Mating season

cattle man

Hi all
Nearly time for the Rams just looking for advice around grouping.
i was going to let 3 mature rams with a group of 110 ewes but one tested infertile today is 110 to many for 2 Rams and will 2 Rams fight even after spending all year together.
Plan to have two more groups of 50 each and have a single hogget ram in each and rotate these around to be safe. Is 50 to many for a hogget ?

Cran

cattle man wrote: »

Hi all
Nearly time for the Rams just looking for advice around grouping.
i was going to let 3 mature rams with a group of 110 ewes but one tested infertile today is 110 to many for 2 Rams and will 2 Rams fight even after spending all year together.
Plan to have two more groups of 50 each and have a single hogget ram in each and rotate these around to be safe. Is 50 to many for a hogget ?

Nope if right Rams, over 200 planned for 2 here

charolais0153

Cran wrote: »

Nope if right Rams, over 200 planned for 2 here

Do u use ram effect or anything

Cran

charolais0153 wrote: »

Do u use ram effect or anything

I do but only on ewe lambs, lamb over 90% of mature ewes in 17 days without it.

Farrell

Cran wrote: »

I do but only on ewe lambs, lamb over 90% of mature ewes in 17 days without it.

Do you sponge or how you do it.
Put 13 to ram, some quick & some slow

ganmo

yes rams will fight even if theyve been together all year
4 of ours are having daily set too even though theyve been together all year

Cran

Farrell wrote: »

Do you sponge or how you do it.
Put 13 to ram, some quick & some slow

No don't sponge, but lamb end of March so by time Rams go out all would cycling regularly. Breeds I think also help, lot of Mule & Lleyn breeding here

roosky

What are ye all doing for minerals pre mating as in are ye giving mineral drenches or boluses

mcgiggles

We just gave our ewes boluses there on Saturday.. only our second season so still pretty new to it

Edit: Just wanted to add, the boluses have a longer lifespan than the drenches - 180 days for bolus vs every 6-8 weeks with drenches.. that made our decision for us

roosky

mcgiggles wrote: »

We just gave our ewes boluses there on Saturday.. only our second season so still pretty new to it

Edit: Just wanted to add, the boluses have a longer lifespan than the drenches - 180 days for bolus vs every 6-8 weeks with drenches.. that made our decision for us

What bolus did ye use and what was the cost of them, definatley the handiest option

mcgiggles

roosky wrote: »

What bolus did ye use and what was the cost of them, definatley the handiest option

Agrimin 24/7 smartrace.. think I paid 60euro for 50 of them? had to get the gun aswell so was about 120 for both

roosky

mcgiggles wrote: »

Agrimin 24/7 smartrace.. think I paid 60euro for 50 of them? had to get the gun aswell so was about 120 for both

Hi,

I am really struggling to source these boluses and to be honest i think they are worth sourcing compared to other options on the market.

Where did you get them, and are they hard to give, I heard they are very big for a ewe

cattle man

roosky wrote: »

Hi,

I am really struggling to source these boluses and to be honest i think they are worth sourcing compared to other options on the market.

Where did you get them, and are they hard to give, I heard they are very big for a ewe

I also used these got them from Darragh Quinn chemist cross Molina

razor8

Best thing is to ring company and find out who is local rep. They should tell you who stocks them and will sometimes drop them to your local merchants if they are passing, I know they are in Cavan but should be closer to you than that

mcgiggles

We got ours in Lesley Farm Supplies North of Sligo. They are quite big alright. Have to get the gun right in the back of their mouths to get them to swallow them.

roosky

razor8 wrote:

Best thing is to ring company and find out who is local rep. They should tell you who stocks them and will sometimes drop them to your local merchants if they are passing, I know they are in Cavan but should be closer to you than that

English company and they didnt answer calls or my emails

mcgiggles

roosky wrote: »

English company and they didnt answer calls or my emails

Here's the details for the ROI sales manager - Colm Malone - [email=cmalone@agrimin.com%20]cmalone@agrimin.com[/email] +353 (0) 86 836 7778

roosky

mcgiggles wrote: »

Here's the details for the ROI sales manager - Colm Malone - [email=cmalone@agrimin.com%20]cmalone@agrimin.com[/email] +353 (0) 86 836 7778

Thanks for that, he sorted me out

brownswiss

roosky wrote: »

English company and they didnt answer calls or my emails

I contacted them by email last night and had a reply by 12 today. They said not to use the bolus with copper unless a blood test had determined the ewes were deficient in copper

brownswiss

How much are you paying for these bolus & where are you buying them ?. My neighbour got them online for €74 per 100

roosky

Letting out the rams today and some of my hogget ewes are very scoured, they were done for fluke two weeks ago but could it be worms or is it more likely rumen fluke, im on wet ground so could be rumen fluke

greysides

roosky wrote: »

Letting out the rams today and some of my hogget ewes are very scoured, they were done for fluke two weeks ago but could it be worms or is it more likely rumen fluke, im on wet ground so could be rumen fluke

My guess would be worms, a late season outbreak of Nematodirus is possible. I'm not sure that diarrhoea is really a sign of Fluke in sheep. Other than that could it the lush, wet grass or has there been a lot of fertiliser put out?

http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/liver-fluke-control-in-sheep.aspx

cattle man

Would ye be happy to run one mature with 100 ewes to clean up the repeats after 3 weeks of mating and everything has been covered once.?

brownswiss

Yes but if I noticed a lot of repeats I would put in extra rams

cattle man

brownswiss wrote: »

Yes but if I noticed a lot of repeats I would put in extra rams

What level of repeats would ye be happy with 10%??

J.O. Farmer

cattle man wrote: »

What level of repeats would ye be happy with 10%??

