'Normal' depends on the definition

[ridicully]

Apart from the fact that I just slept 5 hours (interrupted only by signing for a parcel for one of my neighbours - I know why I normally turn the bell of) in a vain attempt to counteract five days of six hours sleep a night, the day was pretty normal - for me.

Breeding-Health assessment, this time in sheep. *yawn*
Always the same - take male animal; grab testicles and check size, temperature, consistency,... ; take phantom for phantom-trained animals or female animal in the right part of her cycle; take AV; collect sperm; do all the preparations; look in microscope; take eventually necessary samples for microbiology.
Only - the ewe wasn't interesting enough for the ram - what one does in this case is bring in another ram. Apparently sheep also show their dominance by jumping the less dominant like dogs do.
My definition of 'normal day' is by now wide enough to include gay sheep.

Tomorrow: Some additional lectures on large animal work and afterwards I've been promised lunch in exchange of acting on my role as designated-computer-guru and set up some local net.

Comments

[here-be-dragons.livejournal.com]

Apparently sheep also show their dominance by jumping the less dominant like dogs do.

Oh! Is that why they do it? Dominance? I really thought it really was a sexual response. I used to have a Lhasa Apso bitch who humped the male dog (I can hardly describe him - he was a poodle/Chinese crested mix - not a very attractive creature, actually). So, was the Lhasa showing her dominance? What's up with that, anyway?

In any case, reading all this stuff you've posted makes me glad I didn't go into veterinary medicine. Not the gay sheep part - that's okay. But drilling into a Rotweiller's brain? (I think that was what happened). Urgh. I don't think I'd have the stomach for that. You should be applauded for being willing to do stuff that I would guess lots of us just wouldn't do. :-)

[ridicully]

Oh! Is that why they do it? Dominance?

Well, at least that's what my books say. In dogs I'm willing to belive it, but in those sheep there is a sexual aspect to it - otherwise it would be of no use in collecting sperm :)

But drilling into a Rotweiller's brain? (I think that was what happened)

Oh, not directly into the brain - only the inner part of the ear - inside the skull but divided from the brain by some bone-structure.

I don't think I'd have the stomach for that.

For most of us the hardest part tends to be the meat-hygiene stuff. Working in a slaughterhouse and looking at the guts of the freshly killed animals to see if they were healthy? Not really the reason most people become vets for.

stuff that I would guess lots of us just wouldn't do.

Isn't that the case with a lot of jobs? I think I would go crazy working with children every day or having to deal with human teeth for example. But for some people it's the perfect job.

Diversity of personalities -> Really good thing :)