Author Topic: Tips for reintroducing ryeland rams after seperation (Read 6040 times)

pharnorth · « **Reply #15 on:** January 26, 2016, 10:22:32 am »

Kelly, I don't know it was just a thought as for humans it's the classes digging the nails into the palm of your hands to distract from a worse pain or head banging for toddlers. A Vet would know if animals are inclined to do this too. How to find out if he is in pain? Try some pain relief and see if the behaviour stops.

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #16 on:** January 26, 2016, 02:11:06 pm »

Your replies got me thinking about the role that smell plays in ram society. My older ram always smells musky. The younger one only smells from about Sept to Dec and the ram lamb doesn't yet smell at all.

I wonder if the smell is the trigger for my younger ram to challenge the older one.....

My younger ram ( the black one) is brilliant with youngsters even at tupping time. they can mount him, rub heads with him and generally be silly right into adulthood and he never butts them. But put him in a field opposite my older white ram and the two of them stand there eyeballing each other and grunting.

I wonder if reintroducing after shearing would work.....?

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #17 on:** January 26, 2016, 02:51:36 pm »

Quote from: kelly58 on January 25, 2016, 10:57:12 am

My Southdown tup is in with his ladies, all fine and dandy. Yesterday he started butting a fence post like he was challenging it Had to go out and stop him. This morning he was at it again on a different post, any ideas pls ?
Hes usually a quiet lad

How long has he been in with the ewes? If they've been covered I'd be inclined to pull him out, put him in the shed for a couple of days and thoroughly check him over for things like damaged feet, teeth, lice and scab.

Cran · « **Reply #18 on:** January 26, 2016, 04:59:14 pm »

Quote from: Talana on January 25, 2016, 09:21:28 am

Put them in a small pen together they may scrap a little but can't do any damage, then after a day or to they can go out together. That's what we do.

This is exactly what you do, I run 20 rams together here over the winter including some Lleyns who love a good old rut. Leave them in a pen together were cant get a run at each other for 24 hours, they'll be grand then.
I am a sheep farmer, joined the forum for info on few pigs and veggies etc

larrylamb · « **Reply #19 on:** January 26, 2016, 11:15:05 pm »

Hi I run 3 rams when they have finished being in with the ewes we put them in a very small pen it is so small that they are touching all the time they can butt or move. We do this also after shearing they can be the best of friends before they are sheared but if I just put them in a field they would fight each other when you shear them you take the smell off them the same type of thing can happen when you shear ewes if they still have lambs the lambs don't know there mothers.

kelly58 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 27, 2016, 08:01:26 am »

MF l had yesterday off work so kept an eye on Ted the tup. He didnt butt any posts , was chillin with his ladies cudding away.
Back to his normal self. The only difference l could see was ,the farmer next door has put some sheep in the adjacent field, maybe there was a smell coming off them in the wind ? Just a thought

When l take him out will give him an MOT

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #21 on:** January 27, 2016, 02:42:10 pm »

Thanks Cran,

I will give it a try. My commercial neighbours all do something similar as they havent got time to be bothered with stroppy rams. Would I need to include the young guy or just the two butters? Would the jeyes fluid tip work with this too?

What about access to hay and water?

I can understand this approach after shearing and tupping its just that I haven't had to do it after separation before and their spat started after they had been living together for a few months after tupping...?

Do you give them enough space to turn round, eat, lay down etc...?

larrylamb · « **Reply #22 on:** January 27, 2016, 08:04:09 pm »

When we pen the tups we put them in a corner so they are pushed together standing along side each other no room to move we put them like that for aleast 2 or 3 hours no water or hay they will make up for it later

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #23 on:** January 28, 2016, 02:02:15 pm »

Thanks Larry,

I will see what we can rigg up.

Cran · « **Reply #24 on:** January 29, 2016, 03:42:47 pm »

Just enough room to turn around and sit down really, this time of year they will be fine without water & hay as said above they ll make up for it after. When doing it during summer shearing I normally put in bucket of water with them, but often turned up....

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #25 on:** January 29, 2016, 06:17:18 pm »

ok,

I have some 4ft and some 6ft galvanised hurdles to gig up a pen in a stable. Or in the field if the weather is dry....? I will just put the two of them in I think and leave the ram lamb free to potter near them.