# Sheep



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

From Progressive Forage Grower.....I know nothing of sheep....so this was intriguing.

Regards, Mike

http://www.progressiveforage.com/blogs/guest-blog/sheep-just-live-to-die


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Must have been wool sheep to which the author was exposed. The hair sheep's will-to-live is night and day difference from wool sheep. Having been around both, the lil hair-sheep lambs amaze me.
On a similar note, they (I don't remember where I read it&#8230;prolly in SHEEP mag?) say that a sheep is the only critter that can die of loneliness.
73, Mark


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

Never realized sheep were that suicidal...


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I thought it was just chickens who are suicidal. No pun intended. I had some layers and broilers for a bit. The broilers ate themselves to death, and the layers couldn't. So they found many other ways to die.

Keeping chickens alive is a task.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I've got a few that I intended to eat because I love Chislic and chops. The wife got attached, now they are lawnmowers. Sigh and she wonders why I won't get anymore.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Awhile back we had a big ram with an ego just as big. Very friendly but knew how to use his size to his advantage to get his way. Funny thing was that every year after he was shorn he had a huge inferiority complex that lasted for a month or so. Seems he realized he was alot smaller and hid from the ewes and walked with his head down. :lol:


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

glasswrongsize said:


> Must have been wool sheep to which the author was exposed. The hair sheep's will-to-live is night and day difference from wool sheep. Having been around both, the lil hair-sheep lambs amaze me.
> On a similar note, they (I don't remember where I read it&#8230;prolly in SHEEP mag?) say that a sheep is the only critter that can die of loneliness.
> 73, Mark


My cousin had a lama die here while back that had never bonded with the heard of sheep, a little bit of research showed that they can die of loneliness and he came to the conclusion that that's what had to of happened.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Man that is sad to see any animal die of loneliness....I had much rather that predators or disease kill something as to have it die by loneliness.

Regards, Mike


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

> Man that is sad to see any animal die of loneliness....I had much rather that predators or disease kill something as to have it die by loneliness.


Sure is!! I won't let someone have just 1 sheep/lamb for 4H, cheap lawnmower, etc... I did violate my rule with an exception last year. The neighbor's @6 year old took a @6 week old bottle lamb home to finish feeding. She was like the nursery rhyme-Mary had a Little Lamb. The lamb and the girl could be spotted sleeping on the porch swing etc...Once school started, the lil feller was returned to me. Sure made a nice pet for her and neither were lonely this summer.
In my experience, sheep (especially lambs) don't HAVE to be around other sheep...just anything with which they can be friends.
73, Mark


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Never had much problem with ewes randomly dying. Lambs on the other hand are sometimes born to die.

Definitely almost have to "baby-proof" area where lambs will be...keeping feeders low, low amount of water in tubs, etc. Once you get the hang of it and have a system down, mortality rate from "suicide" decreases significantly.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

IMHO all breeds of sheep including hair breeds are "born looking for a place to die"!! I owned some Dorpers back in '07 and they had no problem dying. Myself I'll stick to bovines.


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## 1oldphart (Aug 20, 2014)

as a kid my dad once bought a flock (35) gummer corriedales with the thought of cleaning the pastures and getting lambs before they croaked. covered them with a young hamp ram. anytime you were in the field you had to watch out for it cause it would take out your knees. never saw pasture so short, or something as gross or stinky as those ewes. he sheared them the next spring and sent the whole mess to the auction barn. to this day he will tell you it was the most money he ever made on livestock!


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Heck I seen the title to the thread "Sheep" and figured this was going to be about democrats and libtards.The Sheeple following their leader.


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

When I was ranching in Colorado 70's and 80's, I had 1200 head Columbia cross ewes. The saying was," they're looking for a place to die". I had 1000acs deeded, and Forest Service permits as well as BLM permits. So they had ample time and space, that was not my big problem, Coyotes were. One night coyotes got into a bunch of replacement ewe lambs and killed 40 hd. It broke my heart. Didn't eat any, just ripped out throats and butts. A guard dog helped after that. I'm quite a bit older now, but still have a small bunch here in Virginia.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Adimice, Welcome to Haytalk. what kinda sheep you got?

"A SICK sheep is a DEAD sheep" is the cliche that seems to fit my flock the best. Unless you are very vigilant (and I try to be), once you notice that a sheep is sick, it is too late. So far, and I hope I don't jinx myself, I've only lost 1 lamb this season (the ewe was backed up against the barn and squirted it out under the edge into the outside; she couldn't get to it to clean it up and get it going) out of 32 born so far. Last year was nearly 20% loss of lambs. If I have a ewe get down and weak, it's pretty much a futile exercise in vet care for me. Sheep seem to have more experience in gettin themselves dead than I do keepin em alive.

My heifer was acting bad for a couple of days...I did what I could for her but was sharpening my knives in the off-time. I had already re-arranged the freezer to make room for an unplanned butchering, but she surprised me and is back to acting fine. I sure ain't used to that!!!

73, Mark


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

The vet would never come , he used to say, " don't worry about the dead ones". Now I've got a dorset cross they call'em polypay. Kind of a stupid name IMO.


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

1982 Crawford Colorado. Me and my 6yr old son.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Really cool Adimice....welcome to haytalk. What brought you back East.... the long winters?

Regards, Mike


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## Adimice (Jan 18, 2016)

DIVORCE


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Adimice said:


> DIVORCE


That will do it!

Regards, Mike


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Vol said:


> What brought you back East.... the long winters?
> 
> Regards, Mike





Adimice said:


> DIVORCE


Either way...frigid conditions were the ultimate cause of your migration? 

I couldn't resist.. hate to hear it for ya and been there with ya.

73, Mark


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