Just bought ewe lambs

baoithe1

At the outset (and as will become apparent) I have no experience with sheep.

I have just bought seven ewe lambs with the intention of putting a ram in with them in the next month or so. They are close to 48kg and appear in good shape.

What sort of pre-mating management should I be implementing in respect of dosing, feed etc?

Also, I am aware of the debate as to the suitability of breeding with ewe lambs. Other than that, does anyone have any other suggestions or tips for getting the best results out of my new additions? My end game is to build numbers slowly towards a decentish commercial flock though I do not expect to make money out of it. It is for the enjoyment of it and for meat that is my main priority.

Many thanks.

solerina

baoithe1 wrote: »

At the outset (and as will become apparent) I have no experience with sheep.

I have just bought seven ewe lambs with the intention of putting a ram in with them in the next month or so. They are close to 48kg and appear in good shape.

What sort of pre-mating management should I be implementing in respect of dosing, feed etc?

Also, I am aware of the debate as to the suitability of breeding with ewe lambs. Other than that, does anyone have any other suggestions or tips for getting the best results out of my new additions? My end game is to build numbers slowly towards a decentish commercial flock though I do not expect to make money out of it. It is for the enjoyment of it and for meat that is my main priority.

Many thanks.

Enjoyment.....oh God !!! Sheep take loads of work, none of which is enjoyable
Orf, foot rot etc...great fun !!!

baoithe1

solerina wrote: »

Enjoyment.....oh God !!! Sheep take loads of work, none of which is enjoyable
Orf, foot rot etc...great fun !!!

If you knew what I did for a living, even treating Orf could be considered enjoyable!

Only positive and helpful responses please!

Nekarsulm

Dose them, and vaccinate them, would be my first job. They will get a second vaccination a month before lambing is due to start. (first year only, thereafter, its a single jab a month before lambing) Vaccination is for Clostridial diseases, use a product like HeptavacP or similar.

Hopefully you have bought ones with their tails docked.

Time enough letting in a ram in early November. Ewe lambs breed later than mature ewes. Weather should be kinder and a bite of grass ready by the time they lamb.

If you have briers round your ditches, ewe lambs are prone to getting tangled up in them, and would stay there till they have nothing to eat within reach. Of course, when you go to free them, they will make a "bust" and easily free themselves.............

They may never have seen a dust of meal or nuts, and its no harm to get them used to eating meal now. Just a couple of ounces per lamb per day is plenty, tames them down and leaves them a lot more manageable.

baoithe1

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Dose them, and vaccinate them, would be my first job. They will get a second vaccination a month before lambing is due to start. (first year only, thereafter, its a single jab a month before lambing) Vaccination is for Clostridial diseases, HeptavacP or similar.

Hopefully you have bought ones with their tails docked.

Time enough letting in a ram in early November. Ewe lambs breed later than mature ewes. Weather should be kinder and a bite of grass ready by the time they lamb.

Thanks Nekarsulm.

rangler1

baoithe1 wrote: »

Thanks Nekarsulm.

Shear them if you can do it in the next week or so.
They grow better, lambs find the teats easier when they're born, ewes stay cleaner, and they don't get caught in briars,
Don't shear if there's a cold weather forecast

baoithe1

rangler1 wrote: »

Shear them if you can do it in the next week or so.
They grow better, lambs find the teats easier when they're born, ewes stay cleaner, and they don't get caught in briars,
Don't shear if there's a cold weather forecast

Cheers rangler1

weatherbyfoxer

All advice above is top class, a worm dose now and a fluke dose if a few weeks would be a good plan too. Shearing is a definitely worth doing!...best of look with them!..I was in you position 5 years ago and have built up a nice flock ever since, Had to listen to the "terrible hardship with sheep" thing also...but never was I sorry for getting in to them

baoithe1

weatherbyfoxer wrote: »

All advice above is top class, a worm dose now and a fluke dose if a few weeks would be a good plan too. Shearing is a definitely worth doing!...best of look with them!..I was in you position 5 years ago and have built up a nice flock ever since, Had to listen to the "terrible hardship with sheep" thing also...but never was I sorry for getting in to them

Cheers weatherbyfoxer

davidk1394

We buy in roughly 2000 store lambs a year.. we give them a shot of tetroxy LA and an injection called mastermectin roughly 2ml each.. we buy in the lambs the beginning of november.. we sheard them once but a heap a them got pnuenomonia and we lost about 10.. with a handy nunber like you i wouldnt bother because you will have the wool left over.. just foothbath them regularly if you have aby suspicions of lameness or scalds.. ya might want to give them a shot of dip in this weather as this is prime conditions for maggots

Green farmer

davidk1394 wrote: »

We buy in roughly 2000 store lambs a year.. we give them a shot of tetroxy LA and an injection called mastermectin roughly 2ml each.. we buy in the lambs the beginning of november.. we sheard them once but a heap a them got pnuenomonia and we lost about 10.. with a handy nunber like you i wouldnt bother because you will have the wool left over.. just foothbath them regularly if you have aby suspicions of lameness or scalds.. ya might want to give them a shot of dip in this weather as this is prime conditions for maggots

That's a lot of lamb. You finish them indoors ? Must be a big shed :-)

davidk1394

Green farmer wrote: »

That's a lot of lamb. You finish them indoors ? Must be a big shed :-)

Ahh 2 sheds.. on straw plenty of work and sweat