photographs of gillgate and wensleydale
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Feeding in-lamb ewes March 2008
Lambing Time - April 2008
Photographs taken of Swaledale ewes and lambs during April.
Swaledale ewes in the lambing field.
As the ewes get closer to giving birth they are brought down into sheltered fields near the farmhouse
This ewe has given birth for the first time to a pedigree Swaledale gimmer (female) lamb; it has just got its feet and is looking for the udder.
Found it!! It does not take long for these hardy hill lambs to get to their feet and find the udder and its rich colostrum
Another new born lamb takes its first drink of colostrum; the energy derived from this is is vital for the survival of new born lambs in the hills.
All the older ewes and any that are due to give birth to two or more lambs are brought inside a large lambing shed to give birth. This ewe has just given birth to the first of her two lambs, another pedigree Swaledale.
Followed shortly afterwards by another, both are 'Tups' (male) and will hopefully make the grade to be sold in eighteen months time as pedigree Swaledale Tups.
Whilst most ewes will give birth without any intervention, occasionally some will need assistance. The ewe in the photo had been struggling with a large mule tup lamb and needed help.
The same ewe as photographed above giving birth, now outside with a fit and healthy mule lamb.
Lambing in time is always very busy not only for the men on the farm but also Bruce and Stephens wives (Suzanne and Anne) who spend many hours helping with the lambing. Pictured above is Bruce's daughter Liz and boyfriend Howie helping out by looking around the lambing field on their weekend off.
And its not just sheep that need looking after! Anne and Liz are helping James out after he cut is head open whilst trimming the horns on a Swaledale tup.
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Feeding in-lamb ewes March 2008
These were taken during a spell of wintery weather. Bruce Bell has taken the Land Rover full of hay and dried sugar beet pellets, along the track that the grouse shooters and gamekeepers use on Stags Fell, to get to a group of Swaledale ewes due to give birth in April. The ewes need this extra feed particularly in bad weather to ensure the growing foetus survives. The hay being fed is that pictured in the photographs lower down the page last summer.
Bruce Bell taking hay out of the land rover
Carrying bags of sugar beet to the sheep
Hungry ewes come running once they hear the vehicle and Bruce
Bruce gets mobbed once they smell the sugar beet
Swaledale ewes waiting to be fed
Still waiting!
Bruce empties the sugar beet pellets in a long line onto the ground
At about 2000ft ASL the weather can be unpredictable and harsh
Bruce taking the string off the bales of hay that were made last summer (see below)
The hay is spread in lumps weighing about 2kg which enables all the sheep to eat at once without the hay being spread that fine that it blows away
The ewes quickly eat the hay before it blows away
Only hardy Swaledale sheep can thrive in conditions like this
Checking that all the ewes are present
MAKING HAY 2007
Right click here and click save to download a short video of hay making at Gillgate in summer 2007 (4mb wmv file)
A problem with the baler!
High up in the hills
These ewes and lambs are about to be let out onto the open moor.
Winter on Stags Fell
Feeding ewes high up on the moor during winter.
DAIRY COWS
Friesian dairy cow
LOCAL SCENERY
On the edge of Whitfield wood, looking East
On Askrigg moor looking East towards Pen Hill
A wintry field gate
Looking south from on top of Whitfield Rocks
This is New Park, an old Farm house that is now used for storing hay and sheltering stock in bad weather.
A meadow near Whitfield waterfall and Gill
CATS & DOGS!
Tigger - Bruce's dog
Tigger again
Seeing the world outside!
