Tupping may seem a long way off, but it is essential to carry out a thorough ram health check 10 weeks beforehand in order to identify any problems and rectify them in time for a successful breeding season.
Follow the advice below to ensure your ram is ready. Follow the advice below to ensure your ram is ready. You can also
download our ram MOT poster here.
Ideally prepared rams should:
Have a body condition score of 3.5 – 4.0 (0 is very thin, and 5 is very fat). Rams can lose up to 15% of body weight during six weeks of tupping- Begin supplementing the ram's diet with a high quality protein 10 weeks before tupping.
Be reproductively sound – the semen production cycle takes seven weeks- Supplement diet with a high quality protein 10 weeks pre-tupping to build testicle tone and semen production
- The two testicles should move freely within the scrotum, be equal size with no hard lumps and swelling. Large, firm testicles produce 80% more semen a day than medium-sized, soft testicles
- The ram's penis should be extruded and examined for signs of lesions.
Be physically fit and healthyA thorough pre-tupping health check should be carried out, paying attention to:
- Feet and legs: Check the rams are sound on their feet and check for arthritis in older rams
- Brisket: Check for lesions that reduce the ram’s ability to mate
- General health and age
- Examine teeth (especially incisors and molars)
- Check the fleece for signs of external parasites and treat as necessary.
Don’t forget the four Ts: Check Teeth, Toes, Tone and Testicles
If you have any concerns contact your vet - 1 in 10 rams can be sub-fertile.
Click here to download our ram selection manual.
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