Reducing sheep prolifiacy

[spark_28]

Had too many twins this year out of my Blackface. Lambing percentage was about 145%. Lost about 45 percent of that, if not more.

Sheep are bolused at weaning ( end of this month). Go back to the hill and brought in for tupping. They were served on the hill, (that's another story) probably when the grass was quite good and they were in good condition.

Brought in to lamb (first time ever) and didn't take that well to feeding. I think that caught up with them eventually and lambs died a few weeks later after being returned to the hill. That or predation by Eagles. I'm not convinced the eagles have played a big part however I have not found one lamb carcass in the hill which I find a bit strange

My issue is the sheep are getting on a bit but I'm more profitable taking the chance on them and hoping I get a few ewe lambs off them rather than cashing in. Their no hassle so if they lose the lambs I can cash in next June when they are fat.

Will by pushing lambing later and not bolusing till later on help drag it down do you think? If I have a lower lambing % I'd be more inclined to leave them to it on the hill aswell. That will eventually happen again at some point but I'm desperate to push numbers

 

[JockCroft]

Had too many twins this year out of my Blackface. Lambing percentage was about 145%. Lost about 45 percent of that, if not more.

Sheep are bolused at weaning ( end of this month). Go back to the hill and brought in for tupping. They were served on the hill, (that's another story) probably when the grass was quite good and they were in good condition.

Brought in to lamb (first time ever) and didn't take that well to feeding. I think that caught up with them eventually and lambs died a few weeks later after being returned to the hill. That or predation by Eagles. I'm not convinced the eagles have played a big part however I have not found one lamb carcass in the hill which I find a bit strange

My issue is the sheep are getting on a bit but I'm more profitable taking the chance on them and hoping I get a few ewe lambs off them rather than cashing in. Their no hassle so if they lose the lambs I can cash in next June when they are fat.

Will by pushing lambing later and not bolusing till later on help drag it down do you think? If I have a lower lambing % I'd be more inclined to leave them to it on the hill aswell. That will eventually happen again at some point but I'm desperate to push numbers

My first thoughts on loosing lambs were Tick problem, but having lost a fair few this year to Coccidiosis anything is possible. Do you have a lot of geese wintering on your grazing's? Not sure of your area but guessing in bye ground is limited. To drop lambing percentage keep them on tight grazing 4 to 10 weeks after tups go out if thats possible.
Or do you have Sea Eagles about? Do you have fox's? That could explain no carcases. Good luck.

Hope you find a reason, its frustrating not being able to identify why.

 

[Hill Ground]

To drop lambing percentage keep them on tight grazing 4 to 10 weeks after tups go out if thats possible.

I would worry this would drop lamb % by upping empties due to reabsorption.

I'd just run them harder pre tupping, even skip the bolus till scanning if they even need it at all?

 

[Wooly]

I think if I lost over 45%, I would seriously think about giving up with sheep !

.......... but I am farming on boys land compared to you.

 

[farmerm]

Maybe we should swap, I seem to have the opposite issue.

 

[Jockers84]

Maybe think about only keep big singles from the first cut as replacements, keep ewes on the hill for tupping, and bolus at scanning.

 

[spark_28]

I think if I lost over 45%, I would seriously think about giving up with sheep !

.......... but I am farming on boys land compared to you.

There's too many factors at stake though. I bought these sheep with my eyes wide open and expect 3/4 years of misery before it starts moving forward in a more positive direction. The sheep are getting on a bit and there hasnt been replacements now for 2 years. That's why the f**k up with rams has massively f**ked things. I should of had around 30 replacements this year and now will be lucky to have 5.

I think ages of ewe, number of lambs and how early they started lambing has affected everything. Probably lost 2 lambs more off sheep rather than her dumping 1 early days and doing a job of the other.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Just be careful keeping the ewes a year too long. You’ll end up with a pile of dead screws next spring rather than a ruck of fit empty ewes to cash.

 

[dogjon]

BCS at breeding plays a huge part of lambing percentage.

 

[spark_28]

Just be careful keeping the ewes a year too long. You’ll end up with a pile of dead screws next spring rather than a ruck of fit empty ewes to cash.

Bags are all fine but il go through their teeth at weaning and anything bad is for the off. Problem is they look great again just a few weeks after being weaned

 

[mixedfmr]

My first thoughts on loosing lambs were Tick problem, but having lost a fair few this year to Coccidiosis anything is possible. Do you have a lot of geese wintering on your grazing's? Not sure of your area but guessing in bye ground is limited. To drop lambing percentage keep them on tight grazing 4 to 10 weeks after tups go out if thats possible.
Or do you have Sea Eagles about? Do you have fox's? That could explain no carcases. Good luck.

