[Remy]

In the absence of my usual shearer who is not able to get to me for a while, I had to get all 34 rams, ewes and lambs in today to check them over for flystrike and give them vaccinations, injections, worming, dagging and foot trims.  Thankfully I did have a friend to help without whom I'd have had a major struggle (was bad enough with his help!).


The actual catching of them took longer than anticipated as per usual some go off in the opposite direction to what you want, but we eventually got them all in a smaller paddock.  From this paddock they needed to be herded through to a large barn but trying to actually get them out of the paddock proved difficult  .  After some while they finally went where we wanted them!


All I can say is I am so glad i bought a turnover crate as some of the rams and ewes are big creatures, this helped a lot with wrestling with a 70kg plus animal who doesn't want to be sat on his/her bum for any length of time, especially my Ryeland Jasper  .


One ewe and one lamb had flystrike, thankfully we got it in time before it had got any worse.  All messy bums were dagged and two lambs were given a bum wash  .


We finally finished about 9.15 pm shattered but at least I can rest a bit easy till they are properly shorn (hopefully asap!).  When I will have to try and get them all in again ... 

[Bramblecot]

Hi Remy,

That's just how I felt on Saturday  - you are not alone!

[Pedwardine]

I've got that all to come. This weekend is Ovivac injections and end June is shearing. There are just under 50 ewes and wethers and 55 lambs (JUST too many for one bottle to do the job, grrr)They won't play ball, especially Brenda who is always our spanner in the works, apart from Jolly ooh and Bryony and Balreen......