Mustering the 2 tooths

What are 2 tooths you may well ask!  They are sheep that have 2 permanent teeth up amongst the baby ones,  at the front of their mouth (and sheep only have teeth on their bottom jaw at the front, so they can eat down really close to the ground if they need to).  We do not lamb our hoggets (1 year old sheep)  in this climate as the winter is too hard and while they may get in lamb the first year, when they are only big lambs themselves,  they probably will not gain the necessary body wieght back on  in time to get in lamb the next year.  We would rather they lasted to have many lambs.  A lot of NZ farmers on the right properties can get their hoggets big enough to lamb successfully and then produce again the following years. 

But before they are put (mated) to the Ram (tupping) a few things have to be done.  And vaccinating against Clostridial diseases (which include enterotoxaemia, tetanus, blood poisoning amongst others) is one of those important things.  The 2ths have already had their first vaccination for those,   but they also need vaccines to protect them from abortions.  And this is what they will get this week.  So mustering had to happen yesterday.  They have been up on a block which goes up to 900 metres, but it has tracks, so while "The Boss" often takes his horse, I usually take the Quad bike and do a bit of walking.

And just as well we had a good day yesterday as it is raining today, and cloudy, and if you can't see you can't muster, as those sheep will hide!

Mt Fyffe and Kaikoura in distance from the top of the block, the gully halfway up the photo is the Hope Fault Line, we hope it doesn't decide to shake!

A mob going up the track to the correct paddock (as a matter of interest where the sheep are is part of the Faultline too)



Cruise waiting and watching



A small mob that are in the wrong place but being brought down by "The Bosses" dog, who is just a little black speck above them