Caithness farmers keeping busy

WITH the arrival of British summertime at the weekend it's business as usual for local farmers.

Civic leader and local AI cattle breeding technician Willie Mackay said: "For farmers across Caithness a very busy six months lie ahead with thousands of ewes to lamb as with calving cows, fields to be ploughed and the preparing of ground for important barley crops after tons of fertilisers have been applied.

"Then there is the summer securing of silage and hay followed by harvesting."

Saying that lambing in Caithness should continue fairly much as normal despite the coronavirus crisis, Councillor Mackay said: "Although early lambing does take place for certain flocks in the county, the peak will come around mid-April.

"So far the weather window has been very kind and early lambs have been enjoying finding their feet out on the grassy pastures."

Recently he visited Alan Simpson's holding at Cairnside, Watten, and photographed some pedigree Texel and Cheviot lambs from the first batch of 50, with another flock of 147 due to start lambing in two weeks' time.

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