[NewLifeOnTheFarm]

Hi again 
 

Just been reading about ewe nuts and rams. My plan would be to put tup in with the girls in November, and then keep him in with them til august time.

We have good winter grazing, and have plenty of our own hay, and will be 5 ewes to one ram so he shouldn't be too tired!

Would the ewes need anything extra during tupping? I was thinking that I would be needing to supplement the ewes in the final few weeks, so do I just distract him while they feed or what? And what's best for him to have in a bucket, soaked beets?

Thanks.
Charlotte

[twizzel]

From experience trying to distract a ram from food does not go well    you would be better off separating him before the ewes lamb I think, I'm not sure it's recommended to leave rams with ewes with lambs at foot (especially as they will need concentrates after lambing too), plus you don't want him serving his own daughters if they mature early. It might be better seeing if you can hire a ram or take your girls to someone with a ram locally if you can find the right breed rather than the hassle of keeping a ram for such a small number of sheep.

[NewLifeOnTheFarm]

My other thought was a ram lamb, and then either sending him off for the table or selling him once he had done his duty!

[farmershort]

the theory we stick to regarding tupping and feeding is this:

"Ewes should be in rapidly improving condition as they go to the tup"

Now this means different things in different areas, but generally speaking I'd say that if you were putting the tup in on bonfire night, then make sure the ewes are not over pampered during september, and then at some point in october (2 weeks before tupping perhaps) move them onto fresh good grass. This apparently makes the sheep biology think "ahhh, this is a plentyful place, I'll have more than one lamb". We don't use any extra food for this - just fresh lush grass - but some people do. If you want to feed them, I'd keep that bow in your quiver until after xmas... depends on the sheep and the ground though.

The other thing that a lot of people like is to set the rams up as teasers before tupping, so put them somewhere where they can see and smell the ewes through the fence/gate a couple of weeks before tupping. DO NOT use electric fences for this... they won't keep them in

[farmershort]

My other thought was a ram lamb, and then either sending him off for the table or selling him once he had done his duty!

I've never killed an "entire" ram lamb for the table, but it's certainly a no-no with pigs, as the hormones taint the flavour of the meat. Getting a ram-lamb to serve your girls is certainly fine, as long as they aren't bigger than he his!

The other thing is that once the boy has done his work, he may well not be at prime slaughter weight anymore - added to that, it'll be mid-winter, and he will be putting on bone growth rather than meat. This means you might have to keep him until april time anyway, to get decent meat back on him.

If you've got the room, and the fences, might be better just to have a dedicated ram/rams, that you change every 2 years to keep the bloodlines healthy.

[Foobar]

You could feed them using feed buckets (crystalyx high energy etc) rather than ewe nuts for this year.  Then for next year, make sure you castrate one of your ram lambs and then you can keep that wether and your ram together away from the ewes in the run up to lambing whilst you are feeding the ewes (it makes life a lot easier).

[harmony]

My other thought was a ram lamb, and then either sending him off for the table or selling him once he had done his duty!

I've never killed an "entire" ram lamb for the table, but it's certainly a no-no with pigs, as the hormones taint the flavour of the meat. Getting a ram-lamb to serve your girls is certainly fine, as long as they aren't bigger than he his!

A tup at tupping time stinks and you wouldn't want him in your freezer. I actually know of someone who butchered an aged, working boar and the meat wasn't tainted at all.

[Talana]

Do not feed ewe feed to tups. Tups if need more than grazing/hay then lamb creep or tup feed as the mineral content is formulated for them to prevent problems. I would not keep tup with ewes in all year round as you could end up with ewes in lamb earlier plus daughters and some at usual time in spring.(ours accidentally got mixed at shearing time and we had 3 ewes lamb at new year!) Ewes in lamb need ewe nuts 6 weeks before lambing and after lambing til the spring grass appears. November means April /May Lambing. We leave our tups in for 6 weeks then they are out to rest all year. For a management point of view it's easier to have the flock lamb around the same time as the sheeps heptivac p booster due 4-6 weeks before lambing so provides antibodies in the colostrum to protect the lambs, also having sleepless nights all year round does not appeal. You possibly could borrow a tup or if you are not fussy on breed buy one at the mart then when done sell at the mart again. Or buy a wether lamb for company. Some people use bucket licks but our ewes just need grazing at tupping, depends on your grazing quality/ quantity mineral deficiency's on your holding. Our tups only need grazing all year round hay if snow.

[NewLifeOnTheFarm]

Thanks for all the advice.


Sounds like best plan for us would be to have a ram and a wether. Am I right in thinking I could give a course mix during tupping if need be, that wouldn't harm the boys, and then give ewe nuts that are higher in protein in final six weeks when they are separate?

Lots to learn, going to get booked onto a sheep keeping course plus spending some time at farm I'm getting my girls from.

[Talana]

Yes, course or pellets/nuts it will tell you on the bag for tups / lambs which is suitable for all of the flock.Your local feed store will be able to advise as well. Ewes need the ewe nuts or ewe course mix gradual build up pre lambing. Liquid licks of treacle is useful especially if scanned triplets. Some people use the bucket licks as well or instead of nuts/mix. If in doubt ask and you never stop learning.

[pharnorth]

First year with only a few ewes to tup there is a lot to be said for hiring a ram. Have you asked the farmer you are getting them from if hey can do you a hire for year one? 

[twizzel]

First year with only a few ewes to tup there is a lot to be said for hiring a ram. Have you asked the farmer you are getting them from if hey can do you a hire for year one?

We hired a ram from a good friend for our first year too, took a lot of pressure off ! As long as he is treated for worms and external parasites before coming and is sound and you agree what is to happen if he goes lame or dies, then it's worth doing for a small flock. Our ram went lame due to a thorn in his foot but we sorted it out and it looks like he's done his job, our girls are starting to look very round ??

[Marches Farmer]

You may be able to hire a ram.  We hire out Southdown and Badger Face rams.  The breed society websites for other breeds may have details of rams for hire for those.

[landroverroy]

My other thought was a ram lamb, and then either sending him off for the table or selling him once he had done his duty!

 I've found this works well. As you've only a few ewes he shouldn't lose too much weight after serving them. Keep him on a bit anyway if in doubtand feed him till about Feb when prices are pretty good in the fatstock markets.  Or if you're getting him slaughtered for yourselves then you can do it whenever convenient.

Young rams are not normally tainted like boars can be. Many years ago, when lambs were graded in the fatstock market, I sent a young Herdwick ram in. He was about 8 months old and fat but the grader rejected him for the subsidy because he said he was entire so at that age would taste of ram. So we slaughtered him and I sold half to a neighbour. The neighbour (a farmer) said it was the best lamb he had ever had ever tasted, and I had to agree. It was absolutely delicious - no trace of ram taint at all.

I now don't castrate my ram lambs as I usually send them fat off grass in about August. Any that don't make it then I often keep till about Feb when the entire males fetch exactly the same price in market as the females.   

[lesbri]

I use a ram lamb to do this too as Ive only 12 ewes and not enough room to keep a ram all year round. Have been doing it every year for 5 years now and have never noticed any ram taint. I do take them away from the girls around the beginning of December (after they have been in with the girls for 2 cycles) and then send them off in early January. I put 2 ram lambs in with the girls so that neither work very hard and just in case one isnt performing well!