SHROPTALK The Newsletter of the Shropshire Breeders’ Association Spring 2015

COUNCIL GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR NEW SHEEP REGISTRATION SYSTEM THE breed society’s sheep registrations will become the industry standard. It is currently move to the well-established Grassroots’ being used by 56 other farm breed TIMETABLE FOR CHANGE “Breed Society Record” software program societies in the UK, as well as a number of March to mid-April 2015 and the “Ped eWeb” electronic flock book equine breed societies and the British Alpaca Transfer of the SSBA’s current and later this spring. Society. historical pedigree data to Grassroots’ A new Registrations Clerk, Ruth Mawer, has Ped eWeb, the online version, will enable Breed Society Record Software. also been appointed to handle the growing breeders to birth notify, register stock and number of registrations and register transfers on-line. Pedigree certificates 9th April issue the SSBA’s pedigree certificates. will be issued in digital format and emailed by No more forms or applications should be Together these changes should enable our Ruth direct to the breeder. Alternatively, sent to Alison Schofield after this date. registrations to be handled more swiftly, whilst SSBA members who prefer to use a paper- The SSBA’s old web-based registration retaining their accuracy and the options of based system will still be able to send their system ceases to be available. registering animals either on-line, or by post. registration applications to Ruth, who will The provision of pedigree registration enter their data and then send their pedigree 13th April services is one of the SSBA’s core activities. certificates to them by post. Payment for both New system goes live for all breed society However, due to the recent rapid expansion of types of registrations can be by cheque or members using paper application forms. the breed society, our existing service was BACS transfer. If using BACS, please All birth notifications, transfers and struggling to cope with the increased demand. remember to email the Treasurer and the applications for registrations should be A subcommittee of the SSBA’s Council was Registration Clerk to let them know what the sent to Ruth Mawer from this date appointed last autumn to investigate viable and payment is to cover and for which flock/ onwards affordable options for a new service, provided breeder. by an outside contractor or organisation. The Society hopes to be able to make this 13th April to 11th May Having considered several options in detail, momentous change to Grassroots’ system Ped eWeb goes live with limited access the Council agreed unanimously to appoint for a few nominated test users. Ruth, who has a proven track record of without increasing registration fees or annual subscriptions. There will certainly be no carrying out similar registration services for 12th May two other breed societies over the past decade. changes in fee structure while the new service gets up and running: So, those willing to Ped eWeb goes live for all breed society members. DATA TRANSFER receive digital pedigree certificates by email will pay £5 per ewe registration and £10 per Our long-standing Registrar, Alison Schofield, 12th to 16th May will remain in her post and retain her position ram if registered with three photos (£15 per SSBA members will be informed of their on the SSBA’s Council. She will be ram if registered without photos). Breeders individual passwords to allow them to responsible for access to Ped eWeb and will who wish to receive a printed pedigree access Ped eWeb data and reports. continue to produce the Society’s annual flock Continued on page 2 book from data provided by the Grassroots’ system. She will also assist with transferring INTRODUCING OUR NEW PRESIDENT: LES NEWMAN all our pedigree data onto the new system, Les Newman is the new President of the working alongside Ruth and Grassroots to Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association make the change-over as seamless as possible. having been appointed by Council after the The SSBA is very grateful to Alison for society’s AGM in November. He succeeds handling its registrations for 21 years, and for Liz Bowles who has been President for the helping us move to the new system. past two years. Les was previously Ruth will be using Grassroots’ “Breed President from 2008 to 2010. Society Record” software to process our Les and his wife Tricia, own the Rode Flock registrations. This system has, more or less, of Shropshires and the Snowden Flock of Southdown sheep. They