The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: NewLifeOnTheFarm on February 22, 2018, 08:29:12 am

Title: Crutching pre lambing
Post by: NewLifeOnTheFarm on February 22, 2018, 08:29:12 am

Another newbie question! Will my Shetlands need crutching before lambing? Or do the lambs seem to know what they are doing despite all the fleece?

They will be coming in for their heptavac soon and am wondering whether its worth giving them a trim?

Thanks

Title: Re: Crutching pre lambing
Post by: bj_cardiff on February 22, 2018, 10:06:00 am

I wouldn't, I don't think it would be good for them to be tipped up in late pregnancy. I once had some ewe lambs that had a lot of fleece and I used scissors to snip away some fleece while the ewes were standing so I could see if the lambs were suckling.

Title: Re: Crutching pre lambing
Post by: harmony on February 22, 2018, 10:14:39 am

Are you going to lamb in or out? If in,you can do them after they lamb if needed. It is the long wool that hides the teats which lambs can get confused by so a full crutch isn't always necessary. A small number and you can tidy them up whilst standing, when you heptavac.

Title: Re: Crutching pre lambing
Post by: Marches Farmer on February 22, 2018, 11:04:46 am

I aim to give the ewes as quiet a life as possible.  If the ewes are on exposed land they need their udders kept warm.

Title: Re: Crutching pre lambing
Post by: twizzel on February 22, 2018, 11:11:19 am

I crutched my lleyn x ewes last year but haven’t this year. I think next year I’ll try to get it done at heptavac, they were crutched standing up with no Ill effects. This year on a few woolly ewes it’s difficult to see what’s going on !