TexX ewes - which Tup to use?

[Boydvalley]

Sweet spot down here for live is 45/46 kg coming back at £100 this week.
Now your feeding will you go for a bit more weight in future batches. Would more than pay for the feed this year.

 

[Nithsdale]

No. Once they hit 40kg, they go. But now they're on feed they will weigh/kill out a bit better

 

[Razor8]

No. Once they hit 40kg, they go. But now they're on feed they will weigh/kill out a bit better

Is that much better than last year?

 

[Nithsdale]

Is that much better than last year?

Must be £20 up on last year... the job was in free fall through September and October 2019

 

[AftonShepherd]

Got 40 going the same road next week, hope the price keeps up. Eleven that were too big hit £100 at Ayr on Monday.

 

[AftonShepherd]

How have your tup lambs do this year?

I've got a stonker of a Texel but have to be honest and admit that (thanks to a couple.of pets) the pure texels were creep fed which goes against my original intentions. Not convinced forage-fed will work here most years anyway - just need to try and not overdo them.

 

[Nithsdale]

How have your tup lambs do this year?

I've got a stonker of a Texel but have to be honest and admit that (thanks to a couple.of pets) the pure texels were creep fed which goes against my original intentions. Not convinced forage-fed will work here most years anyway - just need to try and not overdo them.

I've 3 pure Texel tup lambs. The pure Ewe lamb dropped dead mid summer

The big single tup lamb looks very good. The twins - 1 is good, the other is tiny. I'm thinking the ewe didn't have enough milk for the 2 of them... he is pretty smart so I will run him on and see what he is like as a shearling.

I've got about 10 or 12 Lleyn and NCCxLleyn tup lambs too... trying to sell 1 or 2 to a neighbour. They're nothing fancy, but as lambs they never are - they change a lot as they mature

 

[AftonShepherd]

I kept 5 NCC tup lambs, three look good, other two are ok, but as you say they're never fancy until they mature. Any that don't do will always make teasers

 

[Nithsdale]

I had sorted out my ewe lambs on Wednesday. Surprised myself by having around 180 to pick from - usually only about 150-160. I had been keeping around 130 each year but I'm keeping 140 this time, seeing as I have so many.

Fetched them back in this morning before the rain. Tailed, cobalt master bolus, wormer and tagged... I'll let them settle over the weekend but that's them ready to get shipped away to wintering next door

Don't notice them so much in the mob as a whole, but when working with the lambs individually I did notice I do seem to have a higher number of Cheviot crosses this year... some have a little bit of the Chev nose or ears but it's hard to tell - or notice when mixed through the rest. Then some are like this girl and stick out like a sore thumb!

 

[Bones]

The queen of sheep

 

[Razor8]

I had sorted out my ewe lambs on Wednesday. Surprised myself by having around 180 to pick from - usually only about 150-160. I had been keeping around 130 each year but I'm keeping 140 this time, seeing as I have so many.

Fetched them back in this morning before the rain. Tailed, cobalt master bolus, wormer and tagged... I'll let them settle over the weekend but that's them ready to get shipped away to wintering next doorView attachment 907003View attachment 907004View attachment 907006View attachment 907010

Don't notice them so much in the mob as a whole, but when working with the lambs individually I did notice I do seem to have a higher number of Cheviot crosses this year... some have a little bit of the Chev nose or ears but it's hard to tell - or notice when mixed through the rest. Then some are like this girl and stick out like a sore thumb!
View attachment 907011

what kind of weights are your replacements averaging?

 

[Gator]

I had sorted out my ewe lambs on Wednesday. Surprised myself by having around 180 to pick from - usually only about 150-160. I had been keeping around 130 each year but I'm keeping 140 this time, seeing as I have so many.

