Infertile Ram?
- Thread starter mysunwolf
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- #12
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Bossroo, you were right... I watched him breed two ewe lambs AGAIN Tues and Wed. This ram is definitely 100% INFERTILE. What're the odds, right?
There's a proven 2 year old pure (but not registered) ram about 1.5 hours away from me that I'm picking up on Sunday for $195. He looks fairly nice.
There was also one 10 hours away from me for $200 who is registered, proven, RR, a twin, pretty red, etc. BUT I can't afford the gas money for the drive
I have to have enough for my barn expansion this fall and winter so that we're ready for spring lambing. I hope the perfect guy will come up again, but next time closer to me.
Now, to build a pen in my backyard for my current ram to live until he goes to slaughter.
There's a proven 2 year old pure (but not registered) ram about 1.5 hours away from me that I'm picking up on Sunday for $195. He looks fairly nice.
There was also one 10 hours away from me for $200 who is registered, proven, RR, a twin, pretty red, etc. BUT I can't afford the gas money for the drive
I have to have enough for my barn expansion this fall and winter so that we're ready for spring lambing. I hope the perfect guy will come up again, but next time closer to me.Now, to build a pen in my backyard for my current ram to live until he goes to slaughter.
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- #13
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Going to pick up the new ram today in my Subaru! Very excited, but hope that he behaves himself in the barn (and with me). Storms are coming, so I'll have to build a shed for the current ram lamb to hunker down in... or stick him in with the bunnies!
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- #14
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Well, this was yet another situation in which I should DEFINITELY NOT have bought this sheep... but I did.
The man who was selling the ram had a bunch of skin-and-bones lambs with bottlejaw dying of anemia all over the place. I didn't know how to tell him that they all needed to be on dry lot ASAP at the very least. The ram looks to be in amazing condition and perfect health, so that says something, but I am having the vet run a fecal tomorrow. We will watch him for the next few days while we see how he does. Got his hooves trimmed up and disinfected in the hopes that at least he won't spread anything that way. He apparently sometimes headbutts when grain is involved, so I'll have to watch him in the pasture. He has bright eyes, a good eye lid color, clean nostrils, excellent poop, a clear baaa, etc.
Needless to say, I am FREAKED OUT. I am also very tired of people like this selling animals at all, even the "healthy" ones.
I need him breeding the ewes sooner rather than later, but obviously it will have to wait a little while. I never would have guessed that the situation at this farm was so bad from the research I did about them. Just goes to show?
The man who was selling the ram had a bunch of skin-and-bones lambs with bottlejaw dying of anemia all over the place. I didn't know how to tell him that they all needed to be on dry lot ASAP at the very least. The ram looks to be in amazing condition and perfect health, so that says something, but I am having the vet run a fecal tomorrow. We will watch him for the next few days while we see how he does. Got his hooves trimmed up and disinfected in the hopes that at least he won't spread anything that way. He apparently sometimes headbutts when grain is involved, so I'll have to watch him in the pasture. He has bright eyes, a good eye lid color, clean nostrils, excellent poop, a clear baaa, etc.
Needless to say, I am FREAKED OUT. I am also very tired of people like this selling animals at all, even the "healthy" ones.
I need him breeding the ewes sooner rather than later, but obviously it will have to wait a little while. I never would have guessed that the situation at this farm was so bad from the research I did about them. Just goes to show?
Sheepshape
Herd Master
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I hope that you have more success with this ram. It sounds as though he should be treated for worms and fluke (if fluke is a problem in your area). The guy you bought the ram from sounds as though he needs to be reported!
Just to say that over this side of the pond, the new advice from vets is against hoof cutting for foot rot and CODD (contagious ovine digital dermatitis). Farmers locally have been accustomed to cutting back the hoof until it bleed in order to 'allow the air in'. Veterinary advice now is not to cut the hoof as it is overgrown only because the animal cannot walk properly on that hoof, and to cut off the protective overgrowth will make it very painful for the sheep who will be walking on the exposed infected area. The overgrown hoof will wear off very quickly once the infection has died down. We are advised to clean and spray with foot rot spray or lincomycin spray in iodine and then inject the sheep with a tetracycline for foot rot or pen & strep for CODD.Having done this for a while, we have pretty much eliminated the problem from our sheep. (Foot rot and CODD are prevalent around here with our very wet and cool climate).
Your ram should ideally be quarantined for about two weeks,but I guess you don't have the time for that.
