# Nice score and a question!



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Got a call last night about a guy who had two ewes he had to shoot Saturday morning. One had a hard lambing and wouldn't recover, the other had a twisted uterus (dicovered post mortem). 

Anyway, picked them up and two stillborn lambs. I felt bad for the guy  but I'm glad he called. He did let me hold the surviving lamb from one ewe. The cutest little black ram lamb. I can't wait to get sheep!

Drew was busy with stuff so I skinned and gutted and all the fun stuff...alone lol. These ewes were huge, 200lbs each at least. A few days ago our second freezer started making a weird noise so I packed everything into the other freezer and unplugged this one so Drew could fix it. Today I cleaned it and took it apart and now it works!  

My question is...these ewes were both pregnant and lactating. I saved the udders cause...well...dogs can eat them right? Are udders a good source of colostrum for dogs? Also, are post pregnancy uteruses beneficial?










5 gallon bucket full of fat and tripe.










Tub of organs...










Sprocket munching 










Previously empty freezer 












Their wool is pretty thick so I saved the hides so future use  gonna make me some slippers!


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

I would be inclined to say, "Absolutely!" to all of the questions you just asked. It sure won't hurt them! Lots of rich nutrition and antibodies and all kinds of wonderful goodness in there, I would think. Of course, I've only been at this for a few months now. I'm certainly no expert. : )
BTW, that is a seriously awesome score. So jealous. Like you, I feel bad for the farmer, though. And those poor Ewes for all the suffering they went through. : (


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## Felix (Oct 9, 2012)

Wow, that is a seriously awesome score! I can't wait to get my own place and freezer to get scores like these!


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I have no idea about your question, but WOW! What a score! Why can't someone call me with something like that? That's awesome!


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## Sheltielover25 (Jan 18, 2011)

Wow! That's the definition of a true raw feeder. Some people probably think it's crazy someone would do something like that but people like us see how beautiful it really is because you're not letting anything to go waste. Mother Nature didn't intend on having the waste like we do these days. PROPS to you! I couldn't convince my girlfriend into letting me do that, and I'm not sure I could do it, but I hope there are a lot more people like you and not letting animals die in vain. 

Your dogs have to be some HEALTHY pups, too! If I fed like that, I'd never worry about diet/supplements/anything. I love, love love feeding whole animals.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

I would think you could feed udders and uterus is an organ so good stuff. Man those sheep are huge, I don't know anyone with sheep around here.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Fundog said:


> I would be inclined to say, "Absolutely!" to all of the questions you just asked. It sure won't hurt them! Lots of rich nutrition and antibodies and all kinds of wonderful goodness in there, I would think. Of course, I've only been at this for a few months now. I'm certainly no expert. : )
> BTW, that is a seriously awesome score. So jealous. Like you, I feel bad for the farmer, though. And those poor Ewes for all the suffering they went through. : (


I felt really sad for him. He said that the ewes are more like pets and I could hear the stress in his voice the night before when we made arrangements to come get them 



naturalfeddogs said:


> I have no idea about your question, but WOW! What a score! Why can't someone call me with something like that? That's awesome!


It was an hour away but I was not about to turn it down! The guy said that he had seen my ad various times and asked how many emails I get. I think he was relieved to know that we weren't some freaky weirdos but were actually "normal" like himself. 



Felix said:


> Wow, that is a seriously awesome score! I can't wait to get my own place and freezer to get scores like these!


How do you live without a freezer!? I am considering getting a 3rd. I want a chest freezer this time. :biggrin:



Sheltielover25 said:


> Wow! That's the definition of a true raw feeder. Some people probably think it's crazy someone would do something like that but people like us see how beautiful it really is because you're not letting anything to go waste. Mother Nature didn't intend on having the waste like we do these days. PROPS to you! I couldn't convince my girlfriend into letting me do that, and I'm not sure I could do it, but I hope there are a lot more people like you and not letting animals die in vain.
> 
> Your dogs have to be some HEALTHY pups, too! If I fed like that, I'd never worry about diet/supplements/anything. I love, love love feeding whole animals.


Thanks :smile: I am just grateful for farmers like this guy who feels the same way about not letting them go to waste. They were such beautiful, well fed ewes, I know he cared for them. It is a lot of work doing it this way but I love saving money LOL:biggrin1: It also opens up new avenues for networking. Perhaps he knows someone who runs into a similar situation and he can advise them to donate them to me. He also said he would let me know about future animals. He had llamas, emu, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese so the possibilities are endless.

Feeding whole animals definitely makes me feel good about what goes into my dogs. We dont' supplement anymore and I dont' see a reason to either. 



GoingPostal said:


> I would think you could feed udders and uterus is an organ so good stuff. Man those sheep are huge, I don't know anyone with sheep around here.


They were huge! I am so use to my tiny little NDs and pygmies. We did a few buck goats a couple weeks ago that were large but not as big as these two ewes.

These are the two bucks we did. They were about 150lbs each. It was not fun trying to lead an animal that weighs more than you do!


















They had some nice horns too. I just boiled the skulls yesterday so I can bleach them


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We got these 5 rabbits last wednesday too. I've never processed rabbits before so it was an experience.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

Jeez you got some awesome scores! I would think it would be excellent to feed all of that stuff to the dogs, definitely the true definition of Prey Model Raw!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

rannmiller said:


> Jeez you got some awesome scores! I would think it would be excellent to feed all of that stuff to the dogs, definitely the true definition of Prey Model Raw!


