- Location
- Montgomeryshire
As I read it on the form it was tups for so and et work needing to be DNA test, if not I'll have to do mine.....oooooh the joys of extra costs
Perhaps I should read it again...
It was filed under ‘I’ll think about it later’.
Tupping 2018
- Thread starter trewern
- Start date
Perhaps I should read it again...
It was filed under ‘I’ll think about it later’.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Not just the hills, I know of someone that had 1500 mules culled out (with compo), after one that he had sent as a cull was found to have scrapie. They then tested (FOC) all the replacements he’d bought for genotype, and culled the susceptible ones, with more compo. He also received a generous payment to buy RR rams to cover his new ewes, which he obviously needed at a ratio of 1:40.
All because he had one bought in ewe, which had probably picked it up on the holding of birth! He was quite happy with the outcome anyway.
What a waste of public money.
We share the same folder then
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
I have registered but not DNA tested my ram lambs as they are generally sold to commercial buyers who don't need 'provinance' so long as they are sound looking tups, and anyone wanting a tup for pedigree breeding can DNA test them themselves and save me 37quid a head. Biggest problem even if they had been DNA'd is I can't assign a sire as I had to split the ewes into 3 groups of 10 or 11 and simply chuck 3 tup lambs in each group or I would miss the window heat. Waiting for next heat cycle was out due to having a day job and limited holidays and I did not have enough help to consider hand mating and recording who jumped who in the time available as I'd have had to check pedigrees and handle to split them using valuable time before the ewes went off heat.
Probability is I'll have the greatest crop of lambs ever and they'll either go fat or maybe go to Thainstone as un-registered tups.
Probability is I'll have the greatest crop of lambs ever and they'll either go fat or maybe go to Thainstone as un-registered tups.
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
As an aside, I was speaking to a another breeder today who had been at an A.I day shared with a few breeders of several breeds and 5 ex 7 tups and tup lambs failed to provide workable samples. He said he has heard more stories along the same line recently.
I know I've had troubles with pneumonia among my young stock, others have reported similar problems with 20 degree day/night temperature swings and others think the drought and our unseasonably high temp's played a part.
My lads were off grass, no feed and fit but by no means fat.
I know I've had troubles with pneumonia among my young stock, others have reported similar problems with 20 degree day/night temperature swings and others think the drought and our unseasonably high temp's played a part.
My lads were off grass, no feed and fit but by no means fat.
Sorry miss read it! Thought youd put one lamb to 10 ewes, couldn't you just put 1 ram lamb to 3/4 ewes in a pen over night in sheds or small paddocks just to sire, and mark appropriate, then use one tup lamb as a sweeper?
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
If I'd had the time I'd have loved to have done that but to create pens after cross checking pedigrees for compatibility would have seriously reduced the remaining time available in heat and apart from the guy doing the a.i I was on my own. My wife is a great help but as she has Parkinson's I'd rather sacrifice a lambing season than have her risk even her short term health trying her hardest to make complicated and physically demanding things work in a very short time.
I have a full time off farm day job so I rely on one cycle with no repeat. I literally take 7 days off work (11 inc' weekends), lamb and get them established running about a shed and go back to work. It has worked tremendously well in the past with over 90% conception and about 150% lambs sold to total number of ewes in flock. Pride cometh before a fall as they say. I fell, I was due it. With more diligence I could have avoided it. I presumed it would just work as it always did. Nope, not this time.
I have a full time off farm day job so I rely on one cycle with no repeat. I literally take 7 days off work (11 inc' weekends), lamb and get them established running about a shed and go back to work. It has worked tremendously well in the past with over 90% conception and about 150% lambs sold to total number of ewes in flock. Pride cometh before a fall as they say. I fell, I was due it. With more diligence I could have avoided it. I presumed it would just work as it always did. Nope, not this time.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
No diligence in the world will prevent that, and it is the downfall of using cervical AI in sheep. At 90% you have been doing phenomenally well IME.
The only way to provide any certainty in the AI job is to spend more money on laproscopic AI, and have frozen semen as a backup. Of coarse, that's another couple of lambs gone in costs though.
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
I had a bad experience with a famous company doing tens of thousands of L.A.I operations who worked on my sheep ten hours after my prescribed time when rather more famous breeders brought more sheep to the a.i day than they had requested time slots for. At the time I was naive and did not know the consequences. Now I know I was cheated and it left a very sour taste in my mouth. I really didn't want to go back down that route.
I believe a few relatively local vets are starting to offer this service, I may utilise it next year if their results prove their diligence and their integrity isn't swayed by the size of their clients head/reputation.
I believe a few relatively local vets are starting to offer this service, I may utilise it next year if their results prove their diligence and their integrity isn't swayed by the size of their clients head/reputation.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Sorry, I hadn't realised that and appreciate that you would feel hard done by and not want to pay them anything again. I suspect that, if the same had happened to me, I would be having such a hissy fit that they probably wouldn't want to visit me again.
Do any of the other established companies not operate up there at all? Ovibreed (Castle Douglas) and Dan Fawcett (Penrith) are well thought of and may be serving other clients up your way that don't want the others on?
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
There is a small scale company about 25 miles away who are setting up in business, taking on the mantle of another vets practise who stopped offering this service after only a couple of years. I fear that working in a timely, calm, dedicated manner is not actually conducive to making a profit.
I've hauled sheep from here down to Ovi for for other folk, and I got a great impression while watching them. I may look further in to them next year.
I've hauled sheep from here down to Ovi for for other folk, and I got a great impression while watching them. I may look further in to them next year.
- Location
- West Kent
I put a new ram in with a group of early-ish lambing ewes early October for 3 weeks, all the ewes were marked by the end.
Sunday I put an older ram back in with these ewes and he's already re-marked about 15%. I will leave it a week or so to see how many more get re-marked, but should I get the new ram tested before going back to the person I bought him off?
Sunday I put an older ram back in with these ewes and he's already re-marked about 15%. I will leave it a week or so to see how many more get re-marked, but should I get the new ram tested before going back to the person I bought him off?
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
My ewe lambs have decided that they will be having a relaxed lambing next Spring. Only 5 marked in the first 12 days, out of 130, despite being teased. I'm still hoping they will all come on shortly...
They have had to contend with a lot this year, through the grass shortage early on, a Pasteurella outbreak (strain not covered by the vaccine apparently), followed by a rapid spike in worms (1700epg) and an Iodine deficiency despite drenching & bolusing at weaning. Coming together now and recovering well, but may be too little, too late.
They have had to contend with a lot this year, through the grass shortage early on, a Pasteurella outbreak (strain not covered by the vaccine apparently), followed by a rapid spike in worms (1700epg) and an Iodine deficiency despite drenching & bolusing at weaning. Coming together now and recovering well, but may be too little, too late.
- Location
- Cornwall
Changed the raddles on the highlander tups. Good 90% covered. Will see how many return
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Checked yesterday and looks like 95% marked in first 17 days. That will be good if they all settle first cycle.
Bought a few herdwick lambs last year for a bit of fun and tupping them for the first time. They seem to be the ones not marked. Not sure if it’s the hair/wool not showing the paint or if they come into season later. Anyone got experience to share?
Bought a few herdwick lambs last year for a bit of fun and tupping them for the first time. They seem to be the ones not marked. Not sure if it’s the hair/wool not showing the paint or if they come into season later. Anyone got experience to share?
- Location
- Leicestershire
Strange, but my ewe lambs have been the same, tups in since 5th November and the first Teg was marked yesterday. Mine have been short of grass, except I am still horrendously short of grass. I guess the less that get in lamb the less mouths I will have to worry about over winter.My ewe lambs have decided that they will be having a relaxed lambing next Spring. Only 5 marked in the first 12 days, out of 130, despite being teased. I'm still hoping they will all come on shortly...
They have had to contend with a lot this year, through the grass shortage early on, a Pasteurella outbreak (strain not covered by the vaccine apparently), followed by a rapid spike in worms (1700epg) and an Iodine deficiency despite drenching & bolusing at weaning. Coming together now and recovering well, but may be too little, too late.
What a f**king year
Def come in season later than most, expect a lot to get tipped on the second cycle especially younger sheep
muleman
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