We're in Herefordshire and hire out Southdown rams - mostly to smallholders who've bought ewe lambs from us in the past, so we make sure they're unrelated. Always worth checking the health status of the flock - ours is high health and closed, with no Johnes, Jaaksiekte, orf, abortion, scab,, Maedi Visna, Border Disease or footrot. All our rams are quarantined after returning from hire,for six weeks if being kept or going straight to slaughter after the standstill period. Four weeks should see all healthy ewes covered (we only leave our tups in for three). Using ram lambs doesn't make them disease-free and if they're too young they simply may not be mature enough to work.