Hi guys
I have been hearing stories about meet 'taint' in entire ram lambs and wondered if this was an inevitable consequence with Rams?
I have an entire Suffolk ram lamb who was born last week of March so is now just over 7 months old. I also have 5 Ewe lambs and a wether of the same age. For reasons which were beyond my control I have not been able to send them to slaughter yet, but they are due to go in the next 10 days.
The entire ram I would guesstimate weighs between 55-60kg with the Ewes and wether all being well over 40 kg.
I have kept the Rams separate from the Ewes for the past 3 months although they are in adjacent fields with just stock fencing between them, so they have clear line of sight and they can and do nuzzle at the fence.
They are fed on grass obviously and adlib lamb maize pellets.
Is the meat from the entire ram likely to be tainted? I also keep pigs and I am aware of 'boar taint' which can affect the meat of sexually active boars, but this is the first time I have heard anything about a similar 'problem' in sheep.......