[Katrina]

Hi. I am asking for a bit of advice. I have seen it suggested to others and I am now thinking about hiring a ram. Could anyone advise me how this works, (the hiring bit, not what the ram does  )  thanks

[Harebell]

I've only hired a ram once before, mostly I buy in rams but here's my experience:

- First find someone who'll hire you a ram - many people won't due to disease/worm risk
- The owner I hired the ram from delivered the ram to our farm
- The ram then ran with my ewes for a set period (think it was 30 days) and we agreed a date when the owner would take him back
- We paid for hiring the ram and mileage for delivering/picking up
- Lots of lambs were born in spring!  It was quite a simple process for us.

Make sure you do movement forms etc and maybe ask the owner about their worming, vaccination routine? Have a good look at the ram before hiring it if possible.

[Anke]

Depending on your numbers and maybe on your chosen breed - the easiest is actually to g and speak to nearby sheep farmer and buy one of his entire tup lambs (for maybe a little more than fat price). Then once he has covered all the ewes, just bring him down to the fat lamb sale. That way you may actually make money on him, at least his services should be free to you!

[Marches Farmer]

We hire out both Southdown and Badger face rams.  We have a high health flock and breed our own replacements, so our rams won't take orf, scab, footrot, CODD or any other nasties with them.  The usual hire period is four weeks and folks collect them if they can although we will transport them at cost for those that don't have a suitable trailer.  In practice they cover all the ewes in under three weeks.  They are quarantined for six weeks after return.

[Katrina]

Thank you. That's very helpful. Definitely something to think about