[Jacob-list] Tail docking in sheep

[Anderson, Gary B.]

We dock tails on our lambs but use an electric docker that cauterizes as it
cuts.  We aim to dock before the lambs reach 2 weeks of age, and recovery
has been uneventful (but I'm not about to claim that docking causes no
pain).  We use bands for castration of ram lambs, and discomfort for a
period immediately after banding is obvious.  A veterinary friend told me
about use of lidocaine, a local anesthetic, to dull the pain of scrotal
banding.  A small volume of lidocaine is injected into the scrotum
immediately before the band is placed around the scrotum.  The band prevents
the anesthetic from leaving the scrotum.  By the time the anesthetic is
broken down, the nerves to the scrotum are dead, and the lamb shows little
or no discomfort to banding.  Lidocaine is inexpensive and available from
your veterinarian; the cost is negligible for larger breeders.  People who
band their ram lambs will be amazed to see them run back to their mothers
after banding as if nothing happened.

Lidocaine is also effective to dull pain when tails on older lambs are
banded.  As when banding the scrotum, lidocaine injected into the skin below
the band seems to prevent discomfort from tail banding.

During the past year results from a scientific study conducted by several
collaborating universities were published on the association between tail
docking and the incidence of rectal prolapse in sheep.  In the study tails
were docked to three lengths: short dock as frequently seen on show sheep of
some breeds, docking at the middle of the skin folds at the base of the
tail, and a long dock below the folds of skin.  The experiment and results
were subjected to peer review by other scientists who evaluated validity of
the results before publication in the Journal of Animal Science.  The
results showed a significant association between the incidence of rectal
prolapse and short docking but no association between the incidence of
rectal prolapse and mid-fold and long docking.  These results have been
surmised for years, but the study was the first to evaluate rigorously the
association between tail docking and rectal prolapse in sheep.

The results of this study led the California Farm Bureau Federation to
propose that the following language be inserted into the American Farm
Bureau Federation (AFBF) policy on Animal Care: "We discourage the ultra
short dock of tails in show sheep."  The AFBF delegates rejected the
language, presumably because state delegates feared backlash from some sheep
producers.  If you have a Farm Bureau connection, you might check to see how
your state delegates stand on the issue.  As public scrutiny increases, we
stewards of agricultural animals need to check our own backyards.  Ultra
short tail docking could be something that sheep producers can address
before people outside agriculture do it for us.