N'EWES
Quarterly N'EWESletter of the BC Sheep Federation Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
Postal Mail Sales Agreement #40831051. Any returns please send to: Box 2356 Princeton, BC V0X 1W0
www.bcsheepfed.com
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A MESSAGE FROM OUR EDITOR
keep reading articles regarding the changes to take place with the ALR and the land commission, and ask ‘How are these changes going to affect agriculture in BC and in particular Rural agriculture and Rural communities as a whole? Our Rural communities are suffering. They are losing population and with it necessary infrastructure that supports farmers, both large and small. Farmers need other farmers to survive. Feed stores, Equipment dealers, veterinarians, abbatoirs, fertilizer, seed, hardware and irrigation suppliers all require numbers of customers to remain in business in a community. The fewer customers remaining, the further we all have to travel to purchase basic needs, the more difficult it becomes to make agriculture a viable entity. We are also people, and require other amenities and services like Doctors, dentists, lawyers, teachers, pharmacies, ice arenas, swimming pools, cell service etc. Rural communities need to be able to attract a population wanting to live in a rural setting, and that usually includes an opportunity to practice some small scale agriculture. The ALR has over the past 40 years been a major contributor to the loss of rural populations, by restricting the number of small holdings. There has been no mention whatsoever in all this talk about restructuring of the ALR and zones, regarding soil capability! YES! I agree hang onto class 1 soils for major commercial agriculture. The soils are precious in BC. But let some of the class 3, 4 and 5 soils go to small scale and non soil based agriculture. A 5 acre parcel on a class 4 rock pile in the southern Okanagan will be far more productive with a horse, a cow, 2 sheep and an apple tree than the same acreage in grazing land offering grass to 1 cow on 20 acres for 4 months of the year. AND the owner might even be a Doctor! ~ Bev Greenwell 250-295-6419 happyhollow@nethop.net
SUMMER 2014 Editor - Bev Greenwell Please make payments for memberships, subscriptions and advertising to: Barbara Ydenberg 27382 84th Avenue Langley, B.C. V1M3L4 bydenberg@gmail.com PRODUCED FOR THE BC SHEEP FEDERATION BCFS N'EWES articles may be reprinted in other publications, on condition that the content is unchanged and credit given to N'EWES as the source. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors an do not imply the support of the BC Sheep Federation. The editorial board has the right to refuse material which it considers unsuitable for insertion or to edit material to conform to space availability.
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SPOTLIGHT The Similkameen
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY Annual subscription: $37 locally, $57 elsewhere in Canada Creative Production: Lisa Carleton - Associate Publisher/Editor
President Roma Tingle 250-963-7301 Fort George Shepherds Association rhtingle@xplornet.com Past President Barbara Johnstone-Grimmer 250-629-3819 Representative to Canadian Sheep Federation and Inter Island Sheep Breeders Association firhill@gulfislands.com Vice President Dena Finlay 250-546-6223 Okanagan Shuswap Sheep Producers finlaysfarm@gmail.com Recording & Membership Secretary Barbara Ydenberg 604-856-3365/ 604-727-4182 Lower Mainland Sheep Producers Association bydenberg@gmail.com OFFS Steering Committee Rep Val Gerber 250-676-9234 Upper North Thompson Sheep Breeders Association stump_pasture42@xplornet.com Rod Hennecker 250-395-3580 Cariboo Sheep Breeders Association ceeds@bcinternet.net Trevor French 604-626-0662 BC Purebred Sheep Breeders' Association whttail@shaw.ca Rob Horstman 250-992-8447 Quesnel Sheep Producers Association hbpaints@gmail.com Bev Greenwell 250-295-6419 Editor N'EWES happyhollow@nethop.net
Cover photo courtesy of Trevor French
BCFS MISSION STATEMENT
To promote sustained growth and development of a unified, market responsive, profitable and commercially viable sheep industry in British Columbia.
Website: http://bcsheepfed.com
Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com
Street Address: 282 Bridge Box 340 • Princeton, B.C. V0X 1W0 Phone: 250-295-3535 Fax: 250-295-7322 Email: lisa@similkameenspotlight.com
OFFICERS & DIRECTORS BC Sheep Federation
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
MESSAGE from the President “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
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ince my report was missed in the last issue, I have edited it for this issue. We will be closer to summer when you receive this issue – and I hope your lambing went well and you are looking forward to lazy days, warm weather and good crops. It was a busy fall, especially with the BCSF AGM and fall seminar held in Prince George. There was a more complete report on the weekend in the previous issue. We had a very full two days, and enjoyed meeting with other shepherds and being updated on the activities of your directors. We would have liked to have had more of you in attendance, but realize the constraints of time and distance for many to attend. Elections were held and the board for the year is as follows: President: Roma Tingle Past-President – Barb Johnstone-Grimmer Vice-President – Dena Finlay Secretary – Both Recording and Membership – Barb Ydenberg Directors: North Thompson – Valerie Gerber Cariboo – Rod Henneker North Cariboo – Rob Horstman Okanagan Shuswap – Dena Finlay Inter Island – Barbara Johnstone-Grimmer BC Purebred Breeders – Trevor French I have the pleasure of being elected to the board of the Canadian Cooperative Woolgrowers, and attended their AGM last fall in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec. I would like to thank those of you who supported my nomination and election – it is a new challenge and I am looking forward to learning more about wool production and marketing. One of the issues that came out of the meeting was the preparation of wool for shipping. For those of you who ship wool, there is a “Wool Preparation Incentive Program” and a bonus of 2-8 cents per pound can be added to your wool cheque if it is prepared well and shipped clean . Information on wool preparation can be found on the web site www.wool.ca. In addition there is a Shareholder Wool Shipper Loyalty Reward Program in the form of a profit sharing coupon that can be redeemed to purchase goods at any CCWG branch location. Please contact me for further information on wool shipping. The 2014 BC sheep Federation AGM will be held in the Clearwater area in early October and we have Anita O’Brien confirmed as a keynote speaker. The hard working members of the North Thompson Sheep Producers Association are well on their way with planning their program, and have picked “Creating a Balance” for their theme.
