Balancing eventing/sleep/lambing - advice - and a rota whizz!

ArcticFox

ArcticFox

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Hi all

Not entirely Comp and Traiing but as it does include backing one horse and eventing with the other I thought I would ask you good people to help me!

So my dilemma:

We are lambing 16 hebridean ewes indoors in the first week of April. they have all been sponged but none scanned.

My hubby and I plan to do the lambing rota between us, but last year we just ended up exhausted and spent alot of time doing stuff together so it didn't work as well.

this year I want a fine tuned plan! happy to tweak it but I'm much better if I have a plan of action to start with!

First sheep should lamb no earlier than Sat 30th March and we should be finished by Sunday 7th April.


So......... I am a morning person, Hubby is a late stayer upper. I can't sleep well during the day either but manage ok on 6 hours sleep as long as it doesn't happen every single night otherwise i get cranky! Hubby can sleep a bit during the day - is very good at having long lie-ins!

to throw a spanner in, I also have a horse to back and break in for that week and another one to ride - we are also eventing on Sat 6th April so need a good nights sleep the night before. I'm better at riding in the morning, each horse should take no more than an hour. Still need to muck out etc so thats another hour.

Can you see why I need a rota planner!

So can anyone come up with a good lambing timetable? we reckoned that if they were checked every couple of hours this would be ok, as this was what we did last year.

Also we have a cctv camera linked to the pen so can turn the tv on to see what is happening and then wander up to the building if they are looking like things are starting. No tv in the bedroom so would still need to get out of bed and walk to the living room!

Need some brilliant rota planning whizz! Apologies to those who don't lamb!

Thanks in advance
 
Having already lambed 4 ewes with 4 more left (and now coming up to 3 weeks in between the last lamb and now!) there isn't really any point in making plans. I am working full time and planned my for mid-late Feb and here we are now only half way through! Also I haven't bothered with a camera just because they tend to make me more curious so it's easier just to keep a check in person. When I was on night duty I slept on the sofa so the OH had a proper night sleep, I function ok on relatively small amounts of sleep so it made sense. I have only had one day when I needed a Nana nap so I took it :) I am based from home but frequently travel all over the place so I have planned my journeys to mean that the longest they are without a check is 4 hours unless anything looks likely
 
We AI'd 40 ewes, 30 of which held, they all lambed within 5 days, 12 one night. My OH stays up at the shed in a caravan while we are lambing. Do you both work? If not, whoever is at home does the night shift or. Take turns on the sofa so you can check without having to get up, if one is lambing only one of you goes but takes a phone if they need help. I imagine they will be fairly easy lambers, unlike our Texels who often need assistance. Good luck.
 
Thanks both

BB - the first year we lambed it took over 3 weeks, and the second year it took another 3 weeks but with only one left to lamb which was a nightmare. last year we sponged and it was fantastic - wouldn't do it any other way now.

We tried the no plan thing last year but if I don't have a plan then things get out of hand and then we never know who is doing what. Having a plan means that I can be flexible if needed

Jrp - thanks for the info, think doing 12 hour shifts is a good idea. we are both off work for the week and they are pretty easy lambers. the problem with them is if you check them in the shed and one is thinking about lambing, then will stop for ages before they start again so using the camera is helpful, once we see a foot then they are past the point of no return!

My neighbour has Texel's she earns more than we do with our hebs but they take a lot more looking after!
:)
 
Putting a hormone impregnated sponge into them then whipping them all out at the same time. Voila all on heat together and all tupped (virtually) on the same day. Very useful method for smallholders etc. or for AIing (so they're all ready when the AI man comes). If you have a bigger flock you need extra tups because they can't cope with the work!
 
As GB said. Google Chronogest sponges. Progesterone sponges that stop ovulation and get all the sheep ready to ovulate on the same day

We implant the sponge (like a tampon) leave it 14 days, remove the sponge and put the tup in 24 hours later. You need one tup for 10 ewes though otherwise they run out of semen reserve!

Feel free to PM me if you'd like more info.
 
Can you put a note up at a vet school / ag college offering lambing experience? I'd have loved to sign off my EMS lambing 16 rather than 350, would have given me time to exercise my own horse :p
 
We use sponges then remove them after 12 days then inject them with PMSG, they will then be AI'd 52 hrs later. We then scan at 80 days.
 
SnowGoose said:
Can you put a note up at a vet school / ag college offering lambing experience? I'd have loved to sign off my EMS lambing 16 rather than 350, would have given me time to exercise my own horse :p
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Haha my thought exactly SnowGoose- I was running around after 2000 sheep over some very steep hills before i could get my 2 weeks lambing EMS signed off!
 
Last year I invested in a cow cam CCTV system (c£400) which transmits to a hand held monitor (think baby alarm size)This can go around with you (like baby alarm) and sits beside my bed, so just wake up and look at the monitor to see whats happening - much easier than going down to the shed! Sponged mine and got it all over in 4 days, BUT there are 3 that didnt play and am still watching them.....
IF you want to get really pro, you can pay a monthly fee to the cow cam people, and be able to view you animals online, so can even dial in on your mobile, but I havent gone to this extreme!
 
