Tuesday 31st October 2023

 Happy Halloween!! I went up to visit the lambs this afternoon. They were fairly spread out in the dip. Had a few trot over when I turned up and some more joined, apart from 4 who weren’t interested. I went up to the lambs further up the meadow and they came running over when they saw me. All seem well, no limping. The small lamb seems well integrated into the herd. Trough shut off valve working as it should. 

I did notice that the top wire of the barbed wire fence opposite the meadows at the top of the north side path has been either cut or pulled down, allowing access onto the wasteland by the houses. 

Monday October 30th

 The lambs came rushing down the eastern mown border as soon as they saw me on the corner of the field talking to Andy and Tom . All 38 accounted for . No one limping and the small one was very much part of the main group . 

Three roe deer seen 

As advised I am unable to cover on Thursday 2nd, Monday 6th and Thursday 9th . Back on parade on Monday 13th 

Julian bevis 

Sun 29 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. No flies, no limping. All were gathered together. All came running over to say hello when they saw me.

Friday 27th October

 All 38 checked and looking fine congregating around the dip.

Thursday October 26th

 Lots of activity in Barton meadow today . 38 lambs accounted for and all looking well and grazing intermittently between interruptions as they watched the many vehicles of “powerworx “ the electricity grid people  who were trimming trees close to the power lines along the median fence line . The small lamb was entirely integrated into the main flock today and no sign of wandering off on its own . Their trough is fine and the water supply functioning ok . Eight roe deer seen 

Please note that I will be unable to check Barton next Thursday November 2nd as well as the following Monday 6th and Thursday 9th . I will be back on parade on Monday 13th . 

Julian bevis 

Tuesday 24th October 2023

 Apologies for posting late. The lambs were at the north end of the meadows in 2 groups, all came over when called but there’s was a bit of reluctance from a few of them. Had some come running over when they saw the bucket and was followed by 9 for a bit. Had a few sniffs too. All 38 accounted for and the small lamb was in amongst the others. No signs of problems. 

Wednesday 25th October

 38 sheep counted, all spread across the middle of the field. One lone sheep on their own but soon joined the others when I called with the bucket and they all came running over. Looking rather bedraggled in the rain but no problems seen.

Monday October 23rd

 38 lambs accounted for . They were spread across the  north facing slope in two groups one of 27 and the other of 11. The former group were very quick to move towards me when I arrived wielding the bucket of nuts . The latter group were initially much less interested but eventually came to find out what was going on . All looking fine , no one limping and the little one seemed to be fully integrated in the larger group today . Trough fine and water supply workingnok. Six roe deer seen

And thanks to Sam for covering for me last Thursday . 

Julian bevis

Sun 22 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. All look fine. No flies seen on them. All came running over when I called. No concerns.

Sat 21 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. All seemed fine - all came to me when I called. No concerns.

Tuesday 17th October 2023

 All the lambs were pretty much together at the bottom of the meadow. 7 came over as soon as they saw me, followed by another 4 with some calling “come on”.  More joined with encouragement and I had 17 come over in the end. The rest didn’t take much notice. The ones that came over are still a bit skittish, but I had a couple of hand sniffs. All 38 counted and no problems noticed. 

17th oct staff check

 Sheep responding well to the bucket and looking well.

Sam

Monday 15rh October

Lambs on the south facing slope in two groups and be of 23 in the long grass area and another 15 at the top of the mown strip alongside the eastern boundary path . The latter group came rushing down to see me as soon as they saw me so bucket training clearly  having an effect . The former group also much more friendly than hitherto . All looking fine no limps and no other issues . Nine roe seen, they also widely scattered in three groups one of four , another of three and one of two . 

Julian bevia 

Sat 14 and Sun 15 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. No flies, no concerns. Trough fine. Bucket training going well.

9x roe.

Thursday October 12th

 The lambs were in two distinct groups this afternoon. 20 spread across the north facing slope and 18 opposite them at the top of the south facing slope. So all accounted for . I got all of them onto their feet and didn’t see anyone limping . The small one with the greenish/blue mark on its back was lying on its own but when I got it up it moved off to join the others albeit grazing rather less enthusiastically than the rest .,. For some reason I didn’t  notice the one that had fly strike .  I couldn’t carry on the good work done by Annette on bucket training as there are no nuts and my attempt to make noises like a bucket full of nuts weren’t terribly convincing . 

Julian bevis 

Tuesday 10th October 2023

Hi all, the lambs were all at the top of the meadow pretty much all together. I counted 38 lambs. 

