Showing posts with label Aber Lambing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aber Lambing. Show all posts
Friday, April 5, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Looking forward to Lambing 2013!
I'm really looking forward to another season of Lambing!
I have the new job at the Uni farm which I think will be about 6 weeks split between me and Cody - not sure if we'll be in pairs, on our own, or what yet though. At least at the Uni farm there's somewhere warm to sit and do Dissertation work, if we're quiet with the Lambing!
Richard from Glanystwyth rang me a few weeks ago to ask if I could go Lambing for him again this year. It'll be 3 or 4 weeks of 9pm-6am which is quite a lot when we have lectures and Uni too.
I asked the 3 girls who have come for the last 2 years but they didn't want to come 'cos of Uni etc which is fair enough. A few other people on my course want to come this year but have never been Lambing before, so it'll be really good to have help but will need to help and teach them how to Lamb too...
The 2 farms are so completely different...
First the Uni farm is a modern, almost clinical, performance-recorded system where we don't pull much and have to measure and record every detail for research:
Not sure when Uni start but Glanystwyth start in 2 weeks! :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Little lamb at the farm :)
This is the little 'blind' #62 lamb at the Uni farm :)
She was following me all around the farm checking on the ewes and lambs, across the yard and into the farm office then stood and waited for me to make up bottles. Gave her a bottle and she then came back out to the shed to give the others bottles :)
Sorry its a rubbish video, hard to video and be followed in the dark!
Then after all that she ignores me + toddles off at the end!
She was following me all around the farm checking on the ewes and lambs, across the yard and into the farm office then stood and waited for me to make up bottles. Gave her a bottle and she then came back out to the shed to give the others bottles :)
Sorry its a rubbish video, hard to video and be followed in the dark!
Then after all that she ignores me + toddles off at the end!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sarah Millican + Lambing with the Bro's
The Bro's are up in Aber :)
I woke up at half 8 and had to listen to them snoring for another 3 hours + eventually woke them up.
Walked down into town + got a huuge breakfast in the cafe then went down to the beach. Ruth was kayaking with the football girls so saw those, walked along the beach and to the arcade on the Pier to waste a bit of money!
Steve the shepherd from the Uni farm phoned me 'cos the person meant to be lambing tonight has been rushed into hospital so could I do it. Said Nat + Danny were up and would phone him back. They were alright with coming so said we'd do it! :P
Off to Store 21 we go for them to get some cheap lambing clothes ... and sweets + glow sticks, just what you need for lambing ;) Oh, and we got Chocolate Digestives for Sarah Millican...
Got the bus back up the hill and attempted to get an hours sleep before going out but failed.
Went to see Sarah Millican at the Arts Centre. We were in the centre, 3rd row so close :)
She was good - heard a few of the jokes on the telly + stuff but obvs going to get that. One woman was filming it so Sarah stopped and made her stop recording + made her delete it. Bit awkward.
Wrote her a note + left it with the "Emergency Biscuits" for her in the interval and she spoke to us in the 2nd half.
I was soo tired 'cos of not sleeping properly (if at all!) the last few weeks so was really grumpy with them at the start, didn't mean to be! Went off to see the bull beef for ages, they're meant to be aggressive but were skitty, eventually came over and sniffed me and took silage from my hand :)
They bottle fed a couple lambs + Nat took some photos (will chuck 'em on here at some point) so hopes they weren't too bored!
Steve dropped us back at halls about half 6
I woke up at half 8 and had to listen to them snoring for another 3 hours + eventually woke them up.
Walked down into town + got a huuge breakfast in the cafe then went down to the beach. Ruth was kayaking with the football girls so saw those, walked along the beach and to the arcade on the Pier to waste a bit of money!
Steve the shepherd from the Uni farm phoned me 'cos the person meant to be lambing tonight has been rushed into hospital so could I do it. Said Nat + Danny were up and would phone him back. They were alright with coming so said we'd do it! :P
Off to Store 21 we go for them to get some cheap lambing clothes ... and sweets + glow sticks, just what you need for lambing ;) Oh, and we got Chocolate Digestives for Sarah Millican...
Got the bus back up the hill and attempted to get an hours sleep before going out but failed.
Went to see Sarah Millican at the Arts Centre. We were in the centre, 3rd row so close :)
She was good - heard a few of the jokes on the telly + stuff but obvs going to get that. One woman was filming it so Sarah stopped and made her stop recording + made her delete it. Bit awkward.
