Page 56 - Phonebox Magazine March 2016

Lambing Season 2016
With spring and Easter fast approaching, lambing season is in full swing! Generally,
the season runs from January to April/ May and we soon find ourselves walking past elds with uffy lambs prancing about!
Lambing season itself marks the end of the winter and gives us our rst glimpse of spring. In recent years, a new trend, often aptly named ‘LambCam,’ has been opening up the world of lambing to the public more than ever. Open Farms – one of which we have locally: Mead Open Farm – not only invite families to come and see the lambs being born, but also offer an online video camera, accessible 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, for those avid lambing-fans to watch (and it is quite addictive!)
So how can you tell when sheep are going to give birth? Generally the rst sign of lambing comes when the ewe leaves the main ock. She will try to nd a quiet place where she can give
birth without distraction or interference from other ewes. Often the ewe will paw the ground and tilt her head up towards the sky during contractions. Generally, lambs are born head rst and feet tucked up under their chin, followed by the rest of their body. Within just a few minutes, the newly born lamb will look for milk and begin to try to stand up.
Mead Open Farm told us a bit about lambing: “Apart from the fact that lambs are just adorable to look at, their carefree, joyous natural behaviour as they play makes them appealing to visitors of all ages. But what really makes it popular is the insight into real farming life that this kind of access gives the public. It’s the sense of getting an inside view of the sometimes brutal reality of farming, and the education it provides because it’s not a sanitised, detached view – it happens right in front of you in all its magical, gory glory if you are lucky enough to be in Jo’s Barn when a lamb is born.”
Marcus Jordan
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT www.marcusjordan.co.uk
enquiries@marcusjordan.co.uk
01234 714348
Co
56 Phonebox Magazine | March 2016