- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
TexX ewes - which Tup to use?
- Thread starter Nithsdale
- Start date
- Location
- Devon
Yes, I was meaning in use...Scroll up
But I'll take some of it set up tomorrow
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Sorry @Poorbuthappy no pictures of the trailer in action today. Left the phone in the house to keep it safe.
The 109 TexX ewes shorn today
started at 10:30am and 60 were done by 12:15 when I stopped for lunch. Neighbour was here to lend a hand and did the odd one when he had a spare moment. Ewes were back in their field for 3:30.
They were not really ready, though (which added to my shock as to how many were done by lunch time!!), They could have done with another 10-14 days... but I found, I think, 6 were struck - so I'm really glad they are now done or this weekend wouldn't have been fun
Day 7 of shearing. 570 done. Stupid cold holding me back and a couple days of 50-60... but I'm definitely upto speed now. The trailer is a joy to shear from, and much easier to keep sheep coming to - I've been informed
Suffolk (and Cheviot) lambs doing well. Pretty sure there's a draw there ready - that big Chev front and centre is almost 40kg. If I can get a spare day I'll get something done
The 109 TexX ewes shorn today
started at 10:30am and 60 were done by 12:15 when I stopped for lunch. Neighbour was here to lend a hand and did the odd one when he had a spare moment. Ewes were back in their field for 3:30.They were not really ready, though (which added to my shock as to how many were done by lunch time!!), They could have done with another 10-14 days... but I found, I think, 6 were struck - so I'm really glad they are now done or this weekend wouldn't have been fun
Day 7 of shearing. 570 done. Stupid cold holding me back and a couple days of 50-60... but I'm definitely upto speed now. The trailer is a joy to shear from, and much easier to keep sheep coming to - I've been informed
Suffolk (and Cheviot) lambs doing well. Pretty sure there's a draw there ready - that big Chev front and centre is almost 40kg. If I can get a spare day I'll get something done
That’s the thing at the moment, sheep aren’t fully ready to shear, but flystrike is here. Not much of a window to get sheep sheared.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Weather warnings yesterday for thunder storms and torrential rain... so decided not to do any shearing. Got a wee bit rain but it never came to much, so felt like a day wasted in the end. One of the handpieces had been running hot in the back section, so I took advantage of the down time to do a full strip and clean. Hopefully it'll be running fine tomorrow...
Today's forecast was to be good, so the plan for tomorrow is to knock off the hill singles (75 ewes) and the smaller of the 2 inbye mobs (80 ewes). Set off to gather the hill, absolutely scorching heat but decided to take my Ridgeline smock anyways. Bloody glad I did, halfway through the gather I was left hiding under a tree as it chucked it down!... I remained dry, but the hill is a steep valley with a burn in the bottom. You have to walk the far side to gather it as it's too steep to take a bike. Wading through thigh high bracken - atleast it kept my bottom half cool...
After gathering the hill i came home to dry off and have my tea. Set off back out and brought the hill ewes down close bye to home, ready for shearing tomorrow. Lovely evening for shifting ewes
Today's forecast was to be good, so the plan for tomorrow is to knock off the hill singles (75 ewes) and the smaller of the 2 inbye mobs (80 ewes). Set off to gather the hill, absolutely scorching heat but decided to take my Ridgeline smock anyways. Bloody glad I did, halfway through the gather I was left hiding under a tree as it chucked it down!... I remained dry, but the hill is a steep valley with a burn in the bottom. You have to walk the far side to gather it as it's too steep to take a bike. Wading through thigh high bracken - atleast it kept my bottom half cool...
After gathering the hill i came home to dry off and have my tea. Set off back out and brought the hill ewes down close bye to home, ready for shearing tomorrow. Lovely evening for shifting ewes
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Both lots in, shorn and back out
The batch of inbye eyes were pretty good going... Started at 10:30 and the 80 were back in the field for 12.
