[VSS]

That is interesting, Tim, we have found a huge difference since we started using teasers 5 years ago.  Our tups go out on Bonfire night, and since we have been using the teasers, we are pretty much done and dusted in three weeks, where as pre teasers, we were lambing for a good 5+ weeks.  This is a massive advantage to us as that is the period for which we employ extra staff, so survival rates and general welfare is much better.  Mind you, everything happens later up here in these hills!

How do you use the teasers ---in for a 2 week period before the tups go in or in for 24 hrs , out for 2 weeks , in for 24 hrs and then tups in 2 weeks later?



Teaser work really well for us - lambed out in 19 days this year.

1st October - teasers in
14th October - teasers out and ram in.

Make sure that the ewes have had no contact with any males for eight weeks before teasing for maximum effect.

Wouldn't work for lowland breeds as late as October - it must be used just at the beginning of the breeding season. Once the ewes have started cycling, using teasers will have no effect.


In theory up with you there will be shorter day light than down here so your ewes should cycle sooner?

I used to use teasers a lot but find them a bit too much hassle and certainly don't expect an extended lambing
If the tups only go in for 3 weeks the ewes can only lamb for 3 weeks---anything else would be empty and hanging on a hook

Our teasers go in for two weeks - what did you find the most successful?

[Tim W]

using teasers on a 24 hr in and then 2 weeks out cycle seemed to concentrate the lambing period better

I have a paper somewhere detailing it---it's a paper copy I think but there was also an article about it in FW some years ago. Uni Of Warwick is where the researcher was based I think