I took up the last of the sheep nuts and called “come on” repeatedly. 4 lambs approached, followed by 5 others. I put some nuts down and went over to the rest of the herd. I ended up with 15 interested lambs and got a hand sniff off one particularly brave one. I was followed for a while by all 15 until they decided there wasn’t any more treats. 

The sheep with fly strike had flies around the scab on its back and the scab was looking quite bloody. Apart from that everyone seemed ok. I have emailed Sam about the fly strike lamb and to say we have run out of sheep nuts. 

Annette 

Monday 9th October - All 38 Lambs Wormed

Hi All, 

We took all the lambs into the coralle to give them a dose of wormer. All released now.

Please could you keep an eye on this small lamb with a green mark on it's back. It's a bit underweight (born on the smaller side so this will be normal) his tempermant seems a bit strange and he was Grazing away from the others. Nothing outwardly wrong with him just one to keep an eye on.

Other lamb with a scab on its back from fly strike is healing well. 

Thanks very much 

Grazing Team 

Monday October 8th

 Lambs spread widely across the south facing slope and up into the mown area at the top of the field . 38 accounted for . I couldn’t see anyone with any problems and the ones with the avant garde hair styles also seemed to be free of flies etc. 

I tried sone more bucket training which got rather more response today . Quite how much is retained remains to be seen . The nut supply needs replenishing btw 

6 roe deer seen . They looked superb running past me in the strong early afternoon sunshine 

Julian bevis

Sun 08 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. No flies on them. No concerns.

#104 is still nibbling at the long-standing wound on the centre of its back, which looks sore but no worse than the pictures posted on Wednesday. No flies or maggots visible on it and no indication of significant infection either.

8x roe seen in the eastern enclosure.

Sat 07 Oct

 All 38x accounted for. Well spread out, so took a while to find them all. The mini-sheep (still sporting a smart back end haircut) is noticeably slower than the rest, but seems ok. Despite the unpleasant heat, no flies on them. No concerns.

Skimmed off the scum and feathers from the trough and let it refill.

Thursday October 5th

 The lambs were widely scattered today. Three groups one on the top of the south facing slope . Another right up by the crush in the north west corner and the third closely grouped around a telegraph pole in the middle of the mown area. All 38 accounted for and seemed ok although I couldn’t get close to them to check whether there were any flies around . No one limping or otherwise looking unwell . All of them grazing industriously . 

My attempt to do sone bucket training was an abject failure ., the whole lot came together and were grazing along the eastern fence line by the road. I was making good progress sneaking up on them and making encouraging noises about the delights in the bucket when some lady came along the path with two ornamental spaniels that were completely out of control and started barking hysterically at the lambs . While the hedge prevented anything untoward from happening  the lambs scattered in alarm and thereafter despite my reassuring sales patter would not let me anywhere near them . Accordingly I gave up and will try again another day. 

Julian bevis

Wednesday 4th October

The 37 have had one added (Richard). All now 38 sheep accounted for and grazing nicely in three groups.

Former flystrikes looking okay. Just the one (see photos ) with a few black coloured flies and separate to the flock. However, looking in energetic condition. 

Keep an eye on if the flies on it are Greenbottles (shiny green flies). 

Some Sheep nuts replenished inside the corral under the black bucket, as a pair of lambs had managed to get into the tub and eat them.

Wednesday 4th October

 Visited before the latest arrival so 37 counted, three on their own near the top of the field. I met Tracy who was bucket training. The lambs cottoned on very quickly and came running up. The scar on the poorly sheep is looking red so may need more treatment. Otherwise all looking lively and contented.

Tuesday 3rd October

 Went up to the meadows at 2pm. Took me a while to find the sheep, most of them were at the top of the meadow lying down in the long grass and couldn’t be seen until quite close to them. The rest were on the cut grass by the fence right over the other side. Counted 37 and all seemed well. Water trough ok and checked part of the boundary path. Didn’t see the update about the feed bucket in time as I went up straight after work, but I will know for next week, sorry 

Reserve update

 Hi all,

I've put a tub with sheep nuts out with a bucket. It's by the corral off worthy road.

If you have time please put a few good handfulls of the nuts into the black bucket so we can start training the lambs.

Shake the bucket and call 'come on' to the lambs and leave some feed on the floor or with the sheep that approach. Eventually they will learn this behaviour means food and is how we train our grazing animals. It will take a while before they cotton on.

Please let me know when  the nuts are beginning to run low in your blog post.

Thanks for your time,

Sam

Monday October 2nd

 Apologies for the late post. The lambs were scattered widely across the dip and up the south facing slope .,all 37 accounted for ., most of them lying down when I arrived so got them all to their feet., no limps or other ailments evident.,they all looked very well and all grazing enthusiastically . 

Julian bevis