Thank you to everyone who joined us on 10th June for our sheep fertility meeting, where we discussed ram preparation, teasers and ewe synchronisation with the team from Zoetis. Advance planning for tupping is key – purchasing new rams early to allow them to settle in prior to breeding; performing the 5 T’s ram MOT at least 10 weeks prior to introduction to allow for changes in diet, treatment etc; ensuring teasers have at least 4-6 weeks between the op and going in with the ewes.
5T’s Ram MOT
Toes – lame rams will struggle with physically serving ewes and semen quality will be impacted;
Teeth – a full mouth with no over/under shot jaw and no sign of lumps or bumps palpable around the jaw;
Testicles – scrotal circumference should be at or above the breed standard, usually around 34-36cm and the testicles should feel firm (not hard or painful.) Rams have the advantage that unlike cattle, if their testicles measure and feel ok, then usually they are ok. If there are any concerns at this point we can go on to perform semen analysis.
Tone – body condition score 3.5-4 is ideal to start the breeding season.
Treat – ensure all vaccinations, worming etc are up to date.
Selecting the right candidate for vasectomy is important, to get the best out of your teaser a shearling is better than a ram lamb but still provides plenty of longevity – we don’t want failed rams! Vasectomised rams need an annual MOT too – we need them to be fit to get the best out of them.
Andy from Zoetis then spoke about their CIDR Ovis devices and their benefits vs sponges for synchronising ewes. The feel in the room was that clients who used the CIDR Ovis wouldn’t go back to sponges, mainly due to the significantly reduced vaginal discharge. Andy emphasised the slightly different timings with CIDR Ovis vs sponges so please get in touch to talk through protocols if you are looking to use them for the first time.
