[Jacob-list] Jacob-list Digest, Vol 98, Issue 18

[Gary Anderson]

Regarding banding the testes of an adult ram, I am going to throw out an
idea for consideration and then duck for cover.  I hope that I am the first
person to reply, so my reply does not appear to be directed toward another
poster.  

If a 1-year-old ram is to be castrated or banded, I believe the procedure
should be undertaken by a veterinarian or other skilled individual who will
apply appropriate anesthesia during the procedure and analgesics to relieve
pain during early recovery.  A 1-year-old ram can be banded without these
precautions, and he is likely to survive the procedure.  Nonetheless, he
will carry with him a lot of dead and necrotic tissue, making the likelihood
of complications greater than for a young ram.  Despite that he can be
restrained and a band applied, should we carry out the procedure this way?
Animal agriculture, including the sheep industry, should evaluate its
traditional practices and decide which in 2012 can be defended and which
should be discontinued or modified.  If we do not make these decisions for
ourselves, decisions will be made for us and perhaps not in our favor (e.g.,
California's ban on tail docking in dairy cattle).  

I believe the same principle applies to docking of adult sheep, a subject
that comes up on Jacob-list from time to time.  Although we can restrain an
adult sheep and apply a band to its tail, should we do so unless an effort
is made to relieve pain immediately after the band is applied.  Sheep are
stoic and will tolerate a lot of what's done to them; this is not the same
as 'it doesn't seem to hurt them that much.'

For the record, I was born and raised a farm boy and have been involved in
animal agriculture my entire (long) life.  I come at this question from what
I believe is good for animal agriculture, not from what our urban friends or
animal activists might think is good for our animals.

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Subject: Jacob-list Digest, Vol 98, Issue 18

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Today's Topics:

   1. another question (tlund at eclipsebordercollies.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:10:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: "tlund at eclipsebordercollies.com"
	<tlund at eclipsebordercollies.com>
Subject: [Jacob-list] another question
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Message-ID:
	
<414042568.113113.1340050243964.JavaMail.open-xchange at email.1and1.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I have a 4 horned petite ram (which is why I want to wether him) what is the
latest age to band them?  I left him intact to see if he would gain any size
-
nope just his horns.  He is a very small ram.  He would have turned a year
now.
 Is it to late to band him?  Or should I just have him slaughtered for meat?

Thanks in advance and have a great day.

Tashia Lund
Eclipse Border Collies
955 Highway 81 NE
Cummings ND 58223-9552
www.eclipsebordercollies.com
701-330-3195

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End of Jacob-list Digest, Vol 98, Issue 18
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