Lamb Numbers

razor8

see a similar thread on the BFF.

Have ye many lambs left compared to a normal year??
I had to resort to finishing the last ones in the shed or id have had no grass for tipping time

I sold the last of mine last night

its hard to guess how many lambs are still out there in the system. notice from our local mart that finished lambs are getting very scarce the past few weeks

Username John

razor8 wrote: »

see a similar thread on the BFF.

Have ye many lambs left compared to a normal year??
I had to resort to finishing the last ones in the shed or id have had no grass for tipping time

I sold the last of mine last night

its hard to guess how many lambs are still out there in the system. notice from our local mart that finished lambs are getting very scarce the past few weeks

I have a few left, but 3 of em will be here til next year, they are real runts, and not worth meal feeding...
Sent the majority of what I had left away last week... most of em should have been set away a while ago, but I held on til I had a good load...

I had mine on grass alone, no meal, and they put on more weight per week in Oct than they did in the summer nearly... :eek:
Will see how they killed out this week...

Very disappointed how well mine did overall this year... But I think I have learned a few things, so hopefully next year I will do better...

freedominacup

Not involved in sheep farming at all but a neighbour runs 300ewes alongside his tillage operation. He was speaking to me earlier in the year and said he would normally draft 10% of his lambs at weaning for factory but there wasn't one ready this year. There must be a good few still to be finished around the place. The farmer I'm speaking about runs a very efficent operation and would be well regarded as knowing what he's at in a very early part of the country. If he was suffering on dry early ground......

Cran

bit of an odd year for me, definitely slower this year but the lambs I have left later to start feeding have performed almost as well as the ones being feed. There are other factors to my problems this year that had an effect, but trive has had no pattern I can analysis which is frustrating......
One thing I have loads of grass for this time of year......

DMAXMAN

razor8 wrote: »

see a similar thread on the BFF.

Have ye many lambs left compared to a normal year??
I had to resort to finishing the last ones in the shed or id have had no grass for tipping time

I sold the last of mine last night

its hard to guess how many lambs are still out there in the system. notice from our local mart that finished lambs are getting very scarce the past few weeks

only about 20% left here but a wet year suits my farm. lambs didnt thrive well for me after weaning(onto aftergrass) and i was losing a few. after labs ,vets etc we came to the conclusion that it was vit b/cobalt problem. we had been dosing them weekly with cobalt. anyway got mineral buckets made specially with high levels of vit b1,b2 and very high level of cobalt. sheep turned inside out. only for having forage rape sowed i could have pushed them out by now.
as regards the amount of lambs out now i reckon there is going to be a big carryover to next year. seen a lot of 30-33 kilo lambs sold in the last 6 weeks through our local mart and lotd of customers for them.would be very wary for next feb as these lambs will be coming back out around them.
as regards finished lambs i was in tullow today and there was only a small number of pens of finished lambs there, but trade was very little improved. saw 50kilos making97 euro. my sheep were 51kilos and made 100 after a struggle. they were all charolais lambs with a little meal in them

sea12

razor8 wrote: »

see a similar thread on the BFF.

Have ye many lambs left compared to a normal year??
I had to resort to finishing the last ones in the shed or id have had no grass for tipping time

I sold the last of mine last night

its hard to guess how many lambs are still out there in the system. notice from our local mart that finished lambs are getting very scarce the past few weeks

Have about 25 percent left. I would usually have them gone at this stage. Have them on meal and relatively good grass. But they are slow to thrive. One of the worst years to finish lambs in my opinion and no profit it in this year with all the expense.

drive it

Have 25 left from 28-35 kg but was up about 30 lambs this year had a good lambing % they are in the shed on about
.7kg of intencive lamd and a small square bale of hay

supersean1999

50 lambs left from 33-43kg, all on meal, and slow enough to thrive, will all be gone before christmas, worst year ever to finish lambs, because of bad sunlight in the summer and all the rain lambs were thinner coming off ewes and took longer to improve, roll on 2013

rancher

supersean1999 wrote: »

50 lambs left from 33-43kg, all on meal, and slow enough to thrive, will all be gone before christmas, worst year ever to finish lambs, because of bad sunlight in the summer and all the rain lambs were thinner coming off ewes and took longer to improve, roll on 2013

