Baymule
Herd Master
When your sheep and dogs arrive, take a deep breath. That’s what home is.
Oh….. and your DS1 and DH too!
Oh….. and your DS1 and DH too!
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
- Start date
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Those kids and grands will come visit!! They'll miss you & want to come there 
won't be bad as You're thinking -- NO guilt! You deserve a time for yourselves, not JUST raising kids. Besides, they darned sure seem to move back in on you. Trust me, I know! 
won't be bad as You're thinking -- NO guilt! You deserve a time for yourselves, not JUST raising kids. Besides, they darned sure seem to move back in on you. Trust me, I know! - Thread starter
- #3,793
Ridgetop
Herd Master
The vet check has been done, blood drawn for Brucellosis and Coggins, sheep all wormed, horses annual vaccinations given, sheep paint branded. The die is cast and there is no changing minds at this point. Not after writing the check for the 5 hour vet visit and CVIs. Don't ask what it cost. Although it was about what I expected. The vet and her tech were accompanied by a 4th year vet student who is going to be interning starting in January with Cattlemen's Veterinary Services in Sulphur Springs!
The vet looked at Snowflake who is still limping and said that no bones seemed to be injured and her hips and pelvis are ok. I was worried about her being able to lamb. Dr. Nenn said she shouldn't have any problems and that her injuries seemed to be more like a muscle tear. She should continue to recover.
The diagnosis on Lewis was not so good. Dr. Nenn examined him and said he had a condition in his hips and rear legs caused by severe arthritis. She identified it right away because he had gone posty in both rear legs. He also had something wrong with his shoulder and front leg causing that lameness. I told her that I was thinking I should put him down since he seemed to be in pain, and she said that she would advise it since she didn't think he could even make the trip. We put him down, but it looks like some of the ewes that were in with him are pregnant so I should have one last lambing out of him. DS1 was telling them about how good natured he was for a ram and would come right up to him in the pen. Sweet Lewis was our favorite ram. Most of his offspring have a more docile temperament too. They also shed well.
At least 14 of the ewes were well uddered, so should lamb before shipping. 2 large framed taller ewes that were in with Lewis don't look pregnant so he may not have been able to settle them. I would not mind if some of the ewes come up open before the trip. We had the normal miscount and lost numbers during the visit. I had transposed numbers on one ewe and when we were finished we didn't have another marked off the list. Elizabeth came home from school about that time so she and DS1 checked al the ewes. Everyone had been paint branded so DS1 and the vet went over the photos an everyone was there. They have to take photos of each animal from both sides for the CVI.
There were also a fair number of missing ear tags. Some were missing scrapie tags, some were missing flock tags, and 2 were missing both. Luckily those 2 were older ewes that had been classified and had the ADSBS inspection tags with numbers in their ears. I pulled my inspection form and found those numbers and we were able to ID the sheep with missing tags that way. I need to order more blank tags before the inspection this year because the tags that are on the sheep need to match the registration papers.
Exhausting but finally done. Just have to wait for the results from the Brucellosis and Coggins tests and we can ship.
The vet looked at Snowflake who is still limping and said that no bones seemed to be injured and her hips and pelvis are ok. I was worried about her being able to lamb. Dr. Nenn said she shouldn't have any problems and that her injuries seemed to be more like a muscle tear. She should continue to recover.
The diagnosis on Lewis was not so good. Dr. Nenn examined him and said he had a condition in his hips and rear legs caused by severe arthritis. She identified it right away because he had gone posty in both rear legs. He also had something wrong with his shoulder and front leg causing that lameness. I told her that I was thinking I should put him down since he seemed to be in pain, and she said that she would advise it since she didn't think he could even make the trip. We put him down, but it looks like some of the ewes that were in with him are pregnant so I should have one last lambing out of him. DS1 was telling them about how good natured he was for a ram and would come right up to him in the pen. Sweet Lewis was our favorite ram. Most of his offspring have a more docile temperament too. They also shed well.
At least 14 of the ewes were well uddered, so should lamb before shipping. 2 large framed taller ewes that were in with Lewis don't look pregnant so he may not have been able to settle them. I would not mind if some of the ewes come up open before the trip. We had the normal miscount and lost numbers during the visit. I had transposed numbers on one ewe and when we were finished we didn't have another marked off the list. Elizabeth came home from school about that time so she and DS1 checked al the ewes. Everyone had been paint branded so DS1 and the vet went over the photos an everyone was there. They have to take photos of each animal from both sides for the CVI.
There were also a fair number of missing ear tags. Some were missing scrapie tags, some were missing flock tags, and 2 were missing both. Luckily those 2 were older ewes that had been classified and had the ADSBS inspection tags with numbers in their ears. I pulled my inspection form and found those numbers and we were able to ID the sheep with missing tags that way. I need to order more blank tags before the inspection this year because the tags that are on the sheep need to match the registration papers.
Exhausting but finally done. Just have to wait for the results from the Brucellosis and Coggins tests and we can ship.
Margali
Herd Master
Sorry to hear about Lewis. *Hugs offered*
I'm glad vet said Snowflake should continue to improve.
I'm glad vet said Snowflake should continue to improve.
SageHill
Herd Master
You’re soooo close! Good job.
