Events Diary
The rhythm of life
Livestock farming has a rhythm that is, usually, entirely predictable.
For sheep it is tupping in autumn, lambing in spring, shearing and weaning at the start of summer and then long lazy days chomping in the meadow, enjoying the summer sunshine. They spend all of the year out in the fields, except when they are lambing or having their wool or feet clipped.
The goats have a similar breeding cycle to sheep. Again they spend all of the year out, except when they are kidding. Although they don't really like bad weather - they really don't like being couped up indoors and are much more at home climbing the goat mountain in the orchard.
For pigs, breeding doesn't have to be linked to the season - they will breed any time during the year. Unfortunately they churn the ground up so badly during the winter that they have to be brought under cover for the worst of the weather. We also bring them in for farrowing.
And lastly the cows. They spend most of year out in the fields but usually have to be housed under cover for the worst of the winter - but this is more to protect the grass than protect the cows. In fact, ighland cows really hate being undercover.