Dorset Sheep Newsletter May 2017

DORSET HORN & POLL DORSET SHEEP BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION May 2017

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STRONG COMMERCIAL INTEREST UNDERPINS INCREASED AVERAGES AT DORSET MAY FAIR Averages were up on the year at the annual Dorset May Fair in Exeter on Wednesday May 3 with breeders prepared to pay for quality rams and females, backed by a steady commercial trade.

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Conducted by Kivells in Exeter Livestock Centre on behalf of the Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Sheep Breeders’ Association, the sale saw almost 2,000 pedigree and commercial breeding sheep sold.

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One of the largest sales in the UK for commercial early lambing ewes as well as pedigree rams and ewes, it provides an early barometer for the year’s forthcoming breeding sheep sale trade.

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Association chairman James Royan, who lives near Berwick, said: “I’m delighted with both the quality of the stock forward and the level of interest which reflects an increasing interest in the Dorset breed. It was good to see the sale get off to a flying start with the first ram in the ring making 2,000gns.

“There was also strong interest from commercial breeders as well as in sheep from recorded flocks,” he added.

Kivells’ auctioneer Russell Steer said: “I was anticipating prices being up with the current sheep market - but only by around £3 to £5 a head but we have had increases of £25 to £30 a head in the commercial pens.

“Despite concerns about Brexit, there is still confidence in the sheep industry. Those selling cull ewes are still replacing them and there are new entrants. we had plenty of interest around the ring.

Averages for 122 rams sold were £757.56 a head with 24 leaving the ring unsold (2016 averages for 137 rams sold were £660.04, with only 30 unsold).

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Accredited ewes averaged £208.41 for 105 sold (£89.32 for 22 sold in 2016) while ewe lambs and hoggets levelled at £187.80 for 199 sold (£170.00 for 359 sold in 2016). 1292 commercial and cross bred hoggets and ewes averaging £137.78 up almost £30 on 2016.

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A total of 1,776 pedigree accredited and non-accredited and commercial breeding rams and females went under the hammer.

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The three top priced rams were sold to Northern Irish breeders. Once again there was strong representation from Northern Ireland both in the numbers of rams and ewes exhibited and in the leading purchases.

There were 16 different exhibitors who brought with them 49 sheep.

West Wales breeder David Lewis, of Llangwathen, Narberth, 1 Pembrokeshire had his best May Fair in seven years of exhibiting there, taking both the top ram price of 2,500 gns as well as leading the individual female section.

West Wales breeder David Lewis, of Llangwathen, Narberth, Pembrokeshire had his best May Fair in seven years of exhibiting there, taking both the top ram price of 2,500 gns as well as leading the individual female section.

Purchasing the poll lamb ram Pembroke Zest is Best were brothers James and Craig Robson, of Burn Road, Doagh, Co Antrim.

The family has been breeding Dorsets both commercially and pedigree since 1980 and James and Craig took over running the registered Ballyhammage flock in 2009, first selling at the May Fair in 2014.

“He looked a big, strong lamb and he was long and stretchy. He was very correct and alert,” said James. The brothers run 50 pedigree Dorsets which the purchase will be used on, as well as 500 pure commercial Dorsets which lamb three times in two years. They also have 400 finishing beef cattle.

The September-2016 born ram is by Ballytaggart Upstart out of a Pembroke dam.

Pembroke Zest is Best with from left David Lewis and purchasers James & Craig Robson

The flock also had the champion female lamb Pembroke Zara by Richhill Wallace which made 600gns but it was Pembroke Zest by Downkillybegs Xchequer which topped the sale of individual females at 620gns. This price was matched by the flock’s first prize shearling ewe, Pembroke Xeter by Downkillybegs Picasso.

David Lewis’ Pembroke Zara

Pembroke Xeter with from left Mark Davis, Kivells, and David Lewis

He established his flock with purchases of commercial in-lamb ewes at the 2009 May Fair. Two years later he returned to sell at the event .

“I had done a lot of homework and decided to go for the Dorset. I registered the flock in 2011 and now I have 280 Polled Dorsets, half of which are lambed in September and the remainder in the spring. We have plenty of grass on out lowland farm. Finished lambs are sold to local butchers.

