Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Hi there,
I asked @Tim W about this when I picked up a teaser from him last week and he was as perplexed as I am so wondering if anyone can come up with any ideas.
I have had a completely stupid ewe lamb/ram lamb ration for the last two years, each year different rams
My ratio is for every 32 ram lambs I had 5 ewe lambs, which means I have had 80% ram lambs in 2013, this year lambing I have had 86.4% ram lambs, this year was to two tups and neither I had used before.
This is a pain in the ass for me as I'm trying to grow the flock by keeping ewe lambs, I have had to buy some in this year due to lack of female lambs, I want to be up at 150 ewes for tupping 2015 and if I get a silly ratio again come lambing time then yet again I will have to buy a load in
Last year the ewes were tupped on steep ground in stroud with a mix of diverse grazing, the rams did tend to fight alot whilst tupping, ewes were a mix of breeds, lambing % was 175
This year I am tupping on flat ground, a shorter sward but higher quality grazing, they have super tup tubs in with them but no cake or grains, I am putting tups in in two weeks time, splitting the groups into two tupping groups
Is there anything obvious that I am missing which could cause this ratio anything that I could change before the tups go in?
Nutrient deficiency? too much testosterone? rams balls too woolly?
Anyone else got a ratio like this one?
Many thanks
I asked @Tim W about this when I picked up a teaser from him last week and he was as perplexed as I am so wondering if anyone can come up with any ideas.
I have had a completely stupid ewe lamb/ram lamb ration for the last two years, each year different rams
My ratio is for every 32 ram lambs I had 5 ewe lambs, which means I have had 80% ram lambs in 2013, this year lambing I have had 86.4% ram lambs, this year was to two tups and neither I had used before.
This is a pain in the ass for me as I'm trying to grow the flock by keeping ewe lambs, I have had to buy some in this year due to lack of female lambs, I want to be up at 150 ewes for tupping 2015 and if I get a silly ratio again come lambing time then yet again I will have to buy a load in
Last year the ewes were tupped on steep ground in stroud with a mix of diverse grazing, the rams did tend to fight alot whilst tupping, ewes were a mix of breeds, lambing % was 175
This year I am tupping on flat ground, a shorter sward but higher quality grazing, they have super tup tubs in with them but no cake or grains, I am putting tups in in two weeks time, splitting the groups into two tupping groups
Is there anything obvious that I am missing which could cause this ratio anything that I could change before the tups go in?
Nutrient deficiency? too much testosterone? rams balls too woolly?
Anyone else got a ratio like this one?
Many thanks