[ewesaidit]

Different ewe from a previous post!    Have a four year old homebred ewe that got mastitis this year ('blown' teat).  Got her through that and she's fit and well but only one quarter now.   I have limited space and each year if I have a gimmer to lamb then a ewe has to go to create the space.  So far the ewes 'to go' have been perfectly sound and were sold on to breed for others.  Haven't been in the position yet where I have one I don't want to keep but couldn't sell on having had mastitis.

Tup lambs are sold at weaning for slaughter and I can cope with that as I know that's where they're destined from the word 'go' but haven't had to consider this for an older ewe yet.

I have lamb customers interested in mutton, but not sure I can bring myself to do the deed.  Admit it does seem a waste to just have her pts and taken away.   Definitely won't send her to market tho as couldn't bear the possibility of her going via halal. 

Any words of wisdom ?     or ....

anyone looking for a few good looking friendly sheep for  grazing a horse/pony paddock or an orchard (I can add a couple of ewe lambs and another older ewe to make up a mini flock)   

[FiB]

I don't think I could.... I have one 'pet lam' ewe out of 12 and she is different, I will just retire her when the time comes or as you have suggested find a forever home. I can send pet ram  lambs off, no trouble, but a pet that becomes a good mum. I took a prolapse ewe to cull market and that was bad enough. (We would have eaten that one but OH hates mutton). The toughest calls are end of life

[smee2012]

If you don't want to slaughter her and can't bring yourself to sell at market, how about finding out if there are any petting zoos or 'family day out' type farms she could go to instead?

[SallyintNorth]

Oh people.

Just how many sheep (pigs, billy goats, rabbits, etc etc) do you think there are every year whose owners would prefer they didn't have to be slaughtered?

By all means ask your local petting zoo / childrens' farm, then you'll know you've tried - but think about how many more times in the rest of your smallholding career you will be in this situation, suck it up, and send her to your local abattoir for mutton.

I do know how it feels, yes, but it really is something you have to get used to, especially if you are breeding stock.

[trish.farm]

Totally with you on this one.  I have a major problem with culling old or useless ewes.  I only have 10 breeding ewes, half of them have been hand reared (yeh i know probly not the best ewes to breed from but they are all fab mums).  I have an old girl of 16 who owes me nothing and has paid her way for retirement.  1 other ewe had mastitis this year and always has dreadful feet and one other who i thought was barren  .  There is no way i could contemplate sending them to market and i dont personally like mutton.  They either live out their days with me or I have them shot on site and take them dead to the abbatoir.  Living a long retirement will probly win the day!!  Really hard when ewes are tame, pets and have served you well. 

[shygirl]

They either live out their days with me or I have them shot on site and take them dead to the abbatoir.

knackeryard?

the first ones are the worst, i have sat outside the abattoir bawling before now but it is part of real life, you do get used to it.
i personally would rather use an animal respectfully by eating it than waste its life by killing it and throwing its body away. even if its only fit for my dogs to eat. i have took old rams through an abattoir for my dogs when it was cheaper to  get the knackerman to shoot it and take it.
be brave.

[trish.farm]

yeh sorry meant knackeryard! 

[roddycm]

Oh people.

Just how many sheep (pigs, billy goats, rabbits, etc etc) do you think there are every year whose owners would prefer they didn't have to be slaughtered?

By all means ask your local petting zoo / childrens' farm, then you'll know you've tried - but think about how many more times in the rest of your smallholding career you will be in this situation, suck it up, and send her to your local abattoir for mutton.

I do know how it feels, yes, but it really is something you have to get used to, especially if you are breeding stock.

Im totally with you. Give them a good life and don't feel guilty when it's their time!

[FiB]

Oh people.

Just how many sheep (pigs, billy goats, rabbits, etc etc) do you think there are every year whose owners would prefer they didn't have to be slaughtered?

By all means ask your local petting zoo / childrens' farm, then you'll know you've tried - but think about how many more times in the rest of your smallholding career you will be in this situation, suck it up, and send her to your local abattoir for mutton.

I do know how it feels, yes, but it really is something you have to get used to, especially if you are breeding stock.

Im totally with you. Give them a good life and don't feel guilty when it's their time!

ah but that's the joy of smallholding- it doesn't have to be their time aged 4:-). If you've got a whole flock of 'pet lamb' ewes, that might be a problem, but the odd one who is special and brings joy to your day (not to mention provides a useful function in leading the rest when I'm moving them ...why not!

[bloomer]

i don't have sheep but know plenty who do


if it helps ask around and find an outlet for the mutton, there are usually buyers around if you talk to people, we certainly buy it when offered and I have a client/friend who has told me next time im offered it to double the order as they love it...


at least then you know the meats not going to be wasted!!!

[ZaktheLad]

I have a 17 year old ewe (Molly) that I just can not bear to think of going for slaughter.  She has been a good ewe over her time, rearing various triplets, twins and spectacular singles and personally I think she deserves her retirement.  She is a great help in that she acts as companion for anything else that has to come inside/separated from the others and so she will be with me until the very end and I will have to ask the council for permission to bury her as a pet on the farm when her times comes.

[Rosemary]

I have my three original ewes that I bought as lambs - they've now lambed for the 6th time. One is going for mutton this year, along with her daughter from our first lambing - they are both bonkers. The other two will die here, retired if need be.

We had our first mutton away this year - a barren ewe and the tup. I was less sad than I thought I would be tbh. If I keep "pets" I'll be overstocked and have to stop breeding and I have neither the inclination or the finances to do that.

[suziequeue]

One of our ewes only has four teeth now. I would love to keep her but I am not sure how long she will maintain condition now and I would rather send her whilst there is still something on her that we can savour and appreciate.

I note others here have mentioned older ewes.... What are their mouths like?

[Foobar]

I have the same issue, not enough room to keep everyone forever. I think my favourite ewe is destined for he table this year.  No life without death though, no matter how hard that is for us.  She's had a jolly fine life and provided me with some fine offspring, which I have kept on for breeding, so she will live on through them.

[in the hills]

We have eaten our wethers so I know that it is no different really but I don't think I could eat any of our original ewes. I think lots of people do feel that way. Several 'real' farmers have said to me that they couldn't eat any of the sheep they have reared ... they just don't like the thought of it. I may be able to convince myself to send them if someone else is going to eat them  but couldn't eat them myself.

I think ours will live out their lives here ... in retirement but we will have to cross that bridge when we come to it as lack of grazing would probably then mean no more breeding.