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“The Dorsets fit in well with our herd of 30 Charolais cross suckler cows, 250 commercial ewes, 40 Ryelands and 15 Texels. We are thinking of setting up our own meat business and the Dorset flock will probably be expanded and the commercial numbers reduced.”

The second highest price at 2,400gns was again paid by a Northern Ireland breeder for the horned champion.

Cornish brothers Matthew and Adam Care doubled their previous best at the May Fair when they sold their ram Burhos Xtravagant by Sandy Lane Ultra which also topped the shearling trade to Gary Henderson, of Old Mill Cottage, Bushmills, Co Antrim, and his friend Norman Hammond.

V P, & M Care’s Burhos Xtravagant

The Cares run 300 ewes, which includes 60 horned females, in their flock at Burhos Farm, Burras, Wendron, Helston where Dorsets have been bred for three decades but have been registered since 2003. They also have 60 commercial continental suckler cows and 400 commercial ewes with North of England Mule ewes lambing in March producing replacements for the January lambing flock. The pedigree Dorsets lamb in November to produce shearling rams.

Each of the Irish breeders runs small flocks of Dorsets - Gary is area manager for an AI company. Norman runs purely horned ewes while Gary has a mix, partly because of his son Gareth’s interest.

Gary, one of the early Northern Ireland Dorset breeders who established his Sandelford flock in 1982, began breeding the horned sheep in 2010.

It was the first ram into the ring from Les French which made what was the sale’s third top price at 2,000gns. It was the best sale yet for the Wilsey flock which goes back more than 40 years at Higher Scarsick, Treneglos, Launceston, Cornwall for Mr French and his wife Heather.

While Wilsey Dorsets have been sold at the May Fair for more than 30 years, their previous top price

Wilsey X93 with left purchaser, Laura Weir and right, Les French

was two years ago at 1,800gns. Another of the seven sold this year made 1,000gns.

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They run 130 pedigree ewes alongside a herd of 150 black and white milkers, selling up to 40 rams a year as well as some ewes.

The shearling ram by successful stock ram South-Win out of a Wilsey ram was bought

by Ballymena vet Laura Weir for her Lisnafillan flock at Gracehill, Ballymena.

Her flock established in 2005 now numbers 70 pedigree ewes alongside 35 commercial ewes which she runs as well as working as a vet in a mixed practice in Ballymena.

“The breed is so versatile being able to lamb out of season with growth rates comparable to continental breeds,” she said.

Laura Weir’s Lisnafillan Zayne

She sold two home bred lamb rams to a top of 1,000gns for Lisnafillan Zayne by Downkillybegs Xander, the 10th highest recorded ram.

Two rams made 1,800gns - bought and sold by Galmpton, Kingsbridge, Devon breeder David Rossiter who runs the Huish flock.

First of the two into the ring was lot 13 Huish Zeb from David Rossiter, a ram lamb by a Poorton sire bought at the May Fair in 2015 which has bred exceptionally well and out of a Huish ewe. The ram sold to Joe Larder, of Walden Acres, Sanford, Somerset.

R and D Huxter, of Welland Down Farm, Sanford, Somerset with their ram lamb South Ham Zambezi with virtually all South Ham breeding in its immediate pedigree with high breeding indices was sold to Mr Rossiter for the same sum.

Francis Fooks, of Fooks Brothers, Manor farm, Bridport, Dorset had a good trade for both individual sheep and ewes sold by the pen with their Poorton flock.

Three Poorton rams sold to more than 1,000gns. The top price of 1,700gns for a Beechmount Tweedle Dum sired shearling with a muscle depth of 3.8 and maternal ability of 3.11 sold to Cumbrian breeder Catherine Pritt.

Second highest price was 1,600 gns for a shearling with Wilsey and Huish bloodlines.

They also had the champion pen of five ewes which were hoggetts and sold to an average of £275 per head with a further two pens of ewes lambs selling for £235 apiece.

