SHEEP MARKS AND IDENTIFICATION
On open fells and common land, sheep identification is an important issue. Farmers need to know which sheep belong to them and which to their neighbours.
The most common method is through smit marks - daubs of colour applied to the fleece along with distinctive cuts to the ears (lug marks): the combination of both being unique to individual farms in local areas.
Smit was traditionally made of a thick grease coloured with haematite or graphite, but nowadays proprietary marking fluids, capable of being readily scoured from the wool, are used. The marks are commonly 'strokes' or 'pops' and sometimes letters or shapes such as crosses, swords or bugle horns.
Ears are given various incisions particular to individual farms. These ear marks are still in widespread use, despite recent legislation requiring sheep to have ear tags. Horns are sometimes branded also. These sheep marks are passed down through the generations and remain virtually unchanged over time. Young lambs are given their flock marks before going to the fell with their mothers.
These wool and earmarks are recorded in the Shepherds' Guides. The first one for the Lake District was produced in 1817 and there has been one more or less every 25 years since then. Similar Guides exist for the eastern fells.
The Cumbria Fells and Dales Leader + programme is based at Voluntary Action Cumbria and is part-financed by the European Agriculture Guidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Union and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs. This project is part of a trans-national project with Gévaudan Leader + Programme, Lozère, France.