The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Raine on June 02, 2013, 04:07:43 pm

Title: How young before tupping?
Post by: Raine on June 02, 2013, 04:07:43 pm

 :wave:


We have a lovely ram lamb born this morning!  No photo's yet, but a balwen/torddu cross with black legs and coffee colour swirls.


We have been discussing getting rid of our current ram as he has a lot of bad habits.  Would this lamb be old enough to service 6 ewes in November?

Title: Re: How young before tupping?
Post by: Brucklay on June 02, 2013, 04:14:08 pm

My castlemilk ram lamb did the job with 4 girls the year before last, and they lambs within 3 weeks of each other - so I would say yes which may be bad news for your old ram!!!

Title: Re: How young before tupping?
Post by: feldar on June 02, 2013, 04:53:19 pm

Yes 6 ewes would be ok , a young ram can get a bit put off if he's serving shearlings who won't stand for him, but older ewes tend to point the young ones in the right direction!
Saying that, some bolshy youngsters will have them all preggy in no time at all!!

Title: Re: How young before tupping?
Post by: FiB on June 02, 2013, 05:36:12 pm

Lots to learn here - wouldn't it be a problem that he was related to the ewes?

Title: Re: How young before tupping?
Post by: Raine on June 02, 2013, 06:12:20 pm

 :wave:
He would only be related to one ewe.  As we haven't yet got confirmation that we can stay here for more than two years, I think buying a new ram in is an expense we don't need.


I'm hoping that if we get confirmation of the lease extension, we can then look at a registered tup next year and still have enough time to send this one off to slaughter (if needed)