We shared a little poll in our page and, as expected, most people who agree with the docking method are farmers or people who raise sheep. 😉 A lot of people think farmers have been docking tails in sheep solely for breeding purposes. It’s not true. And if anyone is doing it just because of this, they are greatly mistaken. Their tails do NOT interfere with breeding. The reason why a lot of farmers choose to do this is entirely different… Research has shown that docking tails improves the health and welfare of both sheep and their lambs, especially if you have a large flock. It prevents urine and fecal matter from accumulating on the hindquarters, breech and tail of the animal (thus reducing the risk of disease and infections), it reduces fly strike (maggots) which is one of the most important welfare concerns for sheep all over the world, facilitates shearing, improves external parasite control, cleanliness of wool, etc. Depending on the breed you raise and where your farm is located, unless you keep a couple of sheep as pets and you wash and groom them regularly, docking is advised. Again, bear in mind that there are a few points to be taken into consideration, always talk to your veterinarian (wink wink 😉), she/he will know what is best for your flock, given your geographical region, sheep breed, as well as other management practices. And most importantly, always do it under the supervision of a vet. They will know the exact time when it should get done (>24h, <48h, after being born), the recommended method, the length of the tail, and administer anesthesia or pain relief if/when it’s necessary. Personally speaking, we started with 4-5 sheep, and they all still have their tails. But since our flock’s been growing, and we had some issues last summer, this year we decided to start docking our lambs’ tails. They are happy, healthy, and thriving. #bloodandsoil #farmlife #sheep #lambing #farmer #tradition
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