(Or why you are not
exempt from animal welfare laws just because you live on a farm)
Firstly,
I must do the disclaimer! I am not a livestock expert. I am not a veterinarian
or an agriculturalist. Seven years ago I was a complete novice in the farming
world. Now I like to think I have learned quite a bit about caring for these
beautiful farm creatures. This information is what I have learned from seven
years of watching, looking, listening, and reading all about sheep, cattle and
pigs. It is the accumulated knowledge of seven years of owning, caring for and
loving my own livestock. As with anything else in the world, do further
research to find out for yourself if what I know and believe works for you and
your situation!
Anecdote:
When we first looked at Morilla with the real estate agent we drove around the
whole farm and did notice there were several dead sheep in various stages of
decomposition lying about in the paddocks. I commented: “There are a few dead
sheep about”, to which the real estate agent replied, without missing a beat:
“If you’ve got livestock, you’ve got dead stock”. This seems to be the general
attitude of farmers who own vast amounts of land and have large numbers of
livestock. If you have 20 sheep it is a tragedy to lose one. If you have 2,000
sheep, who’s counting anyway? To me, every sheep who dies is a terrible loss
that probably could have been prevented if I had been more knowledgeable, more
mindful or more determined. I do not like to lose an animal because I just
failed to care enough.
Having
livestock in your life is a great joy and a blessing. It is also a
responsibility, both morally and legally. Your farm animals must have the
following conditions, the same conditions any other animal in your care
requires:
Access
to clean fresh water at all times
Access
to adequate feed to meet their nutritional requirements at any time
Access
to shelter from the sun, wind and rain
Freedom
from pain and discomfort
Treatment
of any injuries, illness or disease in an adequate and timely fashion
Gentle
handling undertaken with all due care and consideration
Freedom
from fear and stress
Adequate
preventative health measures to ensure good health, such as worming, lice
treatment, hoof management, vaccinations etc
Freedom
to live a life of quiet contentment while being able to exhibit their natural
behaviours as much as is possible.
