Letting out the ram!

arctictree

Green farmer wrote: »

After two weeks with the ewes t ook out one of the rams from the field today. Put a new one in. Took me ages to get him out. No way did he want to leave his ewes behind !!!!!

I finally got to put fresh raddle on the ram yesterday. If the ewe who is on heat isn't going in the pen, there is no way the ram is either!

Anyway, about 75% of my flock of 30 covered so far and only one repeat since 4th October.

AnFeirmeoir

i'll be taking the rams away next saturday. That will be 6 weeks in.
Another season is starting

Username John

I'll be taking out the ram next Saturday.

He was raddled going in to make sure he was working, and the first few were coloured, but I didnt go near them to refresh the raddle. I'll be scanning em, so time will tell then.

He will only be with them 3 weeks. Its a bit high risk, going with a short time.

Any not in young at scanning will get the road. I hope it wont be too many... We'll see how it works out I guess...

supersean1999

Amazing really how different sheep farming is . I know a guy who lets out around 10 rams normally the 20th of november. Needs and circumstances vary quiet a lot.

Green farmer

When I had two in with the ewes I found that, the more dominant ram ( big texel) was getting first to the ewes and then the second fellow (Charolais) later on. I'll be interested to see if it turns out if I have many twins with different fathers. I took out the texel as the charlaois lambs were abit easier lambed last year. Even after the ram was removed from the field and was being lead up a passage , the whole flock of ewes followed him up the passage from the other side of the fence. I thought to myself " ye won't be thinking that of him if ye had to see the lambs I might have to pull in the spring. I'll leave the charlais with them for the next few days, and then take him away to introduce a llyen ram lamb who should be finished with a few ewe lambs in another field , to get any repeats or those missed out.

Cran

Green farmer wrote: »

When I had two in with the ewes I found that, the more dominant ram ( big texel) was getting first to the ewes and then the second fellow (Charolais) later on. I'll be interested to see if it turns out if I have many twins with different fathers. I took out the texel as the charlaois lambs were abit easier lambed last year. Even after the ram was removed from the field and was being lead up a passage , the whole flock of ewes followed him up the passage from the other side of the fence. I thought to myself " ye won't be thinking that of him if ye had to see the lambs I might have to pull in the spring. I'll leave the charlais with them for the next few days, and then take him away to introduce a llyen ram lamb who should be finished with a few ewe lambs in another field , to get any repeats or those missed out.

Hi Green, can ask I you a question on this, it really is for my own curiousity and not in anyway meant as knock on any breed or farmer.

Why keep Texels if you know there will be lambing difficulties and therefore more workload? This is one of the main if not the only reason I dont keep texels, and I always wonder why its not more of an issue with sheep farmers in Ireland. I can understand accepting it a bit more when lambing inside, but outside lambing would think it would be a mjor concern

Western Pomise

Apologies for caps,let out rams on 15th Oct,cycle should be 16-18 days..
so I would always leave till 18th day to swop rams?....is that what others do?....didn't bother raddling at all as had rams fertility tested,means less disturbing ewes during tupping,just observed from a distance,going to swop rams after second cycle ends 20th Nov and raddle rams then,seems to be very little activity since second cycle started tg.

Ard_MC

Western Pomise wrote: »

Apologies for caps,let out rams on 15th Oct,cycle should be 16-18 days..
so I would always leave till 18th day to swop rams?....is that what others do?....didn't bother raddling at all as had rams fertility tested,means less disturbing ewes during tupping,just observed from a distance,going to swop rams after second cycle ends 20th Nov and raddle rams then,seems to be very little activity since second cycle started tg.

A carbon copy of my plan is that! A good raddle colour at the end so I know the late lambers!

Green farmer

It's a trade off no matter what breed you use. Some texels are hard lambed, others are actually ok. I have two texels. One of them wasn't used this year at all, reason is his lambs were very easily lambed but were low to the ground and lacked any length. The other fellow which I used, his lambs overall were fine but the odd one was that bit too big and needed assistance, but were fine strong lambs , that grew really well and fleshed easily. Also the texel are stronger , better coated lambs then the charlaois ( but not as easily lambed) and more alert then the Suffolk. Some farmers might disagree with what Ive said. ( up to every farmer to make up their own mind on what suits their setup)

All the ewes that I put him with are 3 - 5 crop ewes and more, so as they say "the tracks are well laid before" so they should reduce complications. Both texels are probably in their last year. Next year I'll use the Charolais and llyen. Also some of the texel x ewes are kept as replacements as they aren't bad ewes.
Nothing at all will be kept from the charlaois, butchers lambs only.
Next year, only llyen x ewes will be kept for replacements. I'm really excited to see how the llyens turn out.

Cran

Green farmer wrote: »

It's a trade off no matter what breed you use. Some texels are hard lambed, others are actually ok. I have two texels. One of them wasn't used this year at all, reason is his lambs were very easily lambed but were low to the ground and lacked any length. The other fellow which I used, his lambs overall were fine but the odd one was that bit too big and needed assistance, but were fine strong lambs , that grew really well and fleshed easily. Also the texel are stronger , better coated lambs then the charlaois ( but not as easily lambed) and more alert then the Suffolk. Some farmers might disagree with what Ive said.

All the ewes that I put him with are 3 - 5 crop ewes and more, so as they say "the tracks are well laid before" so they should reduce complications. Both texels are probably in their last year. Next year I'll use the Charolais and llyen. Also some of the texel x ewes are kept as replacements as they aren't bad ewes.
Nothing at all will be kept from the charlaois, butchers lambs only.
Next year, only llyen x ewes will be kept for replacements. I'm really excited to see how the llyens turn out.

Cheers great response. Thats the way I've gone here too, Charollais for factory and Lleyn for replacements.

Green farmer

Thanks Cran.

I'm only learning as I go along. As they say a good sheep of any breed is what I'm after. I can remember seeing the llyen x ewe pictures you put up before. Some really nice looking stock you had there. My llyen ram lamb only arrived a week or so ago, so only learning the ropes, but next year should cover more ewes. Really looking forward to seeing if his offspring turn out to be good ewes. I intend to keep a large portion of them as I think it's the best way of growing flock over a year or two.

solerina

We havnt let out the rams yet...driving is mad trying to keep them in the field...they are constantly trying to break out.

DK man

solerina wrote: »

We havnt let out the rams yet...driving is mad trying to keep them in the field...they are constantly trying to break out.

Why are you leaving it so late?

Ard_MC

solerina wrote: »

We havnt let out the rams yet...driving is mad trying to keep them in the field...they are constantly trying to break out.

Only letting out mine this saturday...

solerina

DK man wrote: »

Why are you leaving it so late?

Hill farm, we wont have enough grass if we go any earlier, leaving them out in the next few days !!