[Jacob-list] Docking

[Lynette Frick]

I dock all my sheep so that as adults their tails just fully cover their
vulvas, no longer no shorter. I have both fine wool sheep-  Merinos &
Rambouillets, and Jacob Sheep, and from what I've seen this length seems to
work. If merinos are docked super short, then the slightly loose wooly skin
around the dock rolls back in on itself making a "poo pocket" as one merino
breeder worded it, if they are done too long than you run the risk of them
peeing on the wool causing stain. My Jacobs for the most part didn't have
tails that shed either, so by the end of the year the tail wool at the
bottom could get quite long. Even on Jacobs, if they are done too short
they can end up peeing on long overhanging wool from above the dock, and if
too long can be messy as well... not to mention that even if the shearer
isn't complaining, he still isn't enjoying shearing that nasty tail (take
it from a shearer ;) We're paid per sheep and tails take time!

Just my two cents,
Lynette
Four Points Farm & Shearing Services
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