[Brucklay]

Maybe a bit early for this post and I do remember this topic last year but I've searched and I can't find it - so I chose to buy a ram lamb and not a ram as we only had a few to cover last autumn and I thought a young one may get used to the routine, me and if he didn't produce anything there are alternatives!!! Worked out the dates now our Castlemilk Moorit ram lamb got his first ewe pregnant at 21 weeks old minus 1 day - I'd say he done ok - would be interested or your expereiences with ram lambs

[jaykay]

With my Rough Fells I always bought a tup lamb as it was the only way I could afford the quality I wanted.
He would cover 15-20 ewes and always did a fine job. I would use him as a shearling too and then sell him as a two-shear, as he came round to his daughters.

[thenovice]

Sounds like you got a good ram, and it makes good economic sense. I did the same last year, and bought a southdown ram lamb for half the price of a proven 1. I put him in with the older girls and he soon got the hang of it. Produced some lovely chunky lambs this year, and he has matured into a nice ram. Sometimes its worth taking a gamble! 

[jaykay]

I reckon if a lamb is well grown and healthy there's no reason to suppose he's not capable. I always raddle them and if the whole flock 'came round again' I'd borrow one from somewhere - but it's never happened. And of course, then you're selling him as proven too 

[humphreymctush]

I used a shetland ram lamb last year. I was a bit worried because they are slow maturing, but I had my first lambs yesterday and thats on the due date. I dont know exactly how old he was when I got him but I suspect he was born early april 2011

[Fleecewife]

We use several tups each year, giving each a small group of ewes, and one or two are usually lambs.  So far we have never had a dud.  Even Soays, which can still be quite tiny compared to the ewes, have done the bizz 

[Brijjy]

I bought a Wilts horn ram lamb on 19th october last year and as soon as we got him home he went in with the girls. He served two while we were watching him    At the time he was 6 months and 16 days old. We'll keep him for another year and then sell him.

[PDO_Lamb]

I use 6 month old Shetland ram lambs regularly with smaller batches of ewes (<20). The risk using ram lambs (as with buying them) is that what looks fine doesn't always turn out so good as a shearling.  Gestation is the usual 148 +/- 5 days.
When are ram lambs fertile? I don't know but I try to wean them by the end of July to avoid accidents.