Flocks of sheep are made up of the breeding ewes and their lambs.Rams are kept separate until tupping time and we usually keep three or four of each breed. Lambs are kept in their own flock after they are weaned.There are two flocks at Shabden Park Farm. The first flock consists of North Country Mules. They have speckled heads and legs and long wool. Mules are a generally hardier breed which are prolific lambers with a naturally good mothering ability. These ewes are put to Suffolk rams and lamb at a traditional time around April, to coincide with the spring growth of grass, producing the Suffolk x Mule breed. The Suffolk x Mule ewe lambs are retained for breeding and the wethers (or male lambs) are traditionally reared and marketed locally under our Back to Nature Farm Produce brand. |
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The second flock is made
up of the Suffolk x Mule ewes which we retain from the spring lambing
each year. These have a black head and legs and short wool. These are
put to Charollais rams to produce a heavy new season lamb. This flock
is housed from early December and lamb mid to late January, where they
are kept indoors until such time as there is sufficient grass growth
to sustain the flock outside. We operate a 'closed flock system'. This means we
breed our own replacements except for buying in a few North Country
Mule ewes to replace the older ones. We think this gives us a healthier
flock, minimising the risk of bringing in disease from outside. |
Sheep husbandryThe start of the shepherd's year is the autumn, when
the days shorten and the ewes begin their seasons. This is when the
ewes are prepared for tupping (introducing the ram). The flock receives
their biannual vaccinations and worming, and are crutched (shorn around
the tail to avoid fly strike on the dirty wool) and have their feet
inspected and treated as necessary. They are then put on the best grass
for flushing (improvement in body condition). The gestation period of a sheep is approximately 147 days or 5 months, so we plan our lambing time and work back to determine when we introduce the rams. As a rough guide, introducing the ram on November 5th-Bonfire Night, gives us lambs on April 1st-Fools Day. |
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From tupping to lambing, it is essential
that the ewes are kept stress-free as they easily absorb the early foetus
or abort their lambs later on. Even dogs making the sheep run can cause
this to occur. This is why sheepdogs move the flock from a distance
and are under a very high degree of control by the shepherd. Sheepdogs
are trained on non-breeding sheep for this reason. As the lambs grow inside the ewes, body condition reduces and they receive silage or hay as the grass deteriorates in quantity and quality with the first frosts. The final six weeks of gestation accounts for 60% of the lamb growth and it is at this time that a high protein concentrate is fed. This is made up of non-GM cereals such as wheat, barley and beans, vitamins and minerals, and soya or sunflower. The ewes are ultrasound-scanned so that those with single lambs, twins and triplets are identified and grouped. These are then fed the correct ration accordingly. |
Products from sheepThe sheep assist in the ongoing restoration of the natural chalk
downland in the Shabden valley. Sheep are an excellent grazing animal
for conservation as they graze the grass plant at a length which encourages
fresh growth and tillering. This allows wildflowers to grow up unhindered
as can be seen by the species-rich sward in the valley. Their manure
also provides fertility for the natural herbs and grasses. Because
of this, they have been known as 'the golden hoof'. |
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Dogs in the countrysideMany people enjoy exercising their dogs in the
countryside, but it is vital that dog owners understand the damage
that their pet can do to livestock and wildlife, often unwittingly.
Off the lead, dogs can pose a threat to livestock and simply causing
in-lamb ewes to run can create problems such as absorption of the
foetus and difficulties during lambing such as malpresentations.
Uncontrolled dogs amongst livestock can do a large amount of damage
in a very short time. In January and March 2004, we experienced
two dog attacks on the Suffolk x Mule ewes - one only two weeks
before lambing when the ewes were very heavy in-lamb. Not only traumatic
to the the ewes themselves, caring for these sheep after an attack
is extremely upsetting. A dog attack is costly to the livelihood
of a livestock farmer. We estimate that the two dog attacks in 2004,
and the repercussions from them, cost around £4000 in treatments,
lambing difficulties, poorly and late finishing lambs and difficulties
getting the ewes in-lamb again. |
As well as being unpleasant, dog faeces
can cause infections to other wildlife and to humans, and the problem
doesn't go away the longer the faeces is left. Toxocariass can cause
blindness, especially in children and dog owners should always clean
up after their dogs and dispose of the mess responsibly. It is also
important to make sure that dogs are wormed regularly to avoid infecting
wildlife and livestock. At Shabden Park Farm, we ask that all dogs are kept on a lead at all times to help us maintain the countryside that is so enjoyable to walk through, and to clean up and take away your dog's faeces. |
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