Comment

Richmond Harding shows off some of his many trophies for fleeces

SHEEP producers look like receiving better prices for their wool this year, and keeping a keen eye on fleece quality will always be an important part of the breeding policy in the flocks of Exmoor Horn and Devon Closewool sheep run by Somerset farmer Richmond Harding.

He keeps around 350 breeding ewes - predominantly Exmoor Horn plus about 70 Devon Closewools - at the 100-acre Torre Farm, Winsford, near Minehead that he runs with his wife Lillian.

While Mr Harding's commitment to good fleece quality has been recognised by the wins he's had in fleece competitions in recent years, he says that maintaining a good fleece on the back of a sheep is essential to the animal's well-being and thriftiness.

"If a sheep's carrying a good fleece that can give it the protection it needs, it's far cheaper than having to house that sheep during the winter.

"We used to house some of our ewes but I'm convinced that sheep prefer to be outside and are much healthier for it. A good fleece is as good as putting a roof over the back of a sheep and it's a lot cheaper too," said Mr Harding.

Torre Farm - with land running to 1000-1,200ft - is a Less Favoured Area holding and is run on a semi-organic system using little compound fertiliser. There are 250 Exmoor Horn ewes (about 200 bred pure) and 70 Devon Closewools (about 70 bred pure).

Texel and Suffolk rams are used for crossing and some Texel-cross ewes are retained for breeding. The farm also carries a small herd of pedigree Devon cattle - a breed that has been kept by the family for over 40 years.

It is the natural approach to stock management that makes it even more important to maintain a good fleece on the ewes in these flocks of traditional West Country breeds.

Mr Harding said: "When we housed the ewes we used to lamb in March but the flocks are now kept outside all winter and lambing has been moved forward to April. So it's even more relevant to the way we manage our sheep to ensure their fleeces give them all the protection they need.

"A good fleece not only protects a sheep from the weather but means it's far better able to hold its body condition too. Our Exmoor Horns can reach a lambing percentage of 140% so they need to be in good condition throughout their pregnancy."

Mr Harding has always been keen on showing his sheep but his interest now includes exhibiting fleeces from both Exmoor Horns and Devon Closewools.

"I shear all my own sheep and enjoy handling wool. By shearing yourself you get a good feel for fleeces of different quality. I can tell as soon as a fleece comes off a sheep if it has the potential to be a fleece I can show.

"I want a thick, dense fleece with a strong staple and plenty of bounce and crimp. When you grab a fleece to feel its quality it should bounce back to you with a definite springiness."

Exmoor Horn fleeces usually weigh around 2.5kg and Devon Closewools around 3kg.

Mr Harding has enjoyed success in fleece classes at the Royal Show and at last year's National Sheep Association south west event at Launceston where he won the champion fleece with an Exmoor Horn entry as well as a fistful of other awards.

"Wool is a very important part of sheep production and we mustn't lose sight of that even though the price of wool has been low in recent years.

"A good fleece is absolutely essential to keep a sheep healthy.

"In these times when sheep farmers are trying hard to keep flocks as productive and as vigorous as we can - while still trying to control our costs - I believe it's essential to keep a close eye on fleece quality."

It's important that ewes not only perform well during the three crops of lambs they produce at Torre Farm. "We've always sold ewes as drafts after three crops of lambs. It's a source of income for us so we want them to look good and be capable of going on to produce several more lamb crops when they move into flocks on lower land," said Mr Harding.

Print

Email this

Comment

Add your comment

Name:
Email: *
Location:
**
	e.g. 123-123
Comment: Please note: All HTML tags will be ignored. Format Text:
By posting a comment, I confirm that I have read and agree to the terms of use. Comments are not moderated but we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention and we may delete inappropriate postings. Please treat other people with respect. You must not post anything that is abusive, indecent, unlawful or defamatory. Remember, you are personally liable for what you post on this site. If you wish to complain about a comment, contact us here.
* Your email address will not be displayed ** To avoid register now or login