The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: trish.farm on February 18, 2016, 05:08:17 pm
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First ewe lambed yesterday, not a good start this year, triplets (which I rarely have) ewe wouldn't let her milk down, udder like a prize cow, jabbed her, tried milking her etc etc. She is now down to 2 lambs after flattening the 3rd.
Anyway.... to castrate ram lambs or not? I have always castrated, (or got someone to help as I am useless at it), my lambs all get slaughtered around sept/oct time. Weaned around Aug, and ewe lambs I am keeping are separated.
Would it be beneficial to growth if I don't castrate? Does the meat taste different? Opinions please. many thanks.
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I'd leave them as long as you have sufficient room to keep them separate once weaned. Castration does slow down growth.
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I stopped castrating years ago.No need to put them through all that pain.They go off with half a kilo more dangling between their legs.
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I agree - better for growth, and with your timing there will be no impact at all on taste - just delicious!
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oh the relief!!! will leave their crown jewels intact this year, less stress for me and them!! Love doing their tails, just hopeless with the balls!
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We've never castrated but last year our local farmer popped round and castrated 2 of our boys ... They do grow slower but they are a lot easier to handle ... The other 6 boys who weren't done have really shot up but we've had to separate 2 for fighting ! So depends on how much land you have ... The 2 castrated boys are loving playing with the girls and seem much happier in themselves ... Food for thought
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We've never castrated except for any we keep as a tup companion (two in 10 years); I find them fine to handle, in fact they are easier than the giddy ewe lambs. Like you, ours go away October time.
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We have not castrated for the 2 years we have had sheep and the ram lambs are a delight to keep .... much friendlier than their female sisters. This year all will be castrated as we have people looking after the place whilst we venture to Tanzania in the summer so I am making the place as easy to deal with as possible (and late August is a bit to close to mating time to risk someone not keeping them apart!) so as to growth rate this year will be interesting.
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We castrate, the first lambs we send off are normally whethers but we do keep ours into autumn. They do all grow fine though The exception was last year with a lamb that never dropped his stones, even the vet was perplexed as to why he didn't have anything in his ball sack :o
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Cryptorchidism surprised your vet didn't say