Black wool, white socks = Zwartbles

These dainty lambs - with the distinctive white 'socks' - are from the sheep known as a Zwartbles.

Bad time for lambs

It's been a tough year for lambs. Quite a few haven't made it because of the lengthy periods of freezing & snowy weather, and there's a disease doing the rounds too, the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection, which can leave them deformed at birth.

So, the last week of sunshine has been very welcome. The temperatures haven't risen much until the last day or so - but this little one looks healthy.

Lambs out!

The lambing season has been under way for quite a few days now, and the first lambs are already out in the fields.
Luckily for the little ones, the weather has now turned much milder.