How to get into the zone for the challenges of this lambing season

worthwhile. I am always willing to try different things. The bolus, by Animax, consists of iodine, selenium and cobalt, which releases slowly over six months.

Anything that improves the health of the ewe has knock-on effects for the lamb and therefore it is worthwhile. I expect to see results, and I expect it to make lambing-time easier as you are dealing with less problems and healthier sheep.

I’ll give the ewes their Covexin 10 this week. I would normally have done this earlier but last year I delayed it and it had the benefit that I did not lose one lamb with clostridial problems last summer.

Research has shown that the benefits of clostridial vaccines passing immunity to the lamb via her colostrum dissipates as the lambing goes on, so the closer to lambing you give it, the more antibodies the lamb receives at birth.

It’s also time to focus on grass. I bought urea, expensive as it is, and I intend to get it out (one bag per acre) on the closed-off fields as soon as the weather permits. Slurry is also being got out, albeit at a slow pace with the stop-start nature of the weather we have, but I aim to have it all out over the coming week, weather permitting.

I have done up a little kitchen on the farm for lambing time. You need to be able to readily put your hand on anything you need, so it’s no harm making a list. Lambing gel, gloves, iodine, tail rings, lamb stomach tubes and cow colostrum (frozen). You need to chat to your vet for any antibiotics that might be needed.

For prolapsed ewes, I use a nylon harness which is really effective and easy on the ewe. Have your pet lamb feeder ready to roll and have Lamlac and pet lamb bottles ready to go. Having all this stuff to hand just makes life easier.

Labour

At lambing time it’s next to impossible to manage things on your own. Luckily, I have a neighbour helping

IT’S NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE THINGS ON YOUR OWN — DON’T LEAVE YOURSELF ISOLATED OR FATIGUED

me out this year. I didn’t get an Ag-college student, I thought I wouldn’t need one so I took myself off the list but I am regretting this now.

I also get foreign students who stay with my parents and they really get a lot from the experience of living here on a farm in Ireland. For them it’s a holiday! They love the pet lambs.

Don’t leave yourself isolated and fatigued — it’s not worth it.

Preparation for lambing has many aspects — the ewe, grass, facilities and labour.

Neglect any of these and you’re in for a tough few weeks, but if you have everything ready, you are in for a rewarding experience.

John Fagan farms at Gartlandstown, Co Westmeath