We were thankful that shearing was completed prior to the onset of this hot weather. Another year and again only one ewe with any sign of fly strike.

Hopefully enough good haylage has been made earlier this month and (slowly) some regrowth is now coming through. Lets hope for a “normal” winter, although my guess is that extreme weather systems are becoming the norm. For the moment we have a reasonable amount of grass, but this obviously depends on how long this dry period continues.

 

Lambs (and shearlings) seem to flourish of course with the sun on their backs, and the 8 week weights were encouraging across the whole flock with average EBV a high Top Quartile. Being the first time that lambs went through the weigh crate it is annoying to see that the fox and badger still take their toll each year. I don’t think I picked up one dead lamb post lambing, and with grass still very short through May and a dead lamb easily seen, any missing lambs are more than likely to be fox/badger casualties.

 

All shearlings and lambs have now been Heptovac P’d. The lambs their first shot. Their second shot will be a week post weaning, mid July the latest (12 weeks old).

 

I have attached on the Stock Available page a list of shearling rams (and a couple of older animals), that are for sale this year. Not surprising they all carry at least one MYOMAX gene. Barring a couple, their Lleyn Index are Top Quartile or better. I only take a selection of shearlings to Newark for approval each year. Always a difficult choice as the time the selection needs to be made, is prior to shearing. Across the board these shearlings are proving again that 100% grass feeding should produce good strong animals. Get the genetics right and…….

 

The most recent (June) Signet EBV run for whole Culland flock was encouraging, with the whole flock being confirmed as Top Quartile. EBVs are not a guarantee, but in my mind they certainly shorten the odds of buying a profitable sheep.