The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bramham Wiltshire Horns on October 30, 2019, 10:07:35 am

Title: sheep skulls
Post by: Bramham Wiltshire Horns on October 30, 2019, 10:07:35 am

Hi
Strange request

what are the rules around getting sheep heads back from the slaughter house

we keep Wiltshire Horns and think the skulls would make great orniments/wall mounts

has anyone kept any or had them back

is there rule around it?

thanks in advance

Title: Re: sheep skulls
Post by: Fleecewife on October 30, 2019, 10:24:56 am

Yes, skulls contain brain matter so are potentially infected with scrapie or MCD so they get minced up and incinerated.  If for some reason you have to put down an animal on your own land and you have a suitable gun, well.......  Insects would then clean out the skull.  The horns would tend to fall off the core but that's what glue is for.  That might work for a single sick animal, but you cannot go into business that way.

Title: Re: sheep skulls
Post by: Bramham Wiltshire Horns on October 30, 2019, 11:34:42 am

thanks Fleecewife


much appreciated it would be for my own use but yes i agree if the animal is sick then let nature clear it up

its a shame really as the horns are grand

Title: Re: sheep skulls
Post by: Fleecewife on October 30, 2019, 11:48:56 am

Quote from: Bramham Wiltshire Horns on October 30, 2019, 11:34:42 am

thanks Fleecewife


much appreciated it would be for my own use but yes i agree if the animal is sick then let nature clear it up

its a shame really as the horns are grand

You can sometimes get the horns back from the abattoir for crook making (again leave them outside for nature to clean), but they will be sawn off.   Mr F was once presented with a pile of skulls looking very betrayed, plus a saw and left to get on with sawing off the horns himself.  The very best hornset though was not there - we discovered later that the Spanish vet now has that skull adorning his wall!!  Multihorned Hebs are spectacular.

Title: Re: sheep skulls
Post by: Dogwalker on October 31, 2019, 06:29:29 am

I asked for angora buck horns back once.Slaughter man said no, vet said yes. They weren't in the bag with the skins as I thought when I left the slaughter house. 
I asked about them when I went to collect the meat 12 days later and was told
'Don't know what happened to them, they were definitely removed, James nearly cut his hand off sawing them off.'Someone gained a splendid trophy.