Author Topic: When does a sheeps breeding cycle end ?? (Read 1972 times)

crobertson · « **on:** February 28, 2018, 07:34:54 am »

After tupping we removed our ram and whether and kept seperately and allowed two ewe lambs to join the girls. Is the start of March too soon to return them all together to avoid the ewe lambs getting tupped ? It would help out practically over the next couple of months to have them all together and just put the boys in a field pen at feeding time.

Thanks in advance

Sbom · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2018, 07:42:04 am »

My teaser ram was tupping a ewe yesterday!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2018, 09:54:57 am »

Theoretically only a very few breeds are receptive to the tup all year, but it's not a theory I've ever cared to put to the test.

Anke · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2018, 10:46:09 am »

I have taken on (someone else's) bottle lambs from a gimmer ewe that lambed in late August, due to some member of the public having left gates open... the ewe did not survive as she hadn't been fed for pregnancy...

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2018, 01:28:31 pm »

I'm happy to turn my ewe lambs out with the Rams from the beginning of April. Others have said that they wouldn't do that because the rams could bring the lambs into heat but I've been doing it for years and never had a summer lamb.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2018, 02:49:49 pm »

Some breeds cycle all year round - Dorsets, for instance - so the answer might depend on what sort of sheep you’re talking about.

Ex-BH used to leave his tups with the ewes year round, and got some early lambs some years but not very late ones. However, when we introduced Charollais into the mix we had to start keeping the boys separate; the ewes which were part Charollais were much more likely to cycle at odd times :/