The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on June 13, 2012, 05:52:52 pm
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A few of you have mentioned using a head collar on your sheep when performing tasks such as dagging etc.
I was wondering where you buy a head collar and how do you get the right size/use it etc? Is it just a simple pony type?
I am trying to be as independent as possible (ie. have to do it all on my own!) so am liking the sound of this ;)
ps if anyone has any pictures they would be willing to share of a sheep in a headcollar having something done it would be gratefully received so I can get an idea of what I'd be hoping to acheive - thank you!
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Could be a head harness as in showing, or a head stand which can be bought from companies like Peasridge, (their trimming stand) but they are quite expensive around the £139 , but I would not be without mine as it is invaluable when working by yourself. I can dag my sheep by putting the stand on a hurdle right in the corner of one of two hurdles so they can't dance around or even stand astride the animal and work upside down basically.
With a harness you will need to tie it tightly against a gate or hurdle to stop the animal moving around.
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I use the soft cotton halter sold in my local agri merchants for use on sheep and calves, yes, just like a pony halter.
Then tie it to a fence or similar, and if you are on your own and need it pinned more than by your knee in behind its shoulder, or this isn't practical for what you're doing, then strap a hurdle along its body to stop it swinging about.
A headgate setup would be more ideal, but the halter-and-knee-or-hurdle works ok.
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The headcollar I have just bought sounds just like the one Sally is talking about. Its for use on sheep or calves. Basically it looks like a bit of soft roap tied in a particular way. Mine cost £3.99 but to be honest it is money for old roap (sorry for the pun). You could get a bit of soft roap and tie one yourself quite easily.
the other Sally
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We actually give those harnesses away when we sell a ram at the Ryeland show & sale and have been known to do the same for any ewes sold there as well.
The softer rope ones are better than the proper hemp looking ones which can burn as any rope can. I put mine through the washing machine in an old pillow case when they get a bit dirty (along with raddle harnesses) and they come up as good as new. Don't forget to put the harness on the right way up.
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Thanks everyone - I know the ones you mean, I think I've seen people showing sheep with them, it all makes sense now. I shall do some shopping!!
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I suppose the other possibility, if a simple head rope isn't enough, is a harness, a bit like people use to walk some big dogs. So it goes round the neck and under the front legs and round the body. Then you'd tie it to the fence.
If you're going to be working on your own now, you might want to consider the breed of sheep you keep?
I moved from Rough Fells (huge hill sheep) to Shetlands for just this reason. I can squish a Shetland into the corner and hold it with my legs while I dag it, and I can just pick them up to sit them on their bottoms. So whilst I completely love Roughs, I couldn't handle them without good sheep handling race/turnover crate which I don't have, whereas dealing with the Shetlands is a pleasure. And they're quite cute and are bucket training well :)
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We bought a halter and lead from the Smallholders Show at Builth. Think you would describe it as a type of nylon ??? - like some dog leads. It cost about £13 and was designed specifically for Soay ewes. They had halters to fit Soay rams and just about everything else, I guess. ;D They said that if it didnt fit they would alter it free of charge.
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Good point Jaykay.
These are texel crosses - 3 are texelXsuffolks, 1 LleynXtexel and 1 wiltshireXtexel. All are soppy tame but just very large and muscular! I'm being assured that I don't have to do this alone but me being me, I like to make sure that if I needed to, I still could.
How do you think this one looks?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tiny-Halter-Welsh-A-Mini-Shetland-Pony-Foal-Sheep-Goat-/120451772639?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item1c0b7c30df#ht_880wt_754 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tiny-Halter-Welsh-A-Mini-Shetland-Pony-Foal-Sheep-Goat-/120451772639?pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item1c0b7c30df#ht_880wt_754)
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That's the sort of thing I've got to halter train my sheep :innocent: for the shows this summer.
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our harbro country store sell them for sheep and cattle etc, for showing etc. just remember when fitting it, it tightens under the jaw not on the nose. ;)
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Looks okay, make sure the nose piece is long/short enough so that you can adequately tighten underneath the jaw.
Um, let me find a pic!
(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0053.jpg)
Where 1 goes round the back of the head, 2 over the nose, and 3 under the jaw. When you're tying yourself in knots to get the halter the right way up, just remember that the nosepiece is the short length between the two knots/rings!
(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0055-1.jpg)
A slightly unconvinced model.... :innocent:
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(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0056.jpg)
;D
(http://i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa416/YorkshireLass84/DSCI0057.jpg)
You can see that a minimum muzzle size is formed when your two knots/rings meet in the middle of the jaw. Luckily this pup has a chunky nose ::) [size=78%] [/size]
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Thank you so much Yorkshire lass!! the pictures are so well detailed so thank you for taking the time to take and post them.
The unconvinced model has made me giggle too ;)
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;D ;D ;D
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Took me
years ages to figure it out, usually stood in the yard with a longhorn in the crush throwing its horns around, vet patiently waiting, no pressure...... :o ;D
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vet patiently waiting, no pressure...... :o ;D
Of course not - you are paying him/her by the hour anyway....
But I normally need a few minutes each time, sheep thrashing about between my legs, to work out which way it goes...
