The 11th Lamb at the 11th Hour

It was not just an impulsive decision. This had been going on for months. Since some extra lambs had come from a sister company, there were two of this flock who had stood out as being particularly popular and friendly amongst the other lambs as well as the carers. Michael, a previous intern, had been hoping that I would try to save a particular ram lamb too but I had enough of a task with trying to save 18 lambs I had raised– this was before the ewe lambs all became pregnant and would now be safe for the foreseeable future. The two sheep in question were a brother and sister with brown faces and pale coats. I have tried to look it up but cannot find an exact breed, they could be cross breeds. The female is pregnant and had been courted by Larry 15 and Jake 3. The male I had noticed had always come up and tried to be friendly but I always had distinguished my interest as in the ones I raised when I went to visit. Trying to check in with each one individually was time consuming enough without adding another one. This last visit was since I had left the farm and I was a bit apprehensive as I had not visited them properly since 6 November when I had a bout of ringworm, (the joys of working with animals and the tough way to learn about disease management). I had read that sheep have excellent memories for people they had not seen for months under study (Geist) but was not sure if they were all going to be a bit feral and still in rutting season – in which case I would have to defend my alpha dominance and not let any of them push me around.

I went to see the females first and Amelie 13 moved towards me at speed and allowed me to fuss and give her a big hug – before going back to the important task of getting nutrition from the grass. Noir 4 was next and even Emily 23 who was not that forthcoming, came to say hello. The only one who did not take much notice was Val 14 and she had been very friendly before – in fact one of my favourites. Some lambs I noticed if I had not visited regularly would ignore me for several visits before becoming friendly again. She looked well so I moved on to the boys.

The boys were all penned up so I could see and re-spray them with their numbers so they could be easily identified. I had been tempted to try to re-spray the females but they could sense I was up to something and moved away still eating grass but aware. The boys recognised me and Siegfried 24 was warm and welcoming which was a relief as he has been known to go cool on people if he does not see them awhile. I felt very special actually as each gave me a welcome individually and it was as if time had not passed. I lose time when I visit the lambs. It just passes and it was becoming dark. I had made another decision which was to try to fight for the 11th lamb with the brown face that was not one I had helped raise – but had been working on me for months. I admired his persistence as he had not given up. I had noticed though that when I did not give him any attention or particular friendliness he had been subdued even depressed – and he had gotten under my skin. I was not sure if the animal sanctuary would agree to an 11th lamb and the vet would take another to be health checked so I sprayed a question mark on him. He has no name and it seems that maybe people might take it the wrong way that he has a question mark, it is not in jest, I just needed to mark him so he would be put aside and it seemed a good a way as any. Marking the other boys was not difficult. They did not bat an eyelid as I sprayed the numbers and stood still. They must have sensed how pleased at how smoothly this went. I noticed and always had that the brown faced lamb had good relationships with the other orphans and he is not a dominant so I knew it would be ok if he came. I decided to have a go at trying to add him to my crowd funding efforts. In effect I had adopted him. He must have seen how I was with the others and wanted me to do this as this is what they do with other ewes when they are younger. My behaviour had not been dissimilar to that of a ewe sheep in rejecting him these months as they rarely adopt. However, this time, he had jumped up at me twice, which he had not done so before, and looked up at me straight in the eyes with this sad expression. His breath was raspy and there was something not right. If he went to sanctuary he might have a chance to recover but it would need to be quick. The transporter I had been speaking to had asked me if I had taken the sign off that said ‘mum’ when I had relayed the experience. I had grimaced wryly. Anyhow, he had gotten shitty paws all over me when he had jumped up as everything is a brown colour in this weather. Despite this, (I’m used to it really as I work with animals), I had noticed when I had given my attention to the others, that he had seemed depressed. He sat slightly apart and sat down with downcast eyes and yes it drew me in.

After a few lamb selfies which they are good at, I left and put things in motion then waited for answers. In my next post I will relay final costs and decisions regarding my action with the lambs as I now have answers back – so if you have read the previous post with the costings then ignore it as things have changed again..

If you can help please donate £1 or more or share the crowd funding site

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sheep-stars-a-friendly-orphan-flock/x/9512176

The Cost of Life

I visited the farm the other day to say my goodbyes and spoke to one of the managers (who is lovely). There will be three lambs going per week. This week I am not sure if any will be the orphan lambs but they will try to avoid it but cannot promise as it depends on who is doing the moving. There have been a promise to pen up Spartacus and Charlie separately who get on to put them aside to go to sanctuary. I am wanting to save Horatio too but he is quite dominant although very affectionate and I worry a bit that he might not be as manageable. So the upshot is 3 per week at present till there are no more. If you care read on..

