The Year Round: Lambing time was welcomed at Friars Hagg

Lambing started with pure Swaledale ewes crossed with Blue Faced Leicester and other lowland breeds. They have plenty of good lambs and the few new Swaledale rams were given a few ewes just to ensure that they were correct.

We are pleased with their lambs so each ram or tup is now running with a larger number of females. Any shearling ewes with twins had one removed and mothered on elsewhere.

These first-time lambers had too hard a winter for them to cope with more than a single.

Older ewes can manage twins and we have a number with twin gimmers which have been retained and joined the breeding flock.

Lambing percentages at Friars Hagg have risen steadily over the years. Better feeding of in-lamb ewes is one factor and we certainly get more twins compared with a few years ago.

Another reason we have more females is that a batch of ewe rams was sold in autumn to go to Ireland but the buyer couldn't raise the cash, so we still have them.

They are really bonny, and it would be a shame for them to go for slaughter. They are good ewe-makers and we hope they get a good home.

The 30 breeding rams are in various lots around the farmhouse. All are looking well and so they should, with nothing but themselves to look after.

The open weather has eased the workload of lambing. Our chaps start soon after dawn but usually finish by 8pm. In really severe weather they would scarcely get to bed.

Grouse have wintered fairly well and the less we see of them the better as spring and breeding season arrives on these widespread, open moors.

CW 1/5/10