Wrangling Sheep

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I am on the downhill slope of this internship and this week was packed. We docked and vaccinated sheep on the Fourth of July and the 6th. This meant the early parts of the week were primarily preparing. This included knocking some tasks off the to-do list. Monday we fixed the Wilson trailer and made sure it was ready to go. The breaks would engage every time the brake lights would go on and so we rewired the trailer. I’ve rewired a trailer before but only at the plug. This time the plug was fine but the emergency break was shorting out the entire system. This made a big problem an easy fix. That hasn’t been the case with most mishaps so far but I’m not complaining. We also removed the steel skid plate from the back of the trailer so we could re-bolt the catch latch. This was a simple problem but a complicated fix. You never know what’s going to happen on the ranch.

After making sure the trailers were good to go we decided to brand and vaccinate the late calves so they could return to pasture. This was a quick and swift process. There were only 15 calves so we used the calf table. This was my first time using the table and I will admit it was easy to maneuver and efficient. While dragging calves to the fire is more fun, the table is more effective and easier on the calves. Once again ranching is one big game of balance and the decisions you make have an impact on the future.

To my surprise, rounding up the sheep is no easy task – they certainly don’t move or behave like cattle. They are more skittish and often do the exact opposite of what you want them to do. With that, gathering sheep out of a 4,000 acre pasture was a daunting task. The biggest problem was that they are experts at hiding and every drainage is a possible hiding spot. To gather them we used four wheelers and they were very effective in crossing the terrain. Once the sheep were grouped up it made moving them easier. However, when you would find a single pair or two, it was very difficult. Oftentimes they would give up on you and lay down. This gets old very fast and oftentimes I would grab the ewe or her lamb and carry her on the four wheeler. To anyone who is wondering, mature ewes are very difficult to move and place on a four wheeler.

After the sheep were gathered into the docking pens we let them sit there overnight so they could pair up and find their mothers. The next morning, bright and early we then gathered them into an even smaller pen. One-thousand sheep in one pen sounds hectic but actually they were calm all packed together and the lambs were not stressed being away from their mothers. Once a small group was grouped up on the docking pen everyone would scramble to catch the lambs. The first day of docking I held lambs. There is a strategic way to hold the lambs so that they don’t kick the vaccinators or dockers.

I quickly learned how to hold the lambs so it was easy for me and everyone else. Once you wrangled a lamb you would set them on a small table and move them down each step. First, the lambs got their sore mouth inoculation in the ear. Secondly, they received a CD&T vaccine. Next, a band was placed on their tails. You also had to pay attention because the solid white ewes revived a notch in their ear so that they would be sorted into the keeper pen when weaning comes around. This sounds like a complicated process but actually operates similar to a cafeteria line.
After processing the very busy days of docking and vaccinating the lambs it made me realize events like this is what makes up the ranching traditions. It is a time of gathering for family and friends. Livestock can be difficult but it always seems that everyone is having the time of their lives. Personally, I had a blast and learned so much! Not only is this process important to the health and future of the lambs, but also the family. Ranching and agriculture are an endless cycle. Docking was a time that everyone could chat with friends, make jokes, and let loose. Not to mention everyone was rewarded with a delicious meal afterwards.

Submitted by: Maggie McStay
Edits by: GrowinG Internship Team