Ewe and ram fertility in commercial flocks mated with differing numbers of ewes per ram

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Abstract
Groups of four or five rams were mated with groups of ewes at two ram-to-ewe ratios on each of five commercial properties. Crayon colours indicative of mating were recorded 17, 34, and 51 days after the start of the experiments. The number of ewes pregnant was determined 120 days after the start of mating. Doubling the number of ewes per ram in comparison with traditional practices had no detrimental effects on percentages of ewes mated, returning to service, or pregnant at the time of diagnosis. As the number of ewes per ram increased the number of ewes mated by each ram also increased, and in four of five experiments the mean number of rams mating each ewe decreased (P < 0.01). In three experiments return-to-service rates were higher in ewes mated by one ram only than in ewes mated by two or more rams (P < 0.01). There was no indication that 1½-year-old rams were less active than older rams.

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