Aspiring Peasants
Member
- Location
- North Pennines
Still time for them to be tupped, better a late lamb than running round for a year empty. They’ll be right for next year’s Christmas show
Sheep not inlamb.
- Thread starter Cathaoir1
- Start date
- Location
- Highland
And you'll be laughing lambing in May when we will undoubtedly have blizzards throughout April 
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
I once sync'd 14 recip's. Only needed two. The remainder did not cycle again within 35 days. Although the ewes give no sign of being put up or down by sync-ing it seems that it can play havoc on subsequent ovulations. All the recip's lambed naturally the following season but it was a very costly and ultimately wasteful experience. Timing is absolutely critical. I allowed the team to f'k me about because I didn't know any better. I was scheduled for pre-lunch time, got done past ten at night when all the famous breeders had come and gone. I had a great heap of infertile eggs and learned very valuable lessons. Don't do A.I unless you can afford to lose every penny, one fertile egg or one held A.I pregnancy absolves the team of any issues, don't count on A.I unless you are doing so many at one time the odds even themselves out.
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Oh and one more thing. It doesn't matter what semen you buy, how much your ewes cost. If no-one knows your name or you are not in a clique with another breed and owed a favour or two you're gonna get minimum upset price at the breed sale. When I was star struck with Beltex I bought 4 embryos , fed them and trimmed them to within an inch of their life. Guy who sold me the embryos sold an identically bred, visual twin for 8k and I made 325gns.
This is a lesson best explained to your son early on if he is putting his savings into pedigree sheep. Spending money does not equate to making money in the pedigree sheep world.
I spoke to a retired texel breeder yesterday who said the only time he made money was the day he dispersed his flock.
Sorry to sound negative but hopes are much more frequently dashed in this game than fortunes made.
This is a lesson best explained to your son early on if he is putting his savings into pedigree sheep. Spending money does not equate to making money in the pedigree sheep world.
I spoke to a retired texel breeder yesterday who said the only time he made money was the day he dispersed his flock.
Sorry to sound negative but hopes are much more frequently dashed in this game than fortunes made.
I can sympathise with your son. We emplanted 20 frozen embryos in September, only 3 held. Our fresh embryos and ewes AI'd had a hold rate this year of 60%, normally 70-75%.
Its hard to put a finger on why this happens, there are so many variables. Its especially disheartening when they repeat 3/4 cycles in.
Sponging the ewes and tipping naturally next year will undoubtedly get a better hit rate, but perhaps you might miss out on using a proven AI sire, so there are pros and cons.
Erm…sorry to be that poster…but…
....in my experience. But go on do tell!
In all common sense natural service of unsponged ewes should work out better than natural service of sponged ewes which should work out better than fresh AI which should work out better than frozen AI, but the overlap in the ranges of probability is such that this is by no means guaranteed. Smaller numbers can skew this even further.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I have always had better conception rates (in early season) for ewes that have been sponged and AI’ed, than for ewes that have been sponged and served naturally (at 1 adult ram:10 ewes).
Lamb everything later now, so most served naturally in season and precious little AI done. Conception rates and fertility higher, especially in ewe lambs.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use AI to bring in new genetics if I fancied them though.
For AI and ET 70% first time conception is our benchmark. Less than that is a poor year, more a good year. There are so many variables, and ask the Vets what accounts for a good or a bad result and they can’t always say. Of course, there’s a long way to go to market and this is only stage one…but if they’re not there now we’re not going to magically gain any…I have always had better conception rates (in early season) for ewes that have been sponged and AI’ed, than for ewes that have been sponged and served naturally (at 1 adult ram:10 ewes).
Lamb everything later now, so most served naturally in season and precious little AI done. Conception rates and fertility higher, especially in ewe lambs.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use AI to bring in new genetics if I fancied them though.
On the other hand Sportsman’s Double Diamond (350,000gns) was the only embryo in a flush…
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
A good job he was the only one. Imagine the damage two of those could do to your breed?
