Saturday morning as we were herding the sheep and cows from a distant pasture I ran across something odd. I was standing by myself by the opening to a wooded area awaiting the others to herd the sheep over the ridge. I was there to prevent the sheep from getting off track and into the woods to forage. I had my staff (a piece of PVC pipe) that aids me in directing livestock. I was patiently awaiting the flock and kicking the grass when I came upon an object. Kicking it over I found it to be the head of a child's stuffed animal. It was the head of a little LAMBCHOP. There was no trash in the field, no other non-organic objects, just the head of a child's once beloved toy. "How odd," I thought. "I hope this is not an omen of what is to come. I hope that we don't find a dead lamb today."
Many hours later in the evening after herding the sheep both to and from the pasture fencing again we went up to the higher ridge where there are non-milking sheep and two of the Spanish Ranch Mastiff guard dogs. We go up there to feed and water the sheep and dogs. There we found a sick lamb hiding near some brush. We took it back to the barn in the truck. After I finished up with the chores inside the barn I climbed onto the bed of the truck and tried to get her drink. I first spent ten minutes brushing her mouth with water trying to get her to lick her lips but without success. I then pried her little mouth open and poured water in her. I used my cupped hand over and over again until she began to swallow. I spent over an hour at dusk with mosquitoes stinging me through my shirt working with her. I didn't want to leave her. I didn't want to give up.
She stirred a little and began to struggle against me so I knew there was some life in her. "Come on girl. fight me. Go ahead and fight me, and swallow sweet one, swallow." The farm's owner heard me. He thought I had gone into the house long before. He helped me get her out of the truck and onto the ground where we used a syringe to get more water in her. Afterward he sent me into the house for the night. In the morning after chores I found the lamb nearby standing up and taking some grass. "Good." I thought. "She is going to make it."
Sunday was a busy day but I took some time to check on her in the afternoon. She was alive and hiding behind some thistle but she was once again failing. I told her I would be back. I went back in the evening with a half little bottle of water and poured it bit by bit down her throat. The intestinal parasites were stealing all her energy to drink. Without water in her she would not have the strength to fight for her life. I was glad that I got her to take all the water. The young intern here came with an injection of medicine and then unable to do more we left her for the night.
I went to her this morning and she had passed. Her little head was cold and she was going stiff. Her time had come. It was a very sad thing for me. Very sad indeed. The farm owner said he should have shot her yesterday. "Yes, " I said, "You should have. There was no need to make her suffer so long."
We finished with the morning milking and chores, returned the sheep and cows to their fenced pasture area and I walked back alone to the barn stopping in the field where I had found the stuffed head of a child's once beloved toy. Omens and signs and a sad morning indeed.
There are some NEW things that are a bit hard to DO.
No comments:
Post a Comment