Author Topic: Lamb/sheep advice (Read 9494 times)

melholly · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2011, 02:34:39 pm »

That's great advice thank you all on the tag front! Jaykay - are you serious?? More Sheep?!! I've already been persuaded to let my 2 Dorset Mums get in lamb again, which will be my first experience lambing next spring! As you know, not doing too great with the ducks at the mo! Thanks for the advice on fields too - thankfully it's already fenced into 4 paddocks but interesting you should mention it as was going to rotate them this weekend but it suddenly dawned on me how am I going to get a flippin sheep to move?! The orphans should be fine as they walk to heel better than my lab does but my feisty mums and their extremely skittish lambs??

With the tags - I bought them from a farmer in April - neither of the 2 lambs have tags (nor do my orphans) but I have them ready to do. they are all girls and I intend keeping them longer than 12 months so I've got 2 tags, one of which is a chip thingy (thats right isnt it?) Am a bit scared (I know I know!!) doing it though to be honest! The 2 Mums had only one pink tag each??

Thanks again!
Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2011, 07:13:36 pm »

melholly, it sounds like both the mums are 2007-born or older, so only needed one tag. (Have I got the year right? I think double-tagging came in for 2008-born lambs, didn't it? Then EID for 2010-born.) Assume that they predate double-tagging anyway - check with the farmer you got them from and/or get someone who knows how to check how many 'big teeth' they've got and how old that makes them.

If you've got new tags they'll come with instructions - if you do it as shown and with conviction, it won't hurt - honest.

Your paired tags should have one yellow (the chip is in this one) and one other colour - this has no chip in it.

PDO_Lamb · « **Reply #17 on:** June 12, 2011, 12:02:34 am »

melholly, when you think its time to move on to the next paddock, just leave the gate open just enough for the sheep to get through. They will be much happier if they think they have escaped to the greener grass on the other side of the fence, and no stress for you.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #18 on:** June 12, 2011, 12:14:40 am »

Quote from: PDO_Lamb on June 12, 2011, 12:02:34 am

melholly, when you think its time to move on to the next paddock, just leave the gate open just enough for the sheep to get through. They will be much happier if they think they have escaped

I do this! Whenever the sheep aren't moving where I want them (and I don't have a dog to use), I run at them out of wherever it is I want them to go, then turn away and walk off. About 7 times out of 10 they start to move where I want them - because they think it's exactly where I don't want them!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #19 on:** June 12, 2011, 12:32:20 am »

Quote from: PDO_Lamb on June 12, 2011, 12:02:34 am

melholly, when you think its time to move on to the next paddock, just leave the gate open just enough for the sheep to get through. They will be much happier if they think they have escaped to the greener grass on the other side of the fence, and no stress for you.

I second that

Sheep psychology

Pretty soon they will be standing at the next gate tapping their feet asking to be let through onto the next new grass - sheep know how to train their owners as well as dogs do

and they learn the ropes very quickly.

melholly · « **Reply #20 on:** June 12, 2011, 10:49:41 pm »

I love this, sheep whispering! Well I achieved the tagging - none screamed and had no dramas other than trying to understand the tag instructions and which way round to fit it in the clipper! Doh! Escaped with minor grazes and nicks off the barbed wire too! Created a v makeshift blue Peter style pen that enabled me to get the out into the other field post tagging. Also separated my mega fat feeding lambs from mums to give them time to recover (I read on here I should do this?) lambs seem ok with it, mums a bit concerned by it all. Feel a bit mean actually! So a good sheep day. Apart from keeping my own flock register what do I do next? Do I need a scanner/ form to send to defra? I think my mums are 2007 but can easily check!

Thanks everyone
Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com

melholly · « **Reply #21 on:** June 12, 2011, 10:52:15 pm »

Sorry and meant say despite my worrying they were a slave to the sheep nut bowl and went in the pen angelically!!

Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com

feldar · « **Reply #22 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:27:37 pm »

You don't need a scanner not unless you want to part with lots of cash, they are very expensive to buy, and only really needed if you've got lots of sheep to go to market or move around your holding. As said before if your girls are pre 2008 they don't have to be EID tagged.but remember from 2012 every sheep needs to be individually recorded on movement licence and holding books, so no more batch numbers.

kanisha · « **Reply #23 on:** June 13, 2011, 01:31:04 pm »

no reason why you can't use a dog scanner I will be trying it out very shortly will let you know if it works if so they are very cheap to pick up.

GeorgieB82 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 13, 2011, 04:00:49 pm »

I know farmers with 100's of sheep who don't have an EID scanner. They are only really needed if you are mving animals regularly between different holding numbers or have too many to make notes on a piece of paper whilst checking them over before logging that information in your holding register /computer based system.