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Production of Meat & Wool from Sheep.
Sheep Taster
In the UK sheep are primarily kept for meat, the wool these days is often of little value, in many cases it hardly covers the cost of the shearing. Some sheep are also kept for their milk, which is generally used to make cheese.
Tups or Rams.
Tups...
Sheep, unlike most other farm animals, are seasonal breeders. Their lambing is timed for spring, so that the lambs are born when the weather is warming and plenty of grass is available. With a gestation period of 147 days this means that Ewes only come into oestrus and are receptive to the rams in the autumn.
Lambing.
Lambing
Hill sheep or usually lambed outside, but may be brought down to 'in bye' land near to the farm so that the shepherd can better manage the lambing and any difficulties which may occur.
Other breeds of sheep are now generally lambed inside, being housed a few weeks before they are due to lamb. Many of these Ewes will have been ultra-scanned to see if they are carrying 1,2 or 3 lambs. This allows the shepherd to put them in suitable groups which can be managed together and given extra food to improve the lambs birth size.
Lambing starts spring, just when will have been managed by when the Tups where introduced in the autumn and timed for the location of the particular farm and when spring generally arrives in that location.. The last thing a new born lamb needs once turned out from the lambing shed at a few days old is a quick return to cold wet winter weather.
The work of the Shepherd.
The work of the shepherd.
The shepherd is at his busiest during lambing when he has to monitor the ewes 24 hours a day in case they have any problems. This often means the farmer / shepherd will employ a student to help cover the nights during lambing.
Even after lambing the shepherd still has lots to do including feeding and checking his flock twice a day, rounding up for routine dosing for worms and parasites, shearing sheep, weighing lambs for market for example.
Shearing Sheep.
Despite it now costing more to remove a fleece than the fleece is actually worth shearing sheep is necessary to prevent the sheep from overheating in the summer. It also reduces the chance of 'fly strike' - this is when flies lay their eggs in the wool of sheep so that when they hatch the maggots can eat the sheep alive!!
Electric clippers are used which in expert hands are very safe and the sheep is not hurt.
There is a special technique to holding the sheep and also where to start and finish shearing the animal.
Sheep are usually shorn on a wooden board or sheet to avoid contamination of the fleece which could lower the value.
Most shearers wear special soft footwear - some even do it barefoot!
The shorn fleece is carefully rolled and tied by its own wool before being placed in a woolsack..
Weighing Lambs.
By about 3-4 weeks old lambs are supplementing their mothers milk by eating grass. The can usually be weaned by 2 months old, but are often kept with their mother during the summer and reach their slaughter weight before being weaned.
During the summer the shepherd will round up the flock in order to check the lambs weight and what is called it's 'condition'. This is the amount of fat cover a lamb has, this relates to the total lean meat content and a shepherd will receive less money for lambs which have not reached the required condition. If you watch carefully you can see shepherd feeling the lambs back whilst it is being weighed to assess it's condition.
Most lambs are sold between 36-42kg live weight. Lambs destined for the early spring market and those from upland flocks tend to be finished at 28-30kg live weight.
Sheep Products
What else do sheep produce?
Sheep are kept mainly for the meat from lambs in this country. Some mutton is eaten, but is not usually on most peoples menu.
The wool from UK sheep is still considered important although it is not worth much to the farmer as the value of the fleece does not cover the cost of its removal!
Astronauts wear wool for comfort in the confines of their spacecraft. Wool protects mountain climbers and polar scientists, the sailors who navigate single-handed the oceans of the world and men 'who strike oil in Alaska. It is a fibre fit for heroes-and for more ordinary folk.
(Source Seven Sisters Sheep Centre) Visit Sheep Centre for more
British Wool is a superior, natural fibre, thanks to a special combination of bulk, resilience, softness and warmth. British wool is used predominantly and recognised worldwide, as a quality carpet fibre. It is also ideal for casual, country style knitwear and tweed fabrics, knitting yarns, bedding and household products.
(Source British Wool Marketing Board.)
The British Wool Marketing Board has just launched a new campaign to promote the 'Green' credentials of British wool - Visit British Wool Marketing Board Web Site
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