farm approximately 40 acres in the village of Carleton Rode near Norwich in Norfolk, and have grazing on NATIONAL another 40 acres in villages close by, with the furthest parcel of land being approximately 15 NEW SHOW miles distant from their farmstead. DATE! AND SALE Whilst Tricia was born into a farming family, both of them worked on farms during school (WEST) holidays when they were growing up. It was when they returned to Norfolk in 1984 that at Shrewsbury they considered keeping livestock. Prior to that Les had been working in the city of Livestock Market: London and Tricia was teaching on the the freezer. The move to Turnpike Farm in SUNDAY 26th JULY Suffolk/Essex border. The Newmans’ first 1987 gave them the opportunity to have some See page 3 for more information farming venture was the purchase of some breeding stock in the form of a few Suffolk- orphan lambs in 1985, which were fattened for cross ewes. Continued on page 4 SHROPSHIRES ON THE FRONT COVER OF SHEEP FARMER NEW SHEEP REGISTRATION SYSTEM Continued from page 1 All newly formed flocks will have been certificate by post will pay £7/ewe and £12/ allocated a “mentor” to guide and assist them. ram (£17 without photos), to cover the If you are not sure who your mentor is, please additional costs involved with this option. contact the breed society’s secretary, Simon Registration fees will be reviewed at the 2015 Mackay. AGM in November, when the new service has been running for around 5 months. EAR TAGS IN THE CORRECT Once our pedigree data is transferred to FORMAT PLEASE Grassroots, it will be possible for any As well as completing forms in full and individual breeder to log on to Ped eWeb correctly, SSBA members are asked to please using a unique password, to access breed also ensure that information on the ear tags society data. used in their flocks is in the exact form Birth Notifications, Registrations, records of required by the SSBA (also compatible with deaths and transfers can all be made on-line. DEFRA’s current ear tagging requirements). Ped eWeb will also allow breeders to perform Again, there is a section in the Flock Book a number of other useful flock management which explains what information should be tasks, such as: included on the ear tag, and in what order it • Viewing the animals owned and should be presented. bred, by flock; Council is aware that some ear tag • Displaying the full details of any manufacturers do not necessarily provide the selected animal, including a four information we need in the correct way. generation pedigree and progeny Council has, therefore, researched a list of list; and Approved Tag Manufacturers, having spoken to them individually to check that they will A lovely seasonal picture of ewes and lambs • Making on-line entries to society provide tags correctly. See page 32 of the new from Sue Farquhar’s Piddington Flock was shows and sales. Flock Book for more details. used on the front page of the National Sheep Association’s magazine, Sheep Farmer. The MINIMISING COSTS magazine covers national sheep news and It will greatly assist the breed society to keep articles on a range of technical issues of costs at their current level if all breeders make interest to sheep producers. It goes to all NSA sure that they use accurate data on-line, or fill members and is published six times a year. in the correct society forms with all the NSA membership costs £50 a year. To information required when carrying out birth subscribe, call the NSA on 01684 892661. notifications, registrations and transfers. Forms sent to the Registration Clerk by post LIVE SHROPSHIRE QUINS! must also be completed in full with accurate information provided by the breeder. If you are unsure about forms and how to use them, please remember that there is a comprehensive guide in the annual Flock Book. Copies of all forms can be downloaded from the SSBA’s website: A correct example of a yellow EID tag and pink match-up tag from Shearwell. Note that www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk on the right hand side the unique animal Members of Council (also listed in the Flock number (00430) comes first and is separated Book) are happy to help with general from the year of birth (2014) by the Shropshire registration advice. breed society’s unique flock letters (LU). THE SSBA WELCOMES RUTH MAWER AS ITS NEW REGISTRATIONS CLERK Ruth Mawer and her husband, Tom, are based near Grantham in Lincolnshire, where they run a flock of around 45 pedigree Charollais ewes. Prior to the year 2000, the Mawers were farmers. Ruth is also a farmer’s