Sheep FarmerMAY/JUNE 2014 A NATIONAL SHEEP ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION

PREVIEWS OF THREE WILL YOU MEET CAP NSA SUMMER SHEEP EVENTS GREENING REQUIREMENTS?

LATEST ACTION ON SHEEP TACKLING CODD IN WORRYING BY DOGS LAME SHEEP

HITTING BACK AT ANTI-FARMING PLANNING PERMISSION MESSAGES FROM CONSERVATIONISTS RULE CHANGES

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NEWNEW FORFOR 20142014 - KubotaKubota Care,Care, thethe innovativeinnovative extendedextended warrantywarranty forfor youryour tractor.tractor. Call: 0018441844 268268 000000 NowNow yyouou cancan enjoyennjjoy totaltotal peacepeace ofof mindmind forffoor tthehe hourshours youyou selectselect andand useuse forfor 5 years.years. Visit: wwwwww.kubota.co.uk.kubota.co.uk Sheep Contents Farmer Message from NSA Head Office ...... 2 May/June 2014 Vol. 33 No 3 News in Brief ...... 3 ISSN 0141-2434 News from the NSA Regions ...... 4-6 A National Sheep Association Publication George Hedley Memorial Award Winners ...... 7

Editor: NSA Next Generation latest ...... 8 Joanne Briggs NSA Scot Sheep Preview ...... 9 07807 237982 [email protected] NSA South Sheep Preview ...... 10 NSA Sheep Event Preview ...... 11 Advertising Sales: Helen Davies Changes to NSA ram sales ...... 12 07976 803066 Second winner in NSA Membership Recruitment Campaign ...... 14 [email protected] Farm Feature: NSA/Wales Regional Chairman Paul Wozencraft... 16-17

New sheep worrying website for dog walkers ...... 18

Keeping up the pressure on TSEs ...... 19

Fighting back at George Monbiot’s plans for the uplands ...... 20-21

The Sheep Centre • Malvern • The value of the halal market ...... 22 Worcestershire • WR13 6PH Tel: 01684 892661 Fax: 01684 892663 Are you ready for the CAP greening rules? ...... 24-25 e-mail: [email protected] Tackling CODD in lame sheep ...... 26-27 website: www.nationalsheep.org.uk Understanding coccidiosis as an annual threat ...... 27 facebook.com/natsheep twitter.com/natsheep Cryptosporidium in young lambs ...... 28 NSA represents the views and interests Top tips for winning fleece competitions ...... 29 of sheep producers throughout the UK. Changes to planning permission rules ...... 30 It is funded by its membership of sheep farmers and its activities involve it in Sheep farming and the April budget announcements ...... 30 every aspect of the sheep industry. It is a On My Farm Series: James Drummond from Northumberland ..... 32 Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England (No. 37818) and a Registered Sheep Far MAY/JUNE 2014 Charity in England and Wales A NATIONAL SHEEP ASSOCIATION mPUBLICATIONer

PREVIEWS OF THREE (No. 249255) and Scotland NSA SUMMER SHEEP EVENTS WILL YOU MEET CAP GREENING REQUIREMENTS? LATEST ACTION ON SHEEP WORRYING BY DOGS (No.SCO42853). TACKLING CODD IN Front Cover HITTING BACK AT ANTI-FARMING LAME SHEEP MESSAGES FROM CONSERVATIONISTS VAT No. 273 3469 44. PLANNING PERMISSION RULE CHANGES Sheep Farmer magazine is The photograph on the front page features a Lleyn ewe and published by Shepherd Publishing Ltd March-born Charollais-sired lambs from a small flock ran by email: [email protected] George and Tom Whalley at Samlesbury, Lancashire. Tel: 01684 565533 NSA is always on the lookout for front page pictures for the magazine, so if you would like a photograph to be Designed by Chris Monk email: [email protected] considered for use please get in touch with Joanne Briggs using the contact details to the left. Tel: 01424 422105 your business your future No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or shared in any form (be in electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without MoreMore visual managemenmanagementt options aavailablevvaailable prior consent of NSA. Every care is taken when compiling this than anyany other ttagag manufacturer.manuffaaacctturer. magazine by NSA and Shepherd Publishing take no responsibility for errors and omissions arising from publication. Views expressed Short lif fee animals Long liffee animals and information contained in Sheep Farmer belonging to difffeerent belonging to difffeerent are not necessarily those of NSA or Shepherd (Sire) groups (Sire) groups Publishing and, therefore, cannot be held Extrraa dimensions at responsible for any reason arising from them. no extrraa cost! Neither NSA or Shepherd Publishing endorses any services or products advertised in this issue. • Tag 4x fasterf Paper is FSC® certified. It is sourced from • 2x colour coding on both tags responsibly managed forests. • Synchronized double tagging

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MAY/JUNE 2014 1 Policy focus for NSA so members can optimise own farming businesses

By Phil Stocker, is so influential in framing agricultural futures, many farmers feel it is beyond NSA Chief Executive their influence and even wonder whether submitting views have any effect. I have As you emerge from a busy lambing to say, having spent many hours poring season I hope you notice we have been over consultation documents recently, busy here at NSA too, working in areas there are times when I have felt the that intend to help set the scene for same and wished the language used the best possible future and allowing was simpler with more practical you to concentrate on what’s evidence of the impact of the options. important on the farm. But getting our voice heard, and our With CAP and Rural Development knowledge considered, is essential and Programme consultations across the UK there are plenty of examples that show closing in March and April it has been that failing to do this leads to policy difficult for many farmers to find the decisions that do little more than get in time or space to respond and our way for many years. understandably, although our farming Carcase splitting/TSEs and EID are and rural development policy framework examples of where, once a regulation is Lambing Live gave an excellent portrayal in place, it can take years to review or of life as a sheep farmer, and also achieve changes. This is a huge area of explained sheep farming in the uplands our work and, put most simply, is about and how the sheep stratification system Contacting NSA explaining sheep farming, how it works. The Dyke family were great functions and all its attendant benefits ambassadors for the sheep industry and Phil and the team at NSA are always to policy and decision makers, and to I would like to thank them for their available to members and interested the public too. NSA cannot and should efforts and hard work in being the focus to hear opinions, concerns and areas not attempt to do all this alone and we for a brilliantly presented programme of interest. You can call NSA Head value our good relationships with similar that can only help to spread positive Office (Monday-Friday 9am-5.30pm) minded organisations and the farming messages to the public. The success of on 01684 892661 or direct an email unions – working collectively, while Lambing Live just shows what a good to one of the addresses below. recognising differences, means we can story we have to tell and NSA will NSA is also pleased to announce the share the load and pull together for the continue to build our activities in this arrival of a new face to the team, benefit of all our members and the wider area. Helen Breakwell, who is providing farming community. As always there are challenges too, additional administrative support to and BBC Countryfile has recently members. Sheep worrying by dogs covered a number of issues that we With our new TSE report now being should be prepared to face with The NSA Team circulated among politicians and transparency rather than shy away from. Phil Stocker decision makers, calling for a relaxation One was the ongoing Monbiot agenda of Chief Executive in sheep controls based on zero re-wilding which I feel we are already [email protected] evidence of a human health risk, we well placed to tackle (see pages 20-21), Julie Jennings returned our attention in early April to a and the other was non-stun slaughter, Association Secretary/ subject closely linked to the public, that featured in some depth with Rizvan PA to Chief Executive of sheep worrying by dogs (see page Khalid from Euro Quality Lamb doing a [email protected] 18). To maximise publicity we partnered fine job explaining the situation with Helen Breakwell with the Farmers Guardian and stepped openness and honesty. The recent Bookkeeper/PA to Chief Executive up our use of social media to get welfare prosecution of Channel [email protected] messages out as wide as possible and Livestock relating to the Ramsgate live Joanne Briggs promote an incredible new web-based export fiasco in 2012 is another area Communications Manager information resource at where we might not agree with the legal [email protected] www.nationalsheep.org.uk/dog-owners. decision (which lacked practicality and Caitlin Peck With potential links to this topic, but realism) but it shows we have to be Communications Officer to wider legal issues too, we have also prepared to discuss and debate the [email protected] been busy securing a fantastic new offer merits and risks of the trade and to Gill Callow of support for NSA members in the form push for consistent regulatory Membership Secretary of 30 minutes of no charge/no enforcement and best practice [email protected] obligation legal advice from Clarke throughout the EU. Charlotte Underwood Wilmott, specialists in agricultural legal If your lambing is behind you, I hope Membership Recruitment matters (see page 3). it went well and that the remainder of [email protected] this season is kind. If you’re still in the Helen Davies BBC Lambing Live throws of it, I wish you well. Whichever Corporate Relations Returning to engaging the public on category you fall into I hope you enjoy [email protected] sheep farming matters, I thought BBC this issue of Sheep Farmer.

2 SHEEP FARMER News Update

New NSA legal helpline NSA is delighted to offer a new legal helpline for members, at no extra cost over the existing membership fee. Members can call Clarke Willmott LPP, a national law firm, for up to 30 minutes of free advice on the telephone, after which the member can instruct the law firm or use an alternative company. When you call the hotline number of 08719 193505 and give your NSA Competition deadlines! membership number you will be directed Don’t forget the deadline for entering the NSA Sheep Event video competition to the best person to deal with the (with a prize fund of £700) is Friday 16th May. Visit www.sheepevent.org.uk/ enquiry in Clarke Wilmott’s agricultural media.php for details – and remember, you don't need to submit a full edited team. There is no limit to the number of video as help in on hand. If you think a stationary image is more your thing, NSA times you can use the service, so you South Sheep is running a photographic competition at its event with a closing date can access additional 30-minutes of Saturday 31st May. Details at www.southsheep.org.uk/competitions. sessions if you have more than one legal issue over a year. Nematodirus warning map Save the date Date of NSA AGM The SCOPS warning map for the After the success of the inaugural Notice is hereby given that the 121st nematodirus threat to lambs can be conference in November 2012, the Annual General Meeting of the found at www.scops.org.uk. The map Sheep Health and Welfare Group National Sheep Association will be was already red for the Midlands, (SHAWG) is running another sheep- held at the Westmorland Room, southern England and all of Wales in the focused event on Wednesday 26th Westmorland County Agricultural middle of April; the threat commonly November 2014 at Yarnfield Park Society, Lane Farm, Crooklands, lasts into early June. Remember, no Conference Centre, Yarnfield, Stone, Milnthorpe, Cumbria. LA7 7NH, at anthelmintic product has any persistent Staffordshire, ST15 0NL. There is a 10.30am on Thursday August 14th activity against nematodirus so great line-up of speakers planned and 2014. treatment based on risk of disease on bookings (at £30+VAT per person) will Members are entitled to appoint a the individual farm is essential. Speak be accepted in the near future. Details proxy to vote on their behalf at the to your vet or animal health advisor. will be added to www.nationalsheep. AGM and the Proxy Notice will be org.uk/shawg over the coming weeks. available at www.nationalsheep. org.uk. Any member wishing to have Product information New NSA representatives a copy of the Annual Report and Bimeda has confirmed supplies of its NSA Marches Region Chairman Kevin Accounts for the year ended 31st new formulation Gold Fleece Sheep Harrison has been elected to the NSA December 2013 please contact NSA Dip are now available, with a 49-day UK Policy and Technical Committee. Head Office. meat withdrawal period instead of 70 He joins Dan Phipps (Eastern Region) The AGM will be followed by a farm days. The 60% w/v diazinon dip is as the second English representative walk at Low Foulshaw Farm, Kendal, effective against blowfly strike, lice, on the committee and replaces Geoff Cumbria, LA8 8ET, by kind permission ticks, sheep scab and keds. Lawn (Northern Region), who NSA of NSA Chairman John Geldard and Merial Animal Health has also thanks for his excellent work in the his family. announced the release of a position. There are also two new Schmallenberg vaccine, SBVvax. As English reps on the NSA Finance and with Bovilis SBV, the vaccine release General Purposes – Matt Bagley Share your local dialect by MSD Animal Health last year, the (Central Region) and Bob Blanden NSA is supporting the Foundation for Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) (South East Region). They replace Common Land in an attempt to has granted SBVvax a provisional David Prosser (South East) and David document all the regional variations for licence in order to get the product to Gregory (South West) who contributed sheep terminology that exist in different market without many years of lengthy a great deal during their terms. areas. The information will be used to testing. For this reason it is permitted inform organisations who engage with for use in non-pregnant sheep and Sad passing farmers (particularly in the uplands) of cattle but it is not yet know if it protects It is with great sadness that NSA reports particular regional language. This initial stock for life or needs an annual the passing of Philip Bolam, a former survey is a pilot for England, with the booster. The licence for SBVvax states NSA President (1982-1994) and ardent intention to invite inputs from Scotland it prevents viraemia in sheep and supporter of this organisation over many and Wales to extend coverage across cattle, whereas the licence for Bovilis years. Philip was hugely passionate the hills and uplands of Britain. Complete SBV states it reduces viraemia is about the NSA and remained in regular the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/ sheep and cattle. NSA understands contact and abreast of activity right up s/hillfarmingterms or, if you do not have the cost of both vaccines is now lower until his death on 12th April 2014. An internet access, contact NSA Head than Bovilis SBV was in 2013. obituary for Philip can be found in the Office for a hard copy. news section of the NSA website.

