[JFW67]

I have a ram lamb that was castrated using the rubber ring system.  Checking him today it is pretty clear he has an intact internal testicle.

He is one of two that I had castrated as company for the breeding ram when he is kept away from the ewes.

1.  Do I understand that he is therefore potentially fertile and therefore should be kept away from the ewes.
2.  Is it correct that he will otherwise be fit and fine?



    Just my luck, his much smaller wether partner has turned out to be a relative of Harry Houdini.    He has escaped twice from a field no other sheep can get out of. 

[shep53]

He will be fine and may only be fertile if the weather gets really  cold , minus figures for a prolonged period ,  Because his testicle is up in his body its too warm for the sperm to survive

[Richmond]

The problem we had with our rigs (I too failed to band some properly) is that although technically they wouldn't be fertile they were behaving in such a rammy way with the ewes we felt sorry for the ewes. We've separated them now but up until weaning they were not only feeding from the ewes but would also repeatedly try and mount them, constantly pestering them.

[JFW67]

He will be fine and may only be fertile if the weather gets really  cold , minus figures for a prolonged period ,  Because his testicle is up in his body its too warm for the sperm to survive

Thanks for the reply.  This is what I understood . . .  Didn’t realise the temperature had to be so low for it to be a concern.

The problem we had with our rigs (I too failed to band some properly) is that although technically they wouldn't be fertile they were behaving in such a rammy way with the ewes we felt sorry for the ewes. We've separated them now but up until weaning they were not only feeding from the ewes but would also repeatedly try and mount them, constantly pestering them.

Thanks for this.  I have just started weaning the ram lambs partly because of this.kind of hearty behaviour.  Good to have a confirmation it’s a fair enough move.

[Penninehillbilly]

For the future, a tip we found useful was to tie some string/cord round first, make sure everything is in place then put the band on, that's where we had a problem, getting the string off,
So we tried just wrapping the string round, when the band was on, we could just pull the string out.
takes 2 of us though.

[JFW67]

For the future, a tip we found useful was to tie some string/cord round first, make sure everything is in place then put the band on, that's where we had a problem, getting the string off,
So we tried just wrapping the string round, when the band was on, we could just pull the string out.
takes 2 of us though.

   Hoping to ‘never’ need to do it again.  My intention is to keep these two for a good few years.  Future ram lambs will be held for the summer and then depart.

Thanks for the info.

[Penninehillbilly]

For the future, a tip we found useful was to tie some string/cord round first, make sure everything is in place then put the band on, that's where we had a problem, getting the string off,
So we tried just wrapping the string round, when the band was on, we could just pull the string out.
takes 2 of us though.

   Hoping to ‘never’ need to do it again.  My intention is to keep these two for a good few years.  Future ram lambs will be held for the summer and then depart.
Thanks for the info.

I decided to do that, but tried to get an Easycare tup, couldn't find one for loan, so ended up putting the 5 ewes with the welsh tup on Dec 28th.
Already late, but he must like to romance them a bit, last one lambed July 7th! Gave up on her and she and last years boys were due to go to abbatoir that day, haulier had cancelled, whew!