I should think lots of checks through the night is a bit unnecessary. Maybe 11 at night then 6 in morning would be doable especially in an easy lambing breed like a hebridean. They do seem to lamb better when left in peace without disturbances. My OH's farm has about 400 to lamb. Most outside and are checked first and last thing (swaledales and mules) and leicsters would be checked 12/ 5.30-6 however they are much more likely to have problems.
Are the sheep at home/ where your horses are? If so it should be handy to pop in and out
 
Hi HR. in Scotland the male sheep are tups, in England they are usually Rams. :)

Thanks Lizness. We lamb them indoors as we tried lambing outside for a couple of years but nearly lost some when they lambed in the snow. Had to dig out the hair dryer in a hurry! Last year we lambed indoors which was brill but lost a lamb after leaving them overnight without checking them for 4 hours. Our mistakes mean we are now checking every 2 hours.
They are cute black sheep! :)
 
Yep we use tup here too.
Mine are inside at night at out during the day in a small paddock with hay, but tonight have had a trip to the vets with a little ram lamb who has got too cold today and now has a temperature and a rattly chest :( (add to that a ewe that may or may not) and it's much easier to have them in. Plus I only have 7 ewes which is a more manageable number than 100s.
I am learning (and spending) lots every day at the moment.
 
Baggybreeches said:
Oooh liking the sound of that!
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Poor Mr Z! Just one day of exhausting pleasure a year :p

OP, I lamb around hundred ewes, half native half commercial flock, have a yard full of full liveries and my OH works away during the week.
Now, keeping lights on in the lambing shed and feeding concentrate late at night tends to get them lambing later in the day rather than at dawn. Checks every 4 hours should be OK, so you can easily get 8 hours of sleep, do yard and ride your horses :)
Texels might need more assistance, but are also pretty laid back and quite easy to pen up, in fact, mine just call me and say ''excuse me, my back end feels funny, do you think you could deal with that while I have a snack? Ta''.
I could give you all sorts of useful tips, but I would be blowing hot air - just forget about sleep for a week, be knackered and be done with it ;) Combination of carbohydrate bomb type meals, red bull and strong coffee, oh, and whatever you do, DO NOT sit down.
 
We lamb just over 500 just the two of us plus cattle to look after sunday we were on go for 18 hours today I had a thick head as exhaustion set in.hubby looks at 3am me 5am then up at 7am and keep going, sheep near house so if ok be back in bed in five mins, some people say look 11pm make sure pitch black and ok till 6am, good luck.
 
All I know about sheep is they are cute and go well with mint sauce. ;)

But, obsessively, back to the young horse. . .is it.ESSENTIAL he ners started under saddle in a week you are likely to be tired, distracted and rushed? That doesn't really seem fair to him, when there are so many other weeks in the year. Could you not step up his work now and then back off that week? Or wait until after lambing? And while I don't agree backing horses is a dangerous business, I have found, when I have been hurt, it's because I've tried to stick to a rigid schedule or got it into my head I ' have' to do something ' right now'. I know you're sure he won't be any problem but we all know mostly what horses do is surprise you. ;)
 
I think you will be fine!

We have lambed over 600 for many years (now down to 300, much better number!) and the rest of the farm work (cows etc) also needed doing daily!

Generally the horses get put of the back burner for 3 weeks ish, but as someones awaked pretty much 24hrs a day mum will help with the stables at 6am if shes quiet in the lambing shed and during late night checks I skip out stables again so easy to do at other times.

If you don't have to 'back' the horse in that week I wouldn't. Play with lots of handling instead. Drag him/her down to the lambing shed, go check the sheep/lambs moved out field with him/her in hand etc etc.

The last thing you need is a broken you and/or pony, leaving your hubby everything to do, he may not be best pleased ;)
 
ever thought to let them lamb outside? OH lambs 200 every year, last year was the first year outside and was much more successful and less stressful than previous years!!! :D
 
thanks all

can't lamb outdoors due to the weather - we nearly lost lambs as the sheep lambed in snow. and we are on such a windy hill we decided it didn't work for us.

sponging the sheep and lambing inside has worked well so we are sticking with that. we are only hobby farmers and I know it looks pathetic when we are only lambing 16 and there are others who are lambing 300+ but it is just us two so we have made it as easy as we can. the sheep manage well indoors, and look very comfortable.
 
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tup is probably a northern thing rather than scottish sorry. although they call it the Texel Ram sales at kelso so I guess its whatever works!

I've always known them as tups and I grew up in cumbria.

martlin said:
Poor Mr Z! Just one day of exhausting pleasure a year :p

whatever you do, DO NOT sit down.
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LOL!

mon said:
We lamb just over 500 just the two of us plus cattle to look after sunday we were on go for 18 hours today I had a thick head as exhaustion set in.hubby looks at 3am me 5am then up at 7am and keep going, sheep near house so if ok be back in bed in five mins, some people say look 11pm make sure pitch black and ok till 6am, good luck.
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Pitch black might help, we have a dim light on to help with the cctv but blackness might be better - will suggest to OH

TarrSteps said:
And while I don't agree backing horses is a dangerous business, I have found, when I have been hurt, it's because I've tried to stick to a rigid schedule or got it into my head I ' have' to do something ' right now'. I know you're sure he won't be any problem but we all know mostly what horses do is surprise you. ;)
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I know what you mean, I only planned to back him this week as I would have all the daylight to play - I have sat on him once, already and have been playing with him. Whilst I am planning on backing him that week, if I don't feel up to it I won't bother, I would just like to plan it that I can so I know time wise its on the agenda if you know what I mean. He is a total dude and I want his backing to be fun, so I will not rush it at all.

FfionWinnie said:
16 hebrideans you shouldn't need to get up at all!

Feed them hay at 11pm and switch the lights off. They shouldn't have any lambs til first light.
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Def will suggest to OH that we turn the dimmed light off.

ajf said:
The last thing you need is a broken you and/or pony, leaving your hubby everything to do, he may not be best pleased ;)
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tbh they are his sheep! its me that is helping him:p

luce1 said:
ever thought to let them lamb outside? OH lambs 200 every year, last year was the first year outside and was much more successful and less stressful than previous years!!! :D
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We nearly lost lambs due to lambing outside, one minute it was sunny then next snowing and they lambed in the snow. since then we have had them in. It just works for us.
 
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