But the hill singles some were really good, some were ok but probably half were not really ready. Disappointed because they've had an easy time and had looked good... Also, can't understand how a Hogg rearing a single, which managed to get out on the hill was better shearing as most of the adult ewes rearing a single
i let 1 ewe go, she was big and fit but I've never seen such tight wool, couldn't even fight the shears in under and just work it off... did the leg and just gave up.
155 in total today, just 270 left at home to do.
I keep leaving my phone away from me when I'm shearing so no pictures.
The batch of inbye eyes were pretty good going... Started at 10:30 and the 80 were back in the field for 12.
But the hill singles
some were really good, some were ok but probably half were not really ready. Disappointed because they've had an easy time and had looked good... Also, can't understand how a Hogg rearing a single, which managed to get out on the hill was better shearing as most of the adult ewes rearing a single i let 1 ewe go, she was big and fit but I've never seen such tight wool, couldn't even fight the shears in under and just work it off... did the leg and just gave up.
155 in total today, just 270 left at home to do.
I keep leaving my phone away from me when I'm shearing
so no pictures.
That hogg must be a bpoody good ewe
if she has a ram lamb keep it
if she has a ram lamb keep it
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
She is rearing a very nice Cheviot daughter
A keeperShe is rearing a very nice Cheviot daughter
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Another 140 done today, not quite 3 hours at it. Just the hill twins left to do tomorrow. Well seen last year's gimmers have had the hardest time of it, not an enjoyable age group to clip.
@Poorbuthappy no action shots (I'm not going to do a selfie whilst shearing and my mate might not appreciate a camera in his face) but here's the trailer with sheep in it, ready for the off!
About 860 done, and about 880 to do... half way there
@Poorbuthappy no action shots (I'm not going to do a selfie whilst shearing and my mate might not appreciate a camera in his face
) but here's the trailer with sheep in it, ready for the off!About 860 done, and about 880 to do... half way there
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- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
The 130 hill twins done today. Easily the best clipping group so far! That's us broke the 1000 mark.
I've still got my tups to do, but that's it - my ewes are done for the year 160 to do for a neighbour, then up to my mates to crack on with his 600 but he is not confident they are ready yet (his dry hoggs definitely were not!)...
It's raining here tonight. Yellow warnings upto lunchtime tomorrow, so it'll be a (welcome) rest day before going again on Friday.
Most years i will shear half of everything (2 of us shearing together), but this year i've done 65-70% of them all so far...
Normally I have aches and pains by this point - usually my right knee due to an old injury, and sometimes my shoulder from catching/turning the ewes over in the pen. This year, with the trailer, my muscles are a little tired, but I feel really good! Have I said how great the trailer is?!?
I've still got my tups to do, but that's it - my ewes are done for the year
160 to do for a neighbour, then up to my mates to crack on with his 600 but he is not confident they are ready yet (his dry hoggs definitely were not!)...It's raining here tonight. Yellow warnings upto lunchtime tomorrow, so it'll be a (welcome) rest day before going again on Friday.
Most years i will shear half of everything (2 of us shearing together), but this year i've done 65-70% of them all so far...
Normally I have aches and pains by this point - usually my right knee due to an old injury, and sometimes my shoulder from catching/turning the ewes over in the pen. This year, with the trailer, my muscles are a little tired, but I feel really good! Have I said how great the trailer is?!?
- Location
- N.Lincs
I suspect it might be very handy for dosing as well later in year if they’d run up the ramp unassisted ( up hill to escape to freedom in a sheeps mind)
And to think you didnt want it when your dad bought it
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
And to think you didnt want it when your dad bought it
I've already told him all is forgiven
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Heavy rain last night and some very strong winds! Leaves everywhere today and a few trees down...
