[Jacob-list] ram aggression

[Meg Steensland]

I don't trust any ram once he gets past a year and can barely stand to keep them past two years. If we are taking one to a fair, I always arrange to have a big guy (man) show the ram.  I don't know how to take down a ram as the other correspondent suggested, but I did witness my gelding take down a 4H guy this winter - pinned him to the ground and held him there til he must have said 'uncle' - this was in the barn and the gelding is smallish and the ram's horns curl out like the Joker in a deck of cards - when I walked in I hollered at the llama to get off him - but then saw waht he was about and said 'right on Ramon' and Ramon held him another 1/2 minute or so.  Since then, I have not worried that much about that ram as he seems to respect the towering (llama and me) entities that are in his space.

--- On Thu, 5/22/08, Brenalan Farm <info at brenalanfarm.com> wrote:

From: Brenalan Farm <info at brenalanfarm.com>
Subject: [Jacob-list] ram aggression
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008, 8:36 PM





I'd be interested in hearing from the group about how much aggression is "normal" in adult Jacob rambs. Rams older than yearlings. There was some recent butting in my neighborhood. I think we all know that it isn't smart to trust any ram not to butt... like never assuming the firearm is unloaded or the other driver won't make a mistake. That said- how many rams do you think would butt a person in their field given an easy shot at him or her? I am looking for something like all of them or 10% or half. Just a general conclusion. And I was thinking of the "normal" ram that has been bred, not exceptions like bottle babies that are overly familiar with people. My limited experience has been that the rams are much more aggressive when they think they should be with the ewes (e.g. when ewes are probably cycling) and less so when the ewes are out of sight and mind, and more so as they get older. Is that a pattern others
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