[Anke]

Karen, thanks for this info. We have a friendly farmer who we could persuade to help.
Sally

If your friendly farmer lambs before you I would go and volunteer for a couple of days - it is incredible how much more relaxed you will be for your own lambing. And they can show you how to ring - both tails and balls.
 
Is there a lambing course you can go on?

[shropshire_blue]

Sally - I know we're a bit away from you but we're lambing at the moment if you fancy a day up in Market Drayton...

[SteveHants]

Does anyone know what the elasticator rings and ring applicator are for in the SFS lambing kit?
thanks
Sally

Sally, they are for  docking your lambs' tails and castrating your tup lambs.  Do not attempt to work out how to do it on your own - get someone experienced to show you how and to check that you are doing it right.

Sally I certainly wouldn't attempt either without experience but wonder if they need to be done anyway.

I don't do either. Because I lamb outdoors I interrupt ewe and lamb as little as possible, If I wasn't performance recording, I wouldn't bother catching them to tag them, but that is all I do. 


Seems to work for me, I have very few mothering problems. I find entire rams finish quickly - although they are a management problem after weaning, and regular worm counts should stop scours before they start.

[Bionic]

shropshire blue, thankyou for the offer nut you are a bit too far away from me.  I will see how busy the local farmer is and if he would mine me under his feet for a bit.
Sally