Worst year ever here too, seven lambs left, took 10 ton meal to finish last 300
Have run out of grass now so ewes will be indoors for six weeks longer than usual...more expense!!

jomoloney

7 lambs left out of about 140

like others meal all way, and now feeding the ewes about 5 weeks ealier that norm.

foxylock

20 lambs left on a bit of grass plus meal, moving them in a weeks time even if I have to give them away!!:D
Ewes will probably get until the week before christmas on the last of the grass and then it's out with the hay the last 400 bales of which was saved the first week of september! I suppose twill be better than a mouthful of snow.....

razor8

Cran, you must be one of the very few that has lots of grass, are you low stocking density?
Its looks like there will be a glut of lambs after xmas as dmaxman says. they will still need meal but the price should be well up by then. like rancher it has been very expensive year for me but at least i have them all gone

One thing i have learned this year is how to feed lambs, i started with 0.3kgs to 0.75kgs and found to my horror it takes between 1.2 & 1.5kgs to finish lambs

on another note I Housed 1/5 of the ewes at the weekend, never had to do this until february before, uesually get some local winterage but even they have all grass ate like a bald carpet

roll on 2013

Cran

Yes Razor relatively low density as work full time, but higher stock numbers than last year and defo more grass coming into this time of year. Its dry ground and can handle most rain, its saturated after the last week now though and wettest I've seen in years with one field flooded. They way its looking at the moment should get to Christmas before the Hay is needed.

this is my 3rd year ad-lib feeding the lambs, and I will never go back to trough feeding. Either ad-lib or some root crop alternative if that becomes unviable...

razor8

Thought I would resurrect this thread again and see what lambs are still out there

One of the best years for getting away lambs here, probably down to some reseeding. 11 left that are around 38kgs. Nearly all ewe lambs lambs and getting small amount of nuts 300g a day

Cran

Thanks for resurrecting, my comments from last year make interesting reading for myself. My god what a change after christmas here last year, grass just disappeared and spring never seemed to come...

As for this year lambs haven't done as well as hoped, around 1/3 gone at the moment or maybe slightly more. Lambing started beginning of April and grass was poor enough here all summer so not as many gone as wished, remainder getting around 300gms a day on good grass so hoping alot gone by end of November its ad-lib from then on. Think I started feeding little late and a lack of reseeding impacted me this year, due to a land purchase some plans fell to the side for a year. Plan for next year is Tyfon in a reseed having it ready for weaning.

On the plus side an Lleyn cross mule experiment for replacement ewe lambs worked very well and will be extended this year. New stock ram for pedigrees exceeded all expectations, and all April born pedigrees which didn't make the mark are gone off to the factory....All in all not in too bad a situation this year

eire23

All gone here, sold the last lock of hill lambs as stores to qualify for the stap scheme.
Lambs done well here, certainly better than last year and have loads of grass now for the ewes so hopefully will be able to keep them out till janurary.

On the subject of tyfon, its something i know nothing about . When would you plant it to have it ready for weaning? Is it just one grazing you get out of it and then reseed for grass?, and most importantly how does it work out cost wise?

razor8

Cran wrote: »

Thanks for resurrecting, my comments from last year make interesting reading for myself. My god what a change after christmas here last year, grass just disappeared and spring never seemed to come...

As for this year lambs haven't done as well as hoped, around 1/3 gone at the moment or maybe slightly more. Lambing started beginning of April and grass was poor enough here all summer so not as many gone as wished, remainder getting around 300gms a day on good grass so hoping alot gone by end of November its ad-lib from then on. Think I started feeding little late and a lack of reseeding impacted me this year, due to a land purchase some plans fell to the side for a year. Plan for next year is Tyfon in a reseed having it ready for weaning.

On the plus side an Lleyn cross mule experiment for replacement ewe lambs worked very well and will be extended this year. New stock ram for pedigrees exceeded all expectations, and all April born pedigrees which didn't make the mark are gone off to the factory....All in all not in too bad a situation this year

How do you find the Lleyn Cross Mules lambs? where did you find source your stock ram, the ram i bought in Tullow last year is really easy finished, very happy with him

Not many pedigree breeders lambing mid season nowadays. will you sell pedigrees as shearlings? Lamb a few pedigrees in March myself and run with the commercials and have done well, have a few around the 65kg mark but I know if i brought them out some folk would make little of them when they are compared to a January born lamb.

