Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Use one color for the fi rst 16 days the ram is with the ewes, then change color
for the next 16 days, and so on. If many ewes are being re-marked, it means
that they are coming back into heat and thus did not become pregnant the
previous time he tried to breed them. If you fi nd that this is happening, you
may have a sterile ram.
If the weather was extremely hot just before or after you turned him in,
you can blame it on the heat. But to be safe, you should turn in another ram
in case your ram's infertility is not just temporary.
Painted Brisket
Instead of a purchased harness, you can daub marking paint on the ram's bris-
ket (lower chest). Mix the marking paint into a paste with lubricating oil, or
even vegetable shortening, using only paints that will wash out of the fl eece.
Raising Your Own Ram
One advantage of raising your own ram is that you get to see what he would
be like at market age if he were being sold for meat. The older a ram gets, the
less you can tell about how he looked as a lamb or how his offspring will look
when they are market age.
The way ram lambs are raised can have some effect on their future sexual
performance. Studies have shown that rams raised from weaning in an all-
male group will show lower levels of sexual performance in later life. When
several rams are run with the fl ock, the dominant ram will breed far more
ewes than less dominant rams. If the dominant ram happens to have low
fertility, you may be left with unbred ewes.
The “Battering” Ram
“Battering” rams are not funny and can infl ict serious, sometimes permanent,
crippling injuries. When you are raising a lamb for a breeding ram, do not pet
him or handle him unnecessarily. Never pet him on top of his head — this
encourages him to butt. Do not let children play with him, even when he is
small. He may hurt them badly, and they can make him playful and danger-
ous. He will be more prone to butting and becoming a threat if he is familiar
with humans than if he is shy or even a little afraid of them.
Leading a ram with one hand under his chin keeps him from getting his
head down into butting position. A ram butts from the top of his head, not
from the forehead. His head is held so low that as he charges you, he does not