Fetched them back in this morning before the rain. Tailed, cobalt master bolus, wormer and tagged... I'll let them settle over the weekend but that's them ready to get shipped away to wintering next doorView attachment 907003View attachment 907004View attachment 907006View attachment 907010

Don't notice them so much in the mob as a whole, but when working with the lambs individually I did notice I do seem to have a higher number of Cheviot crosses this year... some have a little bit of the Chev nose or ears but it's hard to tell - or notice when mixed through the rest. Then some are like this girl and stick out like a sore thumb!
View attachment 907011

Very nice gimmers niths, i did all mine about 3 week ago, second dise of heptavac, wormed and bolus, didnt need to tag as i tag at birth, still all got the tags in .
Same ive kept more back. normally about 140 , upped it to about 180 this year, still trying to build numbers back up after the beast from the east kicked my arse and took 63% of mi gimmers that year, getting there slowly, afew shearlings bought in to speed it up abit but cant beat home bred .

 

[Nithsdale]

Very nice gimmers niths, i did all mine about 3 week ago, second dise of heptavac, wormed and bolus, didnt need to tag as i tag at birth, still all got the tags in .
Same ive kept more back. normally about 140 , upped it to about 180 this year, still trying to build numbers back up after the beast from the east kicked my arse and took 63% of mi gimmers that year, getting there slowly, afew shearlings bought in to speed it up abit but cant beat home bred .View attachment 907133
View attachment 907134

I maybe should keep more, but the bottom end was quite poor - wonder if the drought knocked them, as the ewes wouldn't be milking so well...

Those boluses sound ideal. If I could add 1 thing to the Mayo ones it'd be iodine. I know you can get them in the 4-in-1 but I think the supply of cobalt and selenium for 12months is of bigger importance (and I don't want to start bolusing twice a year)

 

[Nithsdale]

what kind of weights are your replacements averaging?

I don't weigh them so don't really know...
But I'd say my gimmers should mostly be around 65-70kg (the Cheviot crosses are a little bigger).

Ewe lambs vary quite considerably. The smallest could be 32-34kg and the biggest 45+kg. I'd think the majority will be around 40-42kg though

 

[Nithsdale]

Very sick feeling this morning. I've f*cked up and have written off one of the ewe lambs.

Turns out I caught a back leg tendon with the clippers yesterday. Didn't even know I had done it. I watched/checked all the lambs as they ran back out of the shed to the field and never noticed anything. But there was no missing her when I checked them this morning.

Its been 8 or 9 hours since I found her and I'm still p*ssed with myself.

Went away up next door and walked the gimmers home to take my mind off the ewe lamb. I've been working the new dog, gathering the fat lambs, as I feed them and she's starting to get it and learn... Still needs a lot of work but Ben sat back and let her shift the gimmers and she did well!

For her reward I worked her some more once we were home. I let her loose on the ewe lambs and fetched them back in. She did really well with them, as they can be awkward and want to run in all directions...

Took 2 trailer loads up to beside the wind farm. There's just 45 left to go up, maybe tomorrow, and I'll need to draw back a lamb to replace to one I've knackered. They'll stay on that inbye grass for a week or 2, then get shifted up to the masts in the background where they will stay all winter

 

[irish dom]

Very sick feeling this morning. I've f*cked up and have written off one of the ewe lambs.

Turns out I caught a back leg tendon with the clippers yesterday. Didn't even know I had done it. I watched/checked all the lambs as they ran back out of the shed to the field and never noticed anything. But there was no missing her when I checked them this morning.

Its been 8 or 9 hours since I found her and I'm still p*ssed with myself.

Went away up next door and walked the gimmers home to take my mind off the ewe lamb. I've been working the new dog, gathering the fat lambs, as I feed them and she's starting to get it and learn... Still needs a lot of work but Ben sat back and let her shift the gimmers and she did well!

