[ThomasR]

Hi I have been told by everybody I know who sponges to inject the sheep with PMSG and by the looks of it all the documents online say so as well. However my vet has told not to inject my ewes PSMG when I pull the sponges out in two weeks, why wouldn't I do this. Sory if this is a stupid question but I am knew to sponging.

[Hillview Farm]

some people say if your doing it within the natural breeding time of year don't use it as they are cycling and ovulating. I use it and I'm lambing march time and I use it as an insurance policy. I'm even doing ewe lambs this year and will give them a small dose.

[ewesaidit]

If you have a prolific breed like Zwartbles I think there can be a worry that you end up with LOTS of lambs if you give too much PMSG!   I have sponged for a few years now and having had triplets from sponged ewes without using PMSG the first couple of times, vet advised that it was unnecessary to use it for that reason.  I think if you're lambing earlier it can help them to hold.  Last year I used 2ml at sponge withdrawal as the year before they didn't all hold first time (earlier lambing) and all had twins bar one with triplets.  I think it will depend on the breed and their natural time for starting to cycle.

With working full time wouldn't contemplate not sponging now - all timing done for lambing in the middle of a week off work and fingers crossed all take first time.

[Me]

It affects numbers of eggs shed but to my knowledge does nothing to help them "hold". Possibly even the opposite if they attempt to conceive 8 lambs!

[Anke]

I have used sponges now for the last two years, but later in autumn, November time, in order to have a tight lambing period. Never used PMSG on the sheep - just the normal twins, some singles and no triplets (which is what I want) over just a few (very busy!) days.

Only used PMSG on the goats for laprascopic AI.

[ThomasR]

I have removed sponges out of the Hebs and it has now been over 48hrs since they have been removed. the Tup went in after 12hrs with a raddle on him and so far he has not mated any of the ewes. He is interested and curling his upper lip and sniffing the ewes but not jumping. Have i done something wrong as I have been told that the cycling usually starts in the first 24hrs.

[Me]

If they were not cycling before the sponge went in then they would not be served. Also if already pregnant and possibly if the ram was lame etc

[Me]

When are the Hebs normally cycling?

[ThomasR]

they normally cycle in  end of October begging of November but I had a long discussion with the vet and they said that it would be ok and that I didn't need PMSG.

[Me]

If they were not cycling (they went in at the very beginning of October) then that may well be the problem

[Me]

Nicked from MSD:

Do I need to use PMSG injections?
If you intend to advance the breeding/lambing
period for your flock, then PMSG-Intervet
injections at sponge removal are essential

[ThomasR]

that is what I told them but they insisted that I didn't. I will give the ewes until tomorrow and then the vet will be getting a phone call.

[Me]

Oh dear. Did they know they were primitive type things?

[ThomasR]

Oh yes. They even came and sponged them for me and I said atlas 5 times before and they have been called out for sheep before.

[Me]

Ok.... well they could all be covered in raddle in the morning! Also, some raddle shows up really badly (mums Herdwicks were strangely not being served, I got them in and on close inspection (2cm!) a red tinge could be seen on the fleece (lambs produced). Just check before you get the vet out to avoid looking silly!