We hope many of you will take the weekend to come and learn new things, make new friends and renew old friendships. Two documents that you should be aware of are the recently developed Biosecurity Standards and the Codes of Practise for Care and Handling of Sheep. Copies of both are available. Please contact your Director for copies and further information. A reminder that your membership for 2014 is due. Thank you to those who have already sent it in, your support is appreciated. The form is on the back page of this issue. We are excited about a new program of the BC Abattoir’s to promote BC lamb, and we will have a session at the fall seminar to tell you all about it. Although I am still looking out on fields of white, it is the first day of spring and hopefully green fields and summer breezes will soon follow. ~ Roma Tingle
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Officers and Directors................................................... Page 02 NEWS Workplace BC and the Small Farm..............................Page 04 Provincial Tag Levies.................................................... Page 05 BC Meats Phone App...................................................Page 06 Canadian lamb Markets Growing..................................Page 07 REPORTS BC Purebred Sheep Breeders......................................Page 08 Canadian Sheep Federation Report.............................Page 10 Cariboo Sheep Breeders Association Report................Page 11 Upper North Thompson Sheep Producers Report........Page 14 Okanagan Shuswap Report..........................................Page 15 Inter-Island Report........................................................Page 16 Lower Mainland Report................................................ Page 17 SHEEP BITS 'N BITES Water - by Bryan Looker ..............................................Page 18 SPCA Visit - by Barbara Ydenberg...............................Page 19 Canine Trapping - by Darrell Ashworth..........................Page 20 Sheep Loss Survey.......................................................Page 21 Italy - by Mike Doherty..................................................Page 22 SHEEP SYMPOSIUM/AGM..........................................Page 12 Membership Form.........................................................Page 24
www.bcsheepfed.com
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NEWS WORKPLACE BC AND THE SMALL FARM
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midst the busyness of lambing, haying, fencing, and all of your other farming duties some of you might be required to address certain items with WorkSafeBC such as safety programs and identified non compliance issues. WorkSafe visits to farms have resulted in the identification of some common issues. As a result of these, consistent orders are often written by inspectors. Working to address the issues in advance of an inspection for the practical purpose of farm safety has always been encouraged by FARSHA. It is our goal at FARSHA to not merely attend to the orders written but to assist you in the development of your safety program and development of a related safety culture going forward. Simply dealing with the orders is a start but it is really important to understand that the work is on going. It won’t be good enough to answer the orders and say this is what we are going to do, it will be incumbent upon you to do it and to demonstrate in the future that it was and is being done. FARSHA will help you do this. The following identified areas, while not a comprehensive or complete list, does serve to offer a starting point for compliance. Those listed are among the common orders written to farmers and ranchers of late. If you need any help at all please contact the FARSHA Regional Safety Consultant in your area. Their names can be found at our website: www.farsha.bc.ca. First Aid- have a set protocol and training and equipment based on the number of workers Safety Programs – Even small farms should have some written safe work practices Working alone or in isolation – a simple protocol can be to carry a cell phone and phone in at a prescribed time to let someone know you are OK Pre-Trip Inspections: - A quick check of rolling equipment and a note of when it was done Worker Orientation: Workers sign off that they were informed of safe work practices. MSDS & WHMIS Material Safety Data Sheets, and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Workers are made aware of how to handle any hazardous materials, how to protect themselves and how to access information about the materials Tools and Equipment – keep records of maintenance and replacement ATV or Quads & motorbikes: Appropriate maintenance records kept, workers instructed in use
High Point Farm, courtesy of Trevor French
and appropriate safety gear worn Tractors: Follow all recommended tractor safety protocols including seat belt use, roll over protection, operating procedures and maintenance. Meetings: Can be casual, but keep records of dates and issues discussed. There is a required heightened effort that must be applied to meet or exceed the requirements of the varied acts and regulations. FARSHA has always worked with the adage “ you can pretend to care but you cannot pretend to be there”, this has never been truer than now and is a commitment that all of the regional consultants share. We will be there to help you. If you are inspected be courteous and polite, ask the WorkSafe officer questions to clarify what is being required of you, work with them and be cooperative, after all, they don’t make the regulations, they just deliver them. Trevor Tapp Regional Safety Consultant FARSHA
ADVERTISERS INDEX Ferris Fencing............................................................. Page 05
Finlay Farm..................................................................Page 15
Upper North Thompson Sheep Producers
Winds Reach Farm.......................................................Page 17
Association...................................................................Page 07
Valley Livestock............................................................Page 17
Otter Lake Farm...........................................................Page 10
Maureen Kelley.............................................................Page 19
Happy Hollow Farm......................................................Page 10
Tappen Valley Farm......................................................Page 19
B.C. Purebred Sheep Breeders' Association.................Page 11 Phillip Copping.............................................................Page 15
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
NEWS PROVINCIAL TAG LEVIES, SUPPORTING THE CANADIAN SHEEP INDUSTRY
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he Canadian S h e e p Federation (CSF) is a producer-funded organization that plays a fundamental role in supporting the evolution of the sheep value chain by advocating on behalf of producers and helping to grow markets. The mission of the CSF is to represent all producers in providing leadership aimed at cooperative work among all levels of government and industry-related organizations, both domestic and foreign, to further the viability, growth and prosperity of the Canadian sheep, wool and dairy industries. The CSF focuses on key national issues that risk affecting all Canadian producers including animal identification and traceability policies, transportation regulations, biosecurity standards, Codes of Practice for animal care, on-farm food safety programs and market access initiatives. The Canadian Sheep Federation works to ensure that regulatory reform takes into consideration producer and industry needs by working closely with federal agencies in policy development. We spearhead program development,
maintain resources for producers and work with both national and international stakeholders to grow markets for Canadian producers. Communications between producers, the CSF and government organizations are also a critical part of what the CSF does, ensuring that government understands industry views and producers clearly understand their rights and responsibilities. The work of the CSF is supported by producers through the contributions of their provincial organizations or through provincial tag levies. These fees allow the Canadian sheep industry to support itself and ensure that producers drive the industry. Thank you for supporting the Canadian sheep industry.
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Photo courtesy of Dena Finlay
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NEWS
NEW PHONE APP CONNECTS CONSUMERS WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND GROCERS FEATURING BC MEATS
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ancouver, BC – A new BC Meats phone app is being launched to make it easy for consumers to know where their meat comes from. The app connects consumers with restaurants, grocers and farm stores throughout BC that feature local meats on their menus and in their meat cases. Users of the BC Meats phone app will be able to “Know Your Meats” and get detailed information before they buy. Consumers will be able to choose which types of meat they have an appetite for—BC pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, bison or Certified BC Beef—and also choose restaurants or grocers or both. Plus, they can search for a specific restaurant or store by name. “More than ever people want to know where their food comes from and they want it to be as local as possible,” says Gillian Watt, Program Manager for BC Meats for BC Markets. The app displays the information in two ways: either on a map with pins showing vendor locations or as a list. Selecting one will bring up basic location and contact information or a detailed description with picture and a web page link, depending on whether the store or restaurant has subscribed to a basic or premium service. The BC Meats Phone App will be officially launched at EAT! Vancouver May 30 – June 1 at BC Place. Visitors to the BC Meats booth will be able to enter a contest and download the app to win an assortment of local BC Meats valued at $500 to be delivered to the winner before Father’s Day. “Our premium meats come directly from our producers to BC families,” says Watt. “They’re high quality and crafted for a growing market of consumers who really care about what they eat.” The BC Meats Prize Package contains Certified BC Beef from Cache Creek Natural Beef and Two Rivers Specialty Meats; BC Lamb from Holmwood Farm; Free range certified organic chicken from Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry; BC Bison from Tatanka Plains and BC Pork from Johnstons. The BC Meats app is designed for all Apple and Android devices, and was created by Orchestrate Technologies Inc./ Datton Enterprise Software Solutions (www.datton.ca). The BC Meats phone app is supported by the BC Government’s Buy Local Program; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the BC Ministry of Agriculture.
