Ram Management

November 21, 2003

Jeff Held, SDSU

Mature ewes (180 lb) exposed to terminal sires

Ram Facts

• Use 35 to 120 days

• Store 8 to 11 months

• Often inadequate holding facilities

• Water and feed feeding resources below average

• Productive life span short

Common Ram Observations

• Greatly underfed/overfed

• Structural/reproductive unsoundness

• Ram lambs turned out to grass for extended periods

• Lack of planning to house and manage rams post-breeding

Facilities Designed for Rams

Ease of handling and feeding

Reduce injury among rams (humans)

Manage aged rams separate from ram lambs

Desired Ram Outcomes

• Utilize superior genetic merits to improve economic performance – growth, wool milk or phenotypic traits

• With excellent fertility (conc and motility) we expect rams to settle ewes in 2 heat periods– < 12 months….20 ewes– > 12 months….40 ewes

Breeding Season

• Pre-breeding– Select rams with superior merits and soundness– Free from footrot– Deworm, shear– Above ave body condition– Reproductive soundness exam

• Post-breeding– Protect your investment for genetic improvement– Nutrition and Health

Nutritional Management

• Ram lambs should be at least 6 months old and be at least 60% of mature wt

• Expect some weight loss during the breeding season for all ages (10-20%)

• Supplemental feeding or rest periods can limit weight loss (improve conception rate)

• Feeding management pre-breeding is most important critical!

Pre-breeding Nutrition

• Ram Lambs 3.0% of BWT– 4.5 lbs of TDN / 0.60 lb Crude Protein– 5 lbs forage / 2 lbs grain (65% TDN ration)– Moderate growth rate (60-80% of max)

• Mature Rams 2.5% of BWT– 4.0 lb of TDN/ 0.50 lb Crude Protein– 6.5 lbs forage / 1.5 grain (55% TDN ration)– Increase body condition (fat cover)

Nutritional Observations

• High levels of grain offered

• All ages fed together

• Mineral mixtures for ewes also offered to rams

Nutritional Disorders (Health)

• When more than 25 % grain offered for long periods – Reduces fiber digestion (10-15%)– Increased risk of off-feed conditions (acidosis)– Negative impact on rumen function– Increased risk of water belly (Ca:P ratio)

Protein Requirement

• Generally less than 0.75 lb per day

• Decreases with maturity 0.50 lb per day

• Most rations will meet the protein requirement for older ram lambs and mature rams

• Sheath rot often associated with high protein rations

Minerals and Vitamins

• Zinc, Selenium and Vitamin E could be associated with improving fertility in male animals

• A good commercial sheep trace mineral salt will satisfy the requirement for rams

• Sheep salt mineral mixtures for sheep are designed for ewes, not rams

• Commercial grower or finisher pellets are reasonable method to deliver minerals and vitamins for rams

Summary

• Select sound rams with longevity traits

• Take care of the management and nutrition (health) tasks to increase the years of service and annual conception rates

• Facilities planned for housing rams can reduce injury (animal and human) and increase observation opportunities