Lambs - already ?

AliGorie

driving the 'back roads' this morning and there they were - west central Scotland and snow still lying above a few hundred feet -
2C  - and half way through Feb -  whats going on ?
(I know, I know -I'm a country bumpkin)

57Deluxe

Sssshhhh!

BigMonka

In the wild sheep will give birth at any time of year, it's only our farming practices that have made this whole "spring lamb" thing. With increased demand for lamb in the shops we may find farmers having more lambing seasons per year although there are of course more risks associated with lambing in freezing conditions.

Phil_aka_Pip

Must be right, it's on The Archers.

RedRabbit

Winter lambing seems to be becoming more popular.  I know that my brother was lambing some of his flock over christmas.  Not sure on the logic behind it but I could ask.  As far as I can tell it's a case of having lambs ready for market earlier in the year but it also seems to be breed specific as well.

VimFuego

it's simply a case of trying to get lamb early to market and get the best price, you take a risk on it being a cold winter and losing a lot, but you make a nice extra bit if it works out. You see quite a lot down 'ere as it's generally mild. 

underdog

Old man is a sheep farmer, once first week of Feb has gone you start expecting lambs.

Sassafras

Lamb chops can't come soon enough for me.

AliGorie

k guys - just never noticed 'em this early + we've had a fair bit of snow the past week - so my heads still 'in winter'.
The Geese seem to finally have gone and we got snowdrops!.

axisus

I thought I had it bad, but Sheep only shag once a year?

Dominic

axisus said:

I thought I had it bad, but Sheep only shag once a year?

Depends on how close they are to the village boyo 

martinw

Depends on altitude etc too. Where I used to live (Peaks) the lower down farmers with fields used to lamb early, but the hill farms didn't lamb till much later.

Up here in Aberdeenshire I think we're a few weeks off yet.

HAL9000

Have they been advised to gambol responsibly?

AliGorie

oofft

AliGorie

AliGorie said:

The Geese seem to finally have gone and we got snowdrops!.

update - theres was still a few straggler geese this morning.

Ravenous

HAL9000 said:

Have they been advised to gambol responsibly?

The casino fleeced them, etc. etc.

Funkfingers

AliGorie said:

Lambs - already?

Oy vey.