Scanning 2021

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
Scanned here today.

IMG_20211228_174551_133.jpg


The drought has hurt most groups.
The Hill ewes were running grass on peat ground which thrives in drought so they've exceeded all expectations

Last group was a cock up (ewes and hoggs jumped dyke and got mixed this morning and I didn't have time to sort out before scanner coming)... 58 ewe hoggs in that group and I noted they're about 128% and the ewes about 176%

Not looking forward to the "lamb with no head" 😳


IMG_20201230_144714_693~2.jpg


Last year's scan for comparison. I feel I've done well this year considering the 58 hoggs...
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
Scanned here today.

View attachment 1005835

The drought has hurt most groups.
The Hill ewes were running grass on peat ground which thrives in drought so they've exceeded all expectations

Last group was a cock up (ewes and hoggs jumped dyke and got mixed this morning and I didn't have time to sort out before scanner coming)... 58 ewe hoggs in that group and I noted they're about 128% and the ewes about 176%

Not looking forward to the "lamb with no head" 😳


View attachment 1005848

Last year's scan for comparison. I feel I've done well this year considering the 58 hoggs...

interesting he’s picked out issues. My chap never does that and he’s very experienced.
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
interesting he’s picked out issues. My chap never does that and he’s very experienced.

My guy always do that - no extra charge. He marks for bad bags, dying/dead embryos etc... anything to watch for. First time I've heard him say there's a lamb with no head though 🙈

I help a close friend scan, he uses a different scanner man and like you gets no additional feedback - he doesn't even say if a ewe will lamb late
 
My guy always do that - no extra charge. He marks for bad bags, dying/dead embryos etc... anything to watch for. First time I've heard him say there's a lamb with no head though 🙈

I help a close friend scan, he uses a different scanner man and like you gets no additional feedback - he doesn't even say if a ewe will lamb late
Your guy sounds super. Apart from him telling you about no head - he could have lied 😃
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
My guy always do that - no extra charge. He marks for bad bags, dying/dead embryos etc... anything to watch for. First time I've heard him say there's a lamb with no head though 🙈

I help a close friend scan, he uses a different scanner man and like you gets no additional feedback - he doesn't even say if a ewe will lamb late

I can’t remember the last time I had a scanner that marked the sheep himself. Is that normal up your way?
I always have to spray the scanner with aerosol gas myself.
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I can’t remember the last time I had a scanner that marked the sheep himself. Is that normal up your way?
I always have to spray the scanner with aerosol gas myself.

His crate is built inside an Ifor tup/calf trailer so not much chance I could mark them... He uses paste and just dabs them as he goes. All I need to do is keep the sheep going into his trailer
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
I can’t remember the last time I had a scanner that marked the sheep himself. Is that normal up your way?
I always have to spray the scanner with aerosol gas myself.

My scanner sprays ewes himself, I’m too busy get ewes to run the race to him.
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
. First time I've heard him say there's a lamb with no head though 🙈

Had a ewe last year that I swore the lamb had no head. Buggered if I could get it out to begin with.

Turned out it was malformed but had a head but the size of a walnut. That was twisted back.

It was complicated by the second lamb coming at same time.

Caused a bit of head scratching to begin with.

Second lamb was perfectly healthy.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
His crate is built inside an Ifor tup/calf trailer so not much chance I could mark them... He uses paste and just dabs them as he goes. All I need to do is keep the sheep going into his trailer

My scanner is coming to do the first mob tomorrow afternoon. I have to arrange for Mrs NeilO to be on hand for pushing up, or I could manage on my own with the dogs.

Not that I mind standing chatting with the scanner as I mark them, with my good lady doing the work though.😂
 
Last edited:

Mc115reed

Member
Livestock Farmer
My scanner sprays ewes himself, I’m too busy get ewes to run the race to him.
Same mine does it herself it speeds the process up a lot and no chance of miscommunication over the day by time she’s shouted single and iv asked her too say it again would soon add up to a lot of time wasted… writes a big L on there arse if they’re late too not had any other feedback than that in the past
 

Kernowkid

Member
I can’t remember the last time I had a scanner that marked the sheep himself. Is that normal up your way?
I always have to spray the scanner with aerosol gas myself.
Same here our last guy who’s now retired used to mark them with paint as hated someone with a spray can in his face all day. Makes a hell of a difference in terms of labour
 

Purli R

Member
interesting he’s picked out issues. My chap never does that and he’s very experienced.
Same here, too much of a hurry might say if theres something really obvious. crate weighs 2 ton needs 2 to lift it in his truck,been coming for years but got fed up with all the rushing & getting to make enough mistakes (mostly missing 2nd or 3rd lamb) So got a new starter last year:unsure: bit slow but thorough, just as accurate at lambing.👍
 

SR7

Member
Livestock Farmer
62% twins here is that good or bad. Can only tupping twin born ewe lambs improve this?
I also wonder wether only breeding from twins would work, anybody any knowledge of this?
I did hear once that twinning isn't very heritable so won't be passed on to offspring very strongly?
 

Kernowkid

Member
I also wonder wether only breeding from twins would work, anybody any knowledge of this?
I did hear once that twinning isn't very heritable so won't be passed on to offspring very strongly?
We’ve only retained replacements twins for the last 15 years or so, doesn’t seem to make a huge difference. Breed, bcs and time of year they tup seem to affect it from my experience
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
I also wonder wether only breeding from twins would work, anybody any knowledge of this?
I did hear once that twinning isn't very heritable so won't be passed on to offspring very strongly?
Every triplet ewe lamb I’ve ever kept has had triplets as a ewe lamb, yearling and the next year. I’ve only kept twins for 4years and have had years up to 70% twins in all ewes/yearlings combined.

A farm I buy hill brokers from only keep singles for their own flock and they scan 175%, I have some twin born ewe lambs off the same farm and they scan nearer 185%
 

Ysgythan

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Ammanford
Scanned ewes today and numbers are up about 5% on last year.

But 12% are triplets with a few quads mixed in.

Outdoor lambing flock and triplets are a pain really.

How are others scans?

Scanner man said been mixed, some about same as last year but a few back, one place 25% back for some reason.
Scanning % is up but first time conception is down. Sold a couple of crossers scanned with quads.
 

muleman

Member
Scanned here today.

View attachment 1005835

The drought has hurt most groups.
The Hill ewes were running grass on peat ground which thrives in drought so they've exceeded all expectations

Last group was a cock up (ewes and hoggs jumped dyke and got mixed this morning and I didn't have time to sort out before scanner coming)... 58 ewe hoggs in that group and I noted they're about 128% and the ewes about 176%

Not looking forward to the "lamb with no head" 😳


View attachment 1005848

Last year's scan for comparison. I feel I've done well this year considering the 58 hoggs...
Where will you tag the one with no head?🤔
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.8%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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