The demand for females is still keeping well ahead of supply and I feel we are still quite a way from having enough to start a Society Sale.

The Open Day at Sandy and Ann Welsh’s farm at Biggar was an unqualified success. The Upper Tweed Valley was at its best. 200 people attended, Dr John Vipond and his staff from the Scottish Agricultural College helped to put on a professional show and with a sponsorship from “Rumenco” it was a great day. The pure bred Easy Care and Scottish Blackface looked well and everyone was particularly impressed with the wool shedding qualities of the crossbreds. On the subject of shedding, it has been noticed that there is a marked difference in the results between rams in the breed generally.

The next Open Day will be at Roger Elliot’s farm at Kislinbury, Northants on the 11th June 2006. Roger and his son Tom have 800 acres and two butchers shops. His flock of Wiltshire Horns won the society flock championship this year and he has a flock of 100 Easy Care as well as a herd of South Devon cattle. The Wiltshire Horn Society held an Open Day at his farm in May and I can assure you that if the Easy Care event bears any resemblance it will be well worth attending. More details will appear in the Spring Newsletter.

The awareness of the Easy Care amongst the farming community has really impressed me and everyone I discuss the breed with is of the opinion that we are very much on the right lines. One Devon farmer told me he reckons it costs him £10 per sheep to grow wool and when you hear someone of the calibre of John Thorley of the N.S.A. stating wool accounts for over 80% of the cost of sheep production you have to take notice.

Apart from the UK we have had serious enquiries from France and a great deal of interest from Ireland. The Irish authorities insist on all imported sheep being from “Madi Visna” accredited flocks and with this in mind I have set up a separate flock with 75 yearling ewes and 2 rams tested and isolated. They have all passed the first test and will be mated in mid November so that after the second test next March they can be sent to Ireland where there are 5 farmers anxiously waiting to welcome them. Not only does this open another market but it also provides us with a hedge against any future catastrophe such as Foot and Mouth.

Apart from the pure bred breeders there are many who are using Easy Care rams to cross on all sorts of breeds so as to establish a self-contained flock. Lleyn, Welsh and Cheviotte seem to be the favourites.

I have arranged to enter some sheep in the Signet recording scheme and if any breeders are interested. I can send them the details. The Welsh Assembly have agreed to foot the bill for any Welsh breeders.

Iolo Owen
 
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