[maddy]

Hi I have just bought after much searching 4 female shearling ryelands.  Is it safe (bio security wise) to borrow or loan a ram or is it better to buy a ram and then have the problem of what he does the rest of the year?  This is my first venture at sheep owning.  What do others do with such a small number?   Many thanks for any advice.  Much appreciated.

[moony]

My choice would be to buy and just leave him in with the ewes all year round as they are unlikely to come into season until Autumn time but I know others will have differing views.

[Bionic]

Maddy,
I am totally new to this myself so please don't take this as gospel but this is what I have done.  I have 4 ewes myself who were ready for tupping and didn't want to buy a ram as I don't think 4 would give him enough work. Equally I really don't have enough land to keep him seperate the rest of the time.
My girls have just gone back to where I bought them from for a few weeks (holiday).
Apart from the fact that she has some lovely rams (Kaz - forum name), as mine came from her earlier in the year I am hoping that I get round the bio-security issue somewhat.
Sally

[ellisr]

I keep my ryeland rams in all year and have lambs every March. This only applies to my ryelands I have to take my cross ewes out or I have funny lambing times for them.

[chickenfeed]

where abouts are you maddy i know where there are some ryland rams for sale.

[kaz]

Yes where are you Maddy and are they Ryelands or coloured Ryelands?

[maddy]

I am in East Sussex and the 4 girls are white ryelands.

[Bramblecot]

Maddy,  If you buy a ram, then the lambs born next year will be his daughters - so will you want to keep them ?  You don't really want them breeding with him. 
As a novice I found it much easier to borrow a ram then send him home when his work is done.  Or send your girls on a 6 week holiday to join a ram elsewhere.  Af ter a couple of years you may then want to get your own ram when you know a bit more about handling them     - and he will not be related to your lovely flock of Ryeland ewes.  Good luck whatever you decide

[kaz]

Have you had a look on the Ryeland Flock Book Society  web site as that will give you an idea as to who is near you and if they can loan you a ram or run your sheep with theirs.
Shame you live so far away as have two white Ryeland rams not using this year simply because of the logistics involved in moving them around.