Author Topic: Lambing is in full swing! (Read 1909 times)

waterbuffalofarmer · « **on:** April 09, 2017, 11:00:02 am »

So far this month we have had 3 ram lambs and 4 ewe lambs, all marked and tailed, marking the ewes is getting very difficult and is taking 2 people

Very pleased with this ram, he has done a fantastic job... How is everyone else getting on with their lambing?

farmershort · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2017, 01:34:58 pm »

We're nearly finished. Just got 2 left that we've brought into the shed for ease. We're still short of fences here, so it's a constant shuffle. It was a bad year, but we had a good lambing considering the toxo.

We started with 27 ewes.

8 had toxo, and aborted at various stages. 1 of those 8 died during aborting. 1 of the toxo ewes had 1 dead lamb followed by what became our first pet lamb.

Of the 19 left, We have 2 that haven't lambed.

So from 17 healthy ewes which have already lambed, we have 27 lambs so far.. . Plus that 1 toxo pet lamb. So 28 lambs in total.

Either way you cut it, I'm happy that we've just crossed the 100% figure given all of the toxo issues.

I need to double check about the immunity situation, but talking to the vet it seems that toxo vaccine is required this summer.

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 09, 2017, 01:35:55 pm »

Quote from: farmershort on April 09, 2017, 01:34:58 pm

We're nearly finished. Just got 2 left that we've brought into the shed for ease. We're still short of fences here, so it's a constant shuffle. It was a bad year, but we had a good lambing considering the toxo.

We started with 27 ewes.

8 had toxo, and aborted at various stages. 1 of those 8 died during aborting. 1 of the toxo ewes had 1 dead lamb followed by what became our first pet lamb.

Of the 19 left, We have 2 that haven't lambed.

So from 17 healthy ewes which have already lambed, we have 27 lambs so far.. . Plus that 1 toxo pet lamb. So 28 lambs in total.

Either way you cut it, I'm happy that we've just crossed the 100% figure given all of the toxo issues.

I need to double check about the immunity situation, but talking to the vet it seems that toxo vaccine is required this summer.

Sorry to hear about that, I am glad it all turned out well though

DartmoorLiz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 09, 2017, 05:02:06 pm »

Sorry to hear about your toxo trials and tribulations

. We haven't vaccinated but will certainly consider it now.

We're having a really slow finish after a frantic week or so. Of 55 ewes to lamb I now have 8 left and I've got 73 lambs - I think - its impossible to count that many running around in the field. Had 1 set of triplets, a mismothering and a hypothermic lamb so started with 3 orphans, one was adopted

one died

and one is growing up in the shed

. I've given calciject to 4 ewes, one died but when it works its a miracle! Now that the weather's improved and lambing has slowed down I have a chance to repair fences and do other jobs before I have to go back to my day job.

mab · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2017, 12:15:44 am »

Actually just finished

- the last three of sixteen gave birth today; the last one twins about 3 hrs ago. Sounds like I got off lightly compared to you FS, although I managed to lose 5 lambs this year - out of 32 born (all twins except one set of triplets and one single), and one mum who's reluctant to accept one of her lambs (yesterday - I'm still working on her...).

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2017, 06:52:05 am »

Finished here, shortest lambing we've ever had, only have 5 Zwartble ewes which we crossed this time with a borrowed tup lamb who was much smaller than them but he must have caught them all within days! I have 12 lambs, lost 2 one which was tiny and looked undeveloped and another that was one of triplets born during the night, his cord didn't close off and he lost a huge amount of blood. In all lambing lasted 8 days.

twizzel · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2017, 09:34:30 am »

I just have 2 to go... both returned late it seems... they are in at the moment but if not lambed within a month then they are going to market

our other 7 I have been really pleased with- all had twins apart from our ewe lamb who had a cracking ram lamb (came head first, took a bit of time to find both legs but I got there in the end). The first ewe that lambed became very ill very quickly 48 hrs after, nobody thought she would make it but she did in the end and has reared her twins on really well. The 2nd ewe to lamb had a good set of twins but it became evident one of the lamb's knee joints were badly deformed- vet said it could have been schmallenberg but could have been one of those things- she was put down and her brother left as a single. Another ewe had a mild prolapse but 2 stonking great twins, she will rear them on and go off with the first lambs in the summer. All in all I'm happy... bit of an baptism of fire for our first lambing but overall very minimal losses so far

The one thing I am thinking of doing is sponging this year- our lambing period has been drawn out because we had the ram for a little longer due to one thing or another... although it has been useful as we bought the ewes in in groups, I am thinking that sponging might be worth trying this autumn- I need to speak to our vet and go from there.

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2017, 06:31:00 pm »

glad everyones lambing has ended well, I agree about the 2 ewes though I have 1 I reared from a lamb and she I don't think is in lamb for the second year running, but I'll wait and see... So far 11 ewes have lambed, bringing the total up to 17 lambs, more than half are ewe lambs, so a small ram lamb percentage..... Just another 50 to go. Going to be a busy month!