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Catching and tipping sheep

By Admin, on April 1st, 2011

Catching Sheep

At times it is necessary to catch and handle individual animals. If you do not have a handling system and have to catch sheep in a pen, use gates or hurdles to make the pen as small as possible. Do not get into the habit of chasing sheep around a pen. This is not only tiring, but is potentially dangerous for the sheep and the person trying to catch them. Compared to horses or cattle, sheep are not large animals, however, they are very fast on their feet and very strong for their size. Many people have been injured by trying to
catch a sheep improperly. Repeatedly chasing your sheep will also make them flighty and difficult to work with.

Maneuver the sheep into a corner, extending your arms or using a portable gate to form a visual barrier. Approach the sheep slowly and calmly. The sheep will likely attempt to escape but will probably not move away from the wall, so its moves can be anticipated. To properly catch a sheep, reach for one of three places.
  • Under the chin: Approach the sheep between its shoulder and flank (if you approach too close to the head, the sheep will likely be able to duck away from you). Cup your hand under the chin and point the nose up to stop the forward motion. Be sure that you get your hand on the bony part of the jaw, not on the throat or you will think you have caught a horse and will be dragged around the pen. Place your other hand on the tail/rump to prevent the sheep from backing away from your hand on its chin. If you are near a wall, you may wish to gently push the sheep against the wall to prevent sideways movement.
  • Hind leg: Catch the animal by one hind leg, positioning your hand just above the hock. Move your other hand up to control the head as soon as possible. As adult sheep are still able to kick strongly while being held just by the leg, this method generally works best for young, lightweight animals.
  • The Flank: Catch the animal by the front part of the hind leg as near as possible to the body. Place your free hand up to the head as soon as possible. If you control the head the rest of the animal will stay there as well.
Whichever method you use, remember that the wool is not a handle and should not be used as a means of controlling the sheep. This is particularly important when handling animals near slaughter weight, as wool pulling is a significant cause of muscle bruising and meat wastage. To move the sheep lift the tail and let the head down a little, and anticipate that the animal may try to bolt.

Tipping or Turning Sheep

Once the animal is caught, you may wish to ‘tip’ the sheep onto its rump to trim feet, inspect the udder etc. Surprisingly, sheep in this position struggle very little and are generally easy to work with (Figure 1). There are a few methods of getting the sheep
into this position.

Depending on your preferences, the following method is generally the least tiring and easiest on the handler and the sheep. These instructions are for a right-handed person, if you are left-handed you will likely find it easier if you reverse the directions.

Figure 1 Correct position for shearing sheep

1. Starting position:

  • Stand the sheep in front of you
  • Hold the sheep’s head in your left hand, placing your hand under the jaw
  • Your left knee should be near or just behind the sheep’s left shoulder
  • Your right leg should be touching the sheep’s side near its left hip
  • Your right hand on the sheep’s back over the hips

2. Turn the sheep’s nose away from you and right around as if it was trying to reach a spot on its back just behind the shoulder. As soon as you bring the nose around you will feel the weight of the sheep lean against your legs.

3. Put enough pressure on the hips with your right hand that the sheep cannot pick its back feet off the floor. Take a step back with your right leg (your back not the sheep’s!). The hind end of the sheep will start to go down.

4. Continue to bring the head around until the animal is sitting down with its back leaning against your legs.

Steps 2-4 should be done in a smooth motion. The mistake most often made by beginners using this method is to move the wrong foot. Remember to pivot on your left foot and step behind you with the right foot.

Author: Les Jones; Former OMAFRA Sheep Technician (Modified by OSMA 2010)


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