A crofter's diary: Lambing goes live

Like the cherubic burbling of the first skylark, the start of the lambing season in Shetland brings optimism and the good cheer associated with lengthening days and gradually warming temperatures.

The alignment of nature and the crofting calendar is carefully balanced, with the theory being that from the second half of April, new grass growth will be encouraged and gratefully enjoyed by ewes to provide milk for their newborn lambs. Realistically, this may not always be the case and oilskins overalls, thermals and the protective environs of a drystone wall or good shed are kept close at hand and can provide welcome respite for all parties.

From the native, hardy Shetland sheep which can reflect an array of traditional colourings and markings to the more commercial breeds such as Suffolks, Texels and Cheviots, lambs will arrive for the next month at all hours of the day and it is the responsibility, honour and privilege of the crofting community to look after and tend to their flocks.

Having introduced rams approximately five months previously, in late November, careful thought and consideration must now be given to the location of where sheep will give birth. A few weeks prior, hills are gathered and expectant ewes taken back to their home holdings where a watchful eye can be kept. A veritable shopping list is also compiled, consisting of everything from supplementary powdered colostrum to bales of straw for bedding and from bottles of iodine for antiseptic usage to spray paint so that ewes and lambs can be numbered and matched accordingly. Heat lamps, waterproof jackets (for both lambs and humans!), bottles, medicine, syringes, hurdles... there are many extras.

At Garths Croft Bressay, extra rations of hay and feed nuts are issued in the last six weeks of gestation when the lamb effectively doubles in size and thus draws on more reserves from the ewe. The sheep are also moved to fields with good visibility (sometimes with binoculars) from the house. And thus the waiting game begins... A significant number of larger breeders of sheep will have placed a raddle on their ram with coloured paint to accurately know when lambs are to be expected, ascertained by the faded colouring on the rear of the ewe.

Additionally, there are several excellent Shetland contractors who offer scanning services through the early months of the year, permitting knowledge of whether the ewe is carrying a single lamb, twins or occasionally triplets. This is very useful information for the livestock holder as ewes with triplets in the latter stages of pregnancy will have significantly different nutritional requirements compared to those carrying a single lamb and feed can be amended appropriately.

The idiosyncrasies of sheep are such that there are signs that lambing is imminent. I regularly walk through the flock, importantly without my dog, looking for ewes that have perhaps separated themselves from the main body of animals, are “pawing” at the ground or looking behind and spinning around.

Very often, my ewes will lamb at the highest part of the croft, as far away as possible from people, noise or disturbance. The Shetland breed of ram to the Shetland breed of ewe seldom has any issues giving birth naturally and unless the sheep is a gimmer (having its first lamb and warranting closer attention), I tend to let them get on with lambing independently before, at the end of every day, gently coaxing new lambs and their protective mothers into a separate field, again close to the house, with the protection of drystone walls against any poor days of weather.

Perhaps the greatest anticipation through the lambing season from my point of view as a breeder of Shetland sheep is the colouring and markings, of which over 60 are recorded, often linguistically indicative of the historical Scandinavian, Viking influence. Moorit, yuglet, bersugget, katmogget, fleckit; just a few of the many fleeces of one extremely special native breed. I endeavour to plan my flock to retain and enhance the variety of colours.

Over the past two years, I decided to increase the katmogget fleeces (cream flanks, dark underbelly) through acquiring a katmogget ram. He has performed wonderfully and there are many ewe lambs which will become the future of the breeding flock. And so the cycle continues...!

If you are visiting Shetland in April and May, look out for fields of newborn lambs and the crofters tending to them. They will certainly share with you how this busy time of year in the rural Shetland calendar is progressing.

Watch Chris Dyer's film celebrating the imminent start of lambing.

Discover more about the islands of Bressay and Noss with our area guide.