Farm Diary (13)

15th April 1999

The weather has gone from one extreme to another. We've had snow and sleet and very heavy hail. Looking over to Dartmoor, it's been white with snow. We've been very busy in the covered yard, with all the sheep and lambs in.
The silage which was just going to last is going fast, so they'll have to eat hay, which they don't like as much and which isn't so nutritious.

The twins that Tom delivered on
Easter Sunday.
The ewe only has one good teat
but the lambs seem to manage
by taking turns.

Vera's lambs

W2 growing big.

One good thing about having them in is that, when some of the lambs got Orf, we caught them just as it began. Orf is a horrible virus that is present in the land and it causes unsightly blisters on the lambs mouths. It can spread from there to the ewe's teats. Our first year we had it quite badly. Last year we used a homeopathic spray and only had it mildly. It is difficult to notice it on lambs in the field until the blisters have grown a bit. Being inside, we could see the tiniest blister developing, and spray the infected one's with Gentian Violet, which dries the blisters.

Lamb with Orf, sprayed with Gentian Violet

Lamb with Orf

Lambs enjoying the sun in Lower Meadow

Now the sun's shining. We've taken the larger lambs back out, but down toLower Meadow which is more sheltered. It's lovely down there, my favourite field.

Drake flying off, if
you look closely!

I must be careful not to be like the television news, only considering it newsworthy if there's a picture of it. I forgot to mention that a couple of days ago there were three mallard drakes and two canada geese on the pond. They didn't stay, but today there was a solitary drake. I watched him swimming for a while and then he flew off.

We have taken all last years calves, that weren't already weaned, from their mothers. They are seperated only by hurdles, so they can still lick each other if they want. We will take them down to the woods in a few days.

Cows looking at James

Jo and Primrose.

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From 9th April 1999