Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Rig lamb- leave or sort?  (Read 5473 times)

funkyfish

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Devon
Rig lamb- leave or sort?
« on: March 14, 2012, 05:21:42 pm »
One of my very lovely ram lambs is a rig :0( breeder ringed his one ball and tail. He is more petite than the others and seems more laid back. He is just to keep for a lawn mower, but would like a ewe to breed from at some point so I'll have to keep them separate which is a pain... Don't really want to put him through an op to go fishing for it (although increased risk of testicular cancer from an internal one). May put him in the freezer instead? Or would it be ok to keep him? Argh!!
Any views or suggestions would be great!
Old and rare breed Ducks, chickens, geese, sheep, guinea pigs, 3 dogs, 3 cats, husband and chicks brooding in the tv cabinate!

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Rig lamb- leave or sort?
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2012, 05:43:51 pm »
Freezer as soon as big enough, and keep him away from any girls from about 4 months old (depending on breed). No pont keeping one that may act like a proper male as a lawnmower, he will try and escape etc etc.

colliewoman

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Pilton
  • Caution! May spontaneously talk rabbits!
Re: Rig lamb- leave or sort?
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2012, 08:06:59 pm »
If he was rung/ringed with a testicle still up, he 'should' be sterile as the sperm is too hot inside the body. I was reading an article on 'empty sack castrating'. However he will still have very ram like behaviour as he will still produce boy hormones ;D
We'll turn the dust to soil,
Turn the rust of hate back into passion.
It's not water into wine
But it's here, and it's happening.
Massive,
but passive.


Bring the peace back

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Rig lamb- leave or sort?
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2012, 09:03:52 pm »
If he was rung/ringed with a testicle still up, he 'should' be sterile as the sperm is too hot inside the body. I was reading an article on 'empty sack castrating'. However he will still have very ram like behaviour as he will still produce boy hormones ;D
PLUS - May 2010, several farms hereabouts had unexpected lambs dropping left, right and centre.

We had had an unknown rig running with our keeping ewe lambs, a neighbour used 'teasers' (rigs) to get their girls cycling, and then left the teasers running with the ewes when the tups were removed.

December 15th 2009, a really cold snap began.  Temperatures routinely -10 to -15, down to -21 briefly.  Apparently, at those external temperatures, those internal testicles suddenly start working! 

So my advice would be - eat him.  Or if you really love him and can't bear to do that, then get his remaining tube tied or testicle removed.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

funkyfish

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Devon
Re: Rig lamb- leave or sort?
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2012, 03:53:00 pm »
That's what I thought, thanks guys!
Old and rare breed Ducks, chickens, geese, sheep, guinea pigs, 3 dogs, 3 cats, husband and chicks brooding in the tv cabinate!

 

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