Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ESTIMATING WEIGHTS
Don't have a scale to weigh adult sheep? Try this simple method
that gives a good estimate of weight:
1. Measure all the way around the sheep's body with a tape
measure just behind the front legs. Measurement = C. (If
the sheep is in full fl eece, part the wool so that the mea-
surement is accurate.)
2. Measure the length of the body from the point of the shoul-
der to the point of the rump. Measurement = AB.
3. Multiply (C × C × AB) and divide by 300.
C
B
A
Restraining Devices
Restraining devices make it easier on you to handle sheep for medical pur-
poses and foot trimming. For a very small fl ock — say, less than a dozen ani-
mals — you can probably get by without any restraining devices, but as the
number of animals increases, the value of these tools increases exponentially.
These devices run the gamut from high-dollar turning cradles that can be
built into a handling facility to inexpensive gambrel restrainers.
Turning cradles and freestanding tilt tables are well suited to larger oper-
ations. In fact, with prices that run around $1,000, they're impractical for
smaller fl ocks. But the sheep chair, a really nifty invention that hasn't been
around as long as turning cradles or tilt tables, serves the same purpose for
smaller fl ocks. Sheep chairs take advantage of the fact that sheep can't right
