'I always look forward to lambing' - Sutherland sheep farmer prepares for 45th season
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A SUTHERLAND sheep farmer has said he still loves lambing time as he prepares to kick off his 45th season.
Manager of the Badanloch flock of North Country Cheviot sheep on the Badanloch Estate near Kinbrace, Hughie Mackenzie has worked with the breed all his life.
In that time, the 60-year-old estimates he has produced more than 40,000 lambs.
From early April, he will be ensuring the estate’s 1000 ewe flock will successfully produce the next generation of lambs.
Despite having worked with sheep since he was a small boy, this year will be Hughie’s 45th lambing season as a full-time sheep farmer – and he claims to loves it just as much now as he always has.
He said: “I always look forward to lambing, but I must admit, once I get started, I look forward to it ending too.”
Hughie started his professional career in his home county of Caithness, as a shepherd with the Ousdale flock.
He was there for three and a half years before moving on to the Clebrig flock in Sutherland, where he stayed for 25 years.
He has been running the Badanloch flock for the past 16 years now.
He said: “I was brought up with North Country Cheviots. I never really knew anything else. When I was young there was pretty much no other sheep up here. That suited me as I’ve always enjoyed working with them.
“They are full of character and the ewes make great mothers and make a good job of their lambs. They’re very protective.”
Hughie added that while the sheep hadn’t changed much over his 60 years, the way they are run certainly had.
He said: “When feed blocks came, that was a great advantage for hill sheep. But the biggest difference of all is when we started scanning the ewes. We could get the twins off and we could feed them early on. It was a big help.
“Vitamin doses, boluses and tick treatments have all made a big difference as well. Before we used to have to dip the lambs in a barrel, but the tick treatments and dips are much better now and that’s much better for the sheep.”
A native of northern Scotland, the North Country Cheviot is now well established in all parts of the UK.
The breed consists of two distinct types, the hill type and the park type. The hill type was developed for its thriftiness and health, meaning it thrives in the poorest upland and mountain conditions.
Although undoubtedly still a hill breed, the park type is larger, heavier and more suited to grassy hills and uplands.
Hughie added that over the years, he had seen the Northie grow in popularity.
“When I started out, you only really saw the hill type up here,” he said.
“But they’re getting very popular now. That’s because whatever you’re selling, it’s worth money. Whether it is prime lambs, draft ewes, feeding ewes, crosses, the cheviot mule or crossed with a texel. You can cross it with anything and you’ll get good lambs.”
