A ram is an intact male sheep, and its diet is fundamental to its overall health, productivity, and lifespan. The nutritional program must be carefully managed to ensure the ram maintains body condition and remains reproductively sound. Since rams are responsible for the genetic success of the flock, their feed intake directly influences semen quality and quantity, especially before the breeding season. A balanced diet is paramount for maintaining vigor and achieving a target body condition score, which impacts his ability to successfully service ewes.
The Ram’s Natural Diet
Rams are grazing herbivores with a specialized digestive system optimized for breaking down fibrous plant material. Like all sheep, they are ruminants, meaning their stomach has four compartments. The rumen hosts microbes that ferment roughage, allowing them to extract nutrients from fibrous foods that other mammals cannot efficiently digest.
The baseline diet of a ram is fresh forage, consisting primarily of grasses and legumes found in pastures. Rams use their narrow muzzles and prehensile lips to selectively crop plants close to the ground. This selective grazing behavior means they naturally seek out the most palatable and nutrient-dense parts of the available plants. A diverse pasture, including grasses and legumes like clover, offers a strong nutritional base for maintenance during non-breeding periods.
Essential Nutritional Needs
A ram’s nutritional requirements shift depending on his life stage and the season. Energy, derived from carbohydrates and fats, is necessary for maintenance and the intense activity associated with breeding. An adequate energy supply prevents the ram from becoming too thin, which negatively impacts semen quality and libido.
Protein is a key dietary requirement, especially for young, growing rams and mature rams preparing for the breeding season. A mature ram’s protein requirement can increase by approximately 18% in the two months leading up to breeding, supporting sperm production. Trace minerals and vitamins also play a significant role in reproductive function. Zinc, selenium, cobalt, and Vitamin E are important, as they influence sperm motility and viability.
Water intake is a constant element of a ram’s diet. Clean, fresh water must be available at all times, as dehydration quickly compromises health and reproductive performance. The goal of any feeding program is to keep the ram “fit, not fat,” targeting a Body Condition Score of 3 to 3.5 on a five-point scale for optimal physical and reproductive fitness.
Supplemental and Commercial Feeding
Pasture quality often declines due to weather or seasonal changes, necessitating supplementation to meet the ram’s requirements. High-quality hay, such as alfalfa or mixed grass hay, serves as the primary supplement when grazing is insufficient, providing fiber and crude protein. The quality of the hay should be tested, as poor roughage may require additional feed.
Concentrates are supplemental feeds used to increase the energy and protein density of the ram’s diet, especially in the 60 days before breeding. These typically consist of grain mixes like corn and oats, provided at a rate of about 0.5 to 1.0 pound per head daily, depending on the ram’s weight and condition. This helps elevate the energy necessary for the demanding breeding period.
Mineral supplements are provided to ensure the intake of specific micronutrients. Loose mineral mixes are preferred over hard blocks, as sheep consume them more readily. These commercial products must be specifically formulated for sheep. Mineral mixes designed for other livestock, such as cattle, often contain dangerously high levels of copper.
Foods to Avoid
The most significant dietary danger to a ram is copper toxicity, a condition to which sheep are uniquely susceptible among domestic livestock. Sheep efficiently absorb and store copper in the liver but eliminate it very slowly, allowing toxic levels to accumulate. The release of stored copper, often triggered by stress or illness, can lead to sudden, severe liver damage and the breakdown of red blood cells.
Rams must never be fed mineral supplements, salt licks, or commercial feeds intended for cattle, hogs, or poultry, as these products contain copper levels unsafe for sheep. The toxicity threshold is narrow; even feeds with marginally elevated copper content can cause chronic poisoning. Additionally, certain plants are acutely poisonous and must be eradicated from pastures.
Toxic plants that can cause severe illness or death include yew, rhododendron, azalea, and wilted cherry leaves. Wilted cherry leaves contain compounds that convert to cyanide when ingested. Moldy feed, particularly spoiled hay or grain, should also be avoided, as the molds can produce mycotoxins harmful to the ram’s liver and overall health. Careful pasture management and feed sourcing are necessary to prevent these health risks.