“I’m still on a high from my experience in Pipestone,” exclaims Dr. Jocelyn Grimm. The small-animal veterinarian turned sheep-vet spent most of April visiting Pipestone Vet Clinic and learning from Dr. G.F. Kennedy. The California practitioner considers it one of the highlights of her career.
Back when she graduated from the University of California Davis in 1979, Dr. Grimm confesses she’d had little exposure to large animals. She remained a practicing small animal veterinarian until 2004 when personal issues caused her to take time off at a ranch. “I fell in love with sheep and lambs! I spent two lambing seasons there, then a lambing season in the Sierra foothills and one in Idaho.”
Each spring since 2004, Dr. Grimm made it her mission to learn more about sheep husbandry but knew she was lacking actual veterinary experience with sheep. When she asked one of her mentors for help, he said, “If only you could get to Minnesota to see the renowned Dr. Kennedy.” That’s exactly where Dr. Grimm decided to go.
She contacted Dr. Kennedy and asked to visit in April. Not only did he offer his time to teach her, he opened his home to Dr. Grimm and her little dog. Of course, that California stereotype preceded her. “The first thing Mrs. Kennedy asked me was, ‘Do you eat meat?’ And I said, ‘Oh yes—we’re not all vegetarians!’”
Though it was the tail-end of lambing season (pardon the pun), Dr. Kennedy was able to show Dr. Grimm plenty. What was most valuable? “I saw the way he pays attention to subtleties, seeing the early signs that are an indication of problems. Even when lambs and ewes are moved to the group pen, he’s bending down to look at udders. I’d say he taught me about skilled observation.”
Dr. Grimm watched the old master put sheep through a sorting shoot, trim hooves, evaluate teeth, and give inter-muscular injections.
“And though I’d previously dealt with ewes that reject their lambs, I now know a better way,” she continues. “Dr. Kennedy put the ewe in a stanchion when it was time for the lamb to nurse. In a week, all the ewes had accepted their lambs because of his method.”
Another highlight of her Minnesota trip was Dr. Grimm’s visit to the Gail Bovey sheep farm near Woodstock, MN. Phil Berg of Minnesota West arranged the visit. “Gail’s operation was so impressive—I could have eaten off the floor! And I’d never seen chopped corn-stalk bedding. It looked really cozy.”
Is there anything about the trip that didn’t make Dr. Grimm smile? “My only regret is that I didn’t drive out in March. There would have been more lambing action in early spring.”
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