How long does your ram last ?

Green farmer

An obvious question. I was reading a report somewhere that quiet often they only last 2-4 years. I've a 3yr old ram and his back legs are banjaxed. How does this compare to others out there ?

Username John

Green farmer wrote: »

An obvious question. I was reading a report somewhere that quiet often they only last 2-4 years. I've a 3yr old ram and his back legs are banjaxed. How does this compare to others out there ?

We generally only keep a ram for two seasons, as we would keep some of their daughters.

But I have had bad luck with last two rams - like yourself - one lad had a bad leg and another lad got some kinda ahernia or something like that...

Cran

Have had rams here until 8, others only 2. Ram in my opinion should last at least 4/5 seasons if looked after and not over done as a lamb

grassroot1

If you want to know how good a shepherd is look at his rams in late winter.
I would expect a ram to last for 4 to 5 seasons

MayoAreMagic

Depends on the breed I would think. With mayo blackface, a decent ram should be fit until he is around 10, and a better one will still have his teeth intact, and could probably go on a few more years without getting much extra kindness. Some breeds would go through 3 rams in that time.

ganmo

We'd keep our Cheviots for 2 years or less depending on how god daughters are looking. Suffolks, we'd keep them for 4/5 years, usually it's due to the hardship of keeping their feet right

Green farmer

Sometimes hard to know what to do. One way of thinking is, you'd buy the best ram you could afford and hope you'd get good genes from them. If it works, you do get right good lambs. At the other end of the scales, I know guys with small flocks that go out and buy a few ram lambs in September, run them with ewes for a few weeks and them put them in freezer.
I know there's no comparsion , but really irrates me when you spend decent money on a ram, to end up fixing his legs every few months. Just down to luck really, I good ram that lasts years, ends up cheap no matter what you pay for them.

Ard_MC

Have a small flock so need to change every 2 or 3 years as I keep my own replacements. Use to buy ram lambs and sell them on at 3 but have changed to buying 3 and 4 year olds now and sell or fatten at 6 or 7. Takes away some of the risk of over fed ram lambs and shearlings.

Connemara Farmer

Ard_MC wrote: »

Have a small flock so need to change every 2 or 3 years as I keep my own replacements. Use to buy ram lambs and sell them on at 3 but have changed to buying 3 and 4 year olds now and sell or fatten at 6 or 7. Takes away some of the risk of over fed ram lambs and shearlings.

It's some dilemma, if done right then buying the lamb or hogget should be the best as you'd be getting the most advanced genetics available. However, with an aged ram you DO know what you're getting (mostly) then and there.

Ard_MC

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

It's some dilemma, if done right then buying the lamb or hogget should be the best as you'd be getting the most advanced genetics available. However, with an aged ram you DO know what you're getting (mostly) then and there.

Yeah I know, I have tried lambs and prize winners (for my sins!!) and have always been left disappointed, So took a few years but gave in and listened to the old boy and it works. Maybe if i had more time id go back and try the lambs again or maybe a bit of breeding but untill i get the lotto that's not going to happen to quick!!

Lano Lynn

as long as he can keep breeding good lambs .....have had some rams live 8 - 10 years (mainly kerry hills and cheviots)
but for every one texel that makes it to 5yrs old five don't! and lots of them only make it to 2 or 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!(big head and bad lungs not a good combination)
Vendeens have done ok only lost one as a shearling with pneumonia (n he was a right good sheep:()
Charollais need a bit of minding after working (they would shag themselves to death)but given a chance will last a good while (but don't get any better lookin with age:D


overfeeding ram lambs is a major cause of infertility and premature death in rams and breeders choice of fashion over functionality in the name of 'breed type' is also detrimental.
If breeders expect to sell lambs at an average of 500euro the buyer should be able to expect the sheep to last at the VERY LEAST 4 yrs:mad:

greysides

Few of the rams I see on PM in the abattoir would go through as pristine. By that I mean most would show signs of chronic pneumonia or arthritis. Many would have abscesses somewhere, internal or external.

My conclusions would be that, like dry cows, once their job is done for the year they are benignly somewhat neglected. Also, there's a condition of rapidly growing young animals (Turkeys, Dogs, Horses) where there is improper development of the cartilage in the large joints. This results in premature arthritis. Now as most lambs will be slaughtered fairly young the only feedback of this condition being present will be in the older animals, rams and ewes. Both of which show lots of arthritis on PM. The heavier the feeding early on during the phase of rapid growth the worse it will be. I imagine ram lambs intended for breeding would fit the criteria but I don't know if it has ever been looked into. Arthritis is the kind of thing that breeders would not be overly concerned about one way or another.