The Certificate is valid for 30 days if shipping by surface and 10 days if shipping by air. A copy of that certificate must accompany the animal and a copy is sent to the State Veterinarian of the destination state. While we might take issue with some USDA regulations, this is a very good one. We frequently choose to have Shetlands inspected that are sold to residents of Vermont. We like the idea because it gives our customers a degree of confidence that a veterinarian, who is familiar with Shetland sheep and our flock, certifies that the sheep he is checking are in good shape.
Sheep are very susceptible to shipping fever .
While this isn t really an official disease, it is the generic name given to the pneumonia type problems that sheep may contract when stressed. Shipping sheep is VERY stressful to the sheep and their immune systems sometimes get quite run down. Any bug that happens along may find a ready host in a newly arrived sheep. Shetland sheep are very thrifty animals. As a primitive breed, they have had to survive, over the years, on Spartan feed and their systems have adapted so that they do quite well on marginal feed.