Author Topic: oops randy ram (Read 2611 times)

plt102 · « **on:** February 07, 2013, 11:27:07 am »

I have a problem. Our ram was in with our ewes for two months in the autumn and then went off for 2 months to visit some other lovely ladies. He is back now and has given one our ewes lots of attention. He must have missed her in the autumn. What are the chances he will get her into lamb now, fairly high I guess? I don't fancy having her lambing in mid summer! Arrgghh!

sabrina · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2013, 03:22:24 pm »

I had this once, a summer lamb just means it will not be ready to go with the rest and the ewe does not get the same break from rearing one lamb till tupping again. I solved this by keeping my lambs which were both ewes and giving mum extra food to help her back into condition before she went to the tup in the October.

Anke · « **Reply #2 on:** February 07, 2013, 03:37:10 pm »

You will be out of kilter not just with the growing lamb, but also clipping the ewe, and if you wait until July flystrike will become a serious problem... also if she lambs outside and the mucky backend just after lambing would attract flies I am sure. Also you would have to get her boostered much later to make sure lamb gets all the antibodies in the colostrum. I would separate asap and forego a lamb from her.

plt102 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2013, 05:06:13 pm »

Thanks guys. I just had a meeting at a vet school where I sell microscopes. The guy there said because she is a primitive (shetland) that she should not be in season and even if the ram is successful in his attempts, she should not get in lamb. I'll be shearing them all after lambing so she will be shorn with everyone else. Will give her a set of booster jabs later just in case if that is OK. Will check with vet. Fingers crossed.

mab · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2013, 11:24:37 pm »

My shetlands (all 3) got in lamb successfully in march - gave birth end of july - just thought you'd want to know they can get in lamb anytime.

Dougal · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2013, 12:01:03 am »

That sound like typical vet school. What a lot of tosh! Shetlands ain't primitive for a start and considering that many farmers in the mountains and in the northern islands actualy lamb in may through to june she isn't that far out of normal cycling! Main worries will be if it is a single lamb (probably will be at this time of year) trying to keep her from being too well fed but being a shetlan will help you there, they tend to be easy lambers and don't normally over eat. Fly strike should be no worries, crutch her out in late june or even better shear her before she lambs (June). She will shear really well and if you tell the shearer he won't twist her. This is common practice in the US an in some flocks that lamb early an stay indoors so it doesn't harm the ewe or the lambs.

colliewoman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2013, 05:53:30 pm »

Shetland certainly will take the tup late!
I am deliberately not lambing till May and the ram is now servicing his next flock as we speak

From experience with my little flock of shetlands and shetland castlemilk crosses however, I cannot back up the tendency to not over eat. Mine are greedy and will get fat on summer grass, so you have to know what your ewe is like and if she is a greedy one, you are gonna have your work cut out as she will need her food intake monitored just when your others are eating for 3 $:-\$

Good luck

Richard Underwood · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2013, 09:33:15 pm »

We have Soays, as primitive as you can get, and we have had a lamb in early August.

plt102 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 14, 2013, 11:08:59 am »

Mmm ok. Will keep a close eye on her over the next few months. She lambed easily last year so I will keep all fingers crossed. Lambing date in the diary.