Sheep News

The Pasture-Fed Livestock Association has published its latest set of Certification Standards, listing what cattle and sheep producers must do to apply the ‘Pasture for Life’ marketing symbol on their produce. 

The Eastern Region sales will take place at Rugby on Friday 28th August 2020, and the sale at Melton Mowbray will take place on the revised date of Friday 18th September 2020. Meanwhile, NSA South West Region’s sale is continuing to make pace at Exeter and will be held on Wednesday 19th August.

It is with regret that the National Sheep Association (NSA) is today announcing the unfortunate cancellation of this years NSA Sheep Event 2020.

With the use of webinars increasing amongst all sectors of the agricultural industry significantly during the Covid-19 lockdown, the National Sheep Association (NSA) has added to its diary of virtual events with further online delivery sessions set to help sheep farmers in a variety of areas over the coming months.

With over 20 different species affecting livestock in the UK, flies are one of the biggest ectoparasite problems faced by farmers across the country. From loss of productivity due to reduced grazing time, through to acting as a vector for diseases, the impact of flies can be significant and, if not appropriately controlled, can even result in livestock fatalities.

The National Sheep Association is once again reminding Government to consider the broader potential ramifications of new trade deals, as talks with New Zealand and Australia begin.

Sheep flocks often suffer from an increase in lameness during the later summer months, so much so that shepherds are being urged to implement disease mitigation measures in the run up to weaning.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is welcoming several recommendations made in the newly released report ‘The Future for Small Abattoirs in the UK: Report on an inquiry into small red meat abattoir provision’.

“Weaning is a very useful management tool, allowing allocation and prioritisation of the dry matter available, but it has to be weighed up against potential pit falls such as the challenge they could face from worms.”

The National Sheep Association has said it is disappointed to see that Covid-19 has had a serious impact on wool prices in the UK.

With plans to start his own sheep enterprise in the near future, news that he was the first winner of the National Sheep Association (NSA) 2020 membership prize giveaway was perfectly timed for young shepherd Michael Hogg from Tyne and Wear.
 

Well-known Welsh farmer and TV presenter Gareth Wyn Jones has said he was left “fuming” after walkers left a gate open on his farm, allowing sheep to escape.