Yesterday sure had its ups and downs! Caroline and I had decided on a name for Coopworth # 236 as a result of the Name That Sheep contest: Princess Maple Leaf (most likely Princess for short). And I was all excited to announce on Facebook yesterday morning and here as well, but when I went to the computer, this email pops up with an exclamation point marker on it. Caroline sent me a message to tell me that Princess had almost been lost!
Sheep, especially pregnant ones, sometimes get "cast"--stuck upside down -- and it can kill them.
When Caroline went to check the sheep, it seemed that the flock was doing just fine, all upright and moving about. But, as she was heading back to the barn through a woody section of the pasture, Hannah the Border Collie began bouncing around like she smelled sheep. And, sure enough, there was Princess, upside down in a ditch, thoroughly stuck. They were able to get her back up, and, once she got the feeling back in her legs, she was able to move around, and she ate well. Close call! Caroline also pointed out that this is another good reason to put blankets on the sheep: her beautiful wool was protected from being ground into the mud.
Whew, it makes me realize how hard it really must be to tend animals and run a farm! Thank goodness for Hannah. I had visions in my head of those old Lassie TV shows, where Lassie goes running to the family, barks a few times, and they just immediately sense what she's trying to tell them.
Well, I hope my next update on Princess will be a much better one!!
