A sheep on its back is near death. Find out how to save a stranded ewe or ram.
Sheep don’t sleep or even lie comfortably on their backs, so if you happen to see one upside down, you can be sure it’s close to death. If you know what to do however, you can probably save its life. WATCH THE VIDEO!
When you’re training a sheepdog it’s nimbleness and agility are surprising. That sprightliness has its limits though. Sheep cannot safely lie on their backs. They’re not good at righting themselves either, especially if they’re expecting lambs soon.
A sheep with a heavy, wet, fleece, heavily pregnant or fat (resulting in a broad, flat back) is at a high risk of becoming stranded if it rolls over.
Cast, rigwelted or stuck, these sheep die if they are not saved
A sheep on its back is commonly referred to as cast. In the north of England, the term is rigwelted.
The victims may have been resting, or tried to scratch an itch, but they certainly won’t have got into that position deliberately. A sheep stuck on its back is vulnerable for a variety of reasons: not only is it easy prey for crows or badgers, but its biggest enemy is its own biology.
In order to digest grass, sheep (and cows) have a four-chambered stomach. The largest chamber is the rumen, where the fibrous food ferments. Fermentation produces gas, and when the sheep is the wrong way up the gas can’t escape. The gas builds up, and causes pressure on it’s lungs until it simply can’t breathe anymore. A horrible way to die. Watch the video above to find out how to save a sheep’s life.
The scenario of a combination of suffocation and predator attack is pretty grim, but it’s easy to avoid. Keep watch for an upturned (or cast) sheep when you’re out and about, and act quickly if you see one. Leave your dog securely tied up at a distance from the scene and DON’T worry about taking hold of a good handful of the stranded sheep’s fleece to get it turned over. Whatever evolutionary advantages sheep might have, they don’t have convenient handles!
It’s important to raise the BAA!
Watch the video above, to find out how to save a sheep on its back. Then share this page so that others will see how to do it too. To find out how to train a sheepdog, watch the video below!
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