[Anke]

I have a dilemma with one of my Shetland tups. He has been used with 100% success rate for the last two years, and again this year has my seven cross ewes and two commercial shetland ewes in his field. This is the first year I have put a crayon/harness on him, so I can plan the lambing better. It seems however the tup is re-tupping all his girls, so seems to be firing blanks. My OH discovered this while I was away for a very rare weeks holiday, and when I came back the snow was 2ft high and no way I could get into the field to change him over (I have a second part of my flock with another Shetland tup, who has all my pedigree shetland girls with him in a different field). The approach to the field is still an icerink, but we hopefully will be able to get in tomorrow and take tup No1 out and unite all the ewes with tup No2.

My dilemma now is that: is it already too late to mate the ewes, as we are now talking about a late May lambing? Most of these lambs would be 3/4 shetland crosses (1/4 txl) and I usually manage to get these lambs to between 30 andd 35kgs by Novemebr and sell them as lightweight lambs. But I am not sure if (with extra feed and extra cost) that would be possible with 6 weeks later born lambs? Would the extra feed cost reduce any profit I would otherwise get?

Would I have problems getting the ewes back in lamb next autumn if they were to have a "year off"? One option is just to leave as it is, and not lamb this part of my flock. The ewes are all 3 years old.

I am just not sure if I would end up with lambs that I cannot sell by Xmas (as I usually try) and then have to feed them over winter and possibly sell them as hoggets?

Has anyone else done very late lambing and how were the lambs sold then?

[morri2]

Hiya Anke! Sorry to hear about your tupping problems.  I can offer some advice I think.

Firstly I nearly always sell my ewe lambs as hoggets, rarely as lambs.  In fact I think this year is the first time I've put my ewe lambs up for sale before they are at least one year old.  There is usually a good demand for shearlings, I've found, as they can be put straight to the ram that autumn.  I have lambed mid April a number of times, but not in May.   If they are not being sold until the following year it doesn't really make a lot of difference, but, as you say, you will have to feed them over winter. 

I have missed years in the past too, it made no difference to the ewes taking the ram the following year.  Don't know whether anyone else with larger flocks have had any problems in this respect.  Hope this helps a bit.  Have a great Christmas.  Caroline   

[Hardfeather]

What is the percentage of settled ewes with the second tup? Is he raddled as well, and have any ewes returned to him? How long has the first tup been in, and was his colour changed at any point?

I think you should tup the ewes anyway. Any lamb is better then no lamb, surely, and there will be a market for them, although you may not get the best of trade.

[Anke]

Thanks for the replies - I think we will try and attempt to swap over tups today. Have thought about it during the night, as you do....

Heavy snow forecast again for the weekend, so maybe that's our only chance. Already sleeting just now.