[Jacob-list] docked tails

[Betty Berlenbach]

Ditto here; I never dock tails.  In the 3 cases of flystrike I've had since I got sheep 15 years ago, one was on a crossbred's back, no where near the tail.  Two were on animals around the tail end: one with tail, one without...The one WITH tail developed a telltale (no pun intended) ring around it very early on (and I've checked with others who've seen the same thing) so that I caught the flystrike almost immediately. The one without the tail did not have a way to send this message and it took longer to find the flystrike, and hence, more damage and more trouble digging out the maggots.  I would expect that possibly in the south, where maybe the season for flystrike is longer, and where there are more parasites, maybe there's a reason to dock tails, so be it.  But here in Vermont there sure is no reason to do dock tails.  
 Betty, in Vermont,who now has a blog, thanks to help from Walter and Linda.  See Betty's blog at http://sheepwoman.wordpress.com.
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