Fooks Bros. Champion Pen of Ewe Hoggets with left, Francis Fooks & right Llyr James 4

Former association chairman Ben Lamb of Lime Tree Farm, Richhill, Co Armagh, had the reserve male champion and the best Signet Sheepbreeders’ Scheme performance recorded ram which made 1,600gns to Martin Jones, Corntown Farm, Bridgend.

Sired by a a Sandelford ram, the lamb has a terminal sire index of 469 and a maternal ability of 2.23.

Ben Lamb’s Richhill Zebedee

The overall champion, a shearling ram from Thomas Wright, of Ballytaggart, Ballymoney, Co Antrim, made 1,500gns - one of two from his flock and three in total.

Thomas Wright’s Ballytaggart XStyle

Leading ram prices: (lot 125) - 2,500gns from D Lewis, Llangawathen, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, to J and C Robson, Burn Road, Dough, Co Antrim. (lot 97) - 2,400gns from VP, M and A Care, Burhos Farm, Burras, Helston, Cornwall, to G and G Henderson, Old Mill Cottage, Bushmills, Co Antrim. (lot 1) - 2,000gns from WL French, High Carsick Farm, Treneglos, Launceston, Cornwall, to L Weir, Lisnafillan Lane, Gracehill, Ballymena, County Antrim. (lot 82) - 1,800gns from R and D Huxter, Welland Down Farm, Sandford, Crediton, Devon, to DW Rossiter, Burton Farm, Galmpton, Kingsbridge, Devon. (lot 13) - 1,800gns from DW Rossiter, to J Larder, Walden Acres, Sandford, Somerset. (lot 39) - 1,700gns from Fooks Bros, Manor Farm, North Poorton, Bridport, Dorset, to Thornbank Farms, Seascale, Gosforth, Cumbria. (lot 38) - 1,600gns from Fooks Bros, to MB Jones Farms, Corntown Farm, Bridgend. (lot 160) - 1,500gns from B Lamb, Lime Tree Farm, Richhill, Co Armagh, to AP and L Brookin, Rhippinllwyd, Cwmcou, Ceredigion.

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(lot 109) - 1,500gns from TG Wright, Kilraughts Road, Ballytaggart, Co Antrimn, to Henry Tickler, Kelby Lodge, Grantham. (lot 110) - 1,500gns from T.G Wright to Henry Tickler.

Leading female prices: (lot 185 ewe) - 620gns from D Lewis to CJ Whiting, Greenacres, Little Sodbury Common. (lot 188 ewe lamb) - 620gns from D Lewis to Hodgson Farming, Easdale Head Hall Farm, Wasdale, Cumbria. (lot 187 ewe lamb) - 600gns from D Lewis to Hodgson Farming. (lot 197 ewe lamb) - 550gns from J Royan, The Granary, Putton Mill, Berwickshire.

2017 MAY FAIR PRINCIPAL EWE AND RAM PRICES AV PRICE £

TOP PRICE £

892.50 1260.00 855.00 1155.00 1132.50 622.50 971.25 945.00 667.50 656.25 774.37 577.50 682.50 630.00 595.00 577.50 630.00 603.75 577.50 525.00 507.50 472.50 446.25 446.25 420.00 420.00

2625.00 1890.00 1890.00 1575.00 1575.00 1102.50 1050.00 945.00 945.00 892.50 840.00 787.50 735.00 735.00 735.00 735.00 630.00 630.00 630.00 630.00 525.00 525.00 525.00 472.50 472.50 420.00

Ram Lambs Mr D Lewis R & D Huxter D W Rossiter Mr B Lamb Mr T Wright R & R Hole Miss L Weir Mr R Currie W & K Carson G & G Henderson T & S Knox Mr R Hill A & C Kennedy Mr G Cubitt Griffiths & Davies Fooks Bros.

