Hill sheep farming is commercial, pastoral and extensive, and is used to produce wool, lamb and mutton.

There are three areas for hill sheep farming to take place, the Fell, the Intake, and the Inbye.

FELL

INTAKE

INBYE

Farm house

CASE STUDY: LAKE DISTRICT

The Fell

The fell is found at the top of the hills, at over 300m in altitude. The sheep graze on this open land in the summer.

The Intake

The intake is found in the middle of the hill, and is divided into fields by dry stone walls. Some of the pasture is improved by adding drainage and fertilisers to the fields.

The Inbye

The inbye is the small area of land found on the valley floor, close to the farm buildings. The soil in the inbye is far more fertile and sheltered than on the fell and the intake. The inbye is used for lambing, shearing, ect., and also can be used for growing some winter fodder, such as turnips and hay.

Inputs, Processes and Outputs of hill sheep farming.Physical Inputs:

Relief, soils, climate, over 2000 mm annual rainfall and short growing season

Human and Economic Inputs:

Difficult accessibility, market, subsidies and grants, little labour and fodder crops

Processes:

Dipping, lambing, fertilising and shearing

Outputs:

Profit, wool fleeces, money from B&B, tourism, lambs and little profit to reinvest.

Problems with hill sheep farming

Foot and mouth disease has restricted sheep movement and sales. Hill sheep farming is not

always profitable.

Costs of things like fuel,

machinery and fodder have all

risen. Lamb prices in the

late 1990’s fell.

The threat of the removal of subsidies by the EU.

Fewer young people want to carry on sheep

farming.

Changes and improvements to hill sheep farming

Subsidies and grants to improve farm environment

Farmers are continuing to leave the land or take part time jobs in nearby

towns, if available

New breeding stock to improve

quality and quantity of meat

and wool

Greater use of fertilisers to

improve quality of pastures

Grants for new farm buildings so lambing can be done indoors.

Some farms that could not survive and have been sold, often as

second homes.

Thank you for watching my PRESENTATION

By A. Cole