The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-12-02
THE CALEDON IA n
Catching and Handling Sheep.

Catching ana dandllng Sheep.
A. nearly every operation of practical
sheep hu>bandry is necessarily attended to
with the catching and handling of sheep,
| will make these the first of those practl-
cal manipulationS which am now to de-
scribe. \ sheep should always be caught
by throwing the hands about the neck
or by Seizing one hind leg immediately .
above the hook with the hand or by
hooking the crook round it at the same
place When thus caught by the hand,
the sheep should be drawn gently back
until the diSengaged hand can be placed
IN front of il, neck. The crook Is very
convenient 10 reach out and draw
sheep from number huddled by dog or
in corner, without shepherds making
Il spring for it. and putting the rest to
flight and a person accustomed to It's
use will catch moderately tame sheep most
anywhere with this implement But 1t
mus, be handled with care. 1t should be
used with a quick gentle motion-and the
caught sheep Immediately drawn back
rapidly enough to prevent ii from spring
inc to one side or the other, and thus
wrenching the leo, or throwing itself down
by exerting its force at an angle with the
line of draft in the crook Care must be
taken not to hook the crook to sheep
when it is 50 deep in huddlc with 9th
ers that they are liable to spring against
the caught one, or against the handle OF
the crook, either of which may occasion
severe lateral strain on the leo When
the sheep is drawn within reach, the leg
should at once be seized by the hand. and
the crook removed
A sheep should be lifted either by plac-
ing both arms around its body, immedi-
ately back of the fore legs or by stand
IN" sideways to it and placing one arm
before the fore legs and the other behind
the hind leTs: or by throwing one arm
round the fore parts and taking up the
sheep between the arm and hip; or lifting
il with the left arm under the brisket :;
the right hand grasping the thigh on the
other side so that the sheep lays on the
left arm with its back against the catch
er'> body, The two first modes are han
dlest and safest with the large sheep the
third mode is very convenient for small
sheep or lambs and change between
them al operates a> Il relief to the catcher
who has a large number to handle.
Under no circumstances whatever
should sheep be seized, much less lifted bv
the wool. The skin is sometimes literally
torn from the flesh. and where thi, extent
OF injury is not inflicted, killing and skim
ning would invariably disclose more or
less congestion occaSioned hv decorating
the cellular tissue between the skin and
flesh, and thus prove how purely llnneceS-
sary pain and injury has been inflicted on
an unotfending and valuable animal by
the ignorance or brutality of its attendant
1t cannot be too strongly enforced, that
gentleness in every manipulation and
movement connected with sheep is the
first and one of the main conditions of
success in managing them. They should
be taught to fear no injury from man.
They should be made tame and even af-
tectlonate-so that they will follow their
keeper about the feld-and so that. in
the stable, they will scarcely rise to get
out Of his way. Wild sheep are con-
stantly suffering some loss or deprivation
themselves. and constantly OccaSioning
some loss or damage to their owner: and
under the modern system of winter stable
management, it is difficult to get through
the weaving season with safety to their
lambS,-R'mdrNS Practical Shepherd.