One of our breeding goals is to ensure ease of lambing as Texel’s are often thought of as problematic to lamb as they are a Terminal Sire breed. Unlike others we don’t select for large heads and shoulders and as a result our number of assisted lambings has reduced over time. This is beneficial to both Sheep and Shepherd as it results in less stress for the ewes and more live lambs.

However despite careful feeding and management, from time to time you can still get a BIG single (my least favourite). The lamb pictured below arrived and weighed in at 8kg which in itself isn’t a monster lamb, but it was born from one of our smaller ewe lines (selected for their efficiency) and the mother weighed 90kg. This combination meant that it was assisted, but Mother and Son are both doing well (Mother naturally had some pain relief).

Lambing is such a special time as seeing new life is truly inspiring. It is my favourite time of the year and I love being with the ewes and lambs and being part of the flock. As a result you get to see some really special moments. The picture below was taken just after Mum had given birth and you can see the exhaustion and relief in her eyes as she cleans off her offspring and forms that vitial maternal bond.