Wrote her a note + left it with the "Emergency Biscuits" for her in the interval and she spoke to us in the 2nd half.
"Naan bread" :')
Came back to halls after and then got a taxi to the farm! I was soo tired 'cos of not sleeping properly (if at all!) the last few weeks so was really grumpy with them at the start, didn't mean to be! Went off to see the bull beef for ages, they're meant to be aggressive but were skitty, eventually came over and sniffed me and took silage from my hand :)
They bottle fed a couple lambs + Nat took some photos (will chuck 'em on here at some point) so hopes they weren't too bored!
Steve dropped us back at halls about half 6
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Off to the vets!...
Delyth (from the Uni farm) rang at half 8 and said she's on the way to the vets, did I want to go with her??
Of course I did! :P
Just had to get out of bed and she picked me up and we went straight to the vets.
The ewe had twins stuck, trying to come out at the same time! One leg was coming out first.
Managed to get them out and all 3 are alive :)))
All kicking off here now though *RollsEyes*
Lamb 24 (a PHD girls trial lamb) escaped. We were looking for it everywhere, I eventually found him round the back by the bull beef sheds.
Got a Suffolk with twins that prolapsed, pushed it back in and now she can't lamb past it
... a Blue Faced Leicester that had a prolapse, put it back in + a prolapse strap on her, who is now lambing
... another triplet ewe thats lambing.
Of course I did! :P
Just had to get out of bed and she picked me up and we went straight to the vets.
The ewe had twins stuck, trying to come out at the same time! One leg was coming out first.
Managed to get them out and all 3 are alive :)))
All kicking off here now though *RollsEyes*
Lamb 24 (a PHD girls trial lamb) escaped. We were looking for it everywhere, I eventually found him round the back by the bull beef sheds.
Got a Suffolk with twins that prolapsed, pushed it back in and now she can't lamb past it
... a Blue Faced Leicester that had a prolapse, put it back in + a prolapse strap on her, who is now lambing
... another triplet ewe thats lambing.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Uni on my own...
Lambing at Uni farm iab!
On my own tonight :( 'cos the other 3 either have friends round or are going to Cardiff!
Will be fine ... just be paranoid of the scary noises + wind! ;)
I'z staying longer in the morning (I asked) 'cos I want to go round the fields with Steve, see the sheep + hopefully turn out some lambs + ewes :)
Not normally tired when we leave at 7am so will be fine + can sleep all day ;)
Have recorded a couple lambs but not much else happening here tonight. Delyth is staying with me for a couple hours for the hand over + stuff.
Time to put the kettle on! :)
On my own tonight :( 'cos the other 3 either have friends round or are going to Cardiff!
Will be fine ... just be paranoid of the scary noises + wind! ;)
I'z staying longer in the morning (I asked) 'cos I want to go round the fields with Steve, see the sheep + hopefully turn out some lambs + ewes :)
Not normally tired when we leave at 7am so will be fine + can sleep all day ;)
Have recorded a couple lambs but not much else happening here tonight. Delyth is staying with me for a couple hours for the hand over + stuff.
Time to put the kettle on! :)
On my own and it all kicks off!
Back in halls :)
Actually not tired at all. Was a good night shift but some stuff kicked off too!
Pulled a big Texel lamb who'd got his shoulder stuck and she threw something else out straight after... Looked like a mahoosive afterbirth + prolapse.
Phoned Delyth, she said its just a prolapse, push it back in, will be ok.
I sent her a picture and she texted me straight back... "I'm on my way, might need a vet"
We managed to get it back in eventually, holding the ewe upsode down so gravity helped us. Put a spoon and strap on to try and keep in it.
We had two 1st year Zoology girls come this morning to help. One wants to be a vet, was nice but has never even touched a sheep! The other one was soooo cocky. "I've been lambing for 3 years, I know this blahhhh" Chatting rubbish ;)
We were lambing a ewe and so I got them to help, fell and try to pull it. The cocky one messed it all up so we had to get Steve the shepherd to help in the end.
Me + Phoebe (researcher who works days) just had to walk off in the end! They've said she's not being asked back :P
Actually not tired at all. Was a good night shift but some stuff kicked off too!
Pulled a big Texel lamb who'd got his shoulder stuck and she threw something else out straight after... Looked like a mahoosive afterbirth + prolapse.
