Sheep’s fertile period

[Tommy_T]

Just a quick question, been trying to find a definitive answer online with no luck.

When is a sheep’s fertile period? I know when they come into season in the Autumn they have cycles every 17 days that last for x amount of hours, but how long does the cycling continue if they’ve not been impregnated? Asking as after my ewes were marked as “done” first half of October I’ve witnessed the ram up to business with one of them again The same thing happened in November (different ewe). Assumed maybe a foetus started but fizzled out, and that it was still conceivable that she was cycling. This is January now though so I am confused (as well as naive) as I thought cycling would have finished.

I wanted to keep the ram with them as a flock as they are only a small group and I know of others that do this with no problems. I also couldn’t have him by himself. Next year I plan to have him with the ram lambs and will prob wether one as a companion but this year I’ve been a bit stuck.

Anyway, if anyone can enlighten me it’d be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[An ancient git]

They'll still be cycling ! As long as you mark up the ewes and record date , no prob . How long they cycle for depends on breed . Had a similar case last year ; she lambed 31/5 .

 

[neilo]

When they start cycling, and how long they cycle for, will vary between breeds and between individuals. Some will even cycle at any time of year, eve with lambs at foot.

Identify the late ewe if you can, then either lamb her later, or cull, depending on your attitude towards never ending lambing periods.....

 

[DartmoorEwe]

It depends on the breed (and other things). The more native types will cycle 2 or 3 times but the more commercial types will be more. There are some breeds that will cycle in response to the ram's presence so no time is safe. I have just one ram and have taken to running him with 2 ewes who are known good lambers to keep him company. - they both lambed 2 weeks before the main flock last year.

 

[Tommy_T]

Thank you! Have marked it down so know who she is. I had it in my head that it was only two or three cycles per period. She was originally bred on 13/10 so I’m surprised that a) if she didn’t take then she didn’t cycle again before now and b) that if she’d aborted there wasn’t any evidence of it? I went to a course about pre-lambing losses this week so am furtively keeping my eyes open for issues as we are around that 90 day mark.

They’re Hill Radnors so not exactly commercial these days; they’re classed as a rare breed now but not sure of their commercial status prior to them almost being wiped out.

That flock is pretty small so one late lamber shouldn’t be an issue. We’re, touch wood, getting them scanned in a couple of weeks so should have a better idea of what’s going on. But if she does indeed lamb late does this mean she is effectively out of action for tupping this year? Or would there be time for recovery of condition if the tup went with them say a month later than he did this year?

Next year I think we should be able to have him separate so can control the lambing period a little better. We are still in our first year of having sheep and have made more than one mistake but at least we are learning what works best.

 

[Spartacus]

We had 4 lamb while clipping in late July/august last year, they were scanned empty in Feb and were tupped just after then.

 

[Tommy_T]

We had 4 lamb while clipping in late July/august last year, they were scanned empty in Feb and were tupped just after then.

Do you keep the ram in all year?

 

[farmerm]

We had 4 lamb while clipping in late July/august last year, they were scanned empty in Feb and were tupped just after then.

Do you keep the ram in all year?

Had similar last year with a texal cross dropping 2 lambs in mid July. We had lost a ram mid tupping and rather than put him on his own we left the survivor with the ewes and lambs until weaning when he got put with a cull ewe for company. Not really sure why the ewe didn't hold sometime earlier, possibly she was one that was tupped in Autumn but aborted and started cycling again in the spring. A friend of mine used to lamb 3 crops a year with his small flock.. ram only had to look at them to get them in lamb. I forget the breed but when he sold the flock, ewes with lambs still at foot, a number of them went to the ram again in the very short time they where in a trailer together on way to their new home

 

[Highland Mule]

Was short of fields with grass last lambing so put the ewe hoggs in with the tups for March/April. Had a lamb on the last day of July 2019 from an April 2018 born beltex cross. A wee bonus and the lamb has done very well - will probably go off prime in February. I weaned it late, and I'm pretty sure the ewe has been tupped again this season but she will probably be one of the late lambers as she has second cycle raddle colour on her.

 

[Estate fencing.]

I had welsh ewe being tupped yesterday, I had the same happen last year because I don’t take the tup out until tailing the lambs because they are not very easy to get to. Usually get the odd welsh lamb after shearing but to do take the tups out at Christmas with the mules. On another note I once had 5 pure Suffolk’s that it left a tup in with all year and he never got one in lamb, pulled him out and got 60 mules in lamb. And all 5 ewes lambed first service to another tup.

