Imagine my surprise as I drove past the paddock by the Green Man, Marholm, on 13 February to see a tiny blob of black standing amongst the four Hebridean sheep that usually inhabit the field. The jet black wool of the newly born lamb stood out in stark contrast against the still pristine white of the snow.
Someone asked me last year if the apparent recent trend for lambs to be born earlier than in the past was anything to do with global warming. The answer is much more earthy, I am afraid and is all to do with the birds and the bees. The timing of the arrival of the lambs in spring is all to do with the arrival of the ram in the autumn. This year our ram arrived earlier than normal and was put to work in October ....
This lamb is a pure pedigree Hebridean. With snow on the ground we have to feed the sheep daily at the moment - a combination of hay, sugar beat and pellets. We need to ensure the mother is in good condition to feed its lamb.
All three ewes on this field are pregnant, so look out for more young lambs as the days go by.
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