increase font size
Ensuring rams are in peak condition prior to mating will help maximise their performance.
Ensuring rams are in peak condition prior to mating will help maximise their performance and their contribution to the genetic improvement of the commercial flock.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Sarah Powdrell says, well before mating, rams should be fully vaccinated for all conditions of local significance - including salmonella and clostridial disease and be treated for any trace element deficiencies.
Selenium is particularly important as deficiencies can result in sperm defects.
Rams should be shorn at least eight weeks before mating. Crutching maybe also required closer to mating to clear the testes of wool, ensuring they don't get too hot.
Like ewes, rams should be at a Body Condition Score of 3-3.5 and on a rising plane of nutrition going into mating.
For rams that have been in the team for more than a year, they should be checked for abnormalities in the scrotum and testes and vet-checked for scrotal mange. The latter can render rams infertile by increasing the temperature of the testicles.
Feet and mouths should also be checked to ensure soundness and mobility. Foot abscesses can elevate a ram's body temperature and cause infertility for up to two months.
After mating, a second health check should be carried out and any issues addressed. Young rams or older rams with a sub-optimal body condition score may need a drench.
"Best practice is to carry out a faecal egg count to determine whether drenching is necessary," Powdrell explains. "In principle, rams should not need drenching if ram ratios, preparation, management and feed during mating were optional."
After mating, rams should be fed so they return to their pre-mating body weight within six wees.
"Don't forget about them. They are one of your farm's best assets so look after them so they can do the best for you."
Healthy, well-grown calves are the building blocks of any future dairy herd. Giving them the best start to life is crucial, and the primary strategy to reduce the burden of disease caused by rotavirus infection is vaccination.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is reminding farmers with lucerne stands to graze them hard over the next few weeks in preparation for a winter weed control programme.
Animal welfare improvements as well as reduced costs for dairy farmers are at the heart of a new move which could help cut back on the waste of unused vet drugs.
New research suggests sheep and beef farmers could improve both profitability and emissions efficiency by increasing lamb weaning weights, with only marginal changes in total greenhouse gas emissions.
Milton dairy farmer Chris Wills says he began using probiotics in spring 2023 to address somatic cell count (SCC) grades when cows transitioned from their winter barn to lush spring pasture.
Horticulture New Zealand’s Board has welcomed the re-election of grower-elected directors Alistair Petrie and Doug Brown.
The bright ideas of New Zealand's primary sector have been celebrated with an announcement of the winners of the 2026 Innovation Awards.
Newly appointed Federated Farmers vice president Sandra Faulkner says she is honoured and excited to hold the role.
New Zealand's top fencers were out in force at National Fieldays this month, demonstrating their skills with the ever-reliable number 8 wire.
New Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst says he will ensure that farmer voices are heard loud and clear wherever decisions are being made.
Paynes Titus Excelsior ET, an LIC bull bred by Brad Payne and Claire Brodie in the Waikato, has won the JT Thwaites Sire of the Season 2026 Award.
OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…
