June 15, 2013

unsuspecting kids enjoying the lush pastures not long before taking them from their moms

Not exactly… but this ominous day happens once a year when weaning or the breaking up of livestock families takes place. It is dramatic, and emotional but it has to happen. It is an artificial rite of passage into adulthood. Ewes, does, and nannies finally can get rid of their burdensome offsprings and can start rejuvenating their nutrition deprived bodies.

For us, it is a back breaking and tedious process.  We have to separate adult ewes, does, ram lambs, kid bucks, lamb and kid girls onto separate paddocks and into separate buildings. Dogs have to be delicate, not to put too much pressure on an individual kid or lamb because too much stress  can kill a youngster.  This is also the time for last vaccinations and inspections, so we have to catch each animal individually, grab, lift turn pull, etc.  The whole process have taken us somewhere  about four to five hours.  Even though, we have a goat and sheep farm, by the time we finish everything, we look like pigs.

And honestly, the next four or five days, I would not want to be my own neighbor and listen to the screaming and crying from every corner of the farm until the youngsters accept that their moms are not available anymore.

http://youtu.be/CIlecDnFy6g <—-Click here…