Managing rams post mating

Rams are a sizable investment for any flock. Sheep Specialist at Teagasc, Ciaran Lynch takes a closer look at post-mating management to ensure your rams’ longevity and wellbeing is prioritised.

Reducing the risk of fighting and injuries

One of the first areas where we can encounter problems is with rams fighting and/or picking up knocks and injuries towards the end of mating. Although a common practice on some farms, prolonging the joining period (e.g. beyond 6 weeks) will not only extend the lambing season for a small number of tail end ewes, it also poses a greater risk of injury to rams and increases the risk of fighting as mating activity declines. 

When removing rams and re-joining them with their counterparts, confine them in a tight space, such as a pen, for a period of hours. Inclusion of obstacles in this area, such as small square bales, can help reduce the ability to charge and hence the potential for hurt/injury.

Where rams are being turned out again, aim to do this in the evening time when they are hungry so that they are more inclined to eat. Additionally, they generally will not fight in the dark.

Health issues

As mating concludes, there are a couple of key health areas to focus on to get rams back in order; prompt treatment/intervention will improve recovery rates and the rams’ overall longevity.

• Check rams for damage to the brisket or other injuries sustained during the mating period and treat appropriately.
• Some rams may be lame and should have their feet checked and any issues treated so that they are able to walk unhindered and graze to recover body weight loss.
• Ram lambs are particularly susceptible to stomach worms during the mating period, as active rams eat very little so their immunity to stomach worms may be compromised. It’s essential that ram lambs are treated with an effective wormer to clear out large parasite burdens. This is important if the ram is to regain body condition quickly.
• In areas where liver fluke is prevalent, it is important to ensure that the rams receive their liver fluke treatment. If treating rams at the end of the mating season, ensure that a product that is effective against immature fluke is used. Also where they are kept outdoors, a further treatment may be required in spring.
• Make sure to include the rams in the annual clostridial/pasteurella booster programme when vaccinating the ewes pre lambing. Remember purchased rams will need to have completed a two shot primary course to ensure they are immune for a 12-month period.
• Be vigilant for signs of ill thrift, lumps around the head and neck regions and signs of pneumonia that do not respond to usual treatments. This could be indicative of underlying iceberg diseases such as CLA, Johnes', OPA, MV etc. Where one of these is suspected, isolate the animal and seek veterinary advice.

Nutrition

Rams will have been on a high plane of nutrition prior to mating. In particular, purchased pedigree ram lambs may have been eating very significant amounts of concentrate feed prior to being purchased. An active ram can lose 15-20% of bodyweight (1- 1.5BCS) or 10-25kg of live weight over a five to six week mating period. Rapidly regaining bodyweight will greatly improve a ram’s chances of surviving the winter period.

Key points to remember are:

• Ram lambs are still growing and need much higher levels of nutrition to sustain rebuilding body condition lost during mating and for growth.
• Autumn/winter grass is low in energy, often in short supply and intake is further reduced during wet weather. At best, we can expect to gain 0.4kg per week and, in most situations, the grass provided will support maintenance only. A ram gaining 0.4kg per week will need the entire winter (25 weeks) just to regain 10kg lost during 5-6 weeks of mating. The need for concentrate supplementation cannot be overstated. Feeding 0.5kg per head per day of a suitable lamb/ram concentrate feed (must contain ammonium chloride) should be considered until rams have regained body condition lost during mating and longer for ram lambs as they are still growing.
• Relative to the cost of the ram, 25 to 30kg of concentrate is a modest investment
• Where grass supply is not sufficient to meet the grazing needs of the rams, they must be either housed and fed hay/silage or supplemented with forage outdoors.
• Where rams are out wintered the provision of a dry lie and shelter will greatly increase animal comfort, health, performance and welfare.