Crutching May 2021
9 May – Mothers Day, and we were doing our bit on Oake Marsh Farm, to make the lives of our ‘mothers’ easier.
Crutching means clipping the wool around the udder, vulva and anal area of the ewe to assist the ewe with a clean delivery during the birthing process and preventing soiling of wool and potential for complications including blow fly strike, and to assist the newborn lamb suck the teats and access the most important first drink – colostrum.
See our STAR - Donna Kebab as Len 'tidies' her up.
Len and Sharon Johnston of Johnston Rural Contracting spent the weekend with us in May to prepare our ewes pre – lambing.
See the movie of the process of pushing the ewes up, so they each take their turn to be rolled on to their backs ready for the crutching process
See Sheep Dog Jess assisting Sharon push the ewes up the race. Len expertly trims the wool, and Andrew separates the wool into ‘clean’, ‘stained’ and ‘dags’ with very little waste.
The whole process is done and dusted for the ewe in less than a minute, and they trot away to continue to graze with their friends.
Weaning Lambs November 2020
Drenching and Jetting lambs prior to drafting from the ewes.
Jetting Lambs
Preventing blow fly strike and lice infestation for up to 12 weeks through the vulnerable spring / summer period.
Pushing up Lambs into the Race
Mita and Sparkles at work