Sheep keeping in winter

Our small flock of at risk rare breed Leicester Longwool sheep are the foundation of Woolplay and so caring for them is always our priority and never more so than in winter.

Winter on a smallholding can feel long and muddy and no sooner are you completing morning activities than the fading light reminds you of the shortness of the day and evening chores become afternoon chores.

Leicester Longwools are a traditional British longwool breed, known for their large frame, calm temperament and long, lustrous fleece. They are naturally hardy and cope well with cold, still weather, which makes them well suited to an East Anglian winter which is one of the reasons we chose them. What they dislike, like any other animal(!), is weeks of driving rain and mud. Protecting their wonderful fleece from prolonged damp is the key to keeping them healthy and comfortable.

Our sheep live out as this suits them better than indoors. Good airflow keeps lungs healthy and helps fleeces dry quickly after showers. And with their thick fleeces they can overheat on the warmer days if they are indoors. We rely on their instinctive knowledge of the bests places to keep out of weather and the wind - often along the hedges. When any of the in lambs ewes are near their time, we do take them indoors for the overnights at least. And if a sheep is under the weather, being able to shut them in on clean straw overnight can make the difference to their recover.

Suffolk grass can keep growing surprisingly late, but by mid‑winter most smallholdings liek us move onto maintenance rations. Leicester Longwools are big sheep with good appetites, so need plenty of hay to supplement the grass. We put large round bales in hay rings or racks as hay offered ad‑lib keeps their rumens working and helps them stay warm from the inside out. We also feed them a daily amount of coarse mix or nuts which have additional trace elements to keep them healthy. Regularly running a hand over their ribs under all that wool is essential – it is easy to be fooled by a fluffy fleece and miss an animal that is quietly losing weight.

Clean, unfrozen water is as important as good hay. In a cold snap, breaking ice is a daily chore. A good quality mineral lick, suitable for sheep, supports fleece and hoof health through the winter and is especially important in areas with known mineral deficiencies. These little details – a fresh water, a topped‑up lick and lots of hay are what keep our rare breed flock ticking along happily until spring.

Longwool breeds are not fond of churned‑up gateways and poached fields. Fortunately our soil is free draining so we don't get too much mud beyond the gateways. Routine foot checks and prompt treatment of any scald or footrot prevent small problems becoming flock‑wide issues.

Winter is also the quiet build‑up to lambing. We used to lambing in mid February when I was still working but the weather could still be very cold with lambs needing heat lamps to keep them cosy and warm. More recently we have moved to mid-March lambing which means the weather is likely to be better and new born lambs can spend a few hours out in the field during the day. Either way winter routines gradually shift towards the needs of in‑lamb ewes. Once they are scanned and we know who is having what we can adjust feeding and give vitamin packed drenches to those having twins. We sort out a corner of the barn ready in good time and bring in the ewes a few weeks before the due date so they can settle. Leicester Longwools are generally calm, good mothers, though first timers are sometimes a challenge until they get the idea.

Perhaps the best part of keeping a rare breed flock on a Suffolk smallholding is the slower winter rhythm. Short days mean we change what we do when so the outdoor jobs of animal care are done in the daylight hours. Spending time simply watching the flock tells you a great deal – how they move, which sheep chooses which shelter corner, who pushes to the front for feed and who hangs back. These quiet observations build a relationship of trust that pays off during busier seasons such as lambing and shearing.

Leicester Longwools are officially a rare breed, and caring for them well through the winter months is not only about good welfare; it is also an investment in the future of this historic British sheep. With thoughtful and steady feeding and attentive daily care, they repay their keep with character, calm company and, in time, beautiful lustrous fleeces that carry their story into the yarns and things we make from those yarns