The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Declan on November 26, 2011, 05:43:02 pm
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I am planning to house my ewes this year about 6 weeks before lambing. This year Ive got 14 ewes to lamb and rather than chase them round the field- (with 1/2 lamb hanging out, foxes, getting soaked, frozen, pi**ed off-- all last yrs events with only 5 to lamb) I am getting an open fronted shed done- to avoid all the trials of last yr and to make it a bit more comfortable on me and my poor local sheep farmer who has never complained when i call him for help or advice.
Rather than bed them on straw with fine stones underneath- i am thinking about getting sheep slats. They seem to come in 2 types timber and metal- expanded mesh type. There are pros and cons to both. Metal is expensive- double that of timber, timber wears out and might get slippy when wet.
Has anyone got any experience or advice of these?
Thanks in advance
Declan
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My OH has come across slats - they can be very good for housing store lambs, and preparing sheep for shows, but he would'nt recommend them for lambing on.
Timber ones do get bery slippery and the mesh ones can be a bugger for getting bolcked up, can be difficult to keep clean and he has known sheep get legs stuck through them. The farm he was working on at the time has now ripped the slats out and gone to straw over a hard core base.
But some people swear by them - horses for courses perhaps?
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I wouldnt like to lamb on slats either. They are good for inwintering ewes. You can make your own out of timber. They should be 38mm wide with 16mm between them and 25mm deep. If you bevel the top edges of the joists that you fix them to then the s**t wont collect. They should be removable in panels so that you can muck the whole thing out at the end of the winter. The main consideration when going for sheep slats is the cost compared against the availability and price of straw in your particular area. 14 ewes will not use much straw in 6 weeks so I personally think it might not be worth it.
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Think about rubber stable/ cow mats. Warm, durable and cleanable(and cheap enough) :)