Looking into the Problem

So with a flock of both sheep and goats and with a ram and billy goat on the property, I am concerned naturally as to why we have no spring births.  Thus I began my research into it.  The first thing I'm looking into is my boys.  I find it hard to believe that all the females could be the problem but won't rule it out either.  First up, my handsome young ram lamb, Dodge.

He turned one year old this past month and is definitely old enough to reproduce.  Actually, he has been old enough to reproduce for a while now.  And the fact he has been running with his girls since we bought them all together last spring up until mid January, should have had at least some results.  We've checked his testicles and confirmed there are in fact two.  Then I read an article just the other day that mentioned the mane.  I'm not sure if this is on all breeds, but apparently the lack of a mane on a Katahdin ram means he is a dud.  No good.  And I'm pretty certain they were referring to his reproductive abilities rather than for showing.  So out to the barn I went to check out Dodge's mane.

There's not much there but for his age, I think it looks like an appropriate length.  Another interesting fact I read was the neck size.  When a buck or ram mounts a female, he throws back his head while thrusting into the female.  The theory is if he cannot throw back his head, he cannot thrust, if he cannot thrust he cannot ejaculate.  So I checked out my boy's necks.

Do they look too short?  I don't know.  I'm no expert.  I think the females necks look longer but they are also thinner and not as robust as the males.

So that is what I have uncovered so far.  I'm still researching and seeing what I can find.  I have also began flushing my sheep and goats which means increasing their nutrient intake before breeding to help better performance and litter quality and quantity.  As well I have separated the billy from his girls once again but this time we are keeping him out of sight and in his own little pen outdoors.  It was suggested by Theresa my goat-to-person that it might excite the girls more introducing a new-comer to the flock.  Pardon the pun.