Sorry about Lewis, you knew it was coming, better now than during transport.
Very cool about the vet student heading to Sulfur Springs!
Sorry about Lewis, you knew it was coming, better now than during transport.
Very cool about the vet student heading to Sulfur Springs!
Baymule
Herd Master
What a small world! The vet student is going to Sulphur Springs! That’s awesome.
I know how you feel about Lewis. I felt the same way about Ringo. Hard decision, but the right one. You have his last lambs on the way and maybe a good ram lamb will be a keeper for you. Lewis has been a great ram for you, his legacy is in your flock. Lewis lives on through his descendants.
That’s good news about Snowflake. She will heal up and be good as new.
Y’all are GTT. Gone To Texas.
I know how you feel about Lewis. I felt the same way about Ringo. Hard decision, but the right one. You have his last lambs on the way and maybe a good ram lamb will be a keeper for you. Lewis has been a great ram for you, his legacy is in your flock. Lewis lives on through his descendants.
That’s good news about Snowflake. She will heal up and be good as new.
Y’all are GTT. Gone To Texas.
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Huge step in right direction --- moving to TX ranch!! 
Hate Lewis news but, truly you had expected such. At least he left with dignity. Hip arthritis -- prob couldn't breed some but, he's been a real worker for you and treated well, with kindness & love. RIP Lewis
We all want our livestock and dogs to live forever. They do -- in our hearts & thoughts
Hate Lewis news but, truly you had expected such. At least he left with dignity. Hip arthritis -- prob couldn't breed some but, he's been a real worker for you and treated well, with kindness & love. RIP Lewis
We all want our livestock and dogs to live forever. They do -- in our hearts & thoughts
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- Thread starter
- #3,798
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Yes, Lewis was a terrific ram. I have 10 breeding age daughters out of him, 1 son with get on the ground, and 5 of the 11 ewes that were exposed to Lewis are showing udders so he settled at lest half of his ewes. I also have several granddaughters through his daughters. He has such a nice temperament too, although we don't make pets out of our rams. At least he had an easy death at home without any more pain. It would have been terrible to try to ship him and have him go down and get trampled in the trailer. I couldn't let that happen to him.
I went back in my records and figured out where the missing P22 was. She was the ewe that had the terrible prolapse and I had to euthanize her myself. I hadn't removed her paperwork from my registration book. I figured it out because there were 6 Lewis sired yearlings in my book, but only 5 in the group we turned out with the adult ewes after we separated the rams. With the elimination of her from the list, we solve the count and the mystery of P22. We have 15 ewes showing udders. I am hoping they will lamb before the trip. I am hoping the rest will hold out until we reach Texas.
We had problems with the gooseneck and the fifth wheel wiring - the trailer brakes were not working. DH took the truck in this morning to have them s=check the plug in the tuck since the bumper plug for the 16' stock bumper pull worked fine. Sure enough it was the plug connection in the bed. They will have it fixed or replaced tomorrow. Then we will start loading the small stock trailer to go back. I will go back first but hopefully after most of the sheep lamb around 4/21. The brucellosis tests will take about 2 weeks which puts us around May 1. DH said he will drive back with me in either the car or the truck and Rick will drive the other vehicle. Then they will drop that trailer and go back in the truck for the gooseneck, leaving the car with me in Texas. I want the gooseneck to be the last trailer they bring because they have to bring a lot of feeders and the rest of the corral panels. We will bring the last of the furniture, all the rest of the boxes and bins, the tools and big metal toolchests. And Rika. And a list of stuff to get done - like get the internet hooked up. LOL
I went back in my records and figured out where the missing P22 was. She was the ewe that had the terrible prolapse and I had to euthanize her myself. I hadn't removed her paperwork from my registration book. I figured it out because there were 6 Lewis sired yearlings in my book, but only 5 in the group we turned out with the adult ewes after we separated the rams. With the elimination of her from the list, we solve the count and the mystery of P22. We have 15 ewes showing udders. I am hoping they will lamb before the trip. I am hoping the rest will hold out until we reach Texas.
We had problems with the gooseneck and the fifth wheel wiring - the trailer brakes were not working. DH took the truck in this morning to have them s=check the plug in the tuck since the bumper plug for the 16' stock bumper pull worked fine. Sure enough it was the plug connection in the bed. They will have it fixed or replaced tomorrow. Then we will start loading the small stock trailer to go back. I will go back first but hopefully after most of the sheep lamb around 4/21. The brucellosis tests will take about 2 weeks which puts us around May 1. DH said he will drive back with me in either the car or the truck and Rick will drive the other vehicle. Then they will drop that trailer and go back in the truck for the gooseneck, leaving the car with me in Texas. I want the gooseneck to be the last trailer they bring because they have to bring a lot of feeders and the rest of the corral panels. We will bring the last of the furniture, all the rest of the boxes and bins, the tools and big metal toolchests. And Rika. And a list of stuff to get done - like get the internet hooked up. LOL
Baymule
Herd Master
This is so exciting! I’m on pins and needles, can’t wait for y’all to be here.
SageHill
Herd Master
OMG OMG OMG -- it's really happening! So happy for you (but sad CA is losing yet another good person)
