Joe says the Dorset’s mothering abilities also enable the ewes to play a key role as recipients in AI programmes. The Byeways stock rams are put out on April 10th to lamb in September with only a handful lambing in December-January, the latter usually having been run with the most recently purchased stock ram for the second cycle. The ewes are drenched three weeks before lambing and given pre-tupping buckets to help fertility. They are fed some concentrate in the run-up to lambing with ewes scanned carrying twins fed more. Last September around 80 ewes lambed within two and a half weeks. Joe likes to keep the lambing tight as he takes time off work. He is helped by Rachel and Wendy. The ewes are lambed in a new shed near the house although they are run outside during the day for exercise. They require little assistance and achieve around175180% lambing compared with 200% for an April lambing. “September is a good month for grass here and the weather is also usually warm and fine. Our grazing is rich permanent pasture and the sheep do well on it. After lambing the grass starts to deteriorate in quality and growth and the ewes are kept in groups of 15 and fed to help maintain milk concentrate to help maintain milk yields which aids management and monitoring the sheep. Lambs are introduced to creep feed. By mid-December the lambs are housed to finish them and to conserve grazing. Feed inputs are minimal. Ewes are given 18% ewe nuts once they have lambed.
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