Desperately need help after lambing, overesting disease, 1st delivery moms

[Baymule]

What about marking with numbers? That’s a lot of different colors to have to buy. Make the numbers big and easy to read.

 

[farmerjan]

You place the marks on several different places... one set of blue on their heads... one set with blue on their shoulders,one set with a stripe down their back... one set on their rump in front of the tail.... same with other colors... all the ones that belong together get the same color in the same place... You can get 3-6 different combinations of each color... one set gets a head and a stripe mark....
The stock yards uses cheap flat water based paint on the cattle... shoulders, back, tail head... it washes off in a rain and is not going to hurt them....red, white, green, blue.....

 

[Ridgetop]

I just bought a set of paint branding irons to mark the sheep so I can identify them from far away during breeding and lambing time. We used to paint brand all the 4-H auction livestock at the Fair. I am excited to use it since trying to check ear tags to see who marked is a pain. I wondered about using plain Latex paint. I bought a gallon of the special marking fluid but will start checking at Lowes for the returned "wrong color" paint. I have a lot of exterior semi-gloss but don't think it will wash off. LOL Every so often the "wrong color" paint is a loud color which would work. It will eventually shed out anyway.

 

[Tina's LucyGraycee]

I understand your concerns. You have poured your heart out on these sheep.

You have transport to auction for them and you need to let them go. It’s not perfect, but it’s all there is. I wish it was better, it is what it is.

Get the ewes and babies marked and be ready for Friday. It’s time.

I truly hoped I would be posting pictures of sheep leaving to bigger & better things but here is Saturday 2/24 & I still have sheep. Guy that was transporting them never called, txtd, nothing. I txtd him to confirm everything was in order & I was ready. He said well I don't think I can make it this wkend (last fri) in fact I don't think I'm going to be going to be hauling to auction much anymore at all. My heart sunk to my stomach. I literally just fell into a chair. I said why what's happened? I've done everything like u said it needed to be done. So your saying you won't take them at all ever? He said well I'm thinking I might take another job. I'm sorry but I started off & said you had a job. As far as I know perfectly good one. I hung up. Needless to say I cried most of that afternoon. Then started trying to find someone else that would now have to take them to today's auction. Guy didn't back out on Wed so no time to line anyone up for today. So search is on with dead aim of getting them there this next Sat coming up 3/2. I exhausted all means & contacts I had so I decided I can only rely on 1 person...Me! So I'll take as many at a time as I can till I get them all there for however many days it taks to get them there. So I called auction to see when I could start bringing them in. Good news was from 8-8 Fri 6-8 Sat. I told auctioneer what it was I was gona have to do & asked was there anything I needed to be aware of once I'm ther to unload. He said no not really it was pretty simple. Then asked why I was bringing them in like that. I explained what's happened for last 3 wks. He just looked at me & said well ill come get them for small fee. I like to have fell out. I couldn't believe I really stumbled on to a for sure way to get them ther. So Fri coming up auctions auctioneer is coming himself to put them up. House them. Do all normal thgs they do for them for $150. All he wants when he gets here is babies separate from momas & both marked. He'll do rest. Things I was most concerned about I had reason to be. So I'm glad he backed out now for sure. There's $5 fee to tag each sheep. If they sell for under $200 they charge $7.50. Over $200 they charge 4% of sale price. Out of $7.50-4% cost to keep them 1 night is included along with feeding them. He SAID NEVER PUT RAMS LOOSE MIXED IN A LOAD WITH NEW MOMAS TOGETHER. I said thank you I tried to impress that on that's guys mind but it didn't phase him at all. Plus from time auction takes possession at my house, transports them, unloads them, houses them their responsible. Should 1 get hurt they'll give medical aid, if 1 dies they'll pay me for it. None of that crossed my mind to tell you the truth. SO I'M BACK ON PARTY WAGON AGAIN in count down mode to our going away party!

 

[Tina's LucyGraycee]

You can mark with food coloring if you don't have marking paint.

I wondered about type of paint. I have alot of brite vivid colors but I use them to paint metal & plastic yard decor. Is that OK or not?

 

[Tina's LucyGraycee]

You place the marks on several different places... one set of blue on their heads... one set with blue on their shoulders,one set with a stripe down their back... one set on their rump in front of the tail.... same with other colors... all the ones that belong together get the same color in the same place... You can get 3-6 different combinations of each color... one set gets a head and a stripe mark....
The stock yards uses cheap flat water based paint on the cattle... shoulders, back, tail head... it washes off in a rain and is not going to hurt them....red, white, green, blue.....

OK great. I was wondering since there's 4)sets twins, 1)set triplets, 5)singles
On sets other than color & type of mark do I need to let them know there's twins or triplets for that moma like two stripes, spots or stripe & # which I think is really too much to do. I was just gona write it down on paper to give them when they pick them up. He really didn't have his rather about that part.

 

[Tina's LucyGraycee]

What about marking with numbers? That’s a lot of different colors to have to buy. Make the numbers big and easy to read.

So paint moma with day pink strip or big spot then each baby same color but with 1 & other with 2. Like that?

 

[farmerjan]

Yes, you can use most any paint on them... at this point, they will be shedding out in the spring so it won't matter...even oil based paint will not hurt them... I mean, it's not like they will be taking a bath in it... some on their head/back etc is not going to hurt them. They just use the water ased paint at the stockyard here so it can be washed off easily....

I am sorry, I should have suggested you contact the auction barn about having them hauled... but it seemed that you had things pretty well in hand... EVERY auction/stockyard/sale barn will have some one, or a list of people, who do hauling and yes... it will cost something.. but they will come, load and haul and takes the load off someone like you that does not have a truck/trailer and such to do the hauling...
It sounds like you got it planned out pretty good, now...

 

[farmerjan]

No need to get that complicated... 1 momma and whatever she has for babies all get the same mark... pink spot on back... 1 momma and triplets all get blue stripe on back... one momma and 1 baby get blue spot on head...
No need to put one spot on number one and 2 spots on number 2... just give each family the same color and marking in the same place.... .. and give him a list so that they can make sure they match them up at the auction also... just makes it easier..

 

[Tina's LucyGraycee]

I understand your concerns. You have poured your heart out on these sheep.

You have transport to auction for them and you need to let them go. It’s not perfect, but it’s all there is. I wish it was better, it is what it is.

Get the ewes and babies marked and be ready for Friday. It’s time.

Yes ma'am I agree whole heartedly. On a different note...
Do you remember 5 day old twins that's momas went down quick from overeating disease only to discover worms instead. I have never got them to take a bottle & momas not making milk. Their still so tiny & cry & cry to nurse. Momas calls them they run to start & moma kicks & runs. They are eating creep feed 14% all stock pellets, alfalfa & bermuda hay but barely. They want to nurse moma. What can I do? I even put bottles in holes of chain link fence thinking that might make them curious enough to try. 1 did. She is so hungry I'm was wondering can I try free choice milk might work. Or different bottle technique.