The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: debbigord on March 29, 2013, 02:56:22 pm

Title: Dagging advice
Post by: debbigord on March 29, 2013, 02:56:22 pm

Hi,
First time lambing this year - a bit scared but mostly excited. Apologies if I ask silly questions - I've been on a couple of courses but still feel a bit under prepared so am spending lots of time reading this forum!
On the course I went on the ewes had been dagged out pre-lambing. My girls are due from next weekend and are looking quite heavy bellied now, I was intending to dag them out in the next few days but I'm worried about man handling them too much and stressing them. Their bottoms are a bit grubby but nothing awful, although their fleece under their bellies looks like it could do with trimming back a little to expose the teats. What do you think?
Thanks - any advice welcome

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Foobar on March 29, 2013, 03:11:02 pm

I would only lightly dag their back ends if they were dirty, and I wouldn't turn them over to do anything underneath, its too close to lambing time.  If you find that the lambs are struggling to find the teats then trim each ewe once she has lambed.

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Bionic on March 29, 2013, 03:48:56 pm

debbigord, Its my first time lambing too and I haven't dagged. So far I have found that the teats have been prominent enough when the time comes. Not sure if this is the same for all breeds though. Mine are Ryelands

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Hillview Farm on March 29, 2013, 05:54:23 pm

Personally I really wouldn't dag out this late. Its far to stressful and they are so close! I'd ony dag if there was a real need to do so and just wait until they have lambed.

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Marlboro on March 29, 2013, 05:56:10 pm

We didn't dag our hoggs last year before they went to the tup and had to quite a bit of trimming after they lambed, wouldn't touch them now as they are so close, its relatively simple after if they have too much wool, more of problem with hoggs as they were not shorn last year. I did trim this years before they went to the tup but still may have to do a bit more on the one who seems to have grown an extra winter coat! The first one has lambed and there was no problem with access for her baby girl.

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Shropshirelass on March 29, 2013, 06:52:49 pm

I agree with Hillfarmveiw we run about 200-400 ewes per year & only dag them if their in a real mess before mating & lembing x

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: Shropshirelass on March 29, 2013, 06:53:15 pm

*Lambing (Whoops)

Title: Re: Dagging advice
Post by: debbigord on March 29, 2013, 08:18:53 pm

Brilliant- thanks for the advice, I'll leave them be til after lambing then  :)