Eachgroup of ewes and one ram will stay separate for about one breeding cycle, which is on average 17 to 19 days long but can last for individual ewes up to 21 days. Introduce the first ram 24 hours after CIDR removal. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should avoid joining young rams with maiden ewes, and allow young rams to mix with mature rams for joining to older ewes. 5) After 2-3 days around 30-40pc of the ewes should be mated, the remainder being mated six days later. It does not work well where most of the ewes are already cycling. Don't leave the ram in longer than 34 days because that encourages an extended lambing season. The best way to keep a ram(s) separated from a flock of ewes or ewes with a ram is to keep them at least one field away from the ewes. That means all ewes … When using the ram effect we would expect most of the mating to occur over an eight-day period and therefore the ram to ewe ratio should be increased from the traditional 50 ewes per ram. Anyway, LET EWE ALONE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. It eases lactation stress of prolific ewes It allows ewes to return to breeding condition earlier. Like you, I have an operation too small to keep the ewes out of sight/sound/scent of the rams. Menu Started by shrekfeet. The ram went in with the ewes today... so I found out for myself that sheep are NOT shy breeders. Where ewes are sponged at this time of year a ratio of 10 ewes per ram would be recommended. A well-grown ram lamb should be able to mate 15 to 30 ewes in a 34 day breeding season. If you want a wether, it might be best to start over on that with a fully castrated non-accident animal that would be a lot safer to be around, both for you and your other sheep. Started by Bramham Wiltshire Horns. Then take the ram out and cull the ewes that don't lamb and choose breeding stock born in the first 17 days of the lambing season. A horned ram can even batter a pole gate into a pretzel to get to a ewe. Replies: 5 Views: 1808 January 24, 2010, 08:28:30 pm by Rosemary: bring em in or leave em out. The ram effect can advance the breeding season by about two weeks. Ensuring ewes and rams are in the optimum condition for breeding is what sets the flock output for the following year, says Dr Liz Genever from AHDB Beef and Lamb. how long to leave a Ram . Every year, usually after the holidays in February and sometimes later, the owner of a lifestyle block with a small flock of sheep will realise that it’s that time of the year again - the ram needs to go out with ewes. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Keeping the ram with the ewes all the time will make knowing when lambs are born impossible and you won't be able to feed the ewes properly if and when they need more food. Where this type of animal is not available a fertile ram in a well-fenced adjoining field or in a trailer in the field of ewes will do the trick. Lambs can usually be marketed earlier. As a general rule of thumb, ram lambs should be 50 to 60 percent of their mature weight before being used for breeding. For some of the later lambing breeds and ewe lambs, the ram effect can be used successfully later in the season, as these will have a later natural breeding season. The ewes are. Ram lambs should be avoided if you are sponging. Old rams may mount but not serve ewes because of physical problems such as lameness or arthritis. Replies: 15 Views: 4829 September 29, 2016, 11:54:42 am by Bramham Wiltshire Horns: how long to leave land to kill of parasites. Shearing may stop ewes cycling and should be avoided from two weeks before until two weeks after mating. Rams produce hormones known as pheromones. Pasture is saved for ewes. Maybe, you should take him to the butcher when you take the ram. As you work through experimenting with your own flock, a general rule would be to leave your teaser ram with your ewes for 2-4 weeks. If the ewe: 1. continues to strain, but there is no sign of the waterbags, or 2. continues to strain an hour after the rupture of the waterbags but there is no sig… So how does the ram affect work? Vasectomized or teaser rams run with ewes through the first heat period tend to stimulate then and increase the ovulation rate at the second heat period. At this stage the ewes' reproductive system will have been kick started and the target date for joining the rams will be 14 days after the initial ram introduction. As long as you don’t mind the possibility of a protracted lambing period you can leave the ram in with the ewes until you start feeding concentrates to them. The ewes need less than 48 hours contact for the ram effect to work. Oestrus is the period, averaging 24 hours, when ewes will accept ram service. About 30-40pc of the ewes should be cycling at day 17 and the remainder should be cycling six days later. 45 is long enough for about 2 cycles for most of them. Remember to complete your record sheet with number of lambs alive after 3 months. 2. More ewes can be maintained on farm. A normal delivery usually takes 5 hours from the start of cervical dilation to the delivery of the lamb, 4 hours for the dilation of the cervix and 1 hour for the actual delivery. 3) Some ewes will show silent heat almost immediately while the remainder will show it in six days. EWE: RAM: Breed Weight: 72.5 to 99 kgs: 102 to 125 kgs: Breed Height: Unclear – medium sized breed: Unclear – medium sized breed: Hair: Short light coat of wool and hair that get shed in the summer months Short light coat of wool and hair that get shed in the summer months: Ears: Medium length, pointed and stick out to the sides of the head. Ewe hoggets which show oestrus have a higher lifetime reproductive performance than those which don’t. Trim his feet a couple of weeks prior to turning with the ewes. ETA: Ideally you would leave the ram in for 34 days to cover two heat cycles on the ewes. However, if the ewes have been in contact with male sheep on a continual basis, e.g. Your "sort of" wether sounds like he could be a future problem. There are two reasons why you need to remove the ram at this point. By Eduard Dinger, sheep farmer, ram breeder and current member of the Northern Regional Sheep council. Recommended ewe/ram ratio for the first oestrus is 10:1, with less ram power required for the second cycle. 1. JavaScript is disabled. The ram can then be introduced. The average interval between oestrus cycles is 17 days. Most ewes will lamb unaided and about 95% of lambs are born in the normal presentation, forefeet first. ewes will continue to cycle until bred throughout the winter months. Teaser rams work by inducing a hormonal response in the ewes from the sight, sound and smell of the ram, says Mrs Stubbings. Make sure to have plenty of ram power available. A ram's success rate in inseminating ewes is known as its mating ability. Any type of half castrated male animal can be dangerous. Sections. However, this contradicts other shepherds around the world as they state that 3 weeks is too long. Mating mature ewes Day 13 PM Day 14 AM Remove Rams Day 16 Introduce Rams for Repeat Mating Day 28 Remove Rams Day 34 Scan Ewes & return non pregnant ewes to ram Day 80 It is recommended that the ewe to ram ratio should not exceed 8:1 Important Points Use sound ewes (udder, feet, mouths and no history of prolapse) Sexual behavior. Ideally, you need to isolate ewes from all rams for several weeks beforehand – at least a mile away – so there’s no smell, sound or sight. It is not necessary to castrate ram lambs. Sponging ewes before they go to the ram makes the ewes all cycle at the same time so they come into season all together. If using single sire matings, you should consider removing only three to five CIDR’s per day. If he is not, increase the amount of grain he is receiving to get him ready. If ewes are being supplemented during joining, make sure rams are accustomed to the same supplementary feed as ewes to avoid rumen acidosis. Which means in the spring when it is lambing time I have a very intense few days of lambing instead of it being dragged out over 4 weeks. THE ram effect is a natural method of bringing ewes cycling at the beginning of their natural breeding season. Traditionally the guidelines in Ireland have always been 40-45 ewes per hogget or older ram and 20-25 ewes per ram lamb. For the initial ram introduction some people use a vasectomised ram. These conditions are most likely to occur for a well-managed autumn joining but will rarely happen in spring/summer joinings. Another reason to take the ram out after 60 days is so that your lambing isn't too spread out - it makes it easier to time vaccinations, feeding changes for different stages of pregnancy/lactation, weaning, etc, if the lambs are closer in age. 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