[Womble]

We incinerated ours in the Rayburn. The only problem with that is the smoke then smells of roast lamb for a while, which I do find mildly disconcerting!

[devonlady]

I bagged mine and put them in the bin (only 2) my neighbour told be to be sure to get rid because if the dogs find and eat it can make them go blind ??

Never heard that one before!!

[SallyintNorth]

I bagged mine and put them in the bin (only 2) my neighbour told be to be sure to get rid because if the dogs find and eat it can make them go blind ??

I wonder if your neighbour was thinking about worms? 

However, I am not sure that the egg oocysts would be in a placenta

[Marches Farmer]

I bagged mine and put them in the bin (only 2) my neighbour told be to be sure to get rid because if the dogs find and eat it can make them go blind ??

No idea why it would make a dog go blind!  Sheep pre-programmed to eat the placenta because it will attract predators but rather indigestible for a ruminant.

[Cheviot]

Hi,
We bought a dog at a sheepdog sale, OH went to get it from the guy and put it in the back of the pick up, it was dark when we got home. The next morning when I went to do the dogs, the new one greeted me with his eyes shining bright luminous green, which is a sure sign that there is a big problem with the eyes. To cut a long story short, I had to take the dog to an eye testing vet who confirmed that the dog was indeed going blind, and that the probable cause was toxoplasma, which  the dog could have contracted from eating infected sheep placenta, but also from eating sheep bones or raw sheep meat from an infected animal. Also a few days later I had an appointment to have my eyes tested, and mentioned to the optician about the dog, she was horrified that I wasn't wearing rubber gloves when cleaning this dogs kennel, as apparently had I accidentally touched my eye with his excrement on my hand I too could have contracted it.
Since then I have been very careful not to let my dogs eat the cleanings, although it is very difficult as they seem to be irresistible to dogs.
Regards
Sue

[Marches Farmer]

Toxoplasma gondii has a reservoir of infection in the rodent population.  Rodents and birds are infected with the oocysts.  Young cats then catch and eat them and the cysts are passed by the cats into feed, bedding and pasture, where they will survive for up to two years.  It's one of the reasons why pregnant women don't do lambing.  All warm blooded animals are susceptible.

[wonderwooly]

I find that the first time round ewes eat it, and then later on its less likely!
don't know if that is common to others?

err. now this will get folks blood up and mine on occasion, but living in France..
i have seen in particular the hunters leave stuff out for road kill, and the odd
sheep placenta  ie.
the rational is that the predators already know to look there. so dieters them from
going much further as they are regularly shot if they do. hmm, I have to say the fox's
here do seem to keep a distance from houses.
though having read the posts this sounds like a nightmare for oocysts.
i'll keep my eye on that one