Preparation for Lambing Weekend has begun!

The on-site farm at Oaklands College St Albans campus has been busy preparing for Lambing Weekend this year, with a large number of pregnant ewes. 

Traditionally, a harness with a coloured block is attached to the ewes chest, which marks each ewe during mating – Oaklands College have used red, blue and orange pastes on the coats of the ewes, in order to identify which ewe is pregnant.

Students, staff and visitors at our St Albans campus may notice these markings in the fields surrounding the college’s South Drive entrance, the colour breakdown is as follows:

• Large red coverage: Ewe has been mated by a ram
• Blue dot: Ewe is carrying a single lamb
• Red dot: Ewe is carrying twins
• Orange number 3: Ewe is carrying three lambs
• Orange number 4: Ewe is carrying four lambs

Oaklands College Farm Manager Del Knowles explains; “In order to identify the amount of lambs that our ewes are carrying, we have to put them through a “scanning” process. An operator sits inside a specialised trailer which is equipped with a specific sheep ultrasound scanner, this equipment enables the operator to have a full 170 degree view of the womb.”

Make sure you head down to Oaklands College for Lambing Weekend on the 16th-17th March 2019 for the chance to witness the birth of the lambs.