Mothers Meeting

Today I went on a bus and holiday.
Well I went to help out at a local lambing day on a neighbouring farm. It is a great event run every year by our NFU branch and raises awareness in the local community. I wore a badge stating "Farming Matters, ask me why" (along with requisite hi-viz tabbard).
I work in the adopter pens each year. Primarily because they look barbaric and without proper explanation folks would leave thinking goodness knows what, I feel as the largest livestock farmers locally that we are best placed to explain what's going on.
The look like stocks. A ewe can stand up and lie down. Four ewes are placed nose to nose (almost) in the centre. They have access to food and water here. This is so that the farmer can foster lambs on to mothers that are not theirs. Whether they've been orphaned or are the third lamb in a set of triplets (commercial sheep are best suited to twins, two teats and just the right amount of milk). It takes a few days for the ewes milk to work through the new lamb but after about four days she forgets that the lamb is an imposter and accepts it. She can then be turned out into the field. It is, as they say, for the greater good.
On our farm we rarely use these adopters. We try and wet adopt what we can (cover 'em in birthing slime) this is made easier as we ultrasound scan everything so know what's coming. Also this farmers wife is a soft touch and bottle feeds up to 30 lambs every year.

In blipping this picture, I actually came across my first fellow blipper! Well, one who I didn't already know.