The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: kate7590 on January 27, 2015, 01:19:26 pm
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Flippin eck!!! This is the third day iv been up and tried to castrate little Oscar. Poor little thing, it can't be pleasant for him to be pulled and prodded. Iv had to give up again as I just can't do it. He's 6days old tomorrow so it's really my last chance tomorrow but I don't hold out much hope. I'm so bloody annoyed. The contraption we have to open the band seems useless (are they all the same???) if I hold it one way it stabs his tummy with sharp teeth and the other way means I'd have to roll the band off and risk his little marbles flying back up and out of the band again. Surely it shouldn't be this difficult???
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No! but to say that the first couple of times weren't fun is an understatement. This video is really clear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGgA4jauSFg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGgA4jauSFg)
Good luck.
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Haha, that video is great but it won't make it any easier to do, especially if your lambs are small!
There are a number of previous threads on here all about this subject and the problems with the more primitive/non commercial/small breeds.
I have given up castrating my BWMs for this reason (and I hate doing it)!
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When I was farming commercially it was always much easier to do it with two people. We used to have a long low bench that two people could sit on facing each other one would hold the lambs with their (the lambs!) bum on the bench whilst the other person facing them would apply the rings. The person holding can easily stop them moving whilst the other person can concentrate on the task.
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Hi
Where are you?
Sounds like you could do with a bit of a demo and practise.
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Do you have a friendly neighbour farmer who could show you? Most are very willing to help newbies.
A couple of years ago I couldn't ring a castlemilk moorit lamb, my experienced farmer neighbour took 5 tries before he got both balls in the ring. He doesn't think much of my wild sheep.
I'm busy tomorrow but could maybe visit on Thursday afternoon if you're stuck.
Isn't there someone else on here lives nearer you?
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My vet has offered to show me / do it with me the first time. Maybe yours would too?
It can't bd that expensive (at least I f you can take the lamb to them)
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use the prongs to push into the lamb and the balls often pop into the sack,
I put the band halfway down the prongs, open up and put over, lamb is dangling between my legs, sort of upside down and sort of hanging with legs split and balls on show, head clamped through my legs rest dangling
Take the end of the balls using just a tuft of hair, not squeezing them, guide gently through and then I push the prongs into the actual lamb, not hard but firm and then release, as the prongs were underneath the balls then the balls cant go back in, I check that all is well and he has two in the sack and then wiggle the prongs off whilst rolling the band down, I do the tail at the same time, then grasp a back leg and swing the lamb forward and onto its legs at the same time and grab the next one by the same hind leg and swing up inbewteen your legs, grip with your legs and keep going, means you have two hands to do the job and never have to hold or adjust the lamb with your hands
I can do easily 60-100 an hour like this working on the 1,500 ewe unit
If the lamb has only one ball or they arent there then I always leave the tail long so its easy to tell from a distance
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Take the end of the balls using just a tuft of hair, not squeezing them,
Having spent many years teaching students to ring for the first time I agree with most of what you said Ladygrey but disagree with the above ..... touching the sac tends to encourage the testicles to be retracted which is not a problem for you as you have masses of practice and do the job very fast. I recommend novices put their left index and ring fingers on the two teats and press hard (encourages testicles to descend and stops ring catching them) until ring is on and elastrators closed.
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I have Ouessants so finding miniscule balls isn't easy and to be honest doing them within the 7 day period not possible. However to avoid leaving them any longer than possible its always easier with a second person if you can possibly find one to help out and secondly heres my DIY when everything else fails method. Take a clean length of string tie in a single knot and secure around balls where the ring will eventually sit. This will hold the things in place giving you time to play with the appplicator and position everything totally correctly before releasing the band. The string can easily be removed from under the band.
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Take the end of the balls using just a tuft of hair, not squeezing them,
Having spent many years teaching students to ring for the first time I agree with most of what you said Ladygrey but disagree with the above ..... touching the sac tends to encourage the testicles to be retracted which is not a problem for you as you have masses of practice and do the job very fast. I recommend novices put their left index and ring fingers on the two teats and press hard (encourages testicles to descend and stops ring catching them) until ring is on and elastrators closed.
I see what you mean yes, important when teaching I suppose :thumbsup:
But..... I dont touch the sac, I literately pinch the tiniest piece of fuzz at the end of the sac without touching any skin and I dont pull on it or do anything other than make sure the sac is lifted up enough to put the ring over, it seems to work and the balls dont notice ::)
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Thanks so much for everyones replies! I think Im going to give the string method a go tomorrow afternoon.
I managed to do our other ram lamb relatively easily a few weeks ago so this has thrown me a bit. This one is a smaller lamb however!
Thank you to those who have offered to come and do it for me, however we are going out tomorrow and possibly thursday :( So kind of you though and I really appreciate the offer! May beg you next year if I have the same trouble lol
Wish me & little Oscar luck for tomorrow :p
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Good luck! :fc:
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Done it!!!!! Finally!!!! Lol
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Well done! (poor wee chap!). What method worked for you in the end?
Did you notice that it was predominantly ladies who responded to this thread though Kate? I for one could barely stand to read it, and even now am crossing my legs! :roflanim:
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Well we ended up bringing him in (we have plumbers in at the moment and the baby was up so couldn't just leave the house lol)
His little marbles seemed to of dropped since yesterday, maybe the warmth of the house helped?? I tried with a bit of twine which seemed to work until I tried getting the band on. In the end I managed by pushing the applicator towards him a bit harder and pushing on his tears to make sure they didn't get ringed.
So glad it's done now and I don't have to worry for another year!
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Well done! :thumbsup:
And actually, yes, the warmth may have helped. :thinking: I can just imagine BH's face as I bring all my little primitive boys in for a warm before they get their wee nuts ringed... ::) :roflanim: (We already get a black Wensey, a Manx X and a Shetland X BFL in the kitchen if we leave the back door open... :love: :sheep:)
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I must admit I used to get the vet to do my pygmy goat boys but helping at lambing time up at the local farm was a big learning curve - started by the farmer holding the lamb and giving me direction and after a few days got the tecnique. Now do it on my own and quite quickly - I do find the more you mess about the more agitated the lamb/kid gets, so the more practice you can get the better.
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I don't think kids are so tricky as lambs, they don't seem to pull them back in the same. :roflanim: