Friday, March 29, 2024
Ruminants

Guide to Catching and Holding of Sheep and Goats Easily

Catching and restraining a Sheep: catching a sheep the right way should be easy. Doing it the wrong way is stressful both for the shepherd and for the sheep.

If the sheep that need to be caught is not placid or familiar with human contact, and cannot be approached directly, it should be walked together with few other sheep into a corner or small pen. The sheep can then be caught and in the following ways;

Grasp the sheep by the neck or upper part of a back leg.

Put one hand (your right) on its muzzle and turn its head slowly but firmly sideways (to its left). The sheep will fall to the ground.

Take hold of the top of the front legs. One in each hand, and tilt the sheep into a sitting position, with it leaning slightly backwards against your legs.

The sheep is now relaxed and you can trim its hoofs or examine its udder.

NB: Some shepherd use a crook to catch sheep. A crook is a strong pole, about 1.5m long, with a hooked end. A neck crook has a large hook to fit around the neck of a sheep. A leg crook has a small hook to fit around.

Catching and restraining a goat: the easiest way to catch a goat is to bribe it with food! If this fails a group of goat can be herded into a pen or enclosure from where individual animals can be caught. Approaching from the side and catching the horns, leg or neck usually succeed. The goat can be manhandled to sitting position by:

First reaching under the belly and gently pulling the two furthest legs towards you.

With the goats now on its side lean over to catch both front legs, back up the goat towards you so that it sits on its bottom.

An alternative method is to up one hand of the shoulder and one under the neck and carefully twist the goat into the sitting position. Mind the horns! Feet can now be examined and hooves trimmed.

Artificial Insemination Technique for Sheep and Goats

Artificial Insemination Technique for Sheep and Goats

Insemination in different animals has different techniques especially the timing because animals at different time relative to the onset of estrus. There are basically 2 major methods (rector-cervical and older speculum method.

The Speculum Method Procedure

With the speculum method semen usually can be deposited only 1- 3cm into the external uterine OS or posterior Portion of the cervical canal.

The equipment consist of a glass or metal speculum, and inseminating tube and a light source.

A sterile lubricated speculum is inserted into the vagina and cervix located by the aid of a light.

The inseminating tube is the inserted through the speculum and into the external uterine OS or posterior part of the cervical canal as far as possible after which the semen is expel or deposited.

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Here there is no manipulation of the cervix to allow for deeper deposition of the semen into the body of the uterus.

Due to some obvious reason, the fertility rate is low.

In an investigation it was found that fertility is about 9.7% lower in this method than in recto-vaginal technique.

The Recto-Vaginal Technique

In this method the equipment consist of an inseminating tube or catheter which is 5-6mm outside diameter, 40-45cm long and a syringe. The inseminating tubes are single service or disposable connected directly to plastic tubes.

The principal steps for carrying out artificial insemination are:

Put on clean rubber or disposable plastic gloves and sleeves.

Connect sterile inseminating tubes to syringe or inseminating tubes and drawn in 1 ml of diluted semen.

Place the load tube in horizontal position with portion near the syringe end in the mouth.

Lubricate glove and sleeves.

Carefully insert the hand and arm into the rectum and remove faeces if necessary.

Clean the exterior of the vulva with cotton or paper toweling and inside edge of the lips of the vulva with fresh cotton.

Insert inseminating tubes into the vulva as far as possible without touching the inside surfaces.

Pass the tube along the roof of the vagina, thus avoiding the urethra and it reaches the cervix.

With the hand in the rectum, press downward in the rectal wall grasp the cervix and guide tube into external uterine OS with the aid of thumb and a little finger around the posterior end of the cervix

Combine gentle the forward pressure on the tube and manipulation of the cervix by rotatory movement from wrist until the desired extent of penetration is achieved.

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Agric4Profits

Benadine Nonye is an agricultural consultant and a writer with over 12 years of professional experience in the agriculture industry. - National Diploma in Agricultural Technology - Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Science - Master's Degree in Science Education... Visit My Websites On: 1. Agric4Profits.com - Your Comprehensive Practical Agricultural Knowledge and Farmer’s Guide Website! 2. WealthinWastes.com - For Effective Environmental Management through Proper Waste Management and Recycling Practices! Join Me On: Twitter: @benadinenonye - Instagram: benadinenonye - LinkedIn: benadinenonye - YouTube: Agric4Profits TV and WealthInWastes TV - Pinterest: BenadineNonye4u - Facebook: BenadineNonye

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