The farm is 650 acres, 350 acres are permanent pasture and 200 acres of river flood meadows, most of the land is heavy clay not suitable for outwintering stock at high grazing densities. Winter grazing is taken on adjacent dairy units and nearly all the ewes are off the farm during the autumn, but come back in January.
Six years ago Randal entered into a partnership with his father Edmund after a former 1,000 acre arable farm had been split into two units. He had previously been running Mules building up from 60 to 600. The challenge is how to farm a large sheep flock on a good arable farm, with minimum labour.
Background To Sheep System
Sheep numbers on the system have been built up to circa 3,500 ewes and ewe lambs. Severe weather in 2012 and a difficult winter has encouraged Randall to move to a single lambing date, probably early April to maximise output and minimise labour. The flock now consists of highly prolific Mule and Mule x Highlander ewes.
Six years ago Randal entered into a partnership with his father Edmund after a former 1,000 acre arable farm had been split into two units. He had previously been running Mules building up from 60 to 600. The challenge is how to farm a large sheep flock on a good arable farm, with minimum labour.
Background To Sheep System
Sheep numbers on the system have been built up to circa 3,500 ewes and ewe lambs. Severe weather in 2012 and a difficult winter has encouraged Randall to move to a single lambing date, probably early April to maximise output and minimise labour. The flock now consists of highly prolific Mule and Mule x Highlander ewes.
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