First Lambs Taken to Slaughter

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
There's many a person I couldn't care less about but I have a few favourite beasts about the place...

Likewise, as most of us would probably admit, but those animals are still not humans. To attribute human emotions and intelligence (I use the term loosely) to livestock is just crazy, and the main argument used by the veggies/vegans that walk amongst us.
 
Im not one of those as I hope you know @neilo , but weaning calves / lambs and the noise due to separation is emotion surely? Always amazes me when I split a group of sheep, normally after scanning the sheep missing a mate. And also find it funny, in the simple life I lead, how they stay in groups, worked to my advantage few days ago when I had 220 suffolks off of one farm and 50 tex x off another, wanted to split them to take to fields down the road did it all bar about 10 wrong in a 90 ft long shed, how they stay in bunches. And tb testing cattle, do 600, the amount of runs you get in consecutive order is surprising. Right im off to hug a tree now :whistle:
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Im not one of those as I hope you know @neilo , but weaning calves / lambs and the noise due to separation is emotion surely? Always amazes me when I split a group of sheep, normally after scanning the sheep missing a mate. And also find it funny, in the simple life I lead, how they stay in groups, worked to my advantage few days ago when I had 220 suffolks off of one farm and 50 tex x off another, wanted to split them to take to fields down the road did it all bar about 10 wrong in a 90 ft long shed, how they stay in bunches. And tb testing cattle, do 600, the amount of runs you get in consecutive order is surprising. Right im off to hug a tree now :whistle:

I was crunching romneys for a client last month. There was a ewe through the clamp that just wouldn't leave the pen. Even the presence of the dog wasn't enough to convince her to bugger off.

When she began trying to jump the hurdle into the pen I was worried she would hurt herself, so let her back in. I watched her sort through the mob to find her mate. Once the mate went through, the crutches one quickly followed and the pair of them went off to graze.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Im not one of those as I hope you know @neilo , but weaning calves / lambs and the noise due to separation is emotion surely? Always amazes me when I split a group of sheep, normally after scanning the sheep missing a mate. And also find it funny, in the simple life I lead, how they stay in groups, worked to my advantage few days ago when I had 220 suffolks off of one farm and 50 tex x off another, wanted to split them to take to fields down the road did it all bar about 10 wrong in a 90 ft long shed, how they stay in bunches. And tb testing cattle, do 600, the amount of runs you get in consecutive order is surprising. Right im off to hug a tree now :whistle:

Bloody hippies are taking over on here....:rolleyes::D

I’d agree they have some recollection and connection to groups they’re used to, but why do some folk assume that farm animals have emotions and intelligence to reason as much as human beings do?

It is noticeable that new, ‘different’ sheep will often stay separate to others in a field (& very handy when needing to sort back out sometimes), but they seem to mix OK after a few days. Humans would still be drawn to their old mates years later, just look at the marital strife Friends Reunited and Facebook have had blamed on them for evidence.....
 

Guiggs

Member
Location
Leicestershire
Bloody hippies are taking over on here....:rolleyes::D

I’d agree they have some recollection and connection to groups they’re used to, but why do some folk assume that farm animals have emotions and intelligence to reason as much as human beings do?

It is noticeable that new, ‘different’ sheep will often stay separate to others in a field (& very handy when needing to sort back out sometimes), but they seem to mix OK after a few days. Humans would still be drawn to their old mates years later, just look at the marital strife Friends Reunited and Facebook have had blamed on them for evidence.....

Friends reunited!!!!
Jesus how old are you??;)
 
Had 2 black sheep 10 years ago for my daughter, were twins and they stuck together like glue. Wouldn't want a flock like them but they were amusing, in a big bunch then dog behind them they would go opposite direction to the running flock, last year the last remaining ewe had her lamb marked and tagged few days before going, sold 150 that week, got them in next week and saw her black lamb tagged and marked still there, mum got the blame for not getting her in, the same happened after next draw, where we weigh and sort is a cattle shed, top gate leaves a gap when shut of about a foot,2 1/2 feet off ground, we tie a small hurdle in gap, not normally a problem ever!! You have to jump and hit it hard to create a tiny gap. She did it with her lamb following 3 times, incredible, never did it before her lamb was marked and tagged, the third time I caught lamb on yard, should have kept him as a teaser
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Friends reunited!!!!
Jesus how old are you??;)

I realise they packed up last year:rolleyes:, but my reference was to the number of old ‘friendships’ rekindled and blamed on the site.
Would a middle aged ewe fondly remember the ram lamb she’d had a brief dalliance with as a ewe lamb?
 

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
+1 I was wondering whether I dare post in a similar vein, and glad to find out I’m not the only cold, heartless barsteward....:rolleyes:

Animals aren’t people, so why does everyone attribute human emotions to them?:scratchhead:

There's many a person I couldn't care less about but I have a few favourite beasts about the place...

Likewise, as most of us would probably admit, but those animals are still not humans. To attribute human emotions and intelligence (I use the term loosely) to livestock is just crazy, and the main argument used by the veggies/vegans that walk amongst us.

Even the stock I grow any level of fondness towards, I'm glad to see leave. I feel more sad for the ones which die on farm for their NFSco destination... at least the tups or ewes, bulls or cows which go to market cast have served their life well and will give in their death, to feed a few meals.

The only animal I have any real affection towards is my dog... but I spend more time with him than I do any human.
 
Also, it is a convenience for us to lower our estimation of the intelligence /emotions of the livestock we work with as then some of us see this as an excuse to remove ourselves from caring too deeply about their daily plight and eventual fate.

Me, I have no idea of the exact level of intelligence /emotional feelings my livestock are capable of, just the same as anyone else on this thread, therefore I'll play it safe and accord them as much love and respect for their brief existence as I possibly can. I only think that's fair and right.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Also, it is a convenience for us to lower our estimation of the intelligence /emotions of the livestock we work with as then some of us see this as an excuse to remove ourselves from caring too deeply about their daily plight and eventual fate.

Me, I have no idea of the exact level of intelligence /emotional feelings my livestock are capable of, just the same as anyone else on this thread, therefore I'll play it safe and accord them as much love and respect for their brief existence as I possibly can. I only think that's fair and right.

I think cattle are far smarter than many people give them credit for.
 
I think cattle are far smarter than many people give them credit for.
Cattle certainly are smart, and like humans it comes in differing degrees. I would expect that most of us that keep cattle have the same stories of the cow that works out how to open gates and doors when in the steading. They definitely learn how to "read" us, they work out our routine, personality and they therefore learn how we react to certain situitions, and then they place themselves accordingly. I would say this is a reasonably heightened level of cognitive thought.


Sheep always used to amuse me in the days when I lambed inside. A week before they were due to start, a group of them would wander up their field and congregate at the gate. If I opened the gate, they would stream up the road to the lambing shed and stand looking in the gate. They knew that it was time to lamb and that it was time to get into the shed. Just get on with it @CharcoalWally.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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