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The Hebridean Sheep Society Summer Event 2007 Cumbria - 27th - 29th July 2007
Saturday 28th July
J38 Partnership Ltd, Meat Cutting Plant at Raisgill Hall,Tebay
by John Kenny
''I would love to have tasted some succulent morsels of heart from my late lamented Duchy Amanda,'' uttered Charles Philip Arthur George!
Delicate, lean slices of leg of lamb, slow roasted to release the finest flavours that had been locked away for centuries in every muscle fibre. This was not just meat but the finest Hebridean lamb from one of the few remaining rare breed Hebridean sheep.
Well from now on these desires can be fulfilled. Thanks to the enterprise of people like Steve and Barbara Dunning and their fellow members of the Fells and Dales Marketing Cooperative who own and run the meat cutting plant: J38 Partnership Ltd., Raisgill Hall, Tebay Penrith in Cumbria, near junction 38 on the M6.
This was the venue for the inaugural meeting of the Hebridean Sheep Society Summer Symposium 2007.
Steven and Barbara live and work on the farm that was chosen by the cooperative members to develop the plant following the devastation caused by Foot and Mouth Disease ( FMD ) in the late 1990's.(?) Fifty farmers each contributed £2000 and together with various grants from various bodies such as Defra, the EC, the North West Development Agency, the plant was built and opened by HRH Prince Charles.
The aim of the plant was to enable every part of an animal carcase, including the squeak, to be traceable, not just to the holding from which it had come, but to the very animal from whence it had originated.
This was made possible using the latest information technology based on Bar Coding that contained every detail you could wish for.
Computer links, with 'touch-screen' capability, essential within the factory, were set up between the cutting plant and the abattoir, MacIntyre Meats, 27 miles from the plant. The animal could be logged in at the abattoir with details of producer, date and time of slaughter etc. together with details of the beginning of the carcase's and offal's journey to the customer.
Not least since the ravages of FMD, the discerning customer was no longer content to eat any old meat from any old farm. 'Traceability' was becoming the byword for all knowledgeable connoisseurs. Fine restaurants, farm shops, farmers markets and others involved in the tourist trade for example were keen to be able to guarantee the origin of their produce. This leg of mutton had come from ........ hogget from ....... Farm. It was guaranteed to have been humanely produced and slaughtered, then maintained at optimum condition. This was the business J38 were in. The label on the cut of meat guaranteed it This was what was wanted but the market was struggling to accept the extra costs involved and passing them on in an already cut throat world.
Carcases were hung for varying periods : ewes for 14 days; lambs for 4 days. The period even included time spent in the vacuum packaging! Such packaging had a significant effect upon weight/water loss during storage in the chill rooms. There were even separate facilities for organic production..
As an aside, Jamie Oliver apparently recommends maturing beef carcases for 21 days but he accepts that only 10 of those will be on the hook in the chill room, the remainder in cryovac packs. After that time beef becomes black and sirloins fetch £30 a kilogram!
The plant employed 11 people, the bulk of whom were Polish butchers who did not seem to find it a problem to be up and working by 4 a m! They came already trained in both Health and Safety and Meat Hygiene. There were in-house checks together with those by visiting vets that ensured that the necessary levels of hygienic practices were maintained.
The most popular breeds of sheep processed by the factory were Herdwick, Swaledale and Swartbull and the most popular breeds of cattle, Aberdeen Angus and Belted Galloway.
In the future they hoped to be able to arrange slaughter on the farm to reduce stress even further.
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Perhaps the whole enterprise was ahead of its time and was suffering as a consequence. Their future was by no means assured. They endeavoured to stay afloat making their profit on the likes of bulk sales of offal such as tongues, liver and waste products. Most remarkably they were able to sell sweetbreads for up to £60 a kilogram! Provided they had sufficient quantities.
I personally wish them all the very best.
Photo Gallery
The Meat Cutting Plant
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Visit and Lunch at Farfield Mill Arts and Heritage Centre nr Sedbergh
by Helen Brewis
We spent an interesting few hours at Farfield Mill, where we were given a tour explaining the history of the mill from the nineteenth century through to the present day.
We learnt how life was for those early workers at the mill, both at work and at leisure. We saw old looms from 1903, soaked up the character of the place, including original floors greased by years of fleeces passing through. They had a loom in action, producing fabric for blankets and travel rugs which are them sold through their own shop.
