Need advice from cattle, goat,sheep raisers - dangerous ram

Ludi

We have a ram who was a made a pet as a baby by the breeder. In consequence, he likes to ram people. He has hurt both of us rather badly (not enough to have to go to the doc - yet). He's also been very destructive, smashing up the sheep barn. We're torn about what to do with him. My husband is definite about wanting to get rid of him. We are hesitant to sell him because we don't want to endanger another family. So we're leaning toward doing away with him, I think. I understand the best way is to shoot them in the forehead with a .22. Is this correct?

Anyway, I would like any advice anyone can give about what would be the best course. Should we sell him? Should we kill him? Best method of killing?

Sad

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dunewalker

My neighbor used to have a ram like yours, Ludi, named Jack. He almost crippled my neighbor as well as other prople who visited. Eventually he was invited to Thanksgiving dinner. We joked over the "rack of jack" that tasted so good. Not sure how the deed was done though. Rams heads seem pretty tough...
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countrymomma · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 43 Location: Midwest

Generally when we slaughter and have to use the .22 we stand behind the animal aiming at the back of the head at an angle so that you can imagine the bullet exiting the mouth. There is a VERY good description of the process on a goat kid Here It is graphics intensive, but details the process start to finish.

I believe slaughtering the ram is the best choice. Like you said - you do not want to sell him and pass on the problem. We have a really ornery dairy doe who has butted Husband and she's got only one more chance... If that.... She's pretty fat and Husband and I are starting to think she'd be a nice freezer filler.
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FrankRichards · Heavy Crude Joined: Oct 11, 2004 Posts: 112

Dinner, and as someone else said, the back of the head. Give him a bucket of grain, he'll never know what happened.

DomusAlbion

Cashmere · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Mar 27, 2008 Posts: 1971

He rammed one of you and you let him live to ram again?

If one of my goats rams me, that is goat speak for "shoot me please, I find this world unfulfilling."
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Jotapay · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2008 Posts: 675

I would make cabrito out of him. As you mentioned, I don't know what other options exist.

I know it's hard to kill a family pet. I had to put down the most affectionate cat in the entire world once after it was either kicked or hit by a car. It had basically been disemboweled but was still alive. I used a .45 caliber pistol and shot it through the back of the head and buried it. I cried like a baby.

Shannymara

I would shoot it with a .22, like you mentioned. Sad

Sorry about that.

I think you're supposed to shoot in the back of the head, but I'm not 100% on that and would have to look it up - I will know for sure after RedStateGreen helps me slaughter and butcher my first goat sometime soon.

Let me know if you need help figuring out the right place to shoot, but I'm sure you can find that info as fast as I can.

Again, sorry. I really do sympathize; I am still just sick over having to shoot my dog earlier this year.
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DomusAlbion

Tough times are coming and we have to toughen ourselves.

Jotapay, I sympathize. We had a favorite cat (Miss Kitty no less) that was the founding mother of our barn cat family. She was hit by something (a car or maybe a horse). Her hips were broken. She managed to drag herself back home. It was the hardest kill I've ever made. However, I've never hesitated to kill a problematic animal. We had the cutest little cockapoo dog but he decided that it was great sport to kill chickens. He's gone now.
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Shannymara

skyemoor

Ram meat can taste a little strong, so I suggest looking for recipes that add lots of spices and flavorings, such as Meat Beli Ram or other recipes that include marinating, long slow cooking, etc.
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SpringCreekFarm · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 950

If the ram is valuable as a breeder then maybe separate him from everything else by giving him his own pen. If not then kill him.

I know this might shock some people but maybe he needs to be met head on with a big stick. If he were mine, I'd put a board across that thick skull to try to teach him some manners but he might be too old for that. I dunno. Like I said if he is valuable as a breeder, then it might be worth a try.

What does an old ram taste like? Maybe just kill him and dispose of the body. Sorry if this offends anyone.

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

I'm certainly not the best person to give advice on this subject, because I had a hard time even *selling* our first two goat kids born here, let alone butchering them...

That being said, I would have to agree with everyone here. If he can be trained to do better, and is worth keeping as a breeder, then do what you can to correct the misbehavior. But I imagine, as long as you've had him, you probably have tried that. I have lectured my boys long and hard about not "playing" with the baby goats for the same reason. Tame is one thing, but goats play by butting - sheep are the same. If they think you're okay with them playing with you by butting, they'll do it. I bet the person who raised him used to think it was "cute" when he jumped up and butted heads. It is cute when they're babies. Not so much when they get to be 200 pounds.

A bullet behind the ear, exiting the mouth (directionally) is what I have heard is the quickest kill, with the least suffering to the animal. As was said, give him some grain, and he'll never know what happened. I do know that buck goats, once they reach about 8 months of age, require more careful butchering because of the scent glands, and the effect that has on the taste of the meat. I imagine your ram would be the same.

It's a difficult decision, and I don't envy you in the least. I do feel for you, though. Even mean pets are hard to do away with - and any animal you have cared for deserves your respect, even if it means only dispatching it in the most humane way possible. I'm sorry you're having to make this decision... Sad

Kathy

Shannymara

As an aside, this is one reason I have miniature goats. I played with my buck when he was young, before I knew better, and as a result he is somewhat aggressive (just when he's in rut). But he only weighs about 65 pounds, and without horns he's not much of a threat to me or my son. When he decides to challenge me I mostly ignore him and act as "un-goat-like" as possible, which usually confuses him and he backs off. If not, it's no trouble for me to wrestle him (and in fact is kinda fun, though I try to avoid it because I know it'll make him more aggressive).

Now if he had horns, that would be another story.
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Pops

I know nothing about goats but a few attitude adjustments to the top of the head (or better to the tip of the nose - they aren't called Rams for nothing) might help, but otherwise I agree about both behind the ear and don't let something liable to hurt you get too familiar.

Just this morning, an 1,800lb cow that I had been feeding for 2+ out of her 3+ years, came at me (really at the feed bucket I was carrying) running and bucking and swinging her head. If I hadn't seen her shadow out of the corner of my eye and dodged her it might not have been pretty.

Don't make them pets and don't get too familiar yourself I'm thinking.
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