[Jacob-list] more on the fence jumper

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

--Tom wrote:

>maybe i should specifiy but the ramming is never associated with grains, i 

>give him his own pan away from the others, infact several of the ewes are 

>far worse the him around graining time. No, this guy rams in the evenings, 

>lately around seven o'clock. in fact before we had him our queen would

also 

>terrorize the flock chasing them around at this time. You look out the 

>window at sunset and they are out there racing around. that's what i'm 

>talking about, so i assume it is the new guy just asserting himself as

flock 

>boss.

========
Hmm, evenings you say....that sounds like 'playtime' around here.  Just
before sunset, the lambs start playing with each other, jumping up on
other's backs, racing, lots of bouncing.  The rams and wethers chase each
other and sometimes smack horns.  The dominate ram is the friskiest.  He is
definitely playing and not aggressively fighting.  Sometimes a yearling
male will also act like this  Trouble is, some of the other wethers and
older castrated rams usually don't want to play; especially those over ten
years of age.  Some just put up with it.  This only occurs during the later
evening hours.  Why?  beats me.  Maybe they have to work off some excess
energy before bedtime.  I don't see this as a big problem, but if it
bothers you or there is more than this going on, you might want to do
something about it.  I see this evening activity as "boys (and lambs) just
want to have fun."  Obviously, the pregnant ewes are not in there with all
this going on.

Cathy
Moscow, Idaho