[SuffolkK]

I have 4 ewes left to lamb, which I have now turned out to grass. One really needs dagging before she lambs, but I am concered that this could cause mastitis. Any thoughts or opinions on this?

[Womble]

Daft Womble question again  , but what is it that has made you concerned about this? 

[twizzel]

There is a risk of mastitis in very cold weather in crutched out ewes but I think the risks of strike outweigh the risk of mastitis. I crutched all my little flock last year pre lambing with no mastitis issues and this year the girls that needed it post lambing were crutched- the only one to get mastitis was a milky lleyn that hadn’t been crutched. We are very prone to strike here though, it’s damp and very mild in Cornwall... so I’d rather keep them trimmed and tidy to reduce strike. Last year we had our first (and only) case of strike first week of May before the ewes were shorn.

[Marches Farmer]

I prefer not to handle heavily pregnant sheep.  Have you seen more than six greenbottles in a day?  |If she's used to being handled you could get someone to stand astride her shoulders while you dag.