Unlock Ram Horns

GeorgeK

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I feel like I barely survived 3 rounds with Mike Tyson after trying to unsuccessfully unlock 2 rams last night. My son is home this morning so he gets to help in round two or is it four. I have a feeling it's going to require butchering and I'm really not up to that.

So any hints? You know from the last time you had to unlock rams' horns.
 

alleycat

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Oil the horns?



(Just kidding . . . I think.)
 

shaldna

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We kept them separate as much as possible. It's a pain in the ass if you have more than two or three rams though because most people don't have the room.
 

lbender

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We're all reasonable here. Just explain to them how upsetting it is to have them lock up and discuss couple's therapy
 

GeorgeK

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We're all reasonable here. Just explain to them how upsetting it is to have them lock up and discuss couple's therapy

lol, as amusing as that was, sorrily it was the end of days for one of them, (and truth be told he was on the short list anyway due to tightness in the curl.) I won't regale you or bore you with the details other than a long oft thought of food experiment is underway. I'm making hammed lamb. (debone the thigh and brine it)

And downstairs is the shugga shugga sheish shugga shugga sheish shugga shugga sheish as I make stock for canning. Unfortunately I don't have adequate pain meds to get me past this unforseen use of limbs.
 
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We sawed the horns, and capped them.

And you only need one ram; the rest we didn't allow to grow up.

But if you've got two or more, yeah, you keep them separate. They will gore people, quite happily, you know.
 

GeorgeK

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We sawed the horns, and capped them.

And you only need one ram; the rest we didn't allow to grow up.

But if you've got two or more, yeah, you keep them separate. They will gore people, quite happily, you know.


Actually the goring is (IMOanyway) is a result of the people imprinting themselves on the rams in effect saying, "Yes we are part of the flock". Sheep ram...that's what they do. That's how they say hello in the morning and how they say goodnight. All the stories that I've heard regarding sheep attacking/killing people were people who treated the rams as their flock. I always tell buyers, "Do not treat rams like flock!" Never pet them. Never hand feed them. Always make them in some way different than the flock!"

Ok, that's a bit over...overed...
Sheep ram...That's what they do...
 

Soccer Mom

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Ugh. This is why I disbud all my goats when they're bucklings. No fun. Glad you survived more or less intact.
 

GeorgeK

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Sedative + saw is really they only thing to do when they are jammed up.

So...what about something to coagulate? I'm running out of energy as I type...so don't feel bad when I dont reply...I had my son carry some petroleum jelly but it seemed the more humane thing to do to simply butcher, given the shape of the horns and the trajectories...
 

veinglory

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If you cut the horns as far as possible from the base there should not be any nerves or blood supply. Normally you can cut a good inch back from the overlap and they can be pulled free, at least two inches from the pedacle. But it depends on the anatomy and how they are locked. I have seen it more on deer, which are easier in a way because they can't get jammed up as close to the head as goats and sheep can. Might be time for a vet as exhaustion can kill them quicker than the entanglement.
 
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LBlankenship

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Question: if you killed one, I'm assuming you let the other live... did it react at all to the killing?

As a general animal lover and knitter, I'm sorry to hear the ram had to go. Though I hope he'll be tasty.
 

GeorgeK

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Question: if you killed one, I'm assuming you let the other live... did it react at all to the killing?

As a general animal lover and knitter, I'm sorry to hear the ram had to go. Though I hope he'll be tasty.

I think he was too exhausted to notice. The one I kept had his head stuck in a position such that he could not feed or drink and he was basically fighting with the other ram until I was finally able to extricate him.
 

GeorgeK

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If you cut the horns as far as possible from the base there should not be any nerves or blood supply. Normally you can cut a good inch back from the overlap and they can be pulled free, at least two inches from the pedacle. But it depends on the anatomy and how they are locked. I have seen it more on deer, which are easier in a way because they can't get jammed up as close to the head as goats and sheep can. Might be time for a vet as exhaustion can kill them quicker than the entanglement.

The one I butchered had very tight and thick curls. Where I ended up having to cut to free the other one was well into the bone.