daughter, so she has THE scanning of 296DB08 indicated that she worked in the industry all her life. was carrying quads, but at lambing on 16th Jan For the past 10 years, Ruth has been she presented Sue and Mark Shimwell handling pedigree registrations for Lincoln (Brereton Flock) with an extra little bundle to Longwool Sheep and, more recently, for the make five! The smallest and third born was a British White Society. She is very little slow to get going and was whisked away experienced with the Grassroots’ system and to be put in front of the fire, while the other has a great reputation for providing efficient four were being attended to. They had good pedigree registration services for the two birth weights (for quins) at 2.25kg, 2.5kg, and breed societies already mentioned. three at 3.5 kg and are extremely vigorous In their spare time, Ruth and Tom enjoy lambs which are doing well either with mum or showing their sheep at local shows. Over the hand reared. Brereton Thomas is the sire. past five or six years, they have also regularly 296DB08 is a daughter of Sidedowns exported Charollais sheep to Germany. Diplomat and she has proved to be a consistent Ruth is looking forward to working with the producer of good lambs, notably the High Ruth Mawer, SSBA. Please help her as much as you can by Genetic Merit ram, Brereton Nimrod, who is Meadow View, Kelby, Grantham, submitting fully completed forms with currently in the Hornpipe Flock, and the Lincolnshire NG32 3AJ accurate information, whenever you wish to Reserve Champion (ewe lamb) at Shrewsbury 01400 230142 birth notify, register or transfer stock. Show and Sale in 2011. Email: [email protected] THE NATIONAL SHOW AND SALE (WEST) THE SSBA’S NATIONAL THE date of the SSBA’s main show and SHOW AND SALE (EAST) sale has moved to Sunday 26th July - one will be at Melton Mowbray Market on day later than originally planned. The Friday 11th and popular event will again be part of the Saturday 12th September 2015. Traditional, Native, Rare and Breeds Show Schedules and entry forms will be and Sale hosted by Halls at Shrewsbury available from Grassroots Systems in the Market. early summer: A Vintage Machinery and Smallholders’ Equipment sale will take place on the same 01392 437788 day, and Halls has expanded the livestock www.grassroots.co.uk section for 2015 with showing classes for , as well as sheep, cattle and pigs. SHEEP EXPORTS 2015 Schedules are available from Halls and will THE Council is pleased to report that the be circulated via email in due course by our SSBA has received export orders from France Secretary, Simon Mackay. The entry fees for and Germany for, collectively, 112 females sheep remain the same as in 2014 (£7/animal) and 8 males. The sheep will be leaving the UK and the closing date for entries is 25th June. in one consignment in early September. Shropshires can be delivered to the market Export prices are listed on the Society’s between 4pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 25th website. Anyone wishing for more information July, or between 7am and 8am on Sunday about exports and how to participate in them Matt with Special Agent. 26th. There will be a social evening including should contact the Export Officer, Sue a hog roast and pub quiz at the market on Farquhar, on 01531 670439. Saturday starting at 7pm. Tickets for this must be purchased in advance either from our NEW SALES REGISTER Secretary or from Halls. Hotels are available ARRANGEMENTS within walking distance and it is also possible THE Council has decided to reinstate the Sales to camp at the market. Register information on the “Stock For Sale” Shropshire showing classes begin at 9am on page of our website. So if you would like to Sunday, and the auction of Shropshires will advertise the details of animals you have for commence at 12 noon in the sale ring - Last year’s Shropshire and Interbreed sale, please complete a Sales Register Form starting with MV Accredited sheep, followed Champion, a shearling ewe from the Church and return this to the Secretary, Simon by non-Accredited animals. Other sheep Preen Flock of C O and S L Morgan-Jones. Mackay. Forms can be downloaded from the breeds will be sold from their pens. SSBA’s website, or paper copies can be Cheques should be made payable to Halls (not obtained from Simon. Changes Introduced For 2015 the Shropshire Sheep Breeders’ Association). Completed Sales Register forms will be Please note the following: BACS payments into the SSBA’s account will added to the individual breeders’ listings on 1. The closing date for livestock entries will not be accepted. the website, and will be accessible via a “click be strictly adhered to and no late entries will 5. If you want to substitute an entry, this must through” link. This service is free to SSBA be accepted for Shropshire sheep. be done in writing by post or email. No members. 