Author Topic: Think I may have got my PMSG doses wrong..... scanned the ewes today! (Read 5109 times)

Hillview Farm · « **on:** December 30, 2014, 10:59:37 am »

Morning all,

Had my ladies scanned today and I was a little worried. Sponged for the first time this year and the vet gave me a huge dosage rate so rung a friend who told me to at least half it.

So I did and we scanned at 219%! I nearly fell over!
4 singles
9 twins
8 trips

I'll try to foster onto the singles but in have one old Shetland and a first timer so I doubt I'll be able to do it onto them so I think I'll have to sell some as bottle lambs.

Me · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2014, 11:34:13 am »

Thats using sponges and PMSG for you. It is a lottery and its not like there is a standard dose that will = Twins

You will not give the same ewes the same dose and get the same result. I gave Lleyn and Lleyn cross Beulah 1.5ml of PMSG at sponge removal last year - was that too much or too little? Is any too much in Lleyn? It really is guess work, clearly in this case your friend was right to advise a lower dose but dose response varies

Good luck with your lambing!

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2014, 11:59:27 am »

The trips might be OK with their mothers - we had one with triplets last year. She raise dthem all and they were the same size at the twins.

Good luck with your lambing

Hillview Farm · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:02:50 pm »

I gave them 1.5ml and the Charollais (which the friend also has) where pretty much spot on if not a little low but my Suffolk mules are the main culprits for the trips. I have a lleyn cross and she had twins naturally last year and a single the year. Does seem to affect the breeds very differently. I think next year I'll give the Charollais a little more and the Suffolk a lot less!

Thank you me

Hillview Farm · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:31:23 pm »

The Suffolk mules are very milky so I may try and get them to rear the three! Never crossed my mind! Doh.

Rosemary · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:37:32 pm »

I was surprised at how well teh ewe did. All three were even sized when they were born and remained that way - no runt

Of course, the proof of the pudding will be in what she's carrying this year - hopefully rearing triplets hasn't worn her out.

Me · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:41:03 pm »

You would imagine that body weight (higher = lower effective dose) body condition (rising = more eggs shed, falling = less, under/over weight etc), breeding season (well into natural breeding season = more eggs), maturity, breed (naturally prolific vs not) and other factors would affect the optimal dose. So try to weigh all factors before arriving at your dose - and buy an automatic lamb feeder!

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:52:30 pm »

That is a good result, loads of lambs, I suppose an enormous amount of bottle rearing though. I never have any of my ewes flushed, I don't really see the point, as you have too many lambs then, most of my ewes produce twins anyway.

Anke · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:29:09 pm »

This is my second year of using sponges in the sheep, and all of mine were tupped within 24 hours of the boys (2 groups of 8 ewes/1 tup and 6 ewes/1tup) going in. I did not use PMSG, mainly because the Shetlands have mainly twins anyway and it was quite late in the season (tup only went in Nov 24th).

My vet is advising that unless you want to mate sheep/goats BEFORE October or do AI, it is not necessary to use PMSG. So if all you want to do is have a tight lambing period but at the usual time PMSG is not necessary.