Although the ewes started lambing in the middle of March we deliberately stagger the start of each flock to spread the lambing period over a longer more manageable period of time. The ewe’s oestrus cycle is only 17 days so if the rams have done their job and got them all in lamb in one cycle, lambing comes and goes pretty quickly, hence why we stagger it. This spreads the workload but also spreads the risk. Late March and April can deliver lovely spring weather; it can also be pretty brutal. The old sayings about weather have their roots in truth with March being “In like a Lion out like a Lamb, in like a Lamb out like a Lion” and those “April showers” on Dartmoor can suck the heat out of a lamb if it doesn’t have feed in its belly and plenty of shelter. The wet and cold is what we dread and some days when we are lambing outside it can be pretty demoralising. But as I said last time, you just have to get the ewes in good condition, put them in as much shelter as you can and then trust nature to do the rest. There are always a few bad days but lambing for us is spread over a six week period so it will usually average out.
The cows will start to calf in April and like the lambs it is always lovely to see fresh calves clumsily following their mother across the field. Lambing is hard work but with the cows everything is scaled up and the stakes are a lot higher. Like the sheep we tend to let nature run its course and most cows get on with it on their own. The difference with a cow is that instead of feeding her up before she calves you actually try and keep her lean and fit before birth. If the cow looks too well she will grow her calf too big and this can produce problems at birth. So again we walk a tight rope, cows have to be able to grow a fit healthy calf and be able to give birth and feed it. But too much good living and you risk the whole lot.
As they calf they are turned out of the sheds onto the fields. The young cattle also go out as soon as there is enough grass. It is always a welcome sight to see young animals that have been housed for the winter turned into a field for the first time in spring. They gallop around and jump about, playing like baby lambs. Then they remember how good fresh spring grass tastes and they eat their heads off, shed their winter coat and hopefully thrive.
March and April are always long months and as a farmer you can lose track of the days in this very busy time of new life. But a week is a long time in the spring and as quick as this hectic period comes, suddenly in late April early May the weather improves, there is new life everywhere, all the animals are in the fields, the workload drops and you can breathe again. We can now see the wood for the trees; there are healthy ewes and lambs in every field dotted around like mushrooms; the grass is finally catching up and the livestock are content. Finally we can say goodbye to winter and hello summer.
Devon County Show is always in late May and it is a great time for farmers to get together. I have shown Whiteface Dartmoor sheep at the show for 28 years and have had some great times. We are a competitive bunch and we may appear laid back but it is actually a very serious business. It is a great shop window for our livestock and a great opportunity to make new contacts. Once the showing is done however, everyone relaxes and attention turns to getting a drink out of the winner and enjoying the three day show. It is a great line in the sand for most farmers between the long winter and summer and after trading a few war stories over a glass of ale or whisky you realise your disasters aren’t actually that bad and once you return home with a hangover, summer has hopefully arrived!