trace element requirements in young lambs

[GTB]

Do you know I even rewrote my post twice to take any potential double entendre out of it. I think you need to get out more (not with me!).

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[GrannyAching]

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

It's fine - need a bit of humour this morning don't we? I think I might actually have to turn the radio off and go and look at the lambs.

 

[GTB]

It's fine - need a bit of humour this morning don't we? I think I might actually have to turn the radio off and go and look at the lambs.

I agree it's tragic. My daughter's boyfriend is in Manchester uni, luckily not involved, but it certainly brings home the reality of the situation. It must be heartbreaking for the families involved.

 

[exmoor dave]

CoSecure lamb boluses? They are absolutely huge compared to the Mayo ones.

I used them for a couple of years, and saw an improvement in a lot of the lambs. Then I started doing more intensive rotational grazing with one group, which meant the lambs were moved more regularly and the covers were taken down. I noticed lots of half absorbed blue boluses dotted about. I started looking more closely and picked up more than 15% in various states of erosion. There would obviously have been many more that I didn't find too (I'm too lazy to look THAT hard). I haven't used them since.
.

@exmoor tom


Neilo do what tom did last year......collect up a bag of half dissolved regurgitated cosecures......... &dump on the cosecure stand at South sheep

Think tom is still waiting for the company to get back to him


I had the same problem with zincosel many years ago, followed instructions, warmed them up....... still found them all over the place over the next 6 months at various stages of dissolve.

 

[Al R]

@exmoor tom


Neilo do what tom did last year......collect up a bag of half dissolved regurgitated cosecures......... &dump on the cosecure stand at South sheep

Think tom is still waiting for the company to get back to him


I had the same problem with zincosel many years ago, followed instructions, warmed them up....... still found them all over the place over the next 6 months at various stages of dissolve.

When bolusing pre lambing we have the hot water bottles out and put packets of bolus's around the hot water bottle. This time of year it's warm enough when bolusing the lambs not to use the hot water bottles.

 

[Al R]

It's fine - need a bit of humour this morning don't we? I think I might actually have to turn the radio off and go and look at the lambs.

You can come and bolus with me if you want!

 

[GrannyAching]

You can come and bolus with me if you want!

Tempting but this week's lesson planning calls! Also OH's birthday today - he might draw the line at me disappearing off to do someone else's sheep - he thinks mine take too much time! But I will get down to the Med of Wales soon.

 

[alwayslearning]

B1 injection came today pack says can be injected from 3 weeks so tempted to give all lambs it at first O vivac at 4-6 weeks old give them a ml to see them out vet says do them at 8- 10 with 1/2 ml but I think they will benefit from it earlier

 

[Poorbuthappy]

When bolusing pre lambing we have the hot water bottles out and put packets of bolus's around the hot water bottle. This time of year it's warm enough when bolusing the lambs not to use the hot water bottles.

I did that but still found several boluses in a field they'd been moved to a few days after being bolused.

However I agree you wouldn't notice the mayo ones.

 

[Razor8]

@exmoor tom


Neilo do what tom did last year......collect up a bag of half dissolved regurgitated cosecures......... &dump on the cosecure stand at South sheep

Think tom is still waiting for the company to get back to him


I had the same problem with zincosel many years ago, followed instructions, warmed them up....... still found them all over the place over the next 6 months at various stages of dissolve.

i use the cosecure pre lambing and ive never come across a regurgitated bolus yet, is it long since ye found them?

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

So, what have we learnt about boluses over the last few months? They're a ball ache to administer, you'll probably kill the sheep in the process, they're expensive, they spit them out and even if they don't, they still don't do the job!....May be it's time to take the blinkers off!.......Still, it's shows the power of marketing if nothing else !!!

 

[Poorbuthappy]

So, what have we learnt about boluses over the last few months? They're a ball ache to administer, you'll probably kill the sheep in the process, they're expensive, they spit them out and even if they don't, they still don't do the job!....May be it's time to take the blinkers off!.......Still, it's shows the power of marketing if nothing else !!!

Sounds like you're the one with blinkers with that analysis.

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

Sounds like you're the one with blinkers with that analysis.

It's merely a summary of the comments made by many people on here.....But you carry on, doggedly sticking to the latest fad, at least you'll have the satisfaction of being part of the 'in crowd'...!

