The Rural Business School Newsletter - May 2015

The Rural Business School Issue 48 - May 2015

Veterinary nurses Anthelmintic resistance Regen Agriculture Hedges for fuel

Advice Days: Bicton - 6th June, 2pm Duchy - HE - 10th June, 10am-2pm

Open Days:

Duchy Stoke Climsland - 20th & 21st June, 10am - 4pm Duchy Rosewarne - 21st June, 11am - 3pm

Bicton merger confirmed

Editorial

As this is going to press, all eyes are on the latest opinion polls for the election (well some at least- others are no doubt trying to plant potatoes, drill maize and deal with first-cut silage, as described by our commentators on page 3). By the time you read this of course all will have been revealed. The current prediction is a hung parliament with the Conservatives holding the largest number of seats (just), but a Labour-SNP coalition would have more seats, however, even if the Liberals were to join the Conservatives again. So looking at the coloured map, so beloved of political journalists, it looks as though the rural south west will not be represented at all in the emerging government – that is if the opinion polls are correct and they do not change over the final week.

One positive coming out of the electioneering is the cross-party agreement on the importance of apprenticeships. This has been one of the buzz words for politicians from all parties, with each pledging more and more places. One thing we can be sure of

Director: Richard Soffe FRAgS page 2 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

is that apprenticeships are here to stay. This coincides well with the now-confirmed merger of Bicton College with The Cornwall College Group (page 8) and the creation of the largest landbased apprenticeship provision in the country as we outlined in Issue 46. Already there are examples of the benefits of joint working in the case of apprentices (page 4). Please get in contact if you see apprenticeships as an important part of your business going forward (page 7).

The RBS also continues to deliver a wide portfolio of training courses ranging from those aimed at the commercial agricultural sector through to those with appealing to a wider rural audience. Some examples are detailed on pages 8, 9 & 10 and a detailed list of up and coming courses is included at the back of this issue as usual (pages 26 & 27).

With lambing largely completed, it is now timely to consider parasite control planning and the problem of anthelmintic resistance in worms. Following on from our Healthy Livestock

0845 458 7485

work on parasite control in sheep, we include a reminder to farmers to test for resistance and the chance for sheep producers to be involved with a University of Bristol project (page 12). Indeed there is a veterinary flavour this issue, as we report some of the veterinary nursing successes from Duchy College Rosewarne (page 5) Enough of national matters, we also report on the Rural Business School’s involvement in a project in Africa. The RBS’s award winning approach delivering businessfocussed training to farming communities in the south west of England is providing an exemplar model for supporting farm businesses in Africa, where entrepreneurship has been promoted as one solution to development (page 25).

Paul Ward

www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk

BEEF & LAMB: “Prime cattle prices have weakened considerably over past weeks due to pressure from oversupply of both domestic and imported beef. Lack of consumer demand is not helping the situation.

Cull cow trade is currently better, resulting in price stability. Outlets pay well for the type of cows they wish to source and this is currently very apparent. There is current downward pressure on price as high numbers of new season lambs come forward; trading is now well below the same time last year. Competition on the shelves with New Zealand product is also having a detrimental effect. There are still hoggets on the market but trade is not good.”

(24-04-15) Sue Rowe, CQLP DAIRY: “The cows have milked well this spring with recent dry weather making both man and beast content. With the present area of our grazing platform tight, we are still feeding: 14kg of silage, 2kg of blend, minerals and magnesium chloride to the high yielding cattle, which will be stopped once silage fields have recovered and are fit to graze. Our first silage cut was completed on the 22nd April in fantastic weather conditions, so expectations of a good quality feed are high. 50

acres of silage stubble will have 4,000 gallons an acre of slurry, and then shortly after this, the land will be drilled for maize.

In the meantime, we are enjoying the challenges of BPS form completion.”

Simon Ward, ST & AL Ward, Wadebridge

rate as the warmth during the middle of April has got the grass growing well. Hopefully the lamb prices will hold up until we have our first pick of lambs. With the cows now turned out and the yearlings bolused and turned away to their summer grass keep, calving will soon be in full swing. I will look forward to the inevitable stressful morning when Dad and I are out in the shed trying to put a calf to suck!!!”

Richard Toop, Beef and Sheep farmer, Yelverton.

SILAGE: “We were pleased with the crop and quality of the rye grass, the grass stubble has now been covered in slurry and dung ready to be ploughed and drilled with maize. Just hope the weather is favourable for the main first cut; however the odd shower would be good. The weather is looking ideal for this coming weekend and I can go away to the Young Farmers AGM and not have to think about what I should be doing at home!”

David Butland, Dairy and Beef farmer, Yelverton SHEEP & BEEF: “With May fast approaching, the last few ewes have finally lambed. Lambing went well with the lambs growing away at a good

Erratum We apologise for a production error in the ‘News’ on Page 29 in the last issue (47) of The Rural Business School. In the last paragraph of ‘What’s the beef?’, the sentence should have read ‘So there may still be some risk, but the recent studies have shown that eating no meat at all had a higher risk of early death than those eating a small amount of beef.

Thank you to all those who contacted us to point this out.

Industry Comments

The state of farming in the south west - your views.

Here we list some of your comments on the current state of agriculture in the westcountry.

For more information If you would like to share your views in a future issue, please contact Becky Butland on 0845 458 7485 or email gc@duchy.ac.uk.

Contents Industry Comment 3 RBS News 4 RBS Projects 12 Market Monitor 16 Environmental Advice 18 Guest Articles 24 News 17-23 Diary Dates 26-27 May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 3

RBS News

Starcross Veterinary Investigation Centre Eight Level 2 agricultural apprentices and three staff members from Bicton and Duchy College enjoyed a recent visit to Starcross Veterinary Investigation Centre, near Exeter. The purpose behind the visit was to enable students and staff to gain a better insight into the role of Defra, the importance of animal husbandry and welfare on the farm, at markets and in transit and the associated statutory controls and regulations.

The day began with a talk from Animal Health, informing the apprentices of the importance of being vigilant when checking livestock for signs of notifiable diseases, the need for keeping good medical records, the benefits of early identification and why they need to report them.

“encourage a positive working relationship with the farmers of the future.”

Post mortem The students were lucky enough to see a post mortem being carried out on a calf that was brought in by a local farmer, which was diagnosed with severe meningitis.

The vet described the procedures and talked his way through the process, with the students asking questions throughout.

The group then enjoyed a talk from Rachael Collins BVMS MRCVS, a Veterinary Investigation Officer, who talked about some common diseases/ problems farmers are faced with, such as fluke, mastitis and pneumonia.

She explained the importance of treating sick animals, what the common causes were

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and ways to minimise and prevent such problems.

In the afternoon, the group went into the laboratories to look at how dung, blood, bone, organs and milk samples are analysed to identify different diseases and illnesses. The students were shown what happens to samples sent to the centre by farmers, including E. coli, salmonella, cryptosporidium and TB, and discussed why it is so important to carry out such tests for research work in the search for new treatments.

Peter Reed, Training Officer in Agriculture, said, “It was a fantastic opportunity for the apprentices to be shown around the centre. Having detailed presentations and practical demonstrations from leading vets and technicians in their field and asking them questions relating directly to their own farms, was a great experience”.

Students got hands on experience at Starcross Rachael Collins added, “The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of Defra working to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy. One of the important ways in which we can achieve this aim is to engage with our primary stakeholder, the farmer. Therefore, inviting agricultural students to visit the APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre at Starcross for a day was deemed a great opportunity to build and encourage a positive working relationship with the potential farmers of the future. Students are given information and

advice on farm animal disease, farm animal welfare, the diagnostic services provided by APHA, and on how we

can work together to ensure sustainable and cost effective livestock farming. From my own time as a veterinary

student, the practical skills and lessons I learned during work experience placements were invaluable and allowed

me to discover my passion for farm animal disease”.

Level 3 Veterinary Nursing success!

Many congratulations to the first cohort of the Level 3 Veterinary Nursing City & Guilds Diploma at Duchy College Rosewarne, who have just passed their first round of OSCE Practical exams with flying colours. Students Chelsea Hall, Jo Broadbank (Animal Veterinary Services), Kelly Stewart (Albert Cottage Vet Clinic), Louise Nancholas, Megan Eastwood, Natasha Philp, Jade Pascoe (Penmellyn Veterinary Hospital), Sarah Smith, Rebecca Stephens, Loredana Francis (Clifton Villa Veterinary Services Ltd), Naomi Willcock (Castle Veterinary Group) and Charlotte Hopkins (Luxstowe Vet Centre) have worked incredibly hard, achieving 100% in many of their tasks.

