HELP we need to round uo our sheep !!

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HELP we need to round uo our sheep !!
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kiwi

Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 73
Location: new zealand

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 7:35 am Post subject: HELP we need to round uo our sheep !!
Hi all we took delivery of 7 Aparawa sheep on Fri that we had delivered straight into the cattle yards - they escaped form there and all our efforts to round them up have just made them move further away down the end of the land. are there any tips about getting them back or am I going to have to make a fool of myself and ask a kiwi bloke for help!! yours in embarrassment

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 7:39 am Post subject:
Sheep are more valuable than pride so I'd ask! The only suggestion I have is trying to offer the sheep food but if there's plenty of grub about I doubt that'll work.

pricey

Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 7:44 am Post subject:
Hi Kiwi im no expert but have you tryed rattling metal box with food in, or get sheep dog sorry cant help any more. Whats the weather like down there, realy frosty here. Good luck. Steve

kiwi

Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 73
Location: new zealand

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 9:31 am Post subject:

Hi

haven't tried the food option as there is sooo much pasture not sure they would even be bothered, one of the main problems is that they have gone onto the land we lease out for horses so there are 11 huge ones out there that make me kind of nervous at the best of times let alone if they thought there was food on offer!!
We have bought a farm dog but he's only 10 weeks old at the moment and I guess a trained one is only as good as the person giving instructions!!
as for the weather its absolutely boiling which doesn't help and my hayfever is really bad too.

our only saving grace is that I don't think our fruitless efforts can be seen by anyone!!
guess I may have to swallow my pride after all if I offer money it should help!!

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 1:42 pm Post subject:

I am NOT a sheep person at all (but I have rounded up various strange animals in my time.

First thing is to make sure you have a *really* secure enclosure to retain them after capture. There's little point in catching them if they are only going to escape again.

Next thing is that you need to have a corner or somesuch to work them towards. Its also good to have a 'reason' for them to go into the catching corner. Like the only source of water.

Then its a matter of driving them into that corner. And 'closing the corner'.
If they won't go to the water of their own accord, in any reasonable timeframe, making friends with a shepard + sheepdog(s) is probably the easiest. And he may be able to advise on whats needed for their own enclosure to be secure.
Quad bikes, people on horses, there's loads of ways you might try and drive them. Its mostly the business of blocking alternatives to the direction you want them to move.
Keeping the sheep reasonably calm should make things easier.

But thinking for the future, you are going to have to develop a capability to restrict animals to some part of the available grazing. I suspect an electric fence may be useful in this regard... And it would be very useful in gradually 'hemming them in'.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 05 3:31 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Next thing is that you need to have a corner or somesuch to work them towards. Its also good to have a 'reason' for them to go into the catching corner. Like the only source of water.

Make sure that corner is not dark (ie behind a hedge or a shed) and ensure that there is a clear view through the gates at the other side, sheep will be much harder to round up if they don't see an 'escape' route at the other side. If you can create a V-shape with a temporary fence so that as they go further in, the less space there is for them to get past you. Extend your 'reach' (or at least the impression of it) by carrying a stick, as they will sense such movement & be less likely to dash past you.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 11:10 am Post subject:
Have you caught them yet?

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 11:42 am Post subject:

What area of land are you talking about ?
In a smallish field (though depends on shape), if there are enough of you, and the sheep are calm to start with, you can walk them very gently towards the pen opening / field gate, using one person as the shepherd, one by the pen, and the rest as 'dogs'. If you can get one or two sheep to start moving in the right direction, the rest will tend to follow. Although sheep can be right awkward to handle.

What's an Arapawa sheep like ? Is it one of those typical antipodean Merino-looking ones ? Don't remember coming across that breed when I was down under. The name sounds as though it should be some small native breed.

kiwi

Joined: 12 Sep 2005
Posts: 73
Location: new zealand

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 8:25 pm Post subject:

Hi

Judith - no we haven't caught them yet !

we didn't even try yesterday as it was pouring down with a norwester thrown in.
Gil - in total we've got 38 acres and typically they have gone as far to the back of this that it is possible to go and with all the horses out there its a nightmare -

the breed of sheep is a feral breed so guess they will be OK for the time being but I don't want to miss out when 2 of them lamb, they are a chocolate brown colour and you don't have to shear them if you don't want to but I think we will get them shorn as the fleece is supposedly like a very fine merino, the ram has those really impressive curly horns.
We have resorted to putting an ad in the paper as I'm sure it will be impossible without a dog as there is so many places for them to run to and a couple of gates to open while keeping the horses out of the way, so watch this space!!
I keep saying I will post some piccies and did try once but couldn't do it so when we have them all safe and sound I'll have another go at it.
If you look at the NZ rarebreeds website ( www.rarebreeds.co.nz) there are some pics on there.
Gil - when were you over here and where did you visit?

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 8:45 pm Post subject:

Checked out the NZ rare breeds website - the Aparawas do look very fine indeed, especially the horned tups. But I bet they're a b***** to handle till you've got them used to it.

I was down under for 5 weeks in 1991 (NZ and Oz) visiting family and friends - went to the Christchurch area and the Banks Peninsula (would like to go back and explore more), and to Auckland and the top part of the North Island. My cousin was farming (Merinos) between ChCh and Banks, but has recently moved to near Warnambool in Victoria (Oz) where they've now got some Merino-type cross-breed. You just don't get that kind of sheep over here - the nearest you get are the heavy Downland breeds, like Southdown, Suffolk, Ryeland, etc. But check out the Rare Breeds Survival Trust for pix of our feral-ish and old breeds of sheep, like Soay, Manx Loughtan, Herdwick, Dorset Horn, Castlemilk Moorit, etc.

Was stunned by the size of Australian sheep (bit like their fruit and veg) - went to the Royal Melbourne Show, where the Border Leicesters were the size of donkeys. Most alarming. Really interesting to see what breeds had been migrated, and how they'd developed. White(-faced) Suffolks to avoid any dark wool in the clip, for instance. Poll Dorsets (for easier handling than the horned variety ?).....

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 05 9:48 pm Post subject:

gil wrote:

Was stunned by the size of Australian sheep (bit like their fruit and veg) - went to the Royal Melbourne Show, where the Border Leicesters were the size of donkeys.

BFL's are the size of donkeys too

, the ugliest numb-looking sheep I have ever seen

I'll stick to what I know (and love)

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 05 1:46 am Post subject:
I quite like BFLs myself. It's their bow noses and long legs. And they just look so weird. https://www.blueleicester.co.uk/ But of course sheep aren't bred for their profiles..... Hence the commercial popularity of Continental breeds which are legs of lamb with a few spare bits stuck on the front end

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 05 1:27 pm Post subject:

gil wrote:

But of course sheep aren't bred for their profiles..... Hence the commercial popularity of Continental breeds which are legs of lamb with a few spare bits stuck on the front end

Quite. People ask why I don't sell lamb to pubs/restaurants- when I perfect the six (hind) legged sheep, I might just start

Northern_Lad

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 14210
Location: Somewhere

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 05 1:35 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

I'll stick to what I know (and love)

So the rumours are true then.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 05 1:53 pm Post subject:

Northern_Lad wrote:

Rob R wrote:

I'll stick to what I know (and love)

So the rumours are true then.

Indeed, I was waiting for one of you lot to pick up on that

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