[bj_cardiff]

Just looking for opinions.

It makes my life a lot easier to put the Rams in with the ewes over the summer, when I wean the lambs in July the rams go in with the lambs. This year I have some ewe lambs that I'm saving for next year and I was about to put the rams in with them so I can rest fields. I've done it before as early as the begining of march, when does everyone else consider it 'safe'?

[shep53]

Never

[Marches Farmer]

I agree.

[bj_cardiff]

Really? I'm suprised. I've always believed that as the days get longer the ewes stop cycling and thats been born out by me putting the rams in with the ewes and ewe lambs for the summer. I've been doing it for 10yrs and never had a late summer lamb

By grazing them all together (30 ewes, 10 ewe lambs, 50 lambs and 2 rams) it means I can open up most of the fields and let them graze as they like.

[Kimkimmy]

We keep ours together after lambing until end of July but its always mothering  ewes and lambs. Then we separate the boys and girls. This way we can take haylage from our other field. No christmas  lambs so far but we do lamb late March so maybe its because the ewes are still feeding.

[shep53]

Running rams with suckling ewes ,in most breeds not a problem however some like dorset horn /ile de france can take the ram even when suckling , even on commercial farms rams are often run with suckling ewes.       Your question was specifically asking about running them with ewe lambs only , and while yes they should not be cycling the rams may stimulate them , and this forum continually has lambs born at all times of year .         An old farmer near by seems to have lambs at all times of the year as the rams are never removed and the ram lambs never cut

[bazzais]

Never safe.

Also best to keep them a field apart from each other too so they dont ever meet over a fencline.

[bj_cardiff]

Thanks Guys - some interesting points there that I hadn't considered. The rams I usually use are older rams that my neighbour has used for 2 seasons, so might not be that interested in the lambs out of season. This year I used 2 Ram Lambs, I think their more likely to be interested in the ewe lambs so I'll put them out with the ewes and lambs and keep the ewe lambs separate.

Thanks again, Ben

[DartmoorLiz]

Before I got involved in our small farm my mother in law used to keep the ram mixed with the ewes for much of the year, just keeping him away late summer to prevent early lambs.  I'm told we never had any out of season lambs.  Spoke to the vet about it when I got involved and was told it was not advisable but we had got away with it because we had scottish blackface rams and ewes.


I keep the ram separate with the 2 smallest weather lambs for company but it means I am compromising worm and footrot management to accommodate the ram and his gang.