New born lamb kicked in ribs and dragged by hind limb into and around trailer

C

Concerned sheep owner

Member
Hi, I’ve just witnessed a new born lamb being kicked in the ribs which knocked it off it’s feet, allowing the farm worker to grab one of it’s hind limbs. They then proceeded to drag it into a trailer to entice the ewe to follow, she didn’t immediately respond so the lamb was dragged out and around the trailer until she followed. The farm’s practice seems to be to catch all sheep and lambs soon after birth and move them to an adjacent field do I don’t think this is an isolated incident.
I’ve previously seen the same farm worker remove a lamb from the trailer, again by picking it up by a hind leg and throwing it onto the ground.
This practice does not seem humane to me but I not a farmer (although do keep some sheep) I would be interested to hear from those of you with more experience before reporting this incident to the farmer or other authorities.
 
W

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
When moving ewes/cows with there young, farmers sometimes need to trick them into thinking there offspring are in distress so they will follow. If they picked the lambs/calves up under there arm the mothers wouldnt be able to see them and would run off , it seems this farmer has tricked numpty too. I had the odd clout and kick up the arse as a young un, didnt hurt me and it wouldnt hurt the animals either. Profitable stock are healthy stock.
 
P

Plopper

Member
Concerned sheep owner said:
Hi, I’ve just witnessed a new born lamb being kicked in the ribs which knocked it off it’s feet, allowing the farm worker to grab one of it’s hind limbs. They then proceeded to drag it into a trailer to entice the ewe to follow, she didn’t immediately respond so the lamb was dragged out and around the trailer until she followed. The farm’s practice seems to be to catch all sheep and lambs soon after birth and move them to an adjacent field do I don’t think this is an isolated incident.
I’ve previously seen the same farm worker remove a lamb from the trailer, again by picking it up by a hind leg and throwing it onto the ground.
This practice does not seem humane to me but I not a farmer (although do keep some sheep) I would be interested to hear from those of you with more experience before reporting this incident to the farmer or other authorities.
Click to expand...
Welcome to episode 936 of inner city dickheads that move to the countryside. Mind your Own fecking business , pick your dog sh!t up and stick to the footpath would be my advice to you.
 
G

glasshouse

Member
Location
lothians
Concerned sheep owner said:
Hi, I’ve just witnessed a new born lamb being kicked in the ribs which knocked it off it’s feet, allowing the farm worker to grab one of it’s hind limbs. They then proceeded to drag it into a trailer to entice the ewe to follow, she didn’t immediately respond so the lamb was dragged out and around the trailer until she followed. The farm’s practice seems to be to catch all sheep and lambs soon after birth and move them to an adjacent field do I don’t think this is an isolated incident.
I’ve previously seen the same farm worker remove a lamb from the trailer, again by picking it up by a hind leg and throwing it onto the ground.
This practice does not seem humane to me but I not a farmer (although do keep some sheep) I would be interested to hear from those of you with more experience before reporting this incident to the farmer or other authorities.
Click to expand...
Yawn
 
neilo

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
If I don’t have a crook on me, I will sometimes catch a lamb by running after them and sweeping their back legs out with my foot to trip them. I guess numpty might think I had kicked it in the ribs, viewing from a distance?

Once I’ve caught it, I would routinely carry him back to the trailer by his back legs, sometimes lightly dragging his front legs on the ground if the ewe is more attentive to that. All the time, I will be making a sound like a distressed lamb in order to get the mother to follow if she’s a bit skitty. Again numpty, viewing from a distance, might think the lamb was in agony.

Lord knows what he might think when I utter the word ‘catch’ to my three collies and they launch off the back of the quad in unison.... :rolleyes:
 
Macsky

Macsky

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Concerned sheep owner said:
I appreciate why you might think that but I live in a small village and definitely don’t want to name and shame, just wanted some genuine advice from farmers.
I will contact the farmer directly and let him know what I witnessed.
Click to expand...
You should mind you’re own business. This is a very tiring and stressful time of year for those lambing sheep, and the last thing anyone needs is some neurotic townie accusing them of grievous bodily harm to a lamb that they will be doing their utmost to ensure the very health and well-being of!
 
Jim75

Jim75

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Easter ross
neilo said:
If I don’t have a crook on me, I will sometimes catch a lamb by running after them and sweeping their back legs out with my foot to trip them. I guess numpty might think I had kicked it in the ribs, viewing from a distance?

Once I’ve caught it, I would routinely carry him back to the trailer by his back legs, sometimes lightly dragging his front legs on the ground if the ewe is more attentive to that. All the time, I will be making a sound like a distressed lamb in order to get the mother to follow if she’s a bit skitty. Again numpty, viewing from a distance, might think the lamb was in agony.

Lord knows what he might think when I utter the word ‘catch’ to my three collies and they launch off the back of the quad in unison.... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

You saved me time typing the exact same thing. Everyone’s thinking a little too much for a Saturday morning
 
P

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
Concerned sheep owner said:
I appreciate why you might think that but I live in a small village and definitely don’t want to name and shame, just wanted some genuine advice from farmers.
I will contact the farmer directly and let him know what I witnessed.
Click to expand...

It's sounds like a skittish ewe. The aim is for her and her lamb to be taken to an area where they can be monitored.

Most probably, it all looks more dramatic than it is. I'm nursing a bad back atm, and know what I do looks more clumsy than usual, although I am not harming any sheep.

By all means chat to your farming neighbour, but please be aware there are malicious individuals who deliberately tell lies about anything to do with livestock farming. We can't tell who's which by looking, unfortunately.
 
Estate fencing.

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
neilo said:
If I don’t have a crook on me, I will sometimes catch a lamb by running after them and sweeping their back legs out with my foot to trip them. I guess numpty might think I had kicked it in the ribs, viewing from a distance?

Once I’ve caught it, I would routinely carry him back to the trailer by his back legs, sometimes lightly dragging his front legs on the ground if the ewe is more attentive to that. All the time, I will be making a sound like a distressed lamb in order to get the mother to follow if she’s a bit skitty. Again numpty, viewing from a distance, might think the lamb was in agony.

Lord knows what he might think when I utter the word ‘catch’ to my three collies and they launch off the back of the quad in unison.... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
+1
 
Muddyroads

Muddyroads

Member
NFFN Member
Location
Exeter, Devon
For crying out loud guys, give the OP a chance!
To @Concerned sheep owner, unfortunately we get a few new members who join with a thinly disguised anti farming agenda. Responses such as those above don’t help our industry at all. I carry lambs by the front legs, it’s no more cruel or unkind than a cat carrying it’s young by the scruff of the neck and avoids getting human smell onto a newborn lambs which can cause rejection by the ewes. Some people carry by the back legs but I’d say it’s less common.
As for kicking it in the ribs, please be sure this was the case. If it was it’s unacceptable, but if it was a trip as suggested above, it can be an effective if clumsy way to catch It.
 
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