The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: plt102 on September 17, 2012, 12:27:57 pm
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Logistically, we are finding it difficult to find a way to keep ram, lambs and mums separate for weaning and before tupping. We only have two secure paddocks at the moment. The ewes apart from one late lamber appear all dried up and lambs are not suckling any more. Is it compulsory to split them up to ensure they are weaned before tupping the mums or can I assume that nature has taken its course. All apart from one (who has not weaned yet) finished lambing in May. If we can leave them together, then I just need to remove the ones not for breeding when I put the ram in.
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That is what I would do. The ewes will kick them off anyway if they try to drink when the ewes think they should be standing on their own four feet. ;) I know many people who do not take the lambs out til tupping time. it always seems to work quite well for them and the rams do their job pretty much within the first week of tupping. But these are only small flocks. i am unsure how it would fare on larger flocks.
LIisa x
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Mmm ... interesting. I had intended to leave my lambs in with the ewes to self wean but even though they were born April time they were still suckling and the ewes udders are still of a good size. Separated yesterday because worried that the ewes may not be in top condition to go to the ram if we decide to breed again and also that they have time to recover before winter. ??? We only have 2 secure paddocks at the moment because the lambs still seem good at getting through gaps that look far too small to leap through. ::) Trying to get the third paddock secure before ram time.
Wondering if I could have left them with mums now. Wormed and fluked yesterday and the ewes feel quite plump around their tums to me. :o Perhaps they would have been better to shed a few more pounds. ::) ???
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I just take the tup lambs out. They've gone to the butcher before I put the tup back in with the ewes, so then I take out the gimmer lambs, who are not be tupped.
I might alter this if I thought my ewes weren't in good enough condition pre-tupping but usually they are, allowing the gimmer lambs to self-wean.
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Oh .... thanks Jaykay and for your reply to my thread on similar topic. Not sure about your situation plt102 but guess I could have left mine together since my boys are wethers due to them having to stay til 16 mnths or so. Especially seeing that my ewes look a bit round.
::) So much to learn
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I'm not going to worry too much about the few renegades that have found their way through three fences to get back to their mums yesterday after we separated them on Saturday then ;D
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Oops all our planning has gone to pot as Bernard decided the time had come, and broke through the fence to get to the girls. Have put a note in diary for 5 months time. Pity because they are all getting wormed, sheared and foot trimmed next week and would have been much prettier for him (our second shear for our gfds as last year we got caught out in october with flystrike and want to minimise the risk). This weekend we will be mending fences and shutting doors after the horse has bolted. Hope our ewe lambs are OK and that he didn't get any of them.
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I was always led to believe that if you left the lambs in the ewes would not come into season on time.
I may be wrong but mine come out into 2 groups Tups and ewe lambs.
The ewes are run onto a tight pasture to dry them off.
The ewe lambs are taught to bucket feed and more importantly drink.
The Ram lambs go onto the best grass to fatten.
The ewes are put on better grass about now to get back into condition.
The tups are checked over ready for the breeding season.
and it starts all over again :farmer:
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That's a great process, CF :thumbsup:
But the ewes will come into season with their lambs still on them. (Ask me how I know... ;) ) So if someone has only a few sheep and not many paddocks, and isn't too worried about lambing timing, they could run them all together and let nature take its course.
Of course, you do have to remove the ewe lambs if you do not want them tupped. Even ones that look too small to you can surprise you. (Ask me how I know... ;) )
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I suppose you could use the smaller size 'ewe panties' for female lambs running with the ewes and tup.
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I suppose you could use the smaller size 'ewe panties' for female lambs running with the ewes and tup.
I'd be worried about m'boy bruising his wizzle! :o
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Never seen sheep up here wearing panties - can you get different colours :-J
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My ewes have practically weaned their lambs themselves already :thumbsup:
I won't be taking any out before the tup goes so ewes and ewe lambs will stay. The 2 wethers I hope are staying in too so they can come out with the ram when he comes out :fc:
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(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCMisDEgnKa34CjW9kTsuORUjopopiY1DBGGqo3lXyqNvQy1zvBw)
They only have them in red at the moment. All other colours have sold out. :eyelashes:
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Bernard very busy. I think it is too late for any intervention. Lambing time 5 months and ticking.....
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Cor blimey ..... they are way too big for my Soay lamb. :o ..... and not very fetching
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Well you wouldn't want them all G stringy and sexy would you. They are to put the Tup off not turn him on.