[Jacob-list] Foot injury

[Robin Lynde]

Even if you consider the Jacob sheep a "wild" animal when you take it out of it's "wild" setting then some intervention is appropriate. For instance,  when sheep are in a more crowded area as may happen when lambing in barns in the winter, dipping navels can prevent infection. When sheep are on irrigated pasture or other soft ground they will need hooves trimmed.

Robin Lynde
Meridian Jacobs
Vacaville, CA 
www.meridianjacobs.com 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Melanie Boxall 
  To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 12:36 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Foot injury


  That's what I love about them. They're hardy. Lambs are often born here when there's a blizzard roaring outside. Even with all the body heat in the barn it can be -15 in there, and the lambs just get up, stomp around a bit and they're ready to go. As most people know, pretty much all we do with our sheep beyong providing food and shelter, is shear them. We don't intervene in any other way. We don't touch navels, we don't castrate, we don't dock tails.........we figure they are a wild animal and they are designed to cope. We just watch biths. The most intervention afterwards is jugging up first timers for a few days. Experienced Moms lamb in the community area, and the ram stands guard. It's very primitive. We once bottle fed a rejected lamb and it was a huge mistake. That ewe was never a real sheep, she thought she was human. She lived with a bull calf for the longest time because she didn't get along with sheep. Now we foster out rejected lambs to our super-ewe, Flossie, whose record is 5, twins from a ewe who died in an accident plus her own triplets. 

  I've helped out my neighbour with his wussy domestic sheep, and he's welcome to them. They are clueless at lambing, they need so much help. And they're always getting caught in something. And they're polled, so no horns to use as an excuse. In ten years we've had two "trap" incidents. He has that many a week. Jacobs are SMART sheep.

  Melanie
  In medio stat virtus

  http://ministats.free.fr/world_redirection.php?ville=obsville




    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: CARL FOSBRINK 
    To: Melanie Boxall ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
    Sent: Monday, March 24, 2008 3:21 PM
    Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Foot injury


    We haven't found it necessary to trim our Jacobs' hooves either. Give assistance when necessary, but let's keep the breed hardy.

    Carl


    Melanie Boxall <melanie.boxall at sympatico.ca> wrote:
      I can't help you on the injury, I'm sure someone here can, but can I just say, keep the shearer. They're really hard to find. Just tell him to leave the feet alone. Jacob's hooves don't usually need trimming. I've got ten year old ewes whose feet have never been touched and they are perfect. While my neighbours' Dorsets need doing annually. Jacobs are essentially a wild sheep - who'd be trimming their hooves in the wild?

      Melanie
      In medio stat virtus

      http://ministats.free.fr/world_redirection.php?ville=obsville




        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Donnangelo, Nick 
        To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
        Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 10:12 PM
        Subject: [Jacob-list] Foot injury


        We had our flock sheared on Saturday.  The shearer also trimmed hooves and somehow managed to take 3/8 inch off the toe of our favorite ewe, releasing a torrent of blood that sprayed at least 18 inches to the horror of an assembled group of children (including my 5 year old daughter and 3 year old son).  It was obviously an artery based on the pressure and color of the blood.   She probably lost 50 cc's before we got the bleeding under control.  Applied antibiotic ointment, wrapped the foot with blood stop powder and gave her some penicillin.  Amazingly, she was up and about the entire time, not lame.  Put her in one of my horse stalls on a deep bed of shavings.  Today she seemed fine, eating well.  Changed the dressing, bleeding stopped and wound looks clean.  My question is: does anyone have experience with this type of injury?  How long should I keep the foot wrapped?  How long should I keep her in a stall (she is with her yearling daughter)?  Any other advice (other than find a different person to shear)?   

        Thanks.

        Nick Donnangelo
        Shiloh Manor

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    Carl and Judy Fosbrink
    www.4hornfarm.com


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