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

Week Six and Week Seven

Hello again,

These past two weeks have been very busy. I have just clicked (see below) the gimmers and heptavac'd(see below) them. I also looked at their feet to make sure they are healthy, which they were.
I am going to move them from the section of grass they are on, to another patch because they have grazed the grass right down.

As I promised I am going to tell you what you need to have when you want to start your own flock.

1. You will need a herd/flock number from your local agricultural office as all sheep have to be registered and tagged. Your sheep tag will have your herd/flock number on it so all of your sheep are identified and can be traced back to you. These tags are placed permanently in the sheep's ear as soon as they are big enough perhaps 2 to 3 months old. If you haven't been given a herd/flock number do not buy sheep or lambs as you are breaking the law.
2. Your land must be well and properly fenced for sheep because they are the cause of many arguments in the countryside. Sheep have a knack of spotting something better on someone else's land and managing to get to it.
3. A dosing gun (for giving them worming and other oral treatments) is essential and you can by a multi-purpose one from your local farmers store. You can buy them with "pour-on" attachments for applying anti fly treatments which are all the better as then sheep dipping can be eliminated by applying pour-on applications.
4. A holding pen in a dry, good spot where you can easily drive your sheep into and hold them for dosing and shearing.
5. Food and water are the only other essential requirements for sheep, but they do not look after themselves and will require inspection at least once a day because there is always problems with sheep, but most times the problems are only minor.

As well I said I would tell you the latest show results from the UK:

The Royal Highland Show
Champion: Mr Sandy Fraser with his Ewe lamb.

Three Counties Show
Champion: Mr Chris Holmes
Reserve Champion: Mr V E & B M Samuel

If you would like me to cover any particular subjects on my blog or to explain any matters I've already mentioned, just leave a comment.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Jack

Heptavac = Heptavac P Plus sheep and lamb vaccine for the active immunisation of sheep as an aid in the control of lamb dysentery, pulpy kidney, struck, tetanus, braxy, blackleg, black disease and clostridial metritis caused by the above listed organisms. An opaque fluid vaccine combined 7 in 1 clostridial plus pasteurella vaccine.

Click = Is a water-based, ready-to-use, pour-on formulation, containing 5% w/v dicyclanil.

Week Six

I am so sorry but I am very busy with the play I am in, so this blog will be joined together with week seven. I am going to be talking about how to start your very own flock of sheep. I am sorry for the wait but come back in a week and it should be up. If not just leave a comment telling me to get a move on.
Jack

Week Five

This week as been another good week. The rain has finally fallen, so the grass will start to grow. The wool on the gimmers is starting to grow back from when they were clipped last month. This will mean that in the winter the gimmers will be nice and warm. 


This week I am going to tell you who is winning the Suffolk classes at the major shows from around the UK:

At the Royal Bath & West Show

Champion: , Mr R F Holmes

Reserve Champion:  Mr  Brooks

At the South of England Show:

Champion: M Legge

Reserve Champion: Miss D Lindon

At The Royal Cornwall Show:

Champion: Mr R Lawrence

Reserve Champion: Not known.

Next week I will be telling you what you need to start to keep sheep and I shall be visiting the Three Counties Show to see how my sheep compare to the sheep being shown there. I shall be able to report back with the showing results.

As well as having a great interest in sheep, I love acting and I am currently reheasing for a village play, so I am having to learn a lot of words. The play is called Mystery and Merriment and it is all about the Bible, both the old and new Testament stories. If you live in the Worcestershire area and are interested in it, please look at the website www.3villagesfestival.com

Thank you for reading my blog,

Jack

Week Four

This week has been a great week as I have been visiting a Suffolk sheep farmer in Bristol. Later in the blog I will be telling you how he helped me by telling me what makes a good Suffolk sheep. But first let me tell you about my sheep. My sheep are looking really good at the moment. Yesterday as I was checking them I only saw three, so I thought the fourth must just be sleeping so I carried on  feeding the others but it did not come, so I went looking. I saw her in the distance but her ears were down and she was not moving so I ran over. As soon as I was near to her, she did just what sheep do - got up and ran away! Typical sheep!

As promised I am going to tell you what makes a good Suffolk sheep:
When I visited the Suffolk sheep farmer this week,I asked him what made a good Suffolk sheep.
He replied:
"A Suffolk sheep needs to have...

1. Good back
2. Silky hair on head and legs.
3. A tight skin.
4. Good teeth
5. Good back end (If it's a male).
6. Stands nicely."

Thank you for reading my fourth blog.

Jack

Sorry I cann't send any replys from the comments page so here is the reply

Hi, thank you for the invite to judge your local show. Where is it as it maybe a problem to get there?
 I only have 2.7 acres and it is in an apple orchard with plenty of apples as well as grass but will give them some cabbages which I am growing in my garden.
The only problem I am having is that my neighbour has some P-P horses in the next door field and they are annoying my sheep. I will speak to my cousin who is a top P-P jockey and I am sure she will advice me what to do.

Jack