The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: JedM on September 28, 2019, 06:53:14 pm
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Hi,
I bought 2 beltex shearling ewes at the market in September 2018. They were in excellent condition and I put them in with the ram straight away. They have been with the ram (which is proven fertile) ever since, so that's 13 months now. They have never lambed or shown signs of abortion, so I was just wondering if there are ways to tell if a ewe isn't fertile. They were in the breeding section at the market, but maybe the farmer knew they couldn't lamb which is why he was selling them?
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I'm not sure how a farmer would know they wouldn't lamb, especially as they were only shearlings. I also had one that didn't get tupped or lambed last time but I will try her again this time .... and maybe the year after because I'm soft.
I did read somewhere that keeping them with a ram full time can get the used to the sight / smell of him so it is sometimes better to keep them separate in the run up to tupping.
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theres a possibility that they're too fat. over fat ewes sometimes dont cycle. might need to go on a diet?
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Yes I would say they are overweight now, although last year they weren't. I'll put them on a diet and see if they lambs in the spring. Thanks
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Yes I would say they are overweight now, although last year they weren't. I'll put them on a diet and see if they lambs in the spring. Thanks
If you put some raddle paste on your ram you’ll see if they are being served. Likewise it might be worth fertility testing your ram if he’s doing the deed but they keep returning.
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I would fertility test the ram ,just because he has produced lambs in the past does not mean that he is still fertile . You are 100% certain they are female , I know it sounds stupid but it does happen that they are weathers or have both genitals . If some breeds do not get pregnant as ewe lambs they are sold and some may never get pregnant . As suggested put raddle on the ram and then you will at least know if the ewes are cycling
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I'm pretty certain he is fertile as my other 12 ewes all got pregnant! I will be putting a raddle on him next weekend when he goes in with ewes so I'll see then if these 2 are cycling. yes, they are definitely female. thanks.
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What are their teats like? I've lambed hoggs twinned to a tup, Sweet Petite was actually a triplet with a triplet ewe sister and tup brother. She lambed also. However, Henrys' Mum lambed triplets every other year (twins in the other years) and 1 year, she had 2 tups and 1 ewe. Bright Eyes was lovely! Beautiful temperament! However, for 3 years straight i ran her with the 3 tups we had around the place, Dorset Down, Bleu Du Maine and Lleyn! Sniff, snort, play! NOT one made any effort to pounce. This was back in the day when I could part with 'Has beens'. She went for meat!
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I would raddle now and see what happens, failing that try a different ram or sell/cull them.. Could just be that the ram doesn't like them, or they don't like him, or as you suspect, they are just not cycling?
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I would raddle now and see what happens, failing that try a different ram or sell/cull them.. Could just be that the ram doesn't like them, or they don't like him, or as you suspect, they are just not cycling?
Agree with the above or can you try a different tup? You know yours works but as above maybe he doesn't like them. Are they all beltex?
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If its any morale support, my shearling who was never tupped or lambed last time scanned with twins yesterday - glad I kept her and tried again!