General sheep thread

wrangler · 01-12-2020 12:03am

DJ98 wrote: »

Is there not something about that being hard to get rid of or something as it's a metal?

Slurry tank is a good place, It's only a nominal amount

DJ98 · 01-12-2020 12:04am

wrangler wrote: »

Slurry tank is a good place, It's only a nominal amount

What if nó slurry tank?

wrangler · 01-12-2020 12:11am

DJ98 wrote: »

What if nó slurry tank?

Do what everyone else does

By the time you're throwing it out it's probably 2 or 3% zinc, put more water in it if you're worried.
Dilution is the solution to pollution,

A neighbour footbaths with formalin and the sheep leave a line of dead grass down the field from the exit of the footbath, have a look at what you're using yourself

Nekarsulm · 01-12-2020 1:00am

Considering the amount of Zinc Sulphate, Iron Sulphate and indeed washing powder spread liberally on driveways and yards across the country, all in the name of killing moss, sheep farmers are in the ha'penny place!

RobinBanks · 01-12-2020 1:17pm

Hi All. I was in the mart looking at the sheep. Noticed that the sheep were pinned according to type. Seen sign for cast ewes and was wondering what were cast ewes?

Tileman · 01-12-2020 1:38pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Hi All. I was in the mart looking at the sheep. Noticed that the sheep were pinned according to type. Seen sign for cast ewes and was wondering what were cast ewes?

ewes not suitable for breeding due to age or health reasons . They are for fattening for factory

mayoireland · 03-12-2020 11:07am

How high will the price of lamb go before Christmas I don't think it was this high before correct me if I'm wrong

ganmo · 03-12-2020 11:52am

The bord bia site used to have a facility to let you look back in years for prices but since they changed the site I haven't been looking at it much
https://www.bordbia.ie/farmers-growers/prices-markets/sheep-trade-prices/sheepmeat-price-dashboard/

richie123 · 03-12-2020 11:18pm

mayoireland wrote: »

How high will the price of lamb go before Christmas I don't think it was this high before correct me if I'm wrong

Hit 6 20 plus last spring ...were around 5 60 or 5 70 at minute ? Anyone sell lambs to factory lately ?

roosky · 04-12-2020 2:18am

I have two weather lambs to kill, when do they become hoggets according to factory, should I get shut before Xmas.....they are just 47kg

Siamsa Sessions · 04-12-2020 11:39am

roosky wrote: »

I have two weather lambs to kill, when do they become hoggets according to factory, should I get shut before Xmas.....they are just 47kg

Factory will take them now but at that weight they might also attract bids from butchers at the mart so maybe bring them to the mart.

They won’t be hoggets til Spring lambs start coming on stream next year. But at 47kg and prices going well, I’d be getting rid of them now

Mad about baa baas · 04-12-2020 1:19pm

Did anyone see the man on ear to the ground with the easycare sheep last night.. I thought he sold them well..he didn't mention how the lambs are to finish though..from speaking to a couple of lads around here the purebred ones are slow..as a ewe to produce lambs from another breed of ram I see definite appeal...any thoughts?

wrangler · 04-12-2020 2:04pm

Mad about baa baas wrote: »

Did anyone see the man on ear to the ground with the easycare sheep last night.. I thought he sold them well..he didn't mention how the lambs are to finish though..from speaking to a couple of lads around here the purebred ones are slow..as a ewe to produce lambs from another breed of ram I see definite appeal...any thoughts?

I think they have to be three quarter bred easy care before they lose the wool properly, He's a very good sheep farmer, if they worked for anyone they'd work for him

Mad about baa baas · 04-12-2020 2:49pm

wrangler wrote: »

I think they have to be three quarter bred easy care before they lose the wool properly, He's a very good sheep farmer, if they worked for anyone they'd work for him

I knew about the need for nearly pure breeding to shed ..what I was getting at is if bred to another breed of ram and sell all lambs to factory..maybe keep one easycare to breed replacement ewes.. ..he is a serious operator all right

orm0nd · 04-12-2020 3:58pm

Mad about baa baas wrote: »

Did anyone see the man on ear to the ground with the easycare sheep last night.. I thought he sold them well..he didn't mention how the lambs are to finish though..from speaking to a couple of lads around here the purebred ones are slow..as a ewe to produce lambs from another breed of ram I see definite appeal...any thoughts?

I think he said on twitter last year that they ko very well I don't know did he mention the time frame.

