91

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by SallyintNorth on August 12, 2025, 05:30:55 pm »

My experience includes :

• even if ewes of a breed are seasonal breeders, that's no guarantee that a ram of that breed won't find the necessary if the opportunity arises
• ewes which lambed within the last few months are less likely to cycle unseasonally than any which were geld.  The converse seems to be true, any adult ewes which did not lamb within the last few months are *very* likely to breed unseasonally if the opportunity arises.

My Shetland tup Nigel is nicknamed Ever Ready Golden Balls.  Thanks to his diligence ( ), I've had the following ewes lamb unseasonally :  pure Manx Loaghtan, pure Wensleydale, Icelandic x (with Texel and Shetland in the mix), BFL x Shetland.

92

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by PipKelpy on August 11, 2025, 05:52:09 pm »

I've 1 tup lamb, Isaac, he's a Wiltshire Horn and will be 5 month old in another week or so. He's with siblings, hoggs that hopefully he'll be tupping in November, 4 ewes being culled and Dorset x lambs still On their mums as they were born a month later.

I haven't seen him sniff anyone.

However, Triplet, who was my Dorset Down tup, started tupping June 2004 when he was 5.5months old! Now that was a surprise!

DD can lamb whenever, don't think Wiltshire Horns can, so im not too worried at the moment.

93

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by Blue Feather on August 11, 2025, 05:29:59 pm »

Wow, I didn't know this was a potential problem! I haven't been castrating any of my ram lambs. They stay with their mums until they are 5 to 6 months old then go for meat (end August). I haven't had any mishaps, after 7 lambings, so far...! (Jacob x sheep)

94

Announcements / New diary post: Storm Floris / Phlox / Sweetcorn

« Last post by TAS Bot on August 11, 2025, 08:33:52 am »

A new TAS diary entry has been posted: Storm Floris / Phlox / Sweetcorn

95

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by Rosemary on August 11, 2025, 07:48:08 am »

Do none of you castrate the ram lambs then?

I only ever castrated ram lambs that I thought might not go fat in October and need to be overwintered - triplets and the like.

96

Pests and diseases / Re: Cat puncturing polytunnel

« Last post by Blue Feather on August 11, 2025, 07:46:56 am »

Thank you. That was the only solution I could thnk of too!

97

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by twizzel on August 10, 2025, 08:48:48 pm »

Do none of you castrate the ram lambs then?

Castrate all of ours but keep 3 or 4 entire each year. This year kept 3 entire and have a rig too.

98

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by Richmond on August 10, 2025, 06:39:14 pm »

Do none of you castrate the ram lambs then?

99

Sheep / Re: Ram lambs and fertility.

« Last post by Twotwo on August 10, 2025, 01:41:15 pm »

I wean the ram lambs about 12 weeks and ewe lambs 16 weeks, seems to work for us… although I left the ewe lambs longer this year for various reasons, it will be interesting to how it effects lambing percentages.

100

Pests and diseases / Re: Cat puncturing polytunnel

« Last post by Fleecewife on August 10, 2025, 12:22:45 am »

Sorry, I can't think of much except perhaps draping 3' wide lightweight fleece loosely against the side walls.  When he repeatedly gets tangled in it, that might deter him eventually (as long as you are there to disentangle him)  Cats do hate to look foolish