3.2 - Agricultural System Case Study: Sheep Farming - Cumbria, UK (Paper 1)

Question 1

Explain the inputs of the sheep farm in Cumbria: (3)

Answer 1

• Climate: Short growing seasons means the area is unsuitable for most crops which is why sheep farming takes place instead. Rainfall is about 1500mm annually. (1)
• Relief: The majority of Cumbria’s land is located 349m above sea level which is suitable for sheep as they are adapted to the wet and cold environment. (1)
• Labour: Only 12,000 people live or are employed to work at the farm because there are few people that live in high attitudes like this. (1)

Question 2

Explain the processes of the sheep farm in Cumbria: (3)

Answer 2

• Out of the 12,000 that live and work on the sheep farms, 8000 of them monitor the sheep and their job is to make sure that the sheep are fed well, well hydrated and have good health overall. (1)
• 2000 of them are responsible for dipping. This is a process where sheep dip which is a liquified form of an insecticide and this is used to protect the sheep from different parasites such as ticks and lice. (1)
• The remaining 2000 workers are responsible for shearing. It is the process of removing the fleece from the top most layer of a sheeps skin. (1)

Question 3

Explain the outputs of the sheep farm in Cumbria: (3)

Answer 3

• 700 Lambs are bred for meat and sent for slaughter before they are 1 year (usually 6-8 months), and this meat is then supplied as food to the population. (1)
• Wool as a result from shearing in Cumbria is exported and in 2014, the UK exported 200 million pounds worth of wool. The wool is exported to other countries to be used for clothing, curtains, carpets etc. (1)
• As well as lamb, mutton is also produced from sheep in Cumbria. However, unlike lamb, this is done after they are 1 years old. They are again slaughtered after a year and sold at prices of around 12 pounds per kg. (1)