Student Louise Nancholas said, “The tutors provided us with support, revision materials, and opportunities to practice for the practical exams and have given some good feedback for those. It is a challenging course to study due to having to juggle work in practice, college, independent studying and NPL completion in our free time and making assignment deadlines. You have to be committed and work your hardest to achieve this qualification which I think

is the main factor that contributes to achieving good results”.

Animal science Carol Knight, Curriculum Lead for Animal Science said, “Well done to all students involved, and of course the staff at Rosewarne, for really putting themselves out to achieve such excellent results. The Veterinary Nursing programmes are a key aspect of our extensive Animal Science provision at Rosewarne and rely on our strong links with the Veterinary

industry to ensure that students build upon their skills and knowledge, to

Jo Broadbank gain a really world class education.

For more information To find out more about this course and other vetrinary nurse courses available at Duchy College please call 0845 60 50 455 or go to www.duchy. ac.uk

A Masterclass in Leadership

Expand your mind to the current issues facing the rural industry Develop your leadership skills Advance your strategic thinking A masterclass in leadership

The Challenge of Rural Leadership Course January 2016

Farmers Weekly 190mm wide x 64mm h

For information on the course please contact course director: Richard Soffe Email: leadership@duchy.ac.uk Web: www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk/20th-challenge-of-rural-leadership Tel: 0845 458 7485

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 5

Vet nurses head to Westminster Two veterinary nursing staff from Duchy College Rosewarne have been to the House of Commons to celebrate the implementation of the new Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Royal Charter.

Veterinary Nursing staff Celia Ramsden and Helen Harris were hand selected by the RCVS President to attend this prestigious event, alongside Members of Parliament and peers of the House of Lords. Celia said, “Helen and I felt so honoured to have been selected from the South West Registered Veterinary Nurses to attend the reception to celebrate the Royal Charter at The House of Commons. It was such an important

day for the veterinary profession. Veterinary nursing is a highly regulated profession and we were so proud to be recognised by the RCVS and invited to take part in such an important historic event.”

The new Royal Charter, the first in 60 years, formalises the regulation of veterinary nurses and sets out its core purpose; to enhance society through improved animal

health and welfare, by setting educational, ethical and clinical standards of veterinary surgeons and nurses.

Head of Rural Economy at The Cornwall College Group, Dr Phil Le Grice, said, “I am delighted for Helen and Cecilia; it was an honour and a privilege for them. This clearly demonstrates the breadth of offer at Rosewarne and the regard in which our team are held.”

Getting paid while you learn might sound too good to be true, but as an apprentice you really do get the best of both worlds. If you have the dedication to succeed in the world of work, then an apprenticeship could be for you. Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16.

As an apprentice you will: Helen Harris and Celia Ramsden with the Royal Charter

Successful graduates return to talk to students Duchy College graduates David Butland and Matthew Dymond both returned to the College recently to talk to current students as part of the seminar programme organised by the Rural Business School. The programme aims to utilise the RBS’s extensive networks with industry to bring in relevant speakers.

David Butland David Butland explained how the knowledge gained at the College, when he was studying his Foundation Degree in Agriculture and B Sc (Hons) top-up in Rural Business Management helped him revolutionise

the farming systems at his family’s dairy unit. He was able to explain the circumstances leading up to the installation of a robotic milker in the dairy enterprise at Cuxton Farm; this included detailed budgets and great deal of persuasion within the family! This has now freed up more of his time for other farming activities and yet given him much more information on his cows allowing him to manage his herd much more efficiently. The students were fascinated as David gave them examples of

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all the data which flows from the cows since the installation of the system.

Matt Dymond Matt Dymond also from a dairy farm, but west of the Tamar, has taken a different direction and is now a trainee nutritionist

with successful local feed firm Harpers HomeMix. He obviously also thoroughly enjoys what he is doing following his graduation with a B Sc (Hons) ‘top-up’ in Rural Business Management.

In a very professional manner, he was able to tell the students all about the development of the Harpers Home-Mix business and his own role within the company, servicing a portfolio of farming clients. Matt then gave the students an interesting exercise in naming different feeds and feed formulations.

 Earn real wages  Gain new qualifications and industry standard training  Gain new knowledge and skills Agriculture                       

Jenkin R N & D – Helston R J & C Monies – Zennor Trelan Farm – Helston Steve Perry (Dairy Farm) – Crediton Kinzere Ltd – Boscastle Coombe Farm (P Rogers) – Totnes J F Walker – Bridgwater J M & P N Hardwick – Holsworthy Trecorme Farm (David Renfree) - Liskeard Stone Farm - Peter Blake – Torpoint Michael Brend - Barnstaple Higher West Kitcham – Launceston P & C Wyatt – Axminster D G Hale Lodgeworthy Farm – Beaworthy Higher Hacknell Farm – Umberleigh East Browns Farm, G Bond – Torrington C Highmoor Lantuel Farm – St Wenn W J Heard – Bideford Eversfield Organic – Okehampton Glebe Farm – Holsworthy G L Richards – Helston Coosewartha (Martin Brown) – Redruth W F Coombe – Callington

Food & Drink        

W T Warren – Penzance Complete Meats – Axminster M C Kelly Ltd – Crediton Burrow Farm – Exeter Treleaven Luxury Ice Cream – Bodmin C & E Retallack – The Lizard, Helston J & A Gibbins – Exeter Primrose Herd - Redruth

Horticulture          

Christine Kirk, Awliscombe – Honiton Countrywide Ground Maintenance – Saltash Goonhilly Earth Station – Helston Brookside Flower Farm – St Austell Trevena Cross Nurseries – Helston Seaways Farm – Isles of Scilly Eden Project – Par, St Austell Perranporth Golf Club – Perranporth Leighton Paull – Fowey Newlina Produce - Newquay

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 7

Partnership sparks world class opportunities for the south west

PAYE and payroll training

The merger of Bicton College and The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) on 31st March 2015 sees the creation of a world class educational partnership specialising in agriculture, horticulture and food across Devon and Cornwall.

The move has created one of the country’s largest education and training providers. With over 1,200 acres of land in Devon and Cornwall being used for industrybased research and training, there are almost 40,000 learners on eight campuses, with more than 2,200 studying at university-level.

Principal and CEO of TCCG, Amarjit Basi, said, “This is an excellent opportunity for us to positively shape and influence the future of the south west economy.

Both organisations bring extensive links with local schools and employers across the region, and a shared passion

for providing young people with the right skills to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. The merger gives Bicton College and Duchy College (part of TCCG) an opportunity to work closer together to enhance their reputations for landbased specialisms. Our partnership will extend choice and access to agricultural training, skills and research as well as combining our excellent public services, sport and military academy teams, benefitting our learners and employers across Devon and Cornwall.”

Acting Principal of Bicton College, Jane Townsend, said, “Combining our

resources offers the prospect of developing specialist hubs, working closely with employers to help make learning work. We will work hard to develop stronger partnerships between local schools, specialist colleges and universities to raise our learners’ aspirations, supporting them to go further and aim higher.”

Head of Rural Economy at TCCG, Dr Phil Le Grice, said, “Farming is an integral part of the south west economy, with thousands of people in Devon and Cornwall involved in farming, food and the countryside.

It is important that we work hard with the

local community and farming industry to deliver opportunities for development and economic growth. In February 2014, Duchy College, through its Rural Business School, was the first land-based College in England to receive the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, for leadership of skills development across the region’s rural economy.

We have signalled our intention of creating a world class centre for applied research in the farming industry; this merger will pool expertise and resources, further enhancing opportunities for growth in the farming industry across the south west.”

W.I. blossomed with hanging baskets!

By Chris Godolphin

Wednesday 8th of April saw members of the WI visit the Duchy College Rosewarne campus for their annual horticultural workshop. As part of their programme of W.I. educational leisure events which range from farm tours to arts and crafts, more than 30 members attended a day of horticulture organised by Bill Herring, assisted by Andrew Gunderson and Nigel Pascoe.

Andrew demonstrated the skill of designing, planting and maintaining a hanging basket, with Bill and Nigel on hand to answer questions.

