Prevention

ways to avoid health issues in your Soay flock

Lamb Camp Day 1: Campers arrive and so do their first lambs

Lamb Camp Day 1: Campers arrive and so do their first lambs

Our friend Ida had so much fun visiting us during lambing in 2013 that she applied to return this year. In my last post, I tried to set the stage for Lamb Camp 2015 by sharing the backstory of Ida’s first visit. By the time Ida and daughter Whitney and niece Audrey arrived on April […]

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Vaccinations and other “shots” for Soay sheep: when, why, and how

Vaccinations and other “shots” for Soay sheep: when, why, and how

Soay sheep are legendary for their hardiness, including their resistance to disease. They don’t need much in the way of vaccinations — just one per year in our experience — but that one annual immunization is important to their good health. As for other shots, a pair of vitamin and mineral injections for newborns will […]

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Soay sheep hoof trimming revisited

Soay sheep hoof trimming revisited

Not much changes from year to year in the lore about hoof trimming for sheep and other cloven-footed animals:  use sharp clippers, trim a little at a time so you do not cut through the “quick,” try to create a platform for each hoof so the animal can walk without a hitch in its step.  […]

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An ounce of prevention for Soay lambs

An ounce of prevention for Soay lambs

Want strong, healthy lambs? Have you ever experienced the agony of watching one of your Soay lambs fail to thrive and perhaps even die despite your best efforts? Good news: if you are willing to mix a little goody into your ewes’ mineral right before lambing, and supplement your lambs with a different goody through […]

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A Soay sheep lambing crisis with a mostly happy outcome

During an otherwise calm start to lambing, we were hit with a stark reminder that no matter how self-reliant our Soay sheep may be, we still must be prepared to intervene when, rarely, the need arises.  This story takes a while to relate.  Please bear with me. Setting the stage: virtually every description of Soay […]

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Getting started with Soay sheep:  Mineral

Getting started with Soay sheep: Mineral

Remember when you were growing up and your mom or dad nagged at you to take your daily mineral-fortified vitamin pill?  Here is good news.  You never have to nag your sheep about mineral; you just have to keep their mineral feeder full and I promise they will eat enough to keep them healthy. You […]

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