Home // Latest News
It is official, March is here and the mother of all months for Scottish stock farmers has begun! As the grass grows quick beneath our feet and the first lambing day looms, it is time to spring into action and prepare for a successful season.
Following a 44% increase in Scottish lamb losses last year, the need for a successful season has never been so crucial but don’t worry, at Hamilton Brothers we stock everything you need to stop you going baaaarmy – from feeders and bottles to gels, colostrums, mineral drenches and much more. Plus, our Animal Health experts have shared some top tips to help you along the way!
(Deals valid while stocks last)
As in humans, vitamins and minerals are of optimum importance for healthy pregnancies. It is believed that drenching ewes with vitamins and minerals prior to the breeding season can increase fertility. What’s more, if the process is repeated 5 weeks prior to lambing then you can expect livelier lambs during the birth process. Our animal health experts recommend drenches by Provita or Kilco.
When planning for lambing it is best to abide by the Boy Scout tradition of it’s better to be prepared! Wet weather provides the optimum breeding ground for fluke and other soil based diseases and, following one of the wettest winters on record, you will need to be armed to the teeth with all the necessary pharmaceuticals! Thankfully, we provide a whole host of vaccines and drenches to tackle any nasty bouts.
Combat Clostridial diseases by administering MSD’s Heptavac or Bravoxin 10 4-6 weeks prior to lambing. This will ensure that breeding ewe’s colostrum has high enough levels of antibodies to protect the newborn lambs. Clostridial diseases are transmitted by bacteria found in soil, but they can also thrive naturally in the gut of a seemingly healthy sheep. The most common Clostridial diseases are tetanus, black leg, struck, black disease, lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney, braxy or bacterial red water.
Grazing sheep and cattle are exposed to fluke at all times (assuming there is fluke on that particular farm). It is advisable to have treated ewes prior to being put to the tup with Triclabendazole, the drug found in Tribex Oral Drench. However, if they are treated again during pregnancy it will help reduce the risk of fluke at lambing time.
Prior preparation and planning is the key to a lucrative lambing season, so before the mother of all months begins, stock up on some last minute essentials! It is also advisable to clip any dirty tails or udders in the final weeks before the season.
Here’s a checklist of our key essentials:
With some farmers boasting a flock of over 100, it’s imperative you mark all expectant ewes. Once a newborn lamb has rested and is ready to venture out into the world, it is crucial you use marker spray to identify it. Markers can be used to match lambs to their mothers also.
The good news is that we have some fantastic spring deals on marker sprays and a whole host of other lambing products:
For lambing advice or to order any products, call the Hamilton Brothers Animal Healthcare Hotline 0843 523 5641 or e-mail [email protected]!
