Farm
Animals - Sheep
Many
British sheep are kept on hilly regions in the west and north of the country
where, because of poor growing conditions, other kinds of farming and
animal rearing are unsuitable. A sheep has a split top lip which enables
it to eat grass inaccessible to other animals, particularly cattle.
The breed of sheep kept at Branstone farm is the Dorset. The Horned Dorset
and the Polled (naturally hornless) Dorset generally lamb in the autumn.
In days gone by the farmer would keep the lambs through the winter months
and have fat lambs to sell in early spring. However, most lambs are born
in March and April when the weather begins to improve.
Older sheep meat is called mutton which has a stronger flavour and favoured
by the French. In this country lamb is preferred often being sold as simple
joints or small chops which are very lean.
