January 11, 2007: Ewes die of asphyxiation, fright

xoxoxoBruce · 01-11-2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoof Hearted

... being around large groups of sheep pressing together...they cannot press together (while standing with all 4 feet on the ground) enough to prevent them from being able to breathe. Their wool is a very good buffer between each other, allowing air space and room to expand their lungs.

In the open, yes. But what about a large flock up against an immovable object? A very large flock to kill 300 ewes.

Hoof Hearted · 01-11-2007, 11:56 PM

The posted picture does not show 300 ewes, and I've seen sheep ranching, shearing, and butchering operations with wooden pens holding hundreds to thousands of sheep crowing each other so tightly the dogs had to walk on the backs of the sheep to get across the pen to do their work of cutting animals out for sorting.

I cannot dispute that the animals are dead, they certainly are, but it seems improbable to me that they died in the manner they are claimed to have...trampoling seems most likely...but again, I find it odd that they are in a single layer and not piled or overlapping.

My reasoning behind thinking sheep could not squeeze other sheep up against an immoveable wall is because of their short legs and lack of leverage and weight. Animals are going to stand. Some will lean, but most will keep their legs under them. It is instinctive. If you are off balance, you could fall and die. Period. All animals want to stand upright to survive. They do not want to be down, and especially upside-down is anathema to them.
I would expect that sheep at the outer edge of a herd WILL press away from whatever is stimulating them. The other sheep (away from the stimulation) are not going to react very much at all. As soon as they are out of sight of the stimulation (stupid sheep) out-of-sight-out-of-mind, they will just stand. Their wool will create the buffer needed to breathe. The few leaning sheep are not enough weight to crush other sheep up against a wall.

These ewes appear to have died where they stood. Asphyxiation from air displacement seems likely, as stated...but I feel poisoning from contaminated feed could also be a likely culprit and could cause them to die en mass in a single layer.
I'd like to know what a necropsy had to say about cause of death...

xoxoxoBruce · 01-12-2007, 03:43 AM

I agree the story and picture don't jib...not 300....not piled. Another tragic victim of Babelfish?

01-11-2007, 11:56 PM	#2
Hoof Hearted ...you smell something? Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Monroe, GA Posts: 420	The posted picture does not show 300 ewes, and I've seen sheep ranching, shearing, and butchering operations with wooden pens holding hundreds to thousands of sheep crowing each other so tightly the dogs had to walk on the backs of the sheep to get across the pen to do their work of cutting animals out for sorting. I cannot dispute that the animals are dead, they certainly are, but it seems improbable to me that they died in the manner they are claimed to have...trampoling seems most likely...but again, I find it odd that they are in a single layer and not piled or overlapping. My reasoning behind thinking sheep could not squeeze other sheep up against an immoveable wall is because of their short legs and lack of leverage and weight. Animals are going to stand. Some will lean, but most will keep their legs under them. It is instinctive. If you are off balance, you could fall and die. Period. All animals want to stand upright to survive. They do not want to be down, and especially upside-down is anathema to them. I would expect that sheep at the outer edge of a herd WILL press away from whatever is stimulating them. The other sheep (away from the stimulation) are not going to react very much at all. As soon as they are out of sight of the stimulation (stupid sheep) out-of-sight-out-of-mind, they will just stand. Their wool will create the buffer needed to breathe. The few leaning sheep are not enough weight to crush other sheep up against a wall. These ewes appear to have died where they stood. Asphyxiation from air displacement seems likely, as stated...but I feel poisoning from contaminated feed could also be a likely culprit and could cause them to die en mass in a single layer. I'd like to know what a necropsy had to say about cause of death... __________________ I have the ability of single-minded determination and focu...Hey, look! A horse!

01-12-2007, 03:43 AM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I agree the story and picture don't jib...not 300....not piled. Another tragic victim of Babelfish? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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