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Sheep for beginners

RogR

From a cattle background and currently farming cattle, was tempted to get a few as variety and for a number of uses.

Will have milk available this spring so thinking of feeding a few pets/orphans as would be quiet and hopefully train them to electric fence.

Any thoughts? Which breeds to avoid, I want something hardy??

Also would I need to apply for a flock number as I already hold an active cattle herd number?

Thank you

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FintanMcluskey

My grandfather had a saying years ago "a sick sheep is a dead sheep", so you will save on vet bills but a healthy sheep will be dead in an hour from some ailment or other.

Sheep won't be kept in place using cattle fencing.

There was a mix of Suffolk, Rouge and Texel on the family farm here years ago.

The Suffolk and Rouge were the hardiest round here, but it depends where you are from ie hilly West of Ireland ground needs hilly West of Ireland sheep.

It's surprising how much sheep eat, they use their teeth to clip grass so it gets cut to the butt. Grows real leafy after though

RogR

Thanks for your advice!!

Mixed land here in the south west, considerable height above sea level.

Do you know anything about the flock number ???

Jonnyc135

My thoughts would be stay away from pet lambs alot of hassel and there costing nearly 35 euro at the minute. Maybe buy ewe with lambs at foot. Once ewe bags alright then not a bad buy if decent land off load the lambs come 42kg and fatten the ewes after or keep if decent stock. Fat ewes going 3.50 a kilo. Main thing with lambs and sheep is fencing and buying the correct stock. Never buy lame, and never buy them if there scratching. Crossbreed type ewe would be fine and hardy, sometimes I find texels can have bad feet and prone to scald and suffolks are usually better that just my experience. Always found suffolk lambs extremely greedy and hence very easy to fatten.

RogR

Thank you for your advice, would be alot more straightforward than feeding lambs and could make a few euro too.r

Do you know anything about flock number as I have never kept sheep, only have herd number for cattle

Kevhog1988

Started out a few yrs ago as a complete beginner. If i was you id buy a few ewe lambs and run them on as hoggets for breeding next yr. By the time you go lambing you will have gotten the hang of handling sheep etc. If you decide they are not for you its easy sell hoggets

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058231420/sheep-for-beginners

Cows milk isn't suitable for feeding pet lambs, use Lamlac if you're going that route.

Sheep are not difficult to keep once you get the fencing right, there's a lot of common sense involved. lot's of vaccines available nowadays so they don't die any more than any animal and if they do there's not a lot of money involved.

Sheep thrive very well too mixed through cattle as opposed to all sheep

RogR

Thank you both for your advice. If bottle feeding, I will have a surplus of goats milk.

Any info on the flock number, do I have to apply to Department or will herd number suffice??

Kevhog1988

Just ring the department and they will activate flock number if you already have herd number i would say

RogR

Great thanks 👌

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118585293#Comment_118585293

Don't get pet lambs ..pure hardship. Different if you wanted to Keep a couple for the kids.

If u want to get good at sheep buy good the first day.

RogR

The human kid is heavily involved, near 4 year old girl. The pet route was appealing as could train to electric fence (3/4 strands), train to bucket and will also have the surplus milk.

I know the saying with the cattle 'the day you buy is the day you sell' applies to sheep also!

orm0nd

Since you don't have sheep don't buy untagged lambs or you might have to do a bit of explaining to the dept

Send the pink copy of the dispatch document to your DVO.

You will also need a book of dispatch documents for the dreaded day of sale or casualty disposal. Also a flock register for records.

The dept will organise these for you when you active your flock number.

In the event of an lost tag you will need to get a replacement from one of the suppliers.

RogR

Thank you for this information 👌

kk.man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589297#Comment_118589297

Yea ppl forget the 'un tagged' lambs with pets. I had an inspection a few months back and I saw the print out if all my movements the dept had on me...I had nothing to hide but tell you it was a wake up call to what big brother is capable of having.

Skipduke

You cant feed pet lambs cow milk unless you want to kill them. it's too rich, you'll need to buy a proper lamb milk replacer.

the bucket is also not ideal, they either drink too much or don't drink at all . with one lamb your best bet is bottle feed. 3 /4 times a day but that cant be gradually cut down when the lamb is a few months old.

in terms of hardy-only buy a lamb that got its colostrum. breeds irrelevant but I am a fan of scotch blackface or cheviot. Suffolk are soft. buy a ewe with lambs at foot, save yourself the feeding.

RogR

It's goats milk I have access to if I go down that route and would be fed from bottles.

By train to the bucket I mean to follow a bucket of meal for moving etc as I don't have a dog.

Ewe with lambs at foot possibly looking like a more sensible option 👍

orm0nd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590196#Comment_118590196

If you're registered on Agfood you can check your movements there.

Still stihl waters 3

Sheep, "the only animals that'll try die twice" was how an old neighbour of mine used put it

green daries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590504#Comment_118590504

Oh god ya that is a suitable statement 😂

RogR

Might stay doing what I'm doing 🤣🤣

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118590866#Comment_118590866

When we had 500+ewes our losses in the ewes was less than 1% probably nearer to 0.5%. The bad press for sheep is very exaggerated.

My father used to talk about a sick sheep being a dead sheep but management and science has moved on a lot since then

green daries

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118591347#Comment_118591347

Ya and that is fair enough wrangler I haven't farmed sheep for 30 year's.where the quote rings true is where sheep are in inexperienced hands.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118592027#Comment_118592027

Do all the vaccinations and you'll shortcut a lot of the deaths same as any enterprise.

I always heard that it takes five years to learn a new enterprise

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118591965#Comment_118591965

Apart from a ewe putting out her guts, I'd never question getting a vet for a sick ewe if she needs it

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118592222#Comment_118592222

I did last year but it's a false economy. The vet might not save her but what you will learn will save ewes for year's to come.

Ashill5

I got into sheep 5 years ago, bought 20 Texel cross ewe lambs, put up 4 rows of electric fencing, once they got a rattle off it, they weren't long getting trained, give a handfull of nuts till they settle, it will come in handy when yiu want to move them..

luckily i havent lost any apart from a couple of lambs at lambing time

i had to apply for a flock number, had an inspection before i was granted it but it was no bother, once you have a bit field fenced, you will be grand.

Best of luck with them, but go for lowlands as they will settle in a lot easier to fence with the electric fence

Ashill5

RogR

Thank you 👍

k mac

Similar situation to yourself OP, only ever had cattle and decided to try sheep as the west of ireland land i have is so wet getting sick of cattle ploughing it for months at a time even with them housed for half the year.

What i did was 2 years ago fenced 2 fields for sheep and got 40 store lambs in the back end to get used to sheep and see did i like working with them. They went ok and the year that was in it left a few euro. When i sold them last year i bought a few ewes with lambs (about 6 wks old) at foot. Again just to get used to them and see what work was involved, granted the lambs at that age were nearly strong enough that there was not much minding.

I have now 10 ewes that are gone to the ram, so hopefully lambing for the 1st time at easter. If all goes ok i hope to double the amount each year for the next few years. Plan this year to do some more fencing. Big thing i think with sheep is good fencing and handling facilities.