Young95 · 04-12-2020 4:34pm

Mad about baa baas wrote: »

I knew about the need for nearly pure breeding to shed ..what I was getting at is if bred to another breed of ram and sell all lambs to factory..maybe keep one easycare to breed replacement ewes.. ..he is a serious operator all right

There suppose to be poor For milk tho supposedly?

Green farmer · 04-12-2020 4:42pm

Mad about baa baas wrote: »

Did anyone see the man on ear to the ground with the easycare sheep last night.. I thought he sold them well..he didn't mention how the lambs are to finish though..from speaking to a couple of lads around here the purebred ones are slow..as a ewe to produce lambs from another breed of ram I see definite appeal...any thoughts?

Early days for me , but I put a easycare ram across my lleyns this year for the first time, along with the terminal sires. Good lambs at birth. Have grown and k.o'd well. Will run on some as replacements. Only complaint I can find about them, is I've been in the marts recently and any easycares ive seen selling haven't sold as well as ordinary sheep. Maybe some buyers are still weary of them ? Not sure why, as any of my own I sent to the factory have killed out no different to any other breeds I have here, nor performed any less. I'd even say they k.o better in many cases.

foxirl · 04-12-2020 9:57pm

Green farmer wrote: »

Early days for me , but I put a easycare ram across my lleyns this year for the first time, along with the terminal sires. Good lambs at birth. Have grown and k.o'd well. Will run on some as replacements. Only complaint I can find about them, is I've been in the marts recently and any easycares ive seen selling haven't sold as well as ordinary sheep. Maybe some buyers are still weary of them ? Not sure why, as any of my own I sent to the factory have killed out no different to any other breeds I have here, nor performed any less. I'd even say they k.o better in many cases.

I've a flock of easycare. Breed most pure and all ram lambs go to the factory. Mostly R3s and about 20% U3s. No meal to lambs. However they are on good grass and I'm not heavily stocked.

razor8 · 04-12-2020 10:49pm

wrangler wrote: »

I think they have to be three quarter bred easy care before they lose the wool properly, He's a very good sheep farmer, if they worked for anyone they'd work for him

In fairness any breed of sheep would work well on his land. He’s a very good operator but having land like his is half the battle

wrangler · 05-12-2020 12:36am

razor8 wrote: »

In fairness any breed of sheep would work well on his land. He’s a very good operator but having land like his is half the battle

I Know he slaughtered all his texel hogget rams one year for being related to a texel throat offender...... not all breeders were that honest.

razor8 · 05-12-2020 2:42am

wrangler wrote: »

I Know he slaughtered all his texel hogget rams one year for being related to a texel throat offender...... not all breeders were that honest.

I rang him that year to buy one & he told me that. He’s definitely one of the very few that would take that hit

Young95 · 05-12-2020 6:18pm

What are lads feeding ewes in there mid pregnancy stage of pregnancy? Il have my rams out 6 weeks by next weekend with grass be tight by then . Just wondering would really good quality hay be enough for them for the 4 week period till there 8 weeks out till lambing by then meal feeding will start taking place. Ewes are in good condition and will have a good run of ground with the odd pick of grass plus bale of hay . Or would I want to give them crystal x buckets with the hay ?

wrangler · 05-12-2020 6:32pm

Young95 wrote: »

What are lads feeding ewes in there mid pregnancy stage of pregnancy? Il have my rams out 6 weeks by next weekend with grass be tight by then . Just wondering would really good quality hay be enough for them for the 4 week period till there 8 weeks out till lambing by then meal feeding will start taking place. Ewes are in good condition and will have a good run of ground with the odd pick of grass plus bale of hay . Or would I want to give them crystal x buckets with the hay ?

Hay will be alright if it's good enough, nice and leafy etc. if you put a hand on them every couple weeks or so you'll know if they're losing condition
What price per ton is Crystalyx, from what I've heard it's two or three times the price of ration for basically the same thing .

Here's 22 kgs crystalyx at €45, how is it better than a bag of ration at €8
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Crystalyx-Extra-Energy-Gatterwild-22-5kg/dp/B01KTNY05S

I found it after at 27.30, I can't understand why anyone is using it, even at €22 is €1000 per ton

Siamsa Sessions · 05-12-2020 6:41pm

Young95 wrote: »

What are lads feeding ewes in there mid pregnancy stage of pregnancy? Il have my rams out 6 weeks by next weekend with grass be tight by then . Just wondering would really good quality hay be enough for them for the 4 week period till there 8 weeks out till lambing by then meal feeding will start taking place. Ewes are in good condition and will have a good run of ground with the odd pick of grass plus bale of hay . Or would I want to give them crystal x buckets with the hay ?