W.I. members were able to create interesting and varied basket arrangements. The tutors remarked that all would be very beautiful and colourful in a couple of months’ time when in full bloom!

Afterwards, the W.I. members were given a tour of the Rosewarne Nursery by Nigel and John Ashton, Nursery Manager. Then it was down to the Ken Haine seminar room, for the Rosewarne Gardener’s Question Time (RGQT!!) where Bill, Andrew and Nigel were up against the many years of gardening and horticultural experience of the W.I. The questioning was quickly-

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paced and intensive with questions on hardwood cuttings, indoor plants, pest control, invasive weeds and soils; as well as plant specific questions such as encouraging flowering of Cyclamen, and problems with

The Rural Business School is excited to announce a brand new initiative for the rural and landbased businesses in the south west. In partnership with the leading firm of accountants Francis Clark, the RBS will be providing training in PAYE and payroll to help rural businesses understand the intricacies involved of running an efficient payroll and the obligations to their staff and how to adapt to changing workplace regulations.

The workshop will be led by Matthew Harris who is a fully-accredited SAGE Advisor with Francis Clark and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area. This training benefits from an industry recognised certification, and may be eligible for funding to contribute to the costs. For more information about

Holiday Pay

•

Attachment of Earnings Orders

The content of the day will include:

•

Salary Sacrifice Schemes

•

Tax Codes

•

•

NI Categories

National Minimum Wage

•

New Starters

•

•

Statutory Leave and Payments

The course will also touch on Pensions and new legislation.

•

Sickpay, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption Leave

This training day will take place on Thursday

25th June at Duchy College Rosewarne and commence at 9am. The price for this course, registration and certificate is £140; however this figure would be reduced significantly should you be eligible for funding. For more information telephone 0845 458 7485 or email rbs@duchy.ac.uk

The RBS has a range of short courses planned for this year for anyone who is just starting to work with livestock. These are ideal for anyone who would like to gain more skills, experience and knowledge. The courses are all planned to run at Duchy College, Stoke Climsland and will include practical sessions at the College farm.

Herdsperson Course This four-day course covers all aspects of dairy production with some practical sessions. The main points covered will be:

•

•

Fuschias.

•

Livestock beginners’ courses

•

Andrew Gunderson demonstrating hanging baskets to W.I. members

eligibility criteria, please contact us.

•

The principles of rearing dairy herd replacements How to manage cows through the production cycle Selecting replacements and managing dairy cow reproduction Applying hygiene regulations and legislation to clean

milk production.

Starting Saturday 4th July and then every Saturday in July 9am –5pm £275 per person

Calf Rearing This practical course will cover all aspects of rearing healthy calves.

The day will include postcalving care, colostrum management, hygiene, feeding systems, housing and environment, weaning, growth rates, targets, performance indicators, biosecurity and health care.

This course will help you gain the knowledge and skills to effectively manage calf rearing for a productive and healthy herd.

Saturday 26th September 10am - 4pm £75 per person Basic Stock Handling This training is suitable for anyone who is new to handling farm stock and wishes to gain confidence and skills. You will gain hands-on experience throughout this practical workshop which will look at safe handling of stock

to avoid injury and stress to the animal or yourself.

Tasks covered will include haltering calves, turning sheep and weighing pigs.

This course will give you the skills to handle stock easily and without injury.

The session will include Health & Safety issues.

Saturday 24th October 10am - 2pm £75 per person

For all of these courses, you will need overalls, a Hi-Vis vest and steel toe-capped boots for the practical sessions.

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 9

‘Clucking’ for an award

Big boost beckons for Britain’s uplands

Keeping Pet Chickens, a short course delivered by the RBS, has been nominated for two national awards at this year’s Pig & Poultry Marketing Awards. The awards up for grabs are ‘Training Initiative’ and ‘Veterinary Excellence’ and will be announced on Thursday 30th April at the London Marriott County Hall.

A pioneering partnership is being launched to care for some of England’s most beautiful and vulnerable high ground. The Uplands Alliance (UA) brings together for the first time practitioners, researchers and policy makers with interests in the highest areas of land, including treasured landscapes of the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Dartmoor.

The annual Pig & Poultry Marketing Awards celebrate innovation in the industry and reward production excellence and knowledge transfer throughout the whole of the pig and poultry food chain.

Seventy four per cent of national parks are in the uplands. Extending to 22 per cent of England, they are home to globally significant wildlife habitats and host over 50 per cent of the UK’s SSSIs - Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Storing the majority of the country’s carbon, the precious land is also the source of 70 per cent of our drinking water.

Christopher Godolphin, Business Development Officer for the Rural Business School, explained, “Keeping Pet Chickens is a course for anyone who keeps chickens on a domestic scale and would like to learn the best practices, such as sourcing the hens, preparing for them, initial set-up costs, housing, feeding and maintenance, and how to handle hens.

Our first course run by Jo Barlow took place at our Duchy College Rosewarne campus and people from across the county attended and the feedback was excellent.

One of the judges from the Pig & Poultry Marketing Awards saw our course advertised and felt it worthy of recognition so invited us to enter it into their awards and so we did.”

The criteria for the

“the feedback was excellent.”

‘Training Initiative’ category is evidence that the training is something that the wider industry could benefit from and which recognises current issues and tackles specific problems within the industry.

The ‘Veterinary Excellence’ award criteria is being able to demonstrate how training benefits the health and welfare of animals and builds better farm practices through the knowledge delivered and transferred to those who attend the training.

Jo Barlow, has a real passion for chickens and is involved with rehoming battery hens and has written a book called ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Caring for Ex-Batts’.

The course is very handson; Jo brought two chickens from home, to be the show hens and looked at common behavioural issues that arise and the physical

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requirements to keep hens happy, healthy and producing free range eggs, what to do if your chicken falls ill, how to treat minor ailments and the specialist veterinary care that is available for chickens.

“I am thrilled to say the day was a success,” said Jo. “The attendees loved the course; all feedback was totally positive and Chris who organised the course said it was excellent. Obviously my witterings were merely a support act for the day’s stars who arrived during the lunch break amidst a fanfare of oohs and ahhhs and behaved like the professionals they are.”

The next course is due to run on Wednesday

Jo Barlow during the ‘Keeping pet chickens’ course 27th May and by then the RBS will know if they are 2015 winners of the Pig & Poultry Marketing Awards.

For more information Duchy College Rural Business School offers a range of short course provision in subjects such as floristry, pet first aid, horticulture and gardening, to cheesemaking, butchery and baking. For further information on these courses please call 0845 458 7485 or visit www. ruralbusinessschool. org.uk.

The interests of hill farmers, and others who work and care for the unique and fragile landscapes, will be represented in the group. It also extends to those researching and legislating for a sustainable future, according to UA president Lord Inglewood, of Cumbria’s Hutton-in-theForest.

He explained, “Our goal is to develop and test new innovative approaches, to be a “policy lab”, which will bring about a whole range of thinking on a variety of different

“...find solutions that work for everyone.” issues. These range from food production to timber, clean water, carbon storage, biodiversity, renewable energy and recreational opportunities. Uplands have significant agricultural, landscape, archaeological, recreational, cultural and natural resource value and are nationally and internationally important for biodiversity. However, the challenges can be complex and there are competing interests. By working collaboratively, we can better understand them and together find solutions that work for everyone.”

Steering group A steering group has been set up, chaired by Professor Michael Winter, co-director of the Centre for Rural Policy Research at the University of Exeter, and brings wide-ranging

skills and experience from the different sectors. Professor Winter explained networks were being established to look at many issues, including sustainable upland farm business, agricultural initiatives benefitting nature, rural development programmes and restoring upland peat.

Better outcomes He said, “The aim is to deliver better outcomes for the uplands and get things moving as quickly as possible. Improving communications between practitioners, researchers and policy makers is paramount, along with sharing knowledge and skills. Short-term effort will be matched by more extensive work on specific issues and we want the

Dartmoor benefits to be extensive.

Practitioners will have greater understanding from which to base decisions, researchers should forge closer links with those who use their findings, while policy makers will have the advantage of better advice, tested and communicated in a more co-ordinated way. If we do good stuff, not only will our uplands gain, but so will all the people that rely on them in innumerable ways.”

UA will be launched during a three-day National Centre for the Uplands conference at Newton Rigg College, Penrith, Cumbria, which runs from May 12 to 14.

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 11

RBS Projects

Anthelmintics – do you know your resistance status?

