Sheep shake up

[paul&mandy]

Hi all. Just running through this while it's fresh. We've had a nightmare lambing this year, major losses through wet weather. Our biggest trouble is when it rains we are on heavy clay on flat ground and it's nothing but a bog.
Now I dont want to rush into things but this so could be our last year lambing 1100 as it's been soul destroying picking up 25+ lambs a day. Got a lot of mastitis now and too many orphan's.
What's our options, run ewe lambs and sell breeding stock? Store lambs ok for winter but need sheep this time of year.
As we run Suffolk mules which I hate with a passion how about going full circle and someone extremely maturnal? Wet weather 1 thing but a ewe that don't stimulate her lambs on a wet day is useless.
Fire away......

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

This is why people have changed to the Romney. You might have a few less lambs born, but more will be alive at the end and you will have a life.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Easycares

 

[copse]

Mule.

 

[Bill dog]

If you can cope with wool, as above , a Romney. Bred pure, or cross to a nz texel for less fluffy mud catching belly wool.
If you don’t like your current ewes, change. Life is too short. My Romney ewes scanned 175 -180 last 3 years , and coped great in this awful weather !

 

[irish dom]

Sorry to hear about your trouble. Seems to have been a shite one for everyone this time. What about good lleyns. Wish I had more this year. Every time I see one she has her two lambs stuck to her. Way better mothers than even my blackie ewes. They would be certainly easier maintained than big Suffolk mules.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Mule.

You trying to finish him off

 

[Sheep92]

Its been a disaster in a lot of places no mater what breed they run but you definitely have the wrong breed dor your system, found any ewe that was suffolk bred a disaster here and seem to be getting worse!
I would try romneys or easycares and keep 6 or 700 instead of 1100, should manage fine even if every spring ends up like this one!

 

[copse]

You trying to finish him off

Can't beat them for getting numbers of lambs on the ground!

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Can't beat them for getting numbers of lambs on the ground!

Yea, triplets and quads

 

[Werzle]

Just keep less

 

[copse]

You can loose 1 or 2 lambs and still turn her out with a pair.

 

[exmoor dave]

Yea, triplets and quads

Or buy lleyns and experience Quins!

 

[cattleman123]

Remember 2 years are never the same,yes change breed if you so wish..do it slowly try a bit of everything, find what suits and you like , but remember next year will be completely different . Its the wrong time to make dramatic decisions after a bad lambing,the sheep cant help the weather,get some rest and think about things with a clear head.

 

[CornishRanger]

Not all about numbers on the ground, it's numbers in the lorry that counts. Large litters just end up with high death rates and lots of work to keep the others alive. Maternal breed sounds like it would suit you, Lleyn or Lleyn x Romney I'd say, but go with what you like, at the end of the day, other than hill or lowland, there is as much variation within breeds as there is between them.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Not all about numbers on the ground, it's numbers in the lorry that counts. Large litters just end up with high death rates and lots of work to keep the others alive. .

You’re right there

 

[beardface]

What’s your setup in or out or both? Do you have big open fields or good sheltered paddocks? When do you lamb? Are ewes bought in or homebred from mules?

 

[hally]

Mule.

That's right kick a man when hes down

 

[Grassman]

Why not drop ewe numbers? Take the 1100 down to 700. Dead lambs cost money and stress.
Less work is less problems.
Less worm burden. You will have the chance to rotate and rest fields. Spread the sheep a bit thinner so there is always a covering of grass on the fields. Mud will be reduced drastically.
Mastitis is a big problem when stocked heavily and makes so much work.
If your short of sheep buy some store lambs. Easy to get the amount to suit your spare grass.

 

[paul&mandy]

what are rommneys like in the mud having so much wool underneath? option would be to belly out. We had some years ago and were very good mothers.. Why the F*ck we keep getting these usless black twits i dont know.
We have a flock of our own mules but we are on drier ground. bloody easy check 1st thing and last thing. Just dont know how they would cope in more mud?