Sheep sponges without P.M.S.G. ?

[Longlowdog]

I'm planning on running a tup with my Beltex on 25th October after sponging. This late in the year will I need P.M.S.G. Last year at the same time I used 1.4ml and ended up with too many triplets hence I'm wondering if it is more trouble than it's worth?

 

[z.man]

Probably

 

[neilo]

I'm planning on running a tup with my Beltex on 25th October after sponging. This late in the year will I need P.M.S.G. Last year at the same time I used 1.4ml and ended up with too many triplets hence I'm wondering if it is more trouble than it's worth?

If they are cycling naturally then no, you won’t need PMSG (unless you need tighter synchrony for AI). If they’re not cycling, you could get a number that don’t come on for the tup.

Can you run a teaser with them first, or an entire ram in a pen?

 

[Longlowdog]

@neilo I can run the ewes in a very small field next to the tups in a similarly small field. How likely are Beltex ewes to be cycling late October? I've never used a natural cycle without P.M.S.G for years and figure folk with ewes would know when they cycle a wee bit better than my vets who would probably be making an educated guess.
I'll move the ewes and tups closer together this afternoon. Perhaps there will be an obvious commotion next to the fence.

 

[neilo]

@neilo I can run the ewes in a very small field next to the tups in a similarly small field. How likely are Beltex ewes to be cycling late October? I've never used a natural cycle without P.M.S.G for years and figure folk with ewes would know when they cycle a wee bit better than my vets who would probably be making an educated guess.
I'll move the ewes and tups closer together this afternoon. Perhaps there will be an obvious commotion next to the fence.

No idea with Beltexes, apart from mine have been running with the rams for a week and only one is marked so far (teasers were in beforehand too). When I used to run Texel x ewes they wouldn’t be cycling by October 12th, when I turned the rams in, and would come on a week or so later. When I started using teasers they would all be waiting for the rams like a party of hens in Newcastle.

That was in Gloucestershire too, and I suspect nature would run a bit slower up there...

 

[Longlowdog]

Nature certainly runs slower up here. I might hold off with the sponges till I see some activity by the fence. I'm in no hurry this year. The ewes and tups have been apart by accident rather than design so there may be an element of teaser effect when they get closer anyway.