[kelly58]

Could anyone give me some input ? With moving recently we dont have as many fields as we would like for separating the tups with their ewes. Would it be ok not to lamb this year ? Would the tups get wound up  and start fighting ? We have 4  together in a field. Farmer friend said it would not be good as tups may start to fight each other ? 

[Hellybee]

We left the ewes empty year before last, the rams weren't bothered, but then again our rams never live with our ewes.   Maybe take the "penning them close" to start with like on the other current ram thread, banging and clanging.

[Hellybee]

Sorry I pad won't let me edit that post.  Do they live with the ewes the rest of the time, or am I reading the post wrong?

[Marches Farmer]

Rams in an adjacent field will be very interested in ewes and probably start to scrap.  Ours are in a field out of sight, sound and smell of the ewes until we pull them out to work.  If you decide not to breed from the ewes beware of them getting too fat - it may make it difficult for them to get in lamb next time.

[Hellybee]

There's that too, but when we had our fallow year the following tupping they stopped 130 with a handful left empty.  Going into that winter tupped they boded very well, we did keep them all rather conservatively until scanning, then split. 


We didn't tup that year because we were really freaked out about schmallenberg (sp?)

[kelly58]

We have decided to just put the tups in late when we have done the fencing ourselves  Just put the strainers in now  Will have one Boreray with his girls, another Boreray tup with his girls, the 2 Boreray  ram lambs will get a small paddock. Our new babies Babydoll Southdowns have their own field already, well settled in with field shelter if they choose to use it.
Just the Boreray being put together was the problem. One tup back and front of the house out of sight of each other is the plan    Thanks everyone