Processing Sheep

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Processing Sheep

• Large Animal Husbandry
• Dr. Randy Ackman

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Sheep

• Post lambing
• Heat lamp in cooler temps
• Remove placenta
• Check udder
• Remove plug
• Colostrum within first hour
• Stored colostrum

http//www.sheep101.info/201/Images/droppen.jpg
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Sheep
http//bedford.extension.psu.edu/agriculture/goat/
Process20of20Kidding.htm
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Processing Sheep

• Paint navel
• Iodine solution
• 7 (tincture)
• Navel ill
• Swollen joints
• Hernia
• Rupture

http//bedford.extension.psu.edu/agriculture/goat/
Process20of20Kidding.htm
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Processing Sheep

• Lambing pens
• 1-2 days
• Half bucket of water
• Roughage only first day
• Then grain
• Clean after use
• Disinfect
• New bedding
• Mixing pen
• With other ewes and lambs

http//www.sheepcanada.com/Gallivan/407H_Lambing_2
002.jpg
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Processing sheep

• Bottle feeding
• Lamb milk replacer
• Numerous feedings
• Initially
• 4-6 times per day
• 2 times a day
• Bulk feeders
• Cold milk
• Reduces over consumption

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Processing Sheep

• Tail docking
• Dock- tail that is left
• Reasons for docking
• 1- improve sanitary conditions
• Wool saturate with urine and feces
• Strike
• Screwworm

http//everranch.com/Farm/Sheep/TailNoTail.jpg
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Processing Sheep
http//au.merial.com/producers/sheep/disease/lucil
ia.html
http//www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/insects/myiasis
.html
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Processing Sheep

• 2-increase productivity
• Tail interferes with breeding
• and lambing
• 3-improve appearance
• Show ring

http//www.phdcc.com/bunk/img/DockedSheepTail.jpg
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http//championschoicesupplements.com/
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Processing Sheep

• 4-increase value of market lambs
• Tail inedible
• Increase weight of tail

http//meatsheep.org/images/lambslooking.html.jpg
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Processing Sheep

• Docked
• Prior to 2 weeks of age
• Large strong lambs within 24 hours
• Older lambs
• More blood
• Greater trauma

http//www.sheep101.info/201/dockcastrate.html
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Processing Sheep

• Docking
• Preferably between vertebrae
• No large arteries or veins
• Spinal cord?

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Processing sheep

• Clean area
• Usually not sterile
• Clean environment
• Restraint works best
• Can be done alone

http//sheepandgoat.com/images/taildockingpolicy.j
pg
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Processing Sheep

• Lambs docked too short
• Rectal prolapse
• Nerves to rectum are damaged

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Tail Docking

• Burdizzo
• Emasculotome
• Crushing
• Tail falls off

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Tail Docking

• Elastrator
• Band is placed at desired spot
• Uncomfortable at first
• Tail sloughs off
• Ideally within first week
• 7-10 days
• Greatest chance of tetanus

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Sheep Processing

• Emasculator
• Cutting surface
• Crushing surface
• Less frequently used

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Sheep Processing

• Hot iron
• Most humane
• Cauterizes and cuts
• Less bleeding
• Cleaner dock

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Processing Sheep

• Docking techniques
• Pocketknife/ scalpel
• Pruning shears
• Not recommended
• More trauma
• More bleeding

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Processing Sheep

• Post docking
• Clean bedding
• Nice days
• Do better
• Than rainy
• Fly repellent
• If necessary

http//www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/
299191/2/sleeping_sheep.jpg
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Processing Sheep

• Tetanus antitoxin
• Ideal
• 200-300 IU
• Im
• SQ
• Penicillin
• CDT toxoid given sometimes

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Processing Sheep

• Injections
• Intramuscular
• Muscle of the shoulder
• Forearm
• Rear leg wool free area inside leg
• Aspirate
• No blood
• Subcutaneous
• Foreleg
• Wool free
• Isopropyl alcohol

http//www.pipevet.com/photos/sqinjections.htm
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Processing Sheep

• Castration
• Wether
• Usually between
• 2-4 weeks
• Earlier
• When docked
• Stress
• Varies on technique

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Processing Sheep

• When not to castrate
• Market by 5 months
• No dock of price
• Breeding stock
• Performance testing
• 90days for trial
• Castration at this time
• Decrease growth rate

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Processing Sheep

• Techniques
• Knife
• Grasp bottom of scrotum
• Testes will slide toward body
• Bottom third
• Pull testicle
• Spermatic cord will break

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Processing Sheep

• Emasculatome
• Burdizzo
• Elastrator
• May show some discomfort

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Processing Sheep

• ID animal
• Ear tags
• Paint
• Brand
• Sticks
• Ear notching
• Tattooing
• http//ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/2
  005/identification/SheepIdentification.htm

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Processing Sheep

• Shearing
• Usually 1-2 time per year
• Depends on facilities
• http//www.markhamfair.ca/video_clips_sheep_sheari
  ng.htm
• http//www.gietzenshearing.com/video.htm

http//www.uga.edu/lam/kids/sheep/parts.html
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http//ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/n
utrition/442photos.html