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Author Topic: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!  (Read 5647 times)

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« on: January 26, 2016, 10:37:44 pm »
Our usual method for fluke dosing, worming etc is to get all the ewes in a wee pen, then after I've dosed each one, Mrs Womble gives it a wee bindi spot on the forehead with a temporary marker crayon:





However, I had to do it on my own the other day, and found I didn't have enough hands to hold everything at once. I solved this problem by drilling a small hole through the knob at the bottom of the crayon, and attaching it to one of these "zingers" (also known as ski pass holders, and available on Ebay for a couple of quid):





It has to be quite a strong spring to take the weight of the crayon, but the one I had did the trick. So all I do now is attach the zinger to the chest pocket of my overalls, and I'm good to go!  :thumbsup:




OK, I know it's not going to win me the Nobel Prize for invention, but you never know, it might be useful to somebody  :wave:
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
    • Nantygroes
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2016, 07:08:42 am »
worth patenting .... can see someone manufacturing and selling with crayons ..... brill idea.
Linda

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Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2016, 07:59:33 am »
Good idea, I had a similar idea, but mine was more of a zip wire for the side of the race with a caribiner on it to attach vit drench or the likes. But I've taken to wearing everything on my back in a rucksack x hey I would affix your idea to the rucksack, all I ll need then is the knee cymbals and a mouth organ and I ll be good to go hahahah x
« Last Edit: January 27, 2016, 08:01:10 am by Hellybee »

Slimjim

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • North Devon
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2016, 08:15:07 am »
Ingenious! Well done!
I work on my own all the time (jimmy no mates) so have to constantly dream up ways of doing two-person jobs single handed. The most useful piece of kit for me is a workman's tool belt. With loads of pockets and pouches, I use every time I need to do something to my sheep.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2016, 08:58:11 am »
I put everything I'm likely to need in one of those hookover horse feed buckets and put it on the side of the race or hurdle next to where I'm working.

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2016, 10:00:56 am »
I use one of these on my belt:  http://www.sheep-holsters.com/page8.html  (see bottom of the page)


Can't recommend these belts/holsters enough.  Simon is very helpful and the profits go to FCN.

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2016, 12:41:43 pm »
I do like the holder but then I would put it down again on a rail and forget about it then I ll have to climb back up race growling to myself lol, retractable sounds perfect solution for me.  Now how to attach a zinger to a spray, not seen dinkier sprays, perhaps We d go back to crayon.  I was given an old rucksack as up to now I've butchered a Charles owen hat bag and tied the strings round my waist, simple but effective, my new version will be awesome for us to use .  they re so expensive to buy if you look at proper back packs....

mowhaugh

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Scottish Borders
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2016, 03:34:09 pm »
I had a similar idea, but mine was more of a zip wire for the side of the race with a caribiner on it to attach vit drench or the likes.

We do this.

Buffy the eggs layer

  • Joined Jun 2010
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2016, 03:46:12 pm »
Oow!


   I like it womble. I will show it to OH as I think he will certainly want to adopt it.  :excited:

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2016, 04:33:25 pm »
We went into a car accessories shop in Ross on Wye back in the summer to buy some glue for a car seat repair. For some reason the shop keeper asked if we needed it to stick labels on sheep (despite being on a posh weekend away I must have smelt like one I guess).  Quick as a flash I replied 'no we already know ours are sheep'

 :sheep: :sheep: :sheep:

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2016, 08:11:44 pm »
I had a similar idea, but mine was more of a zip wire for the side of the race with a caribiner on it to attach vit drench or the likes.

We do this.
                                                                                                                                                                 Same here double working race with a zip wire between above head height  .     Seem to remember that you could at one time buy a drenching gun with holder  for a crayon so you dosed then marked with the gun

Cran

  • Joined May 2013
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2016, 03:45:01 pm »
Tape the marker to the dosing gun at the bottom

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2016, 08:25:36 pm »
Could use a small cylinder shape draw string bag, tie it tight at the neck of can and hook on carabiner on other end ? :thinking:

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2016, 11:14:02 pm »
Quite an ingenious idea womble you could have been a professional inventor, like professor pat pending out of the wacky races ;D I myself use spray marker for the sheep. Is the crayon better to use though, does it wear off more easily than the spray or does it stay put?
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Sheep marking: A wee zinger of an idea!
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2016, 11:23:40 pm »
It's been great reading all your comments and different ways of doing things - that's what this forum is all about IMO  :thumbsup:.

Unless you use a lot of it, the crayon is nowhere near as durable as a spray. However, when dosing sheep I only need the mark to stay on for ten minutes, so the crayon is perfect. Also I haven't yet sprayed my face blue with a crayon  :innocent:
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

 

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