Taking care of sheep is not a big job. At least not my Katahdin Flock.
We give annual shots for tetanus. Feet need trimming and caring for maybe 6 times a year. Sometimes a lamb will not shed the first coat and has to be trimmed. I check often during warm weather for parasites. We feed hay when the grass is not sufficient and they rotational graze and browse.
I keep bells on all my sheep. One I like to hear the bells. Two if something got after them I would hear it! Three if they get out they are easier to find!
Today was Feet Trimming Day!
Les held the lambs and I trimmed their feet. I have a couple of pair of shears that are small and sharp and easy to use, though after today they need sharpening!
You want to cut the feet at the same angle as where the hoof meets the hair on the foot. (or close to that angle). You want to level the foot with a rasp and you do not want to quick the sheep. (Three met that fate today though not too bad) .
When I finish I dress the feet with a horse product that toughens the foot and helps any soreness that might have occurred during my trimming.
We had Drover helping with the work of lamb catching. He was happy to do work!
We put all the sheep in a 16 foot round pen and then set up our work station for lamb trimming. I caught the lambs and Les held them in his lap so the foot would be the right height for my back:-) …I checked for parasites by checking the lambs lower inner eyelid for color. Bright reds Wonderful! Pale pink to white VERY BAD! We had one! that was bad…I wormed it with Panicure. There were 4 more that were border line needing the medications. So instead of letting little lambs get down with a heavy load of parasites I doctored them!
Also we band tails and castrate by banding. I doctored 2 lambs for that with Iodine, you can bet they were not happy with that!
To catch the lambs I have Drover gather and hold the flock in a corner. I walk in and then reach down and catch lambs easily! Could not do this without my good dog!
We also trimmed two grown ewes feet. That was fun! NOT! It took time and hard work. Les and I got it all done!
We still have the rest of the flock’s feet to do. But will use our newly built staunchon . (Les and I have to figure out the head gate and sides and then he has to build it.
We also checked the ewes for parasites. A few needed worming .
We will all sleep well tonight!
