NSA Sheep Event to focus on sustainability

A sustainable sheep industry is the theme of this year’s National Sheep Association Sheep Event, with workshops on breeding to lower the carbon footprint and optimising multispecies leys among others.

The biennial one-day show, which takes place at Three Counties Showground, Malvern, on 30 July, will first examine the political landscape, as new farming minister Daniel Zeichner is quizzed by National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive Phil Stocker.

See also: Top tips for managing multispecies leys under SFI

A new sustainability report, produced by the NSA in conjunction with Harper Adams University, will also be launched.

It presents the “positive environmental, economic and social attributes sheep farming can deliver, while also identifying areas where the sector can deliver more to improve future sustainability”, according to the NSA.

Resilience

Business sustainability, consumer trends, and market opportunities to boost financial resilience for the sector will be discussed in further seminars.

Whether overseas shearers will be needed in 2025 will also be a topic for debate.

Technical workshops running throughout the day will include:

• The latest threats from parasites to UK sheep flocks
• Step-by-step approach to managing lameness
• Digital developments for sheep movements
• Optimal use of clovers and multispecies leys
• Breeding sheep with a low carbon footprint
• Underlying causes of thin ewes
• A future for the stratified sheep system.

Next generation

Results of the NSA’s Next Generation Future Farming Competition will be announced.

In this contest, under-35s were invited to imagine they were a distant relative of an elderly farmer looking for a young person to bring new life to their traditional sheep farm, outlining and costing the management changes they would make.

There will also be a working sheepdog sale and competitions to find the best fleece, wire fencer, and team of shearers.

Tickets

Entry to the Sheep Event is free for NSA members.

Cost on the gate for non-members is £25; discounted advance tickets are available online.

For more details go to https://sheepevent.org.uk/visitors/tickets/