The Rural Voice, 1998-06, Page 23late nights with little sleep can be a
detraction but Steve says there is
little of that at their farm. For one
thing, they try to lamb all year round
to be able to meet the specialty
markets at Christmas and Easter.
Sheep naturally Iamb only in the
spring so they have to be tricked
through hormone shots and sponging
to bring them into heat at other times.
"We're sponging now in groups of
20 and they'll Iamb in the fall for the
Christmas market," Steve says.
"A lot of people go out at night to
check the sheep but when I was
working milking cows I couldn't be
going out at night. I've found if you
just ship the problem ewes you get
out of the problems. We maybe lost
one or two lambs during the night all
year long. I've been in the barn in the
daytime and come back half an hour
Tater and lost lambs during the
daytime."
Most of his ewes Iamb
naturally in the morning or
the evening, he says. During
lambing time Steve will go to the
barn two or three times, in addition to
chore time, to check that there are no
ewes having problems. "I go out at
10 o'clock at night before I go to bed
but I don't go out at night unless I
know somebody is starting to lamb.
"If I have a ewe that has lambing
problems I just cull her out. I've
found it's reduced a lot of problems."
The Hallams have also had great
luck with predators. Steve has seen
wolves in the area but has never had
problems. Hunters help control the
animals in winter, he says.
The sheep also come into the yard
or the barn seeking more security at
night, Tracy adds.
The Hallams have 25 acres of
pasture on the home farm and graze
the second cut of some of the hay
fields late in thc summer. There is
another 30 acres at Steve's father's
farm. They intensively manage the
pastures, using five -acre paddocks
and moving thc sheep to fresh
pasture every seven days.
"It's really working well," Steve
says. "It gives the pasture time to
grow back." They system allows
them to keep the sheep on grass to
thc end of July when they can start
using some of the second cut hay
fields. They keep the sheep out as
long as possible in the fall to
minimize the ustr of hay.
CANADIAN
CO-OPERATIVE
WOOL GROWERS
LIMITED
•
Now Available
ADVANCE PAYMENTS
500 - 600 per pound
Skirted Fleeces
Well -Packed Sacks
For more information contact:
WINGHAM
WOOL DEPOT
John Farrell
R.R. 2, Wingham, Ontario
Phone/Fax 519-357-1058
JUDY MILLER
RR 3, Hanover, ON N4N 3B9
519-364-6193
RIDEAU RAMS
Strong Maternal Traits
Greenock Farms
R. & K. Velocci
R.R. #2 Paisley, ON NOG 2N0
1-519-353-5530
1-519-353-4018 phone/fax
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK SALES
887-6461 887-6811
We appreciate our customers marketing their sheep and lambs at our
yards. Our excellent facilities allow for less stress and less shrinkage
due to selling within 2-3 hours of the animals arrival at our yards.
SHEEP ARE, SOLD THURSDAYS AT APPROX. 1:00 P.I.
Tuesdays 9 a.m. - Fed Cattle, Cows, Bulls
Thursdays 9 a.m. - Bob Calves, Veal, Lambs & Goats
Fridays 10 a.m. - Stockers
1 p.m. - Pigs
Confidence • Trust • Service
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MORRIS SACHS
SILO
CONSTRUCTION
SILO ACCESSORIES
SILOS DISMANTLED,
REBUILT AND REPAIRS
363-3900
R.R. #1
Elmwood, Ont.
NOG 1S0
Electrical Services
New & Upgrades
Underground & Overhead
Farm Generators
Sales & Services
Street & Yard Lighting
Sales & Services '
R.R. #2
Markdale
Phone:
519-986-4138
Fax:
519-986-3244
f
GREY
NORTHERN
Dowieem NE
(VNTRA(TIN4
JUNE 1998 19