Suffolk sheep farmer faces challenge of muddy lambing season

"It's been pretty hard work if I'm honest - the wet weather is really hard work," he said. "The sheep trample a lot rather than eating a lot."

Tim, of Wantisden Hall Farms, Woodbridge, runs a mixed 1,700 acres (700ha) farm which combines sheep farming with a large vegetable growing operation on behalf of the Kemball family.

He lambs far earlier than most sheep farmers - who are just gearing up now for their busy spring lambing season.

He keeps about 400 sheep - half of which are the Dorset Horn and half Poll Dorset - and has a contract with Waitrose. At peak around 1,000 sheep and lambs will be grazing on the farm in the Wantisden Valley.

"We are mainly potato growers and vegetable growers," he explained.

The native breed sheep were originally brought on board as the farm entered into the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme which meant it could earn a bit of a supplement for having them graze the marshes.

Unlike most farms, Wantisden lambs from September to fit the farm's cycles. This keeps the animals fairly disease free and they require fewer drugs to treat issues such as worms - a problem in the spring/summer months.

"We lamb most of our ewes outside in September but we also lamb a handful in December-January indoors," he explained.

But the flock hasn't enjoyed the unprecedented wet conditions this year.

"The sheep don't like wet weather - cold and dry they are more than happy with - and we have had quite a lot of warm, damp weather," explained Tim. "It isn't very good for livestock really."

It has been "quite a tricky winter", he said. "The weather is never right but we could do with a bit of dry weather," he said.

As well as weather woes, sheep farmers face an annual problem with sheep worrying on their farms.

Over the last year or so, Tim has lost six lambs and seen dozens of sheep injured as a result of walkers letting their dogs roam uncontrolled. 

"The problem is dog walkers who let their dogs roam off lead and think they’re ‘playing’ if they chase sheep,” he said.

“Just about every dog walker says their dog wouldn’t attack sheep - and they don’t understand that chasing them round the fields can cause ewes to abort. Recently we’ve had large groups of sheep chased by dogs.

“They’ve become so stressed that they have knocked down electric fencing to try and escape and it’s taken us hours and hours to round them up and put the fences back together.”

National Farmers' Union regional policy manager for the East of England Charles Hesketh said there had been a "concerning" rise in livestock worrying.

“Animal welfare is always a top priority for farmers here in East Anglia and across the country, so it is extremely stressful for them to see the animals suffering in this way from dog attacks," he said.

The rise in attacks has been partly linked to an increase in dog ownership during lockdown.

Under the Animals Act 1971, a dog could be shot if caught in the act by a landowner.

“It is really important for people to make sure that they always have their dogs on leads when close to livestock," said Charles.

The government has recently announced its support for a bill put forward by Suffolk Coastal MP Thérèse Coffey which would give police greater powers to crack down on irresponsible dog owners whose pets attack livestock.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill aims to amend the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, and has had its second reading in the Commons.

The bill could see police given more powers to seize dogs after serious incidents, greater powers of entry, and will be able to take evidence samples from livestock and dogs to assist their investigations.