[Jacob-list] Rammed !

[Paul and Kate Survis]

I wonder if it is the time of year or what.  Both of my rams have been aggresive.  ANd previously they were quite docile.  Of course I removed all the ewes to the lambing pens...but I was really encouraged by the rams to do it. I don't need to be watching them while I am trying to help a ewe lambing. 
I had fed the grain in the small pen, and Ernie the Dorset ram ususally stays in to make sure everything is all cleaned up.  I was feeeding the hay, and notice that one ewe was very well bagged up.  Forgetting previous cautions and not usually one to turn my back on a ram I knelt down to inspect the ewe closer.  We have quite a bit of snow on the ground, and I never heard him coming.  Ernie rammed me staight on my head, knocking me back a good 5 feet....I went flying!!! I got up and he showed no inclination to continue his attack, I guess I looked like I wanted to ram, with my head down and all!! I did have a headache the rest of the day.  The next night the Jacob ram, who is in with the llama and the horses got aggresive with me during feeding , and I ended up having to grab his horns and haul him to the fence with me, as he would not quit.  I did push him down to the ground, but he got back up  He has been good since, but these two instances were quite close together, and from rams who were previously quite docile. Whadsup?  Is it Spring in the air, or are they just perturbed they no longer have the girls to bug?
Kate Barrett
Ruby Peak Jacobs.   
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Robvcas at aol.com <Robvcas at aol.com>
    To: jacob-list <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
    Date: Saturday, February 03, 2001 4:46 PM
    Subject: [Jacob-list] Rammed !
    
    
    Well, now I know what everyone's been talking about with being careful around 
    rams.  Boy did mine get me !  I've been following all the advice about not 
    turning my back to the ram, and not  hand feeding or petting him.  All was 
    well until I went out with hay when the sheep were off behind the barn. As I 
    threw the first of the hay, the sheep came running and before I tossed the 
    rest, I felt a terrific blow to my thigh.  I never even saw him coming, and 
    he sure nailed me.  I was stunned and hurting, but I managed to grab a nearby 
    shovel and whack him a couple times.  I don't know how much it bothered him 
    but I felt better !  I did think of Wayne's advice of throwing him to the 
    ground and reminding him who's boss,  but circumstances would not allow that. 
      I now keep a small leather riding crop by the pasture gate and grab it when 
    I go in.  I haven't had to use it (the ram gives me wide berth now)  but a 
    quick slap on the nose stings without doing any damage. And its more portable 
    than the shovel.;-)  Wiser but limping, Robin Casasanto 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/jacob-list/attachments/20010203/4b527a2a/attachment.html