Anybody Know?

[YELUM]

When does the growth occur in the horns of a ram. Is it gradual through out the year, or is it season related, like deer/elk.

Yelum

 

[buglinbilly]

Unlike antlered growth, sheep horns grow throughout the life of the sheep. Most sheep horn growth is in the first four years of their life. During that time frame they grow most of their length and as they age past 4 years, most of the growth is in the mass and not in length. Most older rams broom off their lamb horns so the length actually becomes shorter due to that fact as they age. But like mentioned they keep growing mass throughout their life cycle.

Have a good one. BB

 

[Zeke]

+1,
If I may add, the growth slows or stop during the stress period of the year, usually associated with the rut. This is the reason the rams can be aged with the annuli rings on the horn.

Times of plenty = horn growth
Stress = growth stoppage

Zeke

 

[YELUM]

Great explaination guys. I knew there had to be a stopage of growth in order to have the growth ring, just wasn't sure when that occured. So basically the growth stops in Nov and restarts possibly after the winter stress ends.


Great pic BB

Yelum

 

[rettro]

So are these Big ole bruiser even edible? Look great on the wall tho. Havent heard anyone brag that they are good table fare.

 

[Live4MtnHunts]

Most folks lucky enough to have tasted wild sheep believe it's the best table fare in North America.

 

[llamapacker]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-01-11 AT 06:24PM (MST)[p]I always understood the growth ring (slowed growth) to be associated with poor nutrition, otherwise known as the winter months. Never heard it explained as associated with the rut, but this is nearly one and the same. Horns do grow all year long, just much slower when the feed is bad. High growth periods I believe are associated with good forage.

I've eaten sheep as old as 11 years, and will proclaim it to be excellent table fare. Cooked over an alder fire at the end of a long hunt, it just doesn't get any better.

Bill

 

[Zeke]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-02-11 AT 01:05PM (MST)[p]Bill et al,

You're correct and the period of poor nutrition is started with the rut when the big rams don't worry about eating! They run, fight, chase and breed and rarely take a bite.

I've eaten the meat of probably a dozen rams. It's THE best meat on earth. When you've lived on Mtn House for a week, a fresh sheep steak, over the fire, is about the best food in the world. It's not just the setting in which the meat is consumed. IT REALLY IS THAT GOOD!

Zeke

 

[TAGATTRACTER]

Best meal I have ever eaten. No Salt, no pepper, nothing. Just Sheep meat cooked over a slate rock .


http://www.monstermuleys.info/photos/user_photos/3026tony-and-rock-mutton.jpeg