Just to say that over this side of the pond, the new advice from vets is against hoof cutting for foot rot and CODD (contagious ovine digital dermatitis). Farmers locally have been accustomed to cutting back the hoof until it bleed in order to 'allow the air in'. Veterinary advice now is not to cut the hoof as it is overgrown only because the animal cannot walk properly on that hoof, and to cut off the protective overgrowth will make it very painful for the sheep who will be walking on the exposed infected area. The overgrown hoof will wear off very quickly once the infection has died down. We are advised to clean and spray with foot rot spray or lincomycin spray in iodine and then inject the sheep with a tetracycline for foot rot or pen & strep for CODD.Having done this for a while, we have pretty much eliminated the problem from our sheep. (Foot rot and CODD are prevalent around here with our very wet and cool climate).
Your ram should ideally be quarantined for about two weeks,but I guess you don't have the time for that.
goatgurl
Herd Master
glad you got him home and that he appears to be ok. was going to say keep an eye on him for a worm bloom but you know all that stuff so i'll just say glad you and he made it home safe and hope he gets his job done quickly.
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- #17
mysunwolf
Herd Master
Ugh, and he is more aggressive than I was told... attempting to charge me when I enter or exit a space, or whenever he feels like it. I am currently carrying around a 2x3 when I go to see him. He's in my 10x10 bunny barn right now so he can't do much damage. But I work very closely with my small flock, and I'm worried about when I turn him out with the girls on the pasture.
Just wanted to be clear that I was not searching for a deal, this was just the closest ram to me that looked good. I would have paid more for one even closer. Transport and $ were factors, though.
Thank you so much for your comments. I was feeling pretty hopeless this morning, so it was great to see them! Still feeling pretty upset about the whole thing, kicking myself for having SUCKER written on my forehead. I need to never buy anything ever again.
EVER.
I mainly trimmed the hooves (just a touch, no bleeding) to make sure that there wasn't any feces from his previous farm left on them. He didn't have foot rot that I saw, but I sprayed with Zinc Sulfate as a preventative. Once I take the fecal on him to the vet, I'll probably come back and dose him pretty hard with Cydectin or Ivermectin (maybe the vet will have some ideas).
Storm is coming up with big wind 40+mph, snow, and the high tomorrow at 24˚F, and I have these ram issues... I'm just going to crawl back into my bed
Just wanted to be clear that I was not searching for a deal, this was just the closest ram to me that looked good. I would have paid more for one even closer. Transport and $ were factors, though.
Thank you so much for your comments. I was feeling pretty hopeless this morning, so it was great to see them! Still feeling pretty upset about the whole thing, kicking myself for having SUCKER written on my forehead. I need to never buy anything ever again.
EVER.I mainly trimmed the hooves (just a touch, no bleeding) to make sure that there wasn't any feces from his previous farm left on them. He didn't have foot rot that I saw, but I sprayed with Zinc Sulfate as a preventative. Once I take the fecal on him to the vet, I'll probably come back and dose him pretty hard with Cydectin or Ivermectin (maybe the vet will have some ideas).
Storm is coming up with big wind 40+mph, snow, and the high tomorrow at 24˚F, and I have these ram issues... I'm just going to crawl back into my bed
HoneyDreameMomma
True BYH Addict
Lol - get that ram in with the girls to warm them up a little. 
It's a pain he's aggressive with you, but hopefully he'll treat the ewes well. If he gets feisty, just remind him how lovely warm mutton is on a cold day!
After he does his job, maybe you can sell him with the young ram who's been shooting blanks, and start fresh with a new healthy, sweet, stud muffin of a ram next year.
It's a pain he's aggressive with you, but hopefully he'll treat the ewes well. If he gets feisty, just remind him how lovely warm mutton is on a cold day!
After he does his job, maybe you can sell him with the young ram who's been shooting blanks, and start fresh with a new healthy, sweet, stud muffin of a ram next year.
goatgurl
Herd Master
what a pia! i hate aggressive sheep, especially rams. please keep an eye on him while you are in his pen. as you know adult rams can cause some major damage. hopefully you can get the girls bred and get him gone then start fresh next spring.
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- #20
mysunwolf
Herd Master
You all are awesome 
Fecal came back pretty clean, only 1 worm egg, so I let him out with the girls today. He is currently chasing them in circles and trying to fight the neighbor's ram through the fence. Guess we'll see if disaster strikes. NO idea how to get him into the shed tonight with the girls, or how to catch him in the field. Maybe I'll just let him get eaten by coyotes if he doesn't come in! 
Fecal came back pretty clean, only 1 worm egg, so I let him out with the girls today. He is currently chasing them in circles and trying to fight the neighbor's ram through the fence. Guess we'll see if disaster strikes. NO idea how to get him into the shed tonight with the girls, or how to catch him in the field. Maybe I'll just let him get eaten by coyotes if he doesn't come in! 
