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Author Topic: Ouch!  (Read 5709 times)

Ayeskint

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Fife, Central Scotland
Ouch!
« on: February 18, 2010, 12:25:17 pm »
Hello folks, I know that I've been smug having a hand reared tup who was just the softest chilled out guy....... Guess what - he's started to ram me and I'm covered in bruises.  I've tried standing up to him but it hasn't stopped him, especially when my back is turned.  Short of putting him in a pen whenever I go into the field, I don't know what else to do.  I haven't got space for a tup field.  Does anyone have any tips?  It seems to be a female thing - he leaves my husband alone  :'(

Carol

 

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
    • Facebook
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2010, 02:12:16 pm »
Oh dear!  I think you need Cesar Milan! ;D ;D  Will I come up and do my 'Jamie' thing with him? ;)
Seriously, I hope you get him sorted out - no experience with sheep I'm afraid ::)
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Calvadnack

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2010, 03:32:00 pm »
My previously lovely ram lamb also headbutted me rather than my husband when he started being used as a tup.  It was a lesson in not taking a grown-up boy for granted. Even my husband only ever went back in the field with a thin plastic stick (an old chicken fence pole).  He would tap the ram on his front feet to make him back off.  We learnt to see the signs of when he was feeling particularly protective of his ladies and always kept an eye on him.  My other ram lambs who never became tups remained delightful before ending up in the freezer as has the tup!

Unless you have a separate field and a wether to keep him company you may need to think again about keeping a ram as you can't trust them and it may stop your enjoyment of your other sheep.

Sue

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2010, 04:10:40 pm »
Hello Annie When I feel ace I will write you one of my stories about a tup and what the Mester did with him ;D
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

Canadian Sheepfarmer

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • Manitoba, Canada.
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2010, 01:38:43 am »

Farmer

  • Joined May 2009
  • Sidway, Staffordshire
    • Farmeats.com
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2010, 07:53:03 am »
Hi CS,

Don't dispair, I had the same experience with our lovely Laurence, particularly during the first season/year out with the ewes...I learned to take a large empty bucket (without handles) and when he got over zealous I popped it on his head and then retreated...quickly! After a while he settled down and just accepted me being there, but I still even after four years (he's part of the family) keep an eye out for any signs of aggression. The truth is he's just an old softy who needs love and affection...he comes to his name and gives me a kiss on request and is simply the most loving ram you could wish to meet...problem is he isn't interested in the ewes, prefers the company of cows or dogs and has befriended our Shropshire Ram from whom he is inseparable...strangely, Oliver, our Shropshire Ram, has adopted Laurence's friendly nature, even though he was not hand reared.

Both my wife and I have a great relationship with all of our animals and have little or no problems with any of them...however its always best to be aware!

Good luck with calming him down...you will succeed I promise.

Regards Farmer  :farmer:

ballingall

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2010, 10:14:52 pm »
I have to say we never kept a tup of our own, just borrowing one when we needed to. However, I am not sure I would ever "completely" trust a ram. I'd be very careful about turning my back on them. We once borrowed the most horrible Suffolk tup, if you turned your back to him, he went for you....
The billy goats can get quite stroppy, and you have to show them who is boss. I have couped some occasionally and then sat on them until I felt it was ok for them to get up. This unfortunately resulted in the fact that I can show and handle my billy goat, but my boyfriend can't because we tried that this year, and my boyfriend didn't have a good time whilst showing him....

Beth
« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 10:17:21 pm by ballingall »

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2010, 08:06:19 pm »
More people are killed each year by rams than by bulls.... :-\.....true...as they can break your femur! Moral is never....never trust a ram and never make a pet of them! Now as to the problem.....you will need to take a stick at all times and if necessary whack his front legs not head or face as that is a direct challenge. To be honest unless he is a valuable pedigree animal you may be better off selling him, either to someone with a big flock who likes the look of him and has more male company he can keep when not working .....or send him to the cull rams/ewes section of the local livestock market and use the proceeds to buy another.....you will never be able to trust him...believe me I know!
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2010, 10:45:39 am »
A mixed bag of replies on this one!  In my own experience -  I've kept several rams - and still do, all of which are big softies.  Like some of the rams mentioned in this thread, they are tame and are treated as such, they have a fuss and are often hand-fed and quite frankly, I've never had a problem other than when the younger rams (under 12 months) start to have a play 'butt' at me when I go in the field to feed them - this seems a common problem!  However, deal with it as best you can - never harshly - they soon get the message and stop after a while.  That said, I hired a ram when I first started breeding polled Dorsets and although he was basically quite sedate, he was NOT tame and nearly took my friend's legs from under him on one occassion.  As a result my opinion of rams is that the tamer they are the better they will behave toward you, but take care, because, like people, they are all of different temperements.  Good Luck!

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2010, 07:03:29 pm »
Depends on breed of ram too..... just like cattle! I have had big soft rams that would not do anything to you such as a couple of Wensleydale chaps and a Gotland called Fred who would have preferred to be indoors on the sofa. I have had a mixed bag with Dorset Downs, some a doddle and some not to be trusted. I have also had a Ouessant that would try and murder you despite being knee high and a Dorset Horn that broke a gate, bashed the side out of the trailer and had me on the floor :o
All these rams were treated the same! I do however believe that after a lifetime of livestock bulls and rams.....and boars and entire male goats should be treated with respect.....they are usually bigger and stronger than a person and therefore potentially dangerous
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

ballingall

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2010, 09:31:54 pm »
Quite agree, we forget how domesticated these animals are sometimes, and it takes a reminder of just how strong they are. I took a entire male goat at a year old (buckling) to a show in a cattle market, put him in a pen, and the cattle pen didn't have pins in the hinges. He leant his head on the gate, gave a little toss and the entire gate came straight off its hinges. I still didn't think that much of it, until it took three adults to rehang that gate it was so heavy. And he was one of the quietest people friendly billies I have had.

I would never ever quite trust a ram, and even my own billy goat, because you never know, especially in the breeding season.
Beth

Ayeskint

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Fife, Central Scotland
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2010, 01:19:25 pm »
Thanks for the advice guys, I've had a big learning curve.  I have a piece of plastic piping that I keep to hand and have adopted a more assertive stance (thanks to Ceasar).  Although I wouldn't trust him again, or turn my back on him, he seems to be more respectful.  He's either a full or half suffolk.  I'll keep him for another year anyway until his daughters are old enough to lamb - poor Rambo..................

Carol

Wizard

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • North East Lincolnshire
Re: Ouch!
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2010, 04:51:12 pm »
Very nasty things are rams on account of them being unpredictable.I think they think you are going to pinch one of their lady friends but that don't explain if you are a female maybe hr thinks ah shes a Lizzie she not converting Ada ;D ;D ;D :farmer:
Don't do today what can be put off until tomorrow because today will be yesterday tomorrow

 

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