Spring 2018 will down in history as one of the worst on record for sheep farmers with the long hard winter, coupled with the Beast from the East, having huge financial, physical and mental implications for all.

While large numbers of ewes and indeed lambs were lost buried in snow drifts, an even greater number fell by the wayside due to malnutrition following the long hard winter, late spring and shortage of feed.

Meanwhile, those who bought extra feed supplies as the condition of their sheep began to slip were able to safeguard their breeding stock and unborn lambs. But, it cost them dearly.

Needless to say, there are a few good lambing stories out there from 2018, until you go to Billy and Ruth McColl’s 240-acre organic unit at Nether Cambushinnie, Dunblane, which experienced one of its best yet.

While both Bill and Ruth are fully qualified vets with their own practice, Betavet based in Alloa, they also run 230 Lleyn cross Texel and Cheviot cross Texel ewes that are run 50:50 to Texel and Hampshire Down rams.

Tupped at the beginning of December to start lambing from April 28 onwards, they got through the winter on minimal feeding with only a tonne of bucket feed licks provided.

More importantly, their home-bred ewes scanned out at 192% to produce a 175% lamb crop at speaning time.

“We have to have a relatively easycare system when I still work part-time and Ruth is left to do a good deal of the lambing herself,” said Billy.

“Lleyn cross Texel and Cheviot cross Texel ewes are great mothers and easy to work with which is ideal when we lamb everything outside. We have used Texel cross Beltex tups before but ended up having to catch too many of them to lamb, and hung lambs if they were trying to lamb during the night,” added Billy.

Most years, Beltex cross Texel rams, from Ruth’s brother, Henry Shanks, Easter Cash, Cupar, are hired at tupping time, which produce some cracking lambs, although there is always the odd one that has to be pulled, which is not always easy, when all are lambed outside.

In a bid to reduce that problem, the couple experimented with a Hampshire Down bought privately from Roy and Jane MacFarlane, Bridge of Allan.

Ruth added: “Roy, as he was christened, was well and truly tested to the limit as he tupped some 50+ewes in 2016, which following one of the mildest winters and springs where there was an abundant supply of grass, meant that ewes were fitter than ever pre-lambing. But, we didn’t have to pull any of his lambs. All the Hampshire Down cross lambs were easy lambed and they were so vigorous at birth and quick to get to their feet and sook."

Such is the increased vigour of Hampshire Down cross lambs, that they are not even put off sooking a ewe that is less motherly too.

Just as importantly, they appear to grow slightly quicker than the three-quarter Texel lambs and produce just as good a grades, with those finished yielding mostly U and R carcase grades. The first 14 Hampshire Down cross lambs cashed this year produced 10 U grades with the remainder being Rs.

They do nevertheless have plenty of scope at Nether Cambushinnie, as while 100 acres have been used to grow oats in the past, and is now rented out for grazing, there is no other stock on the farm. As a result, the sheep get the run of 240acres during the winter and 140 acres for much of the spring, summer and autumn. As a result of this reduced stocking density, lambs rarely have to be wormed. They don’t have to be vaccinated or scratched for orf either thereby keeping costs to a minimum.

And, with an abundance of grass, all lambs are sold finished off the field by the end of December.

“We’ve tried a number of breeds and crosses over the years but I would have to say, the Cheviot cross Texel ewe probably suits our system best with the Hampshire Down being the preferred terminal sire,” said Bill.

“If you want a low input system, these are the breeds that have to be considered,” he added pointing out that even during last year’s long, hard winter with regular bouts of snow, the ewes would eat little if any hay and yet they still producing a cracking lamb crop.

As in previous years, the McColls only introduced feed blocks after scanning, and instead of going through half to three-quarters of a tonne, they consumed a tonne.

With a good mix of cocksfoot, perennial ryegrasses and white clover in the swards, there was always plenty of grass for the sheep too.

“Cocksfoot is great for providing an early bite,” said Bill, who bought his foundation organic Cheviot cross Texel flock as ewe lambs in 2011 from Charlie Armstrong, Berwick upon Tweed.

Tupped to a Roussin, and retained by Mr Armstrong until after scanning, they were not as easy lambed as expected that year, with the result, that the McColls have experimented with various terminal sires ever since.

They do nevertheless believe they have found a winner in the Hampshire Down, with the progeny and the tups proving easy to manage. After two very different lambing years, and two tups – Roy and Fergus, both of which were bought from the MacFarlanes – they also believe there is potential for the Hampshire Down cross as a breeding female ... just watch this space.