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The Blackdown Flock was formed after the 2002 Foot and Mouth epidemic in the Blackdown Hills (hence the flock’s name). The farm is registered in the Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme, which supports maintaining the fields and hedgerows in a traditional fashion. At between 800 and1000 feet above sea level, the farm sits on one of the plateaux within this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The farm is a member of Devon FWAG. The farm is permanent grassland, uses no fertiliser, and only spot sprays. We analyse the soil trace elements and supplement these, if needed, every ten years.
We lamb and rear outside and produce good confirmation, hardy breeding animals for the commercial market. Careful use of recorded pedigree and lambing data allows us to target genetic improvement, whilst keeping Poll Dorset characteristics within the highest health and welfare standards.
Ewes were originally sourced from the Blackhill, Sherborne and Trevilley flocks. Ramsden rams, Alexander A102 and Chaka C133, widened the flock’s genetic base. Huish Zulu Z405, Archie A54 and Destroyer D83, Gortleigh Charlie C849 and Sherborne Federal F34 improved the quality further. Blackdown Jensen, J56, the highest index stock sire out of UK born sires that year has been kept, as has Blackdown Knight, K67, the highest index poll ram lamb out of UK born sires that year. This year Gortleigh Kinetic K8111, a first generation of UK born rams from newly imported NZ semen, joined our stock rams with Blackdown Luther L7.
Only above average ewe lambs are retained, and only rams from the top 10% of recorded sires used. The flock is the best connected of all recorded flocks, so ensuring our data, and the subsequent indices, are highly reliable. Our average Terminal Sire Index had improved by over 70%, and the average Maternal Index is up 40%.
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