Conmaicne Mara

Everything gone except ewe lambs, have kept them all trying to up my numbers. Waiting on an answer whether that's going to be possible or not. Got to love Limbo.

Cran

razor8 wrote: »

How do you find the Lleyn Cross Mules lambs? where did you find source your stock ram, the ram i bought in Tullow last year is really easy finished, very happy with him

Not many pedigree breeders lambing mid season nowadays. will you sell pedigrees as shearlings? Lamb a few pedigrees in March myself and run with the commercials and have done well, have a few around the 65kg mark but I know if i brought them out some folk would make little of them when they are compared to a January born lamb.

Lleyn cross mules grew like stink harder to finish alright but expected that, but threw lovely ewe lambs. I tried some pure Lleyns and Cheviots as well with the Lleyn, but not again the Mule cross seemed to work best and cheviots pain to lamb outside and not enough lambs. I'm crossing best 20 of these ewe lambs this year back to Charollais so looking forward to the results.

As for the pedigrees ye really like running them into hoggets, find they develop into lovely sheep especially over their 2nd winter. I'm going to lamb 20 down in January this year purely down to work load over the main lambing in April. Sourced the ram in Tullow last year, wasn't brought out for the show which I couldn't understand was my pick of pens. Bought the champ this year he's a really nice sheep just can't find a fault in him

razor8

Cran wrote: »

Lleyn cross mules grew like stink harder to finish alright but expected that, but threw lovely ewe lambs. I tried some pure Lleyns and Cheviots as well with the Lleyn, but not again the Mule cross seemed to work best and cheviots pain to lamb outside and not enough lambs. I'm crossing best 20 of these ewe lambs this year back to Charollais so looking forward to the results.

As for the pedigrees ye really like running them into hoggets, find they develop into lovely sheep especially over their 2nd winter. I'm going to lamb 20 down in January this year purely down to work load over the main lambing in April. Sourced the ram in Tullow last year, wasn't brought out for the show which I couldn't understand was my pick of pens. Bought the champ this year he's a really nice sheep just can't find a fault in him

anything off the mule are great growers I find, what they lack on their back they make up for it in weight IMO

what flock did the champ come from, pm if you like? bought 3 purebred char ewes at the weekend for a trail

Cran

razor8 wrote: »

anything off the mule are great growers I find, what they lack on their back they make up for it in weight IMO

what flock did the champ come from, pm if you like? bought 3 purebred char ewes at the weekend for a trail

No problem, he was from Lisfuncheon A54. Who did you buy from at the weekend, presume it was in Tullow. We should have meet up I bought 4 on Saturday, otherwise known as I have no sense...

razor8

Cran wrote: »

No problem, he was from Lisfuncheon A54. Who did you buy from at the weekend, presume it was in Tullow. We should have meet up I bought 4 on Saturday, otherwise known as I have no sense...

very good, hard to keep hands in the pockets at them sales! My purchase was a private sale from the cloonbogher flock, all bred 5 star lambs this year so will see how they go

Cran

eire23 wrote: »

On the subject of tyfon, its something i know nothing about . When would you plant it to have it ready for weaning? Is it just one grazing you get out of it and then reseed for grass?, and most importantly how does it work out cost wise?

No goes in with the grass then manage it over numerous grazings, just need to make sure don't overly damage the bulb. I'm being told can be grazed 6 weeks after sowing so hoping to get it in Mid May next year....

Username John

Very bad year for me. Still have a lot of lambs left

The lambs got a bout of coccidiosis in may, dosed em, all ok. They got another bout in August, I was away at the time, and was late going in with a dose, and it had wreck done.
To be honest, they prob had it with a while, as I noticed that they weren't putting on weight as well, but I out it down to poor grass in August... By the time they starting showing signs, they had bad scour... And then they were back savage... I had lambs at 35+ kg, which went back to under 30kg :mad:
The rams more than the ewe lambs strangely enough. So this mainly ram lambs I have left, but we'll manage them too...

