All things Wooly!

There's 25 there in that pen, standard bay, 15ft tank and another half a foot of concrete at the barrier. Have other pens then over 18ft deep and have had 33 ewes in each bay.
If I sheared them I get more in, thought about doing it this year but didn't. Might chance a couple pens next year.
We used to shear the triplets, thin twins and any in lamb ewe lambs. Found it a great job for keeping the ewes in good condition and no wool getting in the way of the lambs sucking. Must start doing it again.
 
We used to shear the triplets, thin twins and any in lamb ewe lambs. Found it a great job for keeping the ewes in good condition and no wool getting in the way of the lambs sucking. Must start doing it again.
When would they have been lambing the ones that ya sheared. I though they would need shearing middle of december amd lambing middle of march to have enough cover on them? If ya got a bad spring it could leave things awkward.
 
When would they have been lambing the ones that ya sheared. I though they would need shearing middle of december amd lambing middle of march to have enough cover on them? If ya got a bad spring it could leave things awkward.
They lambed from the start of March and were shorn at the start of December. The lad that shore them used a raised comb which kept a bit more wool on them than they would be left with if they were shorn in the summer. I found they were more likely to seek shelter themselves and bring the lambs under cover with them when they had a short fleece.
 
We seem to get quite a bit of subclinical mastitis in our flock. And inevitably the ones with only one half working have triplets ,(it is actually known that it is a phenomenon caused by getting mastitis!!)
I saw today that there is a vaccine against mastitis!!!!!!
Does anyone use it?
Or the equivalent in cows?
Not asked the price yet mind you!
For some reason something is telling me it's dear... Remember reading about it and thinking that would be a mighty job till the price was mentioned.
Mastitis is a bloody curse, normally get it here a week or two after lambing, if I see a ewe slow coming to the trough or dragging a back leg ya know bloody well what it is straight away.
And your right about the subclinical mastitas... Its never a single!
 
Not sure this website is anything to go off price wise but..... Ouch....
 
They lambed from the start of March and were shorn at the start of December. The lad that shore them used a raised comb which kept a bit more wool on them than they would be left with if they were shorn in the summer. I found they were more likely to seek shelter themselves and bring the lambs under cover with them when they had a short fleece.
I didn't get round to shearing all my ewe lambs this year because it ran to late and I felt they would be to cold after it. The raised comb would be a good job in the likes of that case?
 
Not sure this website is anything to go off price wise but..... Ouch....
Ouch is right, for the odd case of mastitis it wouldn't be worth. If vaccinating for toxo and enzo as well ya would have a nice bill from the vet😅
 
Ouch is right, for the odd case of mastitis it wouldn't be worth. If vaccinating for toxo and enzo as well ya would have a nice bill from the vet😅
At least toxo and enzo is a one off.
That's anual!
 
At least toxo and enzo is a one off.
That's anual!
I just do them for toxo here as its a closed flock. It's enough to do that once in their life. The mastitis one is a complete non runner annually
 
I didn't get round to shearing all my ewe lambs this year because it ran to late and I felt they would be to cold after it. The raised comb would be a good job in the likes of that case?
Do you house the ewe lambs or are they outdoors? Yeah I'd say the raised comb would be the job.
 
Do you house the ewe lambs or are they outdoors? Yeah I'd say the raised comb would be the job.
I house the lowland ewe lambs and the mountain ones stay out. I would try and have them done in August or early September. Shearing makes a great job of them, they seem to grow in better.
 
A neighbour put in a raised plastic slat system in a dry shed and he's sorry he didn't put in a tank now. He reckons its hassle and it is I suppose.
Ya could do a 3/4 foot deep bock/poured tank with a sump for adjatating at reasonable money especially if you could do the work yourself
What size sump holes would you be talking
 
What size sump holes would you be talking
Just make it deep enough for whatever size of agitator will be going into it. Once the spout of the agitator can jet the slurry under the cross sections that carry the slats it's sound. Sump here is a concrete pipe but seen it done with blocks as well.
 
Anyone ever participate in contract rearing sheep???
As in take in or send away ewe lambs to be run to 2 tooth (shearlings in other lingo???)
Then back for mating. Or even a few weeks prior to lambing?
 
Anyone ever participate in contract rearing sheep???
As in take in or send away ewe lambs to be run to 2 tooth (shearlings in other lingo???)
Then back for mating. Or even a few weeks prior to lambing?
My neighbour buys 400 swale gimmer lambs and sends them to the east side,think it’s Norfolk for 12 months,he then sorts them and sells the shearlings in the autumn sales,business doesn’t come into it,he only does it because he knows no different.😲
 
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My neighbour buys 400 swale gimmer lambs and sends them to the east side,think it’s Norfolk for 12 months,he then sorts them and sells the shearlings in the autumn sales,business doesn’t come into it,he only does it because he knows no different.😲
I know a few who do similar.

What I'm wondering about is a similar system to what the dairy boys do with heifers.
 
I’ve done this when we’ve found a neighbours sheep in with ours,throw them in the back of the pick-up and then cut the string as you let them go.
That works very well, do use that method to tie up a lamb when adopting on to a ewe. God bless baling twine!!
 
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