[piggy]

I know from reading posts on here and in my sheep books that you should  Heptavac 4-6 weeks before lambing to pass on to the lambs but the problem i have is my ram runs with ewes all year round so i dont actually know the lambing date although i have a rough idea,if i was to give the heptavac say 3 weeks before lambing would this cause a problem.

Thanks

Karen

[ScotsGirl]

Went on a lambing course last week and vet was discussing this.  Moved out to 4-6 weeks as there were some instances where lambs were affected (can't remember if still born) however I think I did one of mine 2 weeks before she lambed as the ram got her a bit quick!  She was fine.

Best thing would be to have a word with the vet.  I think the other option is to wait and do lambs at 3 weeks.

[dyedinthewool]

I know from reading posts on here and in my sheep books that you should  Heptavac 4-6 weeks before lambing to pass on to the lambs but the problem i have is my ram runs with ewes all year round so i dont actually know the lambing date although i have a rough idea,if i was to give the heptavac say 3 weeks before lambing would this cause a problem.

Thanks

Karen

I am also not sure of any lambing dates (if any as 'borrowed' ram has covered 3 out of my 5 at least twice, not sure the other 2 were covered at all -so think maybe he wasn't connecting!!) now have 'borrowed' a ram lamb -just to see if he gets interested in any of the girls or not...
They were all Hepvac P'd last year - would i use that again or just the Hepvac?

I would like to get my own ram next year so I don't/won't have this problem, but have restricted amount of paddocks (to let him and a wether run on their own account for the majority of the year)

Is it alright to leave the Ram/Tup in with the ewes all year or could their be any problems when the ewes lamb or with the ram and the lambs

[Anke]

Karen - you are probably ok, then just do the lambs with the normal starter dose as soon as possible. It says on the bottle, I think it's four weeks? But not sure, haven't got one atm.

Dyedintthewool - you could always get a tup lamb, use him, and then eat in late winter/early spring. I wouldn't have the tup running with the ewes all year, but then mine have horns and I like them out of the way once I know the ewes are in lamb (too much pushing with horns when feeding time...). Or somene else near you with similar problem, but maybe an extra field? I have also had my tup on a summer holiday last year, sharing with two horses. They got on fine, as long as you know that the horses (and the tup and wether(s) too) are fairly placid and the fences are in order (Often not the case with horses....)

[shep53]

PIGGY imo since you dont know when the ewes are due if you tried to judge by udder size you may be too near lambing and imunity may not be passed on via colustrum so may i sugest give all ewes there annual booster, then give your lambs vaccine early ask vet timeing.

[shep53]

DYEDINTHEWOOL if you change from heptavac-p to heptavac then you lose the pneumonia cover its a very big killer of sheep. on the ram its difficult what ever suits if together all the time a protracted lambing and the before and after lambing will eat more food then he needs as he will take it from the ewes. A ram seperated by a fence will encourage the ewes to cycle by his smell in the autumn