Phoned Delyth, she said its just a prolapse, push it back in, will be ok.
I sent her a picture and she texted me straight back... "I'm on my way, might need a vet"
We managed to get it back in eventually, holding the ewe upsode down so gravity helped us. Put a spoon and strap on to try and keep in it.
We had two 1st year Zoology girls come this morning to help. One wants to be a vet, was nice but has never even touched a sheep! The other one was soooo cocky. "I've been lambing for 3 years, I know this blahhhh" Chatting rubbish ;)
We were lambing a ewe and so I got them to help, fell and try to pull it. The cocky one messed it all up so we had to get Steve the shepherd to help in the end.
Me + Phoebe (researcher who works days) just had to walk off in the end! They've said she's not being asked back :P
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Lambing pictures...
Ross the lamb:
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tonights update...
We'z were literally just getting ready to get her to the vets and she lambed 2 of the triplets on her own!
The last one had to be pulled and had been dead inside her a couple days, but no vets ( :) but :( 'cos I didn't get to go) and she made it, with 2 lambs!
Had another ewe with 2 lambs coming at the same time ... one forwards + one back!
Had to ring Steve to come + do it but they were fine. We've ran out of pens so had to turn ewes and lambs that are ready to go out to the field, into holding pens next door (with loads of pens + runways + cool farm mechanichy stuff where they shear, vaccinate ... stuff like that) so we could move fresh lambs into their small pens.
Just had a quick shower to get rid of Eau d'Ewe. Time for bed me thinks!
Not tired at all though!
The last one had to be pulled and had been dead inside her a couple days, but no vets ( :) but :( 'cos I didn't get to go) and she made it, with 2 lambs!
Had another ewe with 2 lambs coming at the same time ... one forwards + one back!
Had to ring Steve to come + do it but they were fine. We've ran out of pens so had to turn ewes and lambs that are ready to go out to the field, into holding pens next door (with loads of pens + runways + cool farm mechanichy stuff where they shear, vaccinate ... stuff like that) so we could move fresh lambs into their small pens.
Just had a quick shower to get rid of Eau d'Ewe. Time for bed me thinks!
Not tired at all though!
Back at Uni farm
5 hours in + its all kicking off!! [Geordie accent](in the Uni lambing sheds)[/Geordie Accent]
Was all fine and all really kicked off at 1am.
Had a twin ewe that presented just a head, with legs back, so I pulled that. Left her a bit and she had another head so pulled that one too.
Just before that had another twin ewe that presented a head and 2 legs, fine so left her for 40 mins.
Realised something wasn't right so had a feel and felt another nose there aswell. 2 lambs trying to come at the same time!
Pushed them back in + tried to sort them out. She was still pushing them both out so had to fight against her pushing.
Rang the shepherd who came straight out + sorted them out after much eventually.
THEN now we've got a triplet Blue Faced Leicester who prolapsed, has a prolapse harness on to push it all back in but she's not been pushed back in properly so can feel the legs but kind of through the wall.
We're leaving her 20 mins to see if she'll sort herself out but might have to take her to the vets iab!
Was all fine and all really kicked off at 1am.
Had a twin ewe that presented just a head, with legs back, so I pulled that. Left her a bit and she had another head so pulled that one too.
Just before that had another twin ewe that presented a head and 2 legs, fine so left her for 40 mins.
Realised something wasn't right so had a feel and felt another nose there aswell. 2 lambs trying to come at the same time!
Pushed them back in + tried to sort them out. She was still pushing them both out so had to fight against her pushing.
Rang the shepherd who came straight out + sorted them out after much eventually.
THEN now we've got a triplet Blue Faced Leicester who prolapsed, has a prolapse harness on to push it all back in but she's not been pushed back in properly so can feel the legs but kind of through the wall.
We're leaving her 20 mins to see if she'll sort herself out but might have to take her to the vets iab!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
First night Uni lambing
Was out first night lambing at the Uni farm today!
Me + Sian were there, got picked up at 10 and Delyth explained everything about the sheds ... have got Blue Faced Leicesters, Texels, Beulahs and Lleyns. Then theres their 'hybrid' sheep called the Aberdale which they're improving the prolificacy of with the Inverdale gene - they have more twins + triplets and can be kept on rubbish grass so the better grass can be kept for others!
The big shed is split in half with an invisible line and either side has to be treated as completely different sheds 'cos they're on different trials.
