The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Justin on October 20, 2020, 01:18:25 pm
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This has been a hell of a year, with lost jobs, a lost sibling and far too many things to keep on top of. Because of that I kind of got behind with sheep management and it's only my first year keeping them. We only had 7 Devon and Cornwall longwools, 2 wethers and 5 ewes, though one was a small one we only took because she looked like she'd have gone to slaughter if we'd not taken her. Yes, I know :D The plan is to start our little flock and breed this winter, just raising enough for ourselves and family.
They've done well on our fields, we have several fields we rotate them on, but with everything that's happened this year I just didn't get round to planning for their first tupping, so that's been put off until next year. Is there an age beyond which you can't start breeding them? Should I not tup the little one or would she likely be ok to breed from?
The wethers will go to slaughter in the spring. Last week we lost one of the ewes, no idea why, found her under a hedge already torn up, presumably a fox got to her, poor thing. As she couldn't go to the local knacker because of being only half there, I just let nature take it's course and now the skeleton's been stripped and I buried it deeply. What should I mark in the flock book for the disposal? Is there any other paperwork to deal with?
I did a faecal egg count last week and the results came back that there was nothing significant. As we're now out of fly season and the sheep all look well, should I be giving any other meds/drench as a precaution or leave alone as they seem healthy.
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First off it sounds like you’ve had a rough year!
Your ewes will be ok missing a year but you’ll have to ensure they don’t get fat next spring and summer, or you’ll have trouble getting them in lamb.
It is illegal to bury farm animals, the knackerman should definitely have taken her whatever state she was in, and then left a disposal note that gets put in your movement book.
If the egg count was low, you should be fine for worms, but do check with your vet what your area is like for fluke, as this time of year immature fluke can be an issue and don’t show up on egg counts.
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Ah, right, then I absolutely didn't bury anything at all, honest guv and you can't prove nuffink!
Seriously though, thank you, I honestly didn't know that. Our local disposal is the hunt kennel, they don't collect and I honestly didn't think turning up with a bin liner full of mangled bits would be reasonable. I'll know for next time.
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Course you didn’t :innocent: you should have a commercial knacker in your area that would pick up dead stock (and shoot any livestock and then take away) and not have to rely on the hunt. Your vets should be able to point you in the right direction.
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Ah, right, then I absolutely didn't bury anything at all, honest guv and you can't prove nuffink!
Seriously though, thank you, I honestly didn't know that. Our local disposal is the hunt kennel, they don't collect and I honestly didn't think turning up with a bin liner full of mangled bits would be reasonable. I'll know for next time.
Actually it can be an issue. If you are inspected you will need to account for every sheep on your holding.
If she was pretty eaten it was probably badgers.
I hope things settle for you and you have chance to enjoy your little flock. The small one has chance to catch up if you are leaving tupping for a year.
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"Actually it can be an issue. If you are inspected you will need to account for every sheep on your holding."
Hardly a hanging offence! Lots of sheep just disappear.
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"Actually it can be an issue. If you are inspected you will need to account for every sheep on your holding."
Hardly a hanging offence! Lots of sheep just disappear.
I didn't say it was a hanging offence. I pointed out that if you are inspected you will need to account for those sheep you have, or haven't, when inspected.
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Out of interest, what do you do if a sheep genuinely does just disappear.
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Out of interest, what do you do if a sheep genuinely does just disappear.
Record exactly that in your flock book.
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What if one were to disappear in a series of casseroles? Asking for a friend.
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Thanks for all the help, I've recorded 'lost' in the flock book.