[Hevxxx99]

Many times I've read threads on here where people have said that they cull ill/deformed/old etc sheep and lambs.

Out of interest, how do people do it?  Presumably the kackerman for sheep, but how about lambs?

I am taking on pet lambs for a farming friend and I've been given a couple of what seem to be hopeless cases (I think he thinks I can work miracles): one is premature, or underdeveloped - not sure which, she has a head like a mini horse with a very arrow jaw - and blind.  She's now developed joint ill as well and it looks as though she might be starting to scour too.  She's getting penicillin, had a squirt of Spectam and is being tube fed, but I'm thinking it would be kinder to let the poor mite go...

The other isn't as bad, but is tiny and seems to be going backwards.  She arrived with scours, which we've cleared up but isn't exactly bouncing.  She's drinking from the bottle but not with much enthusiasm at the moment.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Many times I've read threads on here where people have said that they cull ill/deformed/old etc sheep and lambs.

Out of interest, how do people do it?  Presumably the kackerman for sheep, but how about lambs?

I am taking on pet lambs for a farming friend and I've been given a couple of what seem to be hopeless cases (I think he thinks I can work miracles): one is premature, or underdeveloped - not sure which, she has a head like a mini horse with a very arrow jaw - and blind.  She's now developed joint ill as well and it looks as though she might be starting to scour too.  She's getting penicillin, had a squirt of Spectam and is being tube fed, but I'm thinking it would be kinder to let the poor mite go...

The other isn't as bad, but is tiny and seems to be going backwards.  She arrived with scours, which we've cleared up but isn't exactly bouncing.  She's drinking from the bottle but not with much enthusiasm at the moment.

You either fatten them up and send them to the abattoir, or you send em to market. Hope this helps

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Many times I've read threads on here where people have said that they cull ill/deformed/old etc sheep and lambs.

Out of interest, how do people do it?  Presumably the kackerman for sheep, but how about lambs?

I am taking on pet lambs for a farming friend and I've been given a couple of what seem to be hopeless cases (I think he thinks I can work miracles): one is premature, or underdeveloped - not sure which, she has a head like a mini horse with a very arrow jaw - and blind.  She's now developed joint ill as well and it looks as though she might be starting to scour too.  She's getting penicillin, had a squirt of Spectam and is being tube fed, but I'm thinking it would be kinder to let the poor mite go...

The other isn't as bad, but is tiny and seems to be going backwards.  She arrived with scours, which we've cleared up but isn't exactly bouncing.  She's drinking from the bottle but not with much enthusiasm at the moment.

With cases like those it seems kinder to have her put down.

[Fleecewife]

Haven't had to kill a newborn lamb for years and years.  For someone with just a few sheep, take it to the vet.

Yes, the knackerman will kill old, sick sheep, as part of the collection plan.  You can't take an obviously sick animal to the abattoir and thus into the human food chain.  We have kept on a few very special old ladies, really as pets, and when their time comes the knackerman will deal with them for us.  Others we've sent for slaughter and eaten as burgers and sausages, but the look in their eyes when you leave them at the abattoir is a bit haunting.

When taking on hopeless cases like that, you have to think that you are spreading who knows what bugs around your land.  It sounds harsh, but really and truly those sad little creatures are best put down by the original breeder, and not handed on to someone else to do with what they can.  The deformed one is never going to survive, so you are just dragging out the inevitable.  If you think the animal is suffering, then it's your responsibility to get it destroyed, as I'm sure you know.
It's all very sad.........

[EP90]

As above, it’s sad but you have to take responsibility.
Knackerman or vet will do the deed for you by bolt or injection, it’s quick and painless.  First case I would have put down, second case sounds hopeful with tlc and worth persevering.   If you need to do it yourself then an appropriate gun is the only way to go.

[Porterlauren]

There are two types of culling.

The first, and what most are talking about, is sending off ewes as 'cull ewes', i.e fattening them and selling them at market into the food trade. Culls are making very good money these days, so its a decent option as long as the animal is sound enough to walk etc.

The other, is having animals put down, your options, depending on how you feel, are the vet, the knacker man, or yourself. A .410, a .22 (either pistols or long arms) will do the job adequately.

I also totally agree with Fleecewife. It is fairly silly to be taking in, animals that you know stand very little chance, you are only bringing all manner of bugs onto your farm and ultimately causing the animal extra pain and suffering, because you want to save it. Part of good stockman ship, is knowing when enough is enough.

[Hevxxx99]

It may be "fairly silly" but it was handed to me with the others that I have been asked to rear as having a possible chance with the TLC I could offer rather than on a commercial farm.  At the time, she wasn't ill, just very small, blind and odd-looking and the shepherd said he'd reared a similar one successfully a couple of years ago so was worth a go. I was dubious from the outset.  It was only after she arrived that she got sick and that was only a couple of days ago. 

We decided she wasn't going to pick up so she was killed today.

I keep all the lambs off the land and they are in an isolated unit away from other stock.

[Brandi]

You did what you could, please take some solace from that. There are lows to go with the highs and today has understandably been one of the lows. 

[Melmarsh]

Little lambs I would use the vet, mature the freezer depending on age and condition, anything else is shot on premises and removed by the national collection system .

[waterbuffalofarmer]

It may be "fairly silly" but it was handed to me with the others that I have been asked to rear as having a possible chance with the TLC I could offer rather than on a commercial farm.  At the time, she wasn't ill, just very small, blind and odd-looking and the shepherd said he'd reared a similar one successfully a couple of years ago so was worth a go. I was dubious from the outset.  It was only after she arrived that she got sick and that was only a couple of days ago. 

We decided she wasn't going to pick up so she was killed today.

I keep all the lambs off the land and they are in an isolated unit away from other stock.

Am sorry to hear that, its not nice to put down lambs. 

[Hevxxx99]

No, not nice, but it goes with the territory sadly. Better not to prolong suffering when there really is no hope.

Where there's life there's death.

[Hevxxx99]

Incidentally, I was told a little while ago of a farmer who killed both lambs and sheep by tying a plastic bag over their heads and leaving them for half an hour... 

[twizzel]

The local hunt should also provide a despatching/deadstock collection service and is often cheaper and can come out quicker than the knackerman so bare this in mind when you need to cull stock on farm for welfare reasons. Otherwise our cull cows normally go direct to the abattoir rather than to market- less stress and travelling for them.

[Me]

Incidentally, I was told a little while ago of a farmer who killed both lambs and sheep by tying a plastic bag over their heads and leaving them for half an hour... 

No need for a bag, just leave them for half an hour!

[Hevxxx99]

 

Well, yes.  They are sheep after all.