I thought I would explain the costing for the crowd funding campaign as it is an important aspect that funders need to know. When I started, as I knew there were so many variables I have made the costing high and will spend the money according to what is raised. For example, if only a small amount of money is raised then I will fund the rest of the money for only two to three lambs (to go to sanctuary) and the rest I will have to accept that I did everything in my power to be able to do and focus on the ones I have been able to save with the help of funders. I have learnt a lot during this campaign so far about how people respond to need. There is so much in the world and it is easy to not respond and not care about how a little action like passing a campaign or spending just a pound can make a difference. I am not judging just observing. I think that I care because I know that these animals who have been treated well and with much love by those who have known them will meet their end in a very abrupt fashion – if they are lucky, if I don’t try to intervene. I feel that there is room to allow their personalities to develop and the interspecies relationship with the people they will meet hopefully. I care because I know that at slaughter a live animal meeting its end and five minutes or so later they are a piece of meat that you would recognise hanging up in a butchers – and would you wish that fate on anyone you knew? It is easy to buy food in neatly cling filmed packages and not ever think about how it got there. The animals who are sentient beings, lose their relationships and lives so that we can eat, and I have not given up meat completely but I am working on it. I am improving my vegetarian cooking, buying less meat and am not buying lamb which is a start.

Costing is complex as it will depend on the amount of lambs that are able to be saved. The worst case scenario only 2-3 lambs will be saved and will go to a sanctuary which is very far for me to get to but will be able to give the lambs what I cannot do on my own which is to live in safety for the rest of their lives . I was an intern last year and I am doing a different intern ship this year and I have realised that raising and keeping lambs is a lifestyle choice that is not something that I am able to commit to responsibly without help. If I just costed for one year, it would not be realistic as I would not like to save them then have to have them put down or abandon them if I was not in a circumstance that would allow me to manage them properly. If it will be the sanctuary then I will fundraise to contribute regularly by making and selling things.

The costs will vary depending on the result of the funding and the decision of the sanctuary. At the moment I am waiting to hear how many they will be able to take, then I can ask for the amount of specific lambs to be set aside if I get the money for buying them, transporting them to the vets, then to the sanctuary via legal animal transport means. Then there are the vet fees, the cost of feed, straw, hay, grazing replenishment, annual medical treatment, expenses of getting to the sanctuary and back regularly to help out and keep them supported.

I will keep accounts of how the money is spent and this will be available to those who have helped fund the lambs. If there is more money raised I will set up a trust fund for these animals and it also plays on my mind that the females might not be 100% safe although currently in a breeding programme and all pregnant. Also, as an animal carer, I am sure that I will encounter other animals that will need assistance and if the sanctuary has some of the lambs I would like to contribute as much as possible if not all to their upkeep.

If the sanctuary cannot save all of them but there is enough money – and this would take a lot of money, to do so then I would consider setting up a sanctuary if there was enough money to buy appropriate land and then do it myself. I never set out to be a shepherdess; but the idea of caring for sheep and other animals in a way that could benefit both these and humans in a therapeutic way is appealing. I do have some business ideas around this and would share them if there was someone who would invest and share in this vision. As I have committed to an intern ship this year then I would meet this commitment (which I add is a very exciting one for me) and use this year for setting up and research for when I leave.

I have been asked by a friend why I have not gone for a much smaller number and I will make some figures now which are probably understated and not all the costs are there as I am still moving my things around after moving to a new intern ship and adjusting to a new role – so some figures are not there yet. Indiegogo will transfer funds even if you do not reach the target you were hoping for so whatever is reached will go to whatever is achievable. I have gone for a median number. I would like for much more than I have asked, and to achieve something amazing but that would take a lot of money and expertise. I am not ready to share this vision unless there is someone out there with enough money to realise this and with a similar commitment to the idea. It will remain my not so little back burner musing..

Basic costs to move and take care of 3 sheep – 3 because if one dies, the other will not be on their own:

Cost of one Lamb @ £44,250 for rest of life, x 3 = 132,750 not including shelter or equipment
£100 Approx cost of each lamb
£150 Vet bill and health costs to start with including keeping them in for recovery period approx
£? Transportation costs of specialist animal movers to the vets then to the sanctuary
£7200 Cost of rent of land to the end of life for each lamb including grazing replenishment, water source and field rotation is £30 per month, £360 per year and £7200 till rest of life
£4800 Animal feed pellets to supplement grass £20 per bag per month, £240 per year and 4800 till end of life
£12,000 Hay is £50 per month and £12,000 for the rest of life guesstimate
£12,000 Straw for winter bedding is £50 per month and £12,000 for the rest of life guesstimate
£4000 guestimate medicines and annual vet fees

If the vision became wider and enough money was raised to set up a sanctuary then there would be these sort of costs to consider. I am thinking beyond sanctuary but will keep this idea to myself till I have researched and written a business plan which will take a bit of time.

