Hi list,
I have enjoyed reading contributions to this list, but have been much more
of a learner and have felt (and still feel)everyone else knew a whole lot
more a sheep than I, but I'd like to respond to the aggressive ram thread.
About a year and a half ago, my polled blackbelly barbados ram knocked a
friend of mine (a 250 pound man) off his feet--twice. We were really,
really new to sheep then and were astounded. We never go near that ram
without a huge stick and have kept him simply because he is a wonderful
producer. Seeing made a believer out of me. My other ram is a seemingly
much less aggressive dorper. Since the blackbelly ram became seemingly
suddenly aggressive, we trust him about as far as we can throw him as well.
I'm almost wondering if I need 'warning, bad ram' signs on my gates.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol J. Elkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 3:20 PM
Subject: [blackbelly] aggressive rams
Barb, Mary, Chris, and Rhonda have all given excellent advice about how a
shepherd should modify his or her behavior around a ram and not expect a
ram to modify his. Mary and I raise Barbados Blackbelly sheep, and even
without horns these rams are equally dangerous. We choose to keep our rams
instead of butchering them because there are so few breeding rams of this
breed in the U.S. that we must preserve every one we have, nasty
disposition or not. But if you DO have a choice about keeping an
aggressive ram, I would suggest choosing to butcher him. In the long run,
you will be safer and happier.
This discussion has occurred several times over this list's history. And
every time, there are a few people who respond with "Gee, my ram is really
nice." I cringe every time I read that kind of response because it is just
inviting disaster. If you have a good-natured ram, good for you. But we
don't know how old your ram is or what his pecking order is or any of the
other circumstances that can affect a ram's behavior. So I beg you to
please not give new shepherds any kind of response that might lead them to
believe that THEIR ram might also be an exception to the rule. Let them
err on the side of safety. I don't want the new shepherd, or the shepherd
with the friendly ram, to come back to this list in a year to tell us that
the ram just put them in hospital or killed their grandson. This is a
tremendously friendly list and most folks go out of their way not to
offend. But when it comes to safety, please take a lesson from Mary. Her
email clearly stated that she did not want to offend, but she also was
very clear about the danger involved. Don't be afraid to tell list members
stuff for their own good. If you don't make it personal, then they won't
take offense. And even if you do make it personal, I'd rather have an
offended reader than a dead one.
Carol
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