 

[Spartacus]

Do you keep the ram in all year?

No, had them out from second cycle, dont remember details after scanning but we must have put empties in with tups thinking they would have stopped cycling. Got rid of some cast and stuck the rest on the fell for next year. Must have been in long enough to catch a few.

 

[Al R]

Thank you! Have marked it down so know who she is. I had it in my head that it was only two or three cycles per period. She was originally bred on 13/10 so I’m surprised that a) if she didn’t take then she didn’t cycle again before now and b) that if she’d aborted there wasn’t any evidence of it? I went to a course about pre-lambing losses this week so am furtively keeping my eyes open for issues as we are around that 90 day mark.

They’re Hill Radnors so not exactly commercial these days; they’re classed as a rare breed now but not sure of their commercial status prior to them almost being wiped out.

That flock is pretty small so one late lamber shouldn’t be an issue. We’re, touch wood, getting them scanned in a couple of weeks so should have a better idea of what’s going on. But if she does indeed lamb late does this mean she is effectively out of action for tupping this year? Or would there be time for recovery of condition if the tup went with them say a month later than he did this year?

Next year I think we should be able to have him separate so can control the lambing period a little better. We are still in our first year of having sheep and have made more than one mistake but at least we are learning what works best.

You’ll be wanting to scan sooner rather than later if conception was 13/10 for most of the flock

 

[An ancient git]

Years ago , by accident , rams escaped into some Welsh Mountain gimmer lambs . Away from home ! 10 lambed late June /early July no probs ..... Took lambs off about mid-Oct and the (now) Y'lings took the ram from 1/11 and held fine .... Not ideal , but Nature has a funny way of correcting the job . Best advice is to NEVER panic about things that don't fit the textbook ..... Just go with the flow ......

 

[Tommy_T]

We are taking things as they come but feels more like riding the rapids than going with the flow!! I just keep reminding myself that it is all a learning process which means things can only get easier.

They were meant to be scanned at the end of Dec but due to what we’ll call miscommunication it didn’t happen. So I think it’s now the next week or so.

My other flock aren’t getting scanned at all. We haven’t been successful getting anyone to scan here for one reason or another and due to their nature it would be pretty challenging taking them elsewhere. I don’t want to stress them anymore than needed.

 

[Al R]

We are taking things as they come but feels more like riding the rapids than going with the flow!! I just keep reminding myself that it is all a learning process which means things can only get easier.

They were meant to be scanned at the end of Dec but due to what we’ll call miscommunication it didn’t happen. So I think it’s now the next week or so.

My other flock aren’t getting scanned at all. We haven’t been successful getting anyone to scan here for one reason or another and due to their nature it would be pretty challenging taking them elsewhere. I don’t want to stress them anymore than needed.

Sheep will take far more movements/stress let’s call it than you think! Why not scan the other flock - or are they Suffolk’s? Like many others I’ve boxed a few hundred ewes before to scan and then back out again as the pens were better (plus footbath) and saved the scanner having to set up again.

 

[SLA]

I had a North Ronaldsay ewe lamb beginning of September one year, left lamb on and she lambed with the others the following year, ram wasn’t left in but mixed for a few hours when came in for lambing. One year I lambed everything end June/beginning July as had grazing issues ( black and white horses appeared in my tupping field just before tupping time) they all lambed then and again normal time next year - ewes black and badger welsh, north ronaldsay and crosses. Two black welsh both had triplets and reared them and then lambed again normal time, I thought producing 5 lambs in 8 months was pretty good going.

 

[Estate fencing.]

We are taking things as they come but feels more like riding the rapids than going with the flow!! I just keep reminding myself that it is all a learning process which means things can only get easier.

They were meant to be scanned at the end of Dec but due to what we’ll call miscommunication it didn’t happen. So I think it’s now the next week or so.

My other flock aren’t getting scanned at all. We haven’t been successful getting anyone to scan here for one reason or another and due to their nature it would be pretty challenging taking them elsewhere. I don’t want to stress them anymore than needed.

Don't worry that you are doing things wrong to much, if you think that people with big flocks and have been doing it for years don't have problems your wrong. When I started I only had 30 ewes and used to sit up at night worrying that I was doing the jobs wrong and all things that happened to the sheep where my doing, it wasn't until I started working on big flocks it realized that everyone has problems and makes mistakes.

Also don't worry about stressing them now they are well in lamb, I could cause you more problems not getting them scanned than a little stress gathering them.