TexX ewes - which Tup to use?

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
Aye I think you can only put the sheep gates in the middle - cattle gate can be put at each 2ft section like the Ifor.



As my previous reply, no issue to me. I don't use the dividing gates...

I don’t often use them though the first time I did I discovered they shipped the trailer with two lower deck gates. The upper divider gate has an extra bar. So worth checking you gave the right gates.
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I don’t often use them though the first time I did I discovered they shipped the trailer with two lower deck gates. The upper divider gate has an extra bar. So worth checking you gave the right gates.

I'll have to have a look - i did notice hanging on the sides they looked the same (and thought to myself that it was a sensible design idea...)
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
They can be a right pain when taking ewes and lambs out as gates won’t open inward like an Ivor . So ewes push past you as your trying to put another in.

It's a bit wet here so not much happening today, having a play with the trailer put the decks down etc
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How far in do you want the back gates to go inwards? Slip a ewe out there no problems

With the decks down the rear ramp steals almost the last 2ft which surprised me (knew you lost a bit of the top deck but didn't realise it was quite as much)... I usually put 25 lambs to a deck on the Ifor, hopefully can still get 25 on top, but they'll be a little tighter. There's a few lynch/clasp pins exposed which won't be an issue with sheep but might not last long with big cattle (thankfully it's mostly cull cows and the odd bull we shift with the trailer - stores almost all go on wagons)

It's definitely stronger built than the Ifor (and ours is 21yr old strong built Ifor, not one of the newer softer ones!)

My one came with the right sheep gates so don't need to go back and complain 😂
 

copse

Member
Mixed Farmer
It's a bit wet here so not much happening today, having a play with the trailer put the decks down etc
View attachment 1033380
How far in do you want the back gates to go inwards? Slip a ewe out there no problems

With the decks down the rear ramp steals almost the last 2ft which surprised me (knew you lost a bit of the top deck but didn't realise it was quite as much)... I usually put 25 lambs to a deck on the Ifor, hopefully can still get 25 on top, but they'll be a little tighter. There's a few lynch/clasp pins exposed which won't be an issue with sheep but might not last long with big cattle (thankfully it's mostly cull cows and the odd bull we shift with the trailer - stores almost all go on wagons)

It's definitely stronger built than the Ifor (and ours is 21yr old strong built Ifor, not one of the newer softer ones!)

My one came with the right sheep gates so don't need to go back and complain 😂
They must have changed the design recently as have seen some that don’t go inward at all.
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
That time of year again... Cocci and Nemo dosing!

Normally put the hill twins away to the summer parks, but they are a much larger group this year - so the Texel twin lambs are up there instead. I've been watching the lambs like a hawk this past week as SCOPS Nemo watch isn't good viewing... was expecting to have to make a start on dosing next week, but this morning 2-3 in the Texel group have quite mucky bums... so I hauled the yard away up this afternoon and gave them their Cocci and Nemo doses. Some ewes aren't great - slot of older ladies are thin and there seems to be quite a few have gotten lame. Did the obvious feet I spotted as they were in the race but no doubt I've missed a few... grass is there but lack of heat is holding everything back (I'm still in winter gear doing checks in the mornings, we are a good 5°c below the average for May so far!) but the lambs are looking very good. Can't see me shearing ewes as early as previous years...

About 130ish ewes with 250ish lambs, split them into 2 groups to fetch in and dose - as in past years it's been too many for the dogs and me to keep under control) but the way the first group ran straight in with no drama (and the fact it was actually about 2/3 of the whole mob and not half 🙄🤣) I should've just gathered them all.
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They seem a very even bunch of lambs - age and size, so I'm hoping the 1 dose for Cocci will keep them all going fine.
Glad they're done as it's the one mob I usually stress about doing
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I've been tailing the ewes in one bunch today in a t shirt, 8 or 9 were struck. The grass down here isn't growing because of a lack of rain.

We've had the rain - the weather finally broke as we came into May (had been very dry since start of March) but the ditches and drains are still empty. On the plus, theres areas I've not seen dry since before the very wet year in 2012, so 10 years!! I think we are still technically in the drought from last year...
The silage grass is starting to motor (and all the dairy's below in the valley are into their 1st cut - ScotGrass is at Dumfries next week) but anywhere getting grazed isn't doing much yet and well behind what is regarded as 'normal'

I was down to the t-shirt whilst working, but still have my dungaree type overalls on... and it came the odd scuff of rain - full waterproofs were at the ready. Wrapped back up to drive home over the hill
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
Also this week while I've been waiting on the grass growing and the lambs needing dosed... I've been cutting back trees, getting the branches off of the fences. Done a good half mile stretch on this shelter belt this week
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Have probably a mile to do on the boundary dyke in 2 sections as the branches are starting to rub the top stones in strong winds. Estate forestry is all contracted out... those guys are only interested in the end harvesting and do not do any maintenance work so if I don't do it, it won't get done
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
After March and April being very dry here, with less than 80mm rain between them, May has been fairly wet (but not torrential!). Can't really think of a day which hasn't had a shower at some point. Things were looking bare and bad for a long time but the last 10 days the grass has exploded into life and things are going well now - the dairy boys would be cutting our silage fields now... Ditches and drains are still low/dry but not too much to worry about currently. It is warm but still doesn't feel hot though and other than the hoggs, the ewes are a long way off shearing - but I'm tempted to get the tups done

Had the TexX ewes with the Beltex lambs fetched in today, ewes tails clipped and a few feet to sort... And lambs wormed.

