The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on September 18, 2010, 09:28:48 am

Title: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: andywalt on September 18, 2010, 09:28:48 am

Please correct me if I am wrong, crutching is the trimming around the essentuals before tupping time? do all ewes need or require it? does it improve results? or is it for some breeds that have heavier and longer fleeces?  It would be nice to hear your views..........

thanks

Title: Re: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: Freddiesfarm on September 18, 2010, 09:35:01 am

Different people have different views.  I llike to crutch the ewes regularly to keep them clean, but also when it comes to lambing you can see what is goining on without having to rummage through the fleece.  Some people crutch before tupping so they don't have to do it to in lamb ewes, others say that the rams don't like it (stubble!).

Best to do what suits you but it is worthwhile.

Title: Re: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: andywalt on September 18, 2010, 09:40:30 am

thanks for that, very helpful, im slowly picking up all the terms and proceedures

thanks again

Title: Re: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: humphreymctush on September 18, 2010, 10:17:15 am

I dont tend to do it, but one thing I have noticed is the dopier lambs some times try to gey their first drink sucking in clumps of wool, so I supose if the ewe was tidied up around the udders this wouldnt happen

Title: Re: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: VSS on September 19, 2010, 03:08:13 pm

We don't crutch before tupping but clip the bac end and around the udder of each ewe after she has lambed. Ours need the woolly bottoms to keep the weather out over the winter

Title: Re: "crutching" is it essentual ?
Post by: suziequeue on September 19, 2010, 04:34:23 pm

I wish I could get my husband to keep the weather out of his bottom........ all that wind!!!! :-D