[gbgcisco]

How many of you maintain your own rams. I have read that it is difficult to use AI with sheep.   Silly question, but I am coming from a horse background where it is easy to use AI, or at least you don't have to maintain a stallion.

Thanks!

Wendy

[buddy]

How long is a piece of string? A topic where lots of people have very strong opinions. Firstly, I would ask how many ewes you have? Can you keep the ram seperate from them for a few months of the year so that you lamb when you want to? Can you easily afford to keep the ram if only for a small number of ewes? Have you got other sheep keepers near you to that you could loan the ram out to as well, or perhaps they have one that you could loan? You could get a ram lamb born this year and he should be good to use on a few ewes in the autumn. Hope this helps you. I have been caught out without a ram in the foot and mouth and I didn't lamb, so now I make sure I have one.

[lindy]

I do not keep a ram, I always borrow one. I find it much easier not having the bother of keeping a ram especially as I have a small flock.
It depends on various factors though, are you wanting pure breed sheep? If so you would need to make sure  there was someone locally with that breed of ram to loan to you,
If you are breeding for meat it is easier as you can consider various breeds of terminal sire. I have borrowed several breeds to put with my ewes. I have found rams to loan in various ways. I belong to a local smallholding group and they are a good potential source. This year I wanted to borrow a Jacob to breed some pure breed offspring so I put an advert in the local feed merchant and was surprised and delighted to get a reply from someone about a mile away. Lambs due in April