MAY/JUNE 2014 3 Regional News

Cymru/Wales SouthWestern. His Grace the Duke of Montrose Honorary President By Helen Davies, Since then we are Development Officer learning that the John Geldard What a difference a year launch of the new National Chairman makes. This spring has seen excellent system is having David Croston weather for lambing, the grass is ‘teething problems’ Honorary Treasurer growing well and if this continues then as there is a lot of Central we hope the industry should have far confusion not only less input costs compared with last for farmers but also Bob Payne Anne Payne year and help towards putting some for trading Regional Chairman Regional Sec/Manager 01142 883241 01142 883241 confidence back into sheep. standards, NSA’s sheep worrying 07713 007734 07803 744437 bobandanne@ bobandanne@ As a region we have again working on markets and signs are free to handbanktexels.wanadoo. handbanktexels.wanadoo. your behalf submitting responses different software members – call NSA co.uk co.uk regarding Glastir, the Rural Development companies. One Head Office or email Programme, the new animal health member enquiries@ Cymru Wales framework in Wales and EID Cymru. All emphasised that nationalsheep.org.uk. Paul Wozencraft Helen Davies of these consultations have a great ultimate Regional Chairman Regional Development Officer 01597 810552 01938 590535 bearing on the future of the Welsh responsibility lies 07775 338985 07976 803066 sheep industry and NSA Cymru can only with the owner of the sheep and to wozencraft963@ helen@nationalsheep. btinternet.com org.uk hope that the Minister does take heed protect ourselves we should be reading of the responses made by our numbers, manually or electronically, at Eastern organisation and others. home before they leave the holding. Wales is hosting the NSA Breed Dog worrying continues to be a Andrew Foulds Jonathan Barber Regional Chairman Regional Manager Society Forum on Thursday 8th May, problem in the region and one regional 01842 890828 01953 607860 when we hope to see a large turnout of member was interviewed by BBC East 07836 287281 07712 659262 andrew.fouldes@elveden. jonathan@ceressolutions. breed society representatives at the Midlands Today about a catalogue of com co.uk event. The Breed Society Forum has incidents affecting many farmers in and taken its turn to be hosted in England around the Derwent Valley and Ladybower Marches and Scotland so we are pleased to see Dams in Derbyshire. The increasing Kevin Harrison Angela Weston it coming to Wales this time. numbers of visitors to this area – Regional Chairman Regional Secretary 01179 323441 01454 260220 Congratulations go to Margaret encouraged by extended access for the 07900 056562 07708 244151 Dalton OBE, a NSA Cymru Trustee, on public – has resulted in escalating [email protected] [email protected] winning the prestigious George Hedley incidents, including groups of sheep Memorial Award; she is a most worthy stampeded across cattle grids onto the Northern winner of this accolade (see page 7). main road and killed; sheep found in Adam Watson Julie A Sedgewick And well done to Rhydian Thomas, our fields across the valley, having swum Regional Chairman Regional Manager 01434 381243 01325 314650 Welsh NSA Next Generation the reservoir in desperation (and some 07766 720423 07836 773888 Ambassador, for attending the first of drowning in the process); ewes separated [email protected] [email protected] many training days organised for the from their lambs; and numerous Northern Ireland group (see page 8). incidents of sheep being killed or maimed. Meet NSA Cymru Chairman Paul What upset her most were dog owners John Blaney Edward Adamson Wozencraft on pages 16-17. not reporting what has happened but Regional Chairman Regional Development Officer 07712 769084 02893 366225 quietly putting their dogs on leads and [email protected] 07711 071290 Central departing, leaving the sheep to die in edward.adamson1@gmail. com By Bob and Anne Payne, agony. Let’s hope NSA activity in this Chairman and Manager area helps to raise the levels of Scottish In contrast to last year, when many of awareness in the general public (see Sybil MacPherson George Milne us were digging out sheep from under page 18). Regional Chairman Regional Development Officer snow-drifts, we are blessed with plenty 01838 200218 01334 472403 07796 018528 07831 511330 of grass and are hearing reports of Eastern [email protected] [email protected] sheep producing good numbers of lively By Jonathan Barber, lambs with higher birth weights, their Manager South East mums being in surprisingly good We are looking ahead to our regional condition consid ering the wet winter. farm walk on Wednesday 11th June at Andrew Barr Bob Blanden Nevertheless our ‘resident vet’ has 2pm at Ickworth Park, Horringer, Bury Regional Chairman Regional Manager 01273 858544 01666 860308 issued a word of warning that there is a St Edmunds, IP29 5QE, which promises 07768 867124 07860 689391 [email protected] [email protected] lot of fluke about due to the wet to be an interesting afternoon. conditions. Ickworth Park is owned by National South West In March a packed audience (around Trust with the grazing farmed by the 200 people) attended the NSA sheep Seabrook family for over 40 years. Bryan Griffiths Kate White Regional Chairman Regional Secretary movements database roadshow at It is a family partnership between 01769 560393 01823 672341 Bakewell Market to hear presentations Paul Seabrook, sister Gillian and mother 07779 465729 07736 371640 bryan.southcott@ [email protected] from RPA and database provider Daphne. Another sister, Jenny, also btconnect.com

4 SHEEP FARMER manages the farm office. There are 500 Northern Suffolk cross Mule ewes put to a Texel By Julie Sedgewick and 500 Mules mated by Suffolks and The Northern Region Texels. All this in the beautiful AGM was held at the end surroundings of Ickworth park. We look of February at a new venue, forward to seeing you there. Hexham Auction Mart’s function room. We had a good turnout to see Adam Marches Watson, Greg Dalton and Eddie By Kevin Harrison, Chairman Eastham all re-elected as Chairman, By the time you read this I Vice Chairman and Treasurer imagine most of us will have respectively. Peter Lee from Morley finished lambing. All our lambing took NSA Northern Region Chairman Adam Hill, Allendale, Northumberland, was place in March and it was nice to have Watson (right) presents Peter Lee (left) awarded the T.I. Allinson Memorial one less thing to worry about with the with the T.I. Allinson Memorial Award for Award, presented by NSA Northern weather behaving itself. If you were outstanding achievement in the Region for outstanding achievement in lambing this year I hope it’s all gone northern farming industry. the northern farming industry. well for you – now the hard work starts After the AGM there was a talk by with keeping them going! member to join up. David Raine and Phil Stocker on an Planning is in full swing for the NSA We are also in the process of industry-led visit to New Zealand in Marches Region Young Shepherd’s planning the Marches Region AGM, so if 2013, plus a very informative report Competition on Saturday 7th June (see you fancy hosting or know a member from our two sponsored young farmers page 8 or who you think would be good as a host on their attendance at the Northern www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events). It contact one of us and let us know. Farming Conference. would be great to see all you young Finally I have had some interesting NSA Northern Region also hosted two budding shepherds out there showing conversations with members over the meetings at the beginning of March with off your skills, whether it is just for fun last few months with regard to rams SouthWestern, the Irish-based company or to get to the national finals at the being fit for purpose. One of the that won a three-year contract from NSA Sheep Event in July. I think you problems that seems to be bubbling to Defra to provide the ARAMS database. might even make me feel old to boot! the top is CLA. I was fortunate enough The meetings offered farmers the Another new NSA member from the to be able to take part in an NSA chance to ask the systems provider Marches region has managed to scoop discussion group about CLA which was questions and find out more about the the prize of the 3in1 feeder again. We really useful, and it would seem that a service, which is which is based in must either be a lucky region or a UK vaccine is very close if we wanted it. Milton Keynes. Over 160 attended the popular one for people to be joining at If you have any views on this it will be first meeting at J36 Rural Auction Centre the minute! Don’t forget to get yourself great to hear from you so we can take into the draw by recommending a new the right action. Continued on page 6

NSA Supporters Corporate Sponsors

NSA thanks the following companies for their sponsorship, which is invaluable Agrimin Novartis Animal in supporting the work NSA does on behalf of the sheep sector. Agropharm Health Assured Food Randall Parker Foods Gold Sponsors Standards Ritchey Bayer Animal Health SAC Consulting / ANIMAX Bimeda Premium Sheep veterinary technology Caltech Crystalx and Goat Health Cox Agri Scheme g Euro Quality Lambs SAI Global HSBC Agriculture Secure Covers Healthy Hooves ECO TM Innovis Shearwell Data JG Animal Health TGM Software Limagrain Tithebarn Marks and Spencer Welshpool Livestock McGregor Polytunnels Sales Menter a Busnes Wessex Animal MSD Animal Health Health Neil Phillips Livestock Transport

For information on becoming a Gold or Corporate Sponsor, please contact Helen Davies on 01938 590535, 07976 803066 or [email protected].

MAY/JUNE 2014 5 ▼ in Cumbria and more than 80 consultations and proposals suggested, concerned about coupled support, attended the evening meeting at including greed, self-interest, apathy and where it would take our sheep industry Hexham. total confusion. and what exactly we were trying to The region is proud to announce that Last year we had the devastating achieve apart from adding addition NSA North Sheep 2015 will be held on snow blizzards and before that several inspections, retention periods and Wednesday 3rd June 2015 at Millstone tragic slurry accidents, which united the possible individual identification of Moor Farm, Cockermouth, Cumbria, by farming community as one and we stood sheep tied to counts. At 5% of €27m it very kind permission of Neil and Sally shoulder to shoulder. The flexibility of became difficult to say no, but as it Marston. The family-run 350-acre farm this CAP reform has turned farmer transpired that 5% was not available we is home to the Highberries crossing against farmer, neighbour against are back to getting the regional Bluefaced Leicester flock, producing some neighbour, so let’s hope as you read payments set accordingly instead. At of the most sought after North of England this it has been resolved and we can least as a result of this we are now Mule ewe lambs sold in the north. once again unite. clear that minimum stocking levels can If only a vibrant agricultural industry be used to trigger activity, which is vitally Northern Ireland could survive without the need for important to ensure money does not go By Edward Adamson, payments, which in essence means to ‘slipper farmers’. Remember to join Development Officer cheaper food for the general public. Post us at NSA Scot Sheep on Wednesday May is going to be a very busy month war 50% of wages were needed to buy 4th June for a debate on the new area for NSA NI Region. We have our NSA the food for the family, today it’s less payments and rules (full details of the Sheep Centre, which has increased in than 10%. But at least spring is in the event on page 9). size, to man at Balmoral Show (14th- air. Let’s hope it’s followed by a super 16th May) where everyone interested summer! South East in sheep and related trade must visit. By Bob Blanden, Encourage someone to join NSA at Scotland Manager Balmoral and have the chance to win By George Milne, I cannot help but think back a year to the revolutionary Advantage 3in1 Development Officer how much this spring differs to last – Feeder. CAP reform will but I have an admission as I was Then we have our Study Trip to Wales certainly result in actually in the heat of Australia visiting (19th-21st May) when we will visit change for many my daughter and her family then! This several excellent farms, Dunbia’s lamb sheep farmers, and it year they will be over here, visiting plant at Llanbydder and the plant is no wonder that sheep England in late June when I hope we breeding and Innovis sheep breed farmers are unsure of what can reciprocate with good weather at centres at Aberystwyth. Anyone lies ahead when NSA and other NSA South Sheep at Black Cap Farm in interested should check with me if there stakeholder groups have had to Sussex (see page 10 for details). are any available places on the trip. respond to a Government consultation Planning for the event is going well Then on 26th May the Norbrook based on rules which changed almost and we are expecting a great day, Closamectin Sheepdog Sale will be held on a weekly basis. especially as we have made it FREE to at Ballymena Livestock Market. We It is totally unsatisfactory that our members when you present a valid always enjoy a good turnout of dogs, sheep industry has been dragged and membership card on entry (one entry customers and spectators for this event. pulled from one idea to another based per card). If you are unable to attend At the time of writing, Northern on hearsay and second hand NSA South Sheep you can still Ireland is still patiently waiting to hear information. In particular I refer to participate by entering the photography the announcement of how CAP reform coupled support in the sheep sector, competition online at will be implemented here. This has where different views came from www.southsheep.org.uk. We are only proved to be one of the most divisive Scotland, UK and Brussels. One minute using digital submissions, to keep costs and sad periods we have had in NI we were being told yes, 5% extra would low and convenience high. farming circles for many years. There be available, then suddenly no, not Please contact me if you might be have been many reactions to the available. The reality is that we are interested in joining a coach party to the moving to area- event from either Thame, Cirencester or based payments, Salisbury markets. Cost will be Premium Quality Red Lump Rock Salt therefore it would dependent on numbers and we cannot seem reasonable guarantee running a coach if there is not Ball of Madley Ltd to expect that we enough support. The coaches will be EST 1970 must make that available to members and non-members change and get alike. bom the area payment THE ROCK SALT MEN regions set South West correctly for the By Bryan Griffiths, ‡,PSRUWHGDQGJUDGHGE\XV‡1RZDVWH way forward, not Chairman ‡/DUJHOXPSVL]H‡'HOLYHUHGQDWLRQZLGH jump about from Following a mild if one idea to the persistently wet winter, with few frosty If it’s not our name on the bag, next on a weekly mornings, most of the region’s flocks It’s NOT our salt! basis trying to were turned out post-lambing to a good make our bite of early grass. In my experience Telephone: 01981 250301 industry fit in grass only grows so much per year and with what comes nature may want to balance the books ZZZEDOORIPDGOH\KHUHIRUGFRXN along. at a later date. We are pleased to see ‘Hand selected from the Himalayas’ NSA was very stock returning to the Somerset Levels

6 SHEEP FARMER and hope the recovery is not too prolonged. NSA honours outstanding By the time you read this, the new sheep movements database will contributions to industry have been operational for a month. It is difficult to see For only the second time in nutrition and he why even the most the 53-year history of the has driven computer literate farmer George Medley Memorial improvements in would choose to report a Award, two people won the lamb feeding movement electronically accolade jointly. regimes and when the familiar Margaret Dalton OBE and production and quadruplicate ARAMS1 sheep consultant Dr John wintering systems. form is available and Vipond (pictured), were More recently, he doubles as a movement named were named as joint has supported the licence. It is vitally winners of the prize, which development of important that farmers NSA presents each year in ‘easy care’ sheep keep their home records as recognition of outstanding breeding accurate as possible, as contribution to the sheep schemes. John the database will certainly sector, at a celebratory has contributed to include errors and non- dinner in London in late professional reads sent automatically March. organisations from CPRCs. The number Margaret Dalton worked including the one priority for the NSA is tirelessly to make a success Highland Mule to drive home the fact that of her Welsh hill farm and Breeders sheep identification is not raise two sons following the Association and an exact science and a death of her husband, Don, the British realistic level of tolerance just 12 years after they Grassland Society, is needed when the RPA bought the farm in 1963. where he recently come calling. Regardless, she still found her home farm and served as President. He has NSA South West Region time to hold numerous campaigns for the collaborated with the has arranged a visit for positions within the sheep legalisation of smokies, Scottish Quality Beef and members to the North industry, including NSA which she believes could Lamb Association and Wyke Research Farm on Cymru/Wales Chairman, open up a multi-million Quality Meat Scotland on the 8th July. North Wyke is roles within her county NFU pound market for UK sheep development of farm engaged in extensive long- branch, agricultural producers. assurance schemes for the term trials of different grass discussion group and show Dr John Vipond, Senior sheep industry. varieties and management society, and the Women’s Sheep Consultant for SAC The presentation in March systems in a high rainfall Food and Farming Union. Consulting, SRUC, has been was for the 2013 award. area. The project involves She has won NFU and NFU dedicated to the practical Nominations for the 2014 monitoring the nutritional Cymru Woman Farmer of the use of science for the benefit recipient will be invited from quality of different swards, Year awards and received of the UK sheep industry industry organisations, drainage water and the the OBE in 2001. Margaret throughout his career. unions and committees effects on the environment. continues to take the lead on Dr Vipond’s PhD was in towards the end of the year.