Miss L Crowther Mr & Mrs M Maybin Mr S Mullan Mr A Morton S & S Lyons Mr J Royan Mr J Larder S P McCarry Master C Carson Mr A Dufosee

7 av 2 av 7 av 5 av 7 av 7 av 2 av 7 av 2 av 4 av 2 av 2 av 3 av 3 av 2 av 2 av 3 av 2 av 3 av 2 av 2 av 2 av 2 av 6

MVA MVA MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA MVA MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA MVA MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA MVA MVA MVA MVA MVA MVA/SMN MVA

AV PRICE £

TOP PRICE £

367.50 367.50 367.50 367.50

367.50 367.50 367.50 367.50

MVA MVA MVA MVA

8 av 6 av 3 av 4 av 5 av 2 av 3 av

1128.75 980.00 1540.00 682.50 588.00 472.50 455.00 472.50

2520.00 2100.00 1785.00 840.00 840.00 525.00 525.00 472.50

MVA MVA MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA MVA MVA MVA

2 av 2 av

640.50 577.50 341.25

651.00 577.50 367.50

MVA MVA MVA

2 av 2 av 2 av

273.00 252.00 220.50

336.00 336.00 231.00

MVA/SMN MVA/SMN MVA

2 av 2 av

546.00 262.50 210.00 157.50

651.00 294.00 210.00 157.50

MVA MVA/SMN MVA MVA

3 pens 6 pens 5 pens 2 pens 6 pens 11 pens 1 pen 2 pens

MVA/SMN MVA MVA MVA MVA

Ram Lambs (Ctd).

G & E Jones J H Kemball & Son Mr T Pratt Miss Z Wernham

2 av 2 av

Shearling Rams V P, M & A Care W L French Fooks Bros.

Mr J Dufosee Mr S Driver A & C Kingdon Mr M Hayman G & E Jones Single Ewe Lambs Mr D Lewis Mr J Royan Griffiths & Davies Single Ewe Lambs (Ctd) Mr J Dufosee Miss C Johnson R & R Hole Single Shearling Ewes Mr D Lewis Mr J Dufosee R & R Hole J B May & Son

Fooks Bros.

W L French A & C Kingdon J B May & Son D J Thomas & Son S & D Cole W L & E Sanderocock B A Wernham & Son

PENS Registered Poll Dorset Ewe Hoggets £ P 235 – 275 P 145 – 255 P 150 – 195 P 145 – 190 P 130 – 188 P 122 – 178 P 172 P 170 7

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Mrs S Britton R Butler & J Benstead M J Freegard Mr A Gale

Registered Poll Dorset Ewe Hoggets (Ctd) £ P 150 1 pen P 145 1 pen P 125 – 135 5 pens P 92 1 pen

MVA

P W Baker & Son B A Wernham & Son

Registered Poll Dorset Ewes £ P 140 P 130

1 pen 1 pen

MVA MVA

Mr J Dufosee R & R Hole B A Wernham & Son R & D Huxter Mr A Gale

Registered Poll Dorset Ewe Lambs £ P 240 P 230 P 145 – 190 P 115 – 130 P 95

1 pen 1 pen 2 pens 2 pens 1 pen

MVA/SMN MVA MVa MVA

5 pens 1 pen

MVA MVA

Registered Poll Dorset Couples B A Wernham & Son Mrs S Britton

158 – 230 160

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MAY FAIR SHOW RESULTS, 2017 Class 1 – Best Ewe Lamb

Class 2 – Best Shearling Ewe

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

187 197 188 177 184

David Lewis James Royan David Lewis Jim Dufosee Griffiths & Davies

Champion Female, sponsored by Shearwell Data Ltd. and Best Ewe Lamb, sponsored by Waitrose, David Lewis’ Pembroke Zara, Z25, with from left Dylan Laws, Waitrose, Helen Davies, Shearwell Data and David Lewis

185 186 175 174

David Lewis David Lewis Jim Dufosee Jim Dufosee

Best Shearling Ewe, sponsored by Kivells, David Lewis’ Pembroke Xeter, X73, with from left Mark Davis, Kivells and David Lewis 8

Class 3 – Best Ewe Lamb or Shearling Ewe within Signet

Special Class – Progeny Group of 3

1st 2nd

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

179 176

Christina Johnson Jim Dufosee

31, 183, 184 126, 129, 187 37, 189, 190 143, 144, 177

Griffiths & Davies David Lewis G & E Jones Jim Dufosee

Progeny Group of Three winner, sponsored by David Eglin, Bramain Caravan Storage, Griffiths & Davies’ Dolclettwr Zolid, Z1277, Zelda, Z1244, & Zena, Z1228 with from left Iolo Davies, David Eglin and Rowland Davies

Reserve Champion Female & Best Ewe Lamb or Shearling Ewe within Signet, sponsored by Mr Edwin Pocock, Christina Johnson’s Bamburgh Z372 with from left Edwin Pocock, President and Christina Johnson

Class 4 – Best Ram Lamb or Shearling Ram within Signet 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

160 82 151 49 38

Ben Lamb R &D Huxter R & R Hole W & K Carson Fooks Bros.