Put out a lick bucket (any brand) and check it the following day. If it’s all gone, chances are they need more hay or a fistful of oats. If they haven’t touched it, then they’re probably grand for now.

Lano Lynn · 05-12-2020 8:07pm

wrangler wrote: »

I Know he slaughtered all his texel hogget rams one year for being related to a texel throat offender...... not all breeders were that honest.

truth be told there wouldn't be a lot of texels left if that was standard practice . That is a responsible breeder that deserves a premium for his stock .

wrangler · 05-12-2020 8:17pm

Lano Lynn wrote: »

truth be told there wouldn't be a lot of texels left if that was standard practice . That is a responsible breeder that deserves a premium for his stock .

We had a couple ewes with texel throat lately, from rams that are gone now, we traced the rams back, there was nothing notable on the certs , we then went to sheep Ireland and found ours was related to the ram that caused Willie hutchinson to cull all his hogget rams.
In the last year two friends have been caught by Texel throat breeders, one friend is just waiting for the antibiotic withdrawal to expire to get to slaughter the ram.
The other friend had three rams affected from the one breeder, If Sheep Ireland were any good they'd be on top of this and start a Database of offenders

razor8 · 05-12-2020 9:20pm

wrangler wrote: »

We had a couple ewes with texel throat lately, from rams that are gone now, we traced the rams back, there was nothing notable on the certs , we then went to sheep Ireland and found ours was related to the ram that caused Willie hutchinson to cull all his hogget rams.
In the last year two friends have been caught by Texel throat breeders, one friend is just waiting for the antibiotic withdrawal to expire to get to slaughter the ram.
The other friend had three rams affected from the one breeder, If Sheep Ireland were any good they'd be on top of this and start a Database of offenders

Which county is the culprit from?

Young95 · 05-12-2020 9:30pm

wrangler wrote: »

Hay will be alright if it's good enough, nice and leafy etc. if you put a hand on them every couple weeks or so you'll know if they're losing condition
What price per ton is Crystalyx, from what I've heard it's two or three times the price of ration for basically the same thing .

Here's 22 kgs crystalyx at €45, how is it better than a bag of ration at €8
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Crystalyx-Extra-Energy-Gatterwild-22-5kg/dp/B01KTNY05S

I found it after at 27.30, I can't understand why anyone is using it, even at €22 is €1000 per ton

It might seem more expensive but if sheep have any forage atal they’ll only lick a small bit per day to reach there needs .. it’s not like meal where they’ll gorge on it either way ..

wrangler · 05-12-2020 9:54pm

razor8 wrote: »

Which county is the culprit from?

I don't think I'll be starting a witch hunt.
I wouldn't think there's many flocks not affected at this stage, plenty breeders didn't cull, I know I was surprised at the last case.
Even talk now of lleyn and Belclare having a texel input so there's nothing safe,

razor8 · 05-12-2020 10:21pm

wrangler wrote: »

I don't think I'll be starting a witch hunt.
I wouldn't think there's many flocks not affected at this stage, plenty breeders didn't cull, I know I was surprised at the last case.
Even talk now of lleyn and Belclare having a texel input so there's nothing safe,

Fair enough. It can really feck up someone’s flock. Bought 3 Texel lambs from different breeders many years ago and 2 died of Texel throat first winter. Remember having one in the shed and you could here him in the house. Sent vet a video of him. He said he’ll drop of a heart attack before morning. He dropped 20mins later

wrangler · 05-12-2020 10:38pm

razor8 wrote: »

Fair enough. It can really feck up someone’s flock. Bought 3 Texel lambs from different breeders many years ago and 2 died of Texel throat first winter. Remember having one in the shed and you could here him in the house. Sent vet a video of him. He said he’ll drop of a heart attack before morning. He dropped 20mins later

They die an awful death
I hope you went back to the breeder/s

razor8 · 05-12-2020 11:18pm

wrangler wrote: »

They die an awful death
I hope you went back to the breeder/s

I didn’t as I thought it would be pointless but reading here now I should of

Dinzee Conlee · 06-12-2020 12:36am

razor8 wrote: »

I didn’t as I thought it would be pointless but reading here now I should of

I don’t want to name names here now - but so you know are they still Selling breeding rams?

razor8 · 06-12-2020 9:52am

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I don’t want to name names here now - but so you know are they still Selling breeding rams?

