The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Oopsiboughtasheep on August 13, 2014, 09:38:18 am
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It seems a bit weird to ask this question before my sheep even arrive but I am guessing that disposing of a dead sheep isn't the same as for cats/dogs/horses as there may be regs regarding this? I can't seem to pinpoint exactly what I should do when I find myself in this position. I feel I should know this in advance of such a situation, both for me and for anyone else who might be caring for them at the time if I am away.
My sheep are coming as 'mowers'/pets for the paddocks. Presumeably a vet will put one down in an emergency situation or I might just find that one has died but what should I do next? I know that I can't bury them on the land. Does it have to be a knackerman? Do I have to take it to an abattoir (if it is already dead?!). I guess the 'Pet Crematorium' where I take my dogs might look at me a bit sideways if I turn up with a sheep (!!) but maybe I can't do that anyway? If I remove it myself from my land, can I put it in the back of my 4x4 to transport it to where it needs to go or is this also against the rules?
I would value your advice and then I can just make a note of this and put it to one side until I need it. Hopefully not for a long time.
Thankyou for your help.
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The Vet had to put down a lamb of mine yesterday and then I called Northern Fallen Stock and they are collecting today and its about £14. You cant dig a hole or anything else now. 0845 602 9749 and they cover the whole of the north of England if you are from around that area but will be able to advise you to of another if not.
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The regs for the UK are here: http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/disease-control/abp/fallen-stock-faq/ (http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/disease-control/abp/fallen-stock-faq/)
where it specifically states that pet sheep come under farm-type regs.
This is all part of the rules dealing with waste management but it's a made a mockery of by cases like the bad winter a couple of years ago when gov allowed farm burial because of the large numbers of stock that died.
Originally whem the rules were formulated they included pet animals until someone realised that peope would just break that rule anyway. Indeed originally there was much argument that if a pet was euthanased in a veterinary clinic then it became part of that clinic's clinical waste and again shouldn't be allowed home with the owner - another law that was going to be unenforceable so was changed.
I've got a problem rescue pet lamb that may have to go - she's having problems ruminating with a crow pecked-out tongue and we've been battling with keeping her going to see if she'll adapt.
Frankly I'd have ignored the law and buried her here if/when she had to go (there's no records of her arrival) except that my back issues mean I couldn't dig a seriously sensible hole by hand and don't have a mechanical digger. When you've nursed, cuddled and pampered Dudliea this long you don't want ending up in a maggot farm. Finding a licensed waste service you actually believe cremates that can deal with sheep might be an issue. And I'm pretty pragmatic about 'a dead thing being a dead thing'
I know back when I had my practice we had the nonsense of grading clinical waste with soem grades such as waste chemotherapy stuff being sent off at way higher costs than basic waste - all of which went in sealed bins that should never be opened..and as far as I could tell all ended up in the same incinerator - just at higher cost for the same process!
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Douglasbrae for north and central Scotland 01542882728. They may cover west and borders but I don't know for sure. They'd tell you who else if not and are very good. They've taken ponies for me after vet has pts and cover most species. Drivers are very helpful even in difficult circs.
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If you are in the South-West check out Fromevale - fallen stock services.
We are lucky the depot is only 20 mins away and they are happy for you to take a dead animal directly to them - saves cost and the awfullness of having the body at your premises. Call first though.
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If you tell us whereabouts you are, chances are there is someone on here in the same area who can give you the name and number of your local fallen stock company who you would ring in those circumstances.
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Thank you all very much for your helpful replies.
Sorry to hear about your lamb pgkevet. Very sad and as you say, once they have been nursed, cuddled etc. 'caring' for them afterwards feels a bit different.
I am in Hampshire (North edge though so also near, Berkshire). Sorry, I should have out my location before. To be honest, I thought most people would think this was a stupid question but now, I'm really glad that I asked it. It's been lurking about at the back of my mind but once I have a contingency plan, I know that I will fell better about it all.
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Definitely not a stupid question, it is responsible and sensible to think of this now, then you have one less thing to worry about at a difficult time.
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You can't transport an unfit animal; the knackermen are also qualified to kill fallen stock. You could also try your local Hunt if you have one - I believe sometimes the huntsmen will kill and remove for hound food.