Reserve Champion Male Exhibit, Ben Lamb’s Richhill Zebedee, Z829, with from left Ben Lamb and Edwin Pocock, President

Best Ram lamb or Shearling Ram within Signet, sponsored by Signet Breeding Services, Ben Lamb’s Richhill Zebedee, Z829, with from left Ailish Ross, Signet, and Ben Lamb

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Class 5 – Best Pair of Ram Lambs 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

158, 161 51, 54 50, 70 152, 154 85, 86

Ben Lamb W & K Carson D W Rossiter R & R Hole R &D Huxter

Best Pair of Ram Lambs, sponsored by Shearwell Data Ltd., Ben Lambs Richhill Ziggy, Z781 & Zee, Z794, with from left Edwin Pocock, President, Ben Lamb, Seamus Mullan and Helen Davies, Shearwell Data

Class 6 – Best Single Horn Ram Lamb

Class 7 – Best Single Poll Ram Lamb

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

162 62 42 139 140

Ben Lamb Cameron Carson Fooks Bros.

Adrian Dufosee Adrian Dufosee

Best Single Horn Ram Lamb, sponsored by Mr Simon Dunk, Osmonds, Ben Lamb’s Richhill Zig Zag, Z861 with from left Ben Lamb, Edwin Pocock, President and Simon Dunk, Osmonds

110 106 13 159 125

Thomas Wright Raymond Hill D W Rossiter Ben Lamb David Lewis

Best Single Poll Ram Lamb, sponsored by Waitrose, Thomas Wright’s Ballytaggart Zebedee Z1735, with from left Dylan Laws, Waitrose, Edwin Pocock, President and Thomas Wright

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Class 8 – Best Group of Three Rams

Class 9 – Best Shearling Horn Ram

1st 2nd 3rd

1st 2nd 3rd

11, 12, 16 76, 77, 78 135, 136, 137

D W Rossiter Joe Larder Adrian Dufosee

97 98 96

V P, M & A Care Sam Driver V P, M & A Care

Best Horn Exhibit, sponsored by Mr Simon Dunk, Osmonds, and Best Shearling Horn Ram, sponsored by Kivells, V P, M & A Care’s Burhos Xtravagent, with from left Russell Steer, Kivells, Mr Simon Dunk Osmonds and Matthew Care

Best Group of Three Rams, sponsored by Shearwell Data Ltd., D W Rossiter’s Huish Zaki, Z11464, Zan, Z11400, Zoro, Z11364, with from left Edwin Pocock, President, David Rossiter, Rich Rossiter, Ruth Jones and Helen Davies, Shearwell Data

Class 10 – Best Shearling Poll Ram

Class 11 – Best Pair of Shearling Rams

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

109 39 90 147

Thomas Wright Fooks Bros.

V P, M & A Care Jim Dufosee

Champion Male Exhibit and Best Shearling Poll Ram, sponsored by Waitrose, Thomas Wright’s Ballytaggart XStyle, with from left Dylan Laws, Waitrose, Edwin Pocock, President and Thomas Wright

1, 3 91, 93 100, 102 4, 6

W L French V P, M & A Care Sam Driver W L French

Best Pair of Shearling Rams, sponsored by Mr Simon Dunk, Osmonds, W L French’s Wilsey X93 and X82, with from left Heather French, Jo Burrington, Les French, Mr Simon Dunk, Osmonds, and James Robson 11

Best Pen of 5 or more Rams V P, M & A Care’s Burhos Flock

Judge Nick Burrington with Matthew & Adam Care

Class 10 – Best Pen of 5 Ewes 1st 2nd

224 225

P W Baker & Son B A Wernham & Son

Class 11 – Best Pen of 5 Hoggets

Class 12 – Best Pen of 5 Ewe Lambs

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Fooks Bros.

