Winsor Cross Ouessant

Winsor Cross Ouessant Winsor Cross Ouessant . Quality traditional and registered sheep based in Devon UK. Bred with care and kindness.

Beautiful miniature sheep bred for conservation using Defra zootechnically imported and approved Dutch rams to give new bloodlines to the UK.

I expect all rams to lead on the road if necessary and have no hesitation in walking them between our holding fields or ...
05/09/2026

I expect all rams to lead on the road if necessary and have no hesitation in walking them between our holding fields or up through ewes if I have to.

Our rams are well horned so manners are a necessity both in the field and out of it. I expect to be able to work around them in tupping fields also.

They behave out of respect not fear.

Beating a ram or forcing a ram achieves nothing. Positive reinforcement is the only way. They must want to work with you.

Note though that I have a crook just in case I need to ‘check’ him in traffic.

We are very hands on here so from an early age they walk on collars. Why collars? Easier to get on over the horns. They will equally go on traditional halter of course.

This is Winsor Cross Erik the Red. Sire was Alex 11 vd Bakkershoeve. Dam was Winsor Cross Charmaine.

Winsor Cross Little Big Man. This lad was sired by Cammal Magic Moments.
03/09/2026

Winsor Cross Little Big Man. This lad was sired by Cammal Magic Moments.

Because I’ve always got time for a hug and a bit of one to one. . This little lad is Winsor Cross Comet. He’s a shearli...
02/09/2026

Because I’ve always got time for a hug and a bit of one to one. .

This little lad is Winsor Cross Comet. He’s a shearling but in real time 14 months old.

Lovely temperament and I can see him happily being a first time breeder ram tupping a few sheep without getting above himself.

Still some filling out to do of course but I expect him to finish at about 46cm.

Lovely quiet weekend - just what was needed. We’re seeing grass coming through thank goodness and we’ll shortly be movin...
01/09/2026

Lovely quiet weekend - just what was needed.

We’re seeing grass coming through thank goodness and we’ll shortly be moving the flocks around. That’s always the time we catch them up and check them over generally for any little issues such as overlong feet, missing tags etc.

We always check stock twice a day but during the bluetongue disease outbreak we check twice at close quarters specifically looking for the minutest symptoms that may be mild dose of the disease. Flocks are all btv3 vaccinated and at full immunity but that’s not to say that totally negates the bluetongue.

We will build this btv vaccine into our flock care schedule going forward for all stock but will assess type of outbreak next season first.

Over the next couple of weeks we’ll assess the ran lambs and make the decision as to wethering or running on entire through the winter for further evaluation in spring.

We will again tup late again this season to guard against any midge activity and to protect the ewes during early pregnancy.

Being in south west and even though area is showing currently clear in the south hams, we all know that APHA testing is way behind so we are giving thought to ram fertility testing. Not quite so easy as with large breeds as the standard equipment for semen sampling is not suitable on welfare grounds for our miniature sheep.

As they have not at this point been infected we will discuss with our vets the practicality or indeed need for this test. Bearing in mind that any fertility issues are transient even if they did pick up anything then it may be deemed unnecessary in this instance as unlike commercial sheep we tup late in season, albeit predictions are fir midge activity to continue throughout September.

Generally all is well currently and all stock are looking in great condition despite the lack of grass.

Thoughts turn to field topping now that any new grass will not be burnt off by the sun. Everything is really behind, but just for the moment I’m taking the time to catch up on paperwork and generally unwind.

As the bluetongue works it way across the country and up as far as Scotland we are grateful to our vets for getting in t...
22/08/2026

As the bluetongue works it way across the country and up as far as Scotland we are grateful to our vets for getting in the vaccine and staying ahead of the game.

Aside from the fact that we love each and every woolly on the holding and welfare is a priority, we also have unique uk bloodline responsibility for this rare breed and the bluetongue disease itself is known to affect fertility in varying degrees. It’s certainly given me some sleepless nights.

There are many outbreaks outside of those in the APHA case map and even at this point the positive cases far exceed those of last year with a further 2400 cases to check throughout the country. The thing to bear in mind is that APHA only check a few from each flock so this is not representative of the issue at all - the damage is far higher. I feel you’d have to be very blinkered not to regard this as an issue for our breed. However we can only warn, ultimately ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink’.

That aside, everyone here is currently well and enjoying the drop in temperature - as am I. We will tup late again this year to give the midges a wide berth and I am currently checking through bloodlines and evaluating. We have plenty of time and I enjoy this part of the breeding calendar as I select rams and ewes and evaluate.

It’s been a tough year with drought and the threat of bluetongue which had our flocks stuck on the highest part of the land for more air movement but grass was at a premium.

