Author Topic: Shearling ewes and rams (Read 5498 times)

zwartbles · « **on:** April 19, 2012, 11:24:26 am »

We need to rest some pasture and have to ask, can we safely graze shearling ewes in with our two mature rams?
Wil this result in damaged ewes or the two rams fighting ?
All advice welcome ! Thanks.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** April 19, 2012, 11:37:58 am »

I can't see the ewes being harmed, but the rams might fight - they usually settle down quite quickly. You will end up lambing at a strange time of year though

Foobar · « **Reply #2 on:** April 19, 2012, 12:34:34 pm »

I have a similar question ... assuming the breed of sheep is one that is a seasonal breeder, at what point in the year do they stop cycling? (i.e., if they start in Sept, when do they stop)

Fleecewife · « **Reply #3 on:** April 19, 2012, 01:32:31 pm »

We have an old unbred Shetland ewe who is still happily cycling - and yelling for the boys

. I don't trust that my ewes (all supposedly seasonal breeders) will ever have a time during the year when they will definitely not get pregnant in the presence of a tup.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #4 on:** April 19, 2012, 01:56:29 pm »

They stop when they are up the duff, thats the only safe thing to assume.

If you put them in, assume you will be lambing 5 months later and you wont go far wrong, they would have to be more primitive than Shetlands to be truly seasonal....

Fleecewife · « **Reply #5 on:** April 19, 2012, 02:45:24 pm »

Quote from: lachlanandmarcus on April 19, 2012, 01:56:29 pm

They stop when they are up the duff, thats the only safe thing to assume.

If you put them in, assume you will be lambing 5 months later and you wont go far wrong, they would have to be more primitive than Shetlands to be truly seasonal....

I don't even trust our Soays and you can't get much more primitive than that

zwartbles · « **Reply #6 on:** April 19, 2012, 03:54:15 pm »

Ah well, won't do that then !!

plt102 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2012, 04:26:32 pm »

Would they get pregnant with lambs at foot? Our shetlands are notorious escapees!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2012, 12:40:15 am »

Quote from: plt102 on April 19, 2012, 04:26:32 pm

Would they get pregnant with lambs at foot? Our shetlands are notorious escapees!

Hah, we thought that. Floosy got in lamb with her twins still at foot (hence her name); mind, she's a more commercial (Texel x mule) type and the lambs, though still suckling, were around 4 months old by then.