Week Twelve

Hi

This week has been my first week of summer holidays. It was boring! (I kind of want to go to school) The sheep are looking fine and ready for tupping. I am going to use a Suffolk ram. I will use raddle on the ram to check that it is working. If the Suffolk ram dosen't work after 2 weeks we will use a Texel ram. If we use a Texel ram we will be producing commerical lambs. (This could be good and bad)

This week we have also made hay using an Edwardian method. We had to make Edwardian hay because we can't get a tractor into the paddock. If you want to make Edwardian hay just follow these few steps:

1. First you need to cut the hay with a sythe or you can cheat and use a strimmer.
2. Next you need to row it up and turn three times a day unless it has rained then you need to leave until it gets warmer and then start turning again
3. Then you need to put them into cocks.
4. After that you need to put it in to a stack.
5. Finally put a cover over it leaving a little bit of air to keep it cool as you don't want it too hot inside.

Thank you for reading my blog and hope you read my next blog.

Jack

Sythe = An cutting devise.

Cocks = Small piles to let the hay dry.

Stack = The final pile it will be in.

Week Eleven

Hello again,

This week I have been on an activity week with my school. It was great fun. As I was away my sister has been checking my sheep for me. I have been up to check the gimmers yesterday and - to my amazement -the gimmer that had the problem on her leg is much better. This means that I will not need to bring her back in and give her some more penicillin.

Yesterday I went to Shewsbury Livestock Market to see the National Suffolk Sheep Show and Sale. There were 234 Suffolk Rams entered and there was about 200 present. Some farmers think that their sheep will not sell or they think it is to far to go and if they don't sell they have to bring them back so they don't bother taking them. The top price was 23,000gns sold by Chris Holmes with his Ram Lamb which won at The Three Counies Show. Chris also had a lamb at 2200gns and 1500gns. Robert H Wilson bought the top price Ram to use this year on his flock. The champion Lamb was from J G Douglas which made 2000gns and the reserve champion was from Myfyr A Evans and it made 7200gns. Also other top prices were from G C Beacom which went for 9000gns, W G Troup Ltd which made 70000gns and Mrs J J Tooze had a lamb that went for 2200gns. Messrs A E Weaver & Son bought that ram. The top price for the Shearling rams was from Messrs T C & C A Harding which made 1600gns.

The average for the Shearling Rams is = 1012gns.

The average for the ram lambs is = 1171gns.

It is the stirling sale coming up and it has entries  200 Rams and on the 12th of August it is the Carlisle sale and if you would like to enter there is still time, so go on to this website to enter. http://www.livestock-sales.co.uk/

I am still looking for a pedigree farmer who uses BASCO to tell me how to use it, that would be great. I also need to learn how to read the notches in the ears to be able to trace their history.

Thank you for reading,

Jack

Gns =

Week Nine and Ten

I have been on holiday to France for the past week so I have not been able to keep you up to date.
When I came back from France I saw that one of the gimmers looked lame. I asked my dad to come and have a look just to make sure that I was not imagining things. We took the foot shears and the spray as well as the string. Dad said that I was correct and there was a problem on the front left leg of one of the gimmers.  We had to move the ewes from one side of the field to the other. (I had to get them through the small gate with food) Once they were through I had to set up the pens with dad. We had left gates up from last time we had to work with them. We put some wire up so when we try and get them in they will not run the other way. Once I had got them in I got dad to tip her up as I am not strong enough. I saw a hole in the top of her leg. Dad said it was an abscess that had bust and it wasn't that bad but we put some spray on it to make sure that the flys wouldn't attack it. Two days after we treated it, she is putting presure on her leg again and that is a great sign. If it does get worse again we will give her an injection of penicillin.

There is no more to tell you about my sheep but there is some more show results:

Great Yorkshire Show:
Champion: Lilburn Estates Farming Partnership, Wooler, Northumberland
Reserve Champion: Lilburn Estates Farming Partnership, Wooler, Northumberland

Well done Lilburn Estates Farming Partnership.

As I am just starting in the farming world could any pedigree farmer who uses BASCO tell me how to use it, that will be great. I also need to learn how to read the notches in th ears to be able to trace their history.

Jack

Penicillin = Penicillin (sometimes abbreviated PCN or pen) is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi.

Week Eight

Hello again,

I have been busy this week with school. I've just finished exams and now nervously await my results!

This is the final week with the feeding the sheep for a while as they are looking quiet fat at the moement. The flys are still hovering over the gimmers but they are not landing and not laying eggs.

This week I am going to tell you what is the best way to make the good use of your land.

I have 2.7 acres of land and I have cut it in to half so there is 1.35 acres on both sides. On one side I have further divided it in half so there is 0.675 acres in each part. This means the sheep and pigs (the pigs are not mine) can move around. If you keep cows please read this next part.
An old 'rule of thumb' is 1/2 acre per cow for spring, one acre per cow for summer and 1.5 acres per cow in the Autumn.

I only have sheep and pigs at the moment but if you have more land you might start to think about what else you could have on your land, perhaps goats or alpacas? (i know that alpacas are good for keeping the foxes away!)

Here are some more results from around the UK:

The Royal Norfolk Show
Male champion: M J & J A Pinny
Female champion: Needham, Miss Elizabeth

If there are any more shows that I have missed feel free to comment and I will cover it next week.

Thank you
Jack