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A sheep has been put down in the Upper Rhymney Valley after being found with a sharp rod in its head.
The sheep was found on Red Ash Hill, Pontlottyn in August and reported to Caerphilly County Borough Council.
In the picture which is circulating online, a sheep can be seen with a large blue item, quite possibly a pithing rod, in its head.
What is pithing rod?
According to pithingrods.com “pithing rods are used to ensure that an animal is killed after stunning. The rods destroy parts of the brain and spinal cord, ensuring death, and reduce the reflex kicking which can occur after stunning.”
According to the Humane Slaughter Association, it was “banned by law in 2001 for all cattle, sheep and goats destined for human or animal consumption due to fears the practice may contaminate carcases with brain tissue, potentially facilitating the spread of TSEs such as BSE”.
But it remains “an effective and legitimate means of ensuring the rapid death of animals not destined for human consumption, e.g. casualties, emergencies or those destroyed during disease control operations”.
A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “Unfortunately, the sheep with the sharp item in (it wasn’t an arrow) had to be put down due to the injury sustained.”
The condition of another sheep was also recently reported to the council. Photos circulating online show the animal in the Maerdy area of Rhymney.
While it looked as if the sheep had been burnt, it was in fact flystrike.
According to the RSPCA website, flystrike is “a painful and sometimes fatal condition caused by flies laying their eggs on another animal. These hatch into maggots, which eat the flesh of their hosts.”
In relation to this animal, the council spokesperson said: “The second sheep was not burnt, it had flystrike and Caerphilly CBC has dealt with this with the farmer.”
They added: “Both incidents have been reported to Caerphilly CBC and dealt with.”
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