EASTERN REGION
Regional Contact member – Tom Green
The Eastern Region AGM was again held at the Bell Inn Hotel at Stilton with 16 people in attendance. We enjoyed a lovely pre-Christmas lunch and The Bell will host the AGM again this November/December.
There will be a new show with breed classes in the region at Aylsham and I would encourage anyone in that area who hasn’t shown before and would like to try to come along. We will all support you.
The other regional shows with breed classes are as follows:
Suffolk County Show – Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th May – Judge: John Dixon
Rutland County Show – Sunday 31st May – Judge John Newborough
Royal Norfolk Show – Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th June – Judge: Chris Slee
Blaston Show – Sunday 28th June – Judge: TBC
Heckington Show – Sunday 26th July – Judge: Gareth Jones
Leicestershire County Show – Bank Holiday Monday 31st August – Judge: James Leonard
Aylsham Show – Bank Holiday Monday 31st August – Judge: Tom Green
The society will be having a breed promotion stand at the Royal Norfolk Show this year so I will be asking for volunteers to help me man it this nearer the time. Members at the AGM were also keen to try and support Any Other Breed classes at Newark with the aim to get Jacob classes reinstated there.
The Coates family have kindly agreed to host a show preparation day on Sunday 17th May at the Ashmere Flock near Market Haborough, we are hoping to combine this with some sessions on wool. All members welcome.
Lambing in my own flock happened in the last week of January, sponging worked well with 44 ewes lambing within 6 days, the only ewe to return was one which had lost her sponge. The ewes are penned individually with their lambs for a minimum of 48 hours, the lambs navels are dressed with iodine in a dip cup regularly until they’ve dried and once dried and I’m happy they’re sucking they are all tailed and most ram lambs are castrated with only a handful left to run on.
Please note that DEFRA are currently consulting on altering the legislation surrounding castration and tail docking to require the use of local anaesthesia and pain relief. By the time you all receive this the consultation will have closed but I will keep you all updated. Ewes deemed to be in poorer body condition score (less than 2.5) or with triplets (or twins if a shearling) were wormed but most did not need doing. Ewes had energy buckets from 8 weeks before lambing and feeding starting 5 weeks before the lambs were due. They are currently enjoying life in the mothering up pens with hay until the weather improves and they be given a Magnesium bolus that prevents staggers and head outside (note Magnesium boluses only last 3 weeks so there is no point in giving them while they are in). Once out lambs will be introduced to creep feed coarse mix. There are one or two smart lambs beginning to show themselves so hopefully there will be something to show later this year.
The Eastern Region Show and Sale will be held at Melton Mowbray on September 11th and 12th and the judge will be our Field Officer, Scott Dalrymple, who will also hold a judges’ seminar open to all on the Friday. More details later.
I would like to welcome new members who have joined since the last Journal, Thomas and Sophie Mountain, Rose and Roy Barrow, and Peta Claridge and Colin Dean and wish you all well on your journey into the world of Jacobs.
The region now has an active Whatsapp group with 25 members to discuss various sheep related topics to be added or if I can be any assistance to anyone please do not hesitate to contact to me on 07800 817850 or