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Update from LambWatch HQ

Just a bit of an update with what's been going on, sheep-wise, at LambWatch HQ!

Hi all, just a quick note to say that the first 3 Borerays at Marlfield Farm have now been officially registered, with their pedigree certificates: Marlfield Boris, Marlfield Monty and Marlfield Flo! Boris has already lost his blue tag so that will need replacing!

Also, we've now put Jacob with Jasmine, Flame, Georgie and Gaynor so we now know when to start to expect lambs next year. Though we suspect they won't come in season until Christmas, putting Jacob in now will allow us to see if the Borerays, like other primitive breeds, will naturally come into season at Christmas time rather than every few weeks (like most commercial sheeps). Jacob is also with my dad's large commercial sheep as well, to see if he can manage to tup them at the same time. He's trying, bless him, but not sure he has managed, but you never know!

Flo is making friends with the other new Boreray lambs and Shetland lambs and they are all together in a separate field. I suspect Flo will become the leader of that little gang as she is considerably bigger than the others, despite being the same age. This field is currently the one featured on our website. Meanwhile, Boris and Monty now have their own special bachelor pad, where they are out of the way of any breeding stock and also the female lambs.

We are hoping to soon welcome five North Ronaldsays to the flock at LambWatch HQ, and we will provide an update on that when they arrive! The current agreement is that they will be coming in two groups: one group of three, which includes a tup and two adult females, and the second group will be two adult females, who will arrive in lamb, hopefully! But this could all change so will put details on as and when things happen!

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I believe the North Ronaldsay sheep eat seaweed ! With all these different rare breeds Marlfield Farm will become famous - well done with all your work of trying to preserve all these wonderful pedigree sheep. How lovely it will be to see all the different lambs in the Spring.

How very interesting! What a menagerie! And Boris reminds me of a small child who, on the first day of winter, has already lost the strong which kept his mittens attached. He's going to need watching! Lambing season will be very interesting this year, more so than usual. Thanks for the update!

That should have read "string" for his mittens!

They will certainly be a meagerie! They already are really! Yes Cindy, the North Ronaldsays are the seaweed eating sheep of North Ronaldsay. They are very susceptible to copper poisoning so we have got a special lick block which has been designed specially for this breed, to give them everything they need. They are called "Tubby" and you will see a picture of them in one of our earlier Facebook posts. Pricey things though at about £43 per bucket!

Will some of your fields have to be divided to keep the boys and girls separate as well as keeping the different rare breeds in separate fields ?

Hi Cindy yep they will need to be kept separate at different times of year and at different stages of their lives. We've worked it out that we have enough fields to do this but we may need to create a larger tup enclosure next year!

The North Ronaldsays are lovely but I have forgotten their names. That tup is very handsome.

It all sounds exciting !,,,cant wait to see new lamb's !

Can you please move the debris out of the camera's way so I can see more sheep? Thank you!

Hi Kim - can't do much about the raindrops I'm afraid. They;ll clear up eventually and reveal the view!