The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: crobertson on November 28, 2019, 08:46:20 pm
-
Hi folks
I'd like to get our ewes scanned this time as we haven't previously and think we can manage them better knowing what they are carrying.
I've been quoted £80 for someone to come and scan 10 ewes but have no idea if this sounds about right?
Thanks in advance!
-
Yes I would say that's pretty good. Takes as long to set up to scan 10 as it does for 100, and obviously you don't have the economies of scale.
-
I’ve heard a pound a sheep but like shearing there may be a set up fee? That was from someone with 100 plus sheep though. We’re prob getting ours done at the same time as them which keeps cost down. I don’t know if smaller numbers equal higher cost??
-
I've been quoted £80 for someone to come and scan 10 ewes but have no idea if this sounds about right?
Yes, IME that's about right for small numbers.
-
Brill, thank you all ! :)
Hopefully it'll help as previously as after a few years of tweeking we still had slightly large single lambs and slightly small twins when trying to feed without knowing. I think our singles will be fine on just good meadow hay and crystalyx.
-
Sounds about right. I’ve been quoted £70 minimum charge
-
That’s what I pay .... £80 for 100 ewes and under. I have 14 but think it’s worth it re knowing what to feed.
-
can you not latch on with a neighbour when they do theirs?
-
Biosecurity will be compromised if you take your sheep onto a different holding... it may be worthwhile to pay the 80 pounds.
-
Biosecurity will be compromised if you take your sheep onto a different holding... it may be worthwhile to pay the 80 pounds.
The sheep scanners I’ve seen don’t clean their equipment between flocks...
-
Biosecurity will be compromised if you take your sheep onto a different holding... it may be worthwhile to pay the 80 pounds.
The sheep scanners I’ve seen don’t clean their equipment between flocks...
The scanners I have met definitely have.
As a note technically taking sheep to another holding for scanning shearing etc and then bringing them home is very naughty, as once they arrive at the neighbours the 6 day standstill is in place
-
The only equipment my scanner brought was his monitor, battery and scanning head. I provided the catching and holding facilities and he charged me £35 for 10 ewes. I was on his route between home and another job.
-
Biosecurity will be compromised if you take your sheep onto a different holding... it may be worthwhile to pay the 80 pounds.
The sheep scanners I’ve seen don’t clean their equipment between flocks...
Or 13 days if you are in Scotland.
The scanners I have met definitely have.
As a note technically taking sheep to another holding for scanning shearing etc and then bringing them home is very naughty, as once they arrive at the neighbours the 6 day standstill is in place
-
We paid £50 for 36 sheep last year. The scanner said his minimum charge was £40
-
i had mine scanned for £70 for 5 ewes, i was happy to pay as its very hard to get scanners to do small numbers
my only issue was that she got 3 wrong and i ended up with 3 sets of triplets rather than the twins scanned!
i had them on a feed regime for twins and they all turned out pretty decent so part of me was thinking not bothering this year, and using the same feeding regime,
i would have trouble if i had a single but as Wiltshires are very prolific id be pretty confident that i wont get a single
-
i had mine scanned for £70 for 5 ewes, i was happy to pay as its very hard to get scanners to do small numbers
my only issue was that she got 3 wrong and i ended up with 3 sets of triplets rather than the twins scanned!
i had them on a feed regime for twins and they all turned out pretty decent so part of me was thinking not bothering this year, and using the same feeding regime,
i would have trouble if i had a single but as Wiltshires are very prolific id be pretty confident that i wont get a single
If you paid that much and 60% were scanned wrong I’d be asking for my money back!
I had a similar experience last year but decided to try again this year with a more experienced scanner who came recommended and luckily could fit me in. I’m glad I did as there’s 5 sets of triplets and a set of quads to keep an eye on. If I hadn’t scanned and fed for twins I think we would have problems at lambing time. So if you can get an experienced scanner again I would definitely scan them.
-
If you want the scanner to be sure to identify triplets you may need to tell them. In the uplands of the north of England, they basically look to distinguish between geld (empty), one and multiple. If they happen to see more than two they will call it, but unless you ask them to specifically, they don’t take the time to seek additional lambs once they’ve found two.
It may well be different in the south, but in the northern uplands, you need to be feeding twins and above, end of, so the job of the scanner is to filter out the empties and the singles. They’ll be doing several flocks of 500+ each day, too, so it’s about speed too.
-
i had mine scanned for £70 for 5 ewes, i was happy to pay as its very hard to get scanners to do small numbers
my only issue was that she got 3 wrong and i ended up with 3 sets of triplets rather than the twins scanned!
i had them on a feed regime for twins and they all turned out pretty decent so part of me was thinking not bothering this year, and using the same feeding regime,
i would have trouble if i had a single but as Wiltshires are very prolific id be pretty confident that i wont get a single
If you paid that much and 60% were scanned wrong I’d be asking for my money back!
I had a similar experience last year but decided to try again this year with a more experienced scanner who came recommended and luckily could fit me in. I’m glad I did as there’s 5 sets of triplets and a set of quads to keep an eye on. If I hadn’t scanned and fed for twins I think we would have problems at lambing time. So if you can get an experienced scanner again I would definitely scan them.
You live and Learn I suppose, I messaged the her told her she went wrong
Hopefully we both learn from it
-
If you want the scanner to be sure to identify triplets you may need to tell them. In the uplands of the north of England, they basically look to distinguish between geld (empty), one and multiple. If they happen to see more than two they will call it, but unless you ask them to specifically, they don’t take the time to seek additional lambs once they’ve found two.
It may well be different in the south, but in the northern uplands, you need to be feeding twins and above, end of, so the job of the scanner is to filter out the empties and the singles. They’ll be doing several flocks of 500+ each day, too, so it’s about speed too.
I will be sure to mention it this time,
There was no more surprises than me when I went to check on the twin the next morning to find another stood there
-
I have a new lady coming this time for half the price and been doing it a few years do hopefully she will be good