Farm Sheep 



205 



a good hoof-pincher are best instruments in this case. 

 The foot, after having been trimmed with the pincher 

 or pruning shears, may be dressed with a good rasp or 

 a jack-knife. , 



Fig. 22. — Docking Pinchers. 



Docking instruments. 



The instruments used in docking are a sharp pocket- 

 knife, docking chisel, or docking pinchers. The knife 

 needs no explanation. The docking chisel is usually 

 made of rather heavy 

 iron, and has a broad 

 blade and a long 

 handle. The edge of 

 the chisel is fairly 

 blunt and in use, the 

 chisel is heated to a 

 dull, cherry red heat, 

 and the lamb's tail is pinched off with the hot chisel 

 against a block, the heat searing the blood vessels. The 

 principle on which the docking pinchers work is similar 

 to that of the docking chisel; that is, the pinchers are 

 so built as to retain heat for a considerable time and 



the edges are not sharp. 



Ear-labeling punch. 



In a pure-bred flock, 

 an ear-labeling punch 

 is necessary. Such a 

 punch can be procured 

 from any stockmen's 

 supply house. It combines a punch to make a hole in the 

 sheep's ear and a pincher to close the label after it has 



Fig. 23. — Ear Labeling Punch. 



