Sheep Docking

Sheep Docking

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
It’s 6 AM, cool and still dark. The faraway spotlight and the sound is the beginning of a new day. As the eastern landscape brightens up, the Western landscape becomes a sea of sheep. Where one goes, they all go. 450 ewes and their month old lambs are being patiently coaxed to a corral for a health check. They are making preparations for a summer on the range. “They are earmarking, docking tales and also castrating all of the buck lambs.” Volunteer Braden Jensen who grew up on a sheep ranch describes it as a flashback and reality check. “We did quite a bit of this growing up. This is how my springs were spent until the sheep were turned out onto the range. It’s great to get out into the field right next to the producers and to have a reality check.” The docking crew will process over 250 lambs in about three hours.
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