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MAY/JUNE 2014 7 NSA Ambassadors meet for first time

Having been selected via a highly first delivery session was supported by competitive process at the beginning of Eblex and saw its team of in-house this year, the 11 individuals appointed experts provide best practice information to the inaugural NSA Next Generation on a wide range of topics including Ambassador Group met for the first assessment of soil and grass, using time in March. EBVS, body condition scoring and Having travelled from every corner of minimising lambing losses. There were the UK, it was hugely valuable for the also sessions on the make-up of the UK Ambassadors to share information about sheep industry and how consumers their own sheep flocks as well as perceive lamb. participate in the training provided. The Eblex sponsored Wyn Owen, an organisational development consultant, to deliver some personal development NSA Next Generation training too, looking at issues such as The NSA Next Generation Ambassadors Ambassadors time management, achieving targets and at the first delivery day in March. negotiating skills. ● Jennifer Craig, Lanarkshire Joanne Briggs, NSA Communications “The Ambassadors are now looking ● James Davison, County Antrim Manager, says: “This first ever forward to the second delivery session ● James Drummond, Ambassador Group is a very impressive in early June, looking at the lamb supply Northumberland collection of ambitious, forward-thinking chain from farm, to market/abattoir and ● Thomas Gibson, County Antrim sheep farmers who are most definitely onto the shop shelf. This will be followed ● James Hamilton, East Sussex the future leaders of our industry. The by a financial planning day on 29th July ● Sara Jones-Richards, Cornwall first delivery session was a perfect mix before the Ambassadors represent NSA ● John Kirkpatrick, Derbyshire of practical business skills and at the Sheep Event on 30th July.” ● Marie Prebble, Kent challenging concepts, with plenty of ● Andrew Prentice, Iona opportunities for the Ambassadors to Find out more about the NSA Next ● Kate Robinson, Gloucestershire compare their different sheep Generation project and meet the ● Rhydian Thomas, Carmarthenshire enterprises and make targets for Ambassador Group at improvement over the coming years. www.nsanextgeneration.org.uk.

Still chance to qualify for Young Shepherd of the Year final

With the national Young Shepherd of the Year competition fast approaching, there are just three regional qualifiers remaining before the big final. Each NSA region can put two competitors forward for the national final at the NSA Sheep Event in Worcestershire on Wednesday 30th July. Most have already got their two representatives but three competitions still remain:- ● NSA Scotland qualifier at NSA Scot Sheep on Wednesday 4th June (see page 9 for details). per issue ● NSA Marches qualifier on Saturday 7th June (see below). ● NSA South East qualifier at NSA South Sheep on Saturday 28th June (see page 10 for details). NSA Marches Region is holding its first ever Young ACH AND EVERY WEEK Shepherd of the Year competition and combining it with an on- SAVE 75P PER ISSUE E farm open day on Saturday 7th June at Upleadon Court, Newent, Gloucestershire, by kind invitation of Henry and Carol RECEIVE FarmersWWW.FARMERSGUARDIAN.COM Dunn and family, sponsored by Randall Parker Foods. PLUS Guardian FIRST DRIVE Mixed farm tasks for FRIDAY MARCH 14 2014 £2.65 AGRICULTURE’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER Kubota 60 Series p19 DAIRY FOCUS ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION p33-45 The Young Shepherd of the Year competition is open to

100 PAGES OF NEWS AND VIP MEMBER BENEFITS CLASSIFIEDS NEWS 3 Tractor MOTs scrapped anyone under the age of 26 and carries a prize fund of £600, BUSINESS 14 Dairy farm profit shift

ARABLE 16 Roots planting underway AT NO EX Although sales of organic food have grown, the number of UK organic producers is still in decline, prompting fears of relying on imports to meet the demand. MACHINERY 22 TRA CHAR Telehandler including a category for highest placed under 21-year-old. Organic sales bounce back buyers’ guide GE LIVESTOCK 28-29 Sheep EID as producer numbers fall database Q&A SALES 52 rOrganic demand Industry analysts have also sug- feed prices, extreme weather, tight were appearing before the crisis. Experts said arable, poultry, Chelford Blues gested the rise is, in part, down to organic premiums and mixed He said most growth was down eggs, lamb and fish were the sec- will outstrip supply a lack of consumer trust in the signals from retailers and policy to the fact ‘organic produce con- tors most vulnerable. top 7,000gns rFears shelves will large supermarkets and their makers have fuelled the decline. tains fewer chemicals and pesti- Christopher Stopes, president Download an application form at obsession with price. cides, is unprocessed and is of the International Federation of IN YOUR FIELD 60 be filled with imports Chief executive of Soil Associa- Demand perceived as a healthier choice’. Organic Agriculture Movements, tion Certification Rob Sexton said: This comes on the back of vigor- The dairy sector has seen the blamed Defra for a lack of support “The feel good factor coming from ous demand among consumers, strongest growth, with overall in developing the industry. By Olivia Midgley consumers is not feeding through with independent retailers such as sales increasing by 4.4 per cent. “This is in contrast to other Eu- to farmers. Demand is growing farm shops and farmers markets Sales of organic vegetables in- ropean countries and ignores the ORGANIC sales have grown for while output is declining.” enjoying a 6.9 per cent rise in sales creased by 3.4 per cent, while the opportunities under the new rural the first time in four years but a Only 606,000 hectares (1.5m to nearly £10 million a week. market for meat, fish and poultry development regulation of CAP continued decline in the number acres) – 3 per cent – of Britain’s agri- It chimes with the latest report grew by 2.2 per cent. and other positive initiatives such of organic producers means de- cultural land is currently organic. from Shore Capital, which says Mr Sexton added: “There is a as the European Innovation Part- mand will soon outstrip supply. In 2013, the number of organic consumers are being ‘turned off’ core of farmers who are commit- nership,” said Mr Stopes. “Organ- STEVE HEARD, Although the latest organic re- producers fell by 6.3 per cent to by large supermarkets due to a ted to organic produce, but many ic is almost seen as a dirty word.” port from the Soil Association 6,487, with the biggest reductions lack of trust in their pricing. question whether farmgate prices Marketing director at Produce LEICESTER forecasts the market will build in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Mr Sexton said the growth are enough to make sure their World Andrew Ovens said he “With reduced on last year’s 2.8 per cent growth, North East England. in organic could partly be attrib- businesses remain viable. thought there would be higher puddles in the it reports confidence among The report’s findings show a uted to the horsemeat scandal, “There is a fear shelves will be growth in organic vegetables ‘if www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events or contact Event Organiser farmers is ‘fragile’. combination of continuing high but the green shoots of revival filled with imports to meet demand.” the supply was there’. tramlines, we have now managed to apply the first ALUN DAVIES WELSH FARM UNIONS BLAST p10-11 nitrogen to our oilseed crop” Includes Subscribe now WWW.FARMERSGUARDIAN.COM FREE Dyana Webb on 07971 409259 or [email protected]. App edition Upleadon Court will be open all day (11am-4.30pm) for www.subscription.co.uk/fg/nssf each week anyone who would like to look around the farm and specially Call 0844 543 8021 and quote NSSF arranged demonstrations and trade stands. The family-run farm has 600 ewes, a beef unit and some arable, and is also home of the Mayhill Lamb Producer Group and collection Pay only £99 annually or just £24.75 per quarter centre for its members.

8 MARCH/APRILSHEEP FARMER 2014 Perfect location and record trade stand bookings for NSA Scot Sheep

This year’s NSA Scot Sheep, organised by NSA Scottish Region with Bank of Scotland as major sponsor, is set to be bigger than ever. Everything is gearing up for the event on Wednesday 4th June at Quixwood, Duns, Berwickshire, TD11 3RS, by kind permission of John and Iain Macfarlane. There is a record number of 34 sheep breeds booked to be represented in the sheep breeds’ area, plus seven individual flocks of various breeds. Other trade stands and sponsorship are also well ahead of expectations with very strong numbers booked in. Several thousand sheep farmers from all over Scotland, northern England and further afield are expected to attend, which is ideally situated just off the A1 at Grantshouse. Hosts John and Ian Macfarlane (far right and right) with Event David Leggat, United Auctions Executive Chairman and NSA Organiser Euan Emslie (far left) and Chairman David Leggat. Scot Sheep Organising Committee Chairman, says: "We have an excellent committee of local farmers and NSA office bearers Galloway & MacLeod), sheepdog trial (sponsored by McCaskies planning this large-scale on-farm event and we can look forward Farm Supplies), a comprehensive seminar programme to a first-class day of interest to sheep farmers and everyone in (sponsored by SRUC), show and sale of pair of ewe hoggs the supply chain. It is an event which no one with an interest in (sponsored by Banks Renewables), working demonstrations and sheep farming can afford to miss.” a farmers market. Quixwood, and the adjoining farms of Ferneylea and In addition to Bank of Scotland as major sponsor, the event Drakemyre, is a typical Border upland farm rising to 850ft and is supported by Quality Meat Scotland with the following extending to 2,500 acres, with another 200 acres farmed on a mainline sponsors – AgriLloyd, British Wool Marketing Board, contract basis. There are 1,500 ewes and 700 suckler cows, Caltech Crystalyx, Campaign for Wool, CKD Galbraith, Harbro, plus arable cropping comprising of 600 acres of winter wheat, MSD Animal Health, Novartis Animal Health, Scotbeef, Scotmin winter and spring barley, winter and spring oats and beans, Nutrition, Shearwell Data, Texel Sheep Society and United most of which is fed to the stock. The area of trees providing Auctions. useful shelter belts for the stock extends to 300 acres. High output focus The business is geared to high output from feed grown on the farm, with a minimum of bought-in concentrates. The sheep NATIONAL SHEEP ASSOCIATIONN flock comprises 300 Blackface ewes crossed with the Bluefaced SCOTSHEEP20144 Leicester to produce replacement females for the 500-strong SCOTTISH REGION Mule ewe flock which is crossed with Texel tups. The Texel Mule ewes are then put to the Suffolk to produce the slaughter generation. The beef herd is closed and, with plans to produce home-bred Blackies, the sheep flock will be in the future too. All lambs and calves not selected as replacements are finished through to slaughter and sold deadweight to Scotbeef. Lambing starts indoors in late February, followed by the hogs in mid-March and the Blackface ewes in April. Ewes are fed on a TMR when housed and lambs creep fed with the aim of catching the early lamb market. With all this going on, the farm tours are expected to be very popular on the day of Scot Sheep. Visitors will be transported by tractor and trailer to view the farm and stock, with stop-off points where experts from Watson Seeds and SRUC will be on hand to discuss various aspects grass and soil management. Other attractions on the day will include the Young Shepherd of the Year competition (sponsored by Rumenco), sheep shearing challenge (sponsored by Nettex), stockjudging (sponsored by

NSA Scot Sheep always proves popular with farmers from Scotland and further afield.

MAY/JUNE 2014 9 Convenience of weekend date to draw crowds to NSA South Sheep

The NSA South East Region’s biennial event is being held at Blackcap Farm, Firle, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6LR, on Saturday 28th June from 9am to 5pm by kind permission of Tony Monnington and family. Blackcap Farm is rented from the Glynde Estate, where over 200 years ago John Ellman developed the Southdown breed. While host farmer Tony does not use Southdowns today, he does have Hampshire and Suffolk rams, whose early development as breeds would have been from Southdowns. Tony also uses Texel rams on his 550-ewe Mule and Suffolk cross Mule flock, which is so important in maintaining fertility on this light chalk farm within the Southdown National Park, enabling him to grow wheat, spring barley and oil seed rape. There is also a 90-cow suckler herd. The farm tours will be a highlight of the event as the farm is high up on the Southdown hills affording magnificent views south to the English Channel and north to the High Weald. The butchery demonstration, sponsored by Randall Parker South Sheep 2014 is very grateful to our major sponsors, Foods, was a popular feature at the 2012 event. Novartis Animal Health with Ritchey and lamb processors Randall Parker Foods, for once again supporting our event and There will be a number of demonstrations and workshops showing their confidence in us providing an extremely useful throughout the day. Eblex are highlighting the importance of occasion for sheep farmers to come and benefit from all the lamb selection, as well as overseeing the full seminar technical information available at an on-farm event. programme and sponsoring Miriam Parker of Livestockwise to There will be indoor and outdoor trade stands providing the run a sheep handling workshop. There will be butchery latest information, plus breed societies and individual breeders. demonstrations on the Randall Parker stand, which was very Check out the website for details. popular at our 2012 event. Also there will be shearing demonstrations organised by Phil Hart from Plumpton College, crook-making with Reg Marshall, spinning and weaving in the area by the fleece competitions (which are sponsored by British Wool Marketing Board), as well as cooking demonstrations by a chef from Dunbia, who will be overseeing a Ready ‘Welly’ Cook competition. For the first time our event has some trial plots with different grasses, clovers and forage crops that has been kindly sponsored and managed by Agrifactors (Southern) Ltd. Another first will be a sheepdog trial. With open and novice sections it is being organised by John Marsh of the Sussex Sheepdog Society, who has said that it will be a great venue and is expecting up to 70 dogs to be running. Shepherd of the Future competition The Shepherd of the Future competition has two sections – the open sponsored by Mole Valley Farmers with a prize fund of £1,000 and the student section sponsored by Volac/Lamlac with a £500 prize fund. Something that anyone can participate in, even if they will not be there on the day, is a photography competition sponsored by our programme publisher South East Farmer magazine. Details are on the website. Event Organiser and Regional Manager Bob Blanden says: “With free entry for members, a move to a more densely sheep populated area and a change to a Saturday date, we are expecting a big turnout. A weekend compared to midweek also means less commercial traffic, commuters and school runs. In addition to all the important business and technical knowledge that you will gain from coming, there will also be a chance to relax and socialise with local beers and quality local food on site – after all, it is a Saturday! We are looking to arrange coaches from Salisbury, Cirencester and Thame Markets so get in touch if you are interested in travelling that way.”