By Claire Reigate

As spring is upon us and lambing is well underway, now is the time for farmers to implement their parasite control plans, but how many know their anthelmintic resistance (AR) status?

Anthelmintics are antiparasitic drugs used to treat worms, fluke and other helminths infections. AR occurs when the worms are able to tolerate a drug at its normal dose, and this ability is passed on to their offspring. The drug is essentially losing its effectiveness (efficacy).

Reports of anthelmintic resistance in worms are widespread and, given reliance on drugs for worm control on farms, AR threatens the viability of the livestock industry worldwide.

“... resistant worms are an increasing problem.”

Anthelmintic groups In the cool temperate climate experienced here in the UK, resistant worms are an increasing problem, so far, more in sheep than in cattle.

There are five groups of anthelmintic licensed to treat gut roundworms in sheep, only three of which are licensed to be used in cattle (see table 1). As part of the Healthy Livestock Project FECRT were carried out on 177 farms across the South West, and of these 70 farms had triple resistance to anthelmintic

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groups 1, 2 and 3. Groups 4 and 5 are relatively new to the market but resistance to group 4 has already been reported in New Zealand (Scott et al., 2013), South America (Mederos et al., 2014) and the Netherlands (Van den

Brom et al., 2015)Novartis Animal Health.

How do you test for resistance?

Resistance on farm is detected using a “Drench Check” or a Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test

Table 1: Treatment groups for roundworms in sheep Group Colour

Type

Compounds

Group White 1

Benzimidazoles

Albendazole Fenbendazole Mebendazole Ricobendazole Oxfendazole

Group Yellow 2

Levamisole

Levamisole

Group Clear 3

Macrocyclic Lactones

Ivermectin Doramectin Moxidectin

Group Orange 4

Monepantel (Zolvix)

Monepantel

Group Purple 5

Multi-actives (Startect)

Derquantel and Abamectin SI

(FECRT), full details of which are on the SCOPS website (www.scops. org.uk/anthelminitcstesting-for-resistance. html). Basically, FECs are carried out on a number of individuals pre-treatment, then the FECS are repeated a number of days (dictated by the drug used) posttreatment. Comparisons of the egg counts give an indication of drug efficacy and where this has fallen below 95%, anthelmintic resistance is suspected.

A simpler version of the drench check used pooled FEC from animals at and sometime after treatment: this is less precise, but considerably cheaper and if conducted routinely should give an early indication of a developing problem.

Resistance levels evolve and tests should be carried out at least every two years. Ideally, drench checks should be incorporated into routine worming protocols. The rate at which resistance develops is dependent on many factors including the species of worm being targeted and the number of worms in refugia. The refugia populations are the worms that do not come into contact with the drug during treatment and include larvae on the pasture, worms in untreated animals, and inhibited larvae inside the host. Maintaining

refugia is essential in preserving the efficacy of anthelmintics.

Gut worms in sheep The worm species present on farm impact the outcome of a resistance test. There are four common types of gut roundworms that are significant in the UK sheep sector, namely Teladorsagia circumcincta, Trichostrongylus spp., Haemonchus contortus, and Nematodirus battus, and although they are often refered to collectively as ’gastrointestinal worms’ they do in fact differ in terms of epidemiology and drug susceptibility.

Teladorsagia and Trichostrongylus are the most similar and they are frequently found together. They can tolerate the cooler climates, and are ubiquitous on farms across the UK. Numbers of infective larvae on pasture build up throughout the season, peaking mid-summer onwards and affecting lambs most in the second half of the grazing season.

Haemonchus (often called the barber’s pole worm) differs because is it a blood feeding worm.

Blood loss from heavy infection causes anaemia, not scours and can lead to death. Haemonchus is a major problem in the tropics and resistance

is reported worldwide.

The eggs require warmth to develop, and once hatched the free-living stages require mild temperatures and high humidity to survive. It is reported sporadically in the UK. The important unique factor regarding Nematodirus battus which makes it dangerous in spring time is a phenomenon called ‘Spring Flush’. The eggs survive well over winter, then hatching is triggered when temperatures reach 10-15° for a prolonged period leading to a massive flush of infective larva on the pasture in a short space of time. The damage to the gut lining is caused by moulting larva, prior to the adult stage which is why FECs are not recommended to detect this worm species.

Lambs that recover from Nematodirus infection usually acquire strong immunity to re-infection.

Except for Nematodirus, sheep egg counts and

worm burden correlate well, but FECs have their limitations in cattle. They don’t appear to show a consistent relationship with worm burden and growth performance (Eysker and Ploeger, 2000). However, FECs are still useful in all ruminants to confirm the presence of worms and remain the standard test for anthelmintic efficacy on farm. They can also provide an indication of potential pasture contamination levels and subsequent risk of parasitic infection (Coles et al., 2006).

Most anthelmintics claim to treat all roundworm infections, but do they?

Not only do the different species of worms have varying levels of resistance, but so can different strains of the same species.

Haemonchus has a high tendency to develop resistance and is the species in which it tends to develop most rapidly.

Nematodirus, however, develops more slowly as it requires very specific

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 13

climatic conditions; this is probably why white drench is still mostly effective in treating it (in spite of recent reports of resistance on some farms (Mitchell et al., 2011).

Different parasitic worms have different susceptibilities to different wormers and in order to get a grip on resistance we need to know what is happening on our farms (See Box 1).

How can farmers prevent anthelmintic resistance?

The only sure-fire way to avoid selection for resistance is to not use anthelmintics at all, which is often not practical.

Alternative methods of parasite control need to be sought to reduce reliance on anthelmintics in order to delay the inevitable resistance.

Farmers should look to implementing an integrated parasite control plan.

What is integrated parasite management?

Integrated parasite management is a combination of different management and grazing strategies and ensuring effective treatment.

Control measures include avoiding putting susceptible stock on to high risk pastures, alternate grazing of sheep and cattle, reduced

»» Use the appropriate treatment – e.g.

BZ are mostly very effective against Nematodirus, but less effective against other strongyles

stocking densities, mixed grazing, silage cuts and grazing aftermath, reseeds, use of bioactive forages and improved nutrition. These can all help to minimise infection, and reduce worm burdens and reliance on anthelmintics.

In order to get to grips with resistance, farmers must establish which drenches are effective, and which show possible resistance. This can be done using a drench check, details of which are on the SCOPS website. The next step is to keep resistant worms off the farm by putting in place good biosecurity measures that minimise the chance of introducing resistant worms to the farm. SCOPS have developed useful quarantine guidelines which can be found on their website.

Farmers also need to delay resistance of ‘home bred’ worms. This can be done by: •

•

Treating only at times when it is required – carry out regular FECs to monitor worm burden Treating correctly »» Calibrate the drench gun »» Withhold food prior to treatment »» Treat according to the heaviest animal

page 14 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

»» Avoid overuse of the same product •

Maintaining the refugia population – e.g. by leaving 10% of the flock / group untreated

References Van den Brom, R., Moll, L., Kappert, C., and Vellema, P. (2015). Haemonchus contortus resistance to monepantel in sheep. Vet. Parasitol. 209, 278–280.

Coles, G.C., Jackson, F., Pomroy, W.E., Prichard, R.K., von SamsonHimmelstjerna, G., Silvestre, A., Taylor, M.A., and Vercruysse, J. (2006). The detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of veterinary importance. Vet. Parasitol.

136, 167–185.

Eysker, M., and Ploeger, H.W. (2000).

Value of present diagnostic methods for gastrointestinal nematode infections in ruminants. Parasitology 120, 109–119.

Mederos, A.E., Ramos, Z., and Banchero, G.E. (2014). First report of

monepantel Haemonchus contortus resistance on sheep farms in Uruguay.

Parasit. Vectors 7.

Mitchell, S., Mearns, R., Richards, I., Donnan, A.A., and Bartley, D.J. (2011).

Benzimidazole resistance in Nematodirus battus.

Vet. Rec. 168, 623–624.

Scott, I., Pomroy, W.E., Kenyon, P.R., Smith, G., Adlington, B., and Moss, A. (2013). Lack of efficacy of monepantel against Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Vet. Parasitol. 198, 166–171.

