[The Chicken Lady]

My old tup is 10 1/2! I think this is quite old for a sheep. I was surprised that he survived last winter but now he has lost alot of weight and I am thinking that it is cruel to keep him alive for another winter. The problem I have is how to dispose of him. I know I am soft but I do not plan to spend a fortune on vets bills etc. Neither do I want to send him through a cattle market etc. What would fellow smallhollders do?

[colliewoman]

If he were mine I'd take him to the slaughter house and bring him home as dog meat to be honest.
Sounds harsh but if you have a place you can trust, a quick end is far more dignified than the meat mart IMO.


Either that or have the vet PTS and ask them to cremate him, It only cost me £20 a few years back (without getting the ashes back, huuuge amount more if you do want em!!) when a favourite ewe injured her spine. She couldn't walk and had had steroid injections so the slaughter house wasn't an option.


sorry you are having to think about this, but well done for doing so

[Mammyshaz]

  not a nice decision to make. You are a responsible, caring owner, and whichever decision you take will be the right one for you and him 

[kaz]

It's a really hard decision to make My thoughts would be to take him to the vets and have him PTS there is you are in any doubt that he won't make another winter, they will dispose of him at a cost, but he won't go into the food chain and a lot less stressfull for him.
I have had rams & ewes at over 13 years of age, with 2 here at the moment aged 12 1/2.
Do what you feel happiest with.

[Fleecewife]

Our oldest ewe is 17 now, but tups don't tend to last as long.
 
The way we prefer is to get the knackers out - the ones who dispose of fallen stock for the government scheme (ours is Grayshill).  They will use a captive bolt to kill him quickly and without stress - one moment he's standing in his own field, next moment he's dead.  His carcase will then be removed and incinerated.  We find that this is less stressful for the animal than a drive to the vet, strange people, then a bit of poking around with a sharp needle to find a vein.  OK it looks more peaceful, but the captive bolt is quick and sure.    The cost is the same as having a fallen animal collected ie nothing extra for the captive bolt bit.
 

[SteveHants]

Our hunt kennels will slaughter for you - I don't know if they all do, mind.


You could get someone to shoot him and take him to the kennels etc...but make sure its someone who knows what they are doing.

[twizzel]

I was also going to say your local hunt will pick up fallen stock even if they don't slaughter themselves (and many do), so I would give them a ring first. Or the local knackerman, they will kill and dispose but land you with a nice bill. The hunt picks up all of our fallen stock.

[Anke]

We do the same as Fleecewife. Our knackers normally prefer to have the animal away from their mates, I normally put them into a small pen or into the shed. It is the quickest and they do take the carcass away. I have had to do this with two old Shetland ewes at 12 and 13 respectively...
Never easy but necessary decisions at some point for all of us....
If he has lost a lot of weight it may be much kinder to have him gone than trying to get him through another (unpredictable) winter.  One other thing to remember is that Joe Public is nowadays quite quick to phone the SSPCA/RSPCA if they see a very thin animal...

[The Chicken Lady]

Thanks for all your replies. I am upset reading your replies but deep down I know another winter would be cruel. I want to make sure the end is peaceful and I don't think going to the vets and been prodded with needles is the first choice. I am going to look at someone coming here to do it. Will post what I do so that anyone else in my position will know what the options are in this area. Thanks everyone. 

[colliewoman]

 

[Mammyshaz]

 Big  from me too

[Rosemary]

 

[judee]

I think I would soften his food, feed him up and hope for another year. But you are probably right in thinking otherwise. Best of luck with whatever way you choose.

[colliewoman]

The only other thing I can add after thinking about Archie, is when a friends old wether became thin and looked like he was facing his last days, she bought him a goat coat and he did fine that winter.


However as a pet in the garden orchard it was easy for her to keep an eye on him. I guess it depends on your set up as to if this would be safe

[Mallows Flock]

LOL... I bet I know EXACTLY who you are talking about CW....... can you inmagine the 3 of us ever working together - LOL... it would be mayhem and madness.