In the UK the sheep industry is stratified with particular breeds occupying specific environments to which they are adapted. The sheep of these environments are connected by the movement of lambs and older animals from higher, to lower ground.
Unlike most other farm animals, sheep are seasonal breeders and lamb in the spring months when the weather is warming and ample supplies of grass are available. Sheep can be housed for lambing or are more commonly brought to a field close to the farmyard where the shepherd can keep an eye on them. We illustrate the process of lambing.
Lamb welfare is a critical factor in determining the success of a sheep enterprise and most of the key decisions and actions taken by the farmer centre around lambing time itself. We detail common welfare and management practices.
Sheep shearing and wool production has been an important part of the UK's sheep industry over the last six thousand years. The earliest sheep had pigmented coats and moulted allowing farmers to collect the fallen wool but as time went on breeds developed with improved wool characteristics.
There are around 20 million breeding sheep in the UK and a further 20 million lambs under a year old. Nearly all of the sheep meat that is consumed is lamb which is both succulent and tasty and has been prized for generations.
