[AT] OT-JD, now sheep

[Cecil Bearden]

This was the problem with this Ram, he was afraid of being cornered by a 
human.  When he was with the ewes he was no problem working in the pens or 
whatever.  But, if you got him by himself, he would go nuts.  I had sorted 
the little rams in the barn and had them in a pen at one end.  I was tagging 
them as per the Animal ID requirements in order to take them to the sale 
Saturday afternoon.  This was about 9 am Sat morning.  I had most of the 
little ones tagged by myself and Dad was in the truck warming up... 
Actually that is the way I prefer things...
The ram was to be hauled also and he was in the barn not in the pen.  Dad 
started pulling on the stiff barn door and I hollered 3 times to just stay 
out, but he paid no attention as usual.  Then he gets the door open and 
cannot shut it.  I told him to just get out of the door and let the ram out 
because I knew he would go to the light of the open door.  At that time he 
was near me in the pen.  The ram started toward the door and Dad decides to 
back out of the door instead of just stepping aside.  He got hit right in 
the left knee while backing out the door.  Knocked his shoe off too.

Really what happened was he thought he would show that Ram who was boss, and 
when he saw 140 lbs of pure muscle coming at him he changed his mind.  It is 
really hard for me to be very sympathetic because I told him several times 
to stay out.  This has happened before, I work with these animals all the 
time and by myself and have only got minor scrapes and cuts from the pens. 
Dad thinks because they are small animals he can be the boss and push them 
around.  Dad is about 86 now, but I have never knew what I was doing for the 
last 53 years....

It was like watching a wreck about to happen that you cannot do anything 
about.  I knew when he opened that barn door that he was going to get hurt, 
but he would not listen to anything I said..   I really envy guys that can 
work with their fathers and have their respect.  Mine thinks I know 
nothing..

Oh well...  My sheep are not domestic sheep, they are Barbados.  They are a 
3 way cross between Barbado sheep from Barbados, French Moufflin to get the 
big curled horns, and suffolk to calm them down enought they only jump as 
high as a deer!!!!!!   They are very similar to deer in actions.  They are 
great mothers, and tough as a boot.  They can survive on nearly nothing.  My 
wheat pasture is literally gone due to the drought.  However, it is 
supporting 95 head of these guys.   I only had one problem with the ewe not 
claiming her lambs and she did it for 2 lambings.   She will be going to the 
sale in about 2 months.  she is probably about 14 years old.

The ram that hit Dad had a full curl of horns that were about 3 1/2 inches 
diameter at the base with about a 1 ft diameter curl...  He was 140 lbs with 
40 being head and horns!!!   Maybe he will learn to stay clear from now on. 
I have no problems with the ewes, and only approach the rams from the side. 
Of course grabbing them with the shepherd crook slows them down pretty good.

So, I had to cancel going to a meeting in Wichita for my job so I could stay 
home to feed  the sheep and babysit my 86 year old child who cannot walk.  I 
would bve very surprised if he did not break it.  The knee is swollen to 1 
1/2 times its size.  I can't get him to go to the Doctor, he knows more than 
the Dr.  I tried and my wife has tried, so If it hurts bad enough, he will 
go..

If I sound irritated, I am.  I really needed to go to that meeting to 
network with some folks so I could do some work after retirement....

Sorry guys I just hadda vent.  Stupidity really p**ses me off...!


Cecil in OKla
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Indiana Robinson" <robinson at svs.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 8:49 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] OT-JD, now sheep


>
> On 20 Feb 2006 at 8:28, Herbert Metz wrote:
>
>> Cecil
>> Good to know that your fathers injuries were limited to a sore knee.
>> Do not know you opinion on sheep.   Although Dad was very tolerant toward
>> animals, I do remember his infrequent comments that sheep had to be the
>> dumbest of all animals.  "When I was knee high to a grasshopper" we had 
>> 50
>> to 75 sheep for several years.  Dad never regretted the decision of
>> discontinuing sheep ranching.   Dad had several good reasons, the one I
>> remember was they were the only animal that would not always claim their
>> newborn.
>> Maybe some list member is better informed of the above saying; hope so,
>> because I do not know.
>> Herb
>
>
>
> Hi Herb:
>
> At the peak of our sheep raising days Diana and I were keeping 80 ewes.
> That was a huge flock for this part of the midwest, as far as I know the 
> largest
> in our county or nearby counties . While we generally enjoyed raising them 
> I
> used to often speak of having 80 sheep, all sharing one brain cell... 
> :-)
>
> Of course only the rams were of any danger and as long as we didn't buy
> any rams that had been raised as pets they were no real problem. The 
> secret is
> to keep the ram terrified of people.
>
>
>
> --
> "farmer"
>
> I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack
> me at once.   :-)
>
>
> Francis Robinson
> Central Indiana, USA
> robinson at svs.net
>
>
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> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
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