Can only use one sheds stuff, silage, straw etc 'cos its all weighed out and costed down to the pence.
Then theres another 2 tiny sheds outside, one of which is part of a PHD students trial.
For the trials we have to weigh the lambs, sex them, then score them on presentation, how difficult the birth was, if needed help and the level of help, vigour after 5 mins of birth, if needed help to suck, a bottle.... Then the ewe on mothering ability, milkiness etc.
Its not hard to do just need to get your head round it and it takes a bit more time to do! Is good to say you've lambed a Performance Recorded Flock and were part of trials :)
They had 1 case of Salmonella and so we've been kitted out with wellies, waterproof trousers and big high vis bomber jackets that we leave at the farm ... especially as we're lambing at another farm too.
Its such a change from the last farm, its all brand new, and has different ways of doing things. We're not meant to pull any 'cos it affects the trial data whereas we had to pull everything at the last farm.
We also have the farm office to do in which has heating! and a kettle, toaster, sandwich maker, washing machine, fridge, freezer... lol
Delyth left at half 1 and we were fine after that. Had 1 breach that we sorted out and 1 Beulah that was normal presentation but took aages to get the lamb out so we helped her. Just left them to it as best we could, if you go in and lamb everything it will affect all the trials data!
We left at half 6 and Cody + Becky turned up to do the morning shift with Steve the shepherd + learn about lambing! :)
Me + Sian were there, got picked up at 10 and Delyth explained everything about the sheds ... have got Blue Faced Leicesters, Texels, Beulahs and Lleyns. Then theres their 'hybrid' sheep called the Aberdale which they're improving the prolificacy of with the Inverdale gene - they have more twins + triplets and can be kept on rubbish grass so the better grass can be kept for others!
The big shed is split in half with an invisible line and either side has to be treated as completely different sheds 'cos they're on different trials.
Can only use one sheds stuff, silage, straw etc 'cos its all weighed out and costed down to the pence.
Then theres another 2 tiny sheds outside, one of which is part of a PHD students trial.
For the trials we have to weigh the lambs, sex them, then score them on presentation, how difficult the birth was, if needed help and the level of help, vigour after 5 mins of birth, if needed help to suck, a bottle.... Then the ewe on mothering ability, milkiness etc.
Its not hard to do just need to get your head round it and it takes a bit more time to do! Is good to say you've lambed a Performance Recorded Flock and were part of trials :)
They had 1 case of Salmonella and so we've been kitted out with wellies, waterproof trousers and big high vis bomber jackets that we leave at the farm ... especially as we're lambing at another farm too.
Its such a change from the last farm, its all brand new, and has different ways of doing things. We're not meant to pull any 'cos it affects the trial data whereas we had to pull everything at the last farm.
We also have the farm office to do in which has heating! and a kettle, toaster, sandwich maker, washing machine, fridge, freezer... lol
Delyth left at half 1 and we were fine after that. Had 1 breach that we sorted out and 1 Beulah that was normal presentation but took aages to get the lamb out so we helped her. Just left them to it as best we could, if you go in and lamb everything it will affect all the trials data!
We left at half 6 and Cody + Becky turned up to do the morning shift with Steve the shepherd + learn about lambing! :)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Uni Sheep Farm...
We went to the Uni sheep farm earlier to see the shepherd + just see the farm in the light!
Theres a big shed split in half with an invisible line, then 2 small sheds and each group is treated differently and on different trials. We need to only use that groups silage, meds etc. Then have to weigh the lambs, sex, score on lambing, if needed help, if needed help to suck, score the ewe's mothering etc...
They've had an abortion problem and 1 case of Salmonella so are bigging up the Biosecurity. They took us up to Stores and ordered us big high vis jackets, and gave us waterproof trousers + steel-toe wellies. Has to be high vis 'cos of H&S apparently?!
Then we've got to get changed + leave those clothes at the farm so we don't spread it to the other farm. Its probably overkill but of it ever got passed over the Uni farm's (and probably our) name would be black!
Best be safe! :)
They don't just have a microwave ... have a kettle, fridge and hot chocolate, cup a soup etc!! :P
Me + Sian are there tomorrow night :))
Theres a big shed split in half with an invisible line, then 2 small sheds and each group is treated differently and on different trials. We need to only use that groups silage, meds etc. Then have to weigh the lambs, sex, score on lambing, if needed help, if needed help to suck, score the ewe's mothering etc...
