The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Farmer on May 14, 2009, 09:59:52 pm
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Hi, I have two ewes, each with twin lambs born in April, they are grazing on a half acre paddock and have a supplementary feed of ewe & lamb nuts each morning - in addition they have a bale of fresh straw in their shelter, a bed of dry straw and fresh water daily; so why do they continually bleat? I have examined each of them and can find no problems and they seem fit and healthy and the lambs are growing and developing well. Can anyone offer any suggestions please? Many thanks
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Sorry, can't help but this might - you can email tehm with questions
http://www.sac.ac.uk/research/themes/animalhealth/animalhealthwelfare/sheep/lambing/mortality/mismothering/ewebehaviour/
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there saying well have we not got it good. Why are you feeding hay the grass should be giving the bulk of feed. A straw shelter can i come to stay your spoiling them. you should see ours with 3 inchs of snow on them they look like moving snow drifts. Thry are probably talking to there lambs. think what its like trying to keep an eye on two young kids.
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Its probably just the aftermath of having the lambs. They call to make sure the lambs know where they are, and to make sure they know where the lambs are. Our goats always do that for a couple of weeks after kidding, they call all the time until they are settled back into a routine.
Beth
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Possibly also a mineral deficiency, try giving them a salt lick
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Annie
Ta very much for the link you put on .... what a great informative sight ... straightforward and easy to understand for a novice such as myself
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Yes, it looked good to me too. Not that I have sheep - had enough of them when we had the croft up North. They are born with a death wish! ;)
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Hi,
Thanks for the responses, I'll try a new mineral bucket since they appear to have finished their old one - there may also be something in the comment about being too well looked after as the bleating always increases in tempo and loudness whenever they see me anywhere near the feed containers - maybe like children they think if they call often and loud enough I'll relent and give them even more feed!
I increased my flock today with the introduction of 6 Southdown - X - Portland ewes (4 two year olds and 2 two year olds) - I already have a pedegree Shropshire Ram, a cade Texel Ram and two Texel ewes; our 4 lambs are x Shropshire. Not sure if I will put the Shropshire to the new ewes or put them to a friends Portland or Southdown rams - any advice?
Thanks, Farmer
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Can't help with the questions about the breeding, but maybe can add some insight to the noisiness... A friend of mine who is an RSPCA inspector always maintained that the noisy animals were the ones that the RSPCA didn't have to worry about, as those were the ones that were used to being fed on a regular basis. Those that didn't make noise were those who had given up asking for food, and were therefore being silent as being noisy never resulted in the outcome that they hoped for - i.e. food. With my own animals (fed once a day), this is reflected, as the noise level increases significantly when it is feeding time - during the day, I can go in with them, do jobs in the sheds, fields etc with barely a murmur, however, later in the day, when they are expecting food, my face looks remarkably like a bucket full of food.
That's all I have to add.
Catherine.
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Hi Catherine,
Thanks for that, its very reassuring; the ewes have always been vocal at feed time and appear quite happy during the day even though they bleat a lot - maybe I worry too much but the well being of all of our animals is of the utmost importance to us - they give so much back and its a privilage to work with them and be accepted by them - we breed Dexter cattle, Gloucester & Tamworth pigs and also keep chickens and ducks and two pet goats and our learning curve with all of them is constant - but so is the pleasure we derive from them.
Many thanks
Farmer
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Mine all make a hell of a racket too! they see me and FOOD!!! I wouldn't worry, they sound fine to me.
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Sheep can and do make a racket if they can see the hand that feeds them!.....Now you have increased your flock I hope they all have more than half an acre?
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Hi Thewoolyshepherd,
Thanks for your response, the new ewes are currently in isolation prior to being vet inspected and watched over for a few weeks but they will be grazing out on the main farm when ready - I use the half acre paddock as a nursery for a few weeks after lambing so that I can keep an eye on the lambs and get them used to being handled - it makes life a lot easier if you can catch/handle animals when they need attention; I spend time with all of our animals everyday so they get used to and trust me. I'm too old and overweight to go chasing around the fields these days and anyhow I get real pleasure from having an animal come and greet me rather than seeing me as a potential predator.
Farmer
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Just a thought.....If you have bought them, wormed them and done all the 'other' management tasks of buying in, why do you need a vet check? I find that whilst the vet can occaisionally be useful many, unless they have sheep themselves have textbook knowledge only!!!
Also by putting such a lot of sheep in such a small space you are asking for a worm/coccxy build up etc neccesitating a lot of use of medications!
Don't worry, I know the need for friendly sheep.....any sheep I have had would knock you over for a bucket....and when you have like I had in the past up to 50 ewes in one field racing towards you it can be difficult not to get knocked over in the rush :D
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I only have 4 ewes but they literally lift me off my feet to mug me for the bucket!! Dont think I'd last 2 minutes with a stampede of 50! ;D
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The vet check is simply a precaution born out of a very limited knowledge of sheep - haven't done badly so far, raised five lambs from 2 ewes from our own Shropshire ram, but lost twin lambs to 'twin lamb disease last year so feel that some expert advice wouldn't go amiss now that we have more to contend with - We have the option of growing on for sale through our farm shop or maybe breeding from some/all of them, but I would like some advice before making a final decision - in any case I need to be sure that we are giving them the best care and attention we can.
50 sheep - rather you than me!
thanks, Farmer
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Ours bleat all the time when they know we're around. If you sneak up, they're grazing happily. As soon as the see us, or hear the car!, they start calling. Spoiled, is the problem, I think. Boy, do they love Polo mints!
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Ours bleat all the time when they know we're around. If you sneak up, they're grazing happily. As soon as the see us, or hear the car!, they start calling. Spoiled, is the problem, I think. Boy, do they love Polo mints!
polo mints I haven't tried but mine adore dried apricots ::) yes i know they are spoilt; as they had no apricots in the other day and the sheep were missing their little treat I got them dried strawberries (a bit like fruit pastilles really and very yummy!)
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Mine are noisy, they like being fed non hay food stuffs. They do shut up if I pick up the broom and sweep the yard as they understand I am not going to offer them food right then. They are always noisier when they have lambs at foot.
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Hi,
Thanks for all the responses, I've concluded that the problem is ME...they have everything they need and the bleating is just a try on to get ME to give them more food - when my wife goes near them they don't react quite as bad - but when they spot ME anywhere near the feed store all hell breaks loose - I've decided to try wearing a disguise during the day (dark glasses, hood, etc;) if that doesn't work I'll invest in some ear plugs!
Regards, Farmer
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Hey Farmer
You are not alone - I look a lot like a feed bucket, but apparently the same cannot be said of either my husband, my mother or my father, as none of them elicits quite the same response from any of our animals that I do?!?!??!?
Do you not have too much grass at the moment to be still feeding them????
Catherine.
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Hi Catherine,
The grass is good, but I always 'wean' them off their supplement feed by reducing the volume over about a week; this also gives me an opportunity to observe them up close for a few days when they have just gone on fresh ground or have been mixed with others - if their all doing fine and growing well I stop their feed altogether.
Hope the weather where you are is as nice as here at present - makes the job far easier and twice as enjoyable when the rain isn't trickling down your neck!
Regards, Farmer