[FiB]

HI all, well I took the harness off on Friday (week and a half after lambing) as I was worried it was increasing her risk of fly strike (lot of poo collecting around the harness).... big mistake, her insides are starting to show again this evening so am going to have to try and catch her and put harness back on....
 
 
Tonights question - how can I get her into the food chain with least stress (ie not keen to take her to market)  will abatoirs take animals wearing a harness and give it back (I feel daft asking these questions but rather here than at the abatoir!!!).  Trouble is she is 2 (a Lleyn) and OH doesnt like mutton taste so not sure we can eat her - though would prob have a go...  Id be happy for her to go into the general meat 'pool' but dont want to take her to cull market if poss.....
 
of course this is all best case scenario that she survives another catch/wash/put it back?harness then antibiotic plus 7 day meat withdrawl..... 

[FiB]

btw I do have a farmer friend who will dispatch on field if she seems to be sufering, but I assume she can then not be eaten even by us??

[SallyintNorth]

Personally I wouldn't be keen on eating a sheep that's prolapsed and needed a/bs as a result so recently.  Quite possibly this is irrational, but it is how I feel.

So if she were mine I'd either keep her until she's fully fit, or get her shot and stomach the loss (rather than the mutton  .)  Or maybe you could offer her to the local hunt? 

[ZaktheLad]

I had a ewe that prolapsed after a very rough lambing at the hands of a neighbouring farmer.  I put a harness on her and left it on for several weeks.  Each evening I would catch her and wash her back end with a weak solution of detol antiseptic in warm water as this kept the flies away.  She was my wildest sheep, but catching her was quite easy as I had the harness to grab for!  Anyway, I did not attempt to remove the harness at all but left it in-situ and just adjusted each day as necessary.  I removed it for the first time just before she was sheared and she was fine.  I did take her to market as a cull ewe, but en-route she managed to rip out her ear tag and I was unable to sell her and had to bring her back home!  Thinking it was fate and the fact that I wasn't going to market again that year, I left her to graze with my 17 year old ewe Molly, whilst the other ewes went in with the tup that year.  After that year off I then put her in with my other ewes and tup for this year, and she went on to produce 2 x cracking ram lambs in March just gone.  The point of my post is really to say don't always give up on your ewes as they can come right in the end and just need a bit of time.  I know there will be those here that will frown upon breeding from a prolapsed ewe, but in her case, it was not a huge/entire prolapse and after my neighbour put her through hell, I felt obliged to do what I could for her, as in all fairness, it was the rough lambing that was the cause in the first place  .

[FiB]

thanks both - managed to catch her with help of my saintly 2 (non farming!) neighbours, do the whole shebang again.  So at least she is back in order, covered with AB again and harnessed. 
 
Great to hear your tale Zacthelad (and how old a ewe can live!!!!).  Sadly ours will definately have to go - I think it was a full prolapse (grapefruit sized) and its come out and been put back 3 times since she lambed (didnt harness at first, then did but took off too early) I will just pray that she battles on - my main fear is taking the harness off to take her to market in a few weeks/month and it all spilling out again either en route or in the market - what would happen then?  I guess Im worried that I  just dont have the expereince to know when she is 'well enough' to go.  But excellent suggestion re the hunt - the guy who is licenced to shoot is part of the local hunt  .  Dare i ask is it legal? (in terms of movements disposal etc)

[Hillview Farm]

Yes it is legal. Our hunt normally like "livestock" dropping off but if its dead they'll come and collect. Feeding the hounds means nothings getting wasted!

[FiB]

that is important to me - I HATE the idea of this otherwise healthy sheep being wasted AND costing me for the privelage.  LAst question - any thoughts on how long I should/could cover with Alamycin? 

[Marches Farmer]

If what should be inside stays that way due to the harness I'd be inclined to stop the A LA.  Could you shear/clip away the mucky fleece completely then put Vetrazin (shorter withdrawal period than Clik) around the back end?   Remember to watch withdrawal periods - our Hunt likes them observed for hounds or the livestock marked with a big cross on each side to show they're not fit for consumption.

[The Irish Shepherd]

Stitch her up, much kinder than a harness, Cox's sell a sewing kit, less than a tenner. Put 3 stitches across, top, middle and bottom.

[Blacksheep]

As above, a stitch or two with stitching tape should hold her together now she has lambed and you can wait for the withdrawal time before taking her for cull. What happened to her lambs, is she not able to rear any?

[FiB]

Wow I thought the stiching was a joke!!!  She has a fantastic lamb (male thankfully so wont be having to make any decisions there) and is a great mother with plenty of milk which is why I was so desparate to keep her going if poss (I didnt want to call vet because neighbour in similar postition came back with a dead ewe - PTS was their recomendation).  She seems totally normal again today (although understandably giving me a wide berth!!!!!)  I'll see how we go day by day with the harness - good to know another option, thanks.

[SallyintNorth]

The vet would stitch her for you - but you'd have to ask 'em how much they'd charge and decide if it was worth it to you.

[Alicenz]

The vet stitching her sounds most humane, dont know id be keen on stitches with no painkiller!Good luck

[Pedwardine]

Really hope she comes along good and healthy in her nether regions for you. Defo go with the stitches if it comes to it. Is your vet the same one as your neighbour's?

[FiB]

yes same vet....  big commercial hillfarming area so I guess that would be the default decision but I'm sure he'd stich if I asked (and tell the tale ).  She doesnt seem to be restricted at all by harness - but I was worried about poo accumulation/flystrike AND it felting in.   I'm just glad she is alive and mothering still.....
 
Thanks all - you make me feel so supported and not alone (when in fact I am alone most of the time!!!).  People from my old life cant understand how you can go from city life, no farming background, to sheep pigs chickens.....  TAS and you, and the odd book are how!!!!