The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Brucklay on September 12, 2012, 08:28:39 am
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Having never used a raddle before, as we only had a few ewes and just left things to nature - this year I think I need to be a bit more organised having 21.
A couple of questions -
1. the raddle crayon will it wash off the shetland fleece, eventually as I don't want to spoil their fleeces
2. As the castlemilk ram was used as a ram lamb last year and did his duty - I assume he will be ok with a raddle
3. As my shetland ram, shearling, not used last year will he be ok with raddle or should I use the paste stuff - again how is that on the ewes fleece
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I bought a harness and blocks but was told that the harness can chafe and can just put the tup off so we use the powder and slap it on his chest. Works fine. The challenge is a colour to show on dark brown fleece so we use yellow folowed by green, although (fortunately) we've only had one green bum ;)
Never had a problem with it lasting as long as shearing time - long gone by then.
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Thank you Rosemary - yellow paste it is then and change to green - as you say hoping they both get to their ladies 1st time around so not too many green bums :roflanim:
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I've used crayons on my Black Welsh Mountains, I found that orange or red and green are the best colours. The yellow didn't show very well. Also if you do use crayons make sure you get the ones that match the current temperature - I think maybe that's why my yellow one didn't mark so well, it wasn't warm enough for it.
I will be slapping on raddle paint this year, as I have my own tup now (didn't want to mess up other peoples fleeces :)).
I have heard of white ones....but not actually seen them for sale.
Also I'd really like a fluorescent one, so that come the dark evenings when I arrive home from work and go around the girls to check their bottoms for marks I can see them better with my torch!! ;)
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If you want white raddle go to somewhere like Hobby craft and buy their white powder paint, add some oil and hey presto..... white raddle paint! And cheaper too!
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Oh I do like the idea of fluorescent paste - it won't be long before my last evening check is by torch light so I see the point of that - now to track it down
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Oooo, Hobby Craft! Oooo! :excited:
Trouble is I might get carried away in there....my sheep might end up with glittery bums or sommat!
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Glittery bums........ my one daughter shows her Jacob stock ram in young handler classes covered in spray glitter! Looks great when the sun shines, which it didn't do much of this year.