Back home from checking on the lambs. All was well this morning. This afternoon is a different story. Found two (twins) lying side by side, dead, in a mangled state.
Doubt the Sea Eagle would have killed them in this manner so only other option is dog. And it wasn't either of my dogs Jay or Lola as they were under strict supervision all of the day.
What probably happened was a dog came along, the mother ewe ran away, but the lamb's instinct is to lie still until danger has passed. I noticed this the other day when Lola slipped her lead and was running excited among the ewes and lambs. The sheep flocked together but the lambs lay still and quiet.
Anyway, the lambs lying still were easy meat and all I am left with a sense of wasted lives, time and effort.
On a brighter note, currently bottle-feeding a lamb, one of twins, rejected by its mother. Seems the lamb has adopted a rather bemused Lola as its new mother and protector. Good luck to you little ewe lamb and Lola, please keep the canines sheathed.
Doubt the Sea Eagle would have killed them in this manner so only other option is dog. And it wasn't either of my dogs Jay or Lola as they were under strict supervision all of the day.
What probably happened was a dog came along, the mother ewe ran away, but the lamb's instinct is to lie still until danger has passed. I noticed this the other day when Lola slipped her lead and was running excited among the ewes and lambs. The sheep flocked together but the lambs lay still and quiet.
Anyway, the lambs lying still were easy meat and all I am left with a sense of wasted lives, time and effort.
On a brighter note, currently bottle-feeding a lamb, one of twins, rejected by its mother. Seems the lamb has adopted a rather bemused Lola as its new mother and protector. Good luck to you little ewe lamb and Lola, please keep the canines sheathed.
1 comment:
You sound like just the man to know whether my GGG Grandfather William MacLeod, a Cow Herd at Monkstadt, Skye around 1841 to 1871would have used horse and a dog to help him round up the herd.. and if so the sort of horse and dog??? Before that he was a Grasskeeper at Monkstadt.. I can't think what he would have used to keep the grass under control unless the local blacksmith made up a scythe or similar??
Just curious...
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