Aggressive ram attacking! Story and what should I do?’

[cassie]

I'm sorry your ram has become aggressive. But the others are correct. Castrating early on is the only thing that stops this. I had a goat I bottle fed, and before I was going to castrate him he became unapproachable. He would run and hit me repeatedly to get food, or just because he could. I had to sell him. You have to think about your safety and everyone else who has contact with him. Even though a ram may seem relatively small, he can seriously injure you or trap you against a fence.

This is just a comment and doesn't really relate to the problem of the OP. I cannot imagine why you had trouble with your buck goat and I would very much like to know the answer. I don't claim to be the world's greatest expert on goats, but I raised dairy goats for over 40 years. For many of those years I had a commercial dairy. Almost all of my breeding bucks, were bottle fed. I found dam raised bucks were difficult for me to handle in my situation. In all that time I only had one buck that ever challenged me. He was a not too bright youngster and he never did it again. I handled my bucks from the day they were born and I taught them early on that I was boss goat. I don't remember exactly how I did it but in the process I taught them basic manners. My experience was not unique. Every other goat dairyman and breeder I know would tell you the same thing. I can count on one hand the bucks I ever encountered that were impossible to deal with and none of them were mine.

My experience with sheep is limited, but I found that none of my rams, bottle raised or not, were trustworthy and I would never go into the pen with a bottle raised dairy bull. That said I once had a Jersey bull on lease that for some reason really liked me. At least I think he liked me. If I got close enough to his pen he would reach his head through the rails and very gently take and hold my arm in his mouth. Why, I have no idea. He never behaved that way with anyone else. I just mentioned this last because I thought it was interesting.

 

[Folly's place]

This particular ram is behaving very badly, and so is dangerous. We aren't there, and didn't see how he was managed as he was growing up, so can't comment on how 'babied' he's been, rather than being handled more appropriately.
Here we have horses and cattle, and have bottle fed both, and still know how to properly manage them. And, won't have bulls or stallions!
Mary

 

[FluffyFeathers97]

This is just a comment and doesn't really relate to the problem of the OP. I cannot imagine why you had trouble with your buck goat and I would very much like to know the answer. I don't claim to be the world's greatest expert on goats, but I raised dairy goats for over 40 years. For many of those years I had a commercial dairy. Almost all of my breeding bucks, were bottle fed. I found dam raised bucks were difficult for me to handle in my situation. In all that time I only had one buck that ever challenged me. He was a not too bright youngster and he never did it again. I handled my bucks from the day they were born and I taught them early on that I was boss goat. I don't remember exactly how I did it but in the process I taught them basic manners. My experience was not unique. Every other goat dairyman and breeder I know would tell you the same thing. I can count on one hand the bucks I ever encountered that were impossible to deal with and none of them were mine.

My experience with sheep is limited, but I found that none of my rams, bottle raised or not, were trustworthy and I would never go into the pen with a bottle raised dairy bull. That said I once had a Jersey bull on lease that for some reason really liked me. At least I think he liked me. If I got close enough to his pen he would reach his head through the rails and very gently take and hold my arm in his mouth. Why, I have no idea. He never behaved that way with anyone else. I just mentioned this last because I thought it was interesting.

I'm not sure what this post is accusing me of. When he got to breeding age he became really aggressive with me. I didn't do anything different or treat him any differently, he just started attacking me when I would go out to feed everyone. I was only relating the story in hopes it would help the poster.

 

[CaliFarmsAR]

Okay so I think this is something I’ve been dealing with for a few months now. My ram has gotten too aggressive. His name is Rambo and I’ve had him since he was 2 days old (he was given to me by a farmer that no longer wanted him since he was rejected by his mom). He is my absolute favorite ever, I love him to death and he looks like he would be sweet since he has these huge eyes.
and he was so sweet until starting a couple of months ago. All of a sudden he is just aggressive and has hurt several of my family members when visiting. He gets extra aggressive when he sees chicken food he does ANYTHING to get it. I usually assertively say NO when I see him backing up to charge and I lift my foot to scare him. And it works for a few minutes and I have to consecutively do it. But he never even tries to really hit me
But today the worst thing happened! I was going to feed the chickens and he just really wanted some and I kept saying no! Stop. And he just backed up and jumped and hit me incredibly hard, I almost stumbled to the ground.
and did this maybe 2 more times and I struggled to get him away
he’s backed up and “pretended” to attack me several times in the past to no real harm.
I yelled as he nearly dropped me I grabbed his horns and held him. Just as I thought that was it, i went to get the chicken food bowl.. he strikes again! And harder. I scream once more and i wasn’t sure if to cry or to be angry but as he hit me he cracked the very hard plastic bowl and the food went everywhere of course all the other goats and sheep started eating the corn and as he tried to eat, I striked him several times with the corner of my phone on the nose and he barley even noticed (I read that hitting them in the nose makes them stop or is a good way to make them stop) but he didn’t. I grabbed his horns and dragged him to the pole and tied him.
For size reference he’s easily a 250 pound Jacob mix sheep.