For many, the great excitement was seeing craftsmen and women at work in small workshops, producing a variety of things in copper, ceramics, wood, silk, wool, raw fleece, felt, to name but a few. It was inspiring to see what folk with the right talents can do with raw materials which we all have available, and of course some could not resist purchasing examples of stone carvings, throws, felt pictures of rural scenes and the like.
All in all it was somewhere with something for everyone and much enjoyed by all.
Photo Gallery
Fairfield Mill Arts and Heritage Centre
Hebridean AGM
Skull Structure and Bone Formation of Multi-horned Primative Sheep
Presentation by Louisa Gidney
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Louisa Gidney
The Skulls of Four Horn Sheep
I was honoured to be invited to speak at the Hebridean Society's 20th anniversary Summer Symposium. The topic required some, literal, dusting off of specimens and notes as it was last requested some ten years ago by the Manx Loaghtan breeders group and a workshop of all the multihorn breeds. Due to changes in legislation, no new specimens have been added in the intervening years.
Although I do keep Hebrideans, my principal interest is the Manx Loaghtan and so the 4 horn skulls I brought were of this breed. The morphology of the horns is very similar in both breeds.
As an archaeologist, I study dry bones, so the angst of breed societies about such soft tissue matters as split eyelids is irrelevant to the skull. Despite this, there is a recurrent suggestion that the split eyelid is a fault in embryological development, mirroring an underlying suture line in the skull. Barbara Noddle, an eminent zoologist who also studied archaeological animal bones, roundly dismissed this concept (Noddle 1980, 162) and I was also able to show the audience that there is no suture line on the skull underlying the site where split eyelids are found.
Before considering the 4 horn sheep, it is helpful to know why wild sheep evolved horns and how they use them. Horns are not primarily a defence against predators but indicators of social ranking within the flock, principally of the rams but to a lesser extent the ewes. Geist (1971) is a very readable study of wild sheep behaviour. Social interactions between males are aimed at establishing a rank order based on horn size. Some of these behaviour patterns are still unaltered in primitive domestic sheep but others have changed for the worst. Wild sheep fight to their equivalent of "Queensbury rules", domestic sheep that I have observed do not always accept the submission but kill a beaten opponent.
One common misconception that I have encountered has been that if there is not a wide gap between the primary horns, the horns will fuse together. This is impossible as the horns grow from the frontal bones, two separate bones with a clear suture line between them. The primary horns can only fuse if the horn buds of the infant animal are surgically manipulated. This technique is used in America (where else!) to produce Angora goat "unicorns" for the circus.
The aesthetics of sheep breeders' groups and societies generally requires the 4 horns to be separate with no contact between the horn sheaths. Unfortunately, such requirements cannot eliminate the fused horns. The two horns on each side of the head both grow from one frontal bone. Noddle (1980, 156) again observed that the two horns on each side are caused by the splitting of the single horn. I can confirm, from my own flock, many variations on the splitting of the one horn into several. I also have specimens with the deep groove on the horn core, which Noddle (1980, 157) identifies as the site of the split on single horn cores. Again, I have a range of skulls where the horn sheaths touched in life but the underlying bony cores were quite separate. I am not a geneticist but I do feel quite strongly that the 4 horn breeds jointly need to fund some research into the mutation that causes the horns to split. All groups need to be much more aware of the distinctions between biology and "attractiveness" when setting standards for primitive breeds.
Another horn formation, discussed by Noddle (1980, 160-62) and generally considered "ugly" is the two primary horns curving forward and the secondary horns appearing only as small scurs. These skulls have massive holes in them along the suture lines of the frontals and parietals. Though these holes look life threatening in the dry skull, in reality during life they are filled with a massive plug of cartilage. All juvenile skeletons are largely composed of cartilage to allow for growth. The bones gradually ossify as adult size is attained. Similarly with these skulls, if the animal is allowed to live the apparent hole becomes solid bone. This is one instance where Noddle was misled by only examining dry specimens, not dissecting fresh heads.
One rare abnormality I have seen in my flock, that is also reported in Navajo and Jacob sheep in America, is "wryneck". This is a deformation of the skull and fusing of the first neck vertebra to the skull. It appears to be associated with the horn formation described above. Similar conditions, but probably with different causes, are also known in horses and humans.
