A Beautiful Day Rudely Interrupted

Fritz Before the "Procedure"

The day started out very nice for everyone here at Piscataway Acres.  As it is a weekend, the sheep and goats were let out into the woods to have the whole day to eat and play.  The two little lambs have great fun running around the yard, playing with each other and whoever else they can find to play with.  This morning was no different from the last few weekends.  The little lambs enjoying their freedom and having a great time.  Until…

From the moment that Kaboodle’s lamb came out and he was identified as a male, we knew this day would come.  He would need to be castrated.  There are several ways to castrate a lamb.  I choose banding as it seemed to be the least traumatic for the lamb and the easiest for a non-vet to perform.  The process involves a pair of funny pliers and a tiny, but strong, rubber band.  The pliers have prongs that stick out, when one squeezes the pliers, the prongs separate.  You can slip the rubber band on the prongs, squeeze, and the rubber band opens up.  You then slip the rubber band around the little fella, and release.  The rubber band closes around him and cuts of circulation to the unwanted appendage.

Fritz was very well behaved and took the whole think like a man.  Afterward, he was none too happy.  His day ruined, he is just laying around thinking about how this could have happened.  I have read that after a few hours, they start acting like normal again.  I am waiting for that moment to come, as seeing him pout as he is doing right now is very sad. 

As expected, his mother doesn’t seem to care one way or the other.  She isn’t going to win any “Best Mom” awards anytime soon!