Male Sheep

[Dreaming Of Goats]

Do rams smell and pee on themselves like goats? Also, could I grow up a ram and an ewe and have them breed without separating them ever? When would they breed? When would she have her lamb(s)? Can you show a pregnant ewe? Just wondering....cause as you can see, I'm just dreaming of goats and sheep!

 

[patandchickens]

Rams are much more hygeinic than bucks <g>, and do not do all them unsavory buck things nor do they particularly smell. They do still *butt*, however, so they require respect and attention when working around them. It is generally advised not to bottle-raise a lamb intended to be kept as a ram, and generally advised to keep them a bit shy as opposed to becoming petting-zoo friendly (as that can lead to problematic butting, if they consider you an equal)

I don't know how smart an idea it'd be to keep one ram and one ewe. I suppose technically you *could* but whether it would be a good *idea* is a whole nother question. Certainly if you did, it would be smarter to separate the ram when there is a newborn or young lamb around.

Most breeds of sheep are seasonal breeders, going into heat in the fall (like, Sept-Dec ish) and give birth 5 months after being successfully bred.

Does that help any?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Dreaming Of Goats]

It does help a LOT! I've decided that if my parents do allow sheep, I'll get 2 shetland wethers for their wool, as pets, and 4-H showing.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I would get ewes instead of wethers, so you can show them in breeding classes and wool classes. Plus, you can breed them if you want.

 

[patandchickens]

Also shetland ewes are generally naturally hornless, while males of the breed (including wethers) usually have horns (be they large or small), and isn't 4H funny about kids showing horned sheeps/goats? So with shetland ewes you would not have to have them disbudded.

Pat

 

[Dreaming Of Goats]

So, you can't show a male shetland without horns?

 

[patandchickens]

So, you can't show a male shetland without horns?

No, what i'm saying is that I'm under the impression that in 4H (specifically), you can't show horned sheep or goats?

(If I am wrong someone correct me)

Pat

 

[Dreaming Of Goats]

I don't know...I'll check at my 4-H Fair on August 7th...