They've had an abortion problem and 1 case of Salmonella so are bigging up the Biosecurity. They took us up to Stores and ordered us big high vis jackets, and gave us waterproof trousers + steel-toe wellies. Has to be high vis 'cos of H&S apparently?!
Then we've got to get changed + leave those clothes at the farm so we don't spread it to the other farm. Its probably overkill but of it ever got passed over the Uni farm's (and probably our) name would be black!
Best be safe! :)
They don't just have a microwave ... have a kettle, fridge and hot chocolate, cup a soup etc!! :P
Me + Sian are there tomorrow night :))
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Day 3 Lambing
Back in New Cross Lambing again tonight!
We had a prolapse ewe that was having triplets that started lambing 2 weeks early so had to get the farmer to come out. "She won't be lambing yet" "She's had 2 bags pop already, think she is!" ... he had to cut her stitches and lamb them but 'cos they were 2 weeks early their lungs hadn't developed at all so died within minutes :/
Another ewe had a really wierd bag that wouldn't pop and was covered in a thick/leathery orange membrane. I lambed her first one then there was a hald developed lamb with lots of gunk and organs and whatever else - was horrible to do! :(
Had Gary the lamb who had his neck right back, put him under the heat lamp, refused a bottle so I had to stomach tube him, which luckily worked a bit but he was still dodgy.
Phillip wouln't suck from his mom so went in one of the warm boxes and back to his mom every hour and he was eventually ok :D
No other major problems me don't think, were all fine! :D
Got an hours sleep + made it to my lectures.
Collapsed into bed at half 12 and stayed there all day :lol: Uni farmer rang at some point + woke me up - do I want to lamb tonight ... no, already lambing somewhere else.
He's trying to find someone to cover Saturday though :D
Said we can go down 1 afternoon to learn how to measure score the lambs and stuff!
We had a prolapse ewe that was having triplets that started lambing 2 weeks early so had to get the farmer to come out. "She won't be lambing yet" "She's had 2 bags pop already, think she is!" ... he had to cut her stitches and lamb them but 'cos they were 2 weeks early their lungs hadn't developed at all so died within minutes :/
Another ewe had a really wierd bag that wouldn't pop and was covered in a thick/leathery orange membrane. I lambed her first one then there was a hald developed lamb with lots of gunk and organs and whatever else - was horrible to do! :(
Had Gary the lamb who had his neck right back, put him under the heat lamp, refused a bottle so I had to stomach tube him, which luckily worked a bit but he was still dodgy.
Phillip wouln't suck from his mom so went in one of the warm boxes and back to his mom every hour and he was eventually ok :D
No other major problems me don't think, were all fine! :D
Got an hours sleep + made it to my lectures.
Collapsed into bed at half 12 and stayed there all day :lol: Uni farmer rang at some point + woke me up - do I want to lamb tonight ... no, already lambing somewhere else.
He's trying to find someone to cover Saturday though :D
Said we can go down 1 afternoon to learn how to measure score the lambs and stuff!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Lambing update
Person sorting lambing out texted me to see how we got on.
I said "Ok, had to ask my friend to come + help me though! No idea how you lamb nights on your own?"
He basically said he didn't know what to say, he can easily lamb 100 ewes on his own and the farmer won't pay 2 people to do an easy 1 person job!
I don't mind the money, its just I thought it was hard and I've been Lambing before. Me + Sian were working all the time (didn't even sit down all night!) but Cody has never been lambing before so how is she meant to be able to cope with that?!
Anyway, I spoke to the farmer earlier and he was happy with us, apart from the lamb that had a swolled head and died - we should have got to it quicker. Thats fair enough + I knew we should have, but we were moving sheep so couldn't have done it any quicker! If theres 4 of us it should be better :)
He's happy to have the 4 of us there, just we'll only get 1 persons pay.
Back on Thursday night! :)
I said "Ok, had to ask my friend to come + help me though! No idea how you lamb nights on your own?"
He basically said he didn't know what to say, he can easily lamb 100 ewes on his own and the farmer won't pay 2 people to do an easy 1 person job!
:/
I told Sian, my friend who came to help and was was really annoyed too! We're allowed a couple of us to go (originally said there were 4 of us) but will have to split the money. If the 4 of us go, which we probably will, we'll get £2 an hour...I don't mind the money, its just I thought it was hard and I've been Lambing before. Me + Sian were working all the time (didn't even sit down all night!) but Cody has never been lambing before so how is she meant to be able to cope with that?!
