[fiestyredhead331]

it was the one thing that I hated my grandad for, cutting the tails. I wouldn't speak to him for days after and was the one time I wouldn't set foot near the sheep! Mind you I was only about 6 but its a vision that stayed with me.
Ourselves and my parents now ring all the tails but driving down the road today I saw 2 seperate flocks all with the tails very recently cut.
I didn't think anyone did it anymore, the rings are cleaner and surely safer as less risk of infection etc?

[Tim W]

Not everyone has a system whereby they can ring tails within the short time allowed

I haven't mutilated any lambs for many years until this year and had forgotten just how harsh it can be on very young animals 

[fiestyredhead331]

if they are ringing the wethers then it takes 2 extra seconds to ring the tail?
Its one of those things that I can't bear to see, I do wonder though what the visitors to the area make of it as these lambs are all out on the road with blood all down their legs 

[moony]

I didn't realise anyone still did it that way. Its not hard regardless of any system to band the tails if you want them shortening.

[Castle Farm]

I thought cutting tails was now illegal.

[sabrina]

If not ,it should be. 

[JulieWall]

I put rings on the tails within 24 hours, it doesn't take long to do. I always assumed that the longer it was left for the worse it would be for the lambs, better blood supply etc....

[fiestyredhead331]

recommendations are that they are done within 7 days, or after but only with an anaesthetic. I do mine within 24 hours, dipping navel etc all done in one go.

[Rosemary]

Legally, you must ing within 7 days.

I think they barely notice the ring on the tail.

[Porterlauren]

As Tim says, it depends on your system, if you can ring in the allotted time frame.

But aye, it's brutal, and probably belongs in the past.

[fiestyredhead331]

when you consider the outcry over the docking of dog's tails and whether or not it should be banned, no-one would stand for a dog to have their tail docked with knife so why should it be any different for sheep?
Maybe that's part of the reason why I opted for the breeds I have that don't require docking apart from a cheviot wether I adopted for a cheviot ewe I have that lost her lamb this year.
Those sheep farmers who work on huge numbers I thought would have a better system in place for these things than I probably do as its their main source of income?
Saying that, the people I refer to in my OP are not large scale by any stretch of the imagination but are what I would call 'old school'......thats the way its always been done etc which IMHO doesn't look good for the rest of us who opt for the more humane way 

[moony]

Out of interest what sort of systems wouldn't allow for you to ring in the first 7 days?

[SallyintNorth]

Out of interest what sort of systems wouldn't allow for you to ring in the first 7 days?

Extensive, minimal intervention systems

[moony]

But extensive systems generally use those breeds that require minimal interference ie.don't need docking, or they do everywhere around us, might be different in different areas I suppose and if they don't use the hill/upland types they would normally lamb indoors or in smaller paddocks where its not that difficult to ring a tail in the first day. I wouldn't really say minimal interference systems would involve chopping off the tail either.   

[SallyintNorth]

I wouldn't really say minimal interference systems would involve chopping off the tail either.   

I don't think I implied they would! 

You asked what sort of system wouldn't allow for you to ring in the first 7 days, and that's the question I answered.

Had you asked, "What sort of system requires cutting lambs tails at a later age?", then I'd have said, "The wrong system."!