Weaning one lamb of twins-Mastitis likely?

Bleating Lamb

Usually wean all lambs together in around a three weeks time,was thinking of showing some of strongest ram lambs next week
Problem is some are twins....if I leave partner twin on the ewe for another few weeks in fairly good grass might the ewes develop mastitis in the unsucked teat as lambs usually dont cross over.Anyone experience of this at all?....if I thought it might happen I would wean all lambs.I would imagine people going to factory early in year often split twins and leave one on a ewe.
Any replies appreciated.

sea12

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Usually wean all lambs together in around a three weeks time,was thinking of showing some of strongest ram lambs next week
Problem is some are twins....if I leave partner twin on the ewe for another few weeks in fairly good grass might the ewes develop mastitis in the unsucked teat as lambs usually dont cross over.Anyone experience of this at all?....if I thought it might happen I would wean all lambs.I would imagine people going to factory early in year often split twins and leave one on a ewe.
Any replies appreciated.

Never heard that before. I think youd be grand weaning them off.
It must be getting near to weaning them all at this stage unless they were late lambs. You might be aswell to wean them all when your taking the ram lambs.

Richk2012

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Usually wean all lambs together in around a three weeks time,was thinking of showing some of strongest ram lambs next week
Problem is some are twins....if I leave partner twin on the ewe for another few weeks in fairly good grass might the ewes develop mastitis in the unsucked teat as lambs usually dont cross over.Anyone experience of this at all?....if I thought it might happen I would wean all lambs.I would imagine people going to factory early in year often split twins and leave one on a ewe.
Any replies appreciated.

I was thinking the exact same thing myself this morning . Starting to get tightened for grazing due to an unsurprising lack of aftergrass , due to uncut meadows/lakes .
Was going to draft of maybe 40 of the heaviest lambs early next week an sell them , but i wanted to put the ewes back on good grass with all the unsold lambs .
I was wondering would i encounter problems not drying ewes off properly and like you said if they are only being sucked on one side would the other side become infected , especially when were in the height of the fly season??

eorna

wean the whole lot and save yourself hassle, grass and problems..

Bleating Lamb

Thanks for thoughts....would love if someone who regularly goes to factory contributed....as they are bound to have lots of experience of splitting twins....may well wean the whole lot next week,just in case.

Username John

Hi Bleating Lamb,

I can only tell my experience - albeit very limited.
Last year - I weaned all the lambs at the one time. Gave all the sheep that had any bit of milk a dry cow tube.
This year I didn't - I had plenty grass, so I left the sheep with em, and just took the lambs as they came fit. I had the lambs numbered, so I knew what lambs were off what sheep. When one of a twin was taken, I didn't do anything, which the other twin was taken - I took the ewe out and dried her.
When it came to drying em all - I had a lovely hoggett with mastitis on one side only. I was very annoyed, as she was one of my own lambs that I kept, a lovely sheep...

Next year - I will go back to weaning em all at once, and giving all the sheep dry cow tubes and be done with it. It suits me, its easier, and I shouldn't have the same chance of mastitis.

That's my two cents...

Oh - how I think she was missed was some of the lambs lost their tags, so I wasnt sure who they were belonged to so to speak, so I just checked em all, but I obviously missed one

DMAXMAN

we regularly sell some of the doubles off the ewes. we run singles and doubles rearing ewes seperately so it is easy to know when we are selling doubles.we never had any problem with ewes getting mastitis because one lamb was gone.by the time you have a double lamb for sale the ewes are giving very little milk so i dont think its a problem, never around here neway.i usually wean all my doubles the day i take the second draw of lambs for the factory.

Bleating Lamb

DMAXMAN wrote: »

we regularly sell some of the doubles off the ewes. we run singles and doubles rearing ewes seperately so it is easy to know when we are selling doubles.we never had any problem with ewes getting mastitis because one lamb was gone.by the time you have a double lamb for sale the ewes are giving very little milk so i dont think its a problem, never around here neway.i usually wean all my doubles the day i take the second draw of lambs for the factory.

Thanks for all replies...decided to wean altogether in end.

supersean1999

just as a matter of interest, what live weight would a lamb need to be to kill out in french weight 15kg cold weight, 36kg i should be ok???? what do people think, im going to sell all ram lambs now off the ewe from 36 -50 kg,

DMAXMAN

36 kgs and very good off the ewe ,lowland breed should give a carcase of about 17 kgs imo.if you have many heavy lambs~(45kgs+). you would probably be better off in the mart with them.very hard to get factories to pay over 20.5 kgs yet

supersean1999

DMAXMAN wrote: »

36 kgs and very good off the ewe ,lowland breed should give a carcase of about 17 kgs imo.if you have many heavy lambs~(45kgs+). you would probably be better off in the mart with them.very hard to get factories to pay over 20.5 kgs yet

ok thanks i was more concerned about them getting into the weights not over i had presumed they were being paid upto 22 23 kg, ill ask thanks for advice, and yes texel cross ewes , and all charolais lambs

Richk2012

DMAXMAN wrote: »

36 kgs and very good off the ewe ,lowland breed should give a carcase of about 17 kgs imo.if you have many heavy lambs~(45kgs+). you would probably be better off in the mart with them.very hard to get factories to pay over 20.5 kgs yet

Very true DMax