Introducing existing rams to new ram

[Top Tip.]

The best way I’ve seen of mixing tups is to horse the whole lot through the dipper,it might not be practical for the op but it fairly works.

 

[Forkdriver]

We had a Suffolk tup who took a dislike to a street light pole and knocked it over. No sense in him.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

We had a Suffolk tup who took a dislike to a street light pole and knocked it over. No sense in him.

Suffolk… say no more.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I'm rather bemused by the suggestion that size or demeanour might make a difference. In my experience it can't be predicted although neilo is completely correct in that smaller rams pose a greater risk to breaking other rams necks.

I always introduce rams carefully but I do know others who just chuck them together without a second thought. I'm not prepared to take such an expensive risk.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I'm rather bemused by the suggestion that size or demeanour might make a difference. In my experience it can't be predicted although neilo is completely correct in that smaller rams pose a greater risk to breaking other rams necks.

I always introduce rams carefully but I do know others who just chuck them together without a second thought. I'm not prepared to take such an expensive risk.

It’s bad enough when something you can’t control happens too a tup. But if you can do something in an attempt too stop a few hundred pounds being killed or damaged. I reckon it’s time well spent. The days of £150 stock tups are well and truly gone. Quadruple and a bit more that now too get a good tup!

 

[Stw88]

Pearl dip in a knapsack and spray them so they all smell the same.

 

[Agrivator]

We once had a Swaledale tup that saw his reflection in the door of a mini van.

It was green one - the van.

 

[Estate fencing.]

I never mix my tups until after they have finished tupping. 2 of my old Suffolk’s will fight anything including me. Sometimes have 4 fields each with 1 tup and 2 ewes in to keep them quite (also keep the dog walks of the village away from empty fields).

 

[neilo]

I never mix my tups until after they have finished tupping. 2 of my old Suffolk’s will fight anything including me. Sometimes have 4 fields each with 1 tup and 2 ewes in to keep them quite (also keep the dog walks of the village away from empty fields).

What is it with Suffolk’s? They aren’t the most mobile breed, yet they were always one of the worst for fighting ime.
Is it because they often smell more ‘rammy’ than other breeds (more hormones floating around?), or do they just bear a grudge longer?

We’ve used several more active, virile breeds since, who generally have a bit of argy bargy, but then settle down after a tussle. I’ve never lost rams fighting like we used to with Suffolk’s.

 

[brooklyn07]

Am I right in thinking you run Texel rams? They generally aren’t mobile enough to get much of a run up, hence getting away with it…

He's a texel but the others are texel, charolais and belltex

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I never mix my tups until after they have finished tupping. 2 of my old Suffolk’s will fight anything including me. Sometimes have 4 fields each with 1 tup and 2 ewes in to keep them quite (also keep the dog walks of the village away from empty fields).

I bunch mine up in the shed again after tupping. Mineral dose and bit of beet pulp too bring them back up again.
The fecking things always seem too start fighting in February!! They killed an £800 texel shearling this time. The red mist really came down when I found him. Too top it off he’s thrown some absolute belting lambs out of my older mule ewes.

 

[Agrivator]

What is it with Suffolk’s? They aren’t the most mobile breed, yet they were always one of the worst for fighting ime.
Is it because they often smell more ‘rammy’ than other breeds (more hormones floating around?), or do they just bear a grudge longer?

We’ve used several more active, virile breeds since, who generally have a bit of argy bargy, but then settle down after a tussle. I’ve never lost rams fighting like we used to with Suffolk’s.

Of all the breeds, I find that Suffolks are the breed most concerned about the correct us of the apostrophe.

And if you remember Patrick Moore?. He described a black hole as the densest thing known to man. He had obviously never tried to lift a dead Suffolk tup.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

And if you remember Patrick Moore?. He described a black hole as the densest thing known to man. He had obviously never tried to lift a dead Suffolk tup.

You come out with some right at times.
But this is brilliant…

 

[neilo]

Of all the breeds, I find that Suffolks are the breed most concerned about the correct us of the apostrophe.

And if you remember Patrick Moore?. He described a black hole as the densest thing known to man. He had obviously never tried to lift a dead Suffolk tup.

For some reason, autocorrect always thinks there should be an apostrophe in Suffolk’s (there, it did it again).

Probably safest to just avoid them altogether perhaps?

 

[AT Aloss]

Ours go in the livestock trailer together for the best part of a day, they're hopefully so hungry when they get out, they just put their heads down. As @AftonShepherd said above, I'd be more wary of them from September onwards

 

[ShooTa]

tight pen - bit of coal tar on their noses also does something.

 

[Gulli]

Am I right in thinking you run Texel rams? They generally aren’t mobile enough to get much of a run up, hence getting away with it…

I had a Charollais that I penned up with one of my old texels let them out after a day toget them some water etc.
The char backed up across the shed and took a run up, texel put his head down at the last second, knocked the char clean out and didn't move an inch
The Charollais was still pumping his legs when he hit the deck, woke up and got up for another go so I gave them a couple more days!

 

[Nithsdale]

I had a Charollais that I penned up with one of my old texels let them out after a day toget them some water etc.
The char backed up across the shed and took a run up, texel put his head down at the last second, knocked the char clean out and didn't move an inch
The Charollais was still pumping his legs when he hit the deck, woke up and got up for another go so I gave them a couple more days!

I bought a massive SufTex tup once, maybe 10yr ago now. He was a total arse, would fight with his own shadow.

After tupping I put all the tups back in a field together and he started to picked one 1 old Texel. I fully expected the SufTex to batter the sh!t out of him... Old Texel just stood his ground and it was the SufTex that got killed

 

[Gulli]

I bought a massive SufTex tup once, maybe 10yr ago now. He was a total arse, would fight with his own shadow.

After tupping I put all the tups back in a field together and he started to picked one 1 old Texel. I fully expected the SufTex to batter the sh!t out of him... Old Texel just stood his ground and it was the SufTex that got killed

It's those big necks and shoulders

 

[Agrivator]

For some reason, autocorrect always thinks there should be an apostrophe in Suffolk’s (there, it did it again).

Probably safest to just avoid them altogether perhaps?

I suppose they think you are referring to the County of Suffolk- Suffolk's cricket team, Suffolk's County Council, Suffolk's peculiar accent, Suffolk's rams that are too big for @neilo to handle etc.