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lambs - maybe - what should I know
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welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 6:39 am    Post subject: lambs - maybe - what should I know Reply with quote
    

Ok, so we have a field of about 1 3/4 acres doing nothing but hosting a few chooks. It has stock fencing and i can get water to it easily. We are looking at some sheep just 2 or 3 what should I know / consider books to read.

Have done horses, pigs, chooks and ducks before but never sheep

cheers

AlexBy



Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 85

PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

There are some good sheep husbandry books out there. It depends on what you are going to do with them. If you are going to buy a few lambs and fatten them up for slaughter, it is a different proposition to keeping and breeding.
(Obviously?) you will need to be registered with your local authority as a sheep keeper as well.

Nicky cigreen



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9702
Location: Devon, uk
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

depends what you like eating - lamb, hogget or mutton.

this is a good simple book with photos of hoof trimming etc

or befriend a local shepherd. or join your local smallholders assn and go on one of their courses.

general sheep keeping includes making sure they have food and water - some shelter but this can just be a good hedge etc, foot trimming (we tend to do that when there is a problem rather than routine), worming and fluke treatment if you have a fluky area, shearing, and flystrike management.
on a day to day basis it mostly means counting them and making sure they look ok.

earthyvirgo



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Have you read Tim's book ..VSS Tim.
We have a copy if you want to borrow it.

Not much Tim doesn't know about sheep.

EV

Nicky cigreen



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9702
Location: Devon, uk
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 12:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

oh and sheep 201 is a good overview website - but keep in mind it is written by a non Brit re rules etc

Lorrainelovesplants



Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 12:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Go and get some work with sheep......
I teach lambing, but cant teach someone everything in a day...you need loads of experience and hands-on.

I would start with some bottle feed lambs, keep them over the summer and send to abbatoir in nov, this means you'll miss shearimng and over wintering - its how we got into it...a staggered approach. All we do with our lambs is make sure they are jabbed before we bring them here, worm and fly strike control in may, and then basically enjoy them keeping our grass down till oct, when we supplement them a little with sheep nuts (to keep them bucket friendly for the last big journey).
In Oct they go back to the birthfarm and go to abbatoir with a few others. We know from the eartag that we'll get our own back. They do a bit of different grazing for a fortnight and then get the chop.

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

earthyvirgo wrote:
Have you read Tim's book ..VSS Tim.
We have a copy if you want to borrow it.

Not much Tim doesn't know about sheep.

EV


ooh yes please, was going to buy it but it is out of print

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 12 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks Lorraine, yes we are goign to start with some lambs which have been well handled from a nearby smallholder, keep them over the summer and then slaughter in Winter. The people we are buying from will come over and worm, trim hooves etc etc with us. I think this is the best option for now while we get used to the idea

SandraR



Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 2346
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Totally agree with everything Lorraine has said. It's how we started and gained experience....sounds as if you are going to too. After that it is a case of deal with it if and when 'it' happens.

Gai



Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Posts: 408
Location: Ireland
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

And the most important thing to know is that they have an insane death wish. If there is any possible way to end it all your lamb/sheep will find it, often quite creatively.

Nicky cigreen



Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9702
Location: Devon, uk
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

welsh veg grower wrote:
Thanks Lorraine, yes we are goign to start with some lambs which have been well handled from a nearby smallholder, keep them over the summer and then slaughter in Winter. The people we are buying from will come over and worm, trim hooves etc etc with us. I think this is the best option for now while we get used to the idea


sounds an ideal arrangement - assume you are talking about weaned lambs now.

i would personally avoid bottle fed lambs as a starter as they do die fairly easily even in experienced hands.

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

no they havent been bottle fed they are just leaving mum this week. he has a nice choice but mainley boys is that an issue as we are keepign 3 then sendng them to slaughter at 10-12 months

Cathryn



Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yes but are you sure they aren't wethers (not boys any more). They will be a big problem for you and any of your neighbours with ewes otherwise.

Moniar



Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Lampeter, west Wales
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 12 10:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Cathryn wrote:
Yes but are you sure they aren't wethers (not boys any more). They will be a big problem for you and any of your neighbours with ewes otherwise.


Did you mean "are" Cathryn? They have been "done" (ouch!) with some crude sounding tool, in order to stop them being a problem; so assume thats what you mean. The flock is being seperated in next two weeks with a few going to slaughter at meat factory, and the ones being kept going to higher land and our three coming to us. Will hopefully give us a first go at handling them and dealing, similar to what we did with the weaner pigs before we moved. If we move back to another smallholding will probably want sheep as well as pigs and poultry.

welsh veg grower



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 2030
Location: here today but tomorrow...
PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 12 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Can I just point out Moniar is saying if we move back to a smallholding I was under the view its when we move back

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