Jonathan: I started the process of introducing Rhubarb back into the flock a fortnight ago, at first just taking him with me as I did the rounds of livestock, and then progressing to leaving him with the other sheep as I worked on fencing or whatever, then leaving him there all day, collecting him in the evening for a feed back at home. Now he’s already living full time on the croft, and now down to just one big bottle of milk a day. Rhubarb is a big, healthy and very confident ram lamb (or rather was) and it became clear that he was going to fit in better with the big boys – our stock ram Baghasdal and the shearling rams from last year, including Bill and Ben. Our Californian guests Jacalyn and Mary, staying at Carrick, kept an eye on him, and were able to report that Rhubarb had quickly climbed at least one rung on the pecking order – or is that butting order!  I say was because Rhubarb is no more a ram lamb.  On the flock register, M for Male has been changed to W for Wedder.  Yes, that’s right … ! The deed was done yesterday morning. Today, inexplicably, Rhubarb is not so keen to follow me to the croft store for his morning bottle of milk. I persuaded him through the gate onto the track, but he wouldn’t go any further – I had to go back to him with the bottle and …

… his ear tags. Ouch! – and again Ouch! Rhubarb is Rhubarb no more! The ram lamb formerly known as Rhubarb is now a wedder, known as number 000067.  But I suspect we’ll find Rhubarb easier to remember!

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