sponging ewes

jfh

Hi all, my vet is not a sheep man so checking in here re Synchronising sheep.

for mature ewes do you remov ethe sponges on day 12 , 13 or 14, i've heard different opinions

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058257967/sponging-ewes

We often took out sponges on the twelfth and fourteenth day to make more use of our rams, ie serve half of the ewes on one day and the rest two days later

jfh

Thanks wrangler, that's a good idea.

jfh

Would it make much of a difference to leave them in for the 14th day, 12 the doesn't suit as I'm away. Thanks

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446455#Comment_119446455

probably alright, the program recommends 12 to 14 days

Jonnyc135

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446737#Comment_119446737

Say if you had 20 sheep, could you split them half (10) on the 12 day and half again on the 14th day and would one ram be able for that. In your experience what would a typical Ram Lamb 70kg service when compared to a hogget or mature ram?

AntrimGlens

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119446455#Comment_119446455

Good to hear someone in the same boat as me, I put sponges in 8 days ago completely forgetting we're away at a wedding day 12 & 13. I'd planned to get a neighbour to remove the sponges and jag them with the PMSG, but if day 14 is still appropriate I'll remove them then when I get home.

wrangler

Unless I was supervising the mating, I wouldn't use a ram lamb for sponging,

With natural service, a ram lamb would do thirty ewes

148multi

You could hand mate them to a mature ram, let ram lamb off after mature ram has mated each one.