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How do you like to move sheep around? Tips or tricks? Also curious what works to not freak them out too much.
I was at a rodeo a couple of years ago and the announcer said that his dad used to say, “The only way to move cattle quickly is slowly.” The same can be said for sheep. So let's go ahead and say it.. The only way to move sheep quickly is slowly.
In addition to being ready to go nice and slow, there are a few other key things to keep in mind when moving sheep:
Flock mentality:
Sheep want to be together. They will desperately try to achieve this goal. Do your very best to work slowly and deliberately to keep them in one group. For example, if a single sheep becomes separated, (a lamb on the wrong side of a fence, or a single sheep that leapt off the ramp while everyone else loaded in the trailer) let everyone out and try again. I guarantee you, it is always going to be faster in the long run to let everyone out, get them all back together and then go forward again as a group then it will be to chase a single sheep back and forth all day. This is the voice of exhausted and frustrated experience talking.
Flight zone:
The majority of animals, including humans, have a flight zone, or an area of personal space. Entering this personal space will cause an animal to move away. When moving sheep by herding or pushing, you want to stay right at the edge of their flight zone, putting just enough pressure with your presence to keep the sheep moving in the direction you would like, without putting so much pressure on them that they take off running. Pet sheep will have a smaller flight zone than sheep raised out on pasture due to close, regular contact with their humans. To determine a sheep’s flight zone, you must approach them slowly and determine the point at which they begin to move away. Sheep who have small or seemingly non-existent flight zones may be easier to move by luring with treats than by herding.
Temple Grandin has done incredible work related to livestock handling in general as well as work specific to sheep. Please see this sheep specific video by her, this list of sheep related research, this article specifically about livestock moving principles, or this amazing book, for more information. One aspectI really like about all of these resources is their helpful visual aids to facilitate one's understanding of flight zones.
Peripheral vision:
. Understanding a sheep's vision, including their blind spots and field of view, is key to working effectively with their flight zone. Knowing where to stand or move allows you to guide them in the direction you want them to go. A sheep's eyes are positioned on the sides of their head, unlike ours or a wolf's, which are located at the front. . This placement and the oblong shape of their pupils allow for incredible peripheral vision of 270-320 degrees. They can see nearly all the way behind themselves without moving their head. However, there is a small blind spot directly in front and directly behind their body.
The last comment I have about moving sheep concerns traditional shepherding. In other words, if you are walking with sheep over vast areas while they eat for the better part of the day, stay farther away than you think is necessary . This was one of the only tricks I learned as a thick-headed 17 year old when I briefly (and mostly unsuccessfully) herded sheep in the Navajo nation. The venerable shepherd attempting to teach me how to work her sheep told me that if you are too close to the sheep, even if they seem like they are eating, they will not take in as much food because part of their attention will always be on you. So stay close enough to see everyone, but far enough away that they eat well.
On a similar note, the next edition of the Leaning On Our Crooks monthly magazine will include a segment specifically about training sheep to get into a trailer.
Do you have any recommendations for introducing children to sheep? Things to do/ not do?
When introducing children, or any person new to sheep, it is often necessary to dispel the misconception held by many that they are harmless. They deserve respect and healthy caution. Rams can be incredibly dangerous and will often take advantage of a turned back, but they are nothing compared to a ewe who feels her lambs are being threatened. A ram lowering his head is not an invitation for scritchins, but a sign that he is getting ready to charge. A ewe stamping her foot is not a cute gesture of benign frustration, but a warning that she is ready to kick your butt.
I like to introduce people of any age to my sheep by having them sit down in the pasture away from everybody. Sheep are brilliant, curious creatures and eventually, they will wander over to have a gander at the new, weird being in their field. So grab a thermos of your favorite tea and settle in to watch and wait for them to come to you.
Can you recommend your favorite sheep books or activities for kids?
My favorite kids’ books featuring sheep are the Sheep in a Jeep series by Nancy E. Shaw. This includes such classics as Sheep on a Ship, Sheep go to Sleep, and Sheep Trick or Treat. The board books often feature a craft , for example, Sheep on a Ship includes how to make a pirate hat on the back cover. A few other children’s sheep books we love at our house are My Favorite Pets: by Gus W. for Ms. Smolinski's Class by Jeanne Birdsall, Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox, and Smudge the Little Lost Lamb by James Herriot.
My favorite kids' sheep activity is being with sheep. The world abounds with awesome craft ideas. And don’t get me wrong, our family enjoys these also. But, at the end of the day, we like taking dinner in a basket up to the sheep field and sitting with them. We like to stare at lambs. We like to tinker with fences and water lines, and we especially like walking them to fresh food or turning them out into new grass.
However, in a pinch, if there are no sheep in your neighborhood to sit with or if you are travelling or some such, you can make sheep forms from whatever is on hand (cardboard, clothespins, airline magazines) and wrap them in beautiful yarn to make colorful sheep toys that stand upright on their own.
A friendly reminder: I am a veterinarian. I am not your veterinarian. Dear Dr. McNett is not meant for diagnosing or prescribing and is not a replacement for a relationship with a veterinarian who knows you and your animals.
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