new to sheep!!

bracken121

Just looking for advice please, I'm buying 10 ewes this week and wondering if I need to worm etc when they arrive? They are 2 year old and have been running with a ram. This is my first time to have sheep so any advice is appreciated!!

Nekarsulm

Ask the previous owner if they were wormed lately. If not dose them.Also ask if they got their vaccinations of HeptavacP, or similar. This consists of two separate injections, the second of which should be about a month before lambing. Find out what date the ram went in to them. Hopefully they are near lambing by now.

bracken121

Thanks for reply.
I will ask but would it be any harm to dose anyway just incase and what should I use? I'm told they lambed last year and have been with the ram since January.

Nekarsulm

Dose anyway, would be my advice.Use any of the "white" trenches, they are cheap. buy a 250ml container.Vaccinate as well, because if the ram went in at the start of January then Lambing could start in 3 weeks.

razor8

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Dose anyway, would be my advice.Use any of the "white" trenches, they are cheap. buy a 250ml container.Vaccinate as well, because if the ram went in at the start of January then Lambing could start in 3 weeks.

They should be springing by now otherwise be wary you are not buying sheep that were scanned empty earlier

jt65

razor8 wrote: »

They should be springing by now otherwise be wary you are not buying sheep that were scanned empty earlier

agree

unless you know the vendor I'd be very wary , you might be better off buying ewes with lambs at foot or waiting till the autumn

bracken121

The man I'm buying off is a friends neighbour and they had lambs last year for sure, he seems a decent enough fella. I'm going to see them today again and I'll get more info from him. I will dose them anyway to be sure.

bracken121

2 of the 10 I'm getting lambed, 1 twins so now I'm getting 10 ewes and 3 lambs!!! Most of the others look near due if say. They are being delivered tomorrow only thing is can I still dose the ewes that haven't lambed yet? Also is it safe to dose such young lambs? I was planning on doing them all tomorrow as they are unloaded?

Nekarsulm

Don't dose the little lambs! time enough when they are on grass a month or two. You can do the ewes , just don't wrestle them about too much so close to lambing. If the ewes were not done with 9 in 1, or heptavacP or similar, you should do the lambs when they have all lambed. Your going to have to buy the smallest bottle possible, and even then there will be waste, as the stuff goes off soon after opening. Do the ewes as well, as first part of their annual vaccination program. No point in throwing it away............

Dosing sheep, tighten them up as much as possible, with two gates or by putting them in a trailer. Just enough room for you to "wade" through them is about right!

futurefarmer

What kind of ewes did you get? Looking at starting my own flock with Texel cross so I'm curious

bracken121

Ok I'll dose the ewes tomorrow in the trailer when they arrive. I hope the rest Lamb ok I'll be keeping a very close eye on them! They are an easy care sheep that don't need shearing, one of the reasons they appealed to me. What is the best grain to feed them as I asked in a few places today but they only stocked cattle feed and said it was too strong for sheep?

Nekarsulm

bracken121 wrote: »

Ok I'll dose the ewes tomorrow in the trailer when they arrive. I hope the rest Lamb ok I'll be keeping a very close eye on them! They are an easy care sheep that don't need shearing, one of the reasons they appealed to me. What is the best grain to feed them as I asked in a few places today but they only stocked cattle feed and said it was too strong for sheep?

What the feed store should have told you, is that cattle feed usually contains copper as a trace element, and this is poisonous to sheep.
Get a few 25kg bags of "ewe & lamb". If they don't have this, get a few bags of rolled barley to get you going. You can also get a bucket of energy feed, which is basically minerals and vitamins mixed up in molasses and set into a semi solid block, which they lick. Don't go mad feeding meal to them, of you could end up with huge lambs which the ewe is unable to lamb. Two and a half kg between them all to start with. Are you lambing them inside or outside? If inside are you feeding hay? If so a small bit extra meal may be needed.

bracken121

Thanks for that as I would have given them a lot more grain. The present owner lambs all outside and told me to do the same but the field I have ready for them is close to the house and has a shed that I intend to leave open for them if they want to go in. Do you think that sounds ok? I have hay if I need to keep any in etc.

Nekarsulm

They will be grand, when they are on grass, a small bit of meal should be OK. The lick bucket will not do any harm, either. Best of luck!

bracken121

That's great, thanks field all your advice! They will be arriving at midday!!!!!

Nekarsulm

Careful now! If you get on well with these ten, before you know it you will start thinking about "meaby getting a few more"

MayoAreMagic

Just on the feeding - careful with the barley, and that is before and after they lamb. Too much too soon and they can get acidosis, which often leads to death, which means a gang of pet lambs and the dream turning into a nightmare! I know a guy new to the whole thing might be inclined to give them plenty grub so it is worth keeping in mind. I heard it said of barley before that it is like a good whiskey, a bit here and there and there is nothing better, but too much and you will end up on your ar*e!
If you want to give barley I would mix it with a course ration 50-50, it might not be as strong but it would allow for your beginner status far better. If you have good grass and the ewes are healthy and in their prime then you shouldn't have to worry too much about feeding them at all to be honest with you.
Best of luck with them by the way.

bracken121

They arrived safe and sound!! I got a bag of ewe and lamb for them and will just air on the side of caution with the amount, really its just to keep them quite!! I didn't get to dose them as the driver didn't have time so I'll let them get used to the new surroundings and get it done in a week or so. Thanks again to everyone for their advice and I'm sure I'll be looking for more........

jt65

bracken121 wrote: »

They arrived safe and sound!! I got a bag of ewe and lamb for them and will just air on the side of caution with the amount, really its just to keep them quite!! I didn't get to dose them as the driver didn't have time so I'll let them get used to the new surroundings and get it done in a week or so. Thanks again to everyone for their advice and I'm sure I'll be looking for more........

hope they go lucky with you