Sheep

• Approach sheep without causing undue stress


  Slowly and quietly enter the pen, closing the gate behind you.

  Keeping a wide stance, ensure all sheep are grouped together, walking low and slow towards them so they huddle in a group together in the corner.
• Catch a sheep specified by the examiner


  Slowly walk towards the sheep.

  Place an arm under its neck and round its bottom, and spread your knees either side of the sheep, standing to the side of it.

  Placing the sheep against a fence allows the fence to be held, holding the sheep in place.
• Restrain a sheep standing

  Hold the sheep against the fence, with your hands at the cranial and caudal ends of the sheep holding the fence, or holding the sheep under its neck and round its bottom.
• Examine the teeth

  Whilst gently restraining the sheep, pull down the bottom lip to examine the teeth.

  0 incisors = Lamb

  2 incisors = 1 year old

  4 incisors = 2 years old

  6 incisors = 3 years old

  8 incisors = 4 years old
• Assess body sheep condition score and tell the examiner the score

  Hands in a ’W’ shape, palpate lumbar region of sheep‘s spine, feeling the transverse and dorsal processes at the same time. judge the body condition score from this.

  State the body condition score to the examiner: “The body condition score is 3.”
• Identify sites for subcutaneous and intramuscular injection


  Subcutaneous

  • Behind the shoulder, over the ribs

  Intramuscular

  • Neck
  • Quadriceps, cranial to the femur (to avoid the sciatic nerve)

  Intravenous

  • Jugular vein
• Release a sheep and leave the pen in a safe manner


  Gently let go of the sheep and step back calmly, and walk slowly to the gate.

  Remember to lock the gate behind you after exiting.