A team of researchers from Bristol are looking for volunteer farmers to participate in a survey looking into common worm control practices, and to send in mob faecal samples pre and post treatment for further analysis. The aim is to identify practices that are associated with preservation of drug efficacy, to improve the design of sustainable integrated parasite control plans. The survey can be filled out online here https:// www.surveymonkey. com/s/sheep_worms, or a hard copy of the survey can be requested from Claire. reigate@duchy.ac.uk or tel: 01579 372307

Building resilient businesses by using regenerative agriculture

SWARM hub

By Becky Willson

Regenerative agriculture focuses strongly on building soils and restoring ecosystems as the foundation to regenerating production, and communities. The importance of restoring watercourses – and the water cycle as a whole – is recognised, along with mineral cycles and biodiversity, as foundations for a sustainable permanent agro-ecological production base.

At the same time dependency on external inputs is minimised, and we look to improve livestock health and quality of produce, and increase farm profitability - with the most efficient use of the manpower available RegenAG UK (RAUK) connects the world’s leading pioneers of Regenerative Agriculture with farmers and smallholders in the UK via short courses, seminars, workshops and both open and private consultancies. We work with international and UK trainers, valuing expertise and experience wherever we find it and drawing on our trainers’ skills and knowledge to help develop local practice.

This June RAUK has organised a visit from international trainerconsultant Owen Hablutzel which includes

several one-day events plus a three-day course on Keyline Design.

13th June: Holistic Management® - Decision and Action tools for farms, landscapes, and life 14th June: Essentials of Resilience Thinking and Implementation 15th June: Holistic Management® Masterclass 17th-19th June: Keyline® Design: Whole Farm Planning

For more information Please take a look at the website for more information on all these events– and to keep up to date on other events they are organising, sign up to their e-mailing list on the landing page www.regenag.co.uk.

“Dependency on external inputs is minimised.”

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 15

Market Monitor

DairyCo provides a brief overview of the latest economic developments in the dairy industry and also highlights recent research and projects undertaken by DairyCo that may interest dairy farmers and students in the south west.

“In Germany Aldi and Lidl... 37% of marketshare.”

Dairy dilemma

By Amanda Ball, DairyCo’s head of marketing and communications It’s quite right dairy farmers want to know what DairyCo is doing to update the public and media about the current situation.

Our job in marketing and communications is to make every effort to ensure dairy farming is presented in a fair light and to let consumers know what they can do to support our industry.

An essential part of our approach is to work with print and broadcast media, alongside our own websites and social media, to tell your story.

DairyCo provides helpful, informative and colourful insight into farmers’ passion and commitment to caring for the animals which produce nutritious products.

As well as the information unearthed by our market intelligence colleagues being used to help farmers make informed business decisions, information is also essential in supporting our media work.

DairyCo recently distilled this information into a fact-packed flyer for farmers and others to hand out to the public.

The flyer features infographics, used to help build understanding page 16 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

of the current factors affecting milk price, and can be requested from 024 7647 8696.

It’s good to give the public a reason to value dairy products. Informing and educating them about the responsible farming standards that are behind our assurance schemes are a core part of our messaging. The flyer is a resource to create awareness and can be handed out by you and used at events such as Open Farm Sunday.

We’re currently investing £300,000 per year in our public-facing communication and education activities.

Our #DiscoverDairy campaign is delivered in a quirky and entertaining way through the information website www.thisisdairyfarming. com, an e-newsletter, ‘Moosflash’, is promoted through our YouTube and Twitter (@thisisdairy) channels. In addition, there is our all-important work with schools, through the Food – a fact of life programme.

The results from our regular surveys pleasingly show the public is generally very supportive of the dairy farming industry. All of this work

that DairyCo is doing, alongside the invaluable work done by others, such as The Dairy Council, Red Tractor Assurance and Dairy UK, is helping us maintain and further improve that reputation.

from large multiple retailers compared to GB, suggesting a natural growth ceiling.

In France, the discounters’ share of the market reached a high of 14% in 2009, when the proportion of shoppers using hard discounters reached 73%. French

Discounters GB Market Share by Volume 14% 12%

In their home market of Germany, discounters such as Aldi and Lidl together account for around 37% of the grocery market share with 85% of all shoppers using Aldi at least once a year. However, discounter growth has stalled in Germany, despite less competition

12%

11%

11% 9% 8%

Is there a limit to the growth of the discounters?

Aldi and Lidl have been successful in going mainstream in the past five years, enticing an ever greater proportion of shoppers into their stores. The proportion of shoppers using these stores at least monthly has increased from 37% to 54% between 2010 and 2014 according to IGD. Aldi and Lidl together now account for 8% of the GB retail market.

While it is impossible to accurately quantify the future growth of hard discounters in GB, there are some indications of what trajectory their growth might take.

– meat, dairy products, fruit and vegetables with some stores opening instore bakeries. Latest 52week Kantar Worldpanel data shows that Aldi and Lidl have strong growth rates and are overtrading in these categories at a time when the overall market volumes are static or in decline.

9%

10%

8%

Milk

Cheese

Fruit & vegetables 2014

Fresh meat

Potatoes

2015

Source: Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 01 March 2015

supermarkets reacted to this threat by becoming price competitive and the discounters’ market share subsequently dropped to its current level of 12%.

GB is a tough market for the discounters and most retail market analysts do not foresee them reaching a similar market share to Germany. However, rapid investment and expansion plans have led to an expectation of 11% annual growth between 2013 and 2018, resulting in a potential market share of 15%-20%.

To support this growth, hard discounters are looking to gain share by increasing average shopper spend through trading up. Aldi in particular has seen an opportunity to expand its premium British sourced fresh produce offering

There are some limitations in how far discounters can mimic the large multiples before diluting the strength of their low cost model. They risk losing share to other discounters if they move too far away from their original credentials and also have no share of the growing online grocery channel. Similar to what occurred in France, mainstream British retailers are increasingly responding to the threat of discounter growth by refocusing their pricing strategies. Morrisons has launched ‘Match and More’ while Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda have reduced prices on everyday product lines.

However, it is unclear how well large multiple retailers can compete with the discounters on price without a change to their business model.

News A world without chickens | New Scientist 21st March 2015 Without chickens, we would face a starving world claims a Nottingham University researcher. One-third of the world’s meat and nearly all of its eggs would vanish. . Humans consume 100 million tonnes of chicken meat an over 1 trillion eggs annually. This popularity is relatively new – until 1950, for example, Americans ate twice as much red meat as chicken.

Post-war poultry breeding developed birds with bigger breast muscles requiring less time to mature and less feed along with more tender meat. Lack of eggs or chicken meat has been associated with civil unrest in Egypt, Iran and Mexico. The chicken has proved very adaptable, since it developed from the red jungle fowl and is one of the most genetically diverse species. Its efficiency is of course high compared to other livestock e.g. pigs would need 14% more feed to produce the same amount of meat. Beef cattle would either need eight times more feed on a grain-fed system or 1000% more land on a forage-based system and of course along with sheep would have a much higher associated greenhouse gas production (four times more per kg meat produced). Other poultry species e.g. turkeys and ducks are not so efficient and in terms of protein, insects are the likely future replacement. Chicken and eggs are important sources of the essential amino acids lysine and threonine, which the human body cannot manufacture. Apart from food, the hen’s egg is key to making flu vaccine, with one egg required for each dose of flu vaccine produced (400 million/year). Eggs are also key ingredients in certain types of food and very difficult to replace e.g. in pastry, meringues, soufflés.

The disadvantages of chicken production are its association with salmonella, most often found on raw chicken, and killing 115,000 people annually; in many countries chickens are still produced under systems associated with questionable animal welfare status.

Nevertheless, every year, the chicken becomes more inexorably bound up with our well-being.

Climate proofing Europe | New Scientist 7th March 2015 The European Environment Agency claims that unlike other rich nations like Australia and the USA, Europe has embraced the reality of climate change and is preparing for what is to come. 20% of the EU’s 2014-20 budget (960 billion euros) will be spent on mitigating May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 17

Environmental Advice

By Robert Wolton, Devon Hedge Group Experience from across the Channel, and recent research in Devon and Cornwall, has revealed that hedges in south-west England have huge potential as a reservoir of woodfuel, and that they can be managed and harvested cost effectively for this purpose. Many farms, probably the majority, could heat their farmhouses from their hedges alone and save money in the process, while others will be able to generate an income through selling the wood, as logs or chips, to local businesses and communities.

