Lambs have arrived!

Exactly at midnight on Sunday the first lambs arrived.   The first was a texel who produced twins and then closely followed by 5 more texels.  I also have Camilla who is a Ryeland dad and Suffolk mule mum, who this year went to the Texel and Camilla had twins.  Princess who is another daughter of Duchy (the Suffolk mule) but to a texel ram, also had twins and for the first time ewe lambs.  Don't tell Steve but I intend to keep one of these!  The first Ryeland is due on 31 January - but they normally lamb a few days later than anticipated.  Dot and Willow, the Greyfaced Dartmoors are also due to lamb soon with the other 4 towards the end of February.

Pictures of the lambs to follow.

Lambing Barn in action

The ewes are due to start lambing on Sunday - very exciting! It is quite a special time when the first lamb arrives.  You wait with excitement and when you hear the first little bleat of a newborn lamb there is nothing like it.  Steve seems to have an inbuilt alarm clock and can get up every hour or two during the night attending to the girls.  They enjoy coming into the barn at night and we love looking at them with a sense of anticipation. 

Before the ewes go with the lambs we spend many an hour analysising  the ewe's previous off spring and deciding which ram they should be used,  this ram or that ram - decisions, decisions!!  All of this makes it so interesting to see if your decisions have been fruitful.   Remember that we are running lambing courses, so if interested get your space booked as soon as possible.

Happy New Year

We have been very busy at Oakberrow over the festive season attending shows, sorting out the ewes for lambing and going shooting.  The first batch of texel ewes are due to lamb from 22 January and we have brought them home to Oakberrow together with the first Ryelands and 2 of the Greyfaced Dartmoors, Dot and Willow. 

Foster went to Stourbridge Show held at Perdiswell Leisure Centre on the 28 December and he won best AVNSC Gundog under judge Ray Scholes and then went on to win Gundog Group 2.  On New Years Day Foster and Gin went to Coventry Ladies Kennel Society show held at the Sky Blue Connexion.  Foster won Best of Breed and Gin Reserve Best AVNSC both under judge Rob McMaster.  In between the shows they both have been out at Madresfield shoot and Abbots Court Shoot picking up.  Also delighted that our friends Richard Stafford and Ed Casey Farnfield Gundogs had a wonderful weekend with Richard's labrador winning Best in Show on New Years Day and Ed's Dalmation winning Best in Show on 2nd January at Worcester and Malvern Canine Society which I am Chairman of.

Today we have just come back from Mike's Shoot at Abbots Court and although not a busy day for the dogs, the work they did have was testing and we are delighted with the boys - Stowford, Foster and OB.

  

This is OB

Christmas Day is here

Christmas Eve Chloe arrived together with her Mum and Dad to deliver our Christmas presents and also to receive her present and give all the dogs their Christmas kiss.  Chloe loves visiting and being with the dogs and sheep and she has been trying her hand at showing Gin.  She has got the talent as you can see from the photo, she must follow in her grandad's footsteps who is affectionately known as Stevie!!

Happy Christmas and Happy Lambing 2012

I would like to wish all my friends and colleagues a Merry Christmas and a great 2012 with lots of success in the show world.

Steve and I are very excited about 2012 with the launch of our new web page promoting all that we get up to at Oakberrow.

Lambing courses, sheep management courses and consultancy service by Steve who has many years experience in the livestock world with a wealth of knowledge.  See the web for further information.

Crufts in March and we have entered Gin as regretfully Foster cannot compete as he is a docked dog.  Gin is entered in the breed and also the Pickers Up class and a representative in the Madresfield Shoot Team.

HAPPY NEW YEAR  TO ALL