Replacement Yearlings courtesy of Cynthia Mailhot
BC MEATS QUALITY INFORMATION SYSTEM BC Lamb and BC Bison have recently been added to the BC Meats Quality Information System. This system will allow abattoirs and producers to log onto the system and have all of their information and animal records just a click away. For the carcass evaluation tool, we have consulted with members of the BC Sheep Federation and have chosen to pilot an easy to use carcass-scoring tool out of England. This system allows the abattoirs to evaluate the hanging carcasses on fat cover and muscling and based on each of these, the carcass is given a score. The photo of each carcass as well as the score will be available to producers on line in real time. The abattoirs will be trained in the carcass evaluations by Owen Marshall, a certified grader. Owen will also provide an ongoing auditing service where he will be able to log onto the system and spot-check the photos against the carcass scores. The sheep identification tags will be used to track each carcass through the system. The records will be similar to what the abattoirs have kept in the past on a paper basis, however the online system will provide greater efficiencies in record keeping and retrieval and will provide producers with quantitative information on carcass quality for the first time. Further information and a u tube demonstration of how to log onto the system to access your carcass information will be coming soon and Gillian Watt will be presenting this system at the BCSF AGM and she will be available to provide hands on support to logging into the system and accessing the data. The BC Meats Quality Information System is supported by the BC Government’s Buy Local Program; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the BC Ministry of Agriculture.
Media Contact: Sandra Bishop, Communications Specialist 1-778-269-3050 6
Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
NEWS CANADIAN LAMB MARKETS GROWING
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amb producers in Canada will begin selling finished lambs to the Canadian Lamb Producers Cooperative this spring. At the same time, the co-operative, which will have offices in Guelph and Saskatoon, is launching its marketing arm, the Canadian Lamb Company. The goal is to build its brand to meet a growing demand for Canadian lamb in Canada and abroad. In its 2014 membership information package, the co-operative says, “Over the past five years, worldwide demand for lamb products has consistently outstripped supply.”This is not expected to change as New Zealand and Australia, which are the primary export countries, struggle with declining numbers of producers, weather-related issues and a focus on the Chinese market. “The export opportunity for Canadian lamb products to China, the EU and the Middle East is very strong and will increase as the demand for protein, particularly lamb, is anticipated to grow steadily as income levels rise in the developing world.”
Locally, studies indicate a growing demand for lamb in Canada because of the changing ethnic and demographic profiles in the country. And there is a strong preference for Canadian-raised lamb. The co-op hopes to grow to 650 to 1,000 members within three years. Members will sell their lambs to the co-op which will then process them into value-added and fresh consumer products for Canadian and international markets. Only active lamb producers in Canada can become members of the co-operative and to do so they must have a membership and investment shares as well as sign a 36-month agreement with the co-operative. Beginning April 23, the co-op will purchase marketable lambs from members at a premium price of $0.05 per pound, live weight above the average weekly price, per weight category. Terry Ackerman, the co-op’s CEO, says the group will use a national pricing program with Ontario prices, and all members will be paid the same. Previously, producers were paid discounted prices based on the province of production. Trudy Kelly Forsythe
THE UPPER NORTH THOMPSON SHEEP PRODUCER’S ASSOCIATION invite you to attend the
BC Sheep Federation Sheep Symposium and Annual General Meeting in the beautiful North Thompson Valley in Wells Gray country, Clearwater (80 miles north of Kamloops) Why not plan now to make this a holiday destination — visit the world renowned Wells Gray Provincial Park before or after the symposium!
October 3 & 4, 2014
We have reserved a block of 20 rooms in the Clearwater Lodge. The B.C. Purebred Breeders Assoc are planning to have their AGM on Sunday the 5th so we look forward to seeing lots of producers from across the province. There will be room for booths for anyone wishing – free to bcsf members. There will also be a silent auction so we are asking each local assn to bring along something to donate. Proceeds to bcsf.
We are busy planning a weekend of learning and fun with some great speakers already booked!
VISIT www.wellsgray.ca or tourismwellsgray.org or google Helmcken Falls!
See draft schedule and registration forms in this magazine – Register Now and get the early bird price!
Clearwater Lodge Phone: 250-674-3080 Email: clearwaterlodge@mercuryspeed.com (for June & July) then a new address from August on: clearwaterinfo@hotmail.com www.clearwaterlodge.bcresort.com
COME VISIT THE PARK OF THE WATERFALLS! Phone Valerie Gerber for more info: 250-676-9234 or stump_pasture42@xplornet.com
www.bcsheepfed.com
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PROVINCIAL News Introduction of newest Board of Director: Trevor French for BC Purebred Sheep Breeders Association, replacing Neville Eccles. ~ BCSF Rep. For BCPSBA
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was born in Alberta, came here as a young boy and fell in love with the beauty and the climate of the Lower Mainland, and have called it home for over 40 years. My Mother and Stepfather owned an acreage and I was able to enjoy the pleasure of raising all kinds of animals and poultry through my adolescent years, and I dreamed of someday owning my own farm. After achieving financial success, my dream came true 14 years ago and I purchased a beautiful piece of property in Aldergrove, B.C. from the previous owners who were botanists. They planted trees from all over the world. The property has rolling hills and a pond. My farm is where I come home to after the long hours I put in each day as a trauma paramedic with B.C. Ambulance Service. I spend my shifts racing to help people in their emergencies, so it can be very stressful and I find it very calming to come home to see my sheep grazing in the pasture. I have raised many different breeds of sheep, and have settled on what I consider the best breed, which is the Ile de France.
B.C. PUREBRED SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION REPORT
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here was a great turnout for the April meeting of the BCPSBA. Barb Ydenberg and her husband were the gracious hosts on their lovely farm in Langley. There was plenty of food afterwards and one particular favorite was the lamb sausage supplied by Lorea Tomsin. It was a big hit and very delicious. By now everyone has finished lambing, and the pastures are greening up. The lambs are getting bigger and producers will be keeping an eye out for those lambs that really stand out in their flocks, and making mental notes about which lambs to keep as replacement ewes, breeding rams, freezer lambs and 4-H lambs. The 4-H kids are itching to pick out their projects and will be calling sheep producers soon, if they haven’t already done so. I bumped into a bunch of 4-H members from the Langley Beef and Swine Club who had set up a great display of animals at the Otter Co-op in Langley. They had pens of lambs, swine, baby calves, chicks and rabbits for the public to pet as they came and went doing their Easter weekend shopping .The 4-H kids were very attentive to everyone’s questions and put on a very informative and fun display. Perfect for the Easter holiday. Purebred lambs and sheep were well represented at the Lower Mainland fairs and at the Interior fairs last year, shown by proud 4-H members. To encourage 4-H members to choose B.C. purebreds, and to show them the benefits of introducing purebred bloodlines into their own flocks, the BCPSBA is once again sponsoring $250.00 towards the purchase of a B.C. purebred sheep. The sponsorship will be in the form of a draw that 4-H sheep members put their name in and then one person is drawn.