 

[Al R]

So, what have we learnt about boluses over the last few months? They're a ball ache to administer, you'll probably kill the sheep in the process, they're expensive, they spit them out and even if they don't, they still don't do the job!....May be it's time to take the blinkers off!.......Still, it's shows the power of marketing if nothing else !!!

We've been on them for years and serious lack cobalt, do you ever have lambs where the hair on the ears is flaking off by 8 weeks old?
Bolusing isn't a tough job, awkward sheep make it tough. Bolused 534, drenched 534 and clikzin on 534 today and feel like I've done 534 rounds with Tyson on my arms mind :0
Land that hasn't had sheep/livestock on for a while you will probably get away with it but intensive sheep for 35 years and you've got to give it something! Our lambing % went up from 160-185% since we started bolusing and no other part of the system was changed for a few years to prove it.
Lambs thrive and don't melt this time of year when bolused, we will have 70% sold fat before weaning, helped majorly by bolusing I would say as the lambs arnt getting knocked back through their growth stages.

Their are some complicated systems to bolusing like the 3 bolus traffic light system that I see no point in but may suit smaller flocks?

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

u

We've been on them for years and serious lack cobalt, do you ever have lambs where the hair on the ears is flaking off by 8 weeks old?
Bolusing isn't a tough job, awkward sheep make it tough. Bolused 534, drenched 534 and clikzin on 534 today and feel like I've done 534 rounds with Tyson on my arms mind :0
Land that hasn't had sheep/livestock on for a while you will probably get away with it but intensive sheep for 35 years and you've got to give it something! Our lambing % went up from 160-185% since we started bolusing and no other part of the system was changed for a few years to prove it.
Lambs thrive and don't melt this time of year when bolused, we will have 70% sold fat before weaning, helped majorly by bolusing I would say as the lambs arnt getting knocked back through their growth stages.

Their are some complicated systems to bolusing like the 3 bolus traffic light system that I see no point in but may suit smaller flocks?

Of course mine, like most other people's lambs (and ewes) need mineral supplementation, but considering all the well documented problems from boluses, and that's from the enthusiasts, why carry on using them when you don't need to? It sounds like many of the bolus zealots are using mineral buckets, salt licks and drenches anyway from their history of comments, so they shouldn't need the boluses......Mine certainly don't

 

[Razor8]

u

Of course mine, like most other people's lambs (and ewes) need mineral supplementation, but considering all the well documented problems from boluses, and that's from the enthusiasts, why carry on using them when you don't need to? It sounds like many of the bolus zealots are using mineral buckets, salt licks and drenches anyway from their history of comments, so they shouldn't need the boluses......Mine certainly don't

Good for you that has the minerals in the land. Some of us aren't that lucky

 

[Al R]

u

Of course mine, like most other people's lambs (and ewes) need mineral supplementation, but considering all the well documented problems from boluses, and that's from the enthusiasts, why carry on using them when you don't need to? It sounds like many of the bolus zealots are using mineral buckets, salt licks and drenches anyway from their history of comments, so they shouldn't need the boluses......Mine certainly don't

Only our twin ewes a few weeks before and a few weeks post lambing get some mineral licks. No other licks the whole year! Or mineral drenches! We havnt had many problems with bolus's as a rule and been on zincosel (bimeda) for 12-13 years now..

 

[Poorbuthappy]

It's merely a summary of the comments made by many people on here.....But you carry on, doggedly sticking to the latest fad, at least you'll have the satisfaction of being part of the 'in crowd'...!

No, yours was a grossly exaggerated, blinkered and even fabricated summary of some of the issues people have found with using some of the boluses. Even more so than the bucket salesman's patter.
Did you want a similar summary of why people prefer not to use buckets?

 

[JD-Kid]

big thing is most drench guns the nossle is to long for lambs and will damage them in some cases
any TE's need to be back up before use by tests to see if needed or would a change of feeds help overcome probs in some cases

 

[TALDLONKTUP2]

No, yours was a grossly exaggerated, blinkered and even fabricated summary of some of the issues people have found with using some of the boluses. Even more so than the bucket salesman's patter.
Did you want a similar summary of why people prefer not to use buckets?

Eeeer FABRICATED!!!!!!......Try reading the treads.....Then responding with a reasoned argument