After months of taking care of a set of sheep triplets, from a Katadin mother and Dorset father, the now large sheep where ready to go into the cooler. Sheep are a real pain to take care of. They are very high maintenance. The get out of their pens(all the time) and are very skidish. They are also exceptionally vocal whenever they see you and want food. But then again, I get pretty testy when I am hungry and that is why they are leaving the farm today. The weather has gotten colder, so the flys have departed and the conditions are more favorable for outside slaughtering.
The first order of business was to place the sheep in a pen the sits along side the slaughtering enclosure. I don't think the sheep realize this fact. Then 36 hours out from the actual killing time, I stop feeding them. They are provided all the fresh water desired. This is done to clean out the intenstins and make the job of gutting the animals a whole lot cleaner and easier. Remember what was said about hungry sheep! Those 36 hours our hell every time you walk by the sheep and they all start looking at you with those big hungry oh so sad eyes and the baying starts. Just look away and keep on trucking.
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