Small ruminants Flashcards
ovis aries
domestic sheep
ovine
sheep
lamb/lambkin
sheep younger than 1 year
weaner
young sheep recently separated from mother
hogget
sheep older than a weaner but not an adult
ewe
adult female sheep
suckling
female sheep that is nursing
ram/tup
adult male sheep
wether
castrated male
capra hircus
domestic goat
caprine
goat
major sheep characteristics
grazer, tail down, upper lip has distinct separation of philtrum, mellow temperment
major goat characteristics
browser, tail up, trouble makers
fleece
wool removed from single sheep
Merino sheep breed
adaptable, used for wool, need to shear at least once a year
Rambouillet sheep breed
french version of Merino sheep breed, wooly legs
black and white dorper sheep breed
polled, from South Africa, used for mutten, hair sheds like dogs
Jacob sheep breed
have 2 or 4 horns but some can even have up to 6
bucks
intact male goats
wether
castrated male goats
kid
offspring of goats
nanny/doe
adult female goat
buckling
young male goat
goatling/doeling
young female goat
suckling
female goat with nursing offspring
disbudding
done in young goats by applying a hot cautery to destroy horn tissue
dehorning
done in adult goats using local anesthesia to remove their horns
Saanen goat breed
large dairy breed
La Mancha goat breed
dairy goats, small ears
Nubian goat breed
long ears, roman nose, popular
Angora goat breed
ringlet fur, used for cashmere
Boer goat breed
large meat breed
Tennessee stiff-leg goat breed
aka fainting goats, have a congenital trait called myotonia congenita that causes extreme muscle stiffness when frightened where the neck and hind legs extend before the goat falls over
cattle panels
large round sheds for animals
watch heat and ammonia buildup in closed ones
how many sheep do there need to be before the sheep start moving as a flock?
~ 4 animals
what is the best way to catch a sheep?
it is easier to catch an individual sheep while it is with a group
herd the group into a corner and move slowly towards them while extending arms out to create a visual barrier, walk quickly up through their blind spot behind the sheep and grab it under its chin
sheep restraint
stand it against rails or hold with knees and a hand under the chin
sheep tipping
sitting a sheep up
how do you tip a sheep?
- stand with sheep parallel to your legs, place a hand under its neck while other hand reaches across its back to grab the farthest forelimb
- turn sheep’s head toward its rear limbs
- pull the forelimb close to the sheep’s body and you will be able to tip the sheep backward so it sits on its rump
- hold both of the front legs while straddling the sheep
goat restraint
use a milk stand or stanchion to distract them with feed
flight zone
the amount of space around an animal that when crossed will cause the animal to move away
how big or small it is depends on each individual animal and their comfort level with being around people
point of balance
the shoulder
when standing behind an animal’s shoulder they will walk forward and standing in front of tipping zone will cause the animal to move backward
what is involved in a hands off physical exam?
consists of herd health, behavior, voice, ingestion/digestion, posture and gait, skin and body condition
how can you determine herd health?
looking at the herd from a distance and watching their behaviors
are they eating? drinking? stressed? lethargic? is someone recumbent? limping?
what are some examples of behaviors we are looking out for when watching posture and gait?
circling, head butting, stumbling, head bobbing, goose walk
what does a hunched back usually mean?
possible constipation
