Wales Farmer July 2012


Spring fest beats fears of slump


NEARLY 25,000 visitors attended the Royal Welsh


Society’s first major event of the year, the


Spring Festival. The attendance figures


confirmed the event’sstatus as one of the most popular weekend attractions in Wales showcasing


smallholding,


gardening and sustainable living. In asurvey conducted at


last year’sfestivalmorethan 82% of those whoresponded said they enjoyeditsomuch thatthey would makea return visit in 2012 and although the numbers did not quite match last year’srecord


Livestock results Sheep Supreme champion: Dafydd Morgan, Aberystwyth (Suffolk). Reserve: BL&JEJones, Corwen (Hill Speckled Face). Group of Three: Supreme: Gethin Davies, Ceredigion (Charollais). Res: GW&I Evans, Lampeter (Llanwenog).


Pigs


Supreme:HD&EM Roberts, Pwllheli (Welsh). Res: Miss EShankland,


Agricultural


figure(26,026) the total of 24,823 wasacclaimed ahigh- ly successful result. Atrafficmanagement


team ensured therewereno hold-ups en route to the showground. Fears thatthe recession


might adverselyaffect the attendance proved unfound- ed and fine weather helped to draw the


crowdsto


Llanelwedd,Builth Wells,to enjoywhatfestivalchairman Dr Fred Slater described in a message to visitors as ‘an event relevant to the environ- ment of amodern Wales’. Principallyatwo-dayshow


forsmallholders and garden- ers the festivalhas cast its net


Caerphilly (Tamworth).


Goats Angora Supreme: DV Lockton, Clynderwen. Res: Rogers Family, Rhayader. Angora Fleece: Champion: D&VLockton. Res: C&D Tyler, Crymych. Pygmy: Champion and reserve (breed section): Mr and Mrs RMorris, Ebbw Vale. Pet section champion: Mrs Jessica Jones, Herefordshire. Res Miss Emma LDavies, Llandysul. Dairy: Champion: Mrs EM


wider since it wasfirst run by theRWAS 12 years agoand it is nowalso the number one event forsustainableliving; focussing on conservation, the environment and the sav- ing of energy. One of the most interesting


features is the manywork- shops,talks and question and answersessions on small- holding, horticulture, and environmental and country- side matters.Morethan 100 took place over the weekend. Livestock, including the


rarerbreeds,are at the coreof the event with its manydis- plays and trade stands and full programme of entertain- ment.


Crook, Caernarfon (British Alpine). Res: Ian Johnson, Derbyshire (British Saanen adult male).


Cattle Supreme champion and reserve: DT&AM Handley, Herefordshire (Highland). Cattle Breed Stand competition: (1) White Park Cattle, (2) Shetland. Best Sheep Breed trade stand award: (1) Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep Society, (2) Llanwenog Sheep Society.


FIBRE FEAST: Exhibitors at the Wonderwool Wales extravaganza. PICTURE: John Teale


Wool wonders on show –fromcradle to grave


RECORD numbers of visitors flocked to this year’swool and nat- ural


fibres extravaganza


Wonderwool Wales to enjoyashow thatwas bursting at the seams with creativity and inspiration. The showwas livelier than ever,


with an increased number of exhibitors offering awide and vibrant selection of yarns,fibres, equipment, books and designer- made products covering all the fibre crafts such as knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving and felting. The event takes place annuallyat


the RoyalWelsh Showground, Builth Wells and it’snow afirm


favourite foranyone whoisenthusi- astic about natural fibres,crafts and environmentally-friendlyfashion and furnishings. Originallyset up to showcase


Welsh wool, the festivalhas more than quadrupled in sizesince it was first held sevenyears agoand has broadened to include awhole range of other natural fibreitems,includ- ing alpaca, mohair,angora, hemp, flax and silk. However,itstill attracts an ever-


increasing number of stallholders whose warescelebratethe green credentials of Welsh wool and its versatility as amaterial forcreative


crafts,home furnishings and even mattresses. Every year thereare exhibitors


whohavediscoveredimaginative and innovative uses forwool –this time it wasthe newly-launched Burial Cloud, anatural woven- wool coffin, designed and patented by professional end-of-life carer Linda Robinson. An experienced weaver,Linda


sources wool from local rare-breed farmers,and has trained local women to weavethe wool forher eco-friendlybusiness,which is based at Humber Memorial Woodland Burial in Herefordshire.


Advertisement feature


ProtectingyourFlock fromJohne’s Disease


Background


Johne’sdisease is acontagious, bacterial disease that is responsible for considerable financial losses in infected flocks.


It isn’t just the financial costs that need to be considered, Johne’s disease also imposes welfareissues on infected sheep and thereare growing concerns over implications to public health.


Johne’s diseaseiscaused by bacteria that are shed in to the environmentbyinfected animals including sheep, cattleorother ruminants.


Aboutthe Bacterium


The causativebacterium of Johne’s disease, also knownasparatuberculosis, is Mycobacteriumavium subspecies paratuberculosis, which is commonly abbreviated to MAP.


MAP is quite resistantand can withstand freezing,high temperatures and drying. These factors make it difficult to effectively control the bacterium.


Fortunately,MAP can only replicate within an animal host, but the bacterium is easily shed in the faeces of an infected lamb and can contaminate the environment. Food, water,bedding and all other aspects of an animal’s surroundingenvironment can easily becomeasource of infection for uninfected sheep or other ruminants.


Signs&Symptoms


Wasting and diarrhoea are typically the only clinical signs that indicate an animal is suffering from Johne’s disease. This makes it difficult to diagnose without further investigation as diseases suchas liver fluke, coccidiosis and parasitic gastroenteritis sharethe same symptoms.


Rapidweight loss is typical of Johne’s For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk Asymptomatic Carriers


Not all animals infected with MAP will show clinical signs of the disease. In fact, for every animal in aflock that showssigns of infection,there willbenumerous other carriers of the bacterium not displaying symptoms,theseare known as asymptomatic carriers.


It is asymptomatic carriers thatmake controlling the disease difficult, as it is almost impossible to control what cannot be seen. This means the infection can be prevalent in aherd without clinical signs of the disease being apparent.


Animals can become infected at any stage of their life and remain without symptoms for the duration of infection,but there is always the riskofthe diseasedeveloping at alater date in carriers. The exact cause of the transition from acarrier state to developingJohne’s disease is not yet known.


disease and will continuetobeaproblem even when the infectedanimal is being fed an appropriate diet.


MAP causes internalinflammationofthe intestine thatreduces its ability to function correctly.Itisthis reduced function that contributestothe rapidweight loss and diarrhoea associated with Johne’s disease.


Controlling Johne’s Disease


To effectively control Johne’s disease, the spread of MAP must be stopped and its introduction in to farms and flocks prevented. This requires that infected animals are removed from the herdwhen diagnosed withJohne’s disease, but the initial diagnosis of an entireflock can prove quite costly.


To prevent MAP being introduced on to a farm,careful considerationsmust be made when purchasing in stock.Ensuring that new stock is Johne’s free willprevent asymptomatic carriers arriving on your farm and shedding MAP unknowingly, posing apotential infection risk to the rest of yourflock.


Oneofthe primary routes of infection for newborn lambsisvia their mother’s colostrum. Lambs consumingMAP infected colostrum will likely go on to be asymptomatic carriersofMAP or may even go on to develop Johne’s disease.


To prevent the transmission of Johne’s diseasetonewbornlambs, we should thereforeprovidethem withJohne’s disease-free colostrum.


By feedingJohne’s disease-free colostrum suchasNature’s Miracle, we can break a key link in the cycle of MAP reinfection.


Nature’s Miracle is available from Farmsense by calling 01253 797400 or visiting www.farmsense.com


NEWS 17


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