General sheep thread

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118040076#Comment_118040076

Ewes all in good condition. Rams in next paddock for last few weeks. What more can one do?.Scotch ewes, normally 8% empty. Ewes on good grass all year round. Never on hill.

White Clover

Interesting that you run scotch ewes on lowland. Is there any particular reason that you farm them as opposed to lowland type sheep?

Dinzee Conlee

How long should the ewes have access to the ram, for the ram effect?

I only have 6 ewes going to the ram, so I have the ram in the shed and put the ewes in beside him for a day. My question is, is a day enough? I thought I read before that 24hrs would do the job...

Its not a big thing, my ewes have been in and out of the shed a bit since. But was just thinking what the minimum time they say you can get away with, and still get the benefit of the ram effect...

MIKEKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118042144#Comment_118042144

Had a lot of ewes on commonage up until decoupling kept a small number on land after. Then GLAS required sheep on commonage so numbers increased. Should change to other breeds on lowland but it suits system.

Kevhog1988

I see on a facebook group someone posted that the sheep welfare scheme is finishing this year. Will something else replace it?

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118047920#Comment_118047920

New scheme I think but with less Of a payment. Wasn’t costing them a whole lot, you’d think they leave it be

eire23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118049969#Comment_118049969

Reading the journal there this morning, seems in rolled over for the next five years amd still 10 euro a head.

2017 is the reference year but the article said the a genotyped ram will probably have to be bought. Its good that its been rolled over, its money for stuff that needs to be done.

Tileman

Why is 2017 the reference year again though.

it should be on current numbers and allow flexibility for numbers to increase

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118055556#Comment_118055556

An EU condition of all these schemes is that it doesn't increase production, There was probably less sheep in 2019 if they thought about it, A lot of sheep farmerswent to dairying etc between 2017 and 2019.

Just after hearing of a 1600 sheep farm in the west converting now

Young95

have a good lock of lambs that are 40 kilos . There on just grass now but gras will be gone soon . What’s the best way to finish them ? Abit of meal for a week to 10 days to get them use to it then give a kilo a day outside for 4 to six weeks ? Or just get them going on meal for a week or two and then ab lib it to them in a feeder .?

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118063957#Comment_118063957

If they've never had meal before and don't know what it is, they should be safe enough to just let them have the creep feeder. They'll get used to it gradually. That's the way it usually happened here. A creep feeder is much easier than troughs.

when I had the big number of sheep I'd always start meal in september and I'd always just give them the creep feeder and they'd learn on that and they'd never get sickened............... Maybe someone else will comment on that idea

If you've fed them meal before, then you just have to build them up gradually, it's very easy to sicken sheep, just give what they'd eat in 5 minutes when you're building them up

Farm365

Can anyone recommend a good wire strainer/puller for sheep wire?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118073610#Comment_118073610

https://www.gibsonsonline.ie/product/hayes-wire-strainer?gclid=CjwKCAjwzt6LBhBeEiwAbPGOgXw8N-D756CC-F9AWrBH8pgMVuQlluj44GaA5IFyazPhLun7m5qgnBoCxrgQAvD_BwE

We use two of these to pull.the wire evenly

roosky

I bought in ewe lambs from a number of Marts in early September, they were sheared and are looking well at the minute.

just wondering is there need to dip them ? They have no signs of scab or itch or lice but just wondering would it freshen them up for the winter months….it’s a good bit of messing to get them dipped as I have very fragmented land and need to get a mobile dipper in but would be happy to do it if it needs to be done !

thanks

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118088087#Comment_118088087

If they are fine I wouldn't bother coming into the colder months of the year.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118088087#Comment_118088087

Dipping is very good for sheep, sets the up for the year. ivermectin is breaking down all over the place because farmers are using it to replace dipping and it's even losing it's effect against scab.

You're likely to buy in scab at some stage with your sheep but if they're in a few weeks without showing any signs, you're unlikely to have bought it in.

The only time I had scab was when a sheep fell out of a lorry on the road and ssomeone caught her and put her in with mine. As it was at mid pregnancy it proved to be an awful problem. I eventually had to dip all when the lambs were about a month old

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118088413#Comment_118088413

Hardship at it's worse.

I'm thinking of putting winter/summer dip mix in knapsack when I have all bought in and give them a spray when going through the race.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118089251#Comment_118089251

It's hard work alright, it was at dipping six years ago that my heart failure eventually showed itself properly. .

The year my flock got scab, they got ivomec twice, showered once, all to no avail. we tried all that because they were mid to late pregnancy.

Tractor power washer running at low revs and drown the sheep in a yard would be a way better job and safer than the knapsack, you'd be further away from the sheep, and keep the wind behind you, Often done it, but use a wetsuit and mask

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118089302#Comment_118089302

https://fb.watch/8XBTjiA_ML/

Ewes hate being dipped, it'll be some job to get them to step on that conveyor again

J.O. Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118089562#Comment_118089562

Can't say I blame them for not wanting to be dipped, I don't think I'd want to be thrownin there either.

You'd need a forcing pen at the back of that conveyer belt otherwise I fear the sheep struggling would make sure you rather than them ends up on it with at least one ewe in the flock.

Country lad

always spray them twice a year using the power washer seems to work for me about 140 litres of dip for 60 ewes

thelegend1979

Anyone ever have an issue with a ram refusing to mate full black sheep. Have 8 zwartble cross ewes in a bunch of 40. Ram working well otherwise but running the full black ewes away.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118103512#Comment_118103512

How ong are the rams out, maybe the ewes aren't in heat, some breeds don't breed as early as others, did they breed last year in october

thelegend1979

Black ewe clearly in heat today and he raddled two other ewes and ran her away numerous times. She had her head under his belly and was wagging her tail.out since last thursday. About 22 out of 40 tipped with no issues. No raddle on the 8 blacks and I've seen him chase away a black ewe hogget two days ago aswell. Will have to swap the 8 ewes I think. Annoying as able to change raddle without flocking the ewes.bred 3 weeks earlier last year with different ram.

wrangler

Never heard of that, it might be like the late night Coppers when young lads say ''It's two o'clock you'll do'' Your ram might have a different attitude when the rest stop coming on heat around him

thelegend1979

Haha that's what I was thinking. Decided to take them away this morning and swap a few more back instead. I cant afford lambing to be dragged out waiting for him to make up his mind.

DJ98

Question in relation to tams. Anyone any idea how long it takes to get approval on submitting a claim. Submitted claim here 3 weeks ago and still no word back, ag food is saying ready for lo checking. Is it normal to take this long?

Tileman

Took me about 6 weeks in total . Hit an inspection so that delayed it.

k mac

Would it be a bad idea to leave a ram on his own in a field for 2 weeks, only have ewes and ewe lambs that i don't want him with yet, so nothing to leave with him

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118111755#Comment_118111755

Could you put him in the next field beside the ewes? Obviously it needs to be well fenced. He'd be fine once he can see other sheep through the gate.