The only good thing is i still have plenty of grass, so they can be coming on away over the next few months...

Johnsey

Cran wrote: »

Thanks for resurrecting, my comments from last year make interesting reading for myself. My god what a change after christmas here last year, grass just disappeared and spring never seemed to come...

As for this year lambs haven't done as well as hoped, around 1/3 gone at the moment or maybe slightly more. Lambing started beginning of April and grass was poor enough here all summer so not as many gone as wished, remainder getting around 300gms a day on good grass so hoping alot gone by end of November its ad-lib from then on. Think I started feeding little late and a lack of reseeding impacted me this year, due to a land purchase some plans fell to the side for a year. Plan for next year is Tyfon in a reseed having it ready for weaning.

On the plus side an Lleyn cross mule experiment for replacement ewe lambs worked very well and will be extended this year. New stock ram for pedigrees exceeded all expectations, and all April born pedigrees which didn't make the mark are gone off to the factory....All in all not in too bad a situation this

Hey cran
Would love to know more about your mule cross lleyn experiment .what are the mules out of ?

sea12

Only have 10 left this year thank god. There all between 38-41 so another few weeks will finish them. There on good grass and a few nuts to keep the flesh on. Big difference to this time last year.

Razor was there many ewes at the pedigree Charolais sale. Was hoping to get down to it but the wife had other ideas for the weekem. What was the average price got on the day?

Cran

Johnsey wrote: »

Hey cran
Would love to know more about your mule cross lleyn experiment .what are the mules out of ?

Mules are Mayo mules, buy them in Ballinrobe. I tagged single, twin and triplets at lambing with different colors at lambing. Brown for singles, green for twins and red for triplets. At weaning any lame or not a decent size were culled and let out with main bunch. Remainder went to land I have bit away with pedigree ewe lambs to graze for the summer, brought back 20 best for the ram two weeks ago. As said mix of pure Lleyns, Cheviot x Lleyns as well but mules crosses really stand out.
Aim is to run all next year and any singles that lamb a single will be culled, feet also strictly watched. I came to conclusion couple of years ago what I need from a ewe can only be bred not bought, but I d like some hill breeding in my ewes. Pure Lleyn or Mule is the nearest I ve found to what I want, but neither tick all the boxes. Next step is I d like to get some Texel into the cross, but not a huge fan of the head type & heavy shoulders doing the rounds at the moment. Not to be totally closed to other options I bought some Belclare x Mules this year, have to say really nice ewes.

Must say I run three family flocks and this is only being done in one of them flock size 200 ewes to keep it manageable, other two remain predominate Mules. 70 mules will go out with two Lleyn rams next weekend.

paddysdream

Have about 200 or so left here at the moment.This time last year had 17!(thats with a similar number of ewes)
Dry year didnt suit me but 2012 was a year where it was impossible to keep ahead of the grass.

This year was a different story.Left meadows 5 to 6 weeks later in the hope they would bulk up and so weaning was very late.

Lamb thrive was poor all year plus lost 9 in the last two weeks(all suffolx cross) with a very bad scour.Tested for cocci,fluke worms etc but no solution.Even got vet to open one up and all inside ie liver ,kidneys,stomach ,lungs etc all ok.
Only one peaky one left and if(when)that looses the will to live might bring it to the regional lab.More to see what it was because everything else seems to be going ok.


Most sheep farmers around here had a very poor year re. thrive and kill out with a lot of thin stores in local marts.In thee last week alone was talking to 5 farmers within 2 miles of me and all had the one story ie hardest year in a long time to finish lambs as they seemed to stop thriving in July August and only went backwards from there.Has taken a lot of meal to reverse this and this is on farms where the normal practice is to finish the vast majority of lambs on grass.

Hope Santy looks after me this year as there aint gonna be a lot of money from my lambs.

tabby aspreme

Have 30 left here about 35 kgs getting meal and will sell in about two weeks as stores also a few screws and 2 undershot ladies who are heading for the freezer.
Fed a lot of meal here as grass ran out in April, started to grow again in June but stopped again in July till mid august, luckily I got rid of most of the ram lambs early on to the boat as forward stores , have enough lleyn in the ewes for the moment so have mostly texel rams out for next year