muleman
Member
Yes we run them on a hill farm.we have swales because we are breeding the north of england mule gimmer lamb.
Sheep Scanning
- Thread starter lincolnred
- Start date
That’s a big scan for Swales, if they all have ewe lambs you’ll be happy? Do you sponge them or feed them heavy before tupping to achieve that scan?
muleman
Member
Ha, yeah we will....although wether lambs are doing as well as ewe lambs this time! We sponged and AI'd 380 of them which usually gives us a heavy crop but this time the naturally tupped ones scanned almost as heavy....we sold our ewe lambs in sept and all the wethers went onto a dairy farm so we had plenty of grass at tupping....ewes never had any concentrate feed and havnt had any yet. Will have to start to give the triplets some before long.
Well you must be doing something right sounds like your gonna be busy! We start in ten days with the first 800 so soon be in the thick of it, 75 triplets an three quads in that bunch, Suffolk cross an mules
muleman
Member
Youll be busy in a bit then, youve not done so bad if you've restricted them to 75 triplets....all the best with them anyways!
Yeah I thought that, I restricted 80 to singles as well so we should be alright!?
Done ours today and pleased with the result. Better than last year. Teeswaters 175% no empties, Woodlands 150%inc 1 empty , Hebrideans 175% 2 empty , Greyface dartmoor 200% no empties, Lincoln longwools 175% 1 empty, Leicster longwools 100%, Portlands 100%, norfolks 100 % inc 3 empties ,masham 200% and commercials 176% . Mainly twins and a few singles. Not bad
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Sounds like a good scan. Thought the Norfolk's might be a bit more prolific?
I always thought they were but three years on the trot now they've been close to the 100 - 120 mark. Finding certain lines are more prolific than others so trying to steer towards those now.
- Location
- Near Derby
I had my sheep scanned yesterday. The first batch of 60 was 266%, yes 266% and the second 55 was only 222%. In the first 60 there was only one single, so I hope my neighbours need some cade lambs.
The sheep are mostly home bred Texel X Mules and a few Rouge X Mules.
The sheep are mostly home bred Texel X Mules and a few Rouge X Mules.
An ancient git
Member
Sounds like we all need to review our budgets ..... If this many lambs about . and survive , then prices may be 'cheap as chips' in '20 !!
- Location
- Cheshire
Long time between scan and sale...
Scanned our first 400 this afternoon, mules and Mashams 196%, texels and suffolks 188% (chuffed too bits with this, last year only scanned at 164%) Cheviot Mules went through last and totally stole the show 206%, averaged at 198%, an all time record for ours! not too bad for triplets all through I could have managed without the quads altogether and the big old mule ewe carrying 5 is just taking the pee. We've been scanning 30 years now and wouldn't dream of stopping. Everything gets split and fed according to litter size and BCS. It does away with those great big single lambs when the ewes been troughing more than her share! It also punishes the singles as they have to make do on haylage while the multiples get beet and molasses with theirs!
Got another 80 ewes to do then 200 mule and cheviot mule shearlings then onto the 250 mule and chevi mule ewe lambs. They will bring the average down between them! ?
Scanned our first 400 this afternoon, mules and Mashams 196%, texels and suffolks 188% (chuffed too bits with this, last year only scanned at 164%) Cheviot Mules went through last and totally stole the show 206%, averaged at 198%, an all time record for ours! not too bad for triplets all through I could have managed without the quads altogether and the big old mule ewe carrying 5 is just taking the pee. We've been scanning 30 years now and wouldn't dream of stopping. Everything gets split and fed according to litter size and BCS. It does away with those great big single lambs when the ewes been troughing more than her share! It also punishes the singles as they have to make do on haylage while the multiples get beet and molasses with theirs!
Got another 80 ewes to do then 200 mule and cheviot mule shearlings then onto the 250 mule and chevi mule ewe lambs. They will bring the average down between them! ?
FrazzledMummyFarmer
Member
- Location
- Lancashire
Scanned my little flock of Exlana's/Easycare's this week. 228% and no singles 
I'd only weaned the lambs the day before the tup went in, hoping I'd get less triplets than last year but no such luck. Looks like pet lambs again for me this year
I'd only weaned the lambs the day before the tup went in, hoping I'd get less triplets than last year but no such luck. Looks like pet lambs again for me this year
- Location
- West Wales
why pet lambs? What I fail to adopt off at under 36 hours old have to rear their own, with no help/feed etc....Scanned my little flock of Exlana's/Easycare's this week. 228% and no singles
I'd only weaned the lambs the day before the tup went in, hoping I'd get less triplets than last year but no such luck. Looks like pet lambs again for me this year
- Location
- Somerset
Scanned my 21 ewes today. 8 doubles, 12 singles and 1 empty. Happy enough but would have liked a few more doubles.
FrazzledMummyFarmer
Member
- Location
- Lancashire
Because I'm a wuss and I've lost some in the past by leaving 3 on so I'd rather take one off and leave them with 2.
An ancient git
Member
Leave 3s on always . Feed the ewes for 6 weeks and often creep their lambs . A lot cheaper and easier than powder etc . If they're daft enough to have 3 ..... One ewe has done it 3 years on trot now .
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
The weather is too good currently (ignoring the bloody rain), grass is growing like stink!...
Mother Nature is sure to apply a compensatory weather 'correction' around March-May.
muleman
Member
Wont be any grass where sheep are in a fortnight...just mud...then condition will be hard to keep onto pregnant ewes!
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Don't think I've seen grass growth like it here, at this time of year before - actually feeling grossly understocked this morning doing my rounds!
But aye, the amount of rain there's been the ewes are ploughing gateways and where I'm feeding them... not that they're on much feed, mind!
But I'm fearful, and fully expect, a change for the worse in the weather