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Lambing help

Hello everyone

Ive just registered here but i have been around for a while reading the
site - it is very useful :smile:

I think have managed to arrange a lambing placement in the spring, but i have to go and see the farmer during the next couple of weeks to confirm it all.

But i havent done much farm work yet, so im not sure what kind of clothing will be expected for lambing. i just want to know what I should be thinking of before I go and see the farmer.

Any suggestions? I know it is obviously dirty work, so not decent clothes. But what kind of stuff is good. And footwear? Wellies, hiking boots?

thanks...

Reply 1

JessMeg

When I went at easter I wore stuff I bought from uni - waterproofs and wellies. Basically you will get mucky - mud, after birth bits, iodine etc so either wear old clothes that you're happy to throw away after, or waterproofs/overalls/something like that to protect your clothes underneath (and for extra warmth)!

Hope that helped a bit.. Also I'd definitely wear wellies!

Reply 2

rupertbear91

yh definatly wellies! I wore boiler suit and waterproofs over it cos it was cold and even through all of that my normal clothes still stank! Each farm is different tho some will request you wear a boiler suit so just check with him when you go.

Reply 3

ashefbjhsdab

Wellies + Boiler suit. Waterproof trousers are good because you'll probably be kneeling down a lot, and then you only really need a waterproof top if you're lambing outside. You can then just layer up underneath your boiler suit depending on temperature.

Reply 4

fairy princess

Definately waterproof trousers even if it isn't raining because you will get covered in lamb goo (technical term).

Reply 5

Transatlanticdrawl_

On my first day: Wellies, Overalls, Waterproof trousers and a hoody
By the end of the fortnight: Hiking boots (I put a pitchfork through my wellies lulz), Overalls and hoody.

I only wore the overalls to the waist, tied them round cos fully up I got hot. Some days instead of wearing the overalls, I'd wear the waterproof trousers. I stopped wearing both cos I just got mega hot.

It's worth noting that whilst I soldiered through most days not wearing waterproofs, they're so much better than just overalls. The fluids just seeeeeep man and it's bad.

Reply 6

Phoebe_Vet

Waterproofs waterproofs waterproofs!!!! Can't stress enough how useful they were when it's wet, cold and mucky! Much easier to clean poo and guts off of waterproofs than fabric I can tell you....

Reply 7

emmataylor07

Phoebe_Vet

Much easier to clean poo and guts off of waterproofs than fabric I can tell you....

Haha I just got a flashback to my first day of lambing expereince, I was wearing a purple fleece thing and managed to spill iodine solution all over it (insted of the lamb's navel :frown:

) It's still stained now but I just think of it as a kind of souvenir :biggrin:

Oh and I found my feet got quite cold in wellies so wear plenty of thick socks :biggrin:

xxxx

Reply 8

vet2b

lots of replies....thanks everyone :smile:

Reply 9

Lucy_x

if you;re going to buy wellies then buy hunters!!!

they are seriously worth the price at £60. they kept my feet nice and toasty and fit well around your leg and are soooo comfy! i cannot stress how much i love them!

when i went i also wore a boiler which got very mucky, so perhaps take waterproof trousers coz it's not nice when boiling milk goes through your trousers :P ALSO A BODY WARMER AND A HAT AND GLOVES!! if you;re doing a night shift you'll be frozen! me and the vet students i was with took a stash of sweets which was really good in keeping our energy up.

Reply 10

nikkit84

I'm wanting to arrange some lambing for easter also though I had been leaving it a bit thinking it was too early to arrange just yet, I was going to arrange september time, from previous people's experience will this be alright, I don't want to leave it too late and then everywhere be all booked up.

Reply 11

kitkat_1

Haha I just got a flashback to my first day of lambing expereince, I was wearing a purple fleece thing and managed to spill iodine solution all over it

I spilt iodine all over my leg and it seeped through my jeans, staining my leg for days - looked like I had a VERY bad fake tan :biggrin:

lol

Reply 12

jpw92

may i recommend wearing waterproof trousers over your wellies and leave them together so you can just put your wellies on then pull up the overalls/trousers. Getting wellies full of amniotic fluid is not very fun!!!

Reply 13

Dave Singleton

nikkit84

I'd say September would be about right - any nearer and you risk having to compete with the vet students. You might get some odd reactions as it is a bit early - when I rang the first person around September/October I had the immediate reaction of 'well, lambing doesn't happen now...' so just be ready with a quick explanation for why you are asking so early!

ok thanks

I first asked about lambing in about January, just cornered a farmer whilst I was out on the horse :p:

Then pinned it down properly a couple of weeks beforehand. However, they're not really the sort of place that ever gets students.

I found wellies, lightweight coat and old jogging bottoms (with running tights/leggings underneath for warmth, dryness and a bit of protection incase your trousers snag and rip :o:

) kept me warm and pretty clean. Didn't bother with waterproofs as the pairs they had were all man-sized and got in the way!

Reply 16

Jenevieve

Hi everyone,

I'm Jennie and am currently in Sixth form, starting my A2's in September, so applying for Vet School in October. I've managed pretty much each type of work experience apart from lambing, dairy farms and an abattoir. Everywhere I have tried either don't take on Work Experience students or basically say you need contacts to get in places. I live in Liverpool (but am happy to travel) and have found it difficult enough getting the rest of my work experience and just wondered if anyone had any ideas of places I could try and get a placement at.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! xxxxxx

Reply 17

blahhh

Jenevieve

Try looking in the farmers weekly/ countrywide noticeboards etc...ask people in the local farm shop if they know of anyone willing to let you have a placement! Also, if you have experience with large animal vets perhaps they will be able to point you in the direction of a farmer willing to take you on!

Its all about getting out there and asking everyone you can find!

Reply 18

Jsrbrunty

Plenty of sheep in Wales! The Farmers Guardian could be helpful, there're normally some notices in there, especially people asking for help lambing in the spring.

Reply 19

Chloe25

Jenevieve

Im from liverpool and found it hard to get farm placements too, I did my lambing placement up in formby it was hard to get to but theres plenty down there, id have a go at looking there if youve got the transport
i got a contact through the staff at farmer teds after doing a weeks work experience there