The Sheepman Ram Mating Harness And Crayon Procedure

Suggested method of using ram mating harness and crayons - red - blue - green - yellow

Breeding table :- Ewes approximately 150 days to lambing - rams - joining period - 8 weeks

1. Fit harness with red crayons to rams and let the rams get used to the harness for a couple of days. A good time to make any adjustments to tension of the harness

2. Join rams with ewes.

3. 14 days after joining draft off rams and then draft off ewes with a red crayon mark on the rump. They can be marked with a red dot to the forehead etc. They will commence to lamb in approximately 136 days.

4. Change crayon to blue and rejoin rams with ewes.

5. After another 14 days, draft off rams and then draft off ewes with a blue crayon mark on their rump. They can be marked with a blue dot to the forehead etc. They will commence to lamb in approximately 136 days. 6. Change crayon colour to green and rejoin rams with ewes.

7. After another 14 days, draft off rams and then draft off ewes with a green crayon mark on their rump. They can be marked with a green dot to the forehead etc. They will commence to lamb in approximately 136 days.

8. Change crayon colour to yellow and rejoin rams with ewes.

9. After another 14 days, draft off rams and then draft off ewes with a yellow crayon mark on their rump. They can be marked with a yellow dot to the forehead etc. They will commence to lamb in approximately 136 days.

10. Draft off rams and remove ram mating harness.

11. Draft of any unmarked ewes and remove from flock. The ewe flock now comprises four groups :-

(a) Red marked ewes

(b) Blue marked ewes

(c) Green marked ewes

(d) Yellow marked ewes

12. A few weeks before red marked ewes are due to lamb they should be drafted off from the flock and put in a separate paddock and looked after prior to lambing. Each subsequent group should be treated in the same way.

Some of the benefits of this system help to eliminate problems associated with the supervision of lambing ewes including mismothering, drifting off ewes and new born lambs from large flock, supplementary feeding etc etc.  Also enables production of approximately same size and age of lambs for sale and the culling of unproductive ewes.

Artificial Insemination. Ram mating harness used on "teasers" to locate ewes in season which can then be drafted off from the flock for AI purposes.