TexX ewes - which Tup to use?

[Woolless]

Spied a ewe in the inbye twins with cleansings hanging from her. Got her caught not sure what was going on waterbag was out but intact and she was slack, but not open. Tried to slip everything back in to stock a harness on her, but the bag burst... worked her a little til she opened up and I got the lambs out - alive but both die not long after. She's a good 7-10 days early

Kept a SuffolkX ewe last year - she had been bad lame as a Hogg so couldn't go. By time she was walking I could see she was in lamb. Did the lamb very well so kept her (and the lamb - it'll lamb to the Beltex next month, carrying twins!)... she's lambed twins this morning but no sure if it's her or one of the lambs but they're not staying together, so they're in the shed now.

4 ewes lambs today so far - 3 twins and a single. All good lambs. Starting to feel like lambing is here

Hope you're getting the weather that we are. It's glorious here today. Lambing only 3 1/2 weeks away here. Will need to write the pre-lambing list and start to work through it soon!

 

[Nithsdale]

Hope you're getting the weather that we are. It's glorious here today. Lambing only 3 1/2 weeks away here. Will need to write the pre-lambing list and start to work through it soon!

It's been beautiful here since early last week. But, plenty rain forecast for Wednesday and Friday.. hopefully it won't come to too much

 

[Nithsdale]

4 ewes lambs today so far - 3 twins and a single. All good lambs. Starting to feel like lambing is here

Another 2 ewes lambed tonight, both twins. So that's 6 today

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Think we all have at least one neighbour like that

I reckon it’s much more entertaining comparing disasters. Woke up yesterday morning too an 11 month old suckler bull laid dead as a door nail. No signs of fighting, well settled on the diet

 

[JSmith]

I reckon it’s much more entertaining comparing disasters. Woke up yesterday morning too an 11 month old suckler bull laid dead as a door nail. No signs of fighting, well settled on the diet

Bet that spoilt your day, you don’t want many of them days, stings a bit more than dead ewe!!

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Bet that spoilt your day, you don’t want many of them days, stings a bit more than dead ewe!!

Yeah, spoils your Sunday somewhat. Gave it a good kick, didn’t make me feel much better. Limping now.

But Grandad says it doesn’t matter as long as it stays out of the house. So chin up, curse loudly and carry on

 

[Boydvalley]

I’ll join in.
In the last week 3 ewes chucked their intestines out, 1 ewe with texel throat succumbed, 1 ewe permanently asleep with its head in the round feeder, 2 singles aborted, 3 prolapse harnesses on today.
Can’t wait for next week when the week of pre lambing disasters happen

 

[yellowbelly]

But Grandad says it doesn’t matter as long as it stays out of the house.

That was what my Dad always used to say.
Puts it all into perspective.

 

[z.man]

I’ll join in.
In the last week 3 ewes chucked their intestines out, 1 ewe with texel throat succumbed, 1 ewe permanently asleep with its head in the round feeder, 2 singles aborted, 3 prolapse harnesses on today.
Can’t wait for next week when the week of pre lambing disasters happen

Thought I was having a really bad dream with all sorts of things going wrong, from burst oil pipes, a heifer hurt herself at calving , dead ewe, ewes a bit twin lamby, sheep on the winter barley ....even thought fert was £690t and red diesel over 100ppl, oh and the few Hoggs I had left had dropped £15-20 on both last years and 2020’s price .....thankfully I realised that this is 2022 and that’s just the cards we have been dealt ......went home and played with the kids and all of a sudden the job didn’t feel nearly as bad even if they do think I’m ancient

 

[Anymulewilldo]

went home and played with the kids and all of a sudden the job didn’t feel nearly as bad even if they do think I’m ancient

Now that’s true. Everything can be going wrong outside. Finish all stressed about tomorrow, come inside and the 3 year old little lad is flying around the house shouting “I’m Thor, you’re Hulk” and 10 minutes of play fighting later everting seems better

 

[Nithsdale]

I reckon it’s much more entertaining comparing disasters.

It could get depressing in here if we just share the disasters...
You'd better just pass the whisky now!!




Just 3 ewes lambed today. 1 single this morning, dead so got a lamb off a neighbour.
And a twin and single last thing tonight - had to lamb them both. For being tiny Beltex's the single was big and stuck, just needed a wee pull - she is a maiden Gimmer too. The twin ewe was wearing a prolapse harness which was doing its job, keeping all the bits inside her 1 leg was back on the first and 2nd was coming breech but all doing well now.

