The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: BlitheringIdiot on November 05, 2017, 03:40:00 pm

Title: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: BlitheringIdiot on November 05, 2017, 03:40:00 pm
Hi all

I'm having trouble seeing the red raddle on my flock of black sheep. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which colour(s) would be more conspicuous?

Any help greatfuy received!
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Keelan H on November 06, 2017, 02:59:00 pm
Hi there,

I have a few black sheep in my flock and find yellow is visable as long as the raddle (If the paint type) Gets replenished regularly to ensure a more bold mark is always left behind
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Rosemary on November 06, 2017, 04:04:07 pm
I use yellow then green on my Coloured Ryelands.
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Fleecewife on November 06, 2017, 04:41:35 pm
I like a bit if excitement in my life so I don't use raddle, I just wait and see.  But yellow and orange seem to work.
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Womble on November 06, 2017, 10:28:11 pm
Yes, yellow and orange are fine. If you want white, I've heard of folks using either powdered chalk or the stuff they sell for making white bits whiter for showing.
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Buttermilk on November 07, 2017, 06:26:19 am
Blue! 

I tried yellow and orangte last year and only by running my hand over bottoms and then looking at my fingers could I detect any paint.  This year I tried red and blue with the red being a flop too but the blue really stood out surprisingly.  Next year I will be trying green along with the blue.
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Foobar on November 07, 2017, 11:42:23 am
Yeah weirdly blue works well.  I use yellow mostly, and have some green to try this year too.  Anything with a red or orange tone fades quickly on my black welsh - doesn't help that the black wool already has a red tinge to it.
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: silkwoodzwartbles on November 08, 2017, 07:42:15 am
I find all raddle pretty useless on my Zwartbles but on a recent flock visit, their sheep all had shiny white bums - they use Showshine Whiter than White paste and that's what I'm going to use next year :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Womble on November 08, 2017, 09:02:51 am
^  And I guess the advantage of that is that other colours will show up on top of it later, too?
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: kanisha on November 08, 2017, 12:15:22 pm
Just look for bed hair in the morning ;-)
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: silkwoodzwartbles on November 10, 2017, 07:24:44 am
I expect if there were any repeats, other colours would show over the white, Womble  :thumbsup: I'll try it next year and report back (although madly hoping for no repeats :D )
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: Womble on November 10, 2017, 08:42:58 am
Just look for bed hair in the morning ;-)

Unfortunately we're using a tup lamb with a few ewes this year, and he's raddled everything in sight, whether he's managed to serve it or not!  The poor kid needs to learn to slow down and sniff the air a little!  ;D
Title: Re: Raddle for black sheep
Post by: BlitheringIdiot on November 13, 2017, 08:37:43 am
Thanks for the suggestions. Have given yellow a go but will probably try white next yearnif I can get hold of it, at least for the first fortnight. Fingers crossed the ram's got lead in his pencil as last year's was a disaster ????