Tupping sheep

James169

Member
We're lambing in two blocks this year. To get the first block as tight as possible we are going to put the tups in with all the sheep and when 1/3 are marked sort them out and leave a tup with them to clean up any returns. Then put the other tups in to start the second block middle march. Has anyone ever done this.
Any information would be appreciated
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
How wil you tighten lambing if you leave a tup in for returns? Or do you mean leaving him in with that 1/3 that were marked?
If so, no reason it wouldn't work. You'll have most of that 1/3 lambing in a week (assuming they're all cycling when the tups go in), then the rest later.

Good use of teasers 'could' give you almost everything from the lot in 10 days though, in theory......
 

James169

Member
Sorry yes the tup will be left with the 1/3 that have been marked other tups will be pulled out until they go back in with what's left to lamb in march
 

elmo

Member
Location
West Wales
Agree with Jemski, why leave the tups in with a few, it will be more hassle than leaving them in with all the sheep. If you have a certain number that you'd like to lamb in the first group I'd personally tup a further 10% more the first time then take the rams out from everything until they go back in for the March lambing.

What do you mean by good use of teasers Neilo? How long do you have them in for?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
What do you mean by good use of teasers Neilo? How long do you have them in for?

I didn't say I make good use of them...:unsure:

I don't use teasers to make a very tight lambing, but I do put them out for at least a month before tupping so that they are all cycling naturally by the time the rams go in, so I end up with most of them done in one cycle.
IIRC the timings for getting a very tight lambing are to start by keeping the ewes out of sight & smell of any rams/teasers for at least 3 weeks, then put teasers in for 10-14 days, then put entire rams in. If all goes to plan, the vast majority of the ewes should then come on in the first week to ten days....... in theory. Of course, it'll all be buggered up if a neighbours puts his tups into the field on the opposite side of the hedge, or yours/his escape, etc.
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Or if it works really well and they all lamb in a week but it just happens to be raining or snowing all week....
That's why I'm not keen on teasing etc... on outdoor lambing and it "F's" it down for that period then I can't house 2500 plus animals.
At least spread out over 6 weeks we should get some good weather. We start the ewe lambs on the main flocks 20th day so that there isn't a lull between flocks. The 90 terminals lambing for 60 days before the main flock is a nuisance mind.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
That's why I'm not keen on teasing etc... on outdoor lambing and it "F's" it down for that period then I can't house 2500 plus animals.
At least spread out over 6 weeks we should get some good weather. We start the ewe lambs on the main flocks 20th day so that there isn't a lull between flocks. The 90 terminals lambing for 60 days before the main flock is a nuisance mind.

That's why I tease for a month beforehand. Gets the ewes cycling, but tupped a cycle later, when they're spreading out a bit. Barring incidents with infertile Rams in the single sire mated groups, almost everything is in lamb and done over 17 days, but nice and evenly over that period. Ewe lambs obviously drag out more, over two cycles, but happy enough with being that tight.
Not being blessed with outdoor lambing weather in Febuary round these parts:whistle:, I aim to lamb when it 'should' be better, in April. We might have a cr*p week, but inlikely to get 17 days of it...... hopefully.:unsure:
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Every commercial ewe with us sees 8 Rams during the tupping period incase of any infertiles or problems etc..
the January/February lambers are in at night and are so spread out over the 2 months because a school brings children to hold lambs each week. 450 children and probably 45-50 teachers saw a birth last year (y)
 
IIRC the timings for getting a very tight lambing are to start by keeping the ewes out of sight & smell of any rams/teasers for at least 3 weeks, then put teasers in for 10-14 days, then put entire rams in. If all goes to plan, the vast majority of the ewes should then come on in the first week to ten days....... in theory. .

Trying this this year, would people need a higher ram:ewe ratio do you think? If so what would people think?
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Trying this this year, would people need a higher ram:ewe ratio do you think? If so what would people think?

FW have done a article on using teasers, I'll upload a photo of it if I'm near FW today. It was on about 1:20-25 with the entire ram as they'll all be in heat the same time. I've got 25 Rams left if you want 1 S?
 
FW have done a article on using teasers, I'll upload a photo of it if I'm near FW today. It was on about 1:20-25 with the entire ram as they'll all be in heat the same time. I've got 25 Rams left if you want 1 S?

The article would be great, cheers Al. I'd like one but all my ram money went on an import - we can't all win them ;) so no more rams for me this year but maybe next. I'll have to wheel the old boy out again - he'll be happy.
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
The article would be great, cheers Al. I'd like one but all my ram money went on an import - we can't all win them ;) so no more rams for me this year but maybe next. I'll have to wheel the old boy out again - he'll be happy.

I've got some really really nice BFL ram lambs that would be £150-£175
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
The article would be great, cheers Al. I'd like one but all my ram money went on an import - we can't all win them ;) so no more rams for me this year but maybe next. I'll have to wheel the old boy out again - he'll be happy.
IMG_5677.JPG
 

James169

Member
Quick update regarding our first year trying this.

We put the tups in with ALL ewes to lamb Feb 9th. We didn’t use teasers so the early lot were slow. But we got the desired 150 marked in 21 days. So pulled the tups out and the ewes that we’re marked.
We then put the tups back in a week yesterday to do the remaining 200. I went yesterday to change colour of marker. And there is 170 out of the 200 marked in 7 days.


Hopefully be busy that week.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
My rams been in 8 weeks the day and teaser was in 3 weeks before that better a late lamb than no lamb

By the time I get to the end of April/beginning of May, I would prefer no lamb and a good cull ewe sale, rather than wondering if there will be a hung lamb somewhere in the field on the day I was busy and only got to scan over the hedge at the sheep whilst passing. Each to their own.:)
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
We use teasers , but leave in for 2 or 3 cycles before main rams , i found pulling after first cycle or so they lambed very tight and had some empties / returns , left a bit longer most would lamb evenly over 1 cycle quite well , even the earlies (early dec / jan) which for us reduced workload as we turn pedigrees straight out after 2 days and gave us a better spread with weather and keeping an eye on youngest etc , just tupping the replacement shearlings now and using 4 new rams (changed out every 3 or 4 days ) about 3-4 gone a day , only one left to tup now ,
 

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