It is kind of nice. Its seems as soon as I get worried and start to think about making an order from a co-op, that is when the free stuff starts rolling in!


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

You can feed the udders. I have feed udders before. Were they full of milk/colostrum? If they did not give birth yet and there was liquid in the udder, I am guessing that is colostrum. I doubt there would be much in there and I wouldn't count on getting colostrum from them but its fun to feed anyways. 


Nice score! You get great variety in your dogs' meals. 


Deer season is officially over now so I am handing over the crown of "Raw feeder who gets the best scores" to you. I will be expecting that crown back next November.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

How long did it take to butcher the ewes?

Also how did/do you kill the goats?

There are a lot of ads for goats and chickens for meat or pets, but I am not sure I could kill them


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## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

Will you be my friend? After seeing those pics and knowing what awesome scores you get all the time, I think my dogs want you to adopt them, lol.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> You can feed the udders. I have feed udders before. Were they full of milk/colostrum? If they did not give birth yet and there was liquid in the udder, I am guessing that is colostrum. I doubt there would be much in there and I wouldn't count on getting colostrum from them but its fun to feed anyways.
> 
> 
> Nice score! You get great variety in your dogs' meals.
> ...


One ewe had lambed but didn't recover, the other was trying but couldn't so they were both lactating pretty heavily. I cut them in half and there was quite a bit of thick creamy colostrum coming out. Interesting anyway  





lauren43 said:


> How long did it take to butcher the ewes?
> 
> Also how did/do you kill the goats?
> 
> There are a lot of ads for goats and chickens for meat or pets, but I am not sure I could kill them


The ewes took me about an hour total to get them in the freezer. We shot the goats with a .22 right in the soft dip behind the horns. They went down really smoothly, not a lot of kicking or anything scary. Chickens move a lot more than anything big that I have ever processed. Once you start small with birds and rabbits, goats and sheep are really pretty straight forward and they smell a heck of a lot nicer than birds.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Oh now that would have been an interesting picture! Did you collect the thick liquid? Or just freeze it in the udder?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Oh now that would have been an interesting picture! Did you collect the thick liquid? Or just freeze it in the udder?


Both. The one I cut I poured it into a bowl for the dogs. The rest I left whole and froze.


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## Kat (Jul 12, 2011)

shellbell said:


> Will you be my friend? After seeing those pics and knowing what awesome scores you get all the time, I think my dogs want you to adopt them, lol.


I second that lol. The only free score I ever got was a pound of venison and a pound of moose :/


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

An hour!?!?! Your a pro. It took me an hour for 1 rabbit and my dog only ate part of him and doesn't want the rest. But I have 5+ frozen rabbits that have to be butchered. It just takes me so much time I've been putting it off forever...

Since Avery seems to hate fur it should be interesting...


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

lauren43 said:


> An hour!?!?! Your a pro. It took me an hour for 1 rabbit and my dog only ate part of him and doesn't want the rest. But I have 5+ frozen rabbits that have to be butchered. It just takes me so much time I've been putting it off forever...
> 
> Since Avery seems to hate fur it should be interesting...


The hardest part is skinning! The rest is quick! 

I feel ya about putting things off. I had one chicken I didn't process and just put it in the freezer. I must have taken it out at least 3 times with the intention of dealing with then putting it back after a day or two. I did finally do that one but have about 10 snow geese and a couple ducks that the boys shot. Breasted out but fully feathered and everything. I'm lazy lol


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Got a call last night about a guy who had two ewes he had to shoot Saturday morning. One had a hard lambing and wouldn't recover, the other had a twisted uterus (dicovered post mortem).
> 
> Anyway, picked them up and two stillborn lambs. I felt bad for the guy  but I'm glad he called. He did let me hold the surviving lamb from one ewe. The cutest little black ram lamb. I can't wait to get sheep!
> 
> ...



You always do such a good job processing.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

naturalfeddogs said:


> You always do such a good job processing.


I can only say that youtube has some great videos! :biggrin: I just watched a few and then went at it.


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

Geez, those rabbits are huge! I've never seen rabbits that big after processing, except for jackrabbits! (we have a lot of jacks really close by, within walking distance, and one of these days, I'm going to shoot some!)

That billy goat looked almost identical to the one I did last month. He was such a cute, tame goat, I did have to squash any kind of sentiments I might have developed for him. Fortunately, I didn't raise him, so didn't get to know him. My sil said the next one has a butting problem, so they are eager for me to come and get him.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Fundog said:


> Geez, those rabbits are huge! I've never seen rabbits that big after processing, except for jackrabbits! (we have a lot of jacks really close by, within walking distance, and one of these days, I'm going to shoot some!)
> 
> That billy goat looked almost identical to the one I did last month. He was such a cute, tame goat, I did have to squash any kind of sentiments I might have developed for him. Fortunately, I didn't raise him, so didn't get to know him. My sil said the next one has a butting problem, so they are eager for me to come and get him.


The woman we got them from said that they were about 5 years old and she just never got around to doing the deed herself LOL They were VERY heavy.

I did not have any issues shooting those two buck goats. They were not tame whatsoever and were not fun to lead anywhere!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Bernard at the first of the rabbits today


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