Advice on keeping Dexters healthy

[Tremewan]

yes, I know its a huge subject, but I was thinking recently compared to my sheep who seem to need constant injections, drenches, foot attendance, stomach tubing etc! that I don't tend to administer much to my herd and maybe I need to do more. Maybe its because cattle don't exist on this planet to die unlike sheep - sorry lambing is not going well!
So I was hoping people might suggest what supplements, drenches etc are the norm for your cattle through the year.

At the moment I give them a GP lick bucket in the shed, same in the field, will plan to give tri-mag when they start again on grass in April and I give them pour on worming liquid maybe twice a year, but that's about it. They all seem very healthy but I guess I'm asking about this from a prevention point of view...

Any thoughts most gratefully received.

[Builth]

Ours are outside with hay or haylage and a general lick, they have pour on at TB testing time and that's it!
Our sheep are a hardy type and fairly low maintenance compared with the neighbours but they are 10 times the work of the cattle.
My husband often looks at the sheep and says let's sell the lot and get more cattle

[Tremewan]

thanks Builth, thats good to hear, so far 7 lambs born, 4 dead. Hopeless!

[Saffy]

Hello,

I am in my 50s farmed all my life, just keep a few cows and sheep for....."fun" now!

However a good friend is lambing over 800 and more throwing out than ever, plus a fair few dead lambs, a bad year but it happens, keep smiling, next year will be better!!!

Stephanie

[Louisa Gidney]

It sounds like you should change your breed of sheep! I can't think of any major, recurrent health issues with my Dexters.

[Builth]

Oh dear it hope lambing picks up for you. We keep hardy speckled & Herdwick's and so far all ok hope I haven't tempted fate. At least spring is coming.

[Tremewan]

Yes things are now picking up, with two more born this morning, 5 minutes before I was due to go to work (!) but the key to everything it seems is colostrum, and I got them latched on sharpish. I also milked her and now have some spare to sit in the freezer. Gold dust.

Over in the cattle shed, I've got a cow and a heifer bagging up nicely, due in three weeks, just hoping calving is as smooth as last year where I did absolutely nothing apart from watch with joy!