They are a large muscled, fast growing breed with superior loins and hind quarters. They also have a Merino-type wool that has a crimp that spinners desire. We introduced this breed to the Lower Mainland in 2013, and have been showing and promoting this unique breed. Our ram won second place in the Chilliwack AOB open class last year, and has sired some nice big stocky lambs this year. My step-daughter joined 4-H four years ago and has achieved with sheep and llama. I enjoy being a part of her life and watching her grow through that great youth organization. I enjoy helping all the kids and promoting agriculture to the best of my ability. The next generation is the future of the sheep industry. I am honored to be the BCSF Rep for BCPSBA, and I look forward to meeting all the producers of fine sheep that support this industry here in B.C. In solidarity, Trevor French The draw is held at a provincial fair and was held at the PNE last year. The BCPSBA has voted to expand this sponsorship to include an interior provincial fair, the PWF, as well this year. This is a very worthwhile cause; it brings a great deal of joy to the 4-H member who is lucky enough to win the draw, and it is a great promotion for B.C. purebred breeders, and to the work and commitment that BCPSBA puts into promoting purebred sheep breeds. It would be great to see this sponsorship continue to expand and include multiple draws at each fair. The new Government Code of Practice for the care and handling of Sheep, has been published and is available. Contact BCPSBA, BCSF, FACC, or CSF for copies. It proves an interesting read and mostly common sense for seasoned sheep producers. There was a lot of consultation from many groups to put this together and the National Farm Animal Care Council seemed open to sheep producer’s input as well as many specialists in the field. The aim was to link farm animal care to science and to contribute to improvements in farm animal care. The NFACC Code is divided into two headings: Requirements and Recommended Practice. Requirements refer to a regulatory requirement, or an industry imposed expectation. Recommended Practices may compliment the codes requirements, or promote producer education in hopes of becoming adapted practices. Using tail docking as an example, some of the requirements are: the decision to tail dock “must” be based on a welfare risk/ benefit analysis, rather than routine procedure. Flystrike is a risk in most parts of Canada, so tail docking can make sense in most situations. It is usually not necessary to tail dock short-tailed breeds or hair type breeds.
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- Continued on page 9 Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
PROVINCIAL News BCPSBA REPORT - from page 8 If using rubber rings, they should not be applied beyond 6 weeks of age. Docked tails “must” cover the vulva in ewes and the equivalent length in rams. Tails “must” be docked no shorter than the distal end of the caudal tail folds. The caudal tail folds are flaps of skin that attach to each side of the underside of the tail. These folds direct feces away from the tail and the body. Docking the tail shorter than this is not only grotesque in appearance but it damages the nerves and ligaments in the lamb, which can lead to rectal and vaginal prolapses. A prolapse is the expulsion of the rectum or vagina outside of the sheep’s body. This can lead to infection, inability to breed and death. Tail docking at the fourth tail joint, or approximately 1 ½ “ from the body, causes less prolapses and fewer problems than tails docked at a shorter length. Using the same example, some of the recommended practices are: tail docking using rubber rings “should” be done between 24 hours and 7 days. Use of the hot iron method whenever possible. Administer pain relief whenever possible. The new Code of Practice is a must read to be familiar in what the government deems are enforceable requirements and what are recommended practices, and for new people to the industry who are unfamiliar with raising farm animals. In other news, it has been reported that the old pink ear tags can still be used for sending animals to slaughter. When the old tags are all use up then the producer will switch to the new tags. The BCPSBA also talked about the unnecessary multi-tagging of sheep entered at the PWF. It is our hope this practice will be discontinued as it puts holes in the purebred sheep’s ears and causes needless pain. The BCPSBA welcomes Norm Letnick as the new Minister of Agriculture. He started his appointment by hosting a meeting with B.C. farming and ranching leaders. That is a good sign, and we are hoping he will work hard to promote and protect all the hard-working families in agriculture and horticulture, and support growth in these huge sectors of the B.C. economy. Bill 24 remains a threat to the ALR, and to the livelihood of many ranchers and farmers. If you wish to have your say on this important issue, you can contact Jaelyn Laic at the B.C. Agriculture Council. Her number is 778-2277774.
Photo courtesy of Shea-Lynn Seaman Langley Lamb and Woolcraft 4-H Club Shea-Lynn Seaman and purebred Suffolk ewe lamb “Buttons” , winning Grand Champion Showmanship at Agassiz Fair, 2013.
The BCPSBA will be contributing $400 towards the liability insurance once the BCSF obtains it. It is a necessary evil these days, and it would be a prudent thing to have in case there ever was an incident. A lot of material was covered at this meeting and it proved to be a productive day. The BCPSBA is financially healthy and it will continue to proudly support the purebred breeders of this province. Remember to post your lamb ads; the 4-H kids are looking for good project lambs. ~ Trevor French
The BCPSBA voted to contribute $3500 towards the speaker’s costs at the upcoming BCSF AGM and Seminar being held October 5, in Clearwater. There are some really interesting speakers planned for this event. There was much discussion on getting liability insurance to cover members at events that we are represented at, director liability, and cover the entire association. It is hoped that once established, other organizations will join as well and thus reduce the costs.
www.bcsheepfed.com
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PROVINCIAL News CANADIAN SHEEP FEDERATION REPORT The new streamlined CSF board has begun its new year on a positive note, focussing on the national agenda of the sheep industry by coordinating with federal agencies and national initiatives that impact all sheep producers. Scrapie Eradication, Food Safety and Traceability are three such initiatives that CSF is involved with. The Scrapie Eradication Strategic Plan is near completion. The Farm Safe Food Practices program is being considered as an expanded program to include biosecurity and animal care components, creating a branded product. This has a lot of potential, but is being carefully considered so that it remains a voluntary program with free training. The Canadian sheep industry’s e-newsletter, From the Flock, was resurrected in March and will be published bimonthly to keep Canadian sheep producers up to date. If you haven’t yet received your issue delivered to your inbox, send a request to info@cansheep.ca. It is part of the Canadian Sheep Federation’s commitment to improved communications to our provincial members. In addition to regular CSF program updates, it will feature reflections from our provincial members and updates from industry organizations beyond the CSF. The CSF board has also discussed creating a schedule for CSF representatives to attend provincial AGMs. The budget does not allow attending AGMs in every province every year, but BC has requested a representative to attend our AGM on October 3-5. This will be a good opportunity to show the CSF how we produce sheep in BC and how we differ from the major sheep producing provinces.
Each province funds CSF through provincial check off funds, or through a tag fee. Currently BC supports CSF through a tag fee of $.25, which is an equitable and sustainable way to ensure our national programs continue, and gives us a voice to the federal agencies involved in agriculture. ~ Barbara Johnstone Grimmer
Photo courtesy of Valerie Gerber
Registered Suffolks Genotyped for Scrapie Resistance
Bev Greenwell & Charles Weber 1193 Hwy 3 East, PO Box 2356 Princeton, B.C. V0X 1W0
Phone/Fax 250-295-6419 Cell: 250-582-9414 www.happyhollowfarm.ca happyhollow@nethop.net 10
Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
PROVINCIAL News
CARIBOO SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
W
hile winter has finally lost its long grip on the landscape and our frozen hearts, we can rejoice in the renewal of green growth and the promise of a successful year. Except for the flies. Arm yourself and your sheep with fly repellent. We had our elections in March and with the exception of a new Secretary/Treasurer, Natalie Van Wyck, Mike Doherty remains President and I (Cynthia Mailhot) remain Vice President.
