The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: steve_pr on February 11, 2013, 09:40:53 am

Title: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: steve_pr on February 11, 2013, 09:40:53 am: Getting exciting around here as our first lambing approaches. We moved over to West Wales 16 months ago and our first sheep (Ryelands) arrived in May 2012. We had decided to go for Greyface Dartmoors and had the opportunity to acquire two flocks so rapidly found ourselves with almost 50 ewes, lambs and yearlings by mid summer! A quick trip to Exeter at the end of Augst saw us with two champion Greyface Rams (more about them in a later post!) who set about the task with enthusiasm. We had then scanned just before Christmas and are expecting 50 lambs starting in about a week.

They seemed to do fine in the snow last month and some are now inside waiting (makes life easier for us!).

This is advance notice - we will have to reduce numbers this season so will have stock to sell - some yearlings already and probably 8-12 ewes with lambs at foot in a few months time. They are all registered with the breed society - get in touch if you are interested in some - it will be a good home or the freezer!

Steve & Jan
Marchgwyn
Title: Re: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: Sunnybank on February 11, 2013, 10:08:59 am: ahhh :love: they look lovely, good luck with lambing :fc:
Title: Re: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: Hazelwood Flock on February 11, 2013, 06:37:36 pm: Good luck with your lambing, i've got one ewe left to lamb of 23 so feeling smug ;)
Don't forget to clip the udders to allow the lambs to find the teat, it is amazing how GFD lambs think they can get milk out of wool! :dunce:
Looking forward to hearing about the rams :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: kumquat on February 11, 2013, 06:49:10 pm: Lovely....good luck with your lambing. :excited:
Title: Re: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: Anke on February 11, 2013, 09:53:31 pm: Quote from: Hazelwood Flock on February 11, 2013, 06:37:36 pm
Good luck with your lambing, i've got one ewe left to lamb of 23 so feeling smug ;)
Don't forget to clip the udders to allow the lambs to find the teat, it is amazing how GFD lambs think they can get milk out of wool! :dunce:
Looking forward to hearing about the rams :thumbsup:

When I had Bowmont sheep the ewes had to be clipped round the face/eyes, they just couldn't see their lambs.... The same with GFDs?
Title: Re: Greyface Dartmoors
Post by: Hazelwood Flock on February 12, 2013, 05:27:10 pm: They seem to be o.k for seeing, I have tied some fringes up out of the way on very woolly ewes but usually they can cope!