2. If you provide an email address on the entry substitutions are allowed after the closing If you decide to use the Sales Register, form, receipt of your entry will be date (25th June). please keep the information you provide about acknowledged by the Registrar via email. If 6. A minimum weight of 55kg has been stock for sale up-to-date. You can send in a you do not provide an email address it is introduced for Shropshire shearling ewes. new Sales Register form several times during your responsibility to check that the entry 7. All animals entered in the event MUST be the season. Website updates are made on a has been received. If you provide an email placed in their allocated pens, which are in monthly basis by the Secretary. but do not receive an acknowledgement lot number order. from the Registrar by the closing date, you 8. To assist buyers, drovers and stewards, THE MOST IMPROVED FLOCKS should contact her immediately. sheep must remain in their allocated pens EBLEX has announced the winner and the 3. Entry forms must be completed in full by until the sale is over. runner-up of its annual competition to find the the vendor. Any that are incomplete will be 9. It is the responsibility of vendors to check Most Improved Shropshire Flock in . returned by the Registrar. with the auctioneers that their sheep have The top spot this year goes to the Morley Flock 4. No entries will be accepted without been sold before they leave them at the owned by Claire and Graham Jakeman, from payment being received at the same time. market. Thornton-le-Moors, Chester. The runner-up is the Timberline Flock from Oxfordshire, owned by Paul Stead and Val Tew. These awards recognise the flocks that have made the greatest genetic gain for commercial characteristics over a 12 month period. There is a separate award for each of the ten sheep breeds that record the performance of their flocks with Signet. A full write-up will appear in the next edition of ShropTalk. SHROPTALK is edited by Pippa Geddes ([email protected]) and printed by Simon Mackay ([email protected]) Contributions are always welcome! Visit our Facebook page: Friends of Shropshire Sheep, and our Shearling rams at last year’s event. website: www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk for all the latest news. INTRODUCING OUR NEW PRESIDENT: LES NEWMAN Continued from page 1 -ning the Shropshire breed classes at that show findings. Les has also been a Council member in 2006 with ram lamb, Rode Flintoff. He was of the Southdown Sheep Society for the last 18 They had both been interested in traditional also Down Breed Champion and Rare Breed months. British breeds and acquired a small flock of Champion at the Aylsham Show that year. Southdowns in 1989. Together the Newmans are involved in a Flintoff was Senior Ram Champion at the East number of local charities, including one that During the same year, the couple took a of England in 2008 and also Rare Breed raises funds to help with education and health holiday to Shropshire and stayed at Acton Champion at the Wayland Show and Down in Northern Ghana, whilst Tricia helps at a Scott on the farm next to the working farm Breed Champion at Aylsham. local WI and is on the Livestock Committee of museum. This was where they first the Wayland Show. She was also Secretary of encountered Shropshire sheep. In October Tricia and Les have a family of three young the SSBA between 1999 and 2003. Both Les 1991, they noted the dispersal sale of Peter adults. Fergus lives and works in Norwich as a and Tricia support the local Rare Breeds Roberts’ stock at Herringswell. They attended stockbroker. Joseph and his Swedish wife, Survival Trust Group, and they have hosted and the auction with the intention of buying three Nathalie, now live in Stockholm, with their provided stock for Young Farmers Stock in-lamb ewes, but returned home with seven, baby daughter Lilli. Joseph is an apprentice judging and the Diss Stockmen’s Club. which was the nucleus of their flock. The only electrician and Nathalie intends to return to ewes bought subsequently were Liz Dudley’s child-caring after maternity leave. show ewes, a further batch from Peter Roberts when the remainder of his stock was sold, and Kate Simons’ flock in 2007 (which were all of On a family