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I second that the knackermen can also kill your animal and they do it quickly and cleanly, with no stress to the sheep. We have used this service a few times and it means a dying sheep doesn't get put through the stress of being moved around or leaving the familiar behind. It also means you don't have an extra callout fee for the vet to pay.
Our company, Grayshill, are very good about the speed with which they attend. If you phone in the morning they will usually come that day, or the following day at the latest.
If we have found a sheep dead we put it in a wheelbarrow outside the gate, covered with a bag for the sake of the public, and they remove it with no fuss.
If we need one killed we put it in a small pen as near to the road as possible, so the knackerman isn't traipsing bugs and disease across our land, then Mr F goes with the man to keep the sheep calm while he does the deed.
This company incinerates the carcases and they are not eaten by anything.
Very sensible to have this sorted out in advance, rather than waiting until it happens to you and you don't know how to deal with it.
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Worth makihg contact with your local Hunt kennels, if nearby. Ours takes carcases as a favour to the farmers who allow them access onto their land during the hunting season. If the kennels uses the meat for the hounds you MUST mark animals euthanased by the vet with something obvious.like a huge red spray marker cross. Our Hunt charges the same as the knackerman - advantage is that you can take the animal straight away whereas the knackerman can take a day or so at busy times.
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Another vote for using hunt kennels. The local beagle pack really prefer sheep/goats to horses/cows as they are of a handier size for them and they do not have to store excess flesh.
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Not in your area but these are supposed to be good and they have a good website, http://www.holtscremations.co.uk/ (http://www.holtscremations.co.uk/) this may also worth looking in to,
http://www.nfsco.co.uk/about-the-scheme.php#1_1 (http://www.nfsco.co.uk/about-the-scheme.php#1_1)
The hunts are really good, and you know nothing is wasted
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Here's just another option which I feel might open me up to howls of laughter, but here goes! You mentioned the pet crematorium - well I investigated this option a few years ago when the first of our elderly pet sheep was reaching the end and was told that they are unable to take cloven hooved animals (therefore no sheep or goats).
I knew that we would prefer not to use hunt kennels, knackerman or fallen stock scheme so began investigating the alternatives, fearing that there would not be any.
I came across a farm animal cremation company in West Sussex and we went there and received an amazing service. Our vet euthanised the sheep at home, we took her in our trailer to their premises, were able to load her into the cremator ourselves (although there were staff on hand to do it as well) and then we went back later to pick up her ashes. We have done this for the last three of our original four sheep over the last couple of years. If you do not have the means of taking the body yourself, they will come and collect. I would not hesitate to recommend them if this is an option that is suitable for you, although I do accept that it will not be for everyone.
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Our local hunt take ours much cheaper than knacker man and very quick to pick up fallen stock.
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Hopefully no-one would laugh at your wanting a respectful end to your pet sheep, FCA. :hug:
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We all feel differently about dead bodies - animals or people - and it is good to know the different options available, and to be prepared.
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Thankyou all so much for all your helpful advice, experiences and suggestions. I have followed all of them up to see what's available in my area. My biggest problem (entirely psychological) has been that they will be 'pet sheep' and like FCA I thought that I would be laughed off the Forum when I mentioned a Pet Crematorium. Honeyend sent me a link about this sort of thing as well. Armed with their thoughts and SallyintNorth's kind support of the wimpier (I am only describing myself here) of us who go down the 'pet' route with these farm animals, I have found a perfect solution for me quite close to home - www.dignitypetcrem.co.uk (http://www.dignitypetcrem.co.uk)
It's a huge weight off my mind to be honest and something I felt I need to have a plan in place for.
The other good news is that I had thought that once I had a couple of sheep, I would want quite a few more. However, sending them all off to a Pet Crem will prove prohibitive as well as ridiculous (!!!) so that's cured me of that idea. If I do find that I want to get more, I will have to take a more 'professional', practical and sensible financial approach by considering some of these other recommended alteranatives at the end, just as so many of you do.
Thankyou you to everyone who has helped me look at all the options available to me. I really appreciate it.