For her reward I worked her some more once we were home. I let her loose on the ewe lambs and fetched them back in. She did really well with them, as they can be awkward and want to run in all directions...
View attachment 907236
Took 2 trailer loads up to beside the wind farm. There's just 45 left to go up, maybe tomorrow, and I'll need to draw back a lamb to replace to one I've knackered. They'll stay on that inbye grass for a week or 2, then get shifted up to the masts in the background where they will stay all winter

Know the feeling. Was shearing horned store ram lambs for a neighbour the other day and caught back tendon. Sinking fecking feeling when it happens but it does happen. Anyone clipping big amounts will tell you that wee lambs are tramps for it. Hang her up and forget about it. I know it doesn't help you much but I know how it feels. sh!t.

 

[Woolless]

Very sick feeling this morning. I've f*cked up and have written off one of the ewe lambs.

Turns out I caught a back leg tendon with the clippers yesterday. Didn't even know I had done it. I watched/checked all the lambs as they ran back out of the shed to the field and never noticed anything. But there was no missing her when I checked them this morning.

Its been 8 or 9 hours since I found her and I'm still p*ssed with myself.

Went away up next door and walked the gimmers home to take my mind off the ewe lamb. I've been working the new dog, gathering the fat lambs, as I feed them and she's starting to get it and learn... Still needs a lot of work but Ben sat back and let her shift the gimmers and she did well!

For her reward I worked her some more once we were home. I let her loose on the ewe lambs and fetched them back in. She did really well with them, as they can be awkward and want to run in all directions...
View attachment 907236
Took 2 trailer loads up to beside the wind farm. There's just 45 left to go up, maybe tomorrow, and I'll need to draw back a lamb to replace to one I've knackered. They'll stay on that inbye grass for a week or 2, then get shifted up to the masts in the background where they will stay all winter

I know that feeling. Second year here I had a fully shedding Beltex x Easycare ewe lamb, my favourite. She lambed herself down next the hedge on a bad night on an exposed field about 8pm, lovely Southdown x lamb. I decided to catch them up and bring them in. I slipped as I caught her and snapped her leg, heard the crack. One of those times when you think there's a God watching and he's got it in for you. Shot the Hogg and reared the lamb as a pet

 

[ewefool]

Did the same last year horrible feeling , gutted every time you passed her in the shed till the knackerman came for her, you feel really guilty she should have had a full and hopefully productive life ahead. Clipped all back ends up away from legs this year ewes and lambs not as easy especially if they are dirty or claggit.

 

[Gator]

Very sick feeling this morning. I've f*cked up and have written off one of the ewe lambs.

Turns out I caught a back leg tendon with the clippers yesterday. Didn't even know I had done it. I watched/checked all the lambs as they ran back out of the shed to the field and never noticed anything. But there was no missing her when I checked them this morning.

Its been 8 or 9 hours since I found her and I'm still p*ssed with myself.

Went away up next door and walked the gimmers home to take my mind off the ewe lamb. I've been working the new dog, gathering the fat lambs, as I feed them and she's starting to get it and learn... Still needs a lot of work but Ben sat back and let her shift the gimmers and she did well!

For her reward I worked her some more once we were home. I let her loose on the ewe lambs and fetched them back in. She did really well with them, as they can be awkward and want to run in all directions...
View attachment 907236
Took 2 trailer loads up to beside the wind farm. There's just 45 left to go up, maybe tomorrow, and I'll need to draw back a lamb to replace to one I've knackered. They'll stay on that inbye grass for a week or 2, then get shifted up to the masts in the background where they will stay all winter

Your not the only one thats done that mate, im in the same club , its a sick feeling when it happens and it happens so fast. Ewes seem fine in the combi clamp but gimmer lambs tend to fidget all the time and so easy done. But since ive used the turnover ive not done one

 

[Ysgythan]

I know that feeling. Second year here I had a fully shedding Beltex x Easycare ewe lamb, my favourite. She lambed herself down next the hedge on a bad night on an exposed field about 8pm, lovely Southdown x lamb. I decided to catch them up and bring them in. I slipped as I caught her and snapped her leg, heard the crack. One of those times when you think there's a God watching and he's got it in for you. Shot the Hogg and reared the lamb as a pet ☹

Unsplintable?