Yes. But I would imagine it’s the breeding line that was the issue not the whole flock. To my knowledge it’s not contagious

orm0nd · 06-12-2020 10:58am

we lost a belclare ram with it ( or something exactly similar) wasn't too familiar with it at the time and had him cured a with a cocktail of drugs and steroids

out of withdrawal and getting on well when he got a second bout , didn't last long and no response to antibiotics

ganmo · 06-12-2020 3:18pm

razor8 wrote: »

Yes. But I would imagine it’s the breeding line that was the issue not the whole flock. To my knowledge it’s not contagious

If the texel breeders arent willing to eradicate it they why would anyone buy a texel ram? Even the breeder that culled his offenders will not be able to buy any breeding stock in comfort

wrangler · 06-12-2020 3:32pm

orm0nd wrote: »

we lost a belclare ram with it ( or something exactly similar) wasn't too familiar with it at the time and had him cured a with a cocktail of drugs and steroids

out of withdrawal and getting on well when he got a second bout , didn't last long and no response to antibiotics

There's no cure, there's a substantial risk now of buying a ram with it now, even any white ram

Lano Lynn · 06-12-2020 10:07pm

wrangler wrote: »

We had a couple ewes with texel throat lately, from rams that are gone now, we traced the rams back, there was nothing notable on the certs , we then went to sheep Ireland and found ours was related to the ram that caused Willie hutchinson to cull all his hogget rams.
In the last year two friends have been caught by Texel throat breeders, one friend is just waiting for the antibiotic withdrawal to expire to get to slaughter the ram.
The other friend had three rams affected from the one breeder, If Sheep Ireland were any good they'd be on top of this and start a Database of offenders

It is the texel society that should take responsibility .
The fashion for big heads,short necks is the route cause,
throw in the misuse and over dependance on AI and ET the condition is endemic .
for added measure the susceptability to mastitis has the breed f~~ked.
pity the victims that will get burned at the inlamb sales.
how that bubble hasn't burst I don't know

Lano Lynn · 06-12-2020 10:16pm

wrangler wrote: »

We had a couple ewes with texel throat lately, from rams that are gone now, we traced the rams back, there was nothing notable on the certs , we then went to sheep Ireland and found ours was related to the ram that caused Willie hutchinson to cull all his hogget rams.
In the last year two friends have been caught by Texel throat breeders, one friend is just waiting for the antibiotic withdrawal to expire to get to slaughter the ram.
The other friend had three rams affected from the one breeder, If Sheep Ireland were any good they'd be on top of this and start a Database of offenders

this is a large driver of the 'hybrid' ram spin a charolais texel cross is unlikely to have texel throat......but.......as lads back cross and interbreed it will resurface.

feeding & medication can cover faults but there is no escaping genetics

Prop Joe · 07-12-2020 12:54pm

What should i dose my lambs in the coming weeks ?

RobinBanks · 08-12-2020 8:38am

Hi All. I was thinking of buying some nice breeding type tex ewe lambs that are approx 40kg. I normally buy them to fatten and kill next march time but i Was thinking about selling them as breeding hoggets instead. Just wondering when is the best time to sell them? Would I be better keeping them until breeding season starts next October or does it make any difference? Would lads be still buying for grass next spring.

Siamsa Sessions · 08-12-2020 10:27am

RobinBanks wrote: »

Hi All. I was thinking of buying some nice breeding type tex ewe lambs that are approx 40kg. I normally buy them to fatten and kill next march time but i Was thinking about selling them as breeding hoggets instead. Just wondering when is the best time to sell them? Would I be better keeping them until breeding season starts next October or does it make any difference? Would lads be still buying for grass next spring.

Hogget sales are usually around July/August, but depends on where you are. e.g. hill breeds might be a little later.

I'm guessing you could always throw them up on DoneDeal in June.

Out of interest, what kind of Texel crosses are they? Anything with too much of a square Texel head might not be exactly what people want in breeding ewes.

RobinBanks · 08-12-2020 1:25pm

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Hogget sales are usually around July/August, but depends on where you are. e.g. hill breeds might be a little later.

I'm guessing you could always throw them up on DoneDeal in June.

Out of interest, what kind of Texel crosses are they? Anything with too much of a square Texel head might not be exactly what people want in breeding ewes.

