now if you ain't!) then just be as hands off as you can be. I was nervous wreck last year but it really is the better way imo for you, the ewes & lambs. Much cleaner & healthier. Im not bothering with iodine this year (apart from numpty that lambed in mud patch). No joint issues. No bill for straw. No labour on cleaning pens.

I've never used Hampshire but your ewes should lamb pures easy. Do you scan?

Glad your not such a nervous pansy this year

Seriously, pleased it's working for you dude


Sadly can't say the lambs are clean here. Biblical rain the past 24 hrs, the new lambs are a mess lost a handful through the night. Total contrast to last weekend when there was not a cloud in sight, 13-15 celcius and i was going about on short sleeves!!

Just 1 lamb from 600-odd born so far showed signs of joint ill. 1.5ml of Pen&Strep and it made full recovery

 

[ThatsSomeSheep]

My outside lambers are due to start in around 10 days. Hopefully last of indoor lot will be done by then.

I have a 9.5 acre field and an adjoining 3 acre paddock. Quite well sheltered.

Last couple years has been a doddle with only 50 ish yowes having the run of the 2 fields.

This year I have 120 to lamb in those fields. My plan is to pen the yowes with lambs up every few days and then trailer them to pastures new - 20 minutes away.

I'm a bit apprehensive about the catching and trailering, but I hope to work it out!

TSS