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Excellent - like both models ;D
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I'm the same, still take a few moments to work out which way it go's on and sheep is ready to escape. ;D
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I bought a small 'pony' headcollar with adjustable nose - cheek- head straps. I did have to make more holes in all the straps so it would fit the smaller of my ewes. Then I just tie them to a post in the corner of the barn with their head extended (tie the rope above their head) - find they soon get used to it and now very nearly put their head into the collar willingly. By tying head up it helps to keep them still and in a corner means you can use your knees to keep them from swinging about. I do their feet 'horse' like picking them up - they also get used to that quite quickly - I can't turn them over as they are too big. Quite often stand over them and do things upside down when dagging. I can't manage traditional shears - hands have arthritus, so I am using what was my material scissors they are Wilkinson Sword that have a spring between the handle which are set one below the other and not side by side. got my head collar from Carmarrthen Farmers Country store in Carmarthen
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Yorkshirelass, your victim doesn't look as if he is going to struggle. I should think you can manage him without the headcollar ;D ;D
Seriously, thanks for the pics its a real help. I'm going to try today
Sally
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I've ordered the ebay one - may the fun commence! thank you ;)
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Dunno if this will help anyone else but ... the way I remember which way the halter goes on is that when you restrain a sheep (by hand) you control it by holding it under the chin, and you would lift the chin up to stop the sheep moving forward .... therefore the bit of rope that you hold in your hand is the bit that comes from under the chin and that bit would lift the chin up if you pulled it.
(hope that makes sense!)
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Thanks foobar - that injection of logic does help actually. The harness arrived today and I sat with it on my lap thinking..."oh...heck..." need moving target to practise on, unfortunately no dog in house and a siameseX is a bit too fiddly and small ;D will have to be one of the dozier goats......Reggie!
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;D ;D ;D
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One of the children Plums? You might find its useful ;D
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Do you know what...the 9 year old has just come into my office 'practising' her flute - the thought did cross my mind.... ;) Reggie is probably more compliant though (with the bribe of a custard cream)
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Next time you go to a big agricultural show , watch the sheep showing . Our breed we usually have to loose off to allow the judge to see it move unrestrained. The tricky bit is catching them back up and trying to get the halter back on! all with a very wiggly sheep, Always gives the public a good laugh especially when one gets away ;D
I always get really stressed out that i've got the halter back on the wrong way round! :o
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Now that's when horned sheep are nice - easy to catch and hold on to after the judges have wanted them running around. Haven't tried it with a halter yet :o Will be practising on the dog again :D
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Er, I think I'm being a bit cheap now after reading all this!
Mine (sheep and goats) have normal dog collars and I clip a lead on when I need to. Is there a reason people don't do this?
Seemed obvious to me, but if no one else does it there must be a reason :-\
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That's what I do with my goats. That and the milking stand.
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I don't think I have ever seen sheep with collars... wouldn't the growing fleece mean it has to be changed/made bigger all the time?
My goats always have collars on - easy to catch and lead with.
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All 4 goats have collars on, all the time. Learnt the hard way that rugby tackling a smooth haired goat who's escaped is a pants idea.
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Hewy Plums everywhere
I am on my own to do mine too... tho I am lucky enough to rope sheepy friends in too now... but for the first 2 years I was a lone sheep keeper. i have tried harnesses... they are ok.... my sheep worked best on a normal dog collar and lead tied up.... especially handy if you have a dog already that you could 'borrow' his.
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I don't think I have ever seen sheep with collars... wouldn't the growing fleece mean it has to be changed/made bigger all the time?
My goats always have collars on - easy to catch and lead with.
I worded that badly! The sheep don't wear them all the time, just if I need to tether them for whatever reason!
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I have just bought some gorgeous brilliant collars from the tack roon, llugwy farm (online shop)... they are brilliant and specialise in Shetland and Soay headcollars as well as alpaca. Mine have done very well in them in only 15 mins per day for 3 days!
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MS & P - did you go for the universal head collar? I had been thinking about them for my C.Moorit lambs.
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looks like you all need to talk to Dianne at The Tack Room, she's just a couple of miles from us and she make all sorts of headcollars, and coats for all animals INCLUDING PIGS, she did have a stand at the smallholder show . www.llugwy-farm.co.uk (http://www.llugwy-farm.co.uk). made to measure stuff . she does advertise in the BGS MONTHLY JOURNAL.
:thumbsup:
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I bought a lovely headcollar from her last year for a Jacob but it's too bit for the Moorit lambs but like the idea of being a little flexible so I think I'll go for the universal this time - will probably end up with a draw full in a year or so if by dog lead draw is anything to go by!!!
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MS & P - did you go for the universal head collar? I had been thinking about them for my C.Moorit lambs.
Yes.... I went for the universal control ones... they work a treat.... don;t cut in at all and tighten under the chin! I highly recommend them AND Llugwy farms service is second to none :o )
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I bought a lovely headcollar from her last year for a Jacob but it's too bit for the Moorit lambs but like the idea of being a little flexible so I think I'll go for the universal this time - will probably end up with a draw full in a year or so if by dog lead draw is anything to go by!!!
If you do get them, Brucklay.... piccies please! ;D :eyelashes: :eyelashes:
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Thanks MS & P that's settled it then - I'll go for a couple of those and hope their flexibility suits a few occasions.
S int N - will do if the sun ever shines again - got to do a sheepie sort out and have been waiting for a dry afternoon/morning/couple of hours but no such thing YET - full of optimism :-J
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Well all went well, collars arrived in plenty of time and looked very smart
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Very smart Brucklay, but did they behave in getting them on and how long did it take for them to get 'used' to them?
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Eh....ok I have to admit they didn't mind the head collar on and were quite settled just leaving it on as it sits loosly under the jaw but attach the lead and see them 'fly' or do their 'bucking bronco' impersonations -
But I felt they were secure and not about to disappear on me - that was until the ewe lamb wiggled under the low rail and said hello 'up front and personal' with the Jacobs next door!!
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I have used these on Hebi lambs and Shetland lambs and they have been amazing. The control is far better than normal halters and they look smart as well, wash well and quick to arrrive when you order. I cant recommend this company enough.
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What size did you use on the HEBs?
thanks
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the range I used was the Shetland range as they are brilliant for putting on around the horns