THE CRUTCHING OF SHEEP.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 482, 13 July 1912, Page 3

THE CRUTCHING OF SHEEP.

As suggested in my remarks of la9t month, I propose giving a few hints on crutching. First, then, the object of crutching is to obviate waste of wool through excessive diarrhoea of the animal during the wet and cold months of the winter. Such being the case it is obvious that the later the operation is performed in the autumn, the less likely is the wool on the pelt liable to get stained before shearing time. Scouring, or dirtying of the wool surrounding the tail, is effected, not as many imagine, while the animal is grazing, but while lying down; as, unlike most other species, the Bheep dungs whilst lying as frequently as when standing. Noticeable by observation of any carrying ground, or were such animal has been cast. Hence, if the wool surrounding the tail be long, it cannot escape contamination; whereas, if previously shorn, there is little for the dung to cling to. For this reason the operator should bear in mind that not only is that surrounding the tail to be removed, but all below down the crutch, and even around the hocks, should be taken off; while, if a breeding flock, the wool surrounding the udder should be removed and a blow made below each flank in order, to assist the infant lamb in finding its "bottle" for the first time; otherwise it is noticeable that a percentage of that season's lambs will be what is termed "hind-suckers," owing to the facility afforded in getting at the udder from that part of the ewe, which is not obstructed by wool, and, strange to say, such rarely, if ever, thrive or, at anyrate, progress like the remainder, and become unsightly through the head being covered with dung from the ewe. Again, by removing all superfluous wool surrounding the teats, the practice of "sucking in wool" is obviated or greatly reduced, and hence the preventions of occasional deaths from what many a sheep farmer thinks "natural causes" or "unknown reasons." Not so,' however, for how often will he find if he take the trouble to "post-mortem" such cases a ball of wool located in the lamb's intestines, preventing the natural passage of food, noticeable by an accumulation of congested milk surrounding this foreign matter. But will have occasion. to allude to this, its symptoms, and remedy, later on. Suffice it to say that the habit of taking wool into the stomach, is doubtless contracted from sucking it with the teat, and can be obviated, or mitigated, by ordinary observation at crutching time. We have then to consider the most suitable time of the year for such process. Bearing in mind the foregoing, it will be apparent to the reader that the later the operation is performed, consistent wtih seasons, the better. Nevertheless, an important factor hrs to be taken into consideration, viz., the pregnant state of the ewu and comparative risk of injury from handling during the necessary work—an all-important matter, as will be conceded, which we take into consideration that the ration of loss arising from neglect of crutching is insignificant compared with the loss of the ewe itself, caused by a careless operator. Ergo! the crutching should be carried out as late as possible consistent with the period of pregnancy. This, latter, will necessarily depend upon the date of service. Therefore no fixed rule is applicable to all sheep breeders, excepting that "it iB dangerous to leave crutching over later than one month before lambing commences." Better by far err on the side of haste. But should, from unavoidable acuses, a delay have arisen, then avoid squatting ewes on their hindquarters, violently throwing them down, or crowding them more than necessary during the process, but, placing one hand under the chin, with the other gently press the ewe down shoulder, and, when down, keep her being as flat &b practicable |aftejr trimming. ,her .cjfA oyer_an^_

quickly finish the other. By thia means, especially if done on the shearing floor of the wool shed, tfie ewe is not over-strained, quickly re-" leased, and the possibility of injury fractional; but, should the owner be unable to trust or depend on the work being done throughout with sufficient care, I recommend the system of crutching standing. When the employee is required to "catch" only, and, witb his left hand under the sheep's head, back the animal to any part of the yard fence; then, holding the toprail with the right, he gently presses his right leg against the ewe's ribs, wegding her up so that the boss can easily manipulate the shears around the crutch, and remove all superfluous wool better, safer, and more artistically than when held on the floor, besides being better able to notice what wool should be taken off and what is 'unnecessary, thus avoiding depreciation of value, for, although economical to remove that which otherwise would eventually be sold as "locks" or "daggings," and so realise the better pfcice for "crutchings," yet these never reach the prevailing value of fleece wool. Therefore, taking all things into consideration, including th«i fact that one can with safety carry out this process up to within a few days of lambing, I unhesitatingly recommend, where practicable, this process for economy, futility, safety, and art's sake. I use the word "art" advisedly, for what is more offensive to the artistic eye of the breeder than the appearance of one of his carefully bred ewes after being crutched on the ground by an inexperienced hand? Aye, even, as is frequently the case, by a so-called competent one. In like manner as "half the breeding goes down the throat," so, I would add, "three parts is conserved, or destroyed, by the hand of the external operator." Especially is the foregoing applicable to a "stud" or well-bred flock, and, with the exception of a "stud shepherd" or the "making of one," I have never found a servant yet who can be relied upon to study this throughout the crutching season. I will go further, and sav that, many a breeder has lost a good order from a would-be client simply from the' fact of an employee making the flock unsightly through careless crutching; whereas the owner can, with practice, keep two hands "catching" while crutching standing. The best kind of shears for this purpose are those with short blades, possessing a cranked handle, which can be purchased from most ironmongers or dealers in hardware, and are always useful if at any time the owner wishes to trim an exhibit for show purposes; in fact, no breeder should be without them. Referring to the illustration of a "typical Romney Marsh ram," accompanying my remarks in the sheep columns of last month's dairyman, it might interest many of my readers to iearn that this animal is no other than the now notorious Record Breker 111., when a two-year-old. Bred, as you are probably aware by Ernest Short, of Parorangi, Feildiug, Manawatu, from the progeny of ewes originally sold to him by the writer, I need hardly add that the progress of breed in such capable hands, during* the few years elapsing since my original importation, has been marvellous, as noticeable in the photograph of the specimen under review—so much so that for quality of wool, density and evenness of fleece, symmetry of carcase, accuracy of type, and all-round wool and mutton qualifications, he was unsurpassed at the late international stock exhibition held in the Argentine; while I am firmly of opinion that he fs second to none of that paticular breed in the universe, which is saying a big thing. Still, there never have been two sheep alike, however much the novice is unable to distinguish a difference, and therefore there must always be a "best." In this case I can safely say I have never seen a better, notwithstanding I have at different periods named specimens of my original flock "Perfection" 1., 11. and 111. Therefore I feel justified in staking, the veracitv of this journal by having illustrated him as my ideal of a typical Kent or Romney Marsh ram of the first water. While hailing, as he does, from a long line of ancestors, his stock cannot fail to resemble, in a more or less degree, their sire, no matter how mated. On this subject I could, with great pleasure, talk the proverbial or metaphorical—"hind leg off a horse," but space and the patience of the majority of readers of this journal will not admit, so I will at present conclude with this axiom, equally applicable to stud sheep as humanity—"Wha<'B bred in the bune comes out in the flesh." —N.Z. Farmers' Union Journal.