PreparingRams&EwesMatingL3

• Rams need to dispense large quantities of viable sperm for at least two cycles.
• Ewes need to shed multiple eggs, conceive, maximize in-utero survival, maximize post-natal survival, offer good quantities of milk.
• Whatʻs the benefit of an extra ram? Consider a flock of 100 ewes, at 1:100 need 10 rams but if use 11 rams might increase NLW.
• To use ram lambs, need to have a very good reason to use ram hoggets.
• Ram age:


  Ram hoggets, aged rams
• Ram genetics:

  Crossbreeding, etc
• Ram structural:

  Mobility, penis, hernia
• Ram condition:


  Feed intake limited during mating
• Ram health:

  Major impact on sperm viability
• Ewes age:

  Mate hoggets?, cull old ewes
• Ewe (background information) static vs dynamic effect of LW. Achieve target weight at least by mating, better if achieved several weeks before mating
• Ewe genetics:


  Buy-in improved genetics via rams, crossbreeding, little scope for within breed selection by the commercial farmer, twin-reared, size
• Ewe structural:

  Must be adequately mobile
• Ewe health:

  Mastitis, eczema