10 SHEEP FARMER Packed programme for visitors to NSA Sheep Event 2014

Plans are well advanced for NSA Sheep Event 2014, the flagship technical event for the sheep sector held at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, on Wednesday 30th July. As well as technical and best practice advice being offered by a number of organisations and commercial companies, a world class seminar programme will be running. Topics will cover liver fluke control, the NSA Next Generation project, finding the balance between food production and the environment, visions for the sheep sector of the future, reporting sheep movements and tackling sheep scab. Other attractions will include a series of clinics covering topics as diverse as sheep lameness and integrating trees into farming systems. Demonstrations will also be scattered throughout the event and include a whole area of demos and The technical seminar programme attracted large crowds in 2012. workshops encouraging a proactive approach to flock health. Martin Eccles from the Eblex butchery team will be doing a Searching for a new dog? Then don’t miss our 15th biennial cutting demonstration to show how lamb finishing specs sale of around 40 working sheepdogs. Also watch over a dozen influence the carcase. Linked to this will be a carcase professional fencing contractors compete in two-man teams to classification competition staged by Eblex and sponsored by erect 70m of Tornado high tensile stock fence in three hours. ABP; be in with the chance of winning £200 for correctly linking four lambs to their ideal market. Then watch the carcases put to Don’t miss the July edition of Sheep Farmer magazine, packed their intended use as four well known faces in the sheep sector full of information about the event. In the meantime, direct any compete against each other in the Ready, Steady, Cook enquiries to Event Organiser Helen Davies (contact details competition. below). Our thanks to all event sponsors, listed below, and If judging live lambs is more your thing, donate £1 to RABI to Farmers Guardian as media partner. enter the Texel Youth Development’s stockjudging challenge. The top prize is Ritchie Farm Implements lamb scales. Demonstrations British Wool Marketing Board will be running demonstrations on improving presentation and quality of fleeces to increase the value of your wool clip, while also running its regular fleece competition and supporting the open shearing competition and England Shearer of the Year Final. There’s a prize fund of £750 for the open competition.

Things to remember before the event

● If you want to enter the NSA Sheep Event Video Competition make sure you get your footage to us by Friday 16th May. See page 3 for details. ● Aged under 26 and want to qualify for the Young Shepherd of the Year final at NSA Sheep Event? There are still three regional qualifiers to be held in Scotland, South East and Marches regions. See page 8 for details. ● Don’t miss the Sheep Industry Dinner the night before the main event, attracting around 300 people from every part of the sector. Contact Event Organiser Helen Davies to book individual tickets or tables of 10. ● Hunt out your NSA membership card! You will need it on the gate for £6 entry, compared to £15 for non- members; one discounted entry per card. ● If you’re not in the NSA/3in1 Feeder free prize draw yet, get a friend or neighbour to sign up as a NSA member so you’ll both be entered into the draw and be eligible for £6 entry. Fill in the form on page 15 and either post it off now or bring it to the event. ● Non NSA-members can buy tickets at the ‘early bird’ rate of £10. Find out more at www.sheepevent.org.uk.

MARCH/APRIL 2014 11 One stop shop at Builth ram sales

A one stop shop system is being introduced to ensure a free-flow of introduced by the NSA Wales & Border traffic. Stewards will ensure only traffic Ram Sales Committee to speed up the not carrying stock can access from NSA Ram Sales 2014 system of paying for rams at the Horse Hill out onto the Llandrindod road. August and September sales. In addition, NSA has absorbed rising NSA Wales & Borders: Early Sale on It means customers will only have to costs and held entry prices as a gesture Monday 4th August and Main Sale on queue once to pay for rams bought from of goodwill to loyal vendors. Queries, Monday 22nd September, both at the one auctioneer, rather than having to including from anyone interested in Royal Welsh Showground. Contact paying at different ring cash desks for supplying a quad and driving for the Tup Jane Smith on 01291 673939 or individual purchases. Taxi service, should contact Jane Smith [email protected]. The NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales (see panel for contact details). NSA South West Region: Sale on Committee has also Wednesday 20th August at Exeter introduced measures to Livestock Centre. Contact Sue Martyn make the individual on 01409 271385, 07967 512660 auctioneer rings and cash or [email protected]. desks more readily NSA Eastern Region: Early Sale on identifiable. The layout of Friday 22nd August at Rugby Farmers the auctioneers’ area in Mart and Late Sale on Friday 19th the Glamorgan Hall will September at Melton Mowbray also be modified to allow Market. Contact Jonathan Barber on staff to maximise their 01953 607860 or own efficiency. [email protected]. The Tup Taxi service will be free this year and also Entry closing dates are 2nd July and a lot more efficient, with 6th August for the early and mail improved traffic control Builth sales respectively SureRam scheme in operation at NSA South West sale

The NSA South West Region Ram Sale rams must be treated with a licensed mid-May to vendors from the last three Organising Committee is pleased to scab control product (2% moxidectin years, along with more details of the announce that, following talks with subcutaneous injection or SureRam scheme. Any other prospective Zoetis Animal Health, rams will be on organophosphate plunge dipping) no vendors (who must be members of NSA) offer at the sale as guaranteed more than 14 days before sale and also will be able to download a form from SureRams. receive a dose of Startect dual-active www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events or These sheep will have undergone a wormer, administered on arrival at the contact Sue Martyn (details above). quarantine treatment for sheep scab and livestock centre by a vet. Qualifying stock Entries close on Monday 30th June with nematode worms, giving the purchaser will receive a SureRam certificate to ballot (to which all vendors are invited) confidence he is buying healthy stock display in their pen. taking place on Monday 7th July. and can put his rams to work The Organising Committee hopes immediately if necessary (although NSA vendors will take part in this scheme, Please note that as in previous years, still recommends a quarantine treatment which will be used as a marketing tool to sheep will have to pass an inspection period as best practice). encourage more purchasers to attend before being allowed into the sale ring. To be eligible for SureRam status all the sale. Entry forms will be sent out in Kivells will act as auctioneers.

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or telephone 01359 252 181 Second 3in1 Feeder given away

The second of six 3in1 Advantage Feeders has been given away in the NSA 2014 membership recruitment campaign, this time to Worcestershire farmer Andrew Baxter. A draw for the feeder is held every two months, with all new members eligible plus existing members who recommend a friend or neighbour. Simply cut out the application form opposite, write your membership number and/or postcode in the space provided and pass it onto a non-NSA member to get them to sign up. The more people you recommend, the more entries you get into the draw. “I joined up because Charlotte Underwood, the NSA Membership Recruitment Officer, is a near neighbour and had Andrew Baxter (centre) is presented with his prize by NSA been badgering me!” says Mr Baxter. “I find the regular email Marches Region Chairman Kevin Harrison (left) and Robert updates really helpful in keeping up with the latest news in the Ball from Advantage Feeders (right). sheep industry. The ability to access the Lambing List was another reason for joining.” “The 3in1 feeder I am sure will be a very useful acquisition,” says Mr Baxter, who paid to upgrade from the Farm facts 800 model (holds 500kg of feed) to the 1800 (1,150kg). Mr Baxter is a tenant on the Croome Estate, farming 670 “The principle of controlling feed rates and stopping gorging by acres in partnership with his wife. They run 350 ewes and 100 the greedy ones will be of great benefit and make creep sucklers, as well as growing 450 acres of combinable crops. feeding more cost efficient. The ability to be able to feed our The North Country Mule ewes are put to Suffolk rams and the own cereals through the feeder in a controlled way will be finished lambs sold through Worcester Market. The sheep and really useful too.” cattle are primarily grazed on HLS grassland that makes up part of the National Trust’s Croome Landscape Park. Terms and conditions at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/draw.

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14 SHEEP FARMER

Family focus on Welsh hill farm

By Joanne Briggs, NSA

Having been raised with his sister on a Welsh hill farm at Rhayader, Powys, and now with his own young children to show the ropes to, Paul Wozencraft knows the value of family in running a sheep farming business. As well as supporting his parents Eurfyl and Phylis on the family farm, Paul and wife Nicola have invested in their own land over the last couple of years to establish a sheep flock that their three children – Chloe (13), Oliver (9) and Jasmine (7) – all love to help out with. Brecknock Hill/Welsh ewes with their twin lambs. “The children are all mad about farming,” Paul says. “The girls are Welsh Government to direct payments to that comes onto the market and the especially keen on feeding the orphans upland farms that need support to inflated price when it does,” says Paul, at lambing time and Oliver is always with continue in their vital role, which acknowledging that for the time being at me at every opportunity and fast includes providing genetics and stock for least he must use his available land as becoming my advisor! I feel lambing time lowland units. efficiently as possible. is the season when all the family pulls His parent’s farm is typical of a The bulk of Paul’s 300 own ewes are together as a unit and we pitch in with traditional family hill farm in that part of Brecknock Hill Cheviots, accompanied by the day-to-day tasks that we are faced Wales, with roughly 80 hectares (200 some Eppynt Hill and Beulah Speckled with.” acres) of grassland and enclosed Faces, Balwen Welsh Mountains, Torwen Preserving the family farm in its role mountain plus common grazing rights on and Torddu Badger Face Welsh of producing food while also sustaining a second mountain. They took on the Mountains, and a couple of newly arrived rural communities and protecting the farm as a rented unit in 1967 and Herwicks. environment is a message that Paul is purchased it as sitting tenants in 1975. “I think we will soon be challenging keen to promote in his new role as NSA The farmstead is situated where the Adam Henson,” jokes Paul as he lists Cymru/Wales Chairman. He took on the rivers Wye and Elan converge, placing it his collection of traditional breeds. “I two-year office in February and has at edge of the Cambrian Mountains and have always had a passion for native already been vocal about the need for at the foot of the Elan Valley dams, built breeds and think the taste of this meat around 100 years ago to create cannot be rivalled. You lose the reservoirs and pipe water to the rapidly conformation, which is what the Farm facts expanding urban population in supermarket wants, but the eating Birmingham. experience seems to have been ● Three generations of the forgotten; mountain lambs do taste Wozencraft family – Eurfyl and Eppynt Speckles sweeter. Phylis own the family farm, Paul It was traditionally a beef and sheep “The market for small lambs seems and Nicola own and rent additional farm but with Paul now running his own to be shrinking as the big European land nearby, and children Chloe, stock and working off the farm part-time customers in Spain, Italy and Greece Oliver and Jasmine help out for Powys County Council, Eurfyl and struggle with financial troubles, so I wherever they can. Phylis have scaled back to sheep only. congratulate HCC for trying to open up ● 300 ewes on the family farm, all These are 300 Eppynt Hardy Speckled new markets for these lambs. We do Eppynt Hardy Speckled Face. Face ewes, mainly kept pure but with a now put a Texel cross ram across some ● 300 ewes owned by Paul and Texel cross ram used on the older of our ewes, as the market dictates that Nicola, mainly Brecknock Hill females for the first time last year. type of lamb, but that overlooks the fact Cheviots lambed in early March, Separate to the family farm, the land plus a small suckler herd and owned and rented by Paul and Nicola is heifer calves purchased annually more typical of new entrants finding their “I have always had to rear on the bucket. way into farming, taking whatever land ● High rainfall area but fairly free they can wherever it comes up. They own a passion for native draining land and only a couple of 40ha (100 acres), split between one breeds and think the fields liable to flooding. block next to the family farm and another ● Paul is a longstanding NSA nine miles away near the village of taste of this meat member, joining the NSA Llangurig, and also rent 12ha (30 acres) Cymru/Wales Committee a in various blocks with a lot of time and cannot be rivalled … number of years ago to represent money spent travelling in between. the Balwen Welsh Mountain “We would love to expand the size of mountain lambs do Sheep Society and now serving as the business but opportunities to taste sweeter.” Regional Chairman for two years. acquire land are very much restricted in our area, mainly due to a lack of supply Paul Wozencraft

16 SHEEP FARMER Eppynt Hardy Speckled Face ewes with Beulah lambs.

the hill lamb is the nucleus of the Paul Wozencraft (back breeding flock. left) with his family – “I thought Lambing Live was its best Jasmine and Oliver are ever this year and the host farmer was behind with Nicola, Chloe absolutely right when he looked over his and Eurfyl in front. They flock of hill ewes and said ‘If you get it are pictured on the family wrong here it follows all the way down farm near where the Elan the line’. We often forget this. You can and Wye rivers converge. never stop improving your flock, but it always comes back to them being tough enough to live in this environment.” Paul would like to sell breeding males CAP payments are going in the future but knows the blood lines to reduce over time and and marketing have to be right to rival will be more environmental the breeders already well known in the based, but the issue I feel show and sale rings. He started showing has been completely his Balwens around five years ago at the overlooked is different tier Royal Welsh Show – and this has firmly payments being applied in become a family affair. Wales. Our type of land is “The children live for Royal Welsh sold directly off the ewe at around 28- restricted by what it can grow without week, when my son takes charge of us 32kg. applying artificial fertiliser. The soil is all and my wife gets the clippers out to “This seems a small weight but the not rich enough to grow potatoes and the get the sheep (and me) looking their majority are native breeds and to get like, but it appears that payments have best!” he says. “The Balwen classes them up and over 38kg would be post- been steered in that direction. The costs simply get stronger and bigger every year Christmas when everything comes out of of production are so much higher in the so I tell the children that a rosette of any a bag,” says Paul, adding that he is uplands but that has not been colour is a real achievement. Mind you, always looking to reduce production recognised by Welsh Government.” I’m still waiting for the red colour. costs and would like to produce more This appreciation of the wider farming home-grown feed for this reason. situation as well as his own business Balwen breed “With the cost of feed and straw puts Paul in an excellent position as NSA “The Balwen breed has progressed so bedding continuing to rise, I feel the time Cymru Chairman, providing a voice for much it is simply unrecognisable from will come back when more farmers Welsh sheep farmers while also ensuring when they first came to the show. I am decide to do their own crops on their his own business faces the challenges proud to be involved with the breed own land again. When these products of the future. society and have been Chairman in the were cheaper it made economic sense past. Belonging to a sheep society is to buy it in and keep your own land in vital for any enthusiastic breeder. It is pasture but fuel, fertiliser and feed are how I started out and for any young child killing modern day profits. it is such an education they can never experience anywhere else and has a Low input systems sense of belonging to them.” “Grass is the biggest contributor in low Once home from the Royal Welsh, input systems but we have a short focus turns to the following season with grass-growing period here compared to rams turned out in early October. The other parts of Wales and are lucky to get ewes are scanned around Christmas one crop of silage, let along two or three. time and usually come in at around If we are able to join Glastir [the Welsh 150%, which Paul says is ‘really countryside stewardship scheme] we pleasing’ for the type of breeds. Ewes plan to grow swedes or roots to help scanned as empty are sold immediately, finish lambs in the autumn. My singles turned back outside and grandfather once told me that young March-born pure Balwen lambs. [Find twins/triplets housed ahead of early stock need young leys and I can see that more pictures and an archive of farm March lambing. From March through to for myself now. features in the members-only area of weaning as many lambs as possible are “I think we all need to accept that the NSA website.]