J B May & Son D J Thomas & Son W L French B A Wernham & Son

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

229 228 246 226

Champion Pen:

243

Fooks Bros.

Reserve Champion Pen:

229

B A Wernham & Son

243 222 203 209 201

B A Wernham & Son R & R Hole Jim Dufosee R & D Huxter

Fooks Bros. Champion Pen of Females – Francis Fooks (left) and Llyr James (right) 12

Dorset sheep, pigs and beef cattle play an integral part in helping the sustainability of intensive vegetable production for a farming enterprise in Suffolk.

Wantisden Hall Farms on the North Sea coast near Woodbridge, farms 1,351ha of predominantly arable land, of which 768ha is owned and the remainder is contract farmed.

Under the management of Tim Pratt for 11 years, the land farmed has doubled in that time by contract farming further arable areas, as well as investing heavily in irrigation on the owned land to boost yields of vegetables to help increase output.

Poorer permanent pasture previously not farmed has been brought into production for the livestock.

Free range outdoor pigs were the first to be introduced to graze aftermaths to remove potato volunteers and help in the control of potato cyst nematode - the biggest threat to what is the most profitable crop in the area.

Four years ago Dorset sheep were introduced to the system to graze the crop residues - and such has been their success in fitting into the busy cropping regime that Tim has plans to increase flock numbers to 400 ewes.

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A herd of 30 Beef Shorthorn cows also graze the green cover crops and help control bracken in the parkland.

“The livestock are a good mix to fit in with everything we do here. We are a LEAF demonstration farm and having stock has brought many benefits, creating integrated crop management on our light, sandy soil,” said Tim. The farm’s permanent pasture and marshland is in HLS and its marshland is a Catchment Sensitive Area as well as a SSSI covering Staverton Park, originally a medieval deer park, and The Thicks - it is believed to be the largest area of ancient pollarded oaks in Europe, with some trees 1,000 years old. It is a habitat for rare orchids and rare invertebrates, as well as birds, including Lapwing.

Originally from Devon where his parents ran a dairy unit near Halwill, Tim first saw the versatility of the Dorset breed with its ability to lamb out of season when he worked for the Thomas family in Launceston, Cornwall, and he bought a couple of the sheep to establish his own flock.

After university, he moved to Suffolk 15 years ago, later taking up his role as farm manager at Wantisden Hall Farms, owned by JH Kemball and Son. Easy Care ewes were the first to be introduced to the system with 400 lambing in April. All have since gone in favour of the Dorset which fits in well with the vegetable regime.

“The Dorset is very versatile and we lamb the ewes outdoors in September and October when there is a lot of crop residue from the spring greens which feeds both ewes and growing lambs,” said Tim. “Because the land is light and sandy, we have no issues with keeping the sheep clean.

“Managing the sheep in the winter is very easy with not a lot of work. Ewes which are milking heavily are given access to feed in November. Lambs never have problems with worms or fly. Creep for the lambs and feed for the ewes amounts to 2t of home grown barely plus pellets each year.

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“The aftermaths which would otherwise be ploughed in are providing grazing which costs nothing and does not interfere with the arable rotation but is benefiting it by adding manure to the soil,” he added.”The land ploughs nicely behind the sheep and pigs.”

As well as potatoes and spring greens, the farm also grows a large area of carrots, onions and swedes. The rotation on the lightest land is pigs, sugar beet, potatoes, onions, carrots and winter cereals.

“From March to September we are very busy with the vegetable crops, harvesting and planting virtually every week. In March, by which time all the male lambs have been sold, we turn the ewes with the ram onto the grassland and they go to the ram mid April,” said Tim. This includes land which has been brought back into farming - parkland and several marshes which is all in HLS and we benefit from extra payment because the Dorsets are a native breed.

“The ewes just tick over, grazing the grass. We don’t have any problems with worms or flies and one member of staff helps me with them when required.

