Dorsets on the Hill featuring Jock McFetridge
Dorset’s on the Hill
Jock and Kathleen McFetridge who farm at Owencloughey Glenarm Co Antrim are life time enthusiasts of the breed of Dorset sheep. Sparked off initially, as a hobby interest to give Kathleen her own small flock of ewes and lambs, separate from the main blackface hill flock.
Today their Dorsets flock now numbers somewhere in the region of a hundred breeding ewes making up a small part of the 450 hill flock on this six hundred acre L.F.A. farm that runs from 740 feet at farm level to 1200 feet at the top of Owencloughey mountain just six miles from Glenarm.
The initial first purchases came from George Robsons Ballyhamage Flock via McClellands pedigree Dorset sale Ballyclare some twenty years ago; this was followed only by purchases of stock rams again originating from the Ballyhamage flock. In recent years stock rams have been purchased from Ballyvaddy and Slemish flocks, with the two current rams on the farm having come from the late Samuel Robinsons Kilmandil flock and Raymond and Julie Hills Olivertree flock.
Jack has over the years avoided the common trend of spring lambing and made full use of the Dorsets natural ability to lamb out of season which has enabled him to increase the Dorset numbers replacing many hill ewes in preference of pure Dorset breeding females. This is a trend which Jock and Kathleen wish to continue as the Dorset ewe can hold her condition on the exposed farm and produce more lambs than their traditional hill counterparts.
In recent months the McFetridges have taken their Dorset breeding a step further by getting a few of their breeding ewes Registered with the Dorset associations approved ewe scheme with the aim of adding more value to their sheep breeding enterprise.
The first of the lambs from the newly formed Owencloughey flock were exhibited in McClelland spring lamb show in Ballymena Market at the start of April where they commanded the top sale price on the day. These twelve week old new season lambs averaged out at twenty three kilos half weight and sold for £79.80 to a local buyer. This has given the McFetridges confidence in their own home bred stock and they are looking forward to exhibiting at the pedigree Ballymena sales.
Despite Dorsets traditionally being a lowland breed the McFetridges have proven that they can serve and do more than hold their own against the traditional hill breeds giving more lambs per ewe per life time and securing their place on this County Antrim Farm.
The Thirty fifth annual sale (Sponsored by McAfee Properties, agricultural land and sites department) will be held on Monday the 30th July in Ballymena Market for more information contact 07841 746705.