We are working on an information Website, to direct buyers to a list of local producers and other useful information for the producer as to where they may be able to market their product and to sites that are useful in management and health. We have a sponsor, in the name of CP Electronics in Williams Lake, that will host our website free of charge(thank you). Our ranch, The Meadow Ranch(at the old Pioneer Ranch, 4030 Horsefly Rd) will be hosting the field day on June 21st. We will be having a tour and pot luck dinner/barbecue along with demo’s/speakers. Dr. Stephanie Krumsiek will be giving a presentation on sheep nutrition. Geneve Jasper, P.AG., R.P.F. will be walking us through the fields with an explanation of forage types and the best choices for sheep nutrition. Bryan Looker will be talking about points to consider when choosing a working dog/ pup. Starting time is 10 am. Anyone interested is invited. email: themeadows@pioneerranch.ca for more info. Our lambing is just about done, just a few more to go. We managed to lamb out inside our new barn and had NO LOSSES to Ravens, cold, or mis-mothering. What a difference this has made for us. And we appreciated the dry working conditions as well. ~ Cynthia Mailhot, Vice Pres.
Lambs outside, courtesy of Cynthia Mailhot
www.bcsheepfed.com
11
SHEEP SYMPOSIUM/AGM
YOU NEED A BREAK! REGISTRATION FORM FOR FALL SHEEP SYMPOSIUM/AGM OCTOBER 3 & 4, 2014 CLEARWATER, BC NAME_____________________________________________________________ FARM NAME_______________________________________________________ MAILING ADDRESS__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ CONTACT PHONE # _________________________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS____________________________________________________ EVENTS REGISTERING FOR: EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION before Sept 15th exc BANQUET…. $70___________ AT THE DOOR REGISTRATION: FRI/SAT exc BANQUET………
$80 ___________
ONLY FRIDAY OCT 3…………………………………………………..
$50____________
ONLY SATURDAY OCT 4……………………………………………...
$50____________
BANQUET TICKETS OCT 4 incs entertainment…….....................
$30____________
*Please mail completed Forms and Payment to: UNTSPA Treasurer June Moilliet, Box 7, Vavenby, BC V0E 3A0 Cheques payable to U.N.T.S.P.A (Upper North Thompson Sheep Prod Assn) 12
Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
SHEEP SYMPOSIUM/AGM BCSF SHEEP SYPOSIUM-AGM OCTOBER 3 & 4, 2014 KOA CAMPGROUND MEETING ROOM, CLEARWATER, BC • Please note that the Clearwater Lodge is within short walking distance to KOA Meeting Room • Thursday Evening – BCSF Directors Meeting – Clearwater Lodge Meeting Room Set up Trade Booths & Silent Auction Please note there will be a Hospitality Room at the Clearwater Lodge available for those arriving Thursday evening. There will be a Spinning Display corner over the weekend.
THEME - “CREATING A BALANCE” – with our farms, our animals, our families. OCTOBER 3 - FRIDAY MORNING
OCTOBER 4 – SATURDAY
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Registration – KOA Meeting Room 9:15 a.m. Welcome & Introductions – Valerie Gerber – MC & Roma Tingle – BCSF President 9:30 a.m. Panel – Bev MacDonald (Kamloops Producer) – Moderator John Klop, Producer - “a niche kind of guy” How to cut losses and move on. Joseph Moilliet, Producer – Aveley Heritage Sheep Ranch – innovation and tradition working together Dr. Darren Ludbrook, Local veterinarian Wow! A Vet who likes sheep. Jackie Johnson, Local 4-H Leader – It’s all fun and games till someone learns something! Melanie Stutt (Producer) - Farmers Market – What works? 10:30 a.m. – Coffee Break 10:50 a.m. - Keynote Speaker, Anita O’Brien – “Finding Labour Efficiencies”
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Registration – KOA Meeting Room 9:00 a.m. Speaker, Gord Schroeder – “Update on Sheep Development Company” 10:15 a.m. – Coffee Break 10:45 a.m., Keynote Speaker – Anita O’Brien – “Managing your Pastures to Manage your Parasites”
NOON - LUNCH 1:00 p.m. Speaker – Gord Schroeder - “Animal Behaviour” 2:00 p.m. Prepare to leave for Field Day at Aveley Heritage Sheep Ranch. We will carpool as needed – 25 minute drive east on Hwy 5 Bio-security in place - please use clean footwear 4:00 p.m. – Coffee Break at Aveley Ranch Tea House 4:30 p.m. – Head back to Clearwater 6:00 p.m. Beef Rib Dinner at KOA Meeting Room Venue 7:00 p.m. Entertainment & Visiting
NOON – LUNCH 1:00 p.m. Speaker, Ian Moilliet (Aveley Ranch) – “Creating a Balance with the Family on the Farm” 2:00 p.m. BC Sheep Federation AGM – Chair – Roma Tingle (Everyone welcome to attend) Speakers during meeting: Darell Ashworth, CO – Predator Conflict Committee Gillian Watt – BC Beef Net Program 3:30 p.m. - Coffee Break 4:00 p.m. - Free Time – Visit Spahats Falls – 15 minute drive up Wells Gray Park or Salmon Spawning Viewing Platform – 5 minutes drive along hwy or just enjoy visiting or napping before the Banquet! 5:30 p.m. HAPPY HALF HOUR 6:00 p.m. LAMB BANQUET at the WELLS GRAY HOTEL just down the hwy – 2 minute drive SILENT AUCTION
ENTERTAINMENT with GORDIE WEST & FRIENDS
www.bcsheepfed.com
You’re in for a good time! 13
PROVINCIAL News
H
UNTSPA REPORT
appy Spring to all! Lambing is just winding down here on Aveley Ranch in the Upper North Thompson Valley. What a great Spring we have had. 45 cms of snow left quickly and by April 1, the last of it was gone in time for lambing season. April is generally our driest month and it lived up to it’s name along with a few good rains in between. Grass is growing fast now and only a few sheep still on hay on May 1. Feels like summer today.
raising our food and getting out in the real world! As most of you know, our local Upper North Thompson Sheep Producers are hosting this Fall’s Sheep Symposium & AGM here in Clearwater on October 3 & 4 along with the BC Purebred Breeder’s holding their AGM the same wknd on the Sunday. Look for the ad and the schedule of events in this Issue. We look forward to seeing you all here and we also hope you will take some extra time to come early or stay late and explore our Valley and all the things there are to do here. Make it a destination. Fall is the best time to come – no bugs, lots of colourful leaves and waterfalls galore! Book your room and cross off the date on your calendar and come for a good time of learning and fun! See ya soon! ~ Valerie Gerber
It is very good to know that we can lamb our range flock of ewes out successfully with just good hay. It’s been about 7 years since we have fed no grain before lambing and only to those who need it during lambing (ie triplets or older ewes) and our milk supply is as good as ever. With the price of grain this is a very good thing. Our Night Lamber, Maureen Kelly, took a job at our local Canfor Mill this year so we did 3 split shifts with my two nephews, one of which also did most of the ‘turning out’ of the pens in the busiest part of the month. It is good to know that my brother and I could walk away and they could manage most things on their own. Though it is wonderful to have the whole family and a few add ons working together and enjoying the camaraderie that comes from teamwork. We had a volunteer come from Vancouver who had contacted the BCSF and we invited her to come for lambing. She knew nothing about sheep but just had this feeling she wanted to be around them for a bit before heading to University in France this Fall. Her comments in the guest book was that it was the best month of her life! She now loves sheep and eats mutton and has an understanding of what goes on, on a farm on a daily basis. She left a few days ago and now we have another gal from Lakeland College who has just completed the 2 yr Animal Science program and by default ended up in the sheep program. She is here for the next 4 months if she and we all get along, which I’m sure we will! She has brought her own dog as well and will be learning about living with the sheep in a sheepwagon on a daily basis. She is also a city girl from St. Albert/Edmonton area so we know there are lots of good ‘stock’ out there who are just waiting for opportunities to experience the reality of 14
Hayride and one tired Border Collie photos courtesy of Valerie Gerber
Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
PROVINCIAL News
I
OKANAGAN SHUSWAP SHEEP PRODUCERS’ ASSOCIATION
n early December the members of OSSPA met at the home of Norm & Barb Ringstad in Enderby for our annual Christmas Social and pot luck supper. At this event we also hold a silent auction of homemade/home grown items. It is very interesting each year to see who bids on the wine, baking, knitted & crocheted items, calendars featuring sheep photographs and sheep related crafts including dryer balls and soaps in felted wool Our January meeting was a time for planning some workshops to be held in the coming year. The first was the Predator identification workshop in February with Darrell Ashworth. (See the report on this workshop included in this copy of the N’Ewes.) At our March meeting Dr. Peter Stockdale spoke on coccidiosis prevention, symptoms and treatment. We appreciate Peter’s willingness to share his knowledge of sheep husbandry with our members and feel fortunate to have him as a member of our association. At the present time many of our members are in full lambing mode, a few have finished and some begin very soon. The cold “snap” in February after a bit of warmth in January made lambing for some a challenge to keep their lambs warm.
