[YoungRasher]

Hi all.
I've recently bought 20 ewe lambs off the farmer i work with which won't be going to the tup until next time.   
 I didn't want to wait a year before i did any lambing of my own so I've also bought 12 mule thieves that are ready to go to the tup in the middle of november.

 my question is. what info do other people write down at the time of lambing. i take it you write down the ewe number and how many it had but do you write down if its a tup or ewe etc.

are there any pre printed lambing sheets available?
Thanks.

[Hillview Farm]

I write down the date lambs born, ewes tags, How many she had (If she had twins and one died I would write 1L and 1D) and the sex of the lambs I also write the lambs ear tag number.

Don't know if you can get anything pre printed but I don't mind typing up what I do and sending it to you.

Hope this helps

[YoungRasher]

Thanks hillview farm. The info is enough. I'll probably make a spreadsheet and print it off once i have an idea what to put on it.

I like the idea of being able to look back at a ewes history and see what they have produced etc.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I put it all in the stock register, name and tag no of dad and mum, lambs markings and name (as I don't tag til later as Shetland ears are so ickle).


Of course some of the lambs are such characters (Pingu and Walter this year being an extreme case in point) that they have no need of records, they are always up to see you for a chin scratch and to tell you about their day 

[mowhaugh]

I also make notes for the pedigree sheep of any particular issues - slow to come into milk, reluctant to accept lambs, slow lambs etc - then if I find I am writing the same thing twice for one ewe, we part company.  For our larger commercial flock there is not time for this, but any 'troublemakers' are given an extra tag to make them easy to identify.

Modified to make it make a bit more sense -don't know how to turn predictive text off kindle.

[zarzar]

we use these http://www.castlemakerbooks.co.uk/livestock-management-52-c.asp they do breeding and service books, medicine books ect for al, diffrent animals i even have 1 for the horses it takes details like sire sire tag no, dam dam tag no, her breeding, date of birth no of lambs sex date of death/sale.

[Old Shep]

we do a spreadsheet of which sheep goes to which tup, then lambing records - how many if any losses and any comments eg not much milk.  Then when lambs are tagged - their mothers and fathers, so if any are kept on you have their ancestry.  In the first year you might not think its much use but second and future years you can see a trend from different ewes and tups and can plan likewise.   You can decide whether to keep gimmer lambs say if mother only had one side etc.

[SteveHants]

I spray number my ewes, making a note of the tag number.


I can then note how many lambs she had, their sex and their tag nos with minimal interference.

[Deere]

Hey,

I tend to print out an a4 sheet or two set up with columns for date lambed, ewe tag no, lamb 1 no. Lamb 2 no. Lamb 3 no. Also the date you turned the ewe and lambs out. And then have a Notes column so that you can add bits in that are relevant like whether you had to assist etc.

The lamb columns I would write M or F in each, circle the M if you rubber ring castrate it and if they died put an X through it so that it's still readable.

I would then at the end of lambing take this home and copy it up onto a spreadsheet or write it up in one of those record books that Zarzar has posted the link to.

Also on turn out I would do as Steve says he does and spray mark the ewe and it's lambs, I would use three different colours example. Blue single, red twins, green triplets then you don't have to carry a piece of paper round remembering what's had what.

Have message you as you can't be too far from me in the hills of Derbyshire.

[Foobar]

All depends on what you are aiming for really, are you looking to rid yourself of any trouble makers?

On top of what has already been mentioned I do birth weight of each lamb (I actually do the weight at 24hours).
And whether I had to assist, or mal-presentations.  And any other mothering ability info, like does she keep them close and keep bums clean etc.

[Rosemary]

Like most here, I have a spreadsheet for each ewe with her details - tag, sire, dam, dob, medical records

I record lambing info on there - date, number, sex, live / dead, weight at birth and at 30 days (as an indicator of mothering ability), and any issues like slow lambs etc.

Just remember to carry a wee notebook and a pencil at all times at lambing - you won't have your 'puter and you won't remember, even if you think you will 

[Bramblecot]

I keep a diary in a hardback book and rough notes in the field.  It starts about now when I choose which ewes are going with each tup.  It really helps me to note down the date they are tupped and then I have a rough schedule for their lambing (mainly outdoors). 
As each one lambs I make a few short notes eg lambed inside/outside, assisted/unassisted for birth and feeding, description of lambs.  I use a small amount of marker but not on the main fleece as I sell the fleeces.
I also like the books mentioned by Zarzar as a permanent breeding record.
One day I will get round to spreadsheets

[feldar]

We have my Hubbys little black book God help us if we ever loose it!!

[wellies]

Like most people I have a spread sheet for each ewe and what she has had. I also make notes on any particular problems etc. I also write down the gestation period and time of birth (just for my own interest to see if there's a pattern in my flock from year to year but I have a bit of OCD  )

[Backinwellies]

A fellow Llanwenog breeder  swears by only keeping sheep that give birth in the day has led to a daytime only lambing flock...............  anyone else tried this?