The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on July 19, 2011, 07:51:03 pm

Title: taking a ram lamb out of the flock and putting in with the tups?
Post by: andywalt on July 19, 2011, 07:51:03 pm

HI reading the other threads on tups and when to take them out from the flock has prompted me to ask a question!! I have kept one large ram lamb entire as he looked to be a good specimen, as its time to start thinking about taking him out will he be ok to put him straight in with the southdown and Romney tup? in the field next door? he is weaned and approx 5 months old your comments please on what you would do, thanks very much, is it likely that will give him a rough time?

andy

Title: Re: taking a ram lamb out of the flock and putting in with the tups?
Post by: Fergie on July 19, 2011, 08:39:33 pm

Hi Andy,

I keep all the intact ram lambs (once weaned) with the tups.  There are 16 together at the moment.

I've never had a problem, although new additions do get "checked out" by the older tups, with a bit of head banging to make sure they know their place.  It's more of a ritual however, and after ten or fifteen minutes they are all grazing together.

Just keep an eye on them for a while, to see that he settles.

John

Title: Re: taking a ram lamb out of the flock and putting in with the tups?
Post by: lachlanandmarcus on July 19, 2011, 09:46:09 pm

I had a single ram lamb last year (not ringed as I couldnt get the ring to my satisfaction, so chose to not do it) and put him in with the ram and 2 wethers and the other castrated boy lambs (3) and they were fine. Until he started trashing the fences later in the year, whereupon he and the castrated boy lambs became delicious chops a bit earlier than I would normally have taken the boys....but no prob with the ram at all, he just wanted to get at the ladies!

Title: Re: taking a ram lamb out of the flock and putting in with the tups?
Post by: andywalt on July 20, 2011, 05:58:15 pm

thanks nice to be re assured that your doing somthing thats ok

cheers very much

andy

Title: Re: taking a ram lamb out of the flock and putting in with the tups?
Post by: andywalt on August 11, 2011, 12:37:15 pm

Well I put him in, and really was not a problem a sniff here and there and little butt and that was that, all buddies