Author Topic: Taking sponges out early (Read 5752 times)

jacob and Georgina · « **on:** October 29, 2012, 05:21:38 pm »

Hi Everyone,

We had our ewes sponged on the 22nd October, so we should be taking them out on the 5th November however as it is getting darker earlier and I have a full time job I wont be able to take them out on the 5th would it effect the ewes if i took them out a day early and put them to the ram.

Many thanks.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2012, 09:13:40 am »

Sorry J&G, no idea, never done this with sheep.

VSS · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2012, 10:09:10 am »

Sponges need to be in for 12 - 14 days. If you have calculated your dates based on the sponges being in for 14 days, then the answer is no, it won't matter if you take then out a day early. If you have budgeted to have the sponges in for 12 days, then yes, it will matter.

crazy_bull · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2012, 02:30:08 pm »

I took the sponges out on day 12 and dosed with 2.25ml of PMSG, turned Rams out 48hr later, at a ratio of 6 Ewes to 1 Ram within 2 hrs all had been covered bar 1 (the one that had lost it's sponge) we have a sweeper ram in with them at the moment and he's cleared up the straggler, so far none have repeated but this is the week they might.

downsized · « **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2012, 03:30:00 pm »

12-14 days and a shot of pmsg, so you'll be fine

plt102 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2012, 01:57:45 pm »

I'm still quite new to sheep. Silly question but what are the sponges for?

jaykay · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2012, 03:00:24 pm »

They synchronise the sheeps' cycles so that, with the injection, they are all tupped promptly and you can have a tight lambing.

I left it too late to do it this year, when my neighbour left me the info it said have a tup yon side of a stock fence for three weeks, then the sponges for two weeks, plus the jag. I didn't start in time, but I am going to look into it for next year cos I really need lambing within a specific fortnight.

plt102 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2012, 03:09:24 pm »

Ah I see, I guess it is pricey/tricky for a newbie but would be great to have a tighter lambing schedule as ours dragged out over 2 months this spring. Bernard was lazy!

crazy_bull · « **Reply #8 on:** November 12, 2012, 08:44:08 pm »

Quote from: plt102 on November 02, 2012, 03:09:24 pm

Ah I see, I guess it is pricey/tricky for a newbie but would be great to have a tighter lambing schedule as ours dragged out over 2 months this spring. Bernard was lazy!

Nope dead easy if you're confident with sheep handling, cost is about £3/head i think, all our 22 Ewes got done and dusted in 2.5hrs after we put 4 rams in with them! All bar one who had lost her sponge, she got covered 10days later, none have re-mated so hopefully a very tight lambing on March 9th!!!

C B

Haylo-peapod · « **Reply #9 on:** November 13, 2012, 10:04:49 am »

Yikes, you'll be busy, hope you've got plenty of hurdles!
Hope it all goes well.

Dougal · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2012, 12:20:38 pm »

I sponge my 90 ewes with decent results. I run a tup to 10-12 ewes so I get about a quarter returning to the second cycle bt that doesn't bother me because it is still a tight lambing pattern. It is best to leave the ram out from amoung the ewes for 12-24 hours after pulling the sponges to inprove the pattern. If mating throughout october or the first 2 weeks in november there shouldn't be a need to use the pmsg but if yo are trying to lamb either early or late then the pmsg can be a useful way of improving the overall lambing percentage.