Dead sheep in neighbouring field

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Muddy unicorn

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For the last few weeks there’s been about 50-60 sheep in one of the fields next to our property. Initially they ate down the crop of kale in the field but they quickly reduced that to bare stalks and the field is now just mud. They are being fed hay but there’s quite a bit of fighting going on and some aren’t getting a look in. There’s been a dead sheep near our boundary wall for the last couple of days. I’ve tried contacting the people in the house next to the field but we’ve never seen them and I don’t think the sheep belong to them anyway. Any ideas as to what to try next? I’m aware that sheep can drop dead but they really don’t seem to be being looked after appropriately. For context there are loads of other fields around full of much happier-looking sheep with grass and hay.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
You could report this to DEFRA. Deadstock shouldn't be left in the field for this length of time - not at any time of year.

I'm not a fan of RSPCA but you could try telling them about it........
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RSPCA will contact defra, the chap that came to look at our perfectly healthy sheep explained that they now automatically contact defra
 
I believe that every sheep in the UK must be fitted with an ear tag.

If you can get close enough to one of them to read it's tag, maybe there's a way to identify the owner/holder.
 
Keith_Beef said:
I believe that every sheep in the UK must be fitted with an ear tag.

If you can get close enough to one of them to read it's tag, maybe there's a way to identify the owner/holder.
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I can't imagine the dead one will run away.

If you give the number to DEFRA they should be able to trace the owner as well as arranging an inspection of the animals.
 
I don’t want to go into the field and the way it’s lying I can’t see the tag from my side of the wall. I’ll contact the rspca and/or defra thanks
 
Who owns the field? They must know whose sheep they are. Around here there are loads of sheep that come onto temporary grazing like that and it is usually the owner of the field who is responsible for keeping a check.
 
Muddy unicorn said:
For the last few weeks there’s been about 50-60 sheep in one of the fields next to our property. Initially they ate down the crop of kale in the field but they quickly reduced that to bare stalks and the field is now just mud. They are being fed hay but there’s quite a bit of fighting going on and some aren’t getting a look in. There’s been a dead sheep near our boundary wall for the last couple of days. I’ve tried contacting the people in the house next to the field but we’ve never seen them and I don’t think the sheep belong to them anyway. Any ideas as to what to try next? I’m aware that sheep can drop dead but they really don’t seem to be being looked after appropriately. For context there are loads of other fields around full of much happier-looking sheep with grass and hay.
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Tell the land owner if you can. If you don't know who the land owner is phone the DEFRA help line. 0345 933 5577
 
Goldie's mum said:
Sheep don't die of lice but dying sheep often get large numbers of lice because their immune system is compromised by whatever is killing them.
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I dont know what it is , they arrived and started dying and he mentioned something about lice, im not really that concerned we just came across one out hacking ? so far I think 20 lost in 3 weeks
 
Barton Bounty said:
I dont know what it is , they arrived and started dying and he mentioned something about lice, im not really that concerned we just came across one out hacking ? so far I think 20 lost in 3 weeks
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Sounds like he has a serious problem. Lets hope his vet is onto it & he just mentions lice so he doesn't have to get into long conversations with horse riders!
 
I don't know about the dead sheep, but it's quite possible that the farmer is keeping the sheep on stubble turnips which looks like once they've eaten the leaf there's nothing left but they do eat the turnip and also get supplement with hay/haylage. I'd be surprised if the farmer isn't giving them breaks every day though. Are they pregnant ewes, they might be hogs he's fattening for market?
 
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They are probably grazing on turnips and they have to nibble though the soil to get them, and possibly are store lambs being finished.
We try and remove dead sheep asap, but sometimes life gets in the way.
 
Tbh sheep die because its a tuesday — so one dead sheep wouldnt make me think there was something major wrong but the fact it hasnt been removed is more concerning . Whoever owns the field either has to have a holding number or let the entire field to the farmer and the flock must be registered with his / her holding number with defra - so v easy to trace
 
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