From an archaeological viewpoint, 4 horn sheep are infrequent finds but I have seen single instances from a range of Roman and medieval sites in the north of England. The Vikings are generally credited with moving and introducing sheep to the islands on the west coast of Britain. However, Noddle (1980, 159) noted the prevalence of 4 horn sheep in pre-Viking Christian Ireland. Much more recent archaeological work in Ireland has confirmed the widespread association of 4 horn sheep with early Christian settlements. It is therefore possible that the early Celtic Christian missionaries, founding sites such as Whithorn and Iona, may have moved sheep too.
A principally 4 horn flock, such as my own, is a modern phenomenon. Which brings me to one last pet bugbear, the constant advice that one should not keep breeding 4 horn to 4 horn but should cross with 2 horn. WHY? What monitored trials have shown this to be a Good Thing or, conversely, 4h x 4h to be a Bad Thing? In my usual pig-headed way, I have spent over 20 years trying to breed a flock with at least some homozygous (not carrying 2 horn) 4 horn animals. I have never used a 2 horn ram and have sold all but one 2 horn ewe. I have yet to encounter any Bad Things beyond the normal expectation of an inbreeding programme. I am achieving a high proportion of 4 horn heads of the type required by the breed standards.
References
Geist, V. 1971. Mountain Sheep: A Study in Behaviour and Evolution. University of Chicago Press.
Noddle, B. 1980. Polycerate Sheep: Past History and Present Problems. The Ark Vol. VII, No. 5.
Photo Gallery
Fleece Pigmentation and Mineral Balances in Coloured Sheep Breeds
Presentation by Peter Bone
Many farmers who are involved in the production of black fleeced sheep encounter problems of the fleece turning white. This paper seeks to state why this happens, where the problem comes from and the treatment of the condition from a mineral nutrition perspective. The subject of mineral nutrition is one that does not always receive the level of importance it should from the veterinary world and people involved in the feeding and management of livestock. This paper will seek to state the reasons why black fleeced sheep or cattle have problems with pigmentation changes in fleeces or coats.
Antagonistic Minerals
The problem of changes in fleece or coat pigmentation are caused by the combination of three mineral elements Iron (Fe), Sulphur (S) and Molybdenum (Mo). All three elements are essential to soil, crop and ruminant animals. Thiomolybdate is formed in the rumen whence it enters the blood stream, where it is toxic. Keywords: Antagonistic mineral elements, soil, crop, Thiomolybdate, stock and management.
Mineral nutrition in its own right is a complex subject, with many interactions. This paper will concentrate on the elements of Fe, S & Mo and the damaging effect they have.
What is Thiomolybdate?
Thiomolybdate is a toxin formed in the rumen of the animal. It is formed by a two stage action. The animal consumes feed or water with Fe and S contained within it, these then form in the rumen. At this stage it attracts copper towards it thus forming a Fe, S and Cu insoluble compound which is excreted via faeces or urine. This then allows the S and Mo to form Thiomolybdate which is a problem when absorbed into blood. Once in the blood stream it deactivates essential copper enzymes which have very important roles to play in maintaining coat pigmentation, fertility, optimum energy utilisation and good general health.
Many people will state that Fe, S and Mo will cause copper to become deficient within the ruminant animal. This is not the case:
Thiomolybdate Toxicity is a problem in its own right. However the treatment for this condition is copper in a form which is highly attracted to the Thiomolybdate complex which needs to be a sacrificial form of copper. Too much emphasis is placed on copper for absorption. This could lead to copper toxicity and death of stock.
Where does Thiomolybdate come from?
1. All soils have varying levels of Fe, S and Mo in them and perform very important roles in the soil.
2. Protein crops, concentrate feeds and minerals can all contain these elements and promote the formation of Thiomolybdate.
3. Livestock drinking water can also contribute to the input of Fe and S. For example a borehole water supply.
4. The level of Mo within soil bears hardly any resemblance to what you see recorded on forage mineral reports. The controlling factor is pH. If pH levels are increased, then Mo will increase within the crop. (Note this will only happen in protein based crops not starch based crops). It is possible that you will see increased levels of Mo and S in legume crops as well.
5. The use of Sulphur on grass is a very complex subject and should not be recommended where soils are high in Mo and Fe as this will only make the Thiomolybdate problem worse.
