A number of larger than normal lambs have been delivered on our sister estate in Norfolk, Gawdy Hall, this month.

The average weight of a newborn lamb is 4-5kg but Gawdy Hall’s shepherdess Hannah Murrell has been helping to bring 10kg lambs into the world.

We reintroduced Rare Breed sheep in 2023 in Norfolk, and the flock are reared entirely outside on grass and herbal leys in our parkland and around the Estate on our arable land, with grazing of over winter cover crops. The introduction of cover cropping and livestock is part of our change to a more regenerative way of farming to improve soil health.

The flock includes Llanwenog sheep and Norfolk Horn ewes, both on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s amber list, and Lleyn ewes and associated pedigree rams.

The size of a newborn lamb varies depending on its breed but they typically weigh between 2.5-5kg. Some larger breeds may have newborn lambs weighing over 6kg.

Gawdy Hall’s shepherdess Hannah Murrell, who has been busy helping to bring over 250 lambs into the world in the last few weeks, has seen the arrival of half a dozen bumper-size lambs weighing close to 10kg.

Gawdy Hall Estate Manager Mark Mayhew said: “This year has been our biggest ever lambing season following a restructure and we were very surprised when quite a few very large lambs were born.

“You hope for healthy lambs around the 3-5kg, so when you see a healthy enormous one being born alive and well which is nearly double that size it’s amazing, if not eye watering, for the ewe.

“The large lambs haven’t just been from our bigger frame Lleyn’s, we’re seeing a proportion from our Rare Breeds too. It’s all a reflection of the hard work put in by Hannah ahead of tupping, and over the winter with the grazing of over winter cover crops.

“Everyone loves them. We’ve had lots of people walking past our fields and taking pictures and asking us about our giant lambs. When you see them next to the other ordinary sized lambs you can really tell the difference.

“We’re really grateful that people walking their dogs nearby keep them on leads when they’re near our sheep.

“Lambing next year will see the Gawdy Hall flock numbers step up again as we’ll have over 400 breeding ewes.”