I'm have something similar. They were coughing like mad a few months back but not as accute now. I did them once for fluke and three times for worms. Like you it's all young stock I have. I had a very sudden death when they were coughing. They were well vaccinated at the time. I didn't get a pm done but I spoke with an old sheep farmer and he was of the opinion pneumonia is rampant this year due to the mild autumn. So there could be something in it
I have ewe lambs coughing a bit this year too. They were all bought in and have had no contact with any of the rest of the flock since they arrived. I had faecal test done and there was no lungworm or fluke. They all seem to be thriving ok.
I got a post mortem done on a ewe lamb that died around 5 years. She wasn’t well for a few days beforehand. She had pneumonia and pleurisy but they did extra tests they showed she had OPA too.
I have had a few like that myself in recent weeks - vet says all the mild clammy weather recently has seen an uptick locally with such issues.
Never knew that. Makes sense of the name anyways👍
Thanks, wondering would the hogget be hard lambed to the suffolk? suppose the texel would be as hard lambed now a days with the big head anyway,
i bought 9 cheviot ewe lambs in november around 35 kg running dry this year, there from blessington to seem pure cheviots, if i were to put these to suffolk ram next year , i presume that would be the famed borris ewe , if females? i have a belclare ram too, would they be a decent cross? im keeping all their female progeny so will prob go for suffolk cross.
Yea they would be Borris lambs alright. I think Blessington is the last real place to obtain proper Cheviots now. As a fella from Mount Leinster remarked to me last year 'where would you see a field of proper cheviot ewes now?'...now if he is saying that they must be not be plentiful around their traditional ground.
Where on the agfoods website is the online format to fill in the sheep census?
Animal identifiaction and movements>>>Sheep Keeper>>> Census (top left ) Create
Thanks, Another job off the list lol
What date does census have to be sent back by?......does it have to be filled in online or can you post it back?
I think it's the end of January. You can do it online. I haven't looked at it yet but will do at the weekend
I've about 4 ton of whole barley here and thinking of mixing up our own ration.
I know a fella working in a store and the have maize and soya that I can buy in bulk.
What would be the best way to mix a ration. Might buy some whole oats to put through it too.
I was thinking a ton of oats to s ton of barley with some maize and soya added as per calculations depending on protein content.
Then add minerals.
TIA 👍
postal 31st january online 14th february
Would ye have any issue with tagging sheep with permanent tags with the dampish weather? It’s not raining but sheep would be damp well
Hi all, so to update ye on the coughing sheep situation, from talking to a man i bought some of them off and from discussions with my vet and advisor there is a lot the same issue on farms.....similar to what i would describe as mild pneumonia. i had a few with runny noses as well as cough so i gave them a shot of oxytet and they have responded well so my plan is to tackle the ones that show symptoms
I thought something similar myself. The Autumn was too mild for sheep imo.
hi All,
Quick Question: I have a last years Dorset Ram Lamb that served ewes for the first time this year. Have found over the past few weeks that hes fairly aggressive in the field when we approach. What were first playful fairly small head butts are now 3 steps back and charge sort of thumps off him. Is there any way of stopping that?. The missus and little lad are somewhat frightened of him now. Hes still with his bunch of ewes but has tipped them all. Will the shed for a few weeks quieten him?
If you have small kids around, I'd get rid of him.
Were they vaccinated with heptavac P
Hes pure bred so i was hoping to keep him. He gave a run at me today and i gave him a good dunt that frightened the sh1te out of him so was hoping that may stop. Does hand feeding them make them worse rather than better?.
I cured a ram that way too, hit hm on the nose with teh handle of the fork, frightened the life outa him. we've one now that gets excited when you come with meal, I just don't trust him
Yeah, if you get them square on the nose with a heavy stick like that, it can quieten them all right.
But, if they are so inclined to butt, with small kids I wouldn't chance it. It might turn out that you have cured the ram of trying to belt you, but he might still see a little person as fair game... ☹️
Sorry @Kevhog1988 , I know its not maybe you want to hear. But - others am sure might have a different view...
Will keep everyone away from him for the moment and see how he fares out
I had a Suffolk came full speed at me in a shed a while back. All I'll say is suffock came out the worst. He never came near me after.
Hand feeding not a good idea. I used to feed mine in the field with other rams never housed them.
Ya all done with two shots of hep P plus
I wouldn't hand feed a ram like that, familiarity breeds contempt.
Herself and I weren't long going out when I spotted a ram backing to have a go at me, I gave him the boot of the wellington with all best wishes.
I left her have her while giving out reams to me then asked if she was going to take time off work to look after 300 sheep at the time.
The ram didn't try me again but I sold him anyway, plenty of sheep in the world.
in the natural course of things rams, bucks, stags etc would leave the flock/herd after all females are covered and form batchelor herds.
this behaviour needs to be replicated so basically he needs other male company. If you don't have other rams see if some of your neighbours have some and come to some arrangement about grouping them together.
small flocks with one ram are seriously complicated with where to put the ram out of season which is another great reason to keep a teaser and or a couple of extra rams 'coming on' (ram lambs run on for sale as shearlings)
would have 20+ rams always run together out of season and never had a cross one in 30+ years bought an aged ram a couple of years ago and was told he was wicked he got 24 hours in a small pen with his new buddies and never gave me any bother after that.
Have a pet from last year ill keep him with
Started meal feeding the ewes on Saturday (150g/hd) and I was wondering how much do lads start them off on and when do you increase the amounts?
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