March seems to be, as usual, undecided weather wise and I think we are all yearning for the first signs of “real spring”. We hope this spring or early summer to have a workshop including a tag reader and its uses as well as a demonstration of a chute system and crowd tub. Also on our list of possible topics is the Wild sheep/Domestic sheep conflict. I hope everyone has had or is having a successful lambing season. We seem to be very heavy to the rams in our flock so far but that suits us fine as we have an abundance of replacement yearlings. Appreciation to Bev Greenwell for getting the N’Ewes out once again and it is hoped that with renewed energy it will continue to be the great publication we can all enjoy while relaxing with our afternoon tea or coffee. If you wish to advertise please contact me at finlaysfarm@gmail.com or check the inside front cover for new information on placing an ad. I will be happy to send along the new advertising rates and your ad copy goes to Similkameen Spotlight and I will invoice you for your advertising. ~ Dena Finlay
Crooked Creek farm, Bill & Blanche Covey's in Falkland courtesy of Dena Finlay
PROFESSIONAL SHEARER Phillip Copping 3225 Upper McLeod Road Armstrong, BC V0E 1B8
Phone: 250-546-8394
Home of Lochridge Texels
FOR SALE: Registered Texel Ram Lambs High Percentage Ewe Lambs
Albert & Dena Finlay 1952 Rashdale Rd., Armstrong, B. C. V0E 1B3 250-546-6223
finlaysfarm@gmail.com www.bcsheepfed.com
www.finlayfarm.com
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PROVINCIAL News INTER-ISLAND SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION (IISBA) REPORT “Our mission is to bring together the sheep producers of the Vancouver Island Coastal Region of British Columbia, for the sharing of knowledge regarding all aspects of the sheep industry”
T
he region that IISBA covers is a large one, so we rely a lot on email to communicate. Our email is interislandsheepbreeders@yahoo.ca and our website is www.interislandsheepbreeders. com . On Facebook, we are www.facebook.com/ interislandsheepbreeders. The website looks great, with many thanks to Cynthia Tupholme who led the project and did the technical part, and the Website committee of Martha McMahon, Lorraine Buchanan, Celeste Lacroix and Lorea Tomsin. The Education committee of Lorea Tomsin (lead), Jacques Campbell, Griff Tripp, Pat Tripp and Celeste Lacroix has been busy as well, starting off with a field day in November at the Buchanan’s. Additionally the committee collaborated and financially supported the Island Agriculture Show in February to bring in ruminant nutritionist Dale Engstrom. The most recent event was an Education Seminar on May 3 in Saanichton, open to all farmers interested in land management. David Tattam, an Environmental
Farm Planning Advisor from Duncan gave an overview of the Environmental Farm Plan Program. David has been assisting farmers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands with their Environmental Farm Plans since the beginning of the program in 2004. The other speaker was Dwight Pennell of Integrity Sales and Distributors in Saanichton, who spoke on soil analyses and composting. Dwight has 45 years of experience in soil management, and his presentation was on how to understand and use a soil analysis. On a sadder note, Cynthia Tupholme our Web Mistress Extraordinaire has recently been diagnosed with kidney issues and blood cancer. We will be conducting a fundraiser to help Cynthia and her family through this difficult time. Any financial donation would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Celeste Lacroix, Collie Acres Farm 6281 Welch Rd, Saanichton, B.C. Cell: 250.686.6531 Home: 250.652.3152 Email: Celeste.Lacroix@shaw.ca
~ Barbara Johnstone Grimmer
'Lambs born here" ~ Photo courtesy of Trevor French
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
PROVINCIAL News LOWER MAINLAND SHEEP PRODUCERS
O
h, the heady aroma of freshly mown fields. The farmers in my area of mostly dairy farms are cutting their first silage of the year today. The winter rye is thick and lush and will make beautiful feed for the cows. I could hear the tractors late into the night thrumming away as they picked up the harvest. Of course the big story this time of year is always LAMBING. At our meetings everybody is always asking “Are you finished lambing yet?” “How many lambs did you get?” “How many ram lambs, how many ewe lambs?” “Did you have any problems?” I think in a way we all want reassurance that our lambing success was better than our neighbors’, but it is a good way to learn new things. I have heard a lot of reports that people are getting a larger proportion of ram lambs. I myself had two ewe lambs for every ram lamb. So there you go…no rhyme nor reason to this business. My favorite new piece of equipment for lambing was an inexpensive video camera from COSTCO that I installed in the lambing barn. It came with 2 cameras which work at night as well and transmit for a distance up to 500 feet to the monitor in the house. I found it quite useful for checking on the ewes day and night. The pastures in this area have been slow to green up this year. It seems things are about a month behind due to cold, wet weather. Now that the grass is starting to grow, the sheep are anxious to get out on it but there is still little nutrition in it. We need some sun to get that going. Farmers are just as anxious to get on onto their fields for crop work, but it is too wet in most areas. It’s going to be a marathon once the sun does it’s work to warm up and dry out the soil.