Anyway, I spoke to the farmer earlier and he was happy with us, apart from the lamb that had a swolled head and died - we should have got to it quicker. Thats fair enough + I knew we should have, but we were moving sheep so couldn't have done it any quicker! If theres 4 of us it should be better :)
He's happy to have the 4 of us there, just we'll only get 1 persons pay.
Back on Thursday night! :)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
First Lambing Night Shift...
Got the taxi there, got lost but eventually found the place. Rang the bell for 10 mins ... no-one in. Walked up to the sheds in the pitch black and there was a man there. Just a contractor the same as me, and he left when I got there!
The book with pen numbers + lambs which needed milk and stuff was in Welsh!
There was a triplet with 2 little lambs (she'd lost the 3rd) which were reallly cold so I hoiked them out and put them in a pen under a heat lamp - couldn't even find where they were plugged in at first!
Texted my friend Sian but didn't have signal to took ages, eventually she got it and said she'd come up and got a taxi there about 2 hours later. 10 mins after that the farmer came! So he explained everything to us - they pull all the lambs if they can, to stop them getting stuck or their faces covered with the membranes and dying.
There was a sheep struggling to lamb so the farmer had a look and the ewe had ruptured her muscles all along her belly and around her bag so the lamb was right down and he could hardly reach it. Got some strings tied around its head + legs after 10 mins, tried to pull it out and eventually did. Was already dead 'cos she'd lambed prematurely, the other twin lamb was so far down inside her it was impossible to get to so we had to leave her to it.
Then there was a ewe which had a head out and no legs so it was stuck, the lamb died and the head started to swell, making it even harder to lamb! Had to get the farmer back to come and lamb it which he struggled to do.
While that was happening there was a ewe with triplets trying to lamb so I went and helped her, the first one came ok but the second was its legs out and head bent right back, pushed it back in a bit and got him out, then delivered the last one - first thing to go right! :)
Then we had another ewe that wasn't due until the 10th who started to lamb - it was a tiny lamb so we tried to help it and failed, phoned the farmer and he came out - she was aborting so we just had to leave her.
Everything was going wrong and we were wondering how we'd lamb the rest of them?!
Penned up some sheep so went back to check on them all 15 mins later and there was one lambing so we helped her out and it went fine.
Did the same for the next 6 hours! Adopted some triplet lambs onto a single so that each ewe had 2 and could give them enough milk.
Fed the ewes and bottle fed the lambs at half 4.
We were just getting ready to leave at 6, checked the ewes one last time and there was one with just a head out. Couldn't leave it 'cos it would swell up and die. I lambed that and then did its brother too. Just about to leave her to it and realised she was a triplet so pulled the 3rd one! Good job we realised!
Taxi didn't come until half 6 so got back at 7ish!
Think we pulled 25 lambs, which isn't bad :D At home we only pull the lambs if the ewe is struggling and the lamb is stuck but here we pulled most of them and if she had one lamb we'd pull the others stright away instead of leaving her. So its more hands on and pulled more in 1 night than a in week at home!
The book with pen numbers + lambs which needed milk and stuff was in Welsh!
On my own with 800 sheep in lamb, a little old dog and loads of wierd noises freaking me out.
There was a sheep struggling to lamb so the farmer had a look and the ewe had ruptured her muscles all along her belly and around her bag so the lamb was right down and he could hardly reach it. Got some strings tied around its head + legs after 10 mins, tried to pull it out and eventually did. Was already dead 'cos she'd lambed prematurely, the other twin lamb was so far down inside her it was impossible to get to so we had to leave her to it.
Then there was a ewe which had a head out and no legs so it was stuck, the lamb died and the head started to swell, making it even harder to lamb! Had to get the farmer back to come and lamb it which he struggled to do.
While that was happening there was a ewe with triplets trying to lamb so I went and helped her, the first one came ok but the second was its legs out and head bent right back, pushed it back in a bit and got him out, then delivered the last one - first thing to go right! :)
Then we had another ewe that wasn't due until the 10th who started to lamb - it was a tiny lamb so we tried to help it and failed, phoned the farmer and he came out - she was aborting so we just had to leave her.
Everything was going wrong and we were wondering how we'd lamb the rest of them?!
Penned up some sheep so went back to check on them all 15 mins later and there was one lambing so we helped her out and it went fine.
