Today it was time to set our tups (or rams depending on where you are from) on to the 'ladies' at the hill. We now have 115 Blackface ewes and they need a boyfriend if we are to be lambing in the spring!
Regular blog followers will know all about Wesley, so no need to introduce him. However, despite him only being one and a half years old (or a shearling), he already has some young pretenders!
A friendly nearby farmer, Jeff Paxton of Greenleighton Farm near Morpeth has lent us a couple of tup lambs to add reinforcements to Wesley - why you might ask? First of all genetic diversity, secondly practical! Dave and I shepherded (well, he ran a lot and I was on the the quad) all the sheep to the 'top' field yesterday and it is 120 acres in that field alone so we need more than Wesley to track down the ladies!
Here are the two (very) young boys:s
So with our 3 tups we secured their raddle or harness with a block of colour under each so we can see who mates the most ladies. Out of course has black - making him Black Out. In has red and Wesley has green. Place your bets!
With harnesses secure we then shepherded them up the hill. With Dave still resting I needed a new runner - queue Debbie - come by lass!
Whilst we at the hill we checked on our latest additions to the flock - an investment for next year, some Black faced ewe lambs (you mate them in their second year, not the first).
Paul
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1 comment:
Nice sheep!
If I was a sheep I think it would have to be Wesley for me - so, I go for Wesley being the 'high scorer'!!
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