[Jacob-list] New to Jacobs

[Linda]

Congratulations! I hope you will consider registering your sheep :-)

Lots of breeders don't dock tails. I didn't for a few years, but have docked the last couple of years. I have sheep with docked and undocked tails in my flock. There is no difference in management between the two. The idea that long tails contribute to flystrike is not correct. If a sheep has diarrhea, it has just as much chance of getting flystrike with or without a tail.  Flies get into nasty wool and there is just as much of that around the tail as on the tail. So don't worry about the tails. Jacobs are pretty good about lifting their tails out of the way.

Linda


> Hello All,

> My wife and I are new to sheep and goats.  We were just going to

> get some goats, but the couple that we were buying from also wanted

> us to see and maybe purchase a pair of Jacob sheep.  As most of you

> can imagine, when we saw them we just had to have them.  It took me

> a couple of days to get separate pastures set up, but as of

> tomorrow we will have been the proud owners of a pair of beautiful

> unregistered Jacobs.  I am not sure why they are not registered.  I

> have been through all the information that I can find and they are,

> as far as I can tell, quite pure.  My biggest problem right now is

> that neither of the Jacobs were docked.  I am thinking that this is

> going to be one of the biggest problems that I am going to face. 

> They are both yearlings, born in early spring.  Should I dock now

> or leave them be.  If I don't dock, what do I do to make sure that

> the tails and hocks don't get invaded by maggots and other little

> nasties?  Thanks for the help in advance.

>

> My wife and I own a small farm in south-central Virginia.  We have

> 7 goats (2 Nubians, 2 Nubian/Boers and 3 Nigerian Dwarves), 2 Jacob

> sheep, and an assortment of 32 chickens.

>

> Have a Great and Blessed Day,

> Chris and Tina Griffin

  
http://www.patchworkfibers.com 
Registered Jacob Sheep, Handspun Yarn  
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