MAY/JUNE 2014 17 New sheep worrying website launched

Following the call to action in the last This provided NSA with the perfect edition of Sheep Farmer magazine, plus base to create and launch a new area of lots of publicity on social media and in the NSA website aimed at encouraging the local and regional farming press, an dog walkers to be responsible when incredible 580 sheep farmers filled in walking in the countryside. The new the NSA sheep worrying survey in the website at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/ month of March. dog-owners includes information about

Sheep Worrying Facts The NSA campaign asks walkers to Information from police forces in the UK obtained under the Freedom of always use a lead around sheep. Information Act shows a worrying upward trend, with 691 dog attacks reported in Picture courtesy of Bayer Animal Health, 2011, 738 in 2012 and 1,074 in 2013. who also helped with the online worming information. Headline figures from the NSA survey of 580 sheep farmers ● 60% of attacks occurred on private, enclosed fields with no footpath. keeping dogs on leads around livestock ● 63% of attacks involved just one dog. and also worming dogs to protect sheep ● 96% of attacks led to at least one sheep being stressed/injured and 63% to from faecal-transmitted diseases. It has invisible injuries (stress and abortion). Dog bites requiring a vet occurred in sections for both dog walkers and 40% of attacks and at least one sheep was killed in 35% of attacks. farmers on the legal situation covering ● The most frequent associated cost of a single attack (24% of respondents) was dog worrying and also encourages £200-£399, but 21% of single cases cost more than £1,000. owners not to leave dogs attended outside and to seek professional help in Headline figures from the FG survey of 1,379 dog walkers training unruly dogs. ● 28% of walkers always let their dog off the lead in the countryside; 57% do sometimes. Spreading the word ● 82% of walkers feel they are in control of their dog when it is off the lead. As in previous years when NSA has drawn attention to the issue of sheep ▼

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18 SHEEP FARMER Activity continues on TSEs DO YOU FARM IN A

Following the publication of the NSA report calling for relaxation COBALT DEFICIENT of the current TSE controls and the unjustified cost of carcase splitting placed on the industry, NSA has been working hard to AREA? get it seen in the right places. The first step was targeting people in powerful positions in Europe, including the European Food Safety Authority and DG Sanco, the European directorate for health and consumer protection. Next is raising the issue with MEPs and MPs, which will be a two-stage process due to the MEP election on 22nd May that may see some MEPs lose their position and new faces come in. Work and publicity will be ongoing over the coming months to ensure momentum on the issue is not lost. Five recommendations The NSA report, which can be read at www.nationalsheep. Available Dose from org.uk/hot-topics, makes five recommendations. The first, which without 5 weeks can be acted upon in Europe without waiting for any changes to copper of age the law, is for the European Commission to immediately action recommendations made by the European Food Safety Authority in 2010 to improve data collection and risk assessments linked to TSEs, with a view to relaxing regulations. COB-I-SEL 25 The second recommendation is that the requirement to split carcases is removed from animals of all ages, with a third COBALT MICRO BOLUS recommendation to reduce the number of carcases being split in the shorter-term. This would involve only splitting carcases from FOR COBALT DEFICIENT the end of June following the year of birth (i.e. lambs born in 2014 would only be split if sent to slaughter from 1st July 2015) EWES AND LAMBS or changing the requirement to the eruption of the second pair of incisors instead of the first. COBALT DEFICIENT SHEEP WILL NOT The fourth recommendation is another one that can make an immediate difference without a law change. That is the UK Food CONVERT FEED EFFICIENTLY: THE RESULT Standards Agency (FSA) putting an end to its current ‘gold plating’ of the EU regulation and (in line with other European countries) no • Weak lambs longer insisting on 100% of specified risk material being removed • Poor condition and fleece quality when carcases are split. In all this NSA is asking for scrapie testing in sheep to • Less weight gain continue, as while the disease does not pose a human health risk • No Action = NO PROFIT it does challenge sheep productivity; that is the fifth and final recommendation. The micro bolus that delivers BIG Continued from page 18 Cobalt, Iodine & Selenium benefits worrying, the challenge is getting the message to the general C Carcass quality public via the non-farming press. By teaming up with Farmers Guardian to lend weight to the campaign, there has been a very O Optimise lamb survival positive response and a good level of activity from local B Boost profit potential newspapers, radio stations, regional news programmes and even dog magazines. Social media has been invaluable in this, with I Ideal for finishing lambs at grass Twitter particularly helping to spread the word. S Supports weight gain The website address is included on the new batch of NSA dog worrying signs (see what they look like on page 4) and the online E Early dosing (from 5 weeks of age) resource will continue to be expanded to keep the general public L Lamb vigour engaged. In particular, case studies of affected farmers will be added to help walkers understand how much damage their dog can cause.

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T: 01634 257150 F: 01634 257165 Twitter has been invaluable in spreading the word, especially to E: [email protected] www.net-tex.co.uk dog magazines and other typically difficult audiences.

MAY/JUNE 2014 19 Commoners explain sheep farming reality to ‘sensationalist’ Monbiot

By Joanne Briggs, NSA

The Federation Given that George Monbiot has turned District. His description of the area of Cumbria down an invitation to speak at the NSA included phrases such as ‘ecological Commoners Sheep Event in July, it was very disaster area’, ‘aftermath of a nuclear defended the interesting to see the reception he was winter’ and ‘extraordinary barren’, role of sheep given when he agreed to attend the arguing there were more birds in urban farming in the Federation of Cumbria Commoners’ gardens than the UK uplands and Lake District to AGM in March. comparing farmers (and the political Mr Monbiot is fast becoming a conservationists who fail to stop them) campaigner household name with his frequent to loggers and ranchers in the Amazon George Monbiot. television appearances and newspaper who are internationally condemned for articles blaming farming for every destroying the rainforest. environment problem from loss of Continuing on the theme of diversity to flooding. Yet the Cumbria deforestation, Mr Monbiot said the economic sense,” he said, adding that Commoners were incredibly polite to the uplands used to be covered in trees but such activity would also draw in money political campaigner and conservationist, now grassland and moorland, which via high value eco-tourism with tourists listening patiently to his presentation damage wildlife rather than encourage spending more than they currently do before he was joined on stage by local diversity, is protected in ‘a very strange when they visit the Lake District. farmers for a question and answer set of priorities’. “You cannot oppose people session. consenting to change activity. I don’t Mr Monbiot did not hold back on his Tree planting want complete cessation of livestock comments to the Cumbria Commoners, “The UK spends millions overseas telling farming but I don’t want it to be as many of whom manage sheep in the countries to plant and protect trees, but universal as it is. I want trees not bare, world-renowned beauty of the Lake farmers are paid here to keep land in barren hills. Our national parks have no GAEC,” Mr Monbiot specific nature value. People are paying said, referring to for farming so let’s give them something Good Agricultural more interesting to see than these and Environmental desert environments.” Condition requirements Different views under cross- The panel of Will Rawlings and Will compliance. Benson, two local farmers, and Julia He argues trees Aglionby of the Foundation for Common prevent flooding by Land, did an excellent job fighting back holding water in at Mr Monbiot’s claims, saying farmers the uplands and are already fully engaged and delivering slowing its descent environmental management. They have downhill, and been offered a choice, just as Mr therefore it is Monbiot is suggesting, and have chosen wrong to pay a compromise between trees and sheep farmers subsidies rather than one or the other. This when they are compromise is also delivering high doing ‘social harm’ quality food from low quality land, not delivering encouraging wildlife and biodiversity, social goods. His preserving genetic diversity in livestock solution is a ‘super and sustaining a skilled community. HLS’ where land “We are already doing tree planting at owners who are a strategic level,” said Mrs Aglionby willing and able will said. “If we do it on the scale you’re be paid to plant suggesting we will lose people and trees and skills.” encourage rank Mr Rawlings agreed: “We have made vegetation. massive strides in recent years and “Fair play if you sensational comments by you have don’t want to take regenerated mistrust and uncertainly the financial from the farming community. We had incentive, but very good working relationship and it’s a absentee landlords great shame we are now here, shouting will do it if there’s at your sensationalist statements.”

20 SHEEP FARMER No sense in re-wilding message

By Keith McDougal, NSA Vice President and Song Bird Survival Trust Founder Member

Within George Monbiot’s declarations pastures are the favoured habitats for that ‘re-wilding’ the British uplands and curlew, lapwing, ring ouzels, wheatears, hills by planting trees will increase meadow pipits, eagles, merlin, wildlife he needs to spell out his target whinchats and golden plover, while species. mountain hares, adders and hosts of If we are considering fauna in the vertebrates flourish in the high hills. uplands it is surely true that birdlife has Other rare species adapted to our adapted to and flourished where hills systems of hill livestock farming are too and moors are managed by hefted sheep numerous to mention. English Nature flocks, carefully managed in-bye land and has spent 50 years gathering this data, with native breeds skilfully shepherded as also in Scotland and Wales by the and bred to suit the local conditions. equivalent organisations, so why do they Heather moors add the further hanker for change? opportunity for grouse shooting and Somehow, somewhere, this world of blanket bogs for rare plants. armchair conservationists think the Lapwings are one of several bird A balance of grazing, tourism, association between extensive hill species that thrive in open moor and sporting enterprises and family-run farming and wildlife is flawed, that we in-bye pasture. farms has served wildlife for can do better by planting trees, getting generations. So where does the planting rid of traditional hill sheep and, in some solar-powered grazed ground full of of forests come in as a preferable way to magic way, biodiversity will burst forth wildlife and beauty. We throw away this enhance wildlife? with more vigour. Of course it won’t! Our priceless heritage at our peril. If we look at commercial block wildlife had adapted to our farming Governments come and go but hill planting of conifer the answer is most systems over hundreds of years, and it farming in England, Scotland and Wales certainly a big negative. The Forestry will continue to do so unless the likes of is deserving of fierce protection and, Commission has a disastrous ecological Mr Monbiot get control and meddling where necessary, carefully targeted inheritance – acidification of water politicians adopt his heresies. financial support. courses, a reservoir of harmful predators Everyone should realise that The alternatives are impoverished (and in some cases scabby sheep), extensive sheep and cattle farming in wildlife, fewer family farms and the loss bracken, fire risk and plain ugliness. the hills of the UK is a precious national of one of Europe’s most natural sources There is a case for small acres of asset. Our native breeds are almost of food and wool, not to mention the native scrub in gills and ravines to unique to Europe, adapted to their local loss of landscapes beloved by tourists encourage biodiversity (black grouse harsh conditions and producing meat and generating valuable income to come to mind) but open moor and in-bye and wool under a system of natural supplement the farm’s main activity. New books provides authoritative view

Philip Walling’s new of sheep, the evolution of been created by sheep farming in the Counting Sheep book is breeds and some of the great first place. If a wider audience read it an excellent antidote to innovators of sheep farming. I then it will do our cause the power of some of the messages found the book a compelling good.” coming from the read, packed with historical Monbiot camp, and its information but feeding right ‘Counting Sheep: A celebration of the recent appearance in through to current times and pastoral heritage of Britiain’ is published the Sunday Times discussing topical issues. by Profile Books. bestseller list hopefully “The means it is attracting a chapter on diverse audience. ‘The The author (who has modern agreed to speak at the and the NSA Sheep Event in July) started out in future’ provides life as a sheep farmer, took a change of real common Tax, Accountancy and Financial Planning direction to become a London-based sense about the barrister for 25 years, and then returned negative from the heart of the West Country to his roots on a sheep farm in northern environmental England. effects of NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker abandonment due says: “Philip has undoubtedly started to environmental from a position of knowledge and schemes, while understanding of practical sheep farming what is supposed www.oldmillgroup.co.uk Dorchester 01305 268168 Wells 01749 343366 but has clearly done a substantial to be being Exeter 01392 214635 Yeovil 01935 426181 amount of research too, into the history protected has Melksham 01225 701210

