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By Léonie Cooper profile image Léonie Cooper
4 min read

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Woken very early, Charlie bottle-fed the cade lambs whilst I laid in bed; we travelled to Longtown and again experienced reckless overtaking from two cars passing us near the Scottish / English border.

I have reminded Charlie to keep the dash-cam plugged in, I'm planning to make a overtaking compilation and sending this dangerous driving video to the police; as I believe the causation of this to be freedom roads "leave behind", targeted harassment.

Big breakfasts at Longtown are becoming boring, I don't enjoy visiting there as I did before; future visits will be a quick in and out; I can't forget the café scolding me and Charlie for two wasted breakfasts left behind on our table by some really mean people, if it happened at all.

Lambs are faring well in the poly tunnel, top of the haylage bale is where they often congregate.

The fleece falling from the ewes neck is from her pushing into the ring feeder, and not from scab which starts on the neck.

Gathering ewes and lambs towards the driveway gates, trailer awaits. Two tup lambs behind the paddock fence show interest.

They didn't know they were going to a large field of fresh grass, but nonetheless entered the trailer without much encouragement.

A mother ewe contemplates boarding the trailer, Charlie treated the black lamb for a poorly leg.

The age and mileage of our 20 year old truck is concerning when the exhaust is smoking whilst towing uphill, but we've had few mechanical problems since we purchased the vehicle this time last year.

Ewes and lambs arrive at their grass keep near Denholm

We took two ewe and two lambs, we received £250, Charlie said they didn't sell very well, but the auction was quick; noticing a recently displayed no photography poster, I was glad to leave. We talked about other livestock auctions, with the idea of selling at Lockerbie, but cognitive dissonance, a nowhere slipstream along these freedom roads, seems to track, follow and erase us, as I've rarely if ever experienced such discordance anywhere other than on returning second visit. After loading more ewes and lambs we drove to our grass keep near Selkirk, along the way Jock's ewes and lambs glared halted unto the oncoming direction of our truck. I also witnessed a failed lamb being torn apart by two seagulls along the Ashkirk to Roberton road.

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Cade lambs in the lamb shed.

Unloading these ewes and lambs was a breeze compared to the awkward ewes and lambs we took to Longtown. Watching the lambs wonder at the expanse of green grass, and the ewes enjoying fresh grass from five months' diet of haylage, ewe nuts and chaff is truly something. We were eager to get these sheep out of the poly tunnel, chancing mild weather, as the flock is much healthier out in the field. We now have to be watchful for springtime scold, otherwise known as strawberry foot. We successfully treated with an easy and effecting application of violet spray. Lambs, ewes at grass keep near Selkirk will have to be treated three weeks from today for fluke worm; parasite killed three lambs last year on this paddock.

Charlie works Belgium blues but mostly with Limosin Coos near Denholm.

Sometimes, I take pictures of the farm yard whilst waiting for him to feed the coos.

The feeding machine dispenses a mixture of Soya and Oats.

Leaving the farm I was able to prevent Charlie loading more ewes and lambs to grass keep, tiredness both overhanging, and looming upon his face concerned me. We enjoyed a quiet evening before Charlie returned to the farmhouse to feed a poorly cade lamb, who is late weaning onto grass and pellets.

By Léonie Cooper profile image Léonie Cooper
Updated on
Diary Woodburn Farm Cattle