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As we start of the Year of the Sheep, we are celebrating first moments of life with gorgeous twin lambs, Reuben and Summer. This is how life should begin for ALL lambs. Help us celebrate Reuben and Summer’s firsts. Thank you for your Farm Sanctuary support. Here are three things you should know about lambs like Reuben and Summer and why we are so happy they were born at Farm Sanctuary and not in an industrial setting: · Sheep used for meat in the U.S. are typically slaughtered when they are very young, because consumers prefer lamb. A lamb is typically slaughtered when he six to eight months old, a tiny fraction of his natural lifespan. · Most sheep and lambs are “tail-docked” within a few weeks of birth to reduce the build up of fecal matter around their backside. This involves either cutting off the tail or fastening a tight rubber ring around the appendage until it rots and falls off. Lambs exhibit signs of pain when subjected to either method. Tail docking can also lead to chronic pain and an increase in the occurrence of rectal prolapse. · A sheep’s wool production naturally declines with age. In the wool industry, sheep with decreased wool production are sent to slaughter. In Australia, the source of most of the world’s wool, these sheep are typically exported to Middle Eastern countries by sea, enduring grueling journeys of up to three weeks. The death by throat-slashing that awaits these sheep at their destination often occurs while they are fully conscious.
