The Hokey Cokey method: How to make flocks lamb only by day

This story was published on 1 April as an April Fool’s joke

Sheep farmers can look forward to a stress-free lambing in future after a groundbreaking study revealed how to make sheep only give birth in the daytime.

Removal of randy rams at 5pm sharp each night during breeding season and replacing them with ewes at 8am the following morning saw 100% of one sheep farmer’s flock lamb only when the sun was up.

The on-farm trial has been overseen by Prof Tamar Cross from Cornwall’s Land Institute of Agricultural Research.

See also: How colostrum and new shed helped cut lamb mortality

She predicts the development will transform the sheep sector in as little as 20 years, half the time it takes most new thinking to permeate the industry.

“An additional benefit is it will allow rams to rest for regular periods, which could bring the Bluefaced Leicester three-year ram mortality rate down to just 95%,” she added.

The study follows work conducted 40 years ago by Bangor University, which looked at inducing ewes which were in a synchronised ovulation programme so that they would only lamb within a two- to three-hour period in the day.

The research was eventually halted after the Welsh academics concluded that society no longer regarded it as ethical to induce, reduce, seduce or deduce farmed animals.

Sheep farmers Seymour and Emma Royd Butts played host to the trial, using their 500-strong flock of Welsh Halftruths.

“It’s been a game changer,” said Seymour. “I’ll be able to get off the farm and continue to support local independent businesses in my area, like Moe’s Tavern.”