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Author Topic: Ewes butting each other  (Read 3766 times)

moprabbit

  • Joined Oct 2011
  • North Notts
Ewes butting each other
« on: November 10, 2014, 09:56:10 pm »
I have 4 ewes which have over the last week or two just started to butt each other! Normally they live quite happily with each other, so  I think it's probably that they are in season, but I'm not sure! The pairs that butt each other change over a few days.  If it is that, I wondered, is it the ewe that is in season that butts or is it the ewe that is in season that gets butted??? Thank you
4 pet sheep

Oopsiboughtasheep

  • Joined Aug 2014
  • Hampshire
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2014, 10:44:23 pm »
I will be interested in the replies to your question as I also have 4 pet sheep and they have done this to each other pretty much since I have had them (a couple of months). I just thought they were being playful with each other as it is often associated with them then having a hurtle round the field together and kicking their legs in the air. I just thought they were happy sheep!
Anything that costs you your peace is too expensive

devonlady

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2014, 09:24:02 am »
As long as they have plenty of room they will sort themselves out.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2014, 09:55:47 am »
It is just sorting out who is boss, and also happens when they are in season. Unless it gets very bad and/or bloody I wouldn't worry about it.

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2014, 11:25:27 am »
My Soay have odd spells of doing this and not necessarily at this time of year so in their case not just to do with being in season.

Often they are showing other signs of 'frisky' behaviour at the time ..... running, jumping, chasing around.

Think they must be playing and perhaps sorting dominance within the flock. They have hurt each other a few times .... caused limping and grazes a couple of times but always better within a day or so. No significant injuries.  ::)

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2014, 11:37:06 am »
Just sorting out the pecking order - better done now than barging at each other at the trough in late pregnancy.

greggy

  • Joined Nov 2018
Re: Ewes butting each other
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2018, 01:52:19 pm »
Am at the bottom of the globe, but my Dorpers will do this at times, the Rams will too, in a playful way, sometimes they use each others heads for scratching.

So it would depend on how serious they are about it, are they really smacking heads, or just a half rear ended game ?

 

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