Docking is the removal of portions of an animal’s tail. While docking and bobbing are more commonly used to refer to removal of the tail, the term cropping is used in reference to the ears. The length to which tails are docked varies by breed, and is often specified in the breed standard. The term cropping is more commonly used in reference to the cropping of ears, while docking more commonly-but not exclusively-refers to the tail. The term tailing is also commonly used. The term arises because the living flesh of the tail, from which the animal’s tail hairs grow, commonly is known as the dock. Many breeds of sheep have their tails docked to reduce the buildup of faeces which can encourage fly strike. Also used for this purpose is mulesing. Docking also makes it easier to view a grown ewe’s udders to detect potential problems.
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