Dorset ewes fit in well at Fowberry Farm on the Northumberland coast

Christina Johnson shares the passion for the docile Dorset breed with her father Alistair who established the flock in 2008 and now she has taken over the running of the sheep from him at Fowberry Farm, Bamburgh, on the picturesque Northumberland coast.

The 50-ewe pedigree Bamburgh flock grazes 150 acres of parcels of mostly rented ground in the shadow of Bamburgh Castle along with a herd of 60 commercial Aberdeen Angus suckler cows and followers.

The system perfectly suited organic management, which the farm has been under for 10 years, although increasing costs and less of a premium for the organic stock sold is leading the Johnsons to re-consider the viability, although their preference is low inputs of pesticides and bought in feed.

“My dad has always been one to research things and he decided on going into Dorsets in 2007 when he bought 20 ewes from the Sydling Estate in Dorset in 2007, registering the flock the following year,” said Christina.

No females have been bought in with five of the original ewes still in the flock. Only rams have been purchased, selected mainly on their EBVs, to improve the bloodlines and genetics.

Rams have been bought principally at the Dorset association’s annual May Fair in Exeter. The first was from David Rossiter’s Huish flock in Devon, Huish Liam which has made its mark on the flock.

Manor Croft Pride was bought from Tom Clarke’s flock in Crediton, Devon, and more recently, Downkillybegs Union Jack from Northern Ireland breeders William and Karen Carson. An investment of up to 1,000gns is usually made in a ram.

The ewes lamb from the beginning of September for a month with a view to producing ewes and rams for sale at the May Fair. The lambing percentage runs at 200.

In 2015 for the first time ewe lambs were lambed successfully and without any assistance in January.

“They all lamb outside in as tight a period as possible. We bring them in to carry out the usual procedures and then turn them out again.

“The Dorsets are such good mothers and the lambs are quick to get up and feed themselves. The ewes get some supplementary feed after lambing but in the autumn we put them on a field which has been shut off to provide extra grazing.

Rams are also sold at the NSA Kelso sale and at the Dorset society sales at Chelford and Carlisle. So far, the top price has been for the ram sold at the 2012 May Fair Bamburgh Boje for 850gns.

The Bamburgh flock has been Signet recorded since 2010 and, with the use of mainly recorded rams, the flock’s overall EBV for both maternal and terminal sire traits is improving year on year. Rams are in demand from commercial breeders but the ultimate aim is to sell rams to other Dorset breeders.