Well, I tried just one and he was lonely all the time. Calling to me and banging on fences. I thought that was way more cruel than dying at the hand of another ram. Can't keep him with the ewes, I'd have lambs all the time, and they'd all have the same father. So I then had two rams together. They sure enjoyed each other's company. But, it's a pecking order thing. Half the time they move from one pasture another, and have to re-establish pecking with a few hard butts on a daily basis. So, two would at least fight some times.
Some of the other more experience sheep herders can chime in on this one, I'm sure. Now that I have 5 total, again, they enjoy each other's company and fight very little, overall. My last round of lambs was 5 rams, no ewes! I did wether 3 of them, only kept 2. I hope I did not alarm folks too much, but the video was more to show an opportunity I don't often get a chance to get close to and shoot very well. I mean the light was good and I was right on top of them. Happened to be mowing and saw the action, dropped everything and ran over with my phone. As for horns, since they are not for sale, the only value is to me. And I do love their horn growth. I have also found, knowing their parents, that parents don't always dictate how the horns will come out, so it's still a crapshoot. Marley has magnificent horns. Ziggy, his son, has the weakest, even after several years. The two 3-year olds passed his amount of curl after only 2 years or so. My main criteria as far as value for breeding was decided in favor of Harpo, who has good (but small and tightly curled) horns, good parents, but the best mane and hair of all of them. He looks like a rock star. Also has a trait of a black teardrop by the edge of each eye that not all my sheep have. I am trying to encourage that trait, since I like the looks of it. -Michael, Perino Ranch Blackbellies Sent from my iPad > On Jan 7, 2014, at 3:19 PM, Rick Krach <rickkr...@hotmail.com> 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
