Sheep Breeding Series - Part 3: Selecting Rams for Breeding and Courting Behavior

We are heading into our first season of breeding our katahdin sheep flock. I go to Bah Bah Blacktail farm to learn from our sheep breeder what we need to do to prepare for the special occasion.
In part 3, we learn about the qualities to look for in a breeding ram, ram nutrition requirements, and courting behaviors.
In Part 2, Tess goes over the qualities of a good breeding ewe. Tess presents me with a group of ewes and has me select one ewe to be bred to her ram based on the criteria she outlines.
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[@mick3805]

I could listen to Tess all day long

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

Top notch series with SO much great and useful info. I want to get my neighbor to watch this and switch from cows to sheep. :) Thank you to Dr. Tess, for generously sharing all her knowledge and experience with us.

[@marilynmontes8560]

This has been the most informative, organized, easy to follow and learn series that I have seen. Thank you so much.

[@TheKristenGibson]

Aww look at little buddy (I call my son little buddy as well) following her around and helping her carry the bucket.....so cute

[@brianphilbrook5262]

This has been great. It’s giving me ideas on breeding season next year for my goats. So lucky you have someone like Tess to work with.

[@TC-by3qc]

Thanks both Tess and the Grass-fed Homestead for putting this information together. Very informative!

[@mrsgbee8246]

I've been taking notes, very interesting and informative, thank you so much for doing the vlog and thank you Tess for being such a good instructor and Shepherd. I would love to have been a Shepherd, felt the call but didn't go.

[@bg588]

It is not the scent of a ram that brings the ewe into heat. Ewes naturally start to cycle due to the shortening daylight hours.

[@JakeDogg-RIP]

thanks this has been a great series, really shows how handy it is to get to know the breeder that you get your animals from so that you can ask questions and get good info for your own future breeding =)

[@lindabayer7964]

This whole series is so interesting. I am interested in raising a few sheep/ewes. I really love your posts and always watch for new episodes. Thanks. And hello to little buddy! Linda

[@ellacarter7623]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO. THANKS.

[@TheKristenGibson]

I really enjoyed this entire series! This lady is so knowledgeable! Great videos as always. I haven't gotten sheep yet, but maybe this year.

[@PartTimePermies]

This series is awesome! You and Tess make a great partnership for these sheep education videos! (BTW, thank you for being my very first subscriber, I'm now over 500, woohoo!)

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

I'm really glad you like the series! And you're welcome for subscribing. : ) We should do another cooking collab sometime

[@PartTimePermies]

The Grass-fed Homestead absolutely. If you have any ideas on what you would like I can ask the chef for a recipe. We're going to start a holiday theme cooking series soon on our channel.

[@dc0145a]

Super great series; wish I lived closer (here in NH) to Tess. Such knowledge is rare. Thank you Tess for sharing your knowledge.

[@hotintheshadehomestead301]

"This confirms she's sexy" 😂😂😂

[@RS-jj7yj]

Very interesting video. I enjoy them. Thanks for sharing.

[@melissagerold152]

Thank you for sharing. Super informative!

[@bg588]

Ugh....no...when the ram lifts and curls his top lip he is measuring pheromones from the ewe and THIS tells him if she is ready to be served.. The sniffing only encourages the ewe to pee which is when he will curl his lip. He receives the pheromones on receptors under his top lip. I am a vet and have 9,000 ewes to breed each year. Loved the video though.

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Hahahahaha!!! Oh man, I could not stop laughing during this video! Lol!!! Livestock breeding cracks me up!!! Dan thank you for this-- this information is so so good!

[@TheBeeperman]

Casper + Smutty Nose = Ghosty Goat

[@tpfarm3535]

What's the ratio of ewes to ram? As always , great information & awesome series! Thank you Tess & Dan!

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

Tess does somewhere around 6:1

[@juanpieterse4075]

On the veld its 1/45

[@fisherman3083]

Thanks great video!

[@ubetchya78]

Very interesting. So will you need to bring your ewes to Tess's for a few months so they can get mated?

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

the ram is coming to us

[@Wolfdogrules]

hey Dan i was wondering if your doing another video on this as i would love to see the book and how Tess planned out her lambing and sheep records as im really interested in it if shes all right to show it on camera?

[@marilynmontes8560]

Is there any preparation needed for the ram before breeding season.

[@TheGrassfedHomestead]

basically just keeping him well-fed is the preparation. Kelp meal and selenium minerals is good, too

[@BetterTogetherLife]

Wait-- did it work?

[@mikesmith3933]

Plus my fence is 39inch woven wire with barb on top. Is that good enough to keep them inside

[@mubaraksadik9484]

What is the biggest ram breed that can be breed in Africa

[@mikesmith3933]

Is a hot wire necessary to keep sheep in

[@jenniferrosenberger2549]

So does Tess leave Smutty Nose with the Ram and then bring more ewes to him to mate?

[@mrsgbee8246]

I think she says she leaves them for two cycles, before the younger rams have the third cycle.

[@danielphillips1094]

So she put her right in there with all the rams?

[@fellowshipofthegreen4697]

👍👍👍💚😊

[@fotisvon9943]

All rams should have free acess to women for they are not men.