Our association has been heavily focused on our Fleece Show and Sale, which has been renamed the “Wool ‘n Ewe A’Fair.” It is a growing event and will be held on September 13 in the Alice McKay building on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds. If you have quality fleeces think about saving a few for entry. There will be good prize money. More information can be found on our website www.lmspa.ca Over the winter months we have had good and useful talks on ewe nutrition and there was a particularly interesting talk given by Ken Wilkinson from the Otter Coop on selenium in sheep. The Coop has recently switched to putting selenium yeast in its mineral supplement for sheep instead of inorganic selenium. It is believed that the yeast form is more effective and taken up more readily than the inorganic form. If you are having poor reproductive function or retained placentas, selenium deficiency might be the culprit. We also had Kyles Ackles, the local Conservation Officer, come and speak about predation and predation loss prevention. It was a good time to emphasize the need for reporting predation activity to the RAPP line. LMSPA will finish off the year with a talk on herding dogs from Tim Ballard. Our annual June Social is a barbeque hosted by the Hope’s in Fort Langley. I’m looking forward to both. ~ Barbara Ydenberg Photo: Little guy showing the judge his lamb's teeth at the North Thompson Fair. The hat is nearly bigger than he is! Courtesy of Dena Finlay
rican Clun Fo me r
es t Association
clun Forest
The Nort hA
Wind’s Reach FaRm sheep
Registered Breeding stock/market Lamb Barbara Ydenberg 27382 84th Ave., Langley, BC V1M 3L4 bydenberg@gmail.com www.windsreachsheep.com (604)856-3365
www.bcsheepfed.com
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SHEEP Bites WATER - Look out for your dog and they will look out for you.
A
recent post on FB commented on water and dogs drinking habits. I would like to tell a personal story about my main working dog, Jim, and water. Early one morning during the summer (a few years ago – the dog was aged 3 years old) I was moving a flock of sheep, approximately 100, from a pasture to some grazing off property. When the job was done my dog and I returned to the barn to do some work. I notice that he was acting strange, sitting and staring off into a direction where there was no stock. He obviously was in distress and had swelling in the belly area which I took to be serious. I called the vet and then took him in where he was diagnosed as having “twisted gut�, a very serious situation which any horseman will recognize. I gave the go a head for immediate surgery which had half of his stomach and his spleen removed. The stomach was then stitched to the wall cavity which would prevent this from happening again. He recovered despite a 5 per cent chance of survival by the vets and eventually, in six weeks, returned to light duties. He continued to gain strength and over the years has been my number 1 dog. He is now 14 years old and still hanging in there albeit at a slower pace. He is one tough dog. Now what has this to do with water you ask? Well after this event I racked my brain on what could possibly have caused this when, I could find no reports or evidence of this happening to this breed. My dog is a New Zealand Heading dog so naturally I did some searching in Kiwi land including the Royal New Zealand Veterinarian College. No reports were found. I was somewhat stumped until about two months after the operation when I met an old timer rancher and as we talked over my dog he said that it was a common occurrence in Border Collies. These are the dogs that work all day every day year around.
"My Jim" - courtesy of Bryan Looker
He told me that they have to keep a tight watch on the amount of water they ALLOW the dog to drink. If the dog drinks more water then the stomach can process it can slosh around eventually twisting the gut. The dog is tied up at the end of the day fed and given a bucket of water. In the morning the dog is found dead. More research into this and talking to many people the conclusion I have drawn is that water is the culprit. To date I have not been challenged on this assumption. The moral of the story is that dogs do not need a continued unlimited supply of water. Teaching the dog to drink responsibly is what is needed. To date I have not had any more problems like this with any of my other dogs. I ensure that they are hydrated and they know when to quit drinking. Know your dog and be aware of him like you would your partner/friend or children. Look out for them and they will look out for you. ~ Bryan Looker
Courtesy of Bryan Looker
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
SHEEP Bites
BCFACC HOSTS SPCA VISIT TO SHEEP FARM
O
n April 10, the BCFACC brought about 16 SPCA constables-in-training to visit my sheep farm in order to enlighten them on management practices. I was approached by Christine Koch because of my involvement with the Farm Animal Care Council in the hopes that I would be able to show them a good example of a typical sheep farm in the Fraser Valley. The idea was hatched by the FACC through discussions with various livestock sectors as being critical to successful handling of complaints to the SPCA by citizens who don’t know livestock. One big complaint about the SPCA constables is that they don’t know farm animals either. Christine Koch is working with the BC Farm Animal Care Council to coordinate a livestock and assessment training program for SPCA inspectors. The training is based on the National Codes of Practice and is geared towards providing an introduction to farm animals, and an overview of normal farming practices. Many inspectors have never seen livestock. The program is divided into daily sections on each animal with classroom instruction in the morning and then visiting a host farm in the afternoon to actually see the livestock. I was told that the trainers would lead the discussion; I was asked to simply host the tour and show them around the farm. The instructors would point out different parts of the animals, critical care points and discuss general production. Each student would be doing an on-farm assessment. The instructors figured it would take about an hour to review the course material.
Tappen Valley Farm Dan Sandys -Tappen, BC
~ Barbara Ydenberg "Birth" courtesy of Valerie Gerber
SMALL FARM FLOCK DISPERSAL (VAVENBY, B. C.)
10 Ewes – Commercial Corriedale/Suffolk cross with ewe lambs at side. Mixed ages – yearlings to 6 years old. Lambs born March 2014.
Wanted to buy — all year Sheep & Goats Lambs 70 to 100lbs
1-877-800-2276 Cell:250-833-2373 Email: mdbarns@telus.net
Well, as it turned out the instructors didn’t come. They were to be two UBC experts from the university’s animal welfare department. Without them there to lead the tour, Christine left it up to me to show them the basics of sheep production. Not being very prepared for this responsibility, I had to think fast. We looked at the ewes and lambs first. Twenty strangers shuffling through my barn in noisy plastic booties had a very alarming effect on my ewes. A lot of the trainees’ questions centered around tail docking. No, I don’t use lidocaine or other pain killers to numb the tail but I talked about the need for minimizing stress to the lamb during the procedure. I showed them the bands and applicator and how it is used. I don’t castrate anything so I couldn’t talk about that procedure. We talked about lambing pens and creeps, how sheep are fed, typical diets, administering medications; all basics many of them had never seen or thought about. Next we visited the rams and they got some hands on time to check out condition scores, foot care, and teeth and testicles. That was about the end of the allotted hour so they loaded up on the big bus and left. I felt kind of deflated afterwards. I had been hoping that I would learn something and get some feedback on my management. But I would do it again and do think it is valuable for us as producers to open our farms for these people to see what is normal and healthy sheep management. This comes in many different forms and my farm management type is by no means the only type to follow.
Selling due to work schedule. Asking price: Ewes - $150.00 Ewe lambs $125.00 Available mid-June.
Maureen Kelly
250-674-8187(cell)/403-799-3083 (satellite phone) Please leave message with either number.