Did the same for the next 6 hours! Adopted some triplet lambs onto a single so that each ewe had 2 and could give them enough milk.
Fed the ewes and bottle fed the lambs at half 4.
Taxi didn't come until half 6 so got back at 7ish!
Think we pulled 25 lambs, which isn't bad :D At home we only pull the lambs if the ewe is struggling and the lamb is stuck but here we pulled most of them and if she had one lamb we'd pull the others stright away instead of leaving her. So its more hands on and pulled more in 1 night than a in week at home!
We didn't stop at all for 9 hours, hardly had time to grab a drink so didn't nom my Hula Hoops in the end! Its ridiculous how they thought 1 person could do it, esp leaving them on their own having never been before! Even with 2 of us it was really hard work, probably needed 3 or 4 of us to be able to pen, feed and lamb at the same time...
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Lambing tonight...
Spoke to Rhydian earlier, who's sorting out Lambing. He said they only need 1 person tonight to start at 9pm.
Bit of a pain 'cos we were going to share taxi's and it'd be better if we were in 2's!
We rang one taxi the other day who quoted £14 but phoned our friend Ace and he said £9 so have booked him for half 8!
Hopefully we'll be in pairs next week so we can share the taxi, and waiting around for the ewes to lamb!
Rhydian is lambing tomorrow but will find out who's doing Monday and during the week. Hopefully we'll be able to go in pairs as it gets busier. He said only experienced people so I'm fine but Cody has none so really she can't go on her own. The other 2 have a bit so they should be ok.
We finish at 6am then need to get back to halls. I'm always up 'til late anyway so 6/7am is too much of a stretch :S
... unless we have 9am lectures! :|
Tbh I'll be tired for a few weeks if its £80 or £30 a night, and it'll be really good experience to have lambed on 3 farms , see the differences etc. :D
Think I'z got another chest infection too 'cos been really struggling to breath and taking my inhaler. Cba to book a Drs appointment if it'll clear up on its own.
Just been to CKs and got some cough medicine :) and Olbas menthol lozenges "To help keep breathing easy" ... worth a try ;)
Bit of a pain 'cos we were going to share taxi's and it'd be better if we were in 2's!
We rang one taxi the other day who quoted £14 but phoned our friend Ace and he said £9 so have booked him for half 8!
Hopefully we'll be in pairs next week so we can share the taxi, and waiting around for the ewes to lamb!
Rhydian is lambing tomorrow but will find out who's doing Monday and during the week. Hopefully we'll be able to go in pairs as it gets busier. He said only experienced people so I'm fine but Cody has none so really she can't go on her own. The other 2 have a bit so they should be ok.
We finish at 6am then need to get back to halls. I'm always up 'til late anyway so 6/7am is too much of a stretch :S
... unless we have 9am lectures! :|
Tbh I'll be tired for a few weeks if its £80 or £30 a night, and it'll be really good experience to have lambed on 3 farms , see the differences etc. :D
Think I'z got another chest infection too 'cos been really struggling to breath and taking my inhaler. Cba to book a Drs appointment if it'll clear up on its own.
Just been to CKs and got some cough medicine :) and Olbas menthol lozenges "To help keep breathing easy" ... worth a try ;)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
More Lambing??
Someone emailed me from the Uni today saying he heard I was looking for Lambing and would I go there + stuff.
You're a day too late!
He isn't the farmer, just is sorting out people to go lambing for the farmer, so I asked a few qu's and said we'd got the Uni lambing already booked but might be able to do both 'cos that doesn't start for a couple of weeks.
Would be night shifts again, and there are 800 ewes in the shed at a time and as some leave, it gets topped up, so could be quite busy!
Its in Trawscoed which is about 8 miles out of Aber(?) so we'd have to get a Taxi there, which would cost ~£14 each way!
Hopefully will be able to do both!! :)
You're a day too late!
He isn't the farmer, just is sorting out people to go lambing for the farmer, so I asked a few qu's and said we'd got the Uni lambing already booked but might be able to do both 'cos that doesn't start for a couple of weeks.
Would be night shifts again, and there are 800 ewes in the shed at a time and as some leave, it gets topped up, so could be quite busy!
Its in Trawscoed which is about 8 miles out of Aber(?) so we'd have to get a Taxi there, which would cost ~£14 each way!
Hopefully will be able to do both!! :)
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