B538
Management of Rams and Bucks

Management Protocols for Breeding Rams and Bucks:

Pre-turnout Preparation:
  1. Shear all rams, if the season of the year permits. This will help them on hot, humid days.
  2. Trim their feet well in advance.
  3. The previous year’s rams and bucks need to be placed on a weight gaining program:
    • 1st choice - good, green pasture, i.e. mixed legume-grass.
    • 2nd choice - good, clean grain at the rate of 1 - 2 lbs/head/day and an ample supply of good quality, legume hay.
  4. A breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) should be performed on every ram and buck. This exam should include a thorough semen evaluation. See B710 for additional information on performing a BSE.

Employment of Teaser Rams or Bucks: "Teaser" rams/bucks are animals that have been surgically altered in a way that prevents them from reproducing. These animals still have sexual drive and will mount females in heat. Some producers will use a marking harness on the teaser ram/buck to mark the ewes/does that are cycling. These animals can also be used to help get a group of females cycling at roughly the same time. Estrus synchronization can also be accomplished by having rams/bucks in a pasture, paddock, or pen next to the group of ewes/does. The sight, sound, and particularly smell of the ram/buck will often be enough to synchronize the cycling of the females. The use of teaser rams/bucks should not begin more than two (2) weeks prior to the start of the breeding season.

A typical marking harness on a teaser ram.

 

Ram/Buck Usage During the Breeding Season: The following are common ratios of females to males:

Ratio of Ewes per Ram or Does per Buck:

There are 5 ways of utilizing a ram or buck during the breeding season:
  1. Continuous Service: This is where the rams/bucks are simply turned in with the females at all times during the breeding season.

  2. Intermittent Service: The rams/bucks are turned in for only a portion of the time, usually at night. This is an excellent way to use ram lambs and yearlings who will have a tendency to overwork themselves. This also makes it easier to supplement the ram(s) and buck(s). When the male is not with the females, leave a bred female or wether in with the ram/buck for company.

  3. Rotational Service: This is a method of using different rams/bucks at different times during the season. Use of the rotational plan is recommended when young males constitute a portion of the ram/buck battery. Rotational servicing helps to prevent the younger males from overworking themselves.
    • The 1/2 and 1/2 system - turn-out 1/2 of the rams/bucks for about 3 weeks and then bring them in. Turn out the other 1/2 of the ram/buck battery for the remaining time.
    • Another method is to use 1/3 of the rams/bucks for the first two weeks, then remove them. At that time, introduce the other 2/3rds of the ram/buck battery for the next 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks, then add the initial 1/3rd of the rams/bucks so that all males are in for a final 2 weeks.

  4. Hand Coupling/Hand Mating Service: This involves taking the ewes or does as they come into heat to the flock ram/buck for servicing. This can be good for purebred breeding in order to extend the service of an old or infirm ram/buck. However, because of the necessity for heat detection, it requires the use of additional heat detection methods such as a teaser ram/buck and apron. Failure of adequate heat detection is the primary reason this method may be unsuccessful.

  5. Artificial Insemination Service: This system requires that efficient heat detection methods be utilized. Currently, this method is not being used to any great extent in large commercial sheep production systems because of the extensive labor and management issues that are involved. However, many of the small and mid-sized goat and sheep producers successfully utilize this method for genetic improvement in the flock/herd. Both frozen and fresh semen are commonly used for breeding.

* See page B710 for additional information on reproduction.