Why is lambing at Easter time?
Ewes come into season (become ready to mate) in autumn/winter, and gestation is around 5 months, so lambing in the UK traditionally occurs around Easter (though often earlier in the south of England, and later in the north of Scotland) which is convenient, as the weather is warming up and grass (their primary food source after theyre weaned from mothers milk) is starting to grow. The farmer puts his/her ewes to the ram (called tupping) in organized groups so s/he can accurately predict the arrival date of the first newcomers, which then arrive in a flurry, heralding a month of sleep deprivation and hard work for the farmer. Though a familiar part of the UK landscape, sheep actually originate from Mesopotamia, and as most modern breeds have been developed for qualities which make them less able to look after themselves than wild sheep, they need help to flourish in the British climate. Wild sheep moult naturally, but modern wool breeds cant. Shearing is usually in May, though some farms
