Tupping in Kilchoan

This is the start of the Crofting year for those of us who keep sheep. In these parts, the tups (rams) are put with the ewes in mid-November. Yes, it's later than most, but we don't have the lush fields that the big farms in more central places have, therefore do not want our lambing to start until mid-April when, hopefully, the grass is growing.

The tups are usually with the ewes for about six weeks, then, job done, they are removed and that is the end of their fun until next November.

My tup - shown in the photo - is home bred. I used him last year as a lamb. He was clipped in the summer so is now a 'one shear'. Last year as a lamb he fathered seven sets of twins and two singles from the nine ewes he served. This year he has twelve to serve, so I am hoping for another good result. Sadly, I cannot use him next year as he would be serving his own offspring who will be ready to join the flock, so he will have to be sold.

In general, one tup can serve 40 ewes. Often a harness with a colour block is put on the tups. The colour is changed every week and this shows which order the ewes are going to lamb - particularly useful for those of us who 'house' our ewes at lambing time, as there is little point in filling up our sheds with late-lambers.

In mid-February many of us scan our ewes to see what they are carrying - or not, as sometimes happens. It enables us to adjust the feeding accordingly - but that's another story.

PMP