Today was the day the rams are put in with the ewes. First all the ewes were rounded up into the barn. This was followed by a bit of wrestling to check their feet and give their hooves a trim. Then the sheep were sorted out into their respective grazing groups.
Separate areas also had to be found for the two ewe lambs we are keeping for future breeding but are not ready to tup this year. And also for three intact ram lambs whose futures are less certain but at least two of whom are capable of tupping now. (The third is the rather diminutive orphan twin lamb whose mother rejected him at birth).
One hundred and forty-five days from today, give or take a few days, lambing should commence - that means from mid-March 2022 - so long as the rams perform as expected.
I did a bit of nettle strimming and general tidying up around the edges in some of the grazing areas, particularly in one of the fields that we are going to use as our turn out paddock when the new lambs arrive. The early autumn rain and mild temperatures have seen a flush of new grass in a field that has been vacant for the last six weeks or so and I want to reserve it and keep it rested from the sheep over winter for this purpose.
Here is a couple of photographs of the two ewe lambs who have to wait another year for their turn. They were born in March of this year and have grown pretty well and look to be good examples of Wiltshire Horn sheep.
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