Another busy month, and more testing on the lambs as part of the ‘Breed for Ch4nge’ project. We tested 144 ewe lambs through the Portable Accumulation Chamber (PAC) to measure for methane. They were also genotyped to provide more information for the evaluation in the ‘Breed for Ch4nge’ project, this information along with lamb survival, parasite resistance, prolificacy, ewe mature weight and BCS, and ewe performance to breed more efficient and resistant sheep. Measuring the methane is only a small part of the breeding objectives.

The Hampshire lambs that were weaned back in August were back fat scanned, with pleasing results. The aim is to identify those with the best to use for breeding this year.

As the month moved on the risk of bluetongue increased and moved up and across the country, which meant by the middle of the month we were in a restricted zone. Initially this put our two holdings on two separate zones, which stopped us moving animals between, luckily, we had moved most back to the home farm where we needed them. This put a pause in sale of breeding and finished lambs. We also started our autumn drilling of winter wheat and barley, this is the first year that we haven’t grown oilseed rape in my memory.