# ram is now with ewes - a question



## patandchickens (Nov 1, 2010)

Today is Jose's Big Day. I sawed half the plastic off a raddle marker box (meant for a harness, but I'm cheap ) and "colorized" his brisket, and then opened the gate to the other pen. Woo hoo!

Now, how can I tell "ewe has been properly bred" from "Jose has just been bouncin' up and down on her recreationally while she was distracted by hay"??  Because, there has *definitely* been a bit of the latter. He doesn't seem to have any interest at all in the shetland ewe (I don't blame him, she is a scary *bossy* sheep ), had a go at one of the dairybreds' shoulder regions and she has been trying to headbutt him sideways ever since, and did a reasonably creditable R-rated-film-version of covering the other dairybred while she stood eating hay. Currently he is pursuing them all around the paddock at a walk but I assume that eventually they'll get bored and go back to having a normal life.

I do not think he actually got the job done with the last-mentioned dairybred, as his equipment was not visible either before or after; however he got up on her the right way and got in a good six or ten pelvic thrusts, and she is now yellow-marked from it.

So, um, is there any good way of guessing which of the girls actually get covered in a potentially-lamb-producing way, versus which ones made him keep his pants zipped, so to speak? (Jose is just a yearling btw, and presumably this is his first experience with breeding anyone.)

Would it be worth switching marker color after just a few days, in hopes of sorting out who gets apparently-boinked after he has (hopefully) acquired a better clue about his job and the girls have had more time to think about when they do/don't want to run away with a headdache?

Chickens are MUCh easier. Harrumph 

Thanks,

Pat


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 1, 2010)

When a ewe is marked from a 'c'mere baby let me try' mount, it's usually just a streak, possibly on one side or the other of the rump, and not very dark .  Or it could be on her head.  I've had those before.  Those breedings usually dont' take.   When she's marked from a serious mounting (which there will usually be several mountings and breedings when she's standing) the mark will be much darker and her rump will be more thoroughly covered. I'd just check his chest again and possibly do a re-fill of raddle to make sure he has enough after his "c'mere baby" first attempts.  

ETA: It might also help to make notes (mental or actual notes on paper) such as:  "11/1/10- Ewe #1 has slight yellow mark on L hip" or something, so if you check a few days later and she's more thoroughly covered, you know she's been bred.  It helps to make notes, because after looking at several different marks on several different ewes, they all tend to get confused and it's hard to keep track.  At least for me.


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## abooth (Nov 1, 2010)

My understanding is sheep come into heat for 24 to 48 hours every 17 days untilthey are either bred or go into anestrus.  I would switch to a darker marking color in a few days.  If any get marked with the darker color in a couple weeks you might be able to assume they were not bred this first time around.  I also understand that a ewe will not typically tolerate a ram mounting her once she is bred.  This just my impression and everyone has their own way that they think is best.


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## jodief100 (Nov 1, 2010)

I am so glad you asked this!   I just put my new buck in with the does and it is the first time I used a harness.  This morning I was checking hiney marks and 4 had green on thier backsides.  It was dark and I was using a flashlight making mental notes.... 
"OK, Mollie is marked, so is Whiney and Yogurt.... who is that... can't tell... it looks like......... STINKY!"  

My other buck had his backend marked green.  I am certain he didn't get bred last night.


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## patandchickens (Nov 1, 2010)

jodief100 said:
			
		

> My other buck had his backend marked green.  I am certain he didn't get bred last night.


Well not *successfully* anyhow  

(I would not be surprised if when I go out there this afternoon, Jose's companion wether is marked yellow, as Jose has been occasionally "practicing" on him over the past summer. Mind, the wether appears not to have two braincells to knock together and shows no signs of even *noticing*)

Pat


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 1, 2010)

abooth said:
			
		

> I also understand that a ewe will not typically tolerate a ram mounting her once she is bred.


No, she won't stand, but she may still get slightly marked if the ram's chest connects at all with her hind end.


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## Beekissed (Nov 1, 2010)

Okay...now that has me a little worried.  My supposedly very preggers and going to lamb any day Black Betty has been "standing" for our wether lamb and actually backing up to him, standing still and seems to encourage him.  Even does the little tail flippy thingy.  

Is she or isn't she?  Would you be able to milk colostrum-like substance from her udder if she were NOT preggers?  Would she act like she is in heat with a wether if she WERE preggers?  

I've looked everywhere online for the answers to these questions and cannot find a clue.


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## dragonlaurel (Nov 1, 2010)

Excuse me for saying it, but maybe she just likes sex.  I hope she is actually pregnant and just wanting to know that she is still beautiful.


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## aggieterpkatie (Nov 2, 2010)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> Okay...now that has me a little worried.  My supposedly very preggers and going to lamb any day Black Betty has been "standing" for our wether lamb and actually backing up to him, standing still and seems to encourage him.  Even does the little tail flippy thingy.
> 
> Is she or isn't she?  Would you be able to milk colostrum-like substance from her udder if she were NOT preggers?  Would she act like she is in heat with a wether if she WERE preggers?
> 
> I've looked everywhere online for the answers to these questions and cannot find a clue.


How often does she stand for him?  I'd mark it on a calendar when you see it.  She could very well be in heat.  :/   

And didn't you say what you're milking from her is clear?  It wouldn't be clear if it was milk.  Does she have a developed udder at all?


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## patandchickens (Nov 2, 2010)

I do not know about sheep specifically (and am not wrestling my stupid shetland ewe who lambed last spring just to find out ) but with other animals you can very often milk "something" from a previously-productive udder even long after weaning and without another pregnancy. What exactly is the stuff you're getting like?

Pat


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## jhm47 (Nov 2, 2010)

Milking any animal, cow, sheep, pig, goat, etc. is an invitation for a bad case of mastitis to take residence in your animal.  When an animal "dries up" after nursing their young, a waxy plug seals up the end of the teat and prevents bacteria from entering.  The udder is a very rich environment for bacteria to grow and multiply, and if these bacteria get a foothold, you will have BIG problems.


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## Beekissed (Nov 3, 2010)

patandchickens said:
			
		

> I do not know about sheep specifically (and am not wrestling my stupid shetland ewe who lambed last spring just to find out ) but with other animals you can very often milk "something" from a previously-productive udder even long after weaning and without another pregnancy. What exactly is the stuff you're getting like?
> 
> Pat


She has never lambed before and her udder is sort of developing more than it has been up 'til now...and the substance was a little yellowy at the first of the squirt but finished slightly milky looking.  I just tried one little squirt from each teat.  

I just know that she is extremely fatter than she has ever been before, uncomfortably so, without having added extra feed or rations.  She was exposed to a ram in April/May/June.

But I also see her riding my other ewe and letting the wether lamb ride her....so I'm extremely puzzled.


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## patandchickens (Nov 3, 2010)

Maybe *she* is extremely puzzled too 

Good luck,

Pat


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## Beekissed (Nov 3, 2010)

Maybe its like human pregnancy and you get a certain hormonal flush......


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