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Wether SheepIf you’ve ever asked yourself “What is a wether?” the answer is pretty simple: a wether is a male sheep castrated before sexual maturity. The term wether is also used to describe a castrated goat and on farms which breed club lambs (lambs bred for shows which emphasize carcass quality), the female sheep which are the mothers of these lambs are sometimes referred to as “wether dams.”
Definition of WetherIt can sometimes be tricky to distinguish wether (a term for a castrated male sheep) from other words which sound the same. To help here is the definition of wether sheep alongside some of the other words which sound similar:
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Why Castrate a Ram?
Wether Club Lamb - Photo Credit: Schray Club Lambs
There are several reasons why shepherds choose to castrate a ram and make him a wether. Once castrated, a ram is generally more docile, easy to handle, and less aggressive due to his lower levels of testosterone. If you aren’t intending to use a ram for breeding purposes, this can make him much easier to deal with around the farm. Not only that, on smaller hobby farms it’s an appealing option because once he is castrated there’s no need to separate your wether from your ewes. This can reduce the number of paddocks or pens you have to clean and maintain, making it easier to manage your flock.
In the case of club lambs which are often slick-shorn, castrating your lambs makes it much easier to offer a clean presentation with nothing to distract from the heavy muscling on the lambs hind-quarters. It also simplifies management of a large number of lambs raised for meat – all wether and ewe lambs can be run together for their entire lives, simplifying management.
In the case of club lambs which are often slick-shorn, castrating your lambs makes it much easier to offer a clean presentation with nothing to distract from the heavy muscling on the lambs hind-quarters. It also simplifies management of a large number of lambs raised for meat – all wether and ewe lambs can be run together for their entire lives, simplifying management.
How Do You Castrate a Sheep?
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There are several tools that shepherds can use to castrate a ram lamb and make him a wether. An Elastrator (pictured, right) can be used to place a rubber band around the neck of the scrotum. This prevents circulation and causes the tissue to die within a few minutes. Within 2-3 weeks the lamb’s scrotum will fall off. It is important when using an elastrator that both testicles be below the band within the scrotum. If one of the testicles is not below the band it will be retained within the ram’s body, meaning he will not be rendered sterile.
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An Elastrator, Used to Castrate and Dock Lambs
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A Burdizzo Emasculator, Tool to Castrate Ram Lambs
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Alternately, a tool called a Burdizzo Emasculator (pictured left) can be used to turn a ram lamb into a wether via castration. This tool is used to crush the spermatic cord, crushing the blood supply to the testicles which causes them to shrivel up and die. If you are performing a castration with this tool it’s important to crush each cord separately and to use an emasculator designed for sheep or goats – not one which is designed for cattle.
The final option which may be employed to castrate a ram lamb is surgical castration. In this method a scalpel or sharp knife is used to remove the bottom 1/3 of the scrotum. The testicles are then removed and the wound is left open and allowed to heal naturally. It’s extremely important with this method to make sure all tools used and the area are kept sterile and clean. Surgical castration is the most painful and the most likely procedure to result in infection or fly strike. Generally castration with an Elastrator or Emasculator will cause short-lived pain and these are the methods we recommend if you are going to castrate ram lambs. No matter which way you choose to castrate your rams to make them wether sheep, it is recommended to do so before the lambs are 6 weeks of age. |