We hope to get everyone onto a bit of grass in next few weeks. We seem to have been haying for weeks and that combined with feed and bluetongue vaccination costs has made it a very expensive breeding year.

Not to mention the fact we vaccinated everything that baa’d from granny to baby - productive or not. That being said it is not our way to value some lives above others. We’ll never be rich but we do find joy in what we do.

That aside and through all the doom and gloom we had some great news this morning which we will share when we are at liberty to do so.

Let’s hope for some cheerful posts going forward.

Thank you all for following. We aim to share the good times and the bad to give you a feel for what it is to be a shepherd. This has been very much the bad but you know what they say ‘ the only way is up’

This photo came up in memories. This is the lovely Winsor Cross Rocket Man as a ram lamb. He was and indeed is a lovel...
20/08/2026

This photo came up in memories. This is the lovely Winsor Cross Rocket Man as a ram lamb. He was and indeed is a lovely lad.

Always makes me laugh as they were meant to be stock photos and Chewy gatecrashed every one. When I told her to go away she thought if she did not look at me that would do 😂😂.

I had a Tesco delivery last night. It didn’t start well as he was 45 mins early so I was in the bath 😂. Don’t worry I ...
16/08/2026

I had a Tesco delivery last night. It didn’t start well as he was 45 mins early so I was in the bath 😂. Don’t worry I said with my hair standing on end and in my dressing gown give me two mins.

He lugged the shopping to the porch including 8 swedes and 8 1.5 bags carrots and said oh you’re having a dinner party - how many are you cooking for? I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘the flock’ so I said ‘ a few’ so we have a guy from Tesco who is still wondering what I make with carrots and swedes 😂😂

I’ll be glad when I can get the big nets again. 😂😂

I can’t relax. I think the sheep have had enough of me and my bluetongue checks though. His little face said it all. I h...
15/08/2026

I can’t relax. I think the sheep have had enough of me and my bluetongue checks though. His little face said it all. I have been lucky so far. I usually spend a lot of time with the stock but it was just the look on his face. Spoke volumes. All joking aside though it is important to catch anything really quickly to hopefully nip it in the bud.

We are living on our nerves at the moment. Each flock check is taking twice as long as we search for any signs of blueto...
13/08/2026

We are living on our nerves at the moment. Each flock check is taking twice as long as we search for any signs of bluetongue issues. We see heartbreaking videos on social media and feel powerless to assist fellow breeders who are struggling or can’t get vaccine - what can you possibly say to make it better so the continual activity helps.

We’ve done a couple of assists on how to inject for those small breeders who have no experience and our campaign to vaccinate continues.

I will never understand those that bury their heads in the sand under these conditions. The more that vaccinate, the quicker we can hopefully make some sort of impact on this cruel killer virus. Also vaccination can mean the difference literally between life and death for the animal. I would sooner nurse an animal with mild symptoms than find a dead one.

We have the disease amongst us we must deal with it.

Those up country at least have longer to prepare. Let us hope more vaccine comes into uk quickly. It hit the South West and spread so quickly.

All Winsor Cross all stock is vaccinated from babies to the elderly but we continue to watch and wait.

Luckily as we feed twice a day we can get an immediate picture of anything not right. Ouessant never saunter along - everyone comes at speed, whether it is feed time or I’m working in the field. While this usually drives me mad, it is comforting at the moment as allows me to see quickly anyone who is dragging
behind for any reason.

We are pretty much feeding winter rations and lugging fresh water twice a day to keep everyone hopefully happy and healthy. I believe that stock in top condition have more chance of fighting any health issues. Water is the most crucial factor tbh sheep should never be far away from clean and fresh supply under these conditions. A dehydrated or poorly sheep will not seek water. They will go down.

The top of the land at Winsor and Nutwood is burnt dry with the drought but the bottom areas abut woods and are ideal for midge so I am holding back all stock to the highest parts of the land at the moment.

We will consider ourselves extremely lucky if we escape the epidemic unscathed.

In the meantime young stock is growing on nicely and when the temperature finally drops we will take some stock pictures.

In the meantime it is business as usual - or as usual as it can be when you are right in the middle of a bluetongue area.

I have seen no adverse affects on lambs as a result of Bultavo vaccine which is a relief. This little man is Winsor Cr...
12/08/2026

I have seen no adverse affects on lambs as a result of Bultavo vaccine which is a relief.

This little man is Winsor Cross Maestro a ram lamb by Rexna Pierre 39. Nice little boy. His mum has done him well. Everyone is looking in great condition despite the lack of grass.

I was just checking him over. I handle the rams a lot as little ones then if I need to treat them it’s not such a big issue for them.

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