Packed up the trailer, and set off to the neighbours, just to set up for tomorrow (there is a tailboard goes on the back!). Ramp, 8x4 board, 2 5x4 cubicle mats and the wool packing crate all aboard with space spare for extra hurdles if needed
The winds kept up all day, and the sun was out by lunch time. Things were dryin up well, so another 57 got clipped this afternoon. Really big, fit Scotch Mule ewes which just did not want to sit or cooperate at all!! Hardest days fight I've ever had... not looking forward to the other 100 now excellent shearing, if they had bloody behaved
A friend who does a bit of contract shearing had phoned at the weekend propositioning me to go with him to do a few nights for another neighbour who has mobs of 60-70 all over the place and wants them done in the evenings between other jobs... so away I go tonight to knock off another 73 dry hoggs with him. I've also agreed to do a batch of 77 ewes tomorrow after doing the 100 plus 130 or so Blackies at some point... I didn't mean to start contacting
I'm a wee bit glad rain is forecast Saturday - Monday. I need a few days rest!
Packed up the trailer, and set off to the neighbours, just to set up for tomorrow (there is a tailboard goes on the back!). Ramp, 8x4 board, 2 5x4 cubicle mats and the wool packing crate all aboard with space spare for extra hurdles if needed
The winds kept up all day, and the sun was out by lunch time. Things were dryin up well, so another 57 got clipped this afternoon. Really big, fit Scotch Mule ewes which just did not want to sit or cooperate at all!! Hardest days fight I've ever had... not looking forward to the other 100 now
excellent shearing, if they had bloody behaved A friend who does a bit of contract shearing had phoned at the weekend propositioning me to go with him to do a few nights for another neighbour who has mobs of 60-70 all over the place and wants them done in the evenings between other jobs... so away I go tonight to knock off another 73 dry hoggs with him. I've also agreed to do a batch of 77 ewes tomorrow after doing the 100
plus 130 or so Blackies at some point... I didn't mean to start contacting I'm a wee bit glad rain is forecast Saturday - Monday. I need a few days rest!
- Location
- Loch lomond
The shearing trailer I have now is an old converted Harrington .I work on opposite side on raised section I clipped on this trailer with a contractor just after I learned to shear 25 years ago after ten or so years he got a two stand trailer and I got this one for the fixing , needed a lot of work new axle all new wood but she does me grand had her 12 years now and do my own and about 15 local farms.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
The remaining 100 (turns out it was actually 109) done this morning, housed before the rain. They actually sat and behaved today so were pretty easy going. Couple hours rest/banter with the neighbours and multiple cups of tea before moving the trailer 3-400yds down the road to do the 77 ewes in the corner of the field - the good old Horner 3.2 12v comes into its own with no electricity my handpiece managed to take in some wool at the cogs at some point, the back drive got really hot... instead of wasting time clearing it, I always have a spare handpiece with me. So just swap the comb and cutter over and carry on! A comment was made that I'm better set up for contracting than most contractors
728 sheep done this week (Mon-Fri), 1300 in total so far. With what's left that I'm committed to do (so long as silaging at home doesn't become the priority), should break the 2000 mark.
my handpiece managed to take in some wool at the cogs at some point, the back drive got really hot... instead of wasting time clearing it, I always have a spare handpiece with me. So just swap the comb and cutter over and carry on! A comment was made that I'm better set up for contracting than most contractors 728 sheep done this week (Mon-Fri), 1300 in total so far. With what's left that I'm committed to do (so long as silaging at home doesn't become the priority), should break the 2000 mark.
Some might say at 2000 ewes you might be a contractor, well over here you would beThe remaining 100 (turns out it was actually 109) done this morning, housed before the rain. They actually sat and behaved today so were pretty easy going. Couple hours rest/banter with the neighbours and multiple cups of tea before moving the trailer 3-400yds down the road to do the 77 ewes in the corner of the field - the good old Horner 3.2 12v comes into its own with no electricity
728 sheep done this week (Mon-Fri), 1300 in total so far. With what's left that I'm committed to do (so long as silaging at home doesn't become the priority), should break the 2000 mark.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway