COLUMN: From the Farm by Victoria Ballantyne
This past week has not been fun, I’m not going to lie. Every day felt longer because of the wet, windy, and snowy weather.
I am reminded, however, that despite the recent developments in Ukraine, there is nothing to complain about. Even if I have to deal with some bad weather, life is still pretty good.
We have scanned our ewes, and we are pleased with the results. Our own cross-bred female ewes and gimmers (first-time mothers) averaged 166%.
Only 19 triplets were found from 430 ewes (4%) and 63% were scanned with twins.
Home-based workers performed better, and this is due to their having more grass and less stress immediately after or before tupping.
We scanned the sheep we manage at 150 percent which is quite disappointing. However, these are mostly Cheviot sheep, which tend to be less prolific when mated late in a year.
Our rams went out on Nov 30th for 28 days. As the December 21st day approaches, the ewes’ oestrous cycle slows and the grass quality decreases. This can lead to a slower scanning rate than if the ewes were mated a month earlier. You may be wondering why this is so?
Tupping later means that our ewes are allowed to lamb in the last week or April, when there is enough grass and the days can be a bit longer and hopefully more enjoyable.
It would be nearly impossible to lamb outdoors before then without bag feeding them and/or taking them inside.
It is about finding the right balance between what works best for each farm, each family, and how we feel a low input system suits our environment, our sheep, and is still profitable.
725 is the lowest number of sheep to lamb in a decade. The ewes have been in good health and have had ample fat (cover) throughout a mild winter. The next seven week will be crucial, so let’s hope it is a little drier.
Stock can be affected by this weather and we make sure they have shelter and cover when it is severe. Some of the cows had been on a swede fields that turned to mud, so we have fenced off a dry track with trees and a dyke to provide them somewhere dry to sleep.
Although snow and cold are better than rain and wind, the weather gods have been adamant and have given us everything. Hopefully there will be some sunshine soon.
We also received our annual inspection by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), this week.
Although it can sometimes feel like a lot of box-ticking, the inspector does take a thorough look at the farm and the stock, raising any concerns or questions while they are there.
It is important that we keep track of our medication and antibiotic usage and do not abuse them. This provides assurance to consumers that the meat is safe and healthy.
This week’s Nuffield Scholarship adventure begins with sessions in London, followed by a conference with all the international scholars in Norfolk.
I am looking forward to meeting new people, and learning about other countries’ food and farming practices.
Jason and Victoria Ballantyne are the owners of Clynelish Farm (Brora).
