My ram lambs are acting rammy........

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I noticed it this morning when a ewe pee'd and one guy got his head right in the (she near booted him for being so cheeky) and he and another 3 plus month old started making those rammy faces that mean they want to go a courtin'. My own fault for not castrating them at 2 weeks old like a sensible shepherd. I'm wonderin' if they are indeed able to get the deed done at this young age if a gal goes into a standing heat. One ewe was acting kinda heaty (tail out, head down, not moving, waiting to be noticed if you know what I mean) and I am mildly concerned that these guys are ready willing and able and I might end up with and Autumn lambing. Any ideas? I can't really segregate them due to the way I'm set up and the fact that the lambs still nurse.

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), June 25, 2002

Answers

Year before last I had a doe kid at 7 1/2 mnths, she was bred at 2 1/2 mnths by her sibling. Urg. She did fine, poor dear, and I threw feed at her so she wasn't stunted, but not good. Speaking of..... (running out to pen to separate 3 mnth old buckling!) These are goats though.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), June 25, 2002.

I always use a 7 mt old ram on 10 older ewes. The job is done, and he is in the freezer for his 9mt birthday! One year not thinking the ewe lambs could get pregnant at a young age didn't separate. That was a hugh mistake, all did and most drop their babies way before their first birthdays and I had to pull all babies. Some had horrible abortions and some had stillborns. We will never let young ewe lambs in with a ram after the ram is about 5 mts. "They say" the ram is fertile at 5 mts but most it takes until their almost 7mths.

-- debbie (debbie@cwis.net), June 25, 2002.

I bred 2 younger ewes last fall (about 7 months old) and one aborted (but I think its because she's quite a fatty) while the other went to term and had a tiny single ram lamb (and he has caught up quite well). I was just curious as to when these 3 month old boys would be fertile enough to breed the ladies (not that I want them to because I have spoken for a friend's ram lamb for the job). I am planning to have these boys slaughtered at 6 - 7 months of age but I guess I will need to segregate them at about 4-5 months then will I? If that when they become fertile I mean. I didn't have this problem last year since I only had one ram lamb and he was a late April born fellow.

-- Alison in NS (aproteau@istar.ca), June 25, 2002.

All my ram lambs are acting like they know what to do and they are March 1st rams.

-- debbie (debbie@cwis.net), June 27, 2002.

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