Lambs

Wendy Partington made this Freedom of Information request to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The request was successful.

From: Wendy Partington

23 February 2010

Dear Sir or Madam,

Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Is it just me, or are lambs being born earlier every year?

Way back in early January I noticed a flock of lambs gambolling
around fields of snow (I didn't notice them at first, due to the
colour of their coats against the snow, but the farmer had
helpfully sprayed little parts of their backs with red paint). They
looked happy enough (don't they always?), but looking back, maybe
they were just trying to keep warm.

With lambs being born earlier each year, they will soon end up
being born the year before they should have been, which may mean
they age more quickly, or something.

I thought lambs were meant to born in spring? Surely it will be
more beneficial to them (health-wise) if they are born in spring.
Having said that, I was a winter baby (winter of 1949), and my
health doesn't seem to have been affected, whereas my friend,
Maureen, was born in Spring (1944) and she's got diabetes. So in
actual fact I'm not really sure what's best for them (the lambs,
that is, not diabetics).

I look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully,

Wendy Partington

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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

25 February 2010

Dear Wendy

Thank you for your email of 23 February.

As far as we are aware there is no evidence to suggest that lambs are
being born earlier than they ever have. The lambing season does not occur
during a set period but it dependent on a number of factors such as
weather and when the rams were put to the ewes.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Laura Wilson
Customer Contact Unit
Defra

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Sam Sanderson left an annotation (25 February 2010)

A very polite response to an utterly ridiculous request for information!

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Colm Howard-Lloyd left an annotation (18 March 2010)

This request would be more suited to ask.yahoo.com or similar.

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