“The Dorsets are working very nicely for us. They bring in extra income from the lamb sales with little input and the extra HLS money.”

The manure from the sheep and pigs helps to fertilise the land which cannot be dressed with artificial fertiliser. The fertiliser benefit of manure from the sheep and pigs is approximately £110/ha.

The land is also in a Catchment Sensitive Area and grant aid from this scheme and the HLS has assisted with fencing on the grazing ground. For flexibility, the arable land is divided with electric fencing.

The first ewes were registered with the Dorset Horn and Poll Dorset Association in 2013 and now flock numbers run to 120 horned ewes (Staverton flock) and up to 90 polled ewes (Deben flock).

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Such is the breed’s success that Tim aims to run 400 ewes half of which would be horned and the rest polled. The flock is Signet recorded as another breeding tool but most of the selection is by eye and this is usually backed up by figures.

To expand the flock, 90% of ewe lambs are kept as replacements as well as up to six rams for breeding with the remainder of the males going for slaughter.

This years 100 ewe lambs will be added to numbers with the intention of being self sufficient, hopefully by next year.

To introduce new bloodlines from top rams, a number of the polled ewes are being AI-ed this year with semen from three sires. The double muscling Myomax gene has also been brought into the flock with the purchase of a gene carrying ram at the May Fair.

Tim is also looking for a ram to introduce new bloodlines to the horned ewes which have a relatively small gene pool compared to the polled sheep.

Tim attends the Dorset association May Fair sale in Exeter in early May where at last year’s event he won best horned exhibit at his first time of showing.

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Two horned rams averaged just under ÂŁ800 and Tim sees this as another income stream for the future. He has sold rams to a neighbouring farm where they are being put to Mule cross Suffolk ewes to lamb traditionally in April.

The ewes currently average 160% lambs reared with little mortality and Tim hopes to improve on this as the flock progresses.

Lambs are principally sold deadweight. Earlier this year the lambs were grading at R3L weighing 21-22kg deadweight. They were averaging ÂŁ90 a lamb.

The lambs straight off their mothers also attract a premium - both with local butchers and farm shops which prefer to sell the young lamb rather than hoggett meat.

Another outlet for the lamb is boxed meat sold directly off the farm with around 30 boxes of spring lamb sold each year bringing in ÂŁ110 a lamb.

Another possibility when numbers increase could be to sell lamb to a scheme such as that run by supermarket Waitrose - which buys a lot of the vegetables from Wantisden.

The farm markets its vegetables with five other producers to many of the large multiples via a marketing group called The 3 Musketeers and Suffolk Produce, based at a nearby disused military airstrip.

Potato harvesting from June to October gives yields from 25t/ha for the early crops to 50t/ha for the later crop. The aim is to produce 1 million tubers per ha of Maris Peer, all under 42mm to meet the required exacting criteria.

Generating further income, an anaerobic digester was built four years ago and it is fed by maize, rye and sugar beet pulp. It also gives Tim liquid and solid digestate to help cut fertiliser bills.

Intensive vegetable production will continue the main enterprise on the farm. Tim plans to expand production in a sustainable way while placing emphasis on environmental concerns.

Wantisden Hall Farms 768ha owned plus 584ha contract farmed, which includes: 100 ha 65 ha

Woodland / Firbelts ELS / Permanent pasture and lakes 17

Cropping area 200 ha 38 ha 50 ha 68 ha 125 ha 40 ha 18 ha

Potatoes 95 ha Carrots 45 ha Spring Cereals 445 ha OSR 20 ha Sugarbeet 180 ha Let land – Spring Greens Swedes

Onions Outdoor pigs Winter Cereals Vining Peas Maize

Vegetables marketed through 3 Musketeers group 210 horned and poll Dorset ewes with 160% lambing percentage reared 1,200 commercial outdoor sows with progeny sold as weaners 30 Beef Shorthorn cows Anaerobic digester helps cut fertiliser bills AHDB Beef & Lamb Better Returns Programme Improved Flock Award The 2017 winner of the AHDB Beef & Lamb Better Returns Programme Improved Flock Award for Dorset sheep is the flock owned by Meakin & Body at Treweatha Farm in Cornwall. This award is presented to the English Signet performance recorded flock that makes the greatest improvement in the breeding potential of the lamb crop during the previous year.

