Author Topic: Advice with a couple tubby Ladies! (Read 5170 times)

Hillview Farm · « **on:** August 06, 2013, 08:52:56 pm »

I've just bought two commercial type ewes.

They have both Reared lambs this year (set of trips and a single)

Now, they are slightly.... (how do I put it?).... Slightly round! One still has her lamb at foot but soon to be weaned and the other is dry as her lambs have gone to slaughter, I would CS them at a 4. I plan to put them to the ram this November and to flush 6 weeks Prior. These ewes have had a rough year and haven't been overly cared for and I felt sorry for them.

My question is What to do? Do I pop them into the barn on limited feed then 6 weeks prior to the ram going in put them out with my ewes during flushing, this also acts as my quarantine period.

Do I put them out in a quarantine field then add them to my ewes? I obviously want a good crop of lambs but equally risk not getting them in lamb this fat.

Any advice/ Views?

Foobar · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2013, 09:04:55 pm »

Quote from: Hillview Farm on August 06, 2013, 08:52:56 pm

pop them into the barn on limited feed then 6 weeks prior to the ram going in put them out with my ewes during flushing, this also acts as my quarantine period.

This

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2013, 10:21:24 pm »

How come if they had a rough year and reared triplets that they are fat?

Sorry, but mine, although not thin and looking much better than last "summer", are not "fat" at the moment either (all still have their lambs with them)...

SteveHants · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2013, 10:40:16 pm »

Quote from: Anke on August 06, 2013, 10:21:24 pm

How come if they had a rough year and reared triplets that they are fat?

Overfed, probably - I have seen some small flock animals that waddle (insert also: ram sale comment).

Haven't you got some hard grazing you could put them on?

Rosemary · « **Reply #4 on:** August 07, 2013, 08:05:47 am »

Mine are well covered and still have their lambs with them. We don't have any hard grazing either.

We're never happy

jaykay · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2013, 08:13:32 am »

I'd find some rough grazing too.

Foobar · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2013, 09:08:58 am »

I too have a couple of "tubbies" which need to shed some pounds, and I am going to run them behind the others. What I mean is, I rotate the sheep around a number of pastures, so in each one I will have the lambs in first for a week, then the ewes, then the fat ewes.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2013, 12:53:46 pm »

Can you graze them in a small area so they crop it down and keep it short? I've occasionally had an inexplicably fat ewe but never had any problem either with them getting in lamb or subsequently having them. You can always give them no additional feed during pregnancy or foster on an extra lamb if they have a single.

Hillview Farm · « **Reply #8 on:** August 07, 2013, 01:55:19 pm »

What I mean by a rough year, I mean very little care. No extra feed, they have only just been sheared and have had fly strike etc.

They have had no feed at all. Sadly in this case all of our grazing is lush as we are on a dairy farm. The barn is the only "low fat" option

Foobar · « **Reply #9 on:** August 07, 2013, 02:10:41 pm »

Can't have been that rough if they are CS4

Hillview Farm · « **Reply #10 on:** August 07, 2013, 07:47:12 pm »

Since lambing they have been put onto some really good grass and they have just taken off!

roddycm · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2013, 10:29:49 pm »

I wouldnt worry too much! Some girls just get fatter than others. If you are really worried then sure put them in the barn and then flush them for 4 or so wks before putting the ram in. I have never bothered too much as i find that a bit of podge has never done my fatter girls any harm, in fact my fatter ones have always gone on to have at least twins. I just don't give them any extra feed if they don't need it. I have hill sheep on dairy land so you can imagine fatness is an issue i have lots of experience with. In all the years of having my welsh girls i have never had a problem related to their weight and lambing. I know commercial sheep are less hardy but all the same dont fret too much, i'm sure they'll give you some great lambs come next spring!