Hope you find a reason, its frustrating not being able to identify why.

Are the Geese connected with cocsi?

 

[mixedfmr]

Just be careful keeping the ewes a year too long. You’ll end up with a pile of dead screws next spring rather than a ruck of fit empty ewes to cash.

Not as an example, but just was
One old ewe too thin to go to fat so left her with hoggs to fatten (some hope)
Come March, shes running around with a lamb, winter before last, cliff top exposed ( and dont ask how shes in lamb, should have snipped hogs like me )
And then you loose some inside, well fed and cosseted

 

[AngusLad]

There's too many factors at stake though. I bought these sheep with my eyes wide open and expect 3/4 years of misery before it starts moving forward in a more positive direction. The sheep are getting on a bit and there hasnt been replacements now for 2 years. That's why the f**k up with rams has massively f**ked things. I should of had around 30 replacements this year and now will be lucky to have 5.

I think ages of ewe, number of lambs and how early they started lambing has affected everything. Probably lost 2 lambs more off sheep rather than her dumping 1 early days and doing a job of the other.

What happened with the tups to have so few replacements?

 

[spark_28]

My first thoughts on loosing lambs were Tick problem, but having lost a fair few this year to Coccidiosis anything is possible. Do you have a lot of geese wintering on your grazing's? Not sure of your area but guessing in bye ground is limited. To drop lambing percentage keep them on tight grazing 4 to 10 weeks after tups go out if thats possible.
Or do you have Sea Eagles about? Do you have fox's? That could explain no carcases. Good luck.

Hope you find a reason, its frustrating not being able to identify why.

Won't be tic as they were treated on the way out. Geese shouldnt of had an effect as my crofts even the geese wouldn't graze on them

Eagles could have had an impact. No foxes. I do think it's just to do with poor nutrition and a poor April into May. Too many twins where naturally out on the hill shed probably lose one and rear the other.

It's going to be a long process. I'm going to buy gimmers in (which will be a gamble). And hope they stay with my own relatively well.

Until I have a glut of young ewes things are going to be rough.

 

[spark_28]

What happened with the tups to have so few replacements?

They werent blackface was horrible cross things that have left mongrel looking lambs. They tipped the sheep almost a month before I brought them in to tup.

That early lambing hampered the ewes too I suspect condition and nutrition and I think it also causes them to have a higher percentage as they would have been tupped when they were in their best condition as September and October were ok weather wise

 

[AngusLad]

Fair enough. Those mongrel tups always seem to be able to cover a hell of a lot of ground!
Without having seen the lambs and bearing in mind I'm just some random bloke on the internet.. I'd still be tempted to keep the ewe lambs as replacements? They may not be much to look at but there is a lot to be said for sheep that have been bred on the place. Personally on the hill I'd take a young ewe over an old relic every day of the week

 

[spark_28]

Fair enough. Those mongrel tups always seem to be able to cover a hell of a lot of ground!
Without having seen the lambs and bearing in mind I'm just some random bloke on the internet.. I'd still be tempted to keep the ewe lambs as replacements? They may not be much to look at but there is a lot to be said for sheep that have been bred on the place. Personally on the hill I'd take a young ewe over an old relic every day of the week

Did think about it but my plan was to cash in on all the lambs and spend that on BF gimmers. Would give me short term gains far quicker. I want to get these ewes up to around 120 so I can start crossing them and sell mule lambs

 

[JockCroft]

I would worry this would drop lamb % by upping empties due to reabsorption.

I'd just run them harder pre tupping, even skip the bolus till scanning if they even need it at all?

Would running hard until tupping, then assuming on better ground for tupping not put ewes on a rising body condition and lead to more lambs. Also if they are as mentioned older, then would want to keep reasonable body condition throughout or risk higher mortality.

 

[JockCroft]

They werent blackface was horrible cross things that have left mongrel looking lambs. They tipped the sheep almost a month before I brought them in to tup.

That early lambing hampered the ewes too I suspect condition and nutrition and I think it also causes them to have a higher percentage as they would have been tupped when they were in their best condition as September and October were ok weather wise

Have you any chance of fencing part of your grazzings (Apportionment), before the the Crofting grants disappear.

 

[spark_28]

Have you any chance of fencing part of your grazzings (Apportionment), before the the Crofting grants disappear.

Na it's all open general. It's not bad ground though and the sheep have a massive area to graze in. Massively under stocked and that's the reason I'm trying to up numbers