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/ Facilities Guides / Estate Guide / Sheep Unit

Estate Guide - Sheep Unit

Location:

Based at Lodge Farm

Aim

To demonstrate high standards of management, economic and physical achievement in the operation of a commercial flock of North Country Mules as a complementary enterprise within the College farm system.

Summary

1,000 North Country Mule ewes and 8 pedigree Suffolk (sire referenced) rams, 6 pedigree Texel (sire referenced) rams and 6 pedigree Charollais (sire referenced) rams together with 2 Beltex rams being used strategically.

The flock is split into two flocks for lambing purposes. A January flock of 300 ewes and a March flock. 250 of the ewes from the January flock have this year been synchronized by the use of 'sponges' as an aid to improving performance and condensing the lambing period. This January flock is managed as a discrete flock and is drawn from single bearing ewes from the previous year's March flock plus last year's flock. Both flocks 18 days prior to tupping are moved onto a 'flushing' pasture, usually an aftermath grass silage ley.

Feeding of the ewe flock has moved away from the more traditional barley straw and concentrate approach to the use of home grown maize silage and concentrate. The objective being to reduce the spend on purchased feeds.

Lambs born in January are weaned at 7 to 8 weeks of age, half are finished intensively in yards on creep feed and the rest finished on ryegrass pastures. The aim is to sell high value lambs in April/May at 18- 19kg (dead weight). March lambed ewes are mothered with their lambs for up to 36 hours then turned out to grass. Ewes plus twins are stocked at a lower stocking rate of between 8 to 10 ewes/ ha compared to 15 ewes/ha with singles and this is dependent on grass growth Lambs are sold off grass in June to early August at 18-20kg (dead weight). Lambs remaining on farm at the beginning of August are 'stored' at grass, and then moved onto sheep keep of stubble turnips and a Kale/ Turnip hybrid in early autumn from where the lambs are finished and sold. All lambs are sold dead weight to a variety of abattoirs.

Ewes and lambs are grazed on both the Moulton and Boughton Hall Estates.

The flock is a member of the FABBL (Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb) Scheme.