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150 Tasks for the Veterinary Assistant

FIGURE 8.67 Setting up a sheep.

and a quick shift of hands to the front legs can put them
on their rump (Figure 8.67). Then you can let go and
balance the sheep’s body between your legs in order to
shear, draw blood, or trim hooves.
Goats are handled much like tiny horses. Haltering
and picking up legs are very similar, they are just a more
manageable size and don’t require as much care in not
being trampled.
Pigs are either worked in a group pen or as individ-
uals. To separate them out or to move them you would
use a device called a hurdle (Figure 8.59). It is made of
plastic or wood and is solid with thoughtfully placed
hand holes. When placed in front of pigs they will stop
and if placed on the right side of them they will go left
and vice versa. Plastic paddles are also used to move a
FIGURE 8.68 Hog snare. Source: Sheldon, Sonsthagen, and Topel, group, one should never use them to beat on a pig just a
2017. Reproduced with permission of Elsevier.
gentle whap will get them to move. Individuals are
worked upon by either picking them up or applying a
The website http://www.sheep101.info/201/handling. hog snare. Piglets are picked up by a back leg and quickly
html is an introduction to working sheep. The only thing moved to be cradled in your arms against your abdomen.
they don’t show is setting a sheep up on its rump. This is a This avoids the screeches they emit when caught. A
multi‐step process that takes some practice but even the 30–40 lb pig is also captured by a back leg, and the other
most diminutive person can do it with minimal trouble. leg is grasped as soon as possible. They are held upside
The sheep’s body is placed perpendicular to your legs, down until the procedure is over. Pigs weighing 45–80 lb
with its shoulder against one of your legs. Reach over the can be held the same way with two people, holding a leg
top to the opposite side of the sheep and grasp the flank apiece. Any pig over 80 lb should be captured with a hog
with one hand and the chin with the other hand. Turn the snare (Figure 8.68). The loop is held in front of the pig;
neck into the “off” shoulder, lift up on the flank until the their natural curiosity will cause them to nibble on the
rear leg is lifted off the ground. Using the leg against its loop when they do pull the handle back capturing the
shoulder as a pivot point, step back with the other leg and top jaw. The pig will pull backwards, and you pull back-
pull the sheep off balance. This lays them on their sides wards as well, at this point you are at a stalemate which is