When to scan sheep

[Agri]

After how many days after the ram has came into the field of ewe do you scan

 

[TexelBen]

After how many days after the ram has came into the field of ewe do you scan

Whenever the scanner tells me I give him dates for tups in/tups out and he tells me when it's time to scan

 

[irish dom]

I work on 80 days after ram turnout.

 

[yellowbelly]

I work on 80 days after ram turnout.

Pretty good target, I'd say. Unless there's a lot tupped on day one, then I'd go nearer to 70 days.

After how many days after the ram has came into the field of ewe do you scan

Scan too soon and he'll miss some that are tupped later, scan too late and he'll know that they're in lamb or not but he'll be less accurate as to whether they are singles, twins or triplets.

 

[irish dom]

I say 80 as a target to guys. Means if there is a hold up etc i still have a fortnight to play with before they get sticky to count. Dont let them near 100 days. Its a pain trying to count ewes gone too far. Some will be impossible. Scanner will not enjoy it. Sponged ewes with no chaser ram would be fine from 70days. Also dont go too early as you will have lots of lates and empties that need doing again

 

[Al R]

6-10 weeks pre lambing. As long as ewes are over 6 weeks pregnant it’s fine. Mine are done straight off the field, no keeping in overnight to empty out

 

[Macsky]

@NZDan

 

[neilo]

We’ve been scanning our main lot quite late for the last couple of years, purely to wait for the early lambs to be weaned and the shed free to starve ewes overnight, and scan undercover. tups have been going in on Nov 5th and we’ve been scanning mid-Feb, so 100 days or so, and I don’t get more than a handful in the second cycle. Scanner is happy enough to be undercover, and his workload is easing off and seems to fly through at normal speed and not make any mistakes. He’s obviously good at his job though.
It’s handy that it’s also about time to do the pre-lambing jabs while they’re in, then back out on the roots until ready to draw into lambing fields.

No early lambs this year though, so I’ll probably pull them forward to nearer 80 days, freeing the sheds up to house any thinner ewes due at the end of Feb.

 

[scholland]

We’ve been scanning our main lot quite late for the last couple of years, purely to wait for the early lambs to be weaned and the shed free to starve ewes overnight, and scan undercover. tups have been going in on Nov 5th and we’ve been scanning mid-Feb, so 100 days or so, and I don’t get more than a handful in the second cycle. Scanner is happy enough to be undercover, and his workload is easing off and seems to fly through at normal speed and not make any mistakes. He’s obviously good at his job though.
It’s handy that it’s also about time to do the pre-lambing jabs while they’re in, then back out on the roots until ready to draw into lambing fields.

No early lambs this year though, so I’ll probably pull them forward to nearer 80 days, freeing the sheds up to house any thinner ewes due at the end of Feb.

I think the fact you lock them inside to starve them is key here, 100 say pregnancies and bellies full of silage ain't fun.

80 days is a good guide but how the ewes are presented is also important

 

[NZDan]

I work on any time between 80-100 days from ram joining ewes. But depending on the flock and the farmer and other circumstances I will scan as early as 70 day and as late as 120 days.

 

[irish dom]

I work on any time between 80-100 days from ram joining ewes. But depending on the flock and the farmer and other circumstances I will scan as early as 70 day and as late as 120 days.

Often scan hill ewes a month or so pre lambing when they are gathered in March or early April. Quite easy as you are only picking out twins and dries and they are usually well spread out. Different ball game with big fat mules at 100 days with a big ball of lambs inside them on the first cycle. Always amuses my mates locally who are long finished lambing how late in the year before i park up the trailer

 

[sheep breeder]

Usually scan 70/ 80 days to pick up first two serves with the rams and then scan again to get the late ewes. Emptied ewes makes scanning easier and he marks ewes for first and second serve to help with lambing.

 

[NZDan]

Often scan hill ewes a month or so pre lambing when they are gathered in March or early April. Quite easy as you are only picking out twins and dries and they are usually well spread out. Different ball game with big fat mules at 100 days with a big ball of lambs inside them on the first cycle. Always amuses my mates locally who are long finished lambing how late in the year before i park up the trailer

Same here, but I'll often scan hill ewes early as well, the scanned empty ewes often get put away to the hill and will have a late lamb up there, while the earlier ewes I've scanned can be lambed in bye.

