Like Mark Wintermute I keep a large group of rams. Currently 11 with 5 ram lambs. They are an amazingly peaceful group with only recreational head butting. None are aggressive to me in their bachelor group. I am wary when they are in a breeding group, but have never had a problem. My rams will come around me when I feed their very small daily ration of grain, otherwise they keep their distance.
Elaine Haas www.sunnyslopesheep.com -----Original Message----- From: Mike Hummel <m...@soggytopfarm.com> To: blackbelly <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info> Sent: Wed, Jan 8, 2014 3:32 pm Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Blackbelly Digest, Vol 10, Issue 1 Many thanks to Mark and Michael, I am really learning a lot about BB behavior. Mark just curious, if you have 20 rams how many ewes are you running? And how many acres of pasture? Your statement on not having a common fence between ewes and rams was proven by our ignorance last fall. Anyone want pictures of the fence? LOL Mike On 1/8/2014 7:56 AM, Mark Wintermute wrote: > Good video Michael. The video shows just how powerful rams really are. > Also shows why I refuse to keep any ram whose sole purpose in life is to > kill me! > > I am not sure if everybody saw the video correctly but the third ram that > joined in was acting as peace maker. He was not being aggressive. I do not > know what transpired between the two aggressive rams but the third one was > convinced that the one in the corner started it and needed to just stop. If > the third ram was backing off as far as the aggressive ram and hitting > equally hard then they have created an alliance. The two on one scenario is > almost always against a dominant ram that the other two cannot beat > individually. I have only had that two on one situation once. I eliminated > one of the two teamed up rams and the whole group of rams was better for it. > > I run a large bunch of rams together which currently is around 20 rams. > They are the most enjoyable group of sheep I have. They come up to say hi > and get a good rub (anywhere but the head). I do not worry about being hit. > I am able to walk anywhere with them without a stick or fear of getting hit. > If anyone tries to hurt me they go to the freezer without appeal. I have > senior, junior and freshman (lambs) in my group. There is a pecking order > which continually changes. There is a ram code of ethics in this bachelor > group. The occasional very hard head butt is something they like to savor. > They will hit and stand next to each other and you can just see them > thinking "Man that was a good one!". Then they look at each other and do it > again. But even though they are hitting hard it is just recreation and > always head to head. There will be no peace maker involved in this > situation. A cheap shot (and deadly kill hit) is a hit to the ribs. This > violates the rams code of ethics. Any ram in my group that does this will > immediately be put in his place by the entire group of rams. No hitting the > ribs is a "ram law". It is very common for the peace maker ram to step > between rams that are fighting exposing his ribs to both aggressor rams. > The aggressors will try to go around him but the peace maker will just keep > spoiling the fight till it stops. Or like in the video the peace maker > makes it to difficult for the ram that usually started the fight to continue > to fight. Just like us humans there are some rams that have no code of > ethics. If you have a ram that T-bones others in the ribs put them in the > freezer (they taste just fine). > > OK.... you introduce ewes and there are no more rules. Rams will fight and > possibly to the death. There should be no common fence between them or you > will not have a fence anymore. If you get into a pen you must keep an eye > on the ram. They are not your friend until the girls are gone and they are > back home in their bachelor group. > > Good video. > > Mark Wintermute > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blackbelly-boun...@lists.blackbellysheep.info > [mailto:blackbelly-boun...@lists.blackbellysheep.info] On Behalf Of Michael > Smith > Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2014 8:59 PM > To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > Cc: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info > Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Blackbelly Digest, Vol 10, Issue 1 > > No deaths yet, but this time around I was not too sure if I might not see > one. Glad I did not. I've only been at this since 2008. > > As some of the other herders have told me offline, a cheap shot to the ribs > might be more likely than actually breaking a neck. And a broken rib can > really devastate a sheep. > > -Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies > > Sent from my iPad > >> On Jan 7, 2014, at 3:35 PM, Mike Hummel <m...@soggytopfarm.com> wrote: >> >> Along with Rick's question have they ever killed/injured each other? Or > like chickens is it more of a pecking order issue? >> >>> On 1/7/2014 6:19 PM, Rick Krach wrote: >>> Two questions, Michael: do you really have to keep so many rams together? > It seems like sure, eventual death for the weakest of them. Secondly, they > all have beautiful, double-curled horns. I don't see that very often so > wonder if you find them to be more valuable? >>> >>> Rick Krach >>> in Auburn, CA >>> >>> >>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> -- >>>> >>>> Message: 1 >>>> Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2014 18:17:55 -0800 >>>> From: Michael Smith <mwsmotorspo...@gmail.com> >>>> To: blackbelly <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info> >>>> Subject: [Blackbelly] ABB Rams fighting video >>>> Message-ID: >>>> <CAHiKykiXOhwGDHu=jeejk_joqgc1awllcoeykh+to_1don_...@mail.gmail.com> >>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >>>> >>>> I'm posting a link to this video I happened to capture, for those of >>>> you who don't have multiple rams and have not seen this up close >>>> before. While it is awe-inspiring to watch, you can tell by my voice >>>> as I record it, I take no pleasure in watching two of my rams fight >>>> like this. >>>> >>>> Ultimately, neither was harmed. >>>> >>>> The description of what is happening and why, is in the video caption. >>>> >>>> -Michael Smith, Perino Ranch Blackbellies >>>> >>>> http://youtu.be/fnAw_zVofm8 >>> _______________________________________________ >>> This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's >>> homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info >> _______________________________________________ >> This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's >> homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage > at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2014.0.4259 / Virus Database: 3658/6984 - Release Date: 01/07/14 > > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