trip to the forest 50 miles Rode breeding). northwest of Stockholm last year, Les was pleased to note a Shropshire ewe in the The Newmans’ Shropshire flock now stands at 40 ewes, run alongside 20 Southdown ewes paddock next to the cottage in which they were and 15 cross-bred ewes. They have 8 pure- staying. Lorie has trained as a certified bred Shropshire rams at present, which they accountant over the past five years in the Diss hire out to other non-MV accredited breeders. office of Newman & Co. She qualified in They also have an assortment of other February this year. Further exam success When asked for his views on Shropshire followers, including a nice batch of Shropshire followed in March as she passed her trailer sheep and their future prospects, Les says: “We ewe lambs which will be ready for breeding are fortunate to have an all-purpose sheep. We next year. Also on the farm are some very free test! Lorie and Charles live on Charles’ family farm near Attleborough in Norfolk. The farm is can provide an excellent terminal sire, while range , a delightful sheepdog and one the ewes show excellent maternal qualities in cat, Ushers Harry, who came free with a ram predominantly arable, but there may be further raising their lambs, which are usually energetic some years ago! livestock opportunities given the requirements and lively from birth. Shropshires fatten on Over the past 4 years, their daughter Lorie of the recent changes to the EU agricultural grass with low inputs, are generally sound on and her now husband, Charles Saffell have regime. their feet and require less care throughout the established their own flock of Shropshires. year. The flocks work together at tupping time ACCOUNTANCY PRACTICE “Since my previous term as President, the sharing rams with ewes from each flock. SSBA has made significant steps forward. The Lorie is also involved in the SSBA as the As touched on above, Les heads up Newman national Shropshire flock has grown minutes secretary. & Co, a general accountancy practice in South substantially to around 5,000 ewes meaning The Newmans regularly exhibit their sheep Norfolk and North Suffolk with offices in Diss, that we are no longer a rare breed. We are at shows, including Hadleigh (Suffolk), the Beccles and Lowestoft. At present the fortunate that there are regular exports of Suffolk County, the Royal Norfolk, Wayland breeding stock to Europe which also supports company has 30 staff and a substantial number (Norfolk) and Aylsham (Norfolk). For many the home market. The recognition of the years, Tricia and Les also attended the Royal of clients including many farming and breed’s use in Christmas tree plantations is also Show as livestock stewards before the demise agriculturally-related businesses. He also has a expanding into fruit orchards in the UK and of that show. Their first showing highlight number of sporting interests, having played vineyards in Europe. I have already made came at the very first show they attended – the cricket to a reasonable standard for many reference to the greening and HLS regulations Suffolk County in 1994 – when they achieved years. He is currently the fixture secretary at now affecting agricultural businesses. The use a second place out of a class of 15 ewe lambs Diss Rugby Club, and was previously the of Shropshires as a Traditional breed for in the Other British Breeds class. This success grazing sensitive areas can also increase farm filled them with confidence that their sheep club’s treasurer for 11 years. In the last few incomes. Our council will continue to work for were good enough for the show-ring. months Les and Tricia have been acting as the members to move the breed forward with County Assessors for Norfolk Young Farmers Their first champion was a Southdown ewe promotional and marketing activities who was Down Breed champion in the East of entailing evening visits to each of the 11 clubs emphasising the many qualities of our breed, England in 2004, but more important was win- and reporting to County Office on their not least the finished lamb product.”

TRIMMING WORKSHOP AND BREED IMPROVEMENT SCHEME OPEN-DAY APRIL 25TH 2015 Find out how to select and train sheep for the show-ring *** Learn how to card and trim your sheep *** Discover the benefits of Signet performance recording *** Have a go at scanning a lamb for muscle and fat depth *** Contribute to discussions about the future of the Breed Improvement Scheme BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW BY COMPLETING AND RETURNING THE FORM ENCLOSED WITH THIS EDITION OF SHROPTALK