Male sheep are either called rams or wethers, depending on if they've been castrated or not. Other common ways to refer to a male sheep include the terms yearling rams, ram lambs, and teaser rams.
A male sheep is called a ram
A male sheep is known as a ram, unless it’s been castrated, in which case it’s called a whether.
Rams younger than one year old are known as ram lambs.
What are the different names for a male sheep?
| Term | Meaning |
| Ram | An uncastrated male sheep |
| Wether | A castrated male sheep |
| Ram Lamb | An uncastrated male sheep under one year of age |
| Yearling Ram | An uncastrated male sheep between 1-2 years old |
| Teaser Ram | An uncastrated male sheep who has had a vasectomy |
| Buck | Slang for a ram in the United States |
| Tup | Slang for a ram in the United Kingdom |
- Rams: Rams are uncastrated male sheep. Rams under a year old are called ram lambs, while year-old rams are known as yearling rams.
- Wethers: Wethers are castrated male sheep. Wethers are less aggressive and easier to manage than rams.
- Ram lambs: Ram lambs are uncastrated male sheep that are under one year of age.
- Yearling rams: Yearling rams are uncastrated male sheep that are between 1-2 years old. Once rams are a year of age, they will have reached sexual maturity and can be used for breeding.
- Teaser rams: A teaser ram is an uncastrated ram who has had a vasectomy, meaning its testosterone levels are maintained but its ability to procreate is gone. Teaser rams are used to synchronize the sheep heat cycle and lambing periods of a flock of ewes.
Slang terms for a male sheep
- In the United States, “Buck” is a slang term for a ram.
- In Scotland and the UK, “Tup” is a common term for a male sheep