MAY/JUNE 2014 21 The importance of the halal market for the sheep industry

By Jo Biggs, Eblex Communications Manager

Following several years of contraction, 2013 saw a welcome rise in consumption of lamb on the domestic market. Kantar Worldpanel data shows that in the 52 weeks to 5th January 2014, lamb retail sales increased in volume by 11.5% year-on-year and rose in value by 7.7%. A significant contributor to the growth of the market was undoubtedly the halal sector, with the Muslim population of England and Wales now amounting to 4.8% of the population according to Muslim festivals can significantly drive sheepmeat sales at key times of the year. 2011 census data published by the Office for National Statistics. The figures consume 20-30% of all the lamb sold in this sector, Eblex recently conducted an showed an increase in the Muslim England, illustrating the importance of industry consultation on proposals for a population of nearly 2% (1.2 million) over this market to sheep producers. In the voluntary halal assurance scheme for the 10-year period since the last census, absence of alcohol, food plays a major sheep meat, which could feature clear which was the largest rise in any role in all social functions and Muslim on-pack labelling to aid consumer religious group after those who declared religious festivals often result in a period choice. The consultation generated a themselves to have no religion. of increased demand for English lamb. positive response from the industry, with Growth in the Muslim population has over 60 submissions being received implications on meat consumption Muslim calendar during the three-month consultation patterns in the UK, with a likely increase Key dates in the Muslim calendar include period. Eblex is now exploring in detail in demand for halal products focused in the fasting month of Ramadan, which further questions raised by these areas with higher Muslim populations. this year begins on 28th June and ends responses before any further London was registered as having the on the 28th July with the festival of Eid- announcements are made. highest proportion of Muslims (12% of al-Fitr. This celebrates the end of fasting its population), followed by the West and is marked by celebrations, family Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber. get-togethers and the first day-time meal In addition, halal sheepmeat is eaten by for a month. The other important date is 2014 Religious Festivals non-Muslims in the ethnic restaurant the Festival of Sacrifice, Eid-al-Adha sector, which further drives up demand. (Qurbani), which takes place around 4th 27th May – Muslim festival of Lailat Muslims eat a significant amount of October this year. This is an important al Miraj meat per head. It is estimated that they period for sheepmeat consumption, as 14th June – Muslim festival of Laylat the celebrations involve the slaughter of al Bara’th animals as thanks to God, leading to 28th June – Beginning of Ramadan Find out more significant procurement of animals in the 23rd June – Muslim festival of Laylat run-up to the festival. al Qadr ● Eblex has a range of resources As well as the halal market being a 28th June – End of Ramadan; Eid-al- available for sheep producers and significant driver for domestic Fitr processors regarding the halal consumption, the English lamb market is 3rd October – Muslim festival of market at www.eblextrade.co.uk/ underpinned by a thriving export trade Waqf al Arafa halal. and two of our main European markets 4th October – Muslim festival of Eid- ● The issue of stun and non-stun are also influenced by demand within the al-Adha halal is a contentious one that has halal sector. France, where there are 23rd October – Hindu festival of received some press coverage in estimated to be between five and six Diwali recent month. Rizvan Khalid, million Muslims, making up 10% of the 24th October – Islamic New Year processor and Eblex board population, is our biggest export market (Hijri) member, explained the situation for lamb. In Germany, another key outlet, 3rd November – Muslim Day of exceptionally well on Countryfile. Muslims are believed to account for 5% Ashura An interesting and illuminating of the population at four million. 6th December – St Nicholas Day presentation on halal given by With the increasing significance of the (celebrated by many Christians in Rizvan at the Eblex annual halal sector both at home and abroad, mainland Europe) conference can also be found at it’s important that the English sheep 25th December – Christmas Day www.eblex.org.uk/events/conferen meat industry works to better ce-news/annual-conference-2013. understand the demands of this market. Dates provided by QMS As part of its ongoing work to support

22 SHEEP FARMER HOW TO SECURE WEATHERPROOF GUARANTEED FARMING INCOME According to a recent survey carried HOW DOES IT WORK? out by the National Farmers Union, this 7KHIDUPHURUODQGRZQHUHQWHUVLQWRDÀ[HGWHUP\HDU Conor McGuigan year’s extreme weather and soaring lease with Lightsource, at which point rental payments begin FRVWV KDYH VHULRXVO\ KLW IDUPHUV· FRQÀGHQFH WR LQYHVW LQ and are then paid quarterly in advance. Rent is priced per their businesses in the short term. Some 42 per cent of DFUHDQGLVLQFUHDVHGDQQXDOO\LQOLQHZLWKLQÁDWLRQ7KHUHLVQR farmers told the NFU that their farm businesses were in for ULVNRIDQ\GHIDXOWRQUHQWDOSD\PHQWVDV/LJKWVRXUFHSURMHFWV a tougher year, up from 30 per cent in 2012. DUHEDFNHGE\DORQJWHUPJRYHUQPHQWVSRQVRUHGLQFHQWLYH VFKHPHVPDNLQJWKHFRPSDQ\DQGSD\PHQWVJXDUDQWHHGDQG However, in spite of the gloom and uncertainty, increasing secure. numbers of farmers have been discovering a way to reap a weatherproof, guaranteed income over a 25 year period – The solar farm panels and infrastructure only occupy less than with zero set up costs to themselves. They have achieved this 30 per cent of the rented area. This allows both landowner by renting out land or roof space to the UK’s leading solar DQG/LJKWVRXUFHWRZRUNWRJHWKHUWRHQVXUHWKHODQGDOORFDWHG energy generator, Lightsource Renewable Energy. to the solar farm is managed responsibly and sustainably. The gaps between rows usually range from 4 meters to 8 meters Lightsource Renewable Energy, the UK’s leading solar and as the panels are mounted above the ground, the land is energy generator is currently assessing land areas in the LGHDOIRUJUD]LQJVPDOOOLYHVWRFNOLNHVKHHSRUFKLFNHQV UK to establish their suitability for a solar farm installation. Lightsource has already developed over 80 solar farms, GUARANTEED INCOME FOR 25 YEARS across 2,200 acres which currently provide clean, secure Conor continues: “Solar power is a dependable source of electricity to over 100,000 UK homes, and aims to double energy, and farming it creates a great opportunity to establish WKLVFDSDFLW\E\'HFHPEHU7KHFRPSDQ\LVFRQÀGHQW D VXVWDLQDEOH ORFDO VXSSO\ FKDLQ 7KH ODQG RZQHUV ZH ZRUN that its solar farms will boost rural business providing options with currently have used the stable income the solar farm to landowners across the country to diversify their income provides to diversify their business and even invest in new equipment to continue farming. If the farmer can spare that ODQGKHLVLQDZLQZLQVLWXDWLRQEHFDXVHQRWRQO\ZLOOKHEH able to continue doing what he does best – farming the land, KHZLOODOVRKDYHWKHEHQHÀWRIDUHOLDEOHORQJWHUPUHYHQXH VWUHDPWREDFNKLPXS6RPHIDUPHUVHYHQVHHWKLVDVSDUWRI their future retirement plan.” RENT OR SELL YOUR LAND TO US The criteria for land suitable for solar farming is simple. It has to be relatively screened, not within an Area of Outstanding National Beauty and of low grade agricultural quality, ideally Sheep graze happily in the sunshine at Marley Thatch Solar Farm, Devon grade 3 and below. The solar farm will need a grid connection with a solar installation on their property. WRH[SRUWWKHHOHFWULFLW\DQG/LJKWVRXUFH·VLQKRXVHJULGWHDP Conor McGuigan, Business Development Director for ZLOOFDUU\RXWWKHQHFHVVDU\FKHFNVWRHQVXUHWKHUHLVDYLDEOH Lightsource comments, “Contrary to the unfounded opinions connection available. of some, solar farms do not harm the land they are installed upon. In fact they safeguard it for future generations and /LJKWVRXUFHLVNHHQWRGHPRQVWUDWHWKDWVRODUIDUPVZLOOSOD\ SURYLGHIXUWKHURSWLRQVIRUIDUPODQGGLYHUVLÀFDWLRQOLNHJUD]LQJ an important role in addressing the UK’s electricity needs and VPDOOOLYHVWRFNRUSURYLGLQJDQHFRORJLFDOKDELWDWIRUUDUHELUGV will aid the drive towards cheaper, cleaner electricity bills for OLNHWKH(QJOLVK*UH\3DUWULGJH,I\RXDUHDIDUPHUZLWKODQG the consumer, this maturing industry now plays a vital role available for rent, it is best to come straight to us because we supporting the economic stability of the agricultural sector prefer to cut out any ‘third parties’ or ‘middlemen’ who will and creating full time employment for local communities. VRPHWLPHVKDYHWKHLURZQDJHQGD:HOLNHWRGHDOGLUHFWO\ with the person who is potentially going to be our landlord Any farmer or landowner with a site of at least 25 acres wishing to discuss its suitability as a solar farm should call “Solar farms safeguard land for future 0333 200 0755 or email [email protected] generations.” Free educational resources about solar energy and climate change can be found at www.lightsource-re.co.uk for the next 25 years. It's very important that we get to meet face to face and build a strong, comfortable relationship because of the length of the commitment and contract we would be entering into. The same applies to the relationship we foster with the local community around the site – they are going to be our neighbours for a long time.” THE UK’S LEADING SOLAR ENERGY GENERATOR Prepare for new greening rules now

By Jeremy Moody, Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) Secretary and Advisor

It is always remarkable how the farming world adapts to the complexities of each new CAP regime. Those skills are about to be tested again with the 2014 end of the Single Payment Scheme and the start of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and ‘greening’. While the first applications for BPS will be made next spring, the cropping and land use issues involved in greening need attention this summer for farmers While there are many exemptions to greening rules for livestock farmer, care must be to get them right – and they affect 30% taken to understand what ‘permanent’ grassland is and where forage crops fit. of the money. Greening imposes three basic either, and the Scottish preference is the previous five years, whether or not measures on all Basic Payment Scheme awaited. that crop was on a Single Payment claimants:- Because 30% of the money for direct Scheme claim form. Livestock farmers ● Maintaining existing ‘permanent payments is allocated to greening, a lot should look back over the last five years grassland’ turns on meeting its standards each to see how much ‘arable’ land they ● Crop diversification on arable land year. It could either be paid as a actually have – whether maize, fodder ● Ecological Focus Area (EFA) proportionate addition to the farmer’s crops, wholecrop or anything else. All Basic Payment Scheme claimants Basic Payment or at a standard rate per The table over the page summarises must meet these greening requirements hectare in each payment region. a farmer’s liability to crop diversification across their whole agricultural area (not and EFAs. Of course, many farmers may just the land being used for claims) Double funding well already have rotations that meet the unless they meet one of the exemptions One critical point for many is the bar on requirements and find it possible to discussed on the next page. ‘double funding’, which means that meet EFA rules. Registered organic land So farmers planning for greening where something is required by greening is anyway exempt from greening but need to assess how much ‘permanent it cannot then be paid for under an agri- there are then significant possible grassland’ and ‘arable’ land they will environment agreement. That is most exemptions for which many livestock have in 2015. Each of these has a likely to be an issue for EFA measures, farmers may qualify. specific meaning discussed below but on which many decisions are awaited. As the table shows, this is more ploughing out permanent grassland may When we look at the detail it is complex that a ‘three crop rule’ and will simply increase liability to crop important to understand the definition of require care in planning. Where a farmer diversification and EFAs. Fodder crops ‘permanent grassland’ and ‘arable land’. has more than 30 hectares of arable will mean that many livestock farmers In practice it seems likely that land and is not released by one of the have more ‘arable’ land than they might maintaining permanent grassland will exemptions, he must have:- think and so more greening to think feel like the present cross compliance ● No more than 75% of his land in any about. rule, monitored at national not farm one crop. It is also worth considering that EFAs level. ‘Permanent grassland’ is not ● No more than 95% of his land in any and crop diversification are likely to permanent pasture but simply land in two crops. require careful mapping to show the grass or other herbaceous forage that He can then grow as many different features and any fields that are split to has not had another crop on it in the crops as he wishes. In practice, unless meet cropping rules. previous five years. It may in general those further crops are being grown to Let’s start by being sure exactly what include land that has become grass feed the farmer’s animals or may be ‘greening’ is. In the EU regulation under arable reversion measures. useful as game cover, it may be that the ‘greening’ is shorthand for ‘payment for Immediately re-seeded pastures (without minimum scale is a lorry load for sale. agricultural practices beneficial for the an intervening crop) would be treated as We do not know when the test has to climate and the environment’. The continuing grass. If the national be met, but we are perhaps looking at Commissioner was very anxious that proportion of this land drops by 5% late spring. direct payments should be linked across farmers can be required to re-convert Europe to standard agri-environment land but that has not been needed under What is a ‘crop’? measures to help justify them politically, the present rule. The EU rules here can be complex but in addition to cross compliance. This for the main crops (such as wheat, leads to particular issues in countries Arable land barley, oats, oil seed rape and maize) such as the UK where agri-environment When it comes to arable land, this is the the answer is straightforward – each schemes were development several basis for assessing liability to crop will be a crop with the additional point years ago. diversification and EFA measures. The that winter and spring crops will count Governments can chose alternatives more arable land, the more liability. as different crops. Temporary grass to the three greening criteria but, with ‘Arable’ land is agricultural land that is and fallow (as defined) will each count good arguments against doing so, neither ‘permanent grassland’ nor under as crops. The problems arise where England and Wales have said they will ‘permanent crops’. As such it includes there are several species within one not. Northern Ireland is not minded to any grass that has had a crop on it in genus or with brassicas one species

