[Jacob-list] Docking older sheeps tails

[Linda]

I heartily agree about the short docks! I purchased 4 sheep from a flock dispersal a few years ago.  Two had had tails docked off at the body - no tail at all.  This is not apparent when the sheep are in full fleece, but is a rather unsettling sight after shearing.  From experience, I can say that diarrhea in a sheep with no tail is more of a mess than in a sheep with a tail (even with an undocked tail).  The sheep no longer has any way to raise the tail wool away from the rectum and tends to glue the wool that grows on the tail stump to its butt.  

I have sheep with full tails, the above mentioned sheep with no tail at all, and most are inbetween.  Knock on wood, I don't see diarrhea often, but I always clip and clean the sheep at the first sign.  There is not much difference in cleaning the full tails and the long docks that I can see.  Same with lambing.  If you've got the ewe crotched (or shorn), you would have taken the wool off the tail along with the rest of the hindquarter wool.  If you haven't crotched (or shorn) the ewe, you've still got a lot of wool on the hindquarters to collect birthing fluids. 

I didn't dock last year and I don't think I'll dock again this year.  As was mentioned, I can dock older animals if desired.  Hard to glue the tail back on later.  

Linda


www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn

On Tue, 1 Mar 2005 05:27:47 -0800 (PST), Mary Hansson wrote:
> Hi all,

>
> I do have strong feelings about short docks.  I absolutely abhor
> people who call themselves breeders who dock up at the body as this
> is inhumane and a health hazard for the sheep.  Would I purchase a
> sheep with a short dock--------NO and a thousand times NO.
>
> Mary Ellen
>>
>
> Mary Ellen Hansson, MEd, RD, LDN
> ISeeSpots Farm
> Jacob Sheep: Lambs, adults, wool
> www.iseespots.com