The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Backinwellies on September 25, 2017, 12:09:56 pm
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Hi
I had a wether get itself completely tangled in an electric fence. I treated it with AB and pain killer at the time for swollen hoof. Now one back leg is hanging and cold to the touch... so possibly no circulation. Otherwise is lively and eating well.
Got to decide what to do so thought i'd ask for sensible suggestions here before doing anything . Yes I know first suggestion will be take to vet ... but I take a commercial view not a pet one ... this wether was destined for the freezer so a vet bill for euthanasia followed by paying for disposal is not my first option. ..
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If you're competent to do the deed, put him in the freezer, minus that leg, for your own consumption. Shame to waste a healthy animal, but you couldn't take him to the abattoir. Check withdrawal times for the meds you gave.
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Home kill and butcher, for your own consumption?
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Either private kill for own consumption on farm, if ab out of withdrawal period or knackerman as you are not allowed to transport it alive
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From what I can see there's 2 options... maybe 3. The commercial view is you cut your losses and shoot it, take the financial hit (losses should be expected in commercial setup and are normally accounted for). Or you get the vet to take a look and try to splint it (but then if there's nerve damage and loss of circulation you might be fighting a losing battle). Or depending how long the withdrawal is for the AB and pain killers you home kill it and put it in your freezer once it's sat out the withdrawal but would argue this isn't fair on the animal if it genuinely has a broken leg. If euthanasia is the route you go down it would be cheaper to have the knacker man or hunt put it down rather than the vet but if welfare is in question it's whoever can get to the animal first.
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Thanks all.. You have pretty much backed up my initial thoughts.
I don't believe at the moment he is suffering .. comes up to meet me when I take feed in for him and eats happily.
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I have a lamb similar to this....
Noticed her in field with what I thought was a broken leg, I caught her to examine and couldn't feel anything obvious. Put her in front garden and gave metacam. Two days later no improvement in leg but she was grazing, cudding and walking around apparently unbothered.
I decided to have the vet look and then have her shot if broken.
Vet looked, he could feel no breaks and it wasn't dislocated, she is also able to lift up of his own accord. Two vets looked at her and are pretty sure there's no break and she's torn ligaments. So she's still hopping around and as long as she's happy and improving she'll stay. Apparently it will takes weeks to mend.
Saying that, if it were a boy and of eating size it'd be in freezer rapidly!
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Thanks all.. You have pretty much backed up my initial thoughts.
I don't believe at the moment he is suffering .. comes up to meet me when I take feed in for him and eats happily.
I would suggest you either pts or involve your vet now
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Possibly one more choice. If he never gets that leg right, you could get him warranted fit for human consumption by the vet, then dispatched and collected by your local meat collector. I've never known it done for sheep, so I don't know if the price the meat collector will pay would cover the vet callout, but we had it for cattle in similar circumstances. They don't pay the same as you'd get for the meat price in the ring, of course, but it's better than paying for the knacker to shoot and collect.
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An animal in pain does not eat properly nor is it lively. It can obviously get around on three legs so the question is whether it is fit to travel in the eyes of the inspecting vet at the slaughterhouse. Why not talk to the slaughterhouse vet?
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Normally has to be weight baring on all 4 legs so pretty sure it would not be fit to travel.
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If the leg is cold to the touch I'd be very concerned about the possibility of gangrene setting in.
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Normally has to be weight baring on all 4 legs so pretty sure it would not be fit to travel.
I know of pigs on three legs because the sow stood on them when they were very young. The "any abnormalities" section was filled in with an explanation and they were processed without a problem but the offending leg was condemned.
If it was unable to get about and clearly suffering then I'm sure the OP would have put it down immediately but that was not how the post read.
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Its not so much to do with condemning the meat but whether travelling a severely lame animal is humane (which if it's only weight bearing on 3 legs then it will be). Personally if it was my animal I'd be putting it down at home and sticking it in my freezer if its out of withdrawal. We have in the past had fit to travel certificates from the vet for cows with abnormal gaits but never for one that cannot weight bare on all 4 legs to some extent.
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never for one that cannot weight bare on all 4 legs to some extent.
No and you are not likely to either. Look at it from the slaughter vets perspective:
A three legged sheep hobbles out of a trailer. The end of its 4th leg is cold/gangrenous due to a neglected fracture. You suspect it has been in this state for weeks-months as it has formed a false joint and the end of the leg appears to now swing about without pain.
Now consider it tripped and fell on the journey, aggravating the injury, it is in acute pain, tooth grinding and laying down.
An appetite does not mean freedom from pain particularly in ruminants.
Please do not send it, it would be a mistake. Homekill asap
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We had a ewe break her leg in the race around 8 weeks ago - the vet was like 'normally people have it put down as the wrap and dressing costs £15'
She is right as rain now for the price of a beer and a packet of fags