Farmers who have purchased rams at this year’s Cydectin Kelso Ram Sale are reminded to manage their performance post sale to maximise returns from their investment.
An event that has been running for 175 years, The Kelso Ram Sale is the largest single day ‘ram only’ sale held in the UK.
Ross Sibbald, Rumenco Northern Account Business Manager explains, “Rumenco are delighted to be co-sponsors of the event for the first time this year.
“Having a joint presence with Nettex provides the opportunity for farmers to talk directly with technical experts on appropriate nutrition and management practises post sale,” says Ross.
For farmers who purchase rams at the sale, Ross advises making the transition post sale as smooth as possible to maintain ram health and performance and to ensure farmers are able to realise their investment. “After all, rams do make up half of the next generations genetics, and should be treated accordingly; they need to be in the correct condition to do their job.
“Rams are specifically bred and prepared for sales such as this. Producers should be mindful of that, and the fact that a change in environment and feeding practices post sale can potentially have a knock on effect if not managed carefully,” he says.
Supplementing rams with block nutrition is an effective management strategy that can, in the right situation, provide enough nutritional intake to help offset growth checks that can often result from these changes.
Ross explains, “To minimise potential losses in body condition score and ram performance post sale, the introduction of buckets can provide additional nutrition to bolster forage diets.
“The Lifeline Ram Care bucket is specifically formulated to support hard working breeding rams. The inclusion of fish oils and selenium in the bucket boosts ram libido, as well as sperm production and quality,” he adds.
Nettex Technical Manager, Nia Williams, explains the importance of minimising unnecessary stresses to purchased rams, to limit the negative effect on sperm production.
“Quality sperm is crucial for reproductive success. Sperm production typically takes six to eight weeks and so any stresses experienced by the ram can have a knock on effect to sperm quality after this time.”
Monitoring ram performance during tupping time through the use of marking aids can help sheep producers check productivity and that rams are working, while helping to manage and target a tight lambing period.
“For producers targeting the early lamb markets this management of the rams during tupping time is crucial so they can benefit from early lamb prices and avoid the additional cost of keeping lambs on,” says Nia.
“Awareness of ram performance post sale will help ensure they remain in good condition and are able to perform to the best of their ability. Providing the right management and nutrition will maximise the longevity of rams and maximise returns from the whole flock,” she concludes.
