Foot and Mouth disease is still present in the UK and Southern Scotland, we are now into the seventh week since the first outbreak in the south of England. Fortunately the disease has so far not reached our area and the Government are still attempting to eradicate the disease. Movement of livestock is still restricted. We still have hoggs (ewe lambs born last year) wintering on a farm further down the Glen and they are not yet allowed to be moved back to Turnalt because of the restrictions. We are still taking what precautions we can to limit the spread of this disease. The photo below shows a temporary barrier at the entrance to the farm to prevent any unnecessary visitors. Iain is pictured adding disinfectant to the straw bed so any vehicles that do enter the farm have the wheels disinfected.
Sheep
During March more mineral feed blocks have been put out on all the hills for the sheep. The small tracked vehicle that is used to help with this task is pictured below. Also over the past month or so all the sheep have been gathered and brought in to the farm where they were dipped and dozed for Fluke (Liver disease). The lambing has now begun and near the end of march, the first of the lambs were born in the lowground area.
Cattle
Over the past month the calving has been progressing well. The Foot and Mouth movement restrictions has stopped the sale of 25 cattle that we should have sold in March, they remain on the farm meantime.
Crops
On the crops side, Alastair has again been busy speading dung, this time on the fields which will produce this years crop of Potatoes and Turnips. On the dry days Iain and Hamish have been getting on with burning some of the heather on the hills, this leads to new heather growing which is better for the sheep to eat.