My next two posts will be about who I am in context to my relationship to animals and another with more of the character of the orphan lambs.

Please donate £1 or more or share the crowd funding site

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sheep-stars-a-friendly-orphan-flock/x/9512176

The animals watched as I left the farm

I have left the farm. The animals knew something was changing and the calves and lambs all ran and gathered to stand still and gazed at me for what seemed like a very long time as I came out with boxes. I stood still and looked back steadily. Home Field is outside the accommodation I had been staying in and usually the animals acknowledge me in passing but they all came to stand and look at me. Titan the calf stayed for ages close to the fence and fixing his attention on me. Then his attention was diverted to a plant I had decided not to take with me. Lea 22 and Justin 18 watched me before moving off to play. Titan and Jupiter were also playing and butting each other. There was a new lamb in the field. It was one of the orphan lambs but it was dark and she stared at me fixing her gaze on me steadily not moving. I think it is Amelie 13 but I am not sure. I will find out on Thursday which she is and hopefully why she is there. I go to say my goodbyes on Thursday. Not much point doing it whilst in the throes of moving as it does not have the right energy. I am moving on to something very exciting for me as I am passionate about education and learning but I am sad to leave such a beautiful place. Having grown up in the city, I have even appreciated the journey from London to the farm and the transition from city and urban life to sprawling British countryside with the occasional wildlife spotting. I have managed to go the whole year at the farm without hitting a single animal as I drive up the narrow country lanes so I am pleased. I have managed to see badgers, stout, hedgehogs, the furtive pheasants, deer, rabbits and hares on my trips and have always likened it to a British night safari. Oh and there is always in the colder months a farm I pass with the wintering pen for the cows on the roadside and I slow down as it looks like a nativity scene. Crowd funding efforts are slow but I think it is a case of not giving up and that every little effort someone will make will help. The picture is of Justin 18 and Lea 22 who have been with each other for months now. Justin’s coat looks a mess as he is self-shedding and he is mid-shed. Justin will go to slaughter or market as rams are not kept in farming systems. Lea is pregnant and will be kept for the breeding programme. Lea and Justin were ill together for a long while in the stable and he could not stand up for a long time. She used to gently put her head under his neck to encourage him to lift himself up.

The death of Liz 7 and crowd funding hope

Liz 7 has died. I had decided to try to at least buy her and Spartacus 11 from the farm as they are the ones I am most concerned about and worry about the costs later. She died on Christmas Eve of a seizure. She had been pretty ill and it must have been all too much for her little body. With the small daylight hours of Winter and being in the middle of a move from the farm to my next intern ship and the festive season, it has been difficult to see the lambs. I have consoled myself after reading in a detailed book on sheep behaviour by Valerius Geist that they will remember a person after many months and carry on where they left off. Of course all relationships need work but I had the idea that I would be able to secure their lives then work on the relationship first. I feel that nothing can happen quickly enough and have my bodily human limitations to deal with. It is amazing when moving how much stuff that there is to deal with and I have had very little sleep – which is not the greatest conditions for writing : ) I am also grieving for Liz 7 and the fact I have not been able to be there for her to comfort her at least whilst she has been so sick. I have grieved every time I have lost a lamb. So far there have been ten gone including Georgie and Dot who went to market and if you can imagine how much grief that has been over the last year, it is a lot of sadness.

The crowd funding is up. I wasted a day by choosing a site in a hurry. I spent all evening on it then when it came to submitting it, it was for campaigners in the United States only – so I let go with reluctance and got to it the next day. I finally found Indiegogo and have submitted as follows: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sheep-stars-a-friendly-orphan-flock/x/9512176

Please read and share it. I am moving in to my new intern ship on Friday and settling in. I have so many more photos and videos of the lambs to load up and so much more to write – so please bear with me. Thank you for your support, especially those who have been able to find me before I start to publicise this blog. It really means a lot. The picture attached is of Liz 7 who has died and Spartacus 11 to the right who I have said I will take hopefully to Sanctuary. I am still working out the details of this as I would like them all to be together (as wethers as ram lambs cannot really be kept intact because of the way behaviour develops).