At the South Eastern Winter Fair, held on the South of England Showground, Ardingly, on Tuesday 22nd November 2005, the Supreme Champion in the sheep section was taken by a pair of Southdown lambs shown by D S and P Humphrey.
These were a superb pair of lambs, beautifully presented and trimmed by Stephen and Paul, but more importantly, they handled very well indeed with just the correct amount of fat cover, and an excellent depth of meat on the loin and excellent gigots. Exactly the sort of lamb that any good butcher would be proud to have hanging in his shop. These lambs went on to make £180 each in the auction sale.
Not content with the Supreme Championship, Stephen and Paul followed on with the reserve Supreme Championship, another well presented pair of lambs though not quite so big.
Bearing in mind that they were in competition with some very good examples of most other breeds - very strong opposition from Texel and Beltex crosses - the results prove once more that Southdown sheep can, when produced correctly, hold their own in any company and do have a good commercial future.
Congratulations to the Humphreys and well done Southdowns!
IRVING PALLISTER
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Everyone is familiar with the use of Artificial Insemination on dairy cows, but how much do you know about AI on sheep, and have you ever tried it? We did for the first time this year, we knew little about it, but our experience of it shows that with careful planning, attention to detail and a little luck it is not that difficult, the results are impressive, and it can be enormous value to your flock, and the breed as a whole.
We were looking for new blood during the summer, we had heard about Sid Cook's ram that had won at The Royal and when we discovered that he was at stud and his semen was available we decided to give AI a go. We had already selected our best 25 ewes to lamb earlier than the main flock, and after much head scratching we picked eight of them to try with AI, with the realistic hope of getting five to hold. That was easy enough but now what do we do? A phone call later to Sid Cook and we were underway. Sid told us his ram was with CBS Technologies in Malvern, they had the frozen semen in stock, and they recommended that we speak to vet and senior partner Mike Glover at South West Sheep Breeding Services in South Molton, who specialises in sheep AI work, doing over 1500 ewes a year.
Mike and his colleagues were first class, we explained what we wanted to do and what we were trying to achieve, and although they had not had a lot of experience with Southdowns they would be very happy to do the AI work for us. The next day the practice sent us a very detailed and comprehensive plan to follow in order for us to have the ewes in the right condition and at the right point in their season to maximise our chances of success. This involved the use of chronogest sponges, PMSG and teaser rams, but more particularly everything had to be done at a set time. The most important of these was the removal of the sponges and the administration of the PSMG which in our case was to be exactly at 3.00 am on a Sunday morning. The reason for this we learnt was so that our ewes would be coming to the end of their season, and the optimum time for AI, by 10.00am the following Tuesday, the day and time they were booked in at the practice for their AI.
During the summer our girls had enjoyed the rich Devon grass and made good use of it, and I did feel a bit mean just throwing them a handful of straw every morning as they moped about our sheep yards, but we had to get them down to a body condition score of 3 to 3.5, and we used this time to sort out any foot problems and drenched them twice with a mineral and vitamin drench, making sure they had plenty of selenium and vitamin E.
At last the great day had arrived. We were to take the ewes into the surgery for the procedure, and arrived at 9.00am for a 10.00am start. The ewes were given a mild sedative, and while this took effect we filled in the relevant paperwork and Mike showed us what we were to do for our part of the operation. Alan, our farm hand, and I were to strap the ewes gently on their backs in a special carriage and wheel them through to the operating theatre where Caroline was to clip off the wool just in front of their udder and then wash the site with disinfectant. It was through this site that they were to be laparoscopically AI'ed - through the two small holes in their belly and straight into each horn of the uterus, thus placing the semen pellet right next to each ovum, thereby increasing the chances of successful fertilisation, and reducing the number of sperm required. The technique looked a little uncomfortable for the ewes, but it only took a couple of minutes, the sheep coming away with two small holes in their bellies which were stapled closed and healed over very quickly. A dose of long-acting antibiotics later and our girls were ready to go home.
We gently re-loaded and steadily brought them back home, putting them back into the pen they had lived in for the past 6 weeks, keeping them as quiet as possible at all times.
Two days later we walked them down to a small field away from the farm buildings where we could leave them in peace for the next month. It is important not to stress the ewes during this period, one wayward dog can ruin all of your hard work and hopes in a flash. A ram went back in with them 10 days later and we held our breath, hoping not to see any fresh red chalk marks on their rumps - there was the odd faint mark or two but we put this down to the ram just trying his luck.