www.bcsheepfed.com
19
SHEEP Bites
Even the moose like the Medow Ranch. They enjoyed sharing the cows hay and bedded down in the snow just off the driveway behind a big snow bank. Photo courtesy of Cynthia Mailhot
CANINE TRAPPING REFRESHER COURSE
I
’m not sure if everyone knows this, but we now have nine Predator Conflict Committees (PCC) in the province. Both sheep and beef producers are represented. The most recent committees are located in Grand Forks, and Lillooet (as of December). About a year and a half ago the Bulkley Lakes PCC, (situated in Smithers) came up with the proposal of developing a canine trapping refresher course that would be put on jointly between the BCTA and the BC COS. The course would be in the form of a half day training seminar on canine trapping. The instructors would be a designated BCTA instructor, myself and/ or the local conservation officer wherever the course was being held. The half day training program would consist of classroom and practical applications. I met with Paul Blackwell and other representatives from the BCTA in efforts to establish a course outline, course curriculum and other logistics. The course would follow a provincial standard that would be consistent throughout the province no matter who the instructors were. The BCCA agreed to cover the costs of the BCTA instructor’s wages. The course would be developed for both snaring and foot hold trapping techniques with emphasis on efficiency, selectivity, and animal welfare. In the spring and summer months we would concentrate on foot hold traps and in the winter months focus more on snaring. Not only would we cover the basics of snaring and foothold trapping, we would include any pointers or methods that have proven effective for any of the instructors. After about a year and a half we finally completed everything between the BCTA, BCCA and the BC COS
and held our first course this December in Cranbrook. We had 13 producers show up, BCTA instructor Frank Rad, Conservation Officer Jared Connatty and myself. Everyone responded well to the course and was able to take something away, no matter what experience or skill set they had prior to taking the course. The training was provided at no cost to the producer. I think this effort between all groups involved, speaks volumes to the commitment of “doing what we can” as interested stakeholders to help with the predator issues that we are all facing. If anyone is interested in this free training please give me a call and I will make efforts to set something up in your area. The BCTA would like you to have a trapping licence to take the course, and you must have one in order to trap. Applications for trapping licences are available at Service BC offices, Permits and Authorization Service Bureau, or electronically from the Ministry website: www.env.gov.bc.ca/pasb/applications/ Good luck with lambing this spring and be safe.
~ Darrell Ashworth
Sgt. Darrell Ashworth Provincial Predator Conflict Prevention and Response Coordinator
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
SHEEP Bites 2014 SHEEP LOSS SURVEY --- Please return by January 31, 2015 BC SHEEP FEDERATION please send this survey to BC Sheep Federation at 27382 84th Ave., Langley BC V1M 3L4
Complete this survey online at: www.bcsheepfed.com Sheep Loss Survey
Name__________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________
___________________________Phone___________________Email_______________________________________________
Membership Affiliation: And/or
And/or
BCSF
NonMember
Flock Size____________ Number of Ewes_______ Number of Rams______ Mature Sheep Lost
Sheep Losses Sheep Loss to Predators
# Head
Lambs Lost # Head
CHECK THIS BOX IF YOU HAVE NO SHEEP LOSSES TO REPORT
Market Lambs Lost # Head
# Wolves # Cougars # Bears # Coyotes # Birds of Prey including Ravens, Crows Magpies # Sheep injured by Predators/treated by Veterinarian
Other Sheep Losses
# Head
#Head
# Head
# Sheep Lost to Accidents Road/Rail # Sheep Lost to Missing/ Unknown Cause # Sheep Lost to Suspected Theft # Sheep lost to Domestic Animals
Action etc. Did you contact the Conservation Office to report any sheep losses to predators? Yes_____No_____ Have you quit using portions of your property due to predators? Yes_____No_____ Did you invest in infrastructure to prevent wildlife damage (range riders, fencing etc.)? Yes_____No_____
Are you interested in a Trapping Course? 3 day Full Trapping Course ______ (comes with certified Trapper's licence) Membership in Trapping Association
#of Livestock Guardian Dogs lost to Predators
If you require further information please contact: BC Sheep Federation, Barbara Ydenberg, 27382 84th Ave., Langley, BC ph: 604-8565-3365 or email bydenberg@gmail.com
www.bcsheepfed.com
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SHEEP Bites ~ Mike Doherty spokinlakefarms@gmail.com
H
i all, I have lots more ideas for sheep equipment projects but this time I thought it might be interesting to share with N'ewes readers our trip to Italy last year with an emphasis on sheep/agriculture. Anna, our 12 year old son and I traveled though Italy for just over a month last September/October. We went there to see where Anna was born, visit with her relatives and see some sights. We flew to Bologna and rented a car. We quickly found out although Italians are quite a mellow people and like to relax when behind the wheel they drive like crazy! We stayed for the most part off the major roads and explored central Italy through the back roads and smaller towns. There were small farms everywhere and the land managed much more intensively than in Canada. We found their food both in small shops and in supermarkets to be top quality, almost all local and labeled organic. The selections of wine was amazing and good red wine could be had for $5 a bottle.
Photo shows a wine isle in a supermarket in the city of Lucca.
Photo shows a milk sheep flock on small farm producing sheep cheese.
Notice the well fortified fencing and the covered round bale feeders. It was very dry and burned up in this region so most flocks were penned and being fed.
Photo shows a view toward Mount Amiata with plowed wheat fields in the foreground. When we went further south it got quite lush and tropical.
We stayed for a week in the small town of Pienza.
This is an agricultural area in central Tuscany that produces wheat, olives grapes for wine and sheep cheese. Sheep cheese is huge in Italy and in Pienza there were numerous shops selling just that. It is sold in small rounds of varying vintages  and was being snapped up the numerous tourists. A lot of the farms are also agritourismo and run restaurants, rent rooms offer camping and have shops to market their products.
The small town of Sovonna is built into a steep ravine.
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Vol. 22 #2 Summer 2014
SHEEP Bites
A flock we came across on the road to Orvietto staying cool in the shade under a large tree.
Italy
A view of the city of Orvietto in the region of Umbria.
Later, we travelled to the coast through a region called Maremma where not surprisingly we encountered this flock and their guardians. When we saw the sheep we stopped by the side of the road and then three heads came up and started barking and running towards us. They looked just like our dogs at home and at first thought to pet them but then realized it wouldn’t be a good idea. A few days later we were driving through a small valley in the morning and saw this large flock on a side hill. We stopped and got out and heard an amazing sound. Each sheep had on a bell and in the quiet morning air you could hear them ring as they moved grazing on the hill.
Italy has so much to offer with it’s history, art, people food and landscapes.It is not surprising that some many people visit there. Venice alone attracts 60,000 new tourist every day. Despite this we found that you can still find many quiet, tucked away places that have just as much or more to offer than the major attractions.
www.bcsheepfed.com
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BC SHEEP FEDERATION Membership Application Form Supporting BC’s Sheep and Wool Industry on a Provincial and Federal Level
*PLEASE PRINT* Name of Farm __________________________________________________________________ Name of Member ________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________ Town ___________________________________ Postal Code __________________________ Phone (____) ________________ Fax (____) __________________ Email _________________________________________ I am currently a member of (local organization)_________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ MEMBERSHIP DUES $20 Per Year: Membership includes a subscription to the N’ewes and a free listing in the “Buyers Guide” on our website: www.bcsheepfed.com Please send your dues along with this application/renewal form to: Barbara Ydenberg, Membership Secretary 604-856-3365 27382 84th Ave. Langley BC V1M 3L4 bydenberg@gmail.com ***************************************************************************** For your FREE LISTING in the “Buyers Guide” on the website, add the following information (If You already have an entry in the Guide, please note only the changes to your information) Breed(s) of Sheep_________________________________________________________________ Do you sell Registered Breeding Stock YES _____ NO ______ Approx # of Lambs sold/year A = 125 B = 25 - 50 C = 50 - 100 D = 100 - 500 E = 500+ Months Market Lambs Available _______________________ Other products you sell ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
***************************************************************************** PLEASE NOTE: BCSF members will be mailed the N’Ewes, quarterly as well as information thought to be of value to sheep producers. Please mark the box below if you DO NOT want this information. (Privacy regulations requirement.)
*****************************************************************************
~ Become a member today ~