Event Reports Event Reports

POLICYREGIONAL NEWS NEWS I NSAI NSA ACTIVITIES UPDATES I & FARM EVENTS FEATURES I NEXT I TECHNICALGENERATION I ANIMALI BUSINESS HEALTH & IHUSBANDRY NEXT GENERATION ADVICE SHEEPFARMER AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 A NATIONAL SHEEP ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION EVENT REPORTS READ ABOUT UK-WIDE NSA SHEEP EVENTS NEXT GENERATION UPDATES SPECIAL FEATURE FLOCK HEALTH CLUBS AND THEIR POTENTIAL BREXIT NO-DEAL CONTINGENCY NSA RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNMENT ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE – ARE YOU SAFE? your business your future 4093 A4 ADVERT 2019 6/5/19 14:21 Page 1 `` DELIVERING TOP QU RAMS THROUGHOUT THE UK Summer sheep events give A LITY us all food for thought By Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive The beginning of July saw the end of much of the responsibility to make our sheep enterprises more profitable will fall back to farmers INSIDEYOUR a very busy and satisfying six weeks CONTENTS & WELCOME and the wider industry. SHEEPFARMER AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 in which NSA, through our regional Improving profitability can only come from VOL. 39 NO 4. ISSN 0141- 2434 teams, delivered five major NSA a balance of two things – optimising value and NSA NEWS controlling costs. Thankfully, we seem to have sheep events. 03 News round-up moved on from thinking we can compete on a low 06 Balmoral Show report price global commodity market and now recognise Starting with NSA Welsh Sheep in mid-May, 07 NSA Welsh Sheep report our future is more about reliable and credible followed by North Sheep, Highland Sheep, standards, product quality and premiums. 08 NSA Highland Sheep report Sheep South West, and finishing up with Sheep But none of this is black and white. While it feels 10 NSA North Sheep report Northern Ireland, we have welcomed more than right to be adding value and developing premium 11 NSA Sheep South West report 16,000 people through the gates. The numbers markets, this won’t work for fifth quarter products, 12 Royal Highland Show report are encouraging and the level of engagement or even third or fourth, and improving profitability 15 What’s coming up in your region equally so, with stands, seminars and workshops is more about making sound investments than Order your rams all busy. 16 NSA ram sale previews simply cutting costs. Investments in seed, feed, We may not know what it will look like, but we veterinary input, skills, marketing and many other by phone or email know change is coming and, as I’ve said before, REGULAR FEATURES inputs can add costs but they can also add value. we do have a good idea of the direction of travel. 18 NSA policy update Yet the question of how we can, on an industry Large selection of performance We need our sheep enterprises as lean as possible, 22 Farm Feature: Thomas Carrick level, have the greatest effect on the prices we recorded grass fed rams and we will need to focus on improving the 24 NSA Next Generation receive remains. A vital piece of the puzzle is environment if we are to tap into public money. 30 Business comment and advice Breeds for indoor and remembering supply and demand dynamics are 32 NSA contributors’ technical advice outdoor lambing king. If demand is high and supply short then we Breeds for prime lamb production Future funding know where it leads, and vice versa. So investing 44 Following the flock and female replacements In due course ‘the environment’ will stretch way in new markets and driving demand must be a beyond the current scope of agri-environment priority. But potential changes in supply to the EU, SPECIAL FEATURES Hardy rams which last schemes to include wildlife habitats, climate longer, serving more ewes and low consumption in younger generations are 28 Flock Health clubs change mitigation, improving the quality of soil two things to stay focused on. A wide basket of Commercial focus to increase air and water, and activities that benefit the market opportunities is also essential and here UK profits and reduce labour health and wellbeing of people. sheep farming is in a good place. It has been said that food and farming should Hundreds of repeat customers throughout UK from Orkney be recognised as our primary health service, but to Devon & Ireland currently our National Health Service is more Markets focused on treating illness than promoting But the linkage between many farmers and the health. But recognition that food, environment marketplace, the point that brings a level of equity and medicine are the front and the back end between tens of thousands of small businesses and NSA event reports 01467 681579 of the same body is the approach that should a tiny number of large and very organised ones, is 07 unlock funds in a post CAP world. the livestock market. It’s not going to be easy and there is much Not every