Thanks for reply! I was in the mart earlier and picked out a couple of pins. Its funny when you mention the square heads. I never heard this expression before but one pin i have picked out would have square heads!!! might be more suitable for me because i wont be able to keep them on for the summer. This pin is around 40kg, tight wool but wouldnt be the prettiest. For fattening though, they should be ideal.

Siamsa Sessions · 08-12-2020 2:10pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Thanks for reply! I was in the mart earlier and picked out a couple of pins. Its funny when you mention the square heads. I never heard this expression before but one pin i have picked out would have square heads!!! might be more suitable for me because i wont be able to keep them on for the summer. This pin is around 40kg, tight wool but wouldnt be the prettiest. For fattening though, they should be ideal.

That kind of big square head would be a good indicator of plenty terminal blood in them, which isn't what you want for breeding animals.

I suppose all I'm saying is lambs that are good for finishing are usually terminal and they are very different from lambs that are good for breeding. There are exceptions though as with everything, but in general I'd aim for breeding ewes with narrow heads, narrow shoulders, and wide arses. Kinda a triangle shape!

RobinBanks · 08-12-2020 4:00pm

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

That kind of big square head would be a good indicator of plenty terminal blood in them, which isn't what you want for breeding animals.

I suppose all I'm saying is lambs that are good for finishing are usually terminal and they are very different from lambs that are good for breeding. There are exceptions though as with everything, but in general I'd aim for breeding ewes with narrow heads, narrow shoulders, and wide arses. Kinda a triangle shape!

Thanks for those few tips. I will keep an eye out for those features.

kk.man · 08-12-2020 6:12pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Hi All. I was thinking of buying some nice breeding type tex ewe lambs that are approx 40kg. I normally buy them to fatten and kill next march time but i Was thinking about selling them as breeding hoggets instead. Just wondering when is the best time to sell them? Would I be better keeping them until breeding season starts next October or does it make any difference? Would lads be still buying for grass next spring.

The big question you need to ask yourself is there a good market for these types near you as hoggets next year. If there is then yes is the answer.
In the south east they would be little want for those types in fact there is little type for any except the Borris ewe hogget. I notice that any other breeds the dealers snap up for less than their tru value.

Siamsa Sessions · 08-12-2020 6:57pm

kk.man wrote: »

The big question you need to ask yourself is there a good market for these types near you as hoggets next year. If there is then yes is the answer.
In the south east they would be little want for those types in fact there is little type for any except the Borris ewe hogget. I notice that any other breeds the dealers snap up for less than their tru value.

Very true - you could get €120 for a 45kg lamb in March but only €140 for a hogget in June, especially if she turns out to be a bit plain or butty.

Having said that, it might be more interesting to be buying/selling breeding stock compared to the conveyor belt of finishing stores. Whatever blows yer skirt up, as the man said!

Dinzee Conlee · 08-12-2020 7:32pm

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Very true - you could get €120 for a 45kg lamb in March but only €140 for a hogget in June, especially if she turns out to be a bit plain or butty.

Having said that, it might be more interesting to be buying/selling breeding stock compared to the conveyor belt of finishing stores. Whatever blows yer skirt up, as the man said!

Personally - would find the opposite. Prefer to sell lambs fat, than to sell breeding hoggets...

But - keep a few to sell to run on over the summer, to keep the grass down as they say

farawaygrass · 08-12-2020 7:44pm

Jjameson wrote: »

Farmers will pay dear for a square piggy texel ram with no neck before pay ordinary money for a correct functional proportioned ram. A Suffolk with a massive head and legs that couldn’t throw anything only lambs that need assistance.
Bald pink headed Charolais rams that throw bald mice.
Wicklow Cheviot rams that have become a biggest sheep competition, long gappy teeth and have turned into sheep that would no more survive a winter on frugal do than any lowland breed.

Farmers set the bar for what sells.

Are Cheviots big sheep traditionally? Ran a Cheviot Ram with sufflock ewes here a few years ago and kept most of the ewe lambs. Brilliants ewes but they are massive, strong and touch flighty. Often wondered how they were so big for a hill breed

Tileman · 08-12-2020 8:28pm

farawaygrass wrote: »

Are Cheviots big sheep traditionally? Ran a Cheviot Ram with sufflock ewes here a few years ago and kept most of the ewe lambs. Brilliants ewes but they are massive, strong and touch flighty. Often wondered how they were so big for a hill breed

Yea wild hoors. Soon as they see u they’d be gone.

General sheep thread

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