[Jacob-list] Catching Rams

[Marguerite Van Beek]

Catching RamsAlex and I have worked out a great plan when they are in the field.  We use cattle panels and corners.  We attach a panel to one side of a corner in a paddock and just drive then up to the corner and close the panel.  Lately the yearling rams we have are no problem to catch just need feed and grab a horn or two.  But sometimes they get wise to our plan and we have to use another corner LOL.

Peg
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ranchrat<mailto:ranchrat at telusplanet.net> 
  To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com<mailto:jacob-list at jacobsheep.com> 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 1:23 PM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] Catching Rams


  Linda <patchworkfibers at windstream.net<mailto:patchworkfibers at windstream.net>> wrote:

  > What's everyone's favorite way of catching adult rams?

  Uh gees..while scratching them under their chin, I guess I could grab a horn or two or four.LOL

  My son was down visiting yesterday to help with all the firewood from the wind storm and it took more time for him to mess with his phone for a picture.than it would have taken to catch one of my boys.  We run the Australian Cattle Dogs in the ram pasture every evening and all the boys like to stand in the doorway of their barn and pretend to be the cheering squad.  As of late, two of them come over to the side of the corral to have their chins scratched, so I usually set up a folding chair on one side, watch the dogs run, and sit there scratching the "mean savage big horned monsters."  How one could EVER think of one of these rams as a hunting "trophy" just kills me.oh you'd have to be some sleuthing hunter to bag one of these boys.NOT!!

  All ours are halter trained, will stand quietly to have toes trimmed, stand quietly tied high on a fence if required, draft trained to pull our covered wagon in the Bighorn Rodeo Parade, and you pretty much hafta tell'em to MOVE outta the way when changing their water or adding more bedding.  Not that I'll ever totally trust an intact male (we never turn our backs on one nor do we "pat" them on the head to encourage butting!), just really nice to have good mannered boys about.  Now because the boys get chin scratchies, it is just a matter of leaning over the corral and rubbing my fingers together and they'll saunter on over to see what's up.

  Can't stand spooky critters, so it ain't uncommon to find me with a chicken perched on my arm.or head or pulling on my shoe strings trying to make me trip up.  If you can't work on your livestock, you can't keep them healthy.  When I first began doing the fun stuff on the Jacobs, I'd carry around this small nylon bag of grain.  Anytime I "captured" a victim, they'd end their ordeal with a treat.  Sometimes I'd just catch them to give them a treat.  Keep 'em guessing!  If your animal is stressed over being caught, you really do have an ordeal on your hands before you even get started.  In sheep, because of the fiber, you hafta put your hands on them to condition score them.if you don't handled your animals, you are not going to catch the first signs that something is wrong with them from parasites to weight loss.  Mine get pats every day.only way a good shepherd can do their work & look after their stock.

  Chicken UP!

  Tara Lee Higgins - Rat Ranch, Alberta

  Home of Canada's 1st Grand Champion Jacob Ewe Melody

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