farmer chooses to use them for work to be done if we are to find a financially all their stock, but few would manage without viable model on an industry level. That is why them entirely and, while they may bring a cost in it was so good to see attendees at our sheep terms of sales commission, there is no doubt they events getting stuck into what was on offer. outweigh this with the added value they bring for The good news is that the need for a transition the industry as a whole. period of several years has been accepted. Those The Government sees inequity in trading power NSA policy years will fly by and it would be wrong to waste as something it can and will act to address and, 18 them by fighting for the status quo. while it is often not recognised, our auction marts While teams of researchers and academics have been performing this function for a very long will be putting values on a host of public goods, time. A National Sheep Association publication with design and production services provided by Kinroy Design. Sires of prime lambs Sires of breeding females Printed on paper sourced from responsibly managed forest. Front page picture credit: NSA. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior consent of NSA. Every care is taken when compiling this magazine but NSA and Kinroy Design take no responsibility for errors or omissions. Views expressed and information Email: [email protected] www.logiedurnosheep.co.uk contained are not necessarily those of NSA and NSA cannot be held responsible for any reason arising from them. NSA does not endorse any services or products advertised. 32 Grass management tips 02 SHEEPFARMER DELIVERY IS FREE TO AN AREA NEAR YOU www.nationalsheep.org.uk AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019 SHEEPFARMER 01 Edwin Jones has National Sheep Association won the second NSA news prize draw of Scotland The Sheep Centre, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PH 2019. 01684 892661 (Monday-Friday 9am-5.30pm) www.nationalsheep.org.uk @natsheep [email protected] /natsheep Second NSA membership winner selected The second lucky winner of NSA’s 2019 Edwin decided to join NSA whilst visiting NSA membership prize draw, of a JFC Agri foam CONTACT NSA CONTACT N Ireland Welsh Sheep back in May. He says: “Having been NEWS NSA NSA officeholders NSA Northern footbath and 20 litres of hoof solution, has involved with sheep and shearing all of my life been announced as Edwin Jones from Llanegryn, Lord Inglewood I felt it was time to sign up. It is good to keep NSA regions Gwynedd. Honorary President updated with technical news and changes to Central Edwin is the third generation of his family to policy, and NSA is excellent at delivering this Marches Bryan Griffiths Central farm the 400 acres at Nant Madyn. He currently information to its members.” Secretary Chair of the Board runs 600 Welsh Mountain ewes and 20 Welsh Two further prize packages are still to be Marches Eastern Katie James. Chairman: David Howlett Wales Black cattle with a recently purchased Luing bull. won in this year’s giveaway. All new members David Gregory Cymru Commenting on his win Edwin says: “I am are automatically entered into the draw NSA Marches Region Honorary Treasurer Manager: Anne Payne really pleased to win this prize. We have needed and existing members can also enter by has appointed a familiar face, Katie James, South East Finance & General Purposes Chairman 01142 883241 to change something to keep on top of lameness recommending a friend, family member or as its Regional Secretary. Katie already works [email protected] South West and we are hoping this will work effectively, neighbour to sign up as well. as Communications Officer for NSA and is Eddie Eastham meaning we can finish lambs a little quicker.” More at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/membership. looking forward to getting stuck in the with UK Policy & Technical Chairman Cymru / Wales additional role. Alongside working for NSA, Development Officer: Helen Roberts NSA AGM 2019 reminder Katie runs a flock of pedigree Rylands near Kevin Harrison Chairman: Tim Ward 01691 654712 / 07976 803066 her home in Hanley Swan, Worcestershire. Find English Committee Chairman [email protected] NSA members are reminded that the 126th NSA AGM will take place at United Auctions, Stirling out more about what Marches Region is up to Eastern Agricultural Centre, FK9 4RN, on Friday 9th August 2019 at 10.30am. on page 15. Manager: Jonathan Barber Members are entitled to submit their votes in advance of the meeting by completing a proxy form Chairman: Dan Phipps 01953 607860 / 07712 659262 NSA staff or appoint a person to attend and vote on their behalf. Proxy forms and other documents related to Contact via NSA Head Office (details above) [email protected] Maternity the meeting will be added as available against the diary entry for the AGM at www.nationalsheep.

Load more