Anyways he hurt me pretty bad and my fingers hurt even more from holding him back but what hurt most of all was that I’d never think he would actually purposely hurt me.
When I tied him I said “NO RAMBO” and I sprayed him with the hose, just a little spritz to let him know it was not okay. He just looked at me not bothered at all and ignored me.

Well now I have bruised fingers, sore legs, a broken bowl and a realization that he is not how I thought he was.

Have you guys ever been attacked by your ram? How did you deal with it ?
here’s him as a baby and then him now
View attachment 2069775View attachment 2069776

What breed is he? Does he have ladies? It is spring!

 

[cassie]

I'm not sure what this post is accusing me of. When he got to breeding age he became really aggressive with me. I didn't do anything different or treat him any differently, he just started attacking me when I would go out to feed everyone.

I am not accusing you of anything, anything at all. I am truly sorry if I came across that way. That was certainly not my intent. I am just curious. And puzzled. I really am. I would really like to know the answer if there is one. The one young buck that attacked me simply had a wildly exaggerated view of his own importance. When he butted me I grabbed him by a couple handfuls of hide and hair, picked him up bodily and dumped him on his side in a mud puddle. It is remarkable what you can do with enough adrenaline. I injured his pride more than anything. However, I never had a buck act like yours did. If I had he would have been promptly invited to dinner. Mine. Without a question you did the right thing. But it would be interesting to know, to me anyway, why he did what he did. What in his little bucky brain set him off. Maybe he just had a screw loose. It happens.

Some years ago I came across a story in a sheep magazine about a not too bright young ram who had had the bad judgement to knock his owner clear through the side of the barn the very day said owner had just read an article on the home processing of sheepskins. He made a very nice rug.

 

[kaythlin]

What breed is he? Does he have ladies? It is spring!

I addressed the fact he’s a Jacob mix, yes it’s spring and he has a female. Got her pregnant she gave birth feb. Anyways I think before you go nuts and try to tell me to take him away from everything (AND this goes for everyone who replied) I think I overreacted in my post. He had NEVER acted like that and since that day won’t even look at me. He’s not really aggressive but really doesn’t know how big he is and that everyone isn’t a scratching pole.

 

[kaythlin]

This particular ram is behaving very badly, and so is dangerous. We aren't there, and didn't see how he was managed as he was growing up, so can't comment on how 'babied' he's been, rather than being handled more appropriately.
Here we have horses and cattle, and have bottle fed both, and still know how to properly manage them. And, won't have bulls or stallions!
Mary

this goes for everyone who replied) I think I overreacted in my post. He had NEVER acted like that and since that day won’t even look at me. He’s not really aggressive but really doesn’t know how big he is and that everyone isn’t a scratching pole. He is VERY well behaved and isn’t uncontrollable as I perceived him to be.

 

[cassie]

this goes for everyone who replied) I think I overreacted in my post. He had NEVER acted like that and since that day won’t even look at me. He’s not really aggressive but really doesn’t know how big he is and that everyone isn’t a scratching pole. He is VERY well behaved and isn’t uncontrollable as I perceived him to be.

Just a comment. A lot of times rams are just plain unpredictable. I once had a Hampshire ram who never showed any signs of aggression. Until he did. When I acquired this ram he was an adult and was several years old. I had had him for some months before he decided to attack me when I went out in the pasture like I always did with a bucket of feed. He knocked me flat and he never gave me any warning at all beforehand. I have no idea what set him off. There were no ewes in the vicinity so he didn't have that excuse. This ram was not a particularly valuable sire, so, being bruised, short of patience and having zero tolerance for this sort of behavior, I loaded him up then and there and hauled him off to the nearest auction.

You would be well advised to NEVER turn your back to this ram or ever take take your eyes off him. Avoid as much as possible going in the pen with him. He may never attack you again, but then he might. There is no way to tell. He can injure you whether he means to or not, and now is not a good time to go to the ER or the hospital. Discretion is always the better part of valor. Do not give this ram an opportunity to attack or hurt you. Both of you will be a lot better off.

 

[kaythlin]

Just a comment. A lot of times rams are just plain unpredictable. I once had a Hampshire ram who never showed any signs of aggression. Until he did. When I acquired this ram he was an adult and was several years old. I had had him for some months before he decided to attack me when I went out in the pasture like I always did with a bucket of feed. He knocked me flat and he never gave me any warning at all beforehand. I have no idea what set him off. There were no ewes in the vicinity so he didn't have that excuse. This ram was not a particularly valuable sire, so, being bruised, short of patience and having zero tolerance for this sort of behavior, I loaded him up then and there and hauled him off to the nearest auction.

You would be well advised to NEVER turn your back to this ram or ever take take your eyes off him. Avoid as much as possible going in the pen with him. He may never attack you again, but then he might. There is no way to tell. He can injure you whether he means to or not, and now is not a good time to go to the ER or the hospital. Discretion is always the better part of valor. Do not give this ram an opportunity to attack or hurt you. Both of you will be a lot better off.

Yes we have definitely made permanent changes that will NOT change even if he is just acting normal. Because I understand how unpredictable they can be.