The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Rosemary on April 19, 2011, 10:41:05 am

Title: Scanning
Post by: Rosemary on April 19, 2011, 10:41:05 am
We had our ewes scanned when the vet happened to be here for something else. He couldn't tell if there were singles or multiples.

This year (nothing like planning ahead), I'm going to put the tup in 29th October for a 26th March start. He'll come out on 10th December.

What's the optimum time for scanning for best information?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: VSS on April 19, 2011, 11:15:57 am
Different scanners say different things, so the best otion is to ask whoever is going to do your scanning.

Our chap likes to do them 90 days after the date the ram goes in. He's very, very accurate.
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 19, 2011, 01:01:52 pm
Completely agree with VSS, ask the scanner, they all like different times and some are flexible and others not.  The one I used to use on my previous farm liked to scan 2 months before due date - that would be about 87 days after tup went in, wouldn't it.  She was completely inflexible in every respect but incredibly accurate, so we kept having her every year and putting up with the brusqueness.  In the end we got used to her (and she us) - but still woe betide you if you didn't have enough people and dog power to keep the sheep flowing!  (You were allowed one breakdown an hour, she'd have a cigarette and her assistant would get some more hot water if needed.)
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: bamford6 on April 19, 2011, 01:34:44 pm
never scaned wev just done 100 and 100 left had about 85 so far we have 200 rare breed sheep and this yere we have embrio so we can get a pedigree herd to gether i think thats where the money is.
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: Rosemary on April 19, 2011, 02:13:19 pm
All I need to do now is find a scanner!! Although my vet wasn't expensive either.
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: pikilily on April 19, 2011, 07:10:02 pm
Quick trot up the road to the Matty Unit at Ninewells - sorted !!
 ;D ;D
ET x
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: VSS on April 19, 2011, 07:25:06 pm
Its funny Rosemary, you are the second person who has said to me recently that their vet scanned their sheep and he said they were in lamb, but couldn't tell how many lambs there were. I can only suppose it must have been quite late on in the pregnancy?

Scanning is worth every penny.
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: doganjo on April 19, 2011, 07:26:35 pm
All I need to do now is find a scanner!! Although my vet wasn't expensive either.
Archie in Falkirk?  I have his number.  He scanned my and my friends bitches and is 100% accurate up to 10
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: Freddiesfarm on April 19, 2011, 07:29:05 pm
I wouldn't use the vet I would use a specialist scanner as they are far more experienced with this.

My scanner did 190 ewes this year for me and has 100% accuracy on the numbers.  Even when I thought he got one wrong she delivered the third lamb a day later as  a horrible dead mummified thing!

Even when the vets do the dogs they will say will only ever say one, none more than one!
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: doganjo on April 19, 2011, 07:33:30 pm
That's exactly why we use Archie (his Dad was reputedly the best sheep scanner in the country till Archie took over  ;))  Vets charge twice as much and won't commit to exact numbers for fear of being sued when their clients have much less or much more than they forecast.  BVA recommendations apparently! ::)
Title: Re: Scanning
Post by: Rosemary on April 19, 2011, 07:50:02 pm
If Archie does sheep and will come to Angus give me his number  ;D