61

Sheep / Re: Sheep with Poor body condition

« Last post by Rosemary on August 01, 2025, 07:00:28 am »

What Twizzel says. An don't rely on visuals to assess condition in future. A fleece can hide a lot, as you now know. You need to get regular hands on to assess condition. Hope he recovers.

62

Sheep / Re: Sheep with Poor body condition

« Last post by twizzel on July 31, 2025, 10:03:37 pm »

A feed of cake each day will help, given he is a he you must make sure it is suitable for wethers/rams and has ammonium chloride included, lamb finisher nuts probably best bet. But I would also look at why he is thin, check his teeth, do an egg count to see if worms are an issue, run bloods for iceberg diseases MV johnes etc. Given we’re in summer he should be at his fittest really so there may be an underlying condition that is causing the lack of condition.

63

Sheep / Sheep with Poor body condition

« Last post by MaxiB on July 31, 2025, 05:50:12 pm »

My Valais X has just had a nasty bout of fly strike which he was treated for… however, once sheared I was mortified to see his body condition is very poor… how did  I miss that! I am feeling seriously guilty about it…. he has had ad-lib access to hay as well as grass… he is now on his own to allow his wounds to recover. How can I get some weight on him? 

64

Announcements / New diary post: Pears / Pony teeth / More pears

« Last post by TAS Bot on July 28, 2025, 07:27:07 pm »

A new TAS diary entry has been posted: Pears / Pony teeth / More pears

65

Sheep / Re: Bluetongue vaccine anyone?

« Last post by twizzel on July 28, 2025, 12:50:39 pm »

I’m in the south west. We have vaccinated all breeding stock and replacements. Didn’t do meat lambs as they should all be away by the autumn nor have we done calves.

66

Coffee Lounge / Re: A NEW SENTENCE

« Last post by Q on July 28, 2025, 11:47:55 am »

sauces

some app users cant even spell

67

Sheep / Re: Bluetongue vaccine anyone?

« Last post by Bywaters on July 27, 2025, 04:36:07 pm »

I have vaccinated.
With a small flock (lambing 25) any losses that can be avoided are worth de-risking.
Although breeding whitefaced woodlands for over 30 years, we have managed to get reserve female breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show (dead chuffed!) which has been the reward for a lot of hard work, over the last 7 years, improving the flock.
To be fair, we vaccinated before the show, but we would be devastated to lose any one them through not vaccinating, when there is a good chance that it will vastly reduce the chances of them getting it
Did all the ewes, hoggs and most of the gimmer lambs (only had 50 doses)

68

Sheep / Bluetongue vaccine anyone?

« Last post by PipKelpy on July 27, 2025, 02:02:32 pm »

Unless you pay to read the interesting stuff, the newspapers online aren't as much to read these days.

Whilst lurking on FB, (as you do) someone had posted a link about bluetongue been found close to the Welsh Border. Well, I knew that was Herefordshire, which also borders South Shropshire, I'm North Shropshire, so am hoping midges don't want to come up here, not as warm at the moment, (been hot, burnt my grass off, no hay crop, blasted grass just wouldn't grow, had to buy in hay, bloody sheep.)

So, the pesky sheep, bordering another country/county, do we vaccinate? Girls currently still got their lambs, going to wean the WH, give the lambs Flystrike Central, now that field is green and lush!! (Not too lush though!)

Are any of you BT vaccinating who are "up here" or further north?

69

Events / Re: Scottish Smallholder Festival 18th October 2025

« Last post by doganjo on July 22, 2025, 12:55:48 pm »

The Festival Team will be at Border Union show on Friday and Saturday this week - calling all Border Reivers 

70

Coffee Lounge / Re: Future Farming Investment Scheme - close but not quite there.

« Last post by doganjo on July 22, 2025, 12:52:49 pm »

It was a copy and paste. If it's relevant, whihc it isn't to you, I'm sure folk will go and find the original version.

As a Trustee of Smallholding Scotland  you know it interests me - This link may work https://farming.co.uk/news/scottish-agroecology-partnership-welcomes-future-farming-investment-scheme--