Left to grow, hedges are in effect thin strips of woodland, most with good access down either side. Currently, a high proportion of hedges in the south-west have developed into lines of trees. These can be coppiced now to produce excellent biomass crops, while many other hedges, those which are currently being regularly trimmed, can be allowed to grow up to produce good crops in the future.

“hedges... can once more contribute directly to farm businesses.”

News continued from page 17

Hedges for fuel

Indeed, research across four parishes in the Tamar Valley, with hedges representative of those across Devon and east Cornwall, found that significantly more biomass was available from hedges than from small farm woodlands!

This reflects in part the fact that many farm woodlands are located on steep slopes or on wet ground and consequently difficult to extract wood from.

Neglected Only just over a third

page 18 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

(35%) of hedges in Devon are currently in a healthy state, a figure likely to be repeated in neighbouring counties. This is largely because many are not being managed sustainably – they are either being trimmed to the same height year after year, or have been neglected. In both cases, the inevitable long term result is the development of gaps and eventual demise of the hedge, with the loss of that feature’s value to the farm and to wildlife.

The management cycle through which hedges should be taken, which involves periodically rejuvenating them by laying or coppicing, is now too time-consuming or costly for most farmers to contemplate.

Managing hedges for woodfuel provides an answer to this – they can once more contribute directly to farm businesses, reducing heating costs or even providing an income.

They can become a useful part of the working farm, rather than a costly redundant feature.

Coppicing The most effective and cost efficient way to crop hedges for woodfuel is through harvesting them at the coppice stage and chipping the trees extracted in their entirety. This process can be fully mechanised, the coppicing and lifting clear being done by forestry harvesting heads (e.g. feller-buncher heads) mounted on excavators.

Later the felled trees and bushes can be fed into a whole-tree chipper, the chips being blown into a high-sided trailer or into a shed. If the trees have been seasoned by leaving them outside for a summer or two, the chips can be used directly in boilers.

Chipping Alternatively, the material can be chipped green, in which case it need

climate change and adapting to its effects. Many countries already have started on projects, because of the effect of extreme weather effects including drought, storms, avalanches, and flooding; flooding alone is estimated to have killed 2,500 people and caused economic losses of over 90 billion euros.

Chipping coppiced hedge Rob Wolton only be placed in piles in a covered shed for it to dry within 3-4 months through heat self-generated by natural fermentation.

No turning or external heat sources are necessary. Provided the chips do not contain any green leaves, they will not compost. This method of seasoning chips is widely used on the Continent. Most chip boilers, especially larger installations, will take the chips produced from whole trees, although a few require chips of more even size and shape.

Cheap energy Energy can typically be produced from hedges as chips for on-farm use at a cost of 2-3 pence per KWh. This is far cheaper than purchasing heating oil (5p/KW) or electricity (15p/KWh). The figure of 2-3p/KWh includes harvesting, transport and processing, assuming that all specialised equipment (harvesting and chipping

machines) are contracted in.

It does not take into consideration the capital costs of purchasing and installing a woodchip boiler, but on the other hand neither does it take into account income from the Renewable Heat Incentive. Nor does it take into account any support from agrienvironment schemes such as Countryside Stewardship, or the the substantial savings incurred by not trimming hedges annually (about £1 per metre per year).

Over a full coppice cycle (about 20 years), hedge cutting costs amount to tens of thousands of pounds on most farms.

Hedges can be managed to provide logs rather than chips, again at the coppice stage. This is a far more labour intensive process.

However, as has been well demonstrated by Ross and Euan Dickinson at Racedown Farm in West Dorset, it is possible to run a profitable small farm business based on

Contraband food | New Scientist 21st March 2015 Europeans are eating produce grown by farmers who have illegally cleared forests in tropical countries according to European NGO FERN. FERN has quantified how much deforestation is unlawful and links specifically illegal products to the countries which import them: beef with the UK, soya with France and leather with Italy. The European Union is the biggest importer of illegal produce and the report concludes that Europe should be more discerning and European governments should outlaw the illicit clearance of forests for agriculture. The EU already bans illegal timber imports, but agricultural commodities are a much bigger driver of deforestation.

Europe’s hard line on GM | New Scientist 7th March 2015 Preventing farmers from growing genetically modified crops has been made much easier in the European Union. Member states previously had to justify proposed bans with scientific evidence of potential harm to health or the environment. Rules passed recently mean bans can now be invoked for a host of other reasons.

Pork chop… with a side of superbugs | New Scientist 28th March 2015 The world’s farmers are feeding an estimated 63,000 tonnes of antibiotics to chickens, pigs and cattle every year, encouraging the evolution of resistant bacteria, which have been linked to human infections. By 2030, the Institute of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya estimates that antibiotic use will increase by 67%. This will be mainly in middle income countries as people with increasing incomes prefer to eat more meat and dairy products. The problem is associated with the associated move to intensive systems of production and the inclusion of antibiotics in diets to improve weight gains and improve returns. ILRI based its estimates on antibiotic use in intensive systems of production systems in the May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 19

producing logs from hedges (as well as from small farm woodlands).

Logs have a wider market than chips, since many more people have open fires, wood stoves or log boilers than chip boilers, so are more attractive to the local community as a whole.

Managing hedges by coppicing is not the traditional form of management over much of the West Country, so there is some understandable cultural resistance. However, there is no suggestion that all hedges should be coppiced or that coppicing should replace hedgelaying.

Hedge laying Coppicing, although better than doing nothing, is not as good for wildlife as laying, so no

more than about half the hedges on a farm holding should be managed in this way. That leaves plenty for laying, a traditional skill and practice of great value. In any event, currently only a tiny fraction of hedges are laid, far less than is needed to keep hedges healthy. Coppicing should be conducted on a 15-25 year staggered rotation, and mature trees especially those with, or the potential to develop, veteran features should be left standing for environmental reasons.

To conclude, hedges are a much under-recognised and under-utilised source of renewable energy.

Evidence and experience shows that they can be managed to produce substantial, cost-effective crops. It is to be hoped that over the next few years many more farmers

and contractors, working collaboratively where appropriate (e.g. for machinery hire), will take advantage of this potential. Likewise, there is scope for numerous small rural businesses to start up, based on logs taken from hedges (not necessarily exclusively).

Current domestic and European grant-aid and policy climates, together with the Renewable Heat Incentive, are all highly favourable. Overall, the outcome will be less use of fossil fuels, less rural fuel poverty, more rural employment, and a brighter, more secure future for our hedges.

For more information, including Felling Licence requirements, see Wood Fuel from Hedges: How to manage and crop hedges in south-west England.

This 2014 handbook, published by the Tamar

Valley AONB, Devon County Council and the Devon Hedge Group, is available from Tamar Valley AONB, Drakewalls, Cornwall, PL18 9FE. Telephone 01822 835030. enquiries@tamarvalley. org.uk. Full colour, A4, 20pp. £6.25 inc. p&p.

An easy to use tool for assessing the wood fuel available in hedges at both an individual hedge and whole farm level is available at www.devon. gov.uk/hedges.

For more information on hedge management, including traditional laying, see Devon Hedges, a new full colour 97 page book by Devon Hedge Group and Devon County Council, available from the Natural History Book Service www.nhbs.com/ for £14.99 + p&p.

Birds flock to farmland this winter in a million acre count The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has just announced the results of its second Big Farmland Bird Count, which took place across the country this winter. This important survey, was the brainchild of Jim Egan, head of training and development at the GWCT’s Allerton Project who felt that we needed to tackle farmland bird declines in a very positive and different way.

Jim explains, “We all recognise that the intensification of agriculture has been an issue for farmland birds. However, farmers are absolutely crucial to the survival of many of our threatened bird

species. To make change happen it is essential to engage with them in a very positive way. The Big Farmland Bird Count achieves this by giving farmers an opportunity of seeing what they have got, understanding

page 20 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

better what they need to deliver and making them feel very proud of their achievements.”

Going into the second year of the survey this winter it was impressive how farmers,

gamekeepers and land managers looking after nearly one million acres of farmland turned out in their droves to count their birds between 7 – 15th February.

Spending just 30

The five most common birds seen on farms this winter were blackbird, seen by nearly 90% of farmers, followed by robin (80%), blue tit (79%), chaffinch (75%) and carrion crow seen by over 70% of the farmers taking part.

Peter Thompson minutes during the week-long count nearly one thousand people, representing every county in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, swapped their tractors for binoculars to see how their conservation efforts are boosting the recovery of farmland birds.

