The Poultry Keeper

tracey061196

Hi

Sorry if i do sound thick Shocked

, but is there certain times of the year that a ewe will come into season??

Back in March 2 of my ewes had twins each and all doing really well. I have in total 8 sheep (1 intact ram, 3 ewes 2 of which are the mums from March, and the 4 lambs which are 3 castrated boys and 1 ewe)

I was just wondering when the mum ewes are ready to breed again, and when do the ewes come into season?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7346 Location: isle of lewis

traditionally ,the ram here is put in in oct ,so that the lambs are born and making the most of the grass when they need it ,there are some breeds of sheep that can be mated twice a year,and i know of one place that is
lambing from feb to sept Shocked

i think a lot of the sheep people here are way at the royal Rolling Eyes

so i'm no help really Embarassed

danndans · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 80 Location: aberystwyth

is the ram with the ewes all the time?

Pekinout · Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 1155 Location: Cornwall

You can leave a ram with the ewes all the time, small holders and small flocks for instance, they won't mount the sheep unless the sheep are in season so they just graze alongside them.

danndans · Joined: 15 Jun 2008 Posts: 80 Location: aberystwyth

if the rams been with them all the time they'l prob start coming in around end of july august, if the ram was apart from them if not all ready come in they could take upto a couple of weeks.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1700 Location: Clawddnewydd

What breed of sheep have you got? If they are mountain/hill breeds they will not start cycling until end of Sept/beginning Oct at the earliest even if the tups are in with them full time. If they are half breds or mules then it will be some point in september and if they are lowland/terminal sire group or cross of these, then any time from now on!!

And no MM, there were very few sheep people/sheep at the Royal Sad

I've never seen it so quiet. out of the 14 cattle sheds, only 3 were in use and as for the sheep lines, it was embarrassing to say the least Embarassed

I went for a couple of days (couldnt take my sheep due to BTV Twisted Evil

) and was shocked by the lack of exhibitors/livestock/tradestands. The only thing up to normal strength were the horses Twisted Evil

This was certainly a year for getting your costs back if you were fortunate enough to be able to get there............

tracey061196 · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2008 8:41 am Post subject:

Hi Guys

Thanks for the replies.

I have Suffolk x (i think is the right name for them) Black faces and legs. The ram is with them all the time and has been since October last year. Their was a lady who had 4 sheep with mine but i seperated them from mine about a week ago, hers are 2 castrated boys, 1 old lady and a boy that is half castrated as only 1 of his boy bits was succesfully removed.

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7346 Location: isle of lewis

i've got one of those tracey ,he smashs things for fun Rolling Eyes

lisa so you don't recommend getting out of sheep this year ,that's lucky Embarassed

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1700 Location: Clawddnewydd

no its Buy! Buy! Buy! (or in my case Sell!!! before I can buy Embarassed

)

I had heard a rumour that breeding sheep are going to be expensive this Autumn.... we live in hope!!