I can now file all this info and just look forward to my sheep arriving (in about 2 weeks).
I feel ashamed to tell you that I was brought up on a cattle farm, grandparents were also farmers. I can hear them groaning now from up on their clouds! They always said I was too soft.
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Lots of us are soft although I do try to go down the praticle route. Next week my favourite ewe is going to the cull market. I didn't want to do it and was happy to keep her just as a pet but she keeps prolapsing and not just when she is lambing. We had a stitch put in, that fell out. We have had a harness on her and that caused sores so for her sake and ours she is going.
OH said he will take her on his own so I don't need to see her at the market (she is going with another ewe so has a friend)
I will just give her a big kiss before she goes :-* :(
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This is something I'm having to think about for an angora goat doe soon so thank you for bringing the topic up and opening the discussion. Unfortunately I think finances are going to dictate the route I can take . :(
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Given that the local hunt's hounds regularly end up in my fields and really scare the sheep (and the assembled cohort of riders just looks on with a cavalier attitude that makes my blood boil) I will not use them for disposal of my animals/carcasses. >:( >:( >:(
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45yrs ago as a young student I helped a vet euthanase a pet sheep with barbiturates at the owners request. The owner then sent it to the hunt and we had a call later whe then whole pack were snoring. So there is an option for revenge :excited: so long as you don;t kill the hounds
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I've found this a very interesting thread. I have 4 pet sheep which I hope I will have for many years to come. But have thought about what happens when they die. Does anyone know of anywhere in the north Nottinghamshire area that would take sheep for burial/cremation? As a matter of interest, how old are sheep likely to live to if just kept as pets?
Thank you
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45yrs ago as a young student I helped a vet euthanase a pet sheep with barbiturates at the owners request. The owner then sent it to the hunt and we had a call later whe then whole pack were snoring. So there is an option for revenge :excited: so long as you don;t kill the hounds
:roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
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On a more serious note....north of Inverness we are lucky enough to be able to bury on our own land and so far still born lambs are providing good organic fertiliser for a clump of trees so there's no danger of accidental exhumation as the trees are all within enclosures to protect them till they are at least ten years old. Sort of like a green burial but without the wicker coffin.
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To answer moprabbits question, I had working sheep that retired for various reasons at the ages of 7yrs or there abouts and they lived till they were 12-14yrs . They were put down as had liver problems. I should think that pet she baaa ing health problems would live longer !!! :innocent:
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As a matter of interest, how old are sheep likely to live to if just kept as pets?
Working Herdwicks frequently make it into their teens, and that's on the fells of Cumbria and producing and rearing a lamb most years!
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Get recommendations for a good knackerman now if you can. We waited up to 6 days on two occasions for carcasses to be removed - first was my gorgeous nanny goat, second was my daughters pet lamb who had been fatally attacked by dogs. If you are keeping your stock as pets this is particularly distressing for your family, if like me you have children especially. Long waits are never pleasant (especially in hot weather!) but I've now found a man who comes out same day and is quite compassionate in his approach too. I think he might be coming to take away a wether goat we have here and after hearing testimonials of his professionalism, I have no qualms.
perhaps we could have a 'sticky' for recommended slaughtermen across the uk like we do the abbatoirs? would this be possible?
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As a matter of interest, how old are sheep likely to live to if just kept as pets?
Our neighbour bought two ewes cast from the mountains, lambed them for five years, put them in lamb and gave them to my children as a Christmas present (we'd said we'd have them anyway as his wife had got very fond of them and they would otherwise have gone to cull) and we kept them as "Nanny" sheep to look after our newly-weaned ewe lambs. One died of bloat at around 13 years (she'd eaten a lot of very wet grass and died overnight) and the other of a heart attack - we think she was at least 18 years old.
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45yrs ago as a young student I helped a vet euthanase a pet sheep with barbiturates at the owners request. The owner then sent it to the hunt and we had a call later whe then whole pack were snoring. So there is an option for revenge :excited: so long as you don;t kill the hounds
A friend of mine has a similar story involving castrating a bolshy donkey. The animals testicles were injected with anaesthetic before popping them out but next doors dog jumped over the fence and ate them. He slept for 3 days apparently, lol