[Womble]

Just curious really  - I know you can get a good estimate of a pig's weight by measuring length, girth etc and reading off a graph.  Does a similar correlation exist for sheep? 

[bloomer]

they are big girls if that helps 

[suziequeue]

No

[Foobar]

No but yes.  A similar calculation will work on any animal but the problem with sheep is that they have wool - if they were newly shorn then yes it would probably work.

[Womble]

OK, it's clearly not going to be as accurate for a sheep as for a pig, but that doesn't mean it would be without value. I just wondered if any published correlations existed (I did find a couple through google, but they weren't applicable to the breeds I have).
 
My other options at the moment are either to construct some sort of see-saw arrangement and then bribe the sheep onto it, or to duct tape the sheep's legs to its body (important because it mustn't touch the bottom or that will invalidate the result) and then throw it in a bath to see how much water it displaces  . So, you can see why some sort of empirical measurement based method would be a more attractive option! 

[Me]

Overload the trailer and speed past VOSA. They will weigh it for you and inform you of the result; simply divide the weight of sheep by the number to get average weight.
To improve chances of success write "RED OR DEAD" on the side of the truck

[Foobar]

two people. two sets of bathroom scales. each take an end, lift, then step on the scales. then do the math.  job done


Just need to do the fattest and the thinnest and you should be able to guestimate the rest.


I'd pay to see the water bath method though ... hahahaha!

[Womble]

two people. two sets of bathroom scales. each take an end, lift, then step on the scales. then do the math.  job done

We did think of that Foobar, but Mrs Womble and I couldn't reach agreement on who got to lift the back end! 
 
Me - that's a great idea.  I'm going to order up some tribal decals and "Oakley, thermonuclear protection" stickers for the trailer now  . Oooh, come to think of it, our local scrappy has a weighbridge. I wonder if he'd oblige!! 

[SallyintNorth]

In the absence of other offers, you could always use the breed standard as a guide.  I doubt an adult Manx ewe would weigh more than 35kgs, maybe 40kgs if very fit; I'd have to look up an adult Zwartbles' weight.  Will do later if no-one else can offer it!

The weighbridge idea is of course more accurate.  Just you have to go twice, once with the trailer empty

[Womble]

OK, how about a "guess the weight of the Zwartble" competition? 
 
I can't find anything on weight in the Zwartbles breed standard (lots about allowable sock length though  ).
 
I reckon an adult Zwartble must weigh about 1.5 tonnes, so my starting bid for the ewe lambs is 950kg each.
 
 
 
And I started this thread so seriously as well.
 
 

[bloomer]

the vision in my mind of mrs womble even lifting the front end of a zwartble is hilarious.


i now need to go do some work and try and stop giggling!!!


seriously if its that big an issue some form of sling and either spring scale or equivalent like they use for weighing big fish etc...

[SallyintNorth]

I reckon an adult Zwartble must weigh about 1.5 tonnes, so my starting bid for the ewe lambs is 950kg each.

Genuine laugh out loud 

According to the Zwartbles Sheep Association, the average weight of an adult ewe is 85kgs.  So a this year's ewe lamb is probably around 65% of that, 55-60kgs?  I've seen the pic on FB of you with them, but not having met you in the flesh I don't know how big you are!  lol

[Womble]

the vision in my mind of mrs womble even lifting the front end of a zwartble is hilarious.

Just be glad it's not tonight you wanted to borrow the trailer, or guess what you'd be doing Bloomer! 

[Rosemary]

I use the breed standard for mine. Tup lambs at slaughter are about 45kg so I use that for ewe lambs.

If it's to calculate dosages of wormer etc, I always overestimate the weight, so overdose rather than underdose.

[princesslayer]

I have nothing serious to add, but this has brightened up my day no end!   

Just thought, I intend to borrow a weigh crate from a local shepherd.  Not sure if that's an option for you.