[Foobar]

I've been reading up on using teasers and I've seen mention of using "testosterone-treated wethers" as a teaser rather than a vasectomised ram. (i.e. a castrated male is given testosterone injections which make him behave like a ram for a short period)  Does anyone know anything about this technique - is it allowed in the UK, has anyone tried it?

[Me]

I don't know much about it, can't see it being cheaper or easier than an actual teaser.

[Foobar]

If it was possible then it would save me one mouth to feed.  I have limited grazing space, so if i can have a wether that for 11 months of the year is a companion to my ram(s), and for 1 month is a teaser, then it saves me having a separate teaser ram.
Google is coming up with nothing though, so I suspect there might be a reason why this method isn't used...

[shep53]

little confused why would you need a wether as a companion  wouldn't the teaser be a companion ??

[Ladygrey]

I keep my rams together, so wouldnt a teaser be a friend for a ram? they could even do some ram lovin 

[Foobar]

They would fight. And with both having big horns that isn't a pretty sight.

[Me]

Your problem is you have fighters, you need lovers 

[Ladygrey]

I have kept shetland rams together with big horns, they soon stop fighting after a couple of weeks and settle who is boss 

If they get excited some times they start a head banging session for a couple of mins but then soon settle down

[mowhaugh]

We keep our 6 teasers together with about 18 tups and 26 tup lambs when they are not working, and they don't fight.  We don't have many horned sheep though.

[SteveHants]

I've had wilts horn rams together and they do fight but mostly when you pen them and only in the season. They seem not to bother with the non-horned tups, regarding them as somehow inferior and just scrap amongst themselves.

[Tim W]

Never used a testosterone treated wether ---sounds a bit perverse to me 

But I have used teasers in a different regimes ---with early lambing flocks they have their uses but if your tup goes in from late October onwards there is little advantage in using them on mature ewes
They are useful to bring ewe lambs cycling but I have found that the best way to get them going is to put mature ewes in with ewe lambs ---so unless you plan to lamb early in the year teasers are a bit overrated

[mowhaugh]

That is interesting, Tim, we have found a huge difference since we started using teasers 5 years ago.  Our tups go out on Bonfire night, and since we have been using the teasers, we are pretty much done and dusted in three weeks, where as pre teasers, we were lambing for a good 5+ weeks.  This is a massive advantage to us as that is the period for which we employ extra staff, so survival rates and general welfare is much better.  Mind you, everything happens later up here in these hills!

[Tim W]

That is interesting, Tim, we have found a huge difference since we started using teasers 5 years ago.  Our tups go out on Bonfire night, and since we have been using the teasers, we are pretty much done and dusted in three weeks, where as pre teasers, we were lambing for a good 5+ weeks.  This is a massive advantage to us as that is the period for which we employ extra staff, so survival rates and general welfare is much better.  Mind you, everything happens later up here in these hills!

How do you use the teasers ---in for a 2 week period before the tups go in or in for 24 hrs , out for 2 weeks , in for 24 hrs and then tups in 2 weeks later?

In theory up with you there will be shorter day light than down here so your ewes should cycle sooner?

I used to use teasers a lot but find them a bit too much hassle and certainly don't expect an extended lambing
If the tups only go in for 3 weeks the ewes can only lamb for 3 weeks---anything else would be empty and hanging on a hook

[Foobar]

Never used a testosterone treated wether ---sounds a bit perverse to me 

No more perverse than ripping it's nads off in the first place , or injecting ewes with PMSG etc

They are useful to bring ewe lambs cycling but I have found that the best way to get them going is to put mature ewes in with ewe lambs ---so unless you plan to lamb early in the year teasers are a bit overrated

I'm looking to compress my lambing, including ewe lambs, possibly with sponging.  Ideally down to <10 days. Not looking to lamb super-early, just to get the ewes cycling together and the ewe lambs to start cycling a bit earlier.


A wether might be more useful to me year-round than a vasectomised ram, that's the reason why I asked.  Better fleece, a companion animal to the ram or any sick animal, can go in with the ewes if necessary if I'm "between rams", etc etc.

[mowhaugh]

That is interesting, Tim, we have found a huge difference since we started using teasers 5 years ago.  Our tups go out on Bonfire night, and since we have been using the teasers, we are pretty much done and dusted in three weeks, where as pre teasers, we were lambing for a good 5+ weeks.  This is a massive advantage to us as that is the period for which we employ extra staff, so survival rates and general welfare is much better.  Mind you, everything happens later up here in these hills!

How do you use the teasers ---in for a 2 week period before the tups go in or in for 24 hrs , out for 2 weeks , in for 24 hrs and then tups in 2 weeks later?

In theory up with you there will be shorter day light than down here so your ewes should cycle sooner?

I used to use teasers a lot but find them a bit too much hassle and certainly don't expect an extended lambing
If the tups only go in for 3 weeks the ewes can only lamb for 3 weeks---anything else would be empty and hanging on a hook

Our teasers go in for two weeks - what did you find the most successful?