24 SHEEP FARMER may cover several crops – cabbage, Crop diversification and EFA exemptions cauliflower, kale and broccoli are all one species and so one crop. Arable Area Crop Diversification EFA In principle, once a farmer has at least 15ha of arable land he must 10ha or less Exempt Exempt manage the equivalent of 5% with EFA More than 10ha Two crops (main crop no more Exempt measures. None of the four UK Governments have yet to choose these up to 15ha than 75% coverage) – consider from fallow, landscape features, buffer other exemptions strips, Rural Development-funded agro- More than 15ha Two crops (main crop no more 5% of arable area – forestry, eligible land strips alongside up to 30ha than 75% coverage) – consider consider other exemptions edges of ‘forest’, short rotation coppice, other exemptions Rural Development forestry scheme areas, catch crops and nitrogen fixing crops. More than 30ha Three crops (two main crops no 5% of arable area – Many pose problems, making the more than 95% coverage) – consider other exemptions choice of measures difficult. The bar on consider other exemptions double funding creates an issue for agri- environment agreements that is yet to be resolved. As an example, if buffer Some measures will count for less As a disclaimer, please can readers note strips are adopted as an EFA measure than their true area. Under ‘weighting’, that much practical detail for the new those strips cannot be paid for under an each acre of beans will only count as 0.7 CAP will vary between the four countries agri-environment agreement. acre. Thus, if a famer wanted to meet of the UK. Even where decision making Governments may not want to assess his EFA (and his crop diversification) by is well advanced, as with England, many this each year on a farm-by-farm basis growing beans he would need to put decisions on greening remain to be and so might just not allow buffer strips more than 7% of his arable land to them made because they are complex for for EFAs or exclude all buffer strips from to meet the policy’s ‘5%’. Governments governments as well as for farmers. agreements, requiring change in many. It can choose that other features, such as Some EU rules are still to be agreed. is a difficult practical problem created by hedges, can count for more than their Major issues have to be decided by 1st the rules. area (i.e. be weighted the other way). August. Understand greening exemptions

As the table shows, there are several consider alternative approaches. Can he would now have 25ha of permanent exemptions from these rules that may qualify for any of the exemptions? grassland, 12ha of temporary grass particularly help livestock farmers. It is The Crop Coverage Exemption: There is and 5ha of spring barley. wise to work each case through to an exemption from the 75% main crop Crop coverage: He would now be able avoid being caught, so here is a quick coverage rule where over 75% of the to comply with his main crop initial guide to two of the exemptions arable area is covered by grass, (temporary grass) not being more than for a livestock farmer who has been herbaceous forage or fallow. In practical 75% of his arable area, as his rotating a crop to feed his animals. terms that means the 75% main crop temporary grass area would now be Example 1: A livestock farmer with 50ha coverage rule does not apply where the 71% of his arable area. of eligible agricultural area grows 5ha of main crop is, as here, temporary grass. Main Exemption 1 and EFA: This would spring barley each year (and has done (If the grass were permanent grass, the not help him as he would have less so for at least the last five years) but as land would not have been arable in the than 75% of his arable area down to part of his grassland management he first place.) He is still subject to an EFA temporary grass, requiring him to meet uses that as a break between leys and obligation of at least 1.25ha (5% of his EFA obligations. so rotates it around his better land. arable area) though. Main Exemption 2: This second Looking over the last five years, he will Main Exemption 1: The first exemption exemption from both crop have had 25ha of arable land – 20ha from both crop diversification and EFA diversification and EFA obligations temporary grass and 5ha cropped land obligations applies where more than applies where more than 75% of the – and 25ha of permanent grassland. 75% of the farmer’s arable area is eligible agricultural area is either Initial assessment: With the 10ha ‘temporary grass’ and/or ‘fallow’ (also ‘permanent grassland’ and/or threshold for crop diversification and leguminous crops if just considering EFA ‘temporary grass’ AND the remaining the 15ha threshold for EFAs he is rules but not crop diversification) AND other arable land (so cropped or fallow, potentially caught by both of these the remaining other arable ‘cropped’ but not temporary grass) is not more regimes. land (so not temporary grass or ‘fallow’) than 30ha. On the basis of his original Crop diversification: He does have two is no more than 30ha. In this example facts – 25ha permanent grass, 20ha crops (the requirement where he has the livestock farmer has more than 75% temporary grass and 5ha cropped land between 10ha and 30ha of arable of his arable area down to temporary he can use this exemption as: his total land). Crop one is 20ha of temporary grass and his cropped land is 5ha (so agricultural area is 50ha; the area grass and crop two is 5ha of this year’s not more than 30ha). He is therefore taken up by permanent and temporary spring barley. However, his main crop exempt from EFA obligations. grass is 45ha (so more than 75%); and cannot cover more than 75% of his Example 2: If in 2016 the same his remaining other arable land is 5ha. arable area and in this example his livestock farmer lost 8ha of temporary This would still be the case even if he main crop (temporary grass) covers grass that he had on a tenancy and, hadn’t lost the 8ha of temporary 80% of the arable area. He needs to assuming no other facts changed, he grassland he had under a tenancy.

MAY/JUNE 2014 25 CODD presents highly contagious lameness challenge

By Sophie Prichard, ProStock Vets, Carmarthen, West Wales.

Lameness continues to be major remains poorly understood. A recent The best problem for the industry, with study has demonstrated that sheep control of CODD prevalence estimated to be in the infected with footrot are at increased is to keep it off region of 10% of the national flock. risk of developing CODD. Research is your farm and, An ambitious, but achievable, target for ongoing at Liverpool University. for this, good well managed flocks would be 2%. biosecurity is key. In achieving that target it is important Correct identification CODD is a highly to acknowledge that contagious ovine Being able to identify CODD is essential contagious digital dermatitis (CODD) has joined as treatment for other common causes disease so Sophie Prichard scald and footrot as a common cause of of foot lameness (scald and footrot) will preventing it from lameness in sheep in the UK. not be effective. One study found that entering the flock is easier than curing it:- CODD has only been recognised in 36% of farmers could correctly identify ● Isolate incoming sheep (including the last 20 years but is considered to be CODD, meaning almost two thirds of rams) whether bought in, on hire or endemic in the UK. It is a highly CODD-affected sheep would be returning from tack for 30 days. contagious bacterial disease with misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated. ● Inspect for lameness regularly; reports of it affecting up to 40% of newly In common with virulent forms of prompt identification, isolation and infected flocks. The severity of lameness footrot, sheep are often non- treatment will limit spread. and the high risk of rapid spread make weightbearing on the affected foot/feet. ● In high risk groups, consider this a serious welfare issue for the UK CODD most commonly affects one digit footbathing animals as they come off sheep industry. In addition, it is also a in one foot, and is seen more often in the lorry onto the farm. cause of significant production losses as hind feet. However, in severe cases it If you are unfortunate enough to get lame sheep are likely to have lower body can affect up to all four feet. Any age of CODD on the farm, using a combination condition scores and decreased fertility. animal can be affected. of both topical and systemic (injectable) Current knowledge points to a link With CODD, the primary lesion is an treatment gives the best recovery rates with spirochete bacteria responsible for ulcer found at the outer wall of the and, if administered to unaffected bovine digital dermatitis, but the disease coronary band (the junction between hair members of the group, has been shown covered skin and the hoof capsule). In to reduce new infection rates. contrast to scald and footrot, two other ● Injectable: Two injectable antibiotics common causes of foot lameness in have been used to successfully treat sheep, there is no involvement of the CODD (see table) but no trials interdigital skin. comparing the results have been From the initial lesion, the infection done and no treatments are progresses underneath the hoof capsule specifically licensed for the condition. towards the toe, causing separation of Long acting amoxicillin has the the horn and eventually detachment of advantage of a shorter withdrawal the hoof capsule from the foot. Damage period, making it more suitable for Advanced CODD will cause separation to the horn-roducing corium may be so finishing lambs, and can also be of the horn and eventually detachment extensive that the horn fails to re-grow administered by farmers. Tilmicosin is of the hoof capsule from the foot. and the foot is permanently affected. reportedly more effective in the acute

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26 SHEEP FARMER The primary CODD lesion is an ulcer found at the outer wall of the coronary band This picture shows normal intergitial (the junction between hair covered skin and the hoof capsule). skin; this area is not affected by CODD.

stage of CODD but is more expensive to cover the accessory digits at the back Permanent damage and must be administered by a vet. If of the leg and the concentration should Two important things to remember with tilmicosin is used, accurate weighing be 100g powder per 200 litres of water. CODD is that any cases that fail to is important due to potential toxicity Feet should be as clean as possible resolve despite treatment may have (and expense!) if overdosed. This before entering the footbath so, if suffered permanent damage and should product is not suitable for lambs practical, walk them through a plain be culled. And foot trimming should be weighing less than 15kg. water bath first to remove obvious dirt. avoided where possible. If absolutely ● Topical: No antibiotic footbath For small numbers of sheep the solution necessary remove only loose horn. Over- solutions are licensed for use in can be made up in a garden spray bottle paring will create more problems than it sheep, so are therefore subject to a and applied. Stand sheep on clean solves and is painful. Remember to statutory 28 day meat withdrawal. concrete for 30 minutes after disinfect trimming equipment to prevent Both lincomycin and tylosin have been footbathing to allow the product to dry spread of bacteria. used to treat CODD and the treatment and ideally turn sheep onto clean can be repeated after 48 hours. pasture that has been rested for two weeks or put onto clean bedding if CORRECTION: The article on Sheep- When footbathing remember the housed. focused vets tackle big topics in the effectiveness is March/April edition of Sheep Farmer dependent on the depth Comparison of injectable CODD treaments incorrectly stated that an adverse and concentration of the reaction occurs when Cydectin 1% and Amoxicillin Tilmicosin Footvax are administered at the same solution, contact time time. Problems can occur even if there is with feet, cleanliness of Meat withdrawal 25 days 42 days considerable time between the injections the feet and drying time. so please consult your vet or animal The footbath should Administration Farmer or vet Vet only health advisor for more information if these are products you use in your flock. contain enough solution Relative cost 2x amoxicillin

Coccidiosis remains a threat to young lambs

Planning ahead and understanding how so it is important to stop early lambs amount of faecal oocysts that were coccidiosis affects your farm can help multiplying the burden on the land, posing excreted back into the lambs’ avoid clinical problems and productions a threat to others in the group and environment, reducing the disease losses both this year and in subsequent specifically to later-born lambs with no pressure for other following batches of years, says Dr Fiona Lovatt, immunity. If the risk hasn’t been limited, lambs. The advice is to group lambs by independent sheep consultant and younger lambs should not be turned onto age for treatment purposes. Sheep Veterinary Society President. fields where older lambs have been. Dr Lovatt gives the example of Coccidial oocysts survive year on year “The key to the control of coccidiosis susceptible lambs of four to eight weeks so by monitoring where and when is to allow lambs to gradually build old grazing a field with a history of problems appeared in previous years it immunity but to carefully target problem: “In this instance I would advise is possible to monitor coccidian levels appropriate treatment at the correct time treatment about a week before you on you farm and identify fields where and where necessary,” says Dr Lovatt. “I would normally expect to see disease pressure points persist. have seen disappointment with the symptoms. With this treatment protocol “By talking to your vet, carrying out a inappropriate use of medicated feed or the lambs will have been exposed to a risk assessment specific to each batch when a short acting product has been low level of disease allowing them to of lambs and getting the treatment timing given either too late or too early with develop a natural immunity, but before right, it is possible to reduce the likeli- repeated retreatments. The precise any damage is done. hood of clinical symptoms appearing,” treatment timing is less critical with “By being better informed and says Dr Lovatt. “This should help ensure toltrazuril [Baycox] and treatment of discussing the right questions with your suckling lambs continue to grow at a tightly batched lambs about a week after vet when carrying out a risk assessment rate in excess of 300g per day.” exposure to a coccidiosis risk is ideal.” on batches of lambs, it is possible to A single coccidial oocyst can multiply Used to treat lambs at the right time, achieve the gold standard in coccidiosis millions of times in the right conditions toltrazuril can considerably reduce the control.”

MAY/JUNE 2014 27 Cryptosporidium – a common cause of lamb diarrhoea

By Sarah Thomson, Moredun Research Institute

Cryptosporidium is one of the most commonly diagnosed causes of diarrhoea in neonatal lambs and can be transmitted by other lambs, ewes, animal handlers, other animals and their environment. The disease – called cryptosporidiosis – is caused by infection with a small protozoan (single celled) parasite called Cryptosporidium parvum. The parasite can infect a wide range of animal species, including humans, and in sheep generally causes disease in lambs between four days and three weeks of age. Cryptosporidium parasites primarily infect the small intestine and are transmitted directly between hosts by Good hygiene in the lambing shed is essential to cryptosporidium control. the faecal-oral route. Infection occurs as a result of ingestion of oocysts (the parasite) which are shed in the faeces of Steam cleaning can be an effective environmentally resistant egg form of the infected individuals. Oocysts are very way of sterilising buildings, pens and small (150,000 would just cover the feeding troughs as the heat will kill the head of a pin) and are shed in very large oocysts. Chemical disinfection of Other news from Moredun numbers; a young lamb can shed up to contaminated premises, pens and ten thousand million oocysts in the feeding utensils can however be AGM: Notice is hereby given that the space of seven to 10 days. An infectious problematic, as cryptosporidium oocysts Moredun Foundation AGM will be held dose can be as few as five oocysts, so a are resistant to commercial agricultural on Thursday 4th September, 3.30pm single infected individual has a huge disinfectants and detergents will wash at Pentlands Science Park, potential to infect other livestock and away contamination but not kill the Edinburgh. All NSA members are people. parasite. Disinfectants which are known automatically associate Moredun to be effective in the control of members so are welcome to attend Signs of infection cryptosporidium include KenoCox (2-3%), the AGM but cannot vote. To upgrade Clinical signs of cryptosporidium Neopredisan (2-4%), Oxvirin (10%) and to full Moredun membership please infection include profuse watery hydrogen peroxide (6%). contact Moredun on 01314 455111. diarrhoea, loss of appetite, Cryptosporidium is easily spread from Scholarships: Three scholarships of gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea and livestock to people so it is important to up to £1,000 each will be granted by a mild fever. These signs usually occur observe good occupational hygiene and the Moredun Foundation again this three to seven days after infection. wash hands thoroughly before eating to year, to provide an opportunity for Although older livestock do not show help prevent transmission of infection. individuals in the UK to pursue a clinical signs of infection, they can If lambs become infected, supportive short-term project to broaden their nevertheless act as a reservoir of therapy consists of oral rehydration, use education and experience in areas infection. Lambs tend to survive of electrolyte solutions offered frequently, relating to livestock health and infection somewhat better than the and housing of affected animals in warm welfare and the agricultural industry. young of other susceptible animals, but conditions as infected neonates are very Projects may involve travel, work losses can be high if the animals susceptible to chilling. Affected animals experience, science or the arts and become stressed, for example from may require considerable are open to individuals over the age hypothermia if the infection coincides encouragement to drink for several days, of 18. Applicants must be received by with turnout during a cold or wet spell. after which appetite should return. 30th June. Find out more at The single most important risk factor It is important to note that although www.moredun.org.uk/scholarship. is poor hygiene, which exposes lambs to infection with cryptosporidium is not in Newssheets: To request free a high level of faecal contamination and itself lethal to the lamb, deaths may newssheets on cryptosporidiosis a high infection rate. This favours a result from severe dehydration and and/or other cause of lambs progressive build up of cryptosporidium acidosis from the loss of fluids and salts diarrhoea please contact Moredun on oocysts in the farm environment and can due to diarrhoea. Advice from your vet 01314 455111 or visit produce overwhelming infection in should always be sought over any lamb www.moredun.org.uk for further susceptible animals, so optimal hygiene diarrhoea problem especially as information. during the lambing season is diarrhoea in neonates may be due to fundamental. other infective causes.