The Pure Texels should lamb tomorrow and Friday -going by the dates they were served. And looking them tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if the girl with triplets lambs tonight or tomorrow (maybe I should have fetched her into the shed tonight )



Bloody cold all day here, but dry. The rain started at 5pm though so goodbye to the good weather!

 

[spark_28]

That was what my Dad always used to say.
Puts it all into perspective.

cant kill you or make you pregnant is my favourite one

 

[Nithsdale]

Not as much rain yesterday as was forecast. 4 lambed yesterday. A single still in its bag but she's not got lots of milk. In the shed with her but didn't twin anything on yesterday... another single and 2 twins - they're all fine.

3 today. Another single, dead big lamb. She got it out but I'm guessing hung for a bit through the night. Another single going fine and the pure Texel marked as triplets was lambed first thing, but only 2 lambs with her - up and going well. Have a look round no sign of a 3rd so get her caught and have a quick feel... Find a minging shriveled up thing about the size of my palm stuck just inside. Pull it away from her and she's up licking at it keen

Got 2 lambs from a neighbour to twin on for the 2 dead singles. Ones a 7/8 Texel, pure black. See how it grows I might keep it for the niece (and it'll grow the pure flock if it has a daughter or 2 )

I've 3 jerry cans for the bike, 2 are empty so when I was away thought I'd fill them just incase supply gets tight in the next couple days. 168.9p petrol, diesel at 177.9p I guess I can be accused of panic buying... but bloody hell I don't fancy walking at lambing so I should be good for the next 10-14days. Diesel bike is still here so wouldn't be totally stuck, but I'll put money on it breaking down if it's put back on the front line

 

[Nithsdale]

Yesterday started dry but bloody hell it was wet by night time. Showery here today everything's now a gitter mess

Lost 1 lamb in the rain last night, disappointed as didn't think anything was dodgy... fetched in a twin last night born mid afternoon - 1 lamb was a bit hunched/holding its head low and I didn't think it had sucked. In and a dose of colostrum it was doing grand at bed time - check in this morning and I can't even tell which of the 2 I had fed

Twin scanned pure Texel was stood after lunch yesterday with waterbag hanging. Sat and watched her for a few mins decided to catch her and see what's going on. Everything felt fine she just wasn't opened up fully so I let her go... Back round later no farther on and with the rain coming down I fetched her in. 7pm still no farther on so decided she was having them before the rugby! Sat and worked for a bit and she opened up. Felt the 2 lambs, both alive, and brought the smaller one forward... got it out and for a good 10 seconds I was sure it was dead then burst into life - some relief! Nice wee ewe lamb. 2nd lamb was a bit bigger, because she had been tight it took a bit of work to get it to come. Wasn't in the hips long at all before it was out. Big tup lamb but it wouldn't lift it's head, no life or kick to it... just lay breathing. Sat with it for a good 10-15mins but no change so left them to it, hoping it'd come round in time... sadly dead when I went back in at 10pm.
I've ended up with 2 ewe lambs and a tup. There's the 3 pure Texel hoggs lambing to the Beltex yet, so might get more tups

4 ewes lambed yesterday in the end - the Texel, 2 other twins and a single.

Had a twin and a single this morning so far.

 

[Nithsdale]

Another 3 twins and a single to add to the 2 first thing - had to lamb 1 of the twins and the single... took the nephew to see the lambs, because I was sure nothing would be happening and I was sure I wouldn't be catching anything

 

[Nithsdale]

View attachment 1022280

Has it been a long day?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Oh feck. Sorry!!

 

[Nithsdale]

No worries. It was a nice read without looking in on the fuel tracker thread

 

[Nithsdale]

Not too much to report... can't remember what lambed on Sunday 1 pair and 1 triplet yesterday. Triplet had 1 dead so just a twin. Some rain yesterday everything was a right mess but turned into a nice evening for last rounds

Big single this morning - honestly, I thought these Beltex's were small things?!? Starting to worry for long the hoggs next month

Gathered most of the ewes down onto their lambing fields yesterday. Inbye twins, singles and triplets should start tomorrow... hill twins should start at weekend. Fed the hill twins off the hill, into high fields this morning but there's about 30-40 of them (Gimmers) still out on the hill which never come to the feeding. Today's job, I'll take the dogs and get them after lunch


Should really get some pics taken, I'm really liking how the Beltex lambs are filling out, they older ones are looking very good

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Are you finding any difference in hardiness with your Beltex lambs outside? They can sometimes be a bit bare but I find they are usually quick to get up and suck