sheep breeding

well, once again we enter new teritory for me, and I write as we learn...

preparing the ewes for breeding

Before introducing the ram, it is a good idea to give the ewes a last routine of care, such as foot trimming, dagging and drenching, as it is a bad idea to handle them after they have been tupped. This is the time to consider culling any breeding ewes that you do not wish to breed from.

Prior to going to the ram, they should be neither too thin or too fat (although personally I am still struggling to know if they are too fat with all that wool...) and should be kept on good grazing (not decreased) a few weeks before the arrival of the ram. (increasing the feed available increases the likely hood of twins, so bear in mind if that is what you wish for). Condition scoring is very important to assess the ewe prior to tupping and during pregnancy.

introducing a ram

obviously, to get lambs, the ewes will need to mate with a ram, known as tupping.

If you only keep a very small flock, it is not viable to keep a ram. A ram needs to be kept separate from the ewes when breeding is not wanted, but they need company, and will fight with other rams..

In this situation the best is to borrow a ram, which in itself can bring problems, such as introducing diseases such as foot rot, and that farmers who keep a ram are likely to want it for their own flock.

Some breeds, such as Poll Dorsets can come into season throughout the year, but most ewes come into season for about 4 months, starting in autumn and ending in winter, the nights drawing in being the signal, and as the gestation period is 147 days (about 5 months) this means the lambs come in spring when the grass is growing again and there is more food (clever sheep eh?). The traditional tupping timing is to introduce the ram on 5 November and expect lambs on 1 April "bonfire night for all fools day"

The ewes do not give any outward sign of being in season, apart from the reaction of the ram. Basically, if he is interested.. and tups them, then they are in season. The ram will show interest in a ewe that is in season, by sniffing at her, licking, pawing, and curling his lip up in a very comical way.

Ewes come into heat about every 3 weeks, so a 6 week visit by the ram should hopefully result in all of the ewes becoming pregnant.

 

 

more soon

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