Top shepherd: Matthew Fearon A CUMBRIAN hill farmer is among 12 young shepherds preparing to take part in the finals of a competition that should have taken place last year. The National Sheep Association (NSA), organisers of the Next Generation Shepherd of the Year, had to cancel last year’s competition, which was scheduled to have taken place at NSA Sheep Event 2020, because of the pandemic. The long-awaited finals will see competitors take part in a demonstration of skills including ATV handling, health care administration, carcase judging, and shearing via virtual tasks. Representing NSA Northern Region is Matthew Fearon, 21, who is working as a contract shepherd.
TWELVE young shepherds are preparing to take part in the finals of a competition that should have taken place last year. The National Sheep Association (NSA), organisers of the Next Generation Shepherd of the Year, had to cancel last year s competition, which was scheduled to have taken place at NSA Sheep Event 2020, because of the pandemic. The long-awaited finals will see competitors take part in a demonstration of skills including ATV handling, health care administration, carcase judging, and shearing via virtual tasks. Competition organiser Helen Roberts said: “It is encouraging to see the competitors embrace using virtual technology in order that the competition can take place and to see how they have overcome the new challenges that this has bought to the competition. I wish all the competitors well with their tasks.
Larnygeal chondritis showing abscessation of both arytenoid cartilages. \ Department of Agriculture Regional Veterinary Laboratories
Recent years’ Teagasc sheep conferences have tackled diseases which are relatively unknown among farmers, but growing in importance, and other ailments of great significance including ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA/Jaagsiekte) and anthelmintic resistance.
Last week’s conference also highlighted a disease which many farmers may know little about called laryngeal chondritis.
The condition was discussed by Ben Strugnall, a UK vet who runs Farm Post Mortems Ltd in Durham, northeast England.
The practice was set up in response to a lack of post-mortem facilities in the region and Ben says it handles mainly sheep and cattle.
By Farmer reporter One of the most prestigious prizes in Welsh agriculture has been awarded to a sheep farmer with no family background in agriculture. Steve Smith of Pen-Y-Bryn, Castle Caereinion, Welshpool, was raised in a non-farming family but he always knew from a very young age that he wanted to farm. He got the farming bug and eventually moved to work as a shepherd in Montgomeryshire. He believed that the sheep industry had great opportunity and looked towards the then new breeds that were starting to be imported from the continent and decided that Texels and Belgian blues provided a great opportunity in developing the Welsh red meat sector.
THE John Gittins Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the Welsh sheep industry has been won this year by Montgomeryshire farmer Steve Smith. The award, one of the most prestigious prizes in Welsh agriculture, has been won by Mr Smith, of Pen-y-Bryn, Castle Caereinion. Mr Smith was raised in a non-farming family but he always knew from a very young age that he wanted to farm. He got the farming bug and eventually moved to Wales in 1981 to work as a shepherd in Montgomeryshire. He believed that the sheep industry had great opportunity and looked towards the then new breeds that were starting to be imported from the continent and decided that Texels and Belgian Blue’s provided a great opportunity in developing the Welsh red meat sector.