While many animals enjoy rolling on their backs, sheep do not. A beleaguered sheep on its back is in big trouble and needs immediate help to right itself.
Large sheep, pregnant sheep, and sheep burdened with lots of wool are often top-heavy, making them vulnerable to toppling onto their flat backs. There, the ‘cast’ sheep is stuck like a tortoise, unable to flip back over.
And that’s dangerous, as seen in this Caenhill Countryside Centre video. “Now if you see a sheep like this, help the sheep,” explains Chris Franklin. “Pull the sheep up because the sheep will eventually die.”
To flip a sheep over from its back, approach it quietly. Secure your footing and firmly grab its legs on one side, or smoothly lift its shoulder and hip, carefully rolling the sheep over to its stomach or back onto its feet.
Make sure you’re out of its way when it gets up. And if it gets up on its own when you approach, that’s good, too.
Then watch the animal to make sure it regains its balance and is able to stand and walk without help. “It’s a bit wobbly,” Franklin explains as he demonstrates in the video above, “but it’ll be okay in a minute.”
Watch more sheep videos on TKSST, including:
• How do you shear a huge Valais Blacknose ram?
• Storm the sheepdog gathers ewes of the hill
• Newborn Valais Blacknose lambs at Windfold Farm
• How woolly sweaters are made
Bonus: How to help a ‘walking’ starfish on the beach.
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