Plan ahead to make sure you have enough teaser power ready for the Autumn!
Vasectomised rams (teasers) are a really useful tool for ensuring a successful sheep breeding season. Teasers are particularly useful for: • Early lambing flocks, to encourage ewes to start cycling early in the season • Ewe lambs, to encourage them to start cycling before the rams are introduced • Teasers can also be used to synchronise ewes at the start of the breeding season
To be safe to use without risk of unwanted pregnancy, teasers need to be vasectomised a minimum of 6 weeks before they are introduced to the ewes, so the sooner you can get them done the better!
Most rams or well grown ram lambs are suitable to be vasectomised – when choosing them consider that although they aren’t serving ewes, you are investing in them for the future and their effect relies on them behaving and interacting like rams. It’s therefore important to pick sound sheep with good teeth and feet, and adequate bodyweight and testicular size.
Finally, it is advisable to permanently identify (e.g. management tag) teasers at the time of surgery – this will help to avoid the chance of any mix-ups that could be costly!