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Very pleased with them, they've had no creep at all this year. Most will be 25-30kgs and a handful are 30-35kgs. 2 pure Texel ewes and their 3 pure Texel lambs are hiding in here too, but couldn't get a good pic of them
 

firther

Member
Location
holmfirth
After March and April being very dry here, with less than 80mm rain between them, May has been fairly wet (but not torrential!). Can't really think of a day which hasn't had a shower at some point. Things were looking bare and bad for a long time but the last 10 days the grass has exploded into life and things are going well now - the dairy boys would be cutting our silage fields now... Ditches and drains are still low/dry but not too much to worry about currently. It is warm but still doesn't feel hot though and other than the hoggs, the ewes are a long way off shearing - but I'm tempted to get the tups done

Had the TexX ewes with the Beltex lambs fetched in today, ewes tails clipped and a few feet to sort... And lambs wormed.

View attachment 1038014View attachment 1038015View attachment 1038016

Very pleased with them, they've had no creep at all this year. Most will be 25-30kgs and a handful are 30-35kgs. 2 pure Texel ewes and their 3 pure Texel lambs are hiding in here too, but couldn't get a good pic of them
look smart lambs (y)
 
After March and April being very dry here, with less than 80mm rain between them, May has been fairly wet (but not torrential!). Can't really think of a day which hasn't had a shower at some point. Things were looking bare and bad for a long time but the last 10 days the grass has exploded into life and things are going well now - the dairy boys would be cutting our silage fields now... Ditches and drains are still low/dry but not too much to worry about currently. It is warm but still doesn't feel hot though and other than the hoggs, the ewes are a long way off shearing - but I'm tempted to get the tups done

Had the TexX ewes with the Beltex lambs fetched in today, ewes tails clipped and a few feet to sort... And lambs wormed.

View attachment 1038014View attachment 1038015View attachment 1038016

Very pleased with them, they've had no creep at all this year. Most will be 25-30kgs and a handful are 30-35kgs. 2 pure Texel ewes and their 3 pure Texel lambs are hiding in here too, but couldn't get a good pic of them
Very nice blocks of meat.
How have the fathers wintered?
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
If it's bad wintry weather, fetch them inside, it costs next to nothing and protects your investment. They're not designed for bad weather, they're designed for producing meaty lambs that command a premium

If they can't handle weather - then neither can their lambs, which means they aren't fit for purpose. That's why I don't work with BFLs or Charollais.

1 Beltex should handle it fine. The other, which was barer skinned when I bought him, I don't think would - I half thought he had been trimmed to be as bare for sale, but no he is just bloody bare (and a few lambs were bald at birth).

It's a culling offence here.
 

cowboysupper

Member
Mixed Farmer
After March and April being very dry here, with less than 80mm rain between them, May has been fairly wet (but not torrential!). Can't really think of a day which hasn't had a shower at some point. Things were looking bare and bad for a long time but the last 10 days the grass has exploded into life and things are going well now - the dairy boys would be cutting our silage fields now... Ditches and drains are still low/dry but not too much to worry about currently. It is warm but still doesn't feel hot though and other than the hoggs, the ewes are a long way off shearing - but I'm tempted to get the tups done

Had the TexX ewes with the Beltex lambs fetched in today, ewes tails clipped and a few feet to sort... And lambs wormed.

View attachment 1038014View attachment 1038015View attachment 1038016

Very pleased with them, they've had no creep at all this year. Most will be 25-30kgs and a handful are 30-35kgs. 2 pure Texel ewes and their 3 pure Texel lambs are hiding in here too, but couldn't get a good pic of them

Nice lambs. What age are they now?
 

Bill dog

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Scottish Borders
If they can't handle weather - then neither can their lambs, which means they aren't fit for purpose. That's why I don't work with BFLs or Charollais.

1 Beltex should handle it fine. The other, which was barer skinned when I bought him, I don't think would - I half thought he had been trimmed to be as bare for sale, but no he is just bloody bare (and a few lambs were bald at birth).

It's a culling offence here.
Put a calf coat on it, or a foal rug . Protect your investment. 👌
Then post a photo so we call all laugh !👍👍
 

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