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Author Topic: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?  (Read 1977 times)

Farmernick

  • Joined Aug 2017
Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« on: September 23, 2018, 11:10:00 am »
I have two lambs who are booked in at the abattoir for tomorrow morning. They have been grazing on their own together since weaning this summer. I noticed one was limping a while ago, so had a look and noticed his front left hoof was slightly inflamed. Sprayed with blue spray and it seemed a bit better within a couple of days, but wanted to help further so I held the lambs foot in a tub of zinc sulphate mix (Golden Hoof) and he seemed much better for a while but has now started limping again. I have sprayed again with the blue cyclo spray from the vets but even though he is walking around/grazing etc I can see it’s not quite right.

Should I be reconsidering taking this lamb in to the abattoir tomorrow? I might move them both inside this afternoon as it has been wet this last two days, and use the zinc sulphate powder again.

Any advice is appreciated as I feel I have tried hard to get his foot better but don’t want to be in any trouble for moving him. (Abattoir is around 20-25 mins away).

Edit: I wanted to add that the lamb doesn’t have any problem moving around quickly ie. when rounding up/feeding. Very keen for the food! He’s still very mobile even if he is lifting his leg slightly. He’s putting weight on it most of the time.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2018, 11:34:42 am by Farmernick »

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2018, 12:35:22 pm »
You are unlikely to get pulled up for a slight limp at the abattoir, especially as it will probably not be noticeable as they run off the trailer.  What would be a no-no is transporting an animal that cannot weight bear on one leg.  In the motion of the trailer, that would clearly be cruel.

You are best placed to judge whether your lamb is fit to travel.  From how he uses - and doesn’t use - that leg, imagine yourself with a leg like that and the pain he experiences, and think about being in a swaying trailer for 25 minutes with nothing to hold onto and not being able to see the road or anticipate the movement.  If you wouldn’t like it, don’t expect the lamb to do it.  (He will probably lie down for most of the journey, especially if you give them plenty of straw, but you can’t ever guarantee that they’ll be sensible!)

If you do take him, be extra careful about bends and stops.  Drive as though you have a pail full of liquid slurry in the passenger footwell! 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2018, 12:37:09 pm »
It’s a good idea to have them inside overnight anyway, on minimal rations, before a trip to the abattoir, to empty their belies.  So bringing them in and giving him another dose of the zinc sulphate treatment sounds like an excellent plan.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2018, 12:47:13 pm »
Drive as though you have a pail full of liquid slurry in the passenger footwell!
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bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2018, 12:52:11 pm »
Personally I wouldn't take a lame lamb to an abattoir, if nothing else I'd feel too embarrassed if it limped off the trailer. If the vets told me off I'd be mortified..

Can you re-book for a weeks time? Maybe bring the lambs in and leave for 24hrs and then once the hoof has dried out spray it with an antibiotic spray. If that works leave the lambs in till next week. That's what I'd do anyway :)

Farmernick

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2018, 01:11:47 pm »
It’s a good idea to have them inside overnight anyway, on minimal rations, before a trip to the abattoir, to empty their belies.  So bringing them in and giving him another dose of the zinc sulphate treatment sounds like an excellent plan.

Thanks for the reply. I have now moved them both in. He’s putting weight on it so I will definitely soak in the zinc powder mix again today and see how it goes.

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Lame lamb - can I transport to abattoir?
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2018, 07:35:52 pm »
I had a lamb that went lame the day before it was due to go, I think it got kicked whilst they were all in for weighing and sorting. The vet came and examined it on the morning it was due to go and wrote a fit for transport note to accompany it, we took it to the abattoir in a deep bedded trailer, all was fine.

 

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