Sceintific Papers
Tail docking in sheep (Ovis aries): A review on the arguments for and against the procedure, advantages/disadvantages, methods, and new evidence to revisit the topic
Highlights
Tail docking in sheep is a traditional, painful practice, with advantages in certain breeds and environments.
Its’ advantages are not valid in all production systems and breeds of animals.
The decision to tail dock must be justified and the beneficial outcomes of the practice recorded.
Docking method should be carefully selected and always used in conjunction with pain reduction strategies.
Under no circumstances should tail docking be performed solely for aesthetic purposes.
Agustín Orihuela and Rodolfo Ungerfeld, Livestock Science, Volume 230, 2019
Length of docked tail and the incidence of rectal prolapse in lambs
D. L. Thomas, D. F. Waldron, G. D. Lowe, D. G. Morrical, H. H. Meyer, R. A. High, Y. M. Berger, D. D. Clevenger, G. E. Fogle, R. G. Gottfredson, S. C. Loerch, K. E. McClure, T. D. Willingham, D. L. Zartman, and R. D. Zelinsky, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 81, 2003
Highlights
A multistate cooperative study was conducted to study the current issue of tail length in docked lambs and its relationship to incidence of rectal prolapse.
1,227 lambs at six locations were randomly allocated to two or three tail dock treatments: 1) short—tail was removed as close to the body as possible, 2) medium—tail was removed at a location midway between the attachment of the tail to the body and the attachment of the caudal folds to the tail, and 3) long—tail was removed at the attachment of the caudal folds to the tail.
Short-docked lambs had a greater incidence of rectal prolapse.
At the station with a relatively high incidence of rectal prolapse, lambs in the feedlot had a higher incidence than lambs on pasture.
The half-sib estimate of heritability for the incidence of rectal prolapse was low (0.14).
The results of this study strongly implicate short dock length as a cause of rectal prolapse in lambs finished on high-concentrate diets.
The results of this study and the only other study known conducted on this issue strongly suggest that docking lambs at the site of the attachment of the caudal folds to the tail will result in a negligible incidence of rectal prolapse.
Justifying the appropriate length for docking lambs' tails - a review of the literature
Highlights
Tail docking is beneficial in farming systems where sheep are predisposed to dag formation and flystrike.
The incidence of flystrike depended on tail length, being least in medium-, and greatest in short-tail docked sheep.
Short-tail docked ewes had higher rates of carcinoma of the vulva.
Short-tail docked lambs had a greater incidence of rectal prolapse.
In some cases, increased tail length was associated with increased dags, and with longer tails crutching and shearing effort was greater.
There apparently have been no studies documenting the effects of docking at different lengths on the welfare of the lamb at the time of docking, on muscle anatomy, or on defecation and urination.
Fisher MW, Gregory NG, Kent JE, Scobie DR, Mellor DJ, and Pollard JC, Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 64, 2004
Docked tail length is a risk factor for bacterial arthritis in lambs
Joan Lloyd, Allan Kessell, Idris Barchia, Johann Schröder, and David Rutley, Small Ruminant Research, Volume 144, 2016,
Highlights
Tail docking is used to reduce the susceptibility of sheep to breech fly strike.
An association was found between short tail docking and bacterial arthritis in lambs.
Regional source and breed were also risk factors for arthritis.
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was the bacterium most commonly isolated from abnormal joints.
Streptococcus suis was identified as an emerging cause of joint infections in Australian lambs..