28 SHEEP FARMER Top tips for exhibiting show fleeces

By British Wool causing a break in the staple.” For wool-on-the-hoof Marketing Board competitions Mr Spencer says judges are largely looking for With the show season gearing up and soon hitting full speed the same criteria as for fleece many wool producers will be entering fleece and wool-on-the- competitions, seeking an even, hoof competitions the length and breadth of the country. clean fleece throughout, which It’s important with both of these competitions to select the best represents the relevant best possible fleece and ensure it is well presented, explains breed. BWMB’s Wool Marketing Manager Stephen Spencer (pictured “Competitors entering wool- right). on-the-hoof competitions should “For fleece competitions, good wool presentation starts with look for a high quality, uniform shearing. Fleeces should be shorn from the sheep in one piece fleece which should be clean and then rolled and presented correctly, taking care to avoid and free from contamination,” he says. “Try to keep marking to contamination from other materials including other fleeces, a minimum and always use a BWMB approved marker. Also, particularly those from different breeds,” he says. any artificially dip tinted fleeces will be significantly penalised.” “Fleeces should be wrapped the correct way, which is skin Producers wanting to improve the quality of wool from their side out for all breeds except Scottish Blackface, Rough Fell sheep can take advantage of the BWMB’s free ram fleece and Herdwick, which are wrapped staple side out. Having assessment, which is available at all grading depots, explains removed any daggings, fold the sides of the fleece in and roll Mr Spencer. from the britch end up to the neck. Keep the fleece as tight as “This is a free service for fleeces delivered to the grading possible and make a couple of twists with the neck wool to tuck depot,” he says. “Each ram’s fleece should be individually inside the fleece to hold it together.” labelled and ram fleeces for assessment should be packed in a separate sheet. Also ensure depot staff are advised in advance Advice on wrapping into which sheet the fleeces for assessment are packed. The Fleeces should always be rolled on a clean, dry surface and depot manager will then contact the regional manager who will then the best fleeces selected for competition. Mr Spencer says carry out the assessment on their next visit. On the hoof most shows limit entries to two per class, so be sure to pick assessments are also available and can be carried out for a the very best fleeces and bear in mind what the judge will be small fee.” looking for. This includes ensuring the fleece matches up to the characteristics of the breed or cross it is from. “Fleeces should be from that season’s clip and should never be tied with any form of string or nylon baler twine, which can cause untold damage if it gets through to the manufacturing process undetected,” he says. “Judges have the right to disqualify tied fleeces and I myself have done so on previous occasions. Additionally, fleeces should not be washed between shearing and the show. I have Your Wool Board seen examples where exhibitors have washed fleeces post shearing and immediately prior to the show to make them look white and fluffy. This does not gain marks and washes the Working for You grease and natural oils out. “Fleeces should also be of a uniform quality throughout, Shearing Training » Grading » Auction » Haulage being of even length, quality, colour and style at all points in the Agricultural Shows » Regional Depots » Exhibitions fleece. The fleece should also have an even, strong staple. When a sheep has been ill or stressed, possibly by a harsh winter or at lambing, this will result in a check in fibre growth,

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MAY/JUNE 2014 29 Planning permission made easier?

By Rupert Harrison, Andrew Granger & Co Rural Land Specialists

In a radical change aimed at increasing greater than 450 sq metres. the speed and amount of new housing The change of use will cover not only provision, the Government is allowing the building but also the land within its the change of agricultural buildings curtilage and building work necessary to residential use as ‘permitted for the conversion is also permitted. development’. The Local Planning Authority must be The new rules, which came into force notified before you begin work on on 6th April 2014, offer a great certain aspects of the development. opportunity to convert redundant or LPA’s prior approval may also be under-used buildings to residential use, required on matters such as highway New rules mean barn conversions can potentially in situations where planning impact, contamination risks and the be carried out in some circumstances consent would have been previously design of the dwellings. without planning permission. refused. However, there are a number of obstacles to be aware of. Permitted development rights both the landlord and the tenant agree The buildings must have been used If you have permitted development or more than 12 months have elapsed solely for agricultural purposes on an rights to erect a farm building from 20th since the termination of the tenancy. agricultural unit on or before 20th March March 2013, you are unable to make As with any business decision, it is 2013. Listed buildings, scheduled use of the new right of change of use for important that you consider this ‘in the monuments and buildings within dwellings for 10 years. Conversely, if you round’. Apart from the practical issues National Parks, AONBs, conservation do use the new rights to change a farm such as accessibility, water and power areas, SSSIs and World Heritage Sites, building to a dwelling, you lose your supplies, also consider the tax however, are excluded from the change permitted development rights to erect implications, particularly the potential following concerns over the impact on new farm buildings for 10 years! loss of Agricultural Property Relief for these sensitive areas. To protect tenants with either IHT on the converted buildings. Permitted development can be for up Agricultural Holdings Act or Farm As with any development, take to three dwellings subject to the Business Tenancies the change of use professional advice before you commit cumulative change of use not being to a dwelling is not allowed unless either yourself to the project. The April budget and sheep farming

By Richard Haines of Old Mill Accountancy Group

Chancellor George Osborne largely income tax, reducing the benefit of purchase new assets, has been delivered on his promise is deliver a taking the entire pot in one go. extended to include Basic Payment ‘budget for business’ but what exactly This provides a good opportunity for Scheme entitlements. It will have effect was in his announcement when it many to access funds in the early years of in relation to acquisitions and disposals comes to sheep farmers? retirement, enabling the next generation of BPS payment entitlements on and The proposed reform of withdrawing to step into the farm without the need to after 20th December 2013. pensions could certainly provide a cash continue to fund parents where they However, new legislation will be boost to the older generation still have appropriate pension provisions. introduced which will prevent companies actively farming. Under the old rules it Other highlights include:- claiming roll-over relief when disposing was possible upon reaching the age of ■ The doubling of Annual Investment tangible assets and purchasing 55 to withdraw 25% of any private Allowance (AIA) to £500,000 until 31st intangible assets. pensions tax free. The proposed December 2015 extends the opportunity ■ Property worth more than £500,000 changes from 6th April 2015 see an for immediate tax reliefs when investing will now be subject to the same 28% individual able to not only continue to in new plant and machinery as the Capital Gains Tax and 15% Stamp Duty take 25% tax free but any balance of reduction of AIA to £25,000 (which was Land Tax as properties valued at over £2 funds be taken either within the same expected on 1st January 2015) will now million. And high value properties with a tax year (or over a period of years) not take place until 1st January 2016. corporate owner are also subject to subject to tax at an individual’s This is a massive number for any sheep annual tax on enveloped dwellings prevailing rate. farms and will see all relevant (ATED). This will be £7,000 per year for Where this extraction is combined expenditure relieved in full against properties valued at £1-£2m from 1st with either a difficult year or indeed profits. Sadly buildings continue to April 2015 and £3,500 per year for £0.5- significant machinery investment, receive no tax relief in their raw form. £1m properties from 1st April 2016. The greater value will be able to be taken ■ Business asset roll-over relief, good news is exemptions still apply if the and see only 20% tax payable. Where allowing you to defer capital gains tax property is occupied by a farm worker or funds do exceed basic rate tax levels and corporation tax on asset disposal a retired farmer, but this exemption must any surplus will be subject to 40% providing the proceeds are used to be claimed for each year.

30 SHEEP FARMER "LACKFACE Sheep Breeding 3HEEP"REEDERS and Services !SSOCIATION Information on the breed and sale dates available on our web site or from:- To advertise contact Helen Davies on Aileen McFadzean, Tel/Fax: 01738 634018 Email: [email protected] Email [email protected] Mobile: 07976 803066 WWWSCOTTISH BLACKFACECOUK

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FAST FINISHING LAMBS OFF GRASS

ILE DE FRANCE North of The breed to meat your grades England For 3L’s use an Ile de France Lean, Liveweight & Lively lambs Mule Sheep www.iledefrancesheep.co.uk Association Secretary Edward Adamson Tel: 07711071290 THE ORIGINAL & BEST MULE (Bluefaced Leicester x Swaledale or Northumberland Type Blackface) For full Auction Mart Sales List Contact Marion Hope For details of your local breeders call Telephone 01387 371777 Tel: 01904 448675 e-mail: [email protected] www.meatlinc.co.uk website: www.nemsa.co.uk

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SAVERNAKE SUFFOLKS SHEEP EVENTS QUALITY NZ/UK GENETICS NSA SCOT SHEEP Grass-fed stock 4th June and www.scotsheep.org.uk Registered NZ semen NSA SOUTH SHEEP 28th June For direct sale www.southsheep.org.uk [email protected] NSA SHEEP EVENT 30th July 01672 810210 / 07971 568911 www.sheepevent.org.uk On My Farm – The Next Generation

James Drummond from Alnwick, James Drummond with Northumberland, is the third his new assistant Spud. person to contribute to this NSA series focusing on young people resistance and resilience, active in the sheep sector. James grazing strategies, (30) is an NSA Next Generation grassland management Ambassador and also a Nuffield and seed selection, as Scholar. He is balancing his well as improvements to commitment to both projects with maternal breed lines and the family farming business at terminal sires both within home. breed and composites being developed globally. In February I attended Northumberland is rather gloomy this the Nuffield Contemporary lambing period, with plenty of thick fog Scholars Conference in and rain. But the ewes and lambs are London followed by two looking fit and the grass is starting to weeks in Australia with grow nicely, which is a vast improvement fellow scholars from on last year. flock and the lambs are looking good so around the world. It was a tremendous As I write this we are 10 days in and far with plenty of vigour and lambing opportunity to spend time among people going at a steady pace (70-80 ewes per ease. I look forward to seeing how the with such enthusiasm and drive to day) and the ewe lambs will be coming resulting ewes perform from this cross develop agriculture globally. in to lamb in a few days’ time, all of and expect an improved finished lamb in After the conference I spent a week which are put to a Charollais ram. I find comparison to our previous half-bred investigating the research being carried lambing our ewe lambs not only gives us wethers. out within the Australian sheep sector, an extra crop of lambs but improves the meeting a wide range of organisations. I ewes’ production in later life, makes was amazed by the collaboration in them a lot better mothers when they agricultural research and particularly the start lambing outside as gimmers and a role of the Sheep Co-operative Research lot easier to handle. Centre (CRC) in governing and As a result of the previous years’ late overseeing collaboration. Projects are spring and poorer growth rates, their determined by the farmer-run scanning was back to 83% from 101% Sheepmeat Council so research is last year, but our main cross Suffolk driven by producers’ needs and flock was up to 197% whilst our half- delivered to them through Sheep CRC’s breds were around average performance various facilitating organisations. at 186%. Lambing assistant Jess turns out newborns from the lambing shed at Eating quality Minimising losses Lemmington Hill Head Farm. The trip was very beneficial and I learnt Hopefully spring will kick in properly a lot regarding meat eating quality, soon but not quite as abruptly as last The pedigree Texel flock is lambing which is a part of my research I thought year, which resulted in a large onslaught well with no assistances and the rams could prove difficult to quantify. My aim of nematodirus. We began dosing as are used over our cross Suffolk flock is to develop the lamb carcase to soon as the problem was detected but with great emphasis placed on growth improve the yield of high value cuts and with our stocking level it took a few rates, conformation and lambing ease. the taste of our produce while achieving weeks to get round all the fields and This year we have also put a Charollais consistent grades and also tailoring our was a little disheartening seeing losses ram over some of our Texels to produce ram selection closely to the finishing after all the hard work put in during a composite terminal sire. time of our lambs (i.e. quicker finishing lambing. Coccidiosis buckets are out in I am expecting a busy year both on lambs contain high intra muscular fat for the fields and we seldom have a and off the farm this year, as I returned eating quality while slower finishing problem, although we are careful to from Australia just before lambing and crosses have low carcase fat). monitor the situation. will be fitting trips to Ireland, France and I look forward to developing our Ewes and lambs will be set stocked Holland around silage and harvest, with sheep enterprise over the years for another five weeks before being New Zealand and the USA planned later alongside the development of their new combined with lambs of similar weight in the year. I am travelling as part of my dictator, Spud, an eight-month- and then we start rotational grazing until Nuffield Farming Scholarship for old border collie who has weaning, with lambs starting to be which my study topic is been through intensive weighed for sale towards the end of ‘optimising ewe performance training this lambing June. At weaning remaining lambs will for a productive sheep period and getting on go on to red clover and silage fields, enterprise and a high quality well! which will have had a month’s rest, then finished lamb’ and will be kale and Swift for the tail end. investigating increasing We bought a few Aberfield rams this efficiency in lamb production year to try over our North County Cheviot through improved genetics, increased

32 SHEEP FARMER MAY/JUNE 2014 33 Got weeds?

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