 

[neilo]

I think the fact you lock them inside to starve them is key here, 100 say pregnancies and bellies full of silage ain't fun.

80 days is a good guide but how the ewes are presented is also important

Yes, I realise we’re pushing it, hence presenting as best we can to make the job work for everyone.

Everyone always blames the scanner when there’s as much as one wrong, which must be frustrating as hell for those doing the job.

 

[Al R]

Yes, I realise we’re pushing it, hence presenting as best we can to make the job work for everyone.

Everyone always blames the scanner when there’s as much as one wrong, which must be frustrating as hell for those doing the job.

Never blamed my scanner mind, he knows how highly I rate him as I recommend him to everyone. He scanned a ewe last November 14th and said she’ll lamb twins last week of Feb. She lambed Feb 26th.
always straight off the field and some lots in the field with the rappa collected there and then. I don’t count 3 coming out of twins as a mistake as the lambs are often hidden. 2 wrong last year out of 1250odd, he’ll even say if a ewe is reabsorbing 1-2 lambs while scanning so she was having 2-3 but now only 1 etc. average 15 seconds per ewe.

 

[neilo]

Never blamed my scanner mind, he knows how highly I rate him as I recommend him to everyone. He scanned a ewe last November 14th and said she’ll lamb twins last week of Feb. She lambed Feb 26th.
always straight off the field and some lots in the field with the rappa collected there and then. I don’t count 3 coming out of twins as a mistake as the lambs are often hidden. 2 wrong last year out of 1250odd, he’ll even say if a ewe is reabsorbing 1-2 lambs while scanning so she was having 2-3 but now only 1 etc. average 15 seconds per ewe.

Give him some stick. I can’t remember the last ewe I had that was scanned for two, but turned into triplets (aside from a young lad that was just learning, who got to do my earlies foc for a couple of years). I’m still buggered if I can see what’s going on on the screen though, even after decades of looking over their shoulders.

 

[Mc115reed]

Not quite sure when I’m scanning mine this year scanner lady won’t bloody tell me even though have asked twice getting a bit worried [emoji85] guy I used last year had a disaster, more than 1 triplet that was scanned as a single, lots of twins that were triplets was a total f**k up if 60% were right I’d be generous but this new person I messaged the day I pulled tups out and they said they’ll let me know but it’ll be end of November ... well it’s getting that way now and Iv not heard anything since [emoji85]

 

[neilo]

Not quite sure when I’m scanning mine this year scanner lady won’t bloody tell me even though have asked twice getting a bit worried [emoji85] guy I used last year had a disaster, more than 1 triplet that was scanned as a single, lots of twins that were triplets was a total fudge up if 60% were right I’d be generous but this new person I messaged the day I pulled tups out and they said they’ll let me know but it’ll be end of November ... well it’s getting that way now and Iv not heard anything since [emoji85]

Have you been in contact with them since? It might be worth a phone call, if only as a reminder.

Was your guy last year on his first year out? We foolishly paid one of those one year, from a market flier my Dad picked up. He didn’t get to come back! As posted above, I did let a lad do my earlies for two years, knowing he could take his time, and prepared to take a few mistakes, but I wouldn’t have been paying for the service.

 

[Al R]

Give him some stick. I can’t remember the last ewe I had that was scanned for two, but turned into triplets (aside from a young lad that was just learning, who got to do my earlies foc for a couple of years). I’m still buggered if I can see what’s going on on the screen though, even after decades of looking over their shoulders.

Triplets coming out of twins would be 2-3 out of 800 odd twins so not to bad, Over the years reading TFF I’ve realised there have been some absolute shockers!!! I can’t see them on the screen either but my wife had 19/20 right last year when she looked at the screen

 

[yellowbelly]

I’m still buggered if I can see what’s going on on the screen though, even after decades of looking over their shoulders.

I can just about make out an empty one but all them knobbly, bubbly bits - I've no chance.

I suppose the scanner man does have the advantage of knowing which way he has the head pointing though