Jim Egan said, “We are delighted to have received so much industry support. Double the number of people turned out this winter and between them they recorded more than 127 different species on their farms and estates.

This was a remarkable achievement, particularly as they monitored an additional 11 species compared to 2014.”

The five most common birds seen on farms this winter were blackbird, seen by nearly 90 per cent of people, followed by robin (80 per cent), blue tit (79 per cent), chaffinch (75 per cent) and carrion crow seen by over 70 per cent of those taking part.

Red list species A total of 19 red list species of conservation concern were also recorded with six appearing in the list of 25 most commonly seen species. Starlings and fieldfare were seen on over 40 per cent of the farms taking part and were the most abundant red-listed species recorded followed by linnet, yellowhammer, house sparrow, lapwing and redwing.

Compared with last year, 10 additional species of birds were added to the list of birds recorded including cirl bunting and Cettie’s warbler. In addition 13 species of raptor were counted with goshawk included in the results for the first time this year.

Jim Egan explains the results, “Even though

News continued from page 19 USA and linking that to estimates of intensively-reared livestock populations worldwide. China is the worst offender, with 50% more than the USA. Germany is fourth which is surprising as the EU banned antibiotic growth promoters in 2006. China’s consumption is set to double along with countries like Brazil India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Peru – this assumes that they follow the US model rather than those in countries like Denmark which have eliminated antibiotic growth promoter use.

Ruminant scientist scoops top BSAS award | British Society of Animal Science April 2015 Professor Michael Lee, specialist in Sustainable Livestock and Food Security at Bristol University and recently appointed Head of Centre at Rothamsted North Wyke, was awarded the British Society of Animal Science ‘s Sir John Hammond Award at its annual conference at Chester University. Presented to scientists in the early to mid-part of their career who have made a significant contribution to animal science and production, Professor Lee received the award for his work looking at how livestock can become more productive whilst having less impact.

His research career has included looking at ways to maximize livestock production efficiency through feeding systems and animal genetics at a global scale. His other research interests include producing high-quality animals from animals in good health and welfare systems. Accepting the award, Professor Lee said livestock production was at a critical point as it faced increasing pressures to maximise production whilst minimising pollution.

Spray with care | New Scientist 28th March 2015 Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide has been classed as ‘probably carcinogenic’ by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France. The agency cites links to various rare cancers including non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Step up to the plate | New Scientist 27th September 2014 The aubergine or egg-plant may be about to unlock a food revolution across Asia. A genetically modified aubergine, known as Bt brinjal, has been developed

by Cornell University, Monsanto, USAID and Indian biotech firm Mahyco, which could increase yields and May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 21

this is only its second year, we are seeing an increase in the number of birds and the range of species seen – especially red-listed species. These are some of our most rapidly declining birds but they are still out there and are being supported by our farmers through the many conservation measures now being implemented on UK farmland.”

Before the count started in February, the GWCT ran a series of farmland bird identification days, which were held across the country in January.

Sponsored by BASF and supported by partners including the FWAG

Association and the RSPB, these days helped to give people insight and the confidence to recognise those sometimes difficult to identify ‘little brown jobs’.

The RSPB’s manager of Hope Farm, Ian Dillon who also participated in the count, said, “The State of Nature shows clearly that 60 per cent of species we can monitor are in decline. Farming practice will make the biggest difference to these trends and we are keen to help through our advisory work those farmers who want to make a difference. Species like skylarks, yellowhammers and tree sparrows depend

on farmland habitats and thus farmers. We welcome the interest in conservation the Big Farmland Bird Count will generate and we are keen to encourage and support more conservation work on the UK’s farms.”

The third GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count will take place during the week of 6th – 14th February 2016 with more bird ID days also being arranged across the country in January.

Jim Egan comments, “We very much hope that even more farmers will get involved in counting their farmland birds next year. This knowledge is important as it will help

farmers to start building a long-term picture of how their over-wintering birds are faring as well as showing them what their conservation efforts are achieving on the ground.”

For more information, please visit: gwct.org. uk/BFBC. The GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count received considerable support from a range of farming, industry and conservation organisations. We are grateful to BASF for sponsoring the survey and to LEAF, FWAG, Soil Association, NFU, RSPB, CFE, CLA, Kings, Heather Trust, Countryside Alliance and Conservation Grade.

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Duchy College Rosewarne is home to a state-of-the-art, fully commercial dog grooming parlour which welcomes all breeds for a range of treatments at reduced rates, so that students can practice their grooming skills.

Dog owners are invited to bring along their pets to enjoy a well-deserved treat, with springers, cocker spaniels, bichons, poodles, terriers and schnauzers being the breeds most in demand.

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Curriculum Lead for Animal Science, Carol Knight, said, “Grooming a range of breeds helps the students to develop their skills in correct preparation, trimming and clipping, while promoting the health of their canine customers”.

page 22 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

Bosahan Simmentals

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For more information To book an appointment, please contact Duchy College Rosewarne on 01209 722100.

The views expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the views of the Rural Business School, Duchy College or the Cornwall College Corporation.

News continued from page 21 save farmers’ deaths from pesticide spraying. A gene taken from a soil bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, which produces a toxin which kills the aubergine’s main pest, the larvae of the fruit and shoot borer moth, has been used to modify the vegetable. This is the same gene which has been used to protect cotton from the boll worm, promoted by Monsanto.

Bangladesh is leading the race to commercialise Bt brinjal, with India set to follow suit as it abandons its four-year moratorium on trials, as the political tide has turned there. Farmers will be able to use their own seeds in contrast to most GM crops e.g. Bt cotton. Other possibilities are close to release e.g. a blight-resistant potato, drought-tolerant sorghum, a Bt chickpea and rice enriched to counter vitamin A deficiency. Tests have shown that the Bt gene is harmless to humans and unlikely to threaten wild relatives.

Wheat –should you go gluten free? | New Scientist 12th July 2014 Wheat has been a staple food for thousands of years, but is now accused of causing all sorts of maladies. It is under attack, causing food allergies, bloating and making you fat. Demand for gluten-free food is rising rapidly. So what are the facts? There is no doubt that some people, but only a small minority, must avoid gluten; but for others the problem may not be gluten, but components of wheat also found in other foods.

Gluten, a composite of two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, forms a network of fine strands when wet, which gives dough its elasticity. If you have coeliac disease, the immune system produces antibodies against gluten which destroy the villi that line the gut. This affects 1% of people, although many so mildly that they do not realise this. Allergy to wheat is even rare. Some people have no immune reaction but complain of bloating, lethargy, gut pain and headaches, which often clear up if they change diet.

Research in Australia implies that these symptoms are due to some of the sugars in wheat, rather than gluten; these are also found in other foods e.g. onions, asparagus, fruit, peas, honey and beer. Claims that wheat can cause diabetes and mental disorders appear to be spurious. Studies in Spain have shown that people on gluten-free diets tend to contain more fat and less fibre. Wheat, particularly wholegrain wheat is a major source of fibre. So eating gluten-free foods is not necessarily less fattening or healthier.

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 23

Guest Article

Dorset Young Farmers Clubs

By Rebecca Cox

Rebecca Cox I have been involved with Young Farmers for over ten years, as a member of Puddletown YFC. I was one of the founding members of this club which soon grew from a few key participants to an active club within the Dorset Federation. One of the main events in the club calendar is the annual Ploughing Match which is always very well supported and enables us to give a generous donation to charity, often the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Another key aspect of Puddletown’s year is the Harvest Supper competition and a lot of effort goes in to providing a three course meal, themed decorations, and some rather questionable entertainment! Over the years I have had roles on the programme committee and as Secretary of the club.

I was somewhat unexpectedly asked to become the Vice Chairman of Dorset YFC page 24 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

last year and then moved up to Chairman at the AGM. The role has been very varied so far, ranging from meeting the NFU President, to writing contracts, to supporting members at competitions and lots more in between.

It has provided me with a great insight in to how much goes on behind the scenes that you may not realise until you get involved and I have been really impressed by how high the standards are at all of the competitions.

Young Farmers has given me a huge range of experiences and opportunities over the years and it still amazes me how much there is that you can get involved with. A couple of my personal highlights are pulling tug of war for Dorset and my first experience of the Annual Convention last year in Blackpool. The atmosphere when you have that many young farmers in one place is incredible!

