The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: CameronS on March 12, 2010, 07:49:25 pm

Title: I'm a dad!! what do i do
Post by: CameronS on March 12, 2010, 07:49:25 pm

i do not mean the heading in the way it first suggests, what i mean is that i now have 3 "pet"  lambs (thus puttting piggies on hold).

this is another of my tedious question lists  ;D

1) when should i start introducing a solid food supplement to their milk diet, and when?
2) will it be ok to leave them unattended in the paddok whilst i'm at school, or should i keep them in the shed?
3)at what age should they be ready for slaughter, they are texels and are about 2weeks old?
4) will they pick up any illness from other animals?

Thank You

Cameron

Title: Re: I'm a dad!! what do i do
Post by: supplies for smallholders on March 12, 2010, 08:01:27 pm

Congratulations !

1) Start offering a good quality creep feed at around 2 weeks of age
2) I presume you are bottle feeding them - depends on your fencing and the weather and if you have a fox problem in your area - as they wont have a mum to protect them or keep them warm.
3) If they are cade then they wont have EID tags fitted (Guess) in which case they will need to be slaughtered by 12 months - but depends on how they are fed and how they grow.
4) Shouldnt do - but if a sheep wants to get an illness and die it will ! - doesent even need an illness to decide to die.
5) Do your homework on Fly Strike, Hoof Trimming, worming etc. and try to strip graze.
6) Plant some mint to go with the chops.

Thanks

Gareth
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk

Title: Re: I'm a dad!! what do i do
Post by: Anke on March 13, 2010, 08:54:01 pm

Do you know if lambs got good drink of colostrum? If not, you will need to vaccinate with Heptavac (or similar, lambivac if all these are to for meat) as early as possible (about 4 weeks I think). As you only have three, you might want to find out when large farmer nearby plans to vaccinate and ask if you can "buy" three doses (has to be done twice 4 weeks apart, and vaccine doesnt keep) of him. Smallest one you can buy in merchants is 25 sheep dose...