Ram Health and Mindset

[Britgoes2market]

As some of you know, we got into the Tunis sheep breed. Our first lambs arrived and are wonderful!! I do have a couple of questions on how you guys manage your Rams? We are not new to sheep and rams, however I'm new ish to keeping a ram on my property for an extended period of time as opposed to a freezer ram.

I had this Ram in isolation at first while he was in quarantine, and then I put him with our freezer lambs to keep company. While in quarantine he paced the fence and didn't like being alone, and since we have harvested our freezer lambs he is alone again. :/ At this point I have no one to keep him company with and yes he can see the Ewes and the lambs from where he is at so he isn't "alone" alone, but he acts and looks alone and is pacing the fence and it's breaking my heart.

Do you guys keep a weather with your "keep" rams or do you usually have two rams of different genetics (or the same genetics) for breeding season etc? How do you guys manage your rams?

 

[SageHill]

I have an old weather who is with my ram to keep him company.
I wonder if keeping two rams together is a good idea?? Wondering because I'm kind of looking for a new ram.

 

[Britgoes2market]

I have an old weather who is with my ram to keep him company.
I wonder if keeping two rams together is a good idea?? Wondering because I'm kind of looking for a new ram.

Hmmmm....I'm thinking I should keep back a weather with him all the time. That's a good idea.

 

[Baymule]

I have 3 rams. Two are together since 6 months old. They but heads and spar all the time, yet lay down to sleep, next to each other. I’ve bred them once, they were apart 3 months, then back together.

The other is my old ram, he is penned next to the ewes. Before I got my two young rams, I split the flock so he always had some ladies. I’ve never kept a wether but I think I will this year. He was a bottle baby, so super friendly. He can be used to calm newly weaned lambs and show them that I’m not a monster. LOL

 

[SageHill]

Question -- my ram is 3 yrs old, do you think I could bring in a ram lamb less than a year and keep him with the current ram ?? And maybe the wether as well three together (he's old and sometime will need to be "replaced").

 

[Baymule]

Question -- my ram is 3 yrs old, do you think I could bring in a ram lamb less than a year and keep him with the current ram ?? And maybe the wether as well three together (he's old and sometime will need to be "replaced").

Yes. Put all 3 together at the same time, in a small pen so they don’t have room to back up and bash each other. Keep them cooped up for about a week.

 

[SageHill]

Yes. Put all 3 together at the same time, in a small pen so they don’t have room to back up and bash each other. Keep them cooped up for about a week.

Yee Haa!!!!! I have just the cutest ram lamb --now to figure out how to get him here (~7 hrs away).
Edit to add --- @Baymule great enabler !!

 

[Ridgetop]

Rams will live together happily once introduced to each other. When removed for breeding and then returned to the boys they often jostle and butt to determine or regain their place in the flock. Not a problem. When bringing in a yong ram, the older ram will have the position of authority and dominance. The younger one will give way to him. If you pen them next to each other for a week or so, they become acquainted and are less liable to fight. Depending on how many ewes you have, I like keeping at least 2 rams in case you lose one to predators, accident, or illness. There are times of the year when it is almost impossible to find a good ram, and it becomes expensive. Or you lose a breeding year while trying to locate a replacement. Ask me how I know. LOL

 

[SageHill]

Ok time for me to get serious about the ram lamb.

 

[Baymule]

7 hours isn’t a bad drive. Get a hotel room, have a nice meal, look around town, grab ram next morning and come home.