Quote:
Originally Posted by Vindalbakken
Well SG, how about this one "Males have been documented as breeding successfully as young as 6 months of age (Hansen, 1980)."
Or, "It should be noted, however,....horn length does not play a substantial role in the mating success of rams younger than 6-7 years (Coltman et al., 2002). Young rams fertilize ewes using coursing tactics (Hogg, 1988: Hogg and Forbes, 1997), whose success is independent of their dominance rank."
The thing is there have been folks studying these animals for a long time to document specifically targeted behaviors for cause and effect. These are not just "casual observations". Did you return in the spring to see if the young rams were eventually successful in breeding the ewes? Even if they did all bear lambs how would you know who was the sire? These guys make it their business to know those answers.
There was a funny story by a local farmer that is of some interest to this topic. He was breeding Charolais X cows with Black Angus bulls. He turned out the cows with 3 mature bulls in the spring. He also had a yearling Red Angus bull that he didn't want to bother keeping home so he threw him out in the pasture thinking he would pose no threat to himself from the older bulls as he was as yet immature. The following spring fully 30% of the calves were red! It seems that while the old bulls were busy posturing and fighting with themselves over who would get access to the cows the yearling was running around breeding them.
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I have said that young rams do at times breed. The yes in some areas the lamb crop is low. Is this from the ewes not breeding? Your guess is as good as mine.
Sure horn size doesnt play apart. Kinda goes along with horn size not having squat to do with maturity.
Oh and the rest of your quote I have covered before. Young rams occasionaly breed when older rams are in the area by sneaking in while the ram is chasing off other rams. I have a few bighorn videos that also show ewes turn these lesser rams down lots and avoid breedind with them. But that must not be right either.
Sure they have documented that rams have bred at the age of 6 months. Does this mean that all 6 month old sheep are breeding. Of coarse not. Is it the norm? Of coarse not. Just because it has happened doesnt mean that is happening all the time.
Why do you revolve so much of your stuff around horn sizes?