# breeding age question



## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

I just got a mutt lamb (posted below) and he is an intact ram so far. He is for meat, and I am not sure how old he is, maybe 3 months. I saw an ad for a Katahdin ewe lamb 4 months old. If I get this ewe lamb, how long would I have to keep the ram to assure the ewe being bred before he is butchered? I know with goats they can breed almost as soon as they hit the ground. I am reading that its difficult to get a ewe to lamb by 12 months of age. Is this true? What is your experience? Is it unsafe to leave a ram and ewe lamb together, or is it ok because they do not mature early like goats?


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Unfortunately ... "it depends". 

Some ram lambs will get their penmates knocked up right early ... many shepherds have been surprised by early lambs because they didn't get the ram lambs outta the pasture early enough. However, if you WANT a ram to do his job ... you can't really 'count on' a junior to get it done.

As for the ewes ... some will take right off that first year, others need a bit more time. I don't know much about the Katahdins, someone else will have more info I am sure ... but a quick Google tells me they can breed at 7 months - which would mean keeping the ram lamb for another 3 and hoping she settles on the first go. The trouble with that plan is that the ram may not taste as good after about 5 months ... although not everyone agrees that there's much change in taste, younger is definitely better for the intact ones.

I'm not much help, am I?  Hopefully someone else has more info for you!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

A ewe shouldnt be bred until she's 75% of her adult size. With a Katahdin, I would guess that would be around 7-8 months.
The Ram should be ready by 5 months, and I would leave him in with her for at least 6 weeks. Longer would be better
I dont think the extra age will affect the flavor that much. I actually prefer the taste of an older lamb, but mine are Dorper/Katahdin crosses that have a mild flavor anyway.

I havent found it to be hard to GET a ewe to lamb, but I HAVE seen problems with yearling ewes having trouble giving birth if the lambs were very large
With a young ram, it's hard to tell what size lambs he will throw


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

Bearfootfarm said:


> With a young ram, it's hard to tell what size lambs he will throw


Especially with a young ram of uncertain parentage.

Often virile young rams will breed the adult ewes before they go to market. Young ewes are much more unreliably settled. I find that the cycling adult ewes in the flock bring ewe lambs into their first cycle more quickly, but I don't know if you have that advantage. Also, you may not want him breeding any older ewes.

You seem to be guessing about the age of the ram. He might be 3-4 mos. or he might be a shrimpy ram of many more months. His fleece looks open and quite long. In any case, you will want to bulk him up before you try breeding.


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

he has horn buds that are just erupting, and his testicles arent very developed. Today I flipped him and I had to palpate for them, they are there but not hanging like a goat or older rams I have seen. they are close and very small. I am not sure if that means he is young, has poor testicles, failed banding? Do any of these things help to age him? I would be eating ALL lambs even IF I do this. Right now I am probably not, I am alarmed by his little small testicles! They are the same size as my friends 3 week old nigerian goats'


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## wooly1s (Apr 5, 2006)

Not familiar with the breed...but with my Icelandics, the testicles and horn buds are obvious at birth, and by two months, they have a good set of both...no searching or feeling to find. Makes me question a lot about this ram. If it were me, I'd eat him and find a worthy ram to breed to, even if you are planning to eat all of the lambs...Breeding with uncertain parentage leaves you with uncertain outcome...

Also, I wouldn't breed her any earlier than 8 months, and if she is a cross and you breed her to a cross as a lamb herself, you might meet with heartbreak at lambing time - with a stuck lamb - losing the lamb, the ewe or both. Crosses - unless you know the size differential on the cross (small breed ram to large breed ewe) - are best not done on lambs. Even purebreds can have trouble with birthing as yearlings if they haven't put on enough growth before conceiving, or the unborn lamb grows too large...


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## kit (Apr 15, 2004)

We have our Katahdin ewe lambs lamb out by the time they are 1 year old. Not sure what the breed of ram is that you are using, but a Katahdin ram lamb can start to breed at a very young age - some as young as 4 - 5 months (but that is not the norm).. However, like stated above if both ewe and ram are very young - it can sometimes take longer... We had a 7 month old ram lamb in with 25 ewe lambs of the same age for 4 weeks and we ended up wtih 7 of them being open. Could have left him in longer and they would have caught, time wise however we did not want to drag out the lambing season. Just some info for you - hope it may help a bit...


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