Lamb-Police Incident #1

The May after we moved here, Roger, who grazes the 19 acres of Tymawr farm with his Sheep and Alpacas went on holiday for 2 weeks.  I was desperate to practice being a 'real' farmer, so jumped at the chance to help and dutifully wrote down the full list of instructions (surprisingly simple actually, counting the number of animals, checking the water troughs, giving them some hay in case of very heavy rain / cold weather etc.) and the two EMERGENCY numbers, being our neighbours Mike who also has some Alpacas, and Richard (of Morris Free Range Meats & Horticulture).

There were 21 Alpacas in 2 fields.  The 'flock' at that time consisted of 1 ewe and her 2 lambs, plus 2 orphan lambs who were fairly small, but weaned and big enough to look after themselves.

10 minutes after Roger buckled up his seatbelt on the aeroplane it began.....

On Monday evening I went out to count the animals; 21 Alpacas - check!  Sheep: 1 ewe and 2 lambs - check!  2 orphan lambs - check!  However, on closer inspection one of the lambs was lying down on the ground, and unlike it's sister didn't seem interested in excitedly running and jumping about as I approached.  I spoke gently to it, and slowly approached.  As I got closer I could see a nasty wound on it's back leg, it looked like a large graze, about the size of the palm of my hand.  At that point, I'm sorry to admit, I ran back to the house and dialled the EMERGENCY number!  Richard answered, I explained, and he said he'd send his son James down to have a look and that in the meantime I should put the injured lamb somewhere dark & quiet with some straw.

Back out to the Alpaca shed, cleared a space in the old goat-milking parlour stalls, out to the hay barn to grab 1/4 of a bale and sprinkled it hopefully comfortably onto the floor.  Into the field and picked up the injured lamb (there's a first time for everything!), I remember being surprised how light it was, and carried it back to the Alpaca shed, talking reassuringly to it, and then gently put it down into the 'nest' I'd made for it.  I then wandered aimlessly around the yard and field for a while.....