Chiltern Open Air Museum Tupping Time (Ram is Barley Park Alfie)

Traditionally November 5th is the time the ram is let in to run with the ewe's and this gives an April 1st start to lambing. This is a clip of the first few minutes of Barley Park Alfie's 2010 session with the Oxford Down Flock. He is certainly keen and selects a ewe that is ready by scenting (you can see him sniff the air and curl back his top lip). The ewes have been dagged (wool removed from around the tail area) to make it cleaner and easier for the ram. The ewe's have been on better grass for about 3 weeks to "flush" them (produce more eggs to fertilise). The Oxford Downs have been at the museum since 1992 and are one of the typical breeds of sheep that were bred across southern England during the 19th and 20th Centuries

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Chiltern
• Open
• Air
• Museum
• Oxford
• Down
• Ram
• Tupping
• Lambing

[MrMausumi]

TuppyTup (That's me) approves.