The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: DartmoorLiz on June 01, 2014, 04:28:54 pm

Title: Wattle I do with them?
Post by: DartmoorLiz on June 01, 2014, 04:28:54 pm
Hi,

Has anyone got any experience with sheep with wattles?  I bought some non pedigree lleyns a couple of years ago and one had wattles.  I've now had my first lamb with wattles.  I thought they were a goat thing.  My only concern is that they'll get cut - or even cut off - by the shearer. 

There's not much on google about sheep wattles and I'm wondering how common they are?
Title: Re: Wattle I do with them?
Post by: Me on June 01, 2014, 04:34:46 pm
Breed dependant they can be the norm. Charmoise nearly all have them and many/most first crosses have them. They do indeed get cut/cut off by shearers on occasion. I have yet to hear of a sheep bleeding to death through the wattle (toggle) though so don't worry. The lamb on my Avatar is called "Toggles".
Title: Re: Wattle I do with them?
Post by: Brucklay on June 01, 2014, 04:42:58 pm
We had 2 shetlands with them - not pure, somewhere in their past they had oussant (sorry can't spell that) and indead I forgot and they gave the shearer a fright, but they weren't cut and all well since.