It seems summer has arrived and we all have been basking in glorious sun and really hot temperatures. We as a family have been down to the beach more in the last week than we have over the past probably 4 years in total!
With the hot weather brings its own challenges for sheep farmers. We all know the basics so I am not going to harp on about them, but please make sure you check daily for fly strike we have had a couple of cases and they happen very quickly in this type of weather. With this hot weather and going to shows make informed decisions. Take a few less sheep so your box is not over crowded, also make sure all your air vents are open so air flow can be maximised. You never know when a 1 hour journey can suddenly become 2 hours due to traffic delays.
Sheep should always be the priority; I decided not to attend a show as the temperature was 30 degrees. The three county shows in the West Country were really well attended with Dartmoor sheep. The weather for all three was sunny, which for Royal Cornwall was great as the tent stayed intact this year and did not try and blow away. I will offer my congratulations to Anne Rickson for winning the Interbreed Pairs competition against 19 other pairs of sheep. It shows that Dartmoors can compete in the top echelons of the showing world and it was great for the breed getting recognition at a top county show.
In this newsletter you will find an ad for the Secretary position for the Association, if you are interested or know anyone who is interested, please contact me and I will forward a job description. A big thank you must be made to Rachael and John Gatrill for holding the open day at their farm. It was very well attended with many new breeders coming along to look at one of the largest flocks in the country of Dartmoors. I am told that the barbeque was one of the highlights of the day!