Shearing rams – what to consider
As part of its partnership with AWI, The Livestock Collective recently held a webinar on preparing for shearing. Considerations about shearing rams was one of several topics discussed. Kojonup-based veterinarian Dr Michylla Seal of Genstock (pictured above) was one of the guests on the webinar – and here we provide a Q&A summary about what she said on the topic.
How long do rams need to be off feed and water?
Rams are big animals and it’s important to make sure that they're well emptied out before shearing. I recommend 18 to 48 hours off food and water. 18 hours is bringing them in around lunchtime the day before shearing, but ideally they’d be brought in 24 hours. The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines say having sheep off food and water for longer than 48 hours should be avoided. If it is really hot weather, extended periods off water can lead to overheating of rams.
Is emptying out especially important if the ram will be sedated?
Absolutely. When a ram is sedated and if they're not emptied out, when they’re tipped up and not in their normal position, all their guts are putting pressure on their respiratory system and circulatory system. They can have difficulty breathing. This is especially the case in our larger breeds; it can put a huge impact on them. If they have been off food and water for more than 18 hours, they should be fine. We tend to find that deaths of sedated rams are usually associated with an underlying health condition or an incorrect use of the sedation.
What dosage of Acepromazine should rams be given?
The bigger the ram, or the bigger surface area of the ram, the more sedation they will need. So I recommend for British breeds 10mg (1ml of Acepromazine 10), or ram juice as everyone calls it. Some bigger rams, such as Poll Dorsets tend to require 15mg (1.5ml of Acepromazine 10). For Merinos, I tend to do 7mg (0.7ml of Acepromazine per 100kg). It is important to check the concentration of the Acepromazine product you are using and apply the right dose as recommended by your veterinarian. We don't want an over-sedated animal because of the risks of complications. Make sure you are organised and obtain the Ace well in advance of shearing.
How and when should the Acepromazine be injected?
Give the dose intramuscular rather than subcutaneous because if you give it subcutaneous it tends to take longer for the animal to achieve adequate sedation. Preferably, give it high up on the neck in the muscle or, if animals are not destined for slaughter, then administer in the rump. I don't go lower down on the leg because if a ram jumps, moves around, you don't know whether you've given them that full dose. I like using a bottle-mounted vaccinator gun with a needle of adequate length (usually ½”); it makes it nice and easy rather than drawing up needles and syringes. Definitely talk to your vet about that.
It’s best to inject them about 45 minutes before you start looking at shearing them, which gives the Ace a good amount of time to have an effect. If you can inject them in a race and then just slowly walk them into the shed and put them in the pens, it gives time for the drug to circulate and be effective.
What should I consider after a sedated ram has been shorn?
You very much need to consider how to manage sedated rams after they’ve been shorn because a sedative reduces the animal’s ability to control its body temperature. So running out after shearing into yards with no shade and water, and if it's really hot: that is really going to affect them. Consider in these conditions having cool water and hay in the yards for the rams to go onto after being shorn. I like to let them settle down in the yards in shade with access to water and then in the cooler part of the day, take them back out to the paddock. Likewise, if they've been sedated and it's really cold, they’ll also have less ability to control their body temperature, so provide shelter and also water post shearing.
Acepromazine can increase the toxicity of organophosphate. So if your rams have been sedated and you’re using organophosphate to treat lice, you should wait at least 24 hours before using it. If it’s a hot day and you are backlining them, put your backlining chemical away in the shade between use, otherwise it can burn them. Try not to let them out into the direct heat on a really hot day; backlining them will heat them up even more – that's how people lose rams or cause rams to be infertile.
Also, think about what feed they're going out to. If any animal that's been off feed is going back onto real starchy feeds and grains, they've got to aclimatise back to that feed. We don't want them at risk of acidosis. Consider allowing rams to fill their gut on some hay prior to heading out to the paddock..
How long after shearing can rams go out for joining?
A ram takes 59 days to produce sperm from being a cell to ejaculating the sperm. So major stressors should be avoided during that period – I recommend rams being shorn at least two months before going out for joining. It also allows them to have that bit of protection of wool growth before joining and it can protect them from overheating. Another reason is because shearing cuts can get infected, increase body temperature and affect their sperm production.
Other topics discussed in the 45-minute webinar included the importance of conversations with your shearing team, curfew times for different types of sheep, managing shearing cuts, caring for stock post-shearing, and managing stock when shearing in extreme weather. Shearing contractor and President of the WA Shearing Industry Association Darren Spencer was also a guest on the webinar.
The webinar was recorded and is available free to view on demand on The Livestock Collective website and has also been converted to a podcast for easy listening on the go: www.thelivestockcollective.com.au/our-projects/awi-tlc-partner-program
This article appeared in the Autumn 2025 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine that was published in March 2025. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