The AHDB Better Returns Programme aims to highlight the financial impact that improved breeding and better lamb selection strategies can have on commercial flock profitability.

This award seeks to reward those breeders that are using Estimated Breeding Values to enhance the performance of their flocks and assist them to promote their achievement. The impact of performance recorded stock is significant and is increasing every year because of the activities of progressive farmers.

Susan Body has lived at Treweatha Farm since 1988 when her flock of Dorset sheep were established.

She was originally attracted to the Dorset as a breed as they were something different and as they have the ability to lamb out of season, Susan was able to use that to her advantage. The longer grass growing season down in Cornwall also allows her to have her lambs finished before the main national crop.

Susan began performance recording as she wanted to improve her flock and to produce higher quality sheep with better carcase composition. Originally Susan’s Kerlow flock had 10 ewes involved with the Centurion Group Breeding Scheme, based at Lackham College,and once the Sire Reference Scheme had become established the Kerlow flock naturally developed into it and have gone from strength to strength since.

When selecting EBVs Susan aims for an overall ram that is not too extreme in any trait. She likes them fairly lean, not too fat, with good muscling quantities and early growth rates. Maternal traits are also important, as unlike many breeds the Dorset is usually pure bred and rarely used to cross onto other breeds. Therefore it must be ensured that they breed for Terminal sire and maternal traits.

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Susan sells at the Sedgemoor Centurion Sale every year, this year she took two ram lambs and two ewe lambs and will occasionally sell off farm. She has found that people are becoming much more interested in the performance figures at these sales although it has taken a while for them to be appreciated.

When asked about the future Susan says that she is going to continue what she is doing, always trying to improve. She has recently reduced numbers which she believes will allow her to progress further. There is more time available to concentrate on the management and keep a closer eye on the flock.

Susan with her two ram lambs that she took to the Sedgemoor Centurion Sale in April.

Susan is delighted about winning the award and was very surprised, however she is thrilled that all her hard work has eventually come through. Susan used an excellent selection of sires for 2016, with one home bred tup coming in the top 1% of the breed (J1:W1685) and another home bred ram coming in the top 5% (J1:U1359). The other rams used all came within the top 10% of the breed. Susan would like to thank her husband John for all his help and support, especially for getting up at all hours during lambing time and a thanks to the Centurion Group for all the useful discussions that they have and all the support she has received.

EBV’s for J1:W1685 The chart shows that this ram has excellent growth rates and a superior muscle depth, with a muscle depth 4.81mm larger than average. His Terminal Sire index is 461 placing him comfortably within the Top 1% of the breed.

WORCESTER SALE SATURDAY, 8TH JULY, 2017 As with May Fair, the Worcester entry forms are only being posted to members who have sold at the sale over the past five or six years. If you are on e-mail they will be e-mailed to you.

They will also be available to download off the website if you have access to this. If you would like to receive entry forms for the Worcester sale by post please ring the office.

ENTRIES CLOSE 12 NOON, FRIDAY, 9TH JUNE 19

2017 FLOCK COMPETITION You will find the entry forms for the 2017 flock competition attached/enclosed with this mailing and again they are available to download off the website.

The judges Graham & Mary Cubitt are planning carrying out the judging starting from 12 July.

They will contact you direct to arrange a mutually convenient date for their visit.

Do please try and support the competition – it will be well worth the effort If you are not in it, you cannot win it!!

ENTRIES CLOSE FRIDAY, 16th June, 2017

Phillip David with Francis Fooks receiving his 2016 AGM raffle prize of a Poorton ewe lamb, very kindly donated by Francis Fooks, Fooks Bros.

DISCLAIMER

DORSET HORN & POLL DORSET SHEEP BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION

The Dorset Horn & Poll Dorset Sheep Breeder’s Association produce this newsletter in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies contained therein.

Agriculture House, Acland Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1EF Tel/Fax: 01305 262126 e-mail: dorsetsheep@xlnmail.com website: www.dorsetsheep.org.uk Breed Secretary: Marguerite Cowley 20