I'd be very happy with that. I don't think I'd panic under 15-20%.

ganmo

Had to get an emergency ram...
One of the suffolks looks like he has a very sore hind leg grr

roosky

I have always left ram in for 5 or 6 weeks but want to pull it back to 4 this year so i can wrap up lambing quicker, they all seemed to lamb within 4 weeks last year....what are ye doing is it worth leaving him for the extra week

Username John

roosky wrote: »

I have always left ram in for 5 or 6 weeks but want to pull it back to 4 this year so i can wrap up lambing quicker, they all seemed to lamb within 4 weeks last year....what are ye doing is it worth leaving him for the extra week

Last year ram was in for 3 weeks, and I think there was 1 from 30 empty...

Year before, ram was in for 2 weeks, and I think there was 2 from 30-odd empty...

So it's really a question of what's your time worth waiting for a few to lamb vs a few being empty...

J.O. Farmer

Username John wrote: »

Last year ram was in for 3 weeks, and I think there was 1 from 30 empty...

Year before, ram was in for 2 weeks, and I think there was 2 from 30-odd empty...

So it's really a question of what's your time worth waiting for a few to lamb vs a few being empty...

That's impressive conception rates.The ewes cycle is 16 days so most keeping to the first service. I'd be leaving in for at least 2 sevices but reality is that the ram went in a fortnight ago and will stay there until housing because I haven't really anywhere else for him.

Username John

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

That's impressive conception rates.The ewes cycle is 16 days so most keeping to the first service. I'd be leaving in for at least 2 sevices but reality is that the ram went in a fortnight ago and will stay there until housing because I haven't really anywhere else for him.

I should have said as well, I had a teaser with em for 2 weeks before hand.

Also - there was ewe lambs in with the bunch of ewes last year, and not one of em went in young...
So, great rates with the ewes, and terrible with the ewe lambs. I should have separated them, but I only had one ram and 2 weeks off work...

roosky

Ya i am working off farm so prob best to get its wrapped in 4 weeks, most will get two cycles at that rate

mcgiggles

Our rams been out with them a month or so at this stage. 31 out of 33 tipped within about the 3rd week. Of the two that aren't done one is our smallest ewe lamb, and the other one didn't get tipped last year but ended up having (surprise) twins at Christmas. Immaculate conception ha.. One of our ram lambs must have been busy before they got separated. We were late separating them last year.. So god knows what'll happen with her. We're going to separate him this weekend, last year we just left him in with them until housing.

Sami23

Ram will be with ewes 6 weeks this coming weekend.
28 ewes. All 28 were tipped in the first 4 weeks but 2 have repeated since so wondering should I leave him 2 more weeks in case of any more repeats show up or take away at weekend. Work full time and rely on Mother to keep eye on them at lambing

mcgiggles

We have one that has been tipped 3 times! It'll be interesting to see if the third one took.

Ard_MC

Rams only let out yesterday. Joys of being on the hill ground. Out of 80 ewes 6 were tupped straight away.

Username John

mcgiggles wrote: »

We have one that has been tipped 3 times! It'll be interesting to see if the third one took.

I'd be thinking of getting rid of her, even if she did hold this year. And I wouldn't keep any ewe lambs from her...

Username John

Sami23 wrote: »

Ram will be with ewes 6 weeks this coming weekend.
28 ewes. All 28 were tipped in the first 4 weeks but 2 have repeated since so wondering should I leave him 2 more weeks in case of any more repeats show up or take away at weekend. Work full time and rely on Mother to keep eye on them at lambing

For the sake of your poor mother, for maybe 1 extra ewe in lamb - is it worth dragging it out any longer?

Green farmer

Username John wrote: »

For the sake of your poor mother, for maybe 1 extra ewe in lamb - is it worth dragging it out any longer?

When I get down to the last 5-10 ewes, lambing shed is closed and a few guests temporarily occupy my back garden. Nice to sit inside with a cup of tea and look out the window. Any issues and I'm on site in a few seconds. Wife ain't to happy mind .

mcgiggles

Username John wrote: »

mcgiggles wrote: »

We have one that has been tipped 3 times! It'll be interesting to see if the third one took.

I'd be thinking of getting rid of her, even if she did hold this year. And I wouldn't keep any ewe lambs from her...

We are thinking that ourselves. We only bought her in this year as a ewe lamb. No plans to keep any of these lambs for replacements anyways so will wait to see what happens come scanning time but I'd say herself and another one will be getting the boot.

tomwaterford

Sami23 wrote: »

Ram will be with ewes 6 weeks this coming weekend.
28 ewes. All 28 were tipped in the first 4 weeks but 2 have repeated since so wondering should I leave him 2 more weeks in case of any more repeats show up or take away at weekend. Work full time and rely on Mother to keep eye on them at lambing

Take him out and cull what's not in lamb


6 weeks is 42 days....which afaik is almost 2.5 cycles....enough chance to get them in lamb


If their still repeating after that theres something wrong.....I worked myself fulltime and Lambed (father watched by day).....6 weeks of getting up at 5 (or before) doing jobs/checking them,going to work,......doing more feeding/jobs in the evening and watching until 12 or 1....if not later is enough

Farrell

How long would you leave until they can be scanned?

Green farmer

tomwaterford wrote: »

Take him out and cull what's not in lamb


6 weeks is 42 days....which afaik is almost 2.5 cycles....enough chance to get them in lamb

if not later is enough

Fatten them up, cull em and thrown €10 -€20 to it and get a brand new ewe lamb.

charolais0153

Farrell wrote: »

How long would you leave until they can be scanned?

90 days.roughly

tomwaterford

Green farmer wrote: »

Fatten them up, cull em and thrown €10 -€20 to it and get a brand new ewe lamb.

I used use the culls to pay for the meal for ewes before they lamb