[Jacob-list] Breeders who forgo tail docking: your experiences?

[Hettick, Heather]

I usually docked my purebred Jacob lambs, but have had a few through the years that weren't docked for various reasons.  Generally I don't think it's a problem, but my husband really dislikes the longer tail look and it makes things easier if they are docked in various ways.

The first Jacob lamb ewe lamb we ever kept had her tail.  When she prolapsed her uterus at age 8, it was very difficult and messy for the vet and me working around her dirty tail (after giving birth) to put her uterus back.  She didn't survive the procedure anyway, but that experience didn't help my attitude about Jacob tails.  I bought a Jacob ram with a nice fluffy tail which was never a problem and looked nice on him.  I also had a kinked tailed ewe who I didn't dock who had  messy butt problems occasionally which the tail didn't interfere with - but she held it up over her back with the kink anyway.

I try to avoid docking our half Icelandic meat cross lambs though.  Their tails are usually about a half the length of Jacob tails, are very active like Jacob tails can be, I think they look really cute and I can still see their udders when they are pregnant, but my husband has been asking me dock the lambs this year them since the crosses are really his project.

We have two Icelandic/Jacob/Tunis yearlings with the half sized tails and our shearer left the tufted tips on their tails like poodles.  I just love how they look , like mini cow tails!

Heather Hettick
Moonstruck Farm
www.moonstruckfarm.wordpress.com<http://www.moonstruckfarm.wordpress.com>


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