Re: Advice on Sheep 2

In article <1132838059.818663.221200@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Giles <giles.salt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> OK, I have some more news....

> There are 9 sheep. The current owner says the area could cope with 15,
> so there is plenty of space for them.

I wouldn't keep 15 sheep on 1.5 acres.

> 3 of them are getting on a bit
> (aged 5) and these are Suffolk Cross. Three more are a Welsh
> something, but he couldnt remember the name and are younger, but I am
> not sure exact ages. 3 are lambs from this year. All are ewes except
> one of the lambs.

Is the male lamb castrated. if not then, as others have said, your ewes
will be in lamb. Don't forget a male lamb becomes sexually mature around 4
months of age. he's probably not very fertile to start with but if he's
living with the ewes he has plenty of time to get them pregnant.

> The older ones there are no movement papers, the younger ones have.

Not sure what you mean by movement papers. You need a movement document for
sheep each time you move them. Is this a reference to a "holding number"?
Your land ("holding") will need to be registered and have a number which
has to be quoted on the movement document. You will need that whether you
move the sheep or not. If any of them die (may happen at lambing) you
cannot bury it on the farm now (BSE paranoia); it has to be collected by a
suitable agent who can get it incinerated to the correct standard. Such a
person will require a holding number on his documentation.

> He said he tends to leave them to their own devices most of the time.
> He feeds "yew/ewe/U???" nuts when it is frosty or snowing.

Are any of them limping? They will need some foot treatment from time to
time.

> Has them
> sheared once a year.

That's normal. Done in the summer. Useful to get the name/phonenumber of
the shearer; not all shearers would come for that small number. Ours (Devon
so no use to you) fitted us in when he had a short day elsewhere (we had
around 100 at the time), otherwise, he considered us a "day off".

> Doesnt have them dipped

Not always necessary; we don't dip.

> and no vacines.

You need to know the local disease conditions; ask your vet. We always had
to to vaccinate against pasteurella (and we did clostridial diseases).
Pasteurella may not be prevelant in your area. Your vet will know - and you
are going to need a standing relationship with a vet.

> He put
> them with a ram last year and left them to lamb themselves, which they
> did with no bother.

As others have said, you still need to keep watch so that you can intervene
if they do have trouble - and that can happen in the most self-sufficient
flocks. That means you need to (a) recognise when you've got trouble and
(b) know what to do and know when you need outside assistance ie it is
beyond your ability.

> On the whole he made out, whilst a bit of effort, nothing too bad and
> very rewarding, especially for his kids.

Oh yes. I don't miss the broken sleep (we don't lamb any more) but I do
miss the thrill of the new lambs and it's good for children to learn what
life is about. I'd be a bit suspicious about the implications of "(just) a
bit of effort". You'll need to do some standard work with the sheep - feet
for one thing. You'll need a bit of sheep equipment; foot shears/purple
spray, dagging shears, fencing equipment as a minimum. Has the owner
given/sold you some? Hurdles will be needed. When you lamb, (you will if
your male lamb hasn't been castrated) where will you lamb? In the field?
You need to be prepared to get out there with a torch for night time checks
during lambing. You will need some lambing equipment and supplies when the
time comes - lists are available; people here can tell you what you will
need. You should have a vet standing by. When we started with the sheep we
asked a neighbouring farmer what vet he used and went to see them. They set
up an account for us then we had no further contact until we called them
out for a lambing problem. I'm sure it's no fun trying to find a vet a 3am
if you don't have one. One of my memories is the feeling of relief when
it's 2 o'clock in the morning, you have a ewe in trouble and you see the
headlights coming over the hill....

> On balance I am tempted to go for it. Try it for 6 months and if it
> doesn't work out, find someone who would like them.

Go for it if you want but go for it with your eyes open. Find yourself a
suitable course; follow up the suggestions made about local courses. Try to
get the help of a local sheepkeeper if you can - but it's not really on to
expect them to turn out in the early hours of the morning for a lambing
problem, that's your responsibility. And reckon on more than 6 months -
it's really at least a whole year experience.

> Nothing ventured
> nothing gained!

Good luck. Keep in touch.

Jane

> Giles

--

Jane G : j.gillett@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx : S Devon
.