Outside of Young Farmers I work as an Accounts and Administration Assistant at a local Historic House & Gardens. The House is open to the public and also plays host to lots of weddings, conferences and private functions.

The RBS supporting rural entrepreneurship in Kenya

By Dr Stephen Roderick

Duchy College’s award winning approach delivering business-focussed training to farming communities in the south west of England is providing an exemplar model for supporting farm businesses in Africa, where entrepreneurship has been promoted as one solution to development.

I am involved in the family’s dairy farm in Puddletown where we have three robotic milking units milking 160 high yielding Holstein Friesians. I am responsible for rearing the calves and the book keeping, as well as helping out with anything else that needs doing.

Staff and students from the RBS, alongside colleagues from Plymouth University’s Futures Entrepreneurship Centre, are working in partnership with the Farm Shop Trust to help develop a sustainable and commercially viable supply chain improving the distribution of basic agri-inputs to smallholder farming households in rural areas, with better access, quality and affordability.

Kingston Maurward College acts as ideal central base for Dorset YFC, both as somewhere to hold meetings and training days, as well as the home of our county office. Many members of Dorset YFC have studied at Kingston Maurward, from courses ranging from Agriculture to Floristry to Outdoor Education. I myself have studied a part time AAT accounts course and a bookkeeping course at Kingston Maurward. With the addition of the new Studio School to Kingston Maurward we would like to try and encourage more of the students studying at the College to join Dorset YFC in the forthcoming years.

Thanks to funding from Comic Relief, a suite of 50 new franchised shops are being opened in Kenya’s Kiambu District providing the local community with high quality agricultural inputs accompanied by advice on their correct and efficient use.

Each of the Farm Shop outlets has a network of demonstration farms which provide the local farming community with ongoing practical knowledge on best practice methods, overseen by a team of livestock and crop technical specialists.

Local farmers using the shops also gain from the presence of trained shop assistants, able to offer product information and supplementary advice. The team in Kenya have begun

to train and educate farmers and students in the communities, with a view to creating jobs and opportunities in an area where youth unemployment is a major problem.

During visits in October and February, the RBS’s Dr Stephen Roderick and Dr Bob Newbery from Plymouth initiated a survey to establish the long term impact of the programme on existing community life. Through their surveys, they hope to gain knowledge of farming yield, wellbeing, children’s education, social demographics, entrepreneurial and leadership skills; poverty levels, nutritional levels, and farming practice and knowledge. Two of the four selected communities are among those scheduled to receive new farm shops, and the impact they have on all of these areas will be analysed as the project continues.

During the visit, more than 550 households were interviewed by a team of enthusiastic young farmers. The Duchy-Plymouth team will re-visit the same villages next year, to assess the impact of the new farm shops on these communities and their

people.

In addition, one of the key roles for Duchy College is to ensure that the project successfully encourages sustainable farming methods, which will in part be achieved through the training of the shop assistants at each franchised outlet, but also through the demonstration of good agricultural practice. The coming months will see the continuation of work with communities in Kenya and later this year four student interns will visit the project to assist with the establishment of a network of demonstration farms aimed at providing local farmers with current knowledge on sustainable farming techniques.

The Farm Shop Trust

The RBS’s Dr Stephen Roderick discussing amaranth production with a local farmer, William Gathungu, and Farm Shop horticultural specialist, Naomi Mungai. was established by accomplished social entrepreneurs, Farouk Jiwa and Madison Ayer, whose previous venture – Honey Care Africa – earned global praise from the Prince of Wales Business Trust, the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others.

For more information Please contact s.roderick@ cornwall.ac.uk for more information and updates on this exciting and worthwhile venture.

May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 25

Diary Dates Course title

Date/Time

Venue

Pest control awareness & management

21/05/15 10am4pm

Contact

Course title

Date/Time

Venue

County

St Ewe Eggs, Cornwall £110 Ventonwyn Farm, TR2 5SH

RBS

Cattle foot trimming

2 & 3/07/15 9.30am-4.30pm

TBC

Mid£250 Cornwall

RBS

Herdsperson course

DCS

Cornwall £275

RBS

Training you and your 23/05/15 1pmgundog 4pm

DCR

RBS

04/07/15 9am5pm

Cornwall £99

RBS

26/05/15 9am2.30pm

DCS

RBS

04/07/15 9.30am-3.30pm

DCS

Local shell fish workshop

Introduction to welding

DCS

Cornwall £58 RBS

Bread making

26/05/15 9am4pm

DCS

RBS

Sugar paste modelling 04/07/15 10amworkshop 4pm

26/05/15 10am4pm

DCR

Basket weaving – ways with willow

County

Cost

Cornwall £25

Cornwall £75

Cornwall £75

Cornwall £50

RBS

Keeping pet chickens

27/05/15 10am4pm

DCR

Cornwall £45

RBS

Garden pests and diseases

27/05/15 7pm9pm

DCR

Cornwall £25

RBS

Introduction to cheese making Green woodworking craft

28/05/15 9am5pm 28 & 29/05/15 9.30am-4pm

DCS

Cornwall £80

RBS

DCS

Cornwall £145

RBS

Chainsaw – occasional 8 & 9/06/15 9am- DCS user NPTC Level 2 5pm

Cornwall £305

RBS

Intermediate beekeeping

14-28/06/15 9.30am-4pm

DCS

Cornwall £125

RBS

Safe use of pesticides – Grandfather rights

18/06/15 9am4pm

DCS

Cornwall £200

RBS

Floristry for summertime

20/06/15 10am4pm

DCR

Cornwall £85

RBS

PA1 & PA6 principles of safe pesticide application NPTC

23 & 24/06/15 9am-5pm

DCS

Cornwall £325

RBS

Understanding PAYE and payroll

25/06/15 9am5pm

DCR

Cornwall £140

RBS

Cattle foot trimming

30/06/15 & 01/07/15 9.30am-4.30pm

TBC

page 26 | The Rural Business School | May 2015

Contact

PA1 & PA6 principles of safe pesticide application NPTC

8 & 9/07/15 9am- DCS 5pm

Cornwall £325

RBS

Safe use of pesticides – Grandfather rights

09/07/15 9am4pm

DCS

Cornwall £200

RBS

Herdsperson course

11/07/15 9am5pm

DCS

Cornwall £275

RBS

Tractor experience day

11/07/15 10am4pm

DCS

Cornwall £115

RBS

Sausage making

14/07/15 9am1pm

DCS

Cornwall £55

RBS

Cupcake workshop

18/07/15 10am4pm

DCS

Cornwall £55

RBS

20th Challenge of rural leadership

10-23/01/16

Dartington Devon Hall, Totnes, TQ9 6EL

8.30am-10pm

Key to icons

Mid£250 Cornwall

Cost

Price on application

RBS

For more information

Agriculture general

Dairy

Beef

Sheep

Poultry

Arable/Crop Production

Resource Management

Machinery

Pets

CPD

Countryside

Rural Crafts

Equine

Leadership & Management

Food & Drink

Forestry

Horticulture

General/ Other

RBS

Please call 0845 458 7485 or email rbs@duchy.ac.uk for more information.

Our full list of events is available at: www.ruralbusinessschool.org.uk

Key to abbreviations DCR - Duchy College Rosewarne DCS - Duchy College Stoke Climsland ESF - European Social Funded (eligibility rules apply) FF - full fee May 2015 | The Rural Business School | page 27

FR E PA E R

EN TR Y&

KI

NG

Duchy College Stoke Climsland Sat 20th & Sun 21st June 2015, 10am - 4pm Visit us for a fantastic weekend, with lots of things to see and do. Meet the staff, students and animals, try out some of the College’s equipment and visit our Summer Food Festival for some of the tastiest produce in the South West.

Animal Handling Bakery Demonstrations Chef Masterclasses Climbing Tower Countryside & Wildlife Activities Creative Play & Forest School Digger Driving Challenge Equine Displays Farm Tours Fitness Testing & Health Checks

Food & Drink Exhibitors Fun Family Dog Show (Sunday) Livestock & Machinery Military Displays Multi-sport Games PGA Golf Tuition Pole Lathe Demonstrations Puzzles & Problem Solving Reptile Encounters Vintage Tractors & Steam Engines

Plus tractor and trailer rides, competitions, careers advice, refreshments and much more.

T: 0845 60 50 455 E: enquiries@duchy.ac.uk W: www.duchy.ac.uk page 28 | The Rural Business School | May 2015