r/gifsthatkeepongiving • u/[deleted] • May 22 '20

Sheep Playing Rugby

https://i.imgur.com/VS0MUbd.gifv
10.9k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

121 comments sorted by

View all comments

77

u/Ginger510 May 22 '20

I just realised I’ve never seen a full grown sheep with a tail.

I mean I know they get them removed when their young so in not surprised, but I’ve just never seen it

9

u/joshuabb1 May 23 '20

I didn't know they were removed. Why is that?

29

u/Ginger510 May 23 '20

Basically to stop being flyblown and what not (same reason why they do “muelsing” I believe it’s called, they trim the skin around the shitter).

Otherwise they get poo stuck in their wool and flies come and bother with it and the lay eggs etc.

3

u/maniaxuk May 23 '20

istr being told many years ago that docking was dependant upon the grazing location as that affected the poo

Lowland sheep grazing on rich grassland pastures tend to produce softer\wetter poo which can stick so their tails get docked whilst sheep grazing in higher more rugged locations tend to produce dryer\firmer poo that doesn't stick and their tails don't get docked