Ninety days later the scanning man arrived - the moment of truth! Again we held our breath and crossed our fingers as the ewes ran down the race and through the scanning crate. The result: all in lamb, and all twins except for one single. Beginners' luck springs to mind.
As I write this article we are about 3 weeks away from lambing, the ewes are in and looking fit and well, now all we have to do is produce live lambs.
Our first experiences of sheep AI have been fascinating and very exciting, and not as difficult or daunting as we had at first expected. If we can do it, you can do it. Attention to detail, planning, having the sheep in the right condition and the services of a specialist vet are the key to success, all of which are achievable. We would do it again, and perhaps more rams should be available for AI. It can only be of benefit to the breed.
ADAM AND CAROLINE BROWN
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I recently read again with interest, the article from Anne Lambert in the 2005 Yearbook entitled "Two pints of lager…..and a Southdown sheep".
For a late night shopping evening before Christmas last, our Church Minister decided she would like to put on a Nativity in the area in front of the church. Would I please supply the sheep?
Four Southdown lambs and a ewe were provided and behaved impeccably. Since then we have had many enquiries about the sheep and their welfare, so following an amusing and unusual observation when vaccinating my flock, I have written a small piece in our Church magazine. Afterwards, I thought the wider "congregation" of the Southdown Sheep Society might be amused to read it. So, here it is!
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I was recently at a vaccination centre. You know the sort of thing, for example, over sixty-fives and the vulnerable, lining up far a flu jab in the late Autumn. In this instant I observed a group entering of a few females and one male bringing up the rear. When their turn came the first female went into the vaccination area, looking very distressed. You could tell, she did not really want it done, she did not understand why it was important to be done and struggled a bit. Eventually the vaccination was over and she was ushered out of the area, making room for the second female to enter. She was no better than the first and it had me wondering, where had this group come from, that they did not understand that it was for their own good.
Well, on completion of the vaccination of the second female, there was a slight pause, during which the solitary male of the group ambled forwards with an air of "I'll show you how it should be done." There was no fuss, no distress, he calmly took his vaccination and came out again, but remained very close. The next female went in and he moved close to her, just in front of her. The person carrying out the vaccination approached with the needle and the male started gently kissing the female on the nose, as if to calm her. They did not look like Innuits, mind you they did look as if cold weather was expected and it did look more like rubbing noses with a lick here and there, but it did the trick. The vaccination was accepted much more calmly. It made me wonder if that was his purpose for being there, but the fact not known by the general public, was that all the females of the group were pregnant by him anyway.
This incident was observed on the afternoon of Thursday, 26th January 2006, in my barn. The male concerned is my pet Southdown ram, Peter, and the female members of my Southdown flock, pregnant ewes.
What a fine example of a gentleramly caring male he has turned out to be.
ALAN FREEMAN
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First of all with only two meetings a year, it means you have to attend both of them unless you have a good reason. There is no point in being a Council member unless you do, and we have had, over the past few years, members not attending without giving a reason. In fact some just do not even turn up.
If you have a full time job elsewhere and cannot get to London twice a year perhaps you should think twice about being on the Council.
You should also be willing to put yourself out in helping other members by inviting them to look at your Southdowns and talking on the telephone to them. This helps them a lot.
With only two meetings a year it does not seem that we should put an attendance record out at the AGM. What do you think?
CLIVE PRITCHARD
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2005 saw the successful setting up of the regional breeders' group in East Anglia.
The first meeting of the East Anglian Southdown Breeders' took place on March 19th 2005 at the home of Gail and Michael Sprake, at All Saints, near Halesworth in Suffolk. This inaugural meeting took the form of a trimming and showing workshop day, led by Mr Irving Pallister, who had kindly agreed to share his skills and expertise with a willing audience.
Breeders came from all corners of the region: ranging from King's Lynn in North Norfolk, to Ely, Cambridgeshire in the West, down to Clacton in the South. We were delighted to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Clark, who joined us for the day and shared their experience with us all, including memorable anecdotes and reminiscences. It was a fitting tribute that all members present had a significant amount of Moulton blood within their own flocks. The day commenced with coffee before Irving selected a ram lamb and demonstrated backing down and trimming. Members were encouraged to try their hand and have a go with the trimming shears. A lunch break provided time for informal discussion. Then after a walk around the farm to look at the All Saints Flock it was back to the barn and the trimming stand to try and put into practice what we had learnt before lunch. The day was rounded off with tea and cakes, and a slightly more formal discussion during which members put forward their ideas and suggestions for future meetings and get-togethers. There was general consensus that the group should exist purely for practical purposes, to enable members to exchange knowledge and ideas on an informal basis.
The next get-together was the barbeque which took place at the Suffolk Show on June 1st, after the first day of the show. The two day show is well known for its friendly atmosphere and warm welcome. Even the wet weather was not able to dampen the enthusiasm, and members, ever resourceful, squeezed into a nearby vacant stable to continue the evening when heavy rain really did make it impossible to continue sitting outside. Members and friends and the judges came along to join in the evening.
On September 11th we were welcomed to the home of Mr and Mrs Simon Hutley and the Birch Hoe Flock. We enjoyed looking at the flock, but the additional purpose of the visit was to take Simon up on his brave offer to try to improve our trailer reversing skills. After patiently explaining exactly how to reverse around a corner, Simon guided us through the course he had set up for us. Not as easy as it looked, even though young Andrew Hutley managed the twisting course with ease on his quad bike with his sheep trailer behind!
Our final meeting of 2005 was held at Houghton Hall, near King's Lynn, on November 27th. The theme of the day was flock health, and the meeting was led by Molly McKay, B.Vet.Med., B.Sc (Hons), MRCVS, and her husband Carwyn, who manages the Houghton flock of Southdown sheep, in addition to running the other organic livestock enterprises on the Marquess of Cholmondeley's Houghton Hall Estate. Members travelled many miles to join in the day, and we even welcomed breeders from as far afield as Bedfordshire. The day was informative, thought-provoking and very enjoyable. Molly started the meeting with a veterinary quiz which made some of us think quite hard.
This was followed by a factual talk on "Flock Health Planning for profitable and productive sheep". Molly stressed the importance of getting to grips with worms and fluke, but emphasized that we should be looking at control and not total elimination of worms on our farms. It is a sobering fact that once resistance to a wormer has developed, it will be a long while before any new wormers are available to us. With only three different categories of wormer available, we must work hard to ensure we develop an effective strategy to reduce the risk of resistance, whilst still controlling the worms on our farm. Worm egg counts play a vital role in the decision of whether and when to worm.
The any questions session before lunch gave all members present the opportunity to air a variety of questions and concerns.
Lunch was a special treat - a hearty and delicious lamb stew had been prepared for us, cooked to Carwyn's grandmother's family recipe! Just what was needed to warm us up before venturing out onto the farm after lunch for the practical part of the day. Molly and Carwyn demonstrated how to physically conduct a ram MOT. The semen collection and microscope examination was fascinating; on such a bitterly cold day it was necessary for them both to use a hot water bottle to warm their hands up in order to successfully conduct certain parts of the examination.
This really was the high note on which to end a very successful first year of meetings, and we extend our grateful thanks to everyone who has so kindly given up valuable time to welcome members to their homes and flocks and share with us their expertise, knowledge and experience.
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Some events for this year have already been finalised and details are given below. The programme for the remainder of the year will be sent or e-mailed to regional members in due course.
February 15th, 7.15pm, at The Manger pub, Bradfield Combust, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. We have been invited to enter a team in the East Anglian Sheep Clubs' annual quiz. A light-hearted, fun evening!
May 6th, 2.30pm, at Shadwell, near Thetford in Norfolk. Members Denis and Sarah Jenkins have kindly invited us to join them for an afternoon to learn about the fascinating subject of sheep dogs. They will cover many aspects: from puppy selection and starting with a young dog, to training dogs of all ages, followed by a demonstration of their own dogs working on their sheep. Sarah has represented England twice in international sheepdog competitions, and I think we can be assured of an excellent day.
For more details, and directions to the event, please contact Denis and Sarah on 01284 762555.
The day is dependent upon good weather, so in the event of rain, members are advised to check on the above number.
May 31st 5pm onwards. This is the annual barbeque on the Suffolk Showground, Ipswich, Suffolk, which takes place behind the sheep line once the day's showing is over. This is a very informal, relaxed get-together, and all are welcome, whether you have been showing or not!
The above events are open to all members and friends, and members further afield are welcome to attend too. If you are travelling from a distance you are advised to phone to double-check timings, exact venues, etc. Phone Gail Sprake on 01986 782416, or any members on the numbers given out above.
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