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Dee J
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 342 Location: West Devon
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gz
Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 8923 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
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NorthernMonkeyGirl
Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 4630 Location: Peeping over your shoulder
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Dee J
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 342 Location: West Devon
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NorthernMonkeyGirl
Joined: 10 Apr 2011 Posts: 4630 Location: Peeping over your shoulder
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Tavascarow
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 8407 Location: South Cornwall
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Mutton
Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 1508
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 15 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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Speaking as another Soay owner, the only thing rams like more than ewes on heat is food. I currently have ewes in with a ram and as ever he is no gentleman when it comes to food.
I'd disagree with anything to do with colour being involved.
Also, in my experience, rams divide the world into rams and not-rams - wethers often get their bottoms sniffed when there is on heat ewe on the breeze. The wethers know full well they aren't girls and spin away rapidly, but there is that ram nose tracking them.
Regarding concentrate - if you feed too much to rams you can cause blockage of the urethra which can make them sterile. I've never had an answer as to how much is too much, but I keep it down to a handful a day when it comes to a ram. If you can feed hay, that is a lot safer.
You can also feed sugar beet pellets. Some people recommend soaking them well first as too much dry food can cause an intestinal blockage, but I find that in small quantities - as in half a baked bean can each once or twice a day maximum - there is no problem.
For completeness, thought I'd say never, ever, hand feed a ram. Put the food down at the fence line or in a trough and back off. Not saying you are hand feeding but it is easily done. If they get tame enough to eat from your hand, they regard you as another sheep. And how do rams communicate with other sheep? By whopping them one. You want them to be calm around you, but not tame. Having said that, I do actually have one ram I hand feed in complete safety - but he is a gentle wuss and runs away from the other rams and hates head banging. |
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Mutton
Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 1508
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Mutton
Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 1508
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Dee J
Joined: 22 May 2005 Posts: 342 Location: West Devon
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Mutton
Joined: 09 May 2009 Posts: 1508
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