6. If you have livestock drinking water supplies which are borehole or spring and show signs of red ochre or smell of rotten eggs then I would recommend a full mineral analysis.
What negative effects does Thiomolybdate have?
Thiomolybdate will deactivate essential copper metallo enzymes which play vital roles within the body. The changes you see in fleece colour are caused by Thiomolybdate attacking Tyrosinase essential in the pigmentation process since it catalyzes the first two steps in the synthesis of the black pigment melanin from tyrosine.
Cytochrome C oxidase, part of the electron transfer chain, transfer of energy to cells. Reduction in the activity leads to reduced energy available to the animal. Luteinizing hormone will be depressed or turned off, and this will stop the animal showing signs of heat. Follicle stimulating hormone is reduced, which can lead to embryo death.
What action can you take to overcome this?
The use of a source of copper which is available in the rumen to bind with the Molybdenum and Sulphur and stop it entering the blood where it can do damage. Copper oxide products cannot work in this manner, as the copper only becomes available in the abomasum where the pH is 2.2.
Monitor the pH level of your soils and note that increasing these levels will encourage the Mo in the crop.
Carry out detailed soil analysis based on cation exchange.
Do not use Sulphur on grassland in areas which have a Mo problem.
Conclusions
There is an increasing understanding of the role of Fe, S and Mo within animal mineral nutrition. In my view, the damage it can cause is much under estimated. You should not treat Thiomolybdate Toxicity with high levels of Copper, as it does not cause copper deficiency. Blood diagnostics are available from Nottingham Vet School via your vetinary surgeon.
If you require help with this matter or have any questions please contact Bone P A. Telsol Limited. 23/24 Colomendy Industrial Estate, Denbigh. LL16 5TA. 01285 656197 or 07785 368591
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Hebridean Sheep Society 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
The focal point of our 2007 Summer Symposium and AGM weekend held in Cumbria was a special dinner held at The Crooklands Hotel
to celebrate the 20th. anniversary of The Hebridean Sheep Society.
After Dinner Speech given by Lawrence Alderson - RBST Chairman
We were proud to welcome Lawrence Alderson, Chairman and founder member of the RBST as our guest of honour for the evening. Lawrence was instrumental in the laying down of the basic principles of genetic conservation of domestic breeds of livestock during the early 1970’s, which have undoubtedly saved many of our traditional breeds from extinction.
In my introduction of Lawrence after an excellent dinner, I thanked him on behalf of the Society for his unwavering support of our breed and his keen interest in our progress over the past 20 years. A twenty year period since the Hebridean Sheep Breeders group was formed in 1987.
By 1994 the numbers of registered sheep had grown sufficiently for us to take responsibility for our own registrations. The decision was considered a brave one at the time and there had been much discussion on the matter. There was no going back to the Combined Flockbook and the strength of support from Lawrence and the RBST was most appreciated at the time. The Hebridean Sheep Society as we are now known was born. Both Lawrence and the RBST shared our vision that one day there would come a time when we should become totally responsible for our breed. It was decided that it would be much easier to make that bold step while still on the Trust’s priority list and receiving full support and advice, rather than when numbers had increased sufficiently to remove us from the trust’s umbrella. The last sentence was a direct quote from The Black Sheep No9, April 1993.
What a sense of vision and faith our committee had at that time. In 2007, though still receiving the full support of the RBST, we had officially come off their watch list and had in deed become fully responsible for our own destiny. How appropriate it was therefore that Lawrence should be our guest on this auspicious occasion.
After thanking me for my kind introduction, Lawrence went on relate his undisguised personal pride and pleasure in the improved status of the Hebridean sheep, in becoming fully fledged members of the mainstream sheep sector. He went on to compliment the Society on its achievements over the past twenty years, before proposing a toast to our continued success.
Lawrence Alderson delivering his speech at the HSS 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
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Jeff Moore delivering his speech at the HSS 20th Anniversary Celebration Dinner
A delicious cake to fit the occasion was brought out to round off a very enjoyable evening. It had been hand crafted by long standing member and friend Pauline Simpson and tastefully decorated with a group of three clay Hebs. It was decided that I should auction the sheep at the evening. The fact that better prices were achieved than those at the Autumn sales was more down to the amount of wine that had been drunk in certain quarters than to my skills as an auctioneer.8888888
Cutting the HSS Celebration Cake by Jeff Moore Chairman of the HSS
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Paul Kemp and Gordon Johnston carefully Card Grading and then Judging the minature Hebrideans in preparation for the auction
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The Auction in full swing with autioneer Jeff Moore encouraging bidders to dig deep....!
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With the auction complete the new owners of the minature Hebridean Sheep check out their purchases....!
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Sunday 29th July
Wensleydale Creamery - Tour and Cheese-Making Demonstration
By Caroline Lewis
The picturesque town of Hawes in Wensleydale provides the setting for the production of a cheese catapulted to fame by “Wallace & Gromit” generating sustained increased sales which have contributed to the wealth of the dale in recent years.
This part of our summer event was sheep free, an educational and enjoyable visit to the Wensleydale cheese plant. Cheese production has been a feature here for many years, from herds of cows grazing on the lush pastures around the dale and their uniquely rich sweet milk.
Interest in the cheese plant is marked and it has become a “must see” feature for tourists. However, in spite of its popularity amongst visitors, the focus remains on the quality of the cheese of which the workforce is tangibly proud.
For most of us the concept of living so close to one’s place of work and working amongst a community known to us and living around us, is part of a by-gone age. This is not so in Wensleydale where whole families are employed by the cheese plant and others tell of generations who have gone before them in the service of Wensleydale cheese.
Cheese is such a treasure, high protein and versatile and Wensleydale cheese holds a particular secret in its crumbly texture. That secret was revealed to an enthralled audience of Hebridean sheep breeders as Carol, our guide for that part of the event, showed us in domestic science style, - the process of cheese production reduced to kitchen table scale and artificially accelerated so we could experience what would normally take a number of days. Whilst some of the cheese production has been mechanised, traditional hand cutting and mixing of the curds is retained as the critical part of the crumbly texture guarantee.
Historical delights can be seen at the plant in an endearingly small and effective display which tells the story of the cheese factory and how it has been saved for years to come. This was far too enjoyable to be called a museum. There were plenty of items which many of us could recall as being everyday pieces of household and kitchen equipment, rather wishing we couldn’t as we lamentably showed our collective ages!
Artefacts from the museum of Cheese making
Moving away from our classroom we were able to see cheese production on its factory scale, as thousands of gallons of milk were before us in enormous bath-like vats in various stages of development.
Appetites increased by efforts expended on learning, were suitably satisfied in the restaurant which has been opened to meet the needs of the cheese plant’s hundreds of visitors. There we sheep breeders exchanged our enjoyment of the morning and later had the opportunity to buy truckles of Wensleydale cheese in their variously brightly coloured, shiny wax covers, each colour denoting a different flavour, with ginger or chives to name just two.
We were in need of a constitutional after our hearty lunch and benefitted enormously from walking into Hawes to look at the many antique shops displaying a vast array of typically northern copperware, our exercise increased further as we dodged the serious motorbikes, incongruous in the peaceful dale and yet adding pleasantly to the buzz of what is a prosperous, welcoming and memorable place!
Farm Walk to View the Hebridean Flock of Roy and Margaret Hill at Widdale Foot
by Chris and Joy Bradley
For our final visit of the weekend we met in the idyllic location of Widdale Foot, on the fells to the south-west of Hawes, the home of Ron and Margaret Hill.
Having liberally covered ourselves with midge-repellent, we were given a very informative tour of the 18 acre holding which Ron and Margaret bought in 1996. It had originally been a pig farm, and a lot of work was carried out over the next seven years to transform it into the superb habitat it provides today.
.....and John Kenny preparing for a ferocious attack of the midges....!
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One of the biggest projects has been the planting of over a thousand trees, including a now mature evergreen shelterbelt which provides privacy from the road.
A hay meadow between the beck and the road surrounded by grassy banks and trees showed no signs that it had once been the site of piggeries and a huge anaerobic digester which had been left full of slurry!
The farm is also within a red squirrel reserve, with which the Hills are actively involved, providing two feeders – and the feed as well. It would appear it is much more expensive to feed red squirrels than Hebridean sheep!
They were fortunate to be able to benefit from Environment Stewardship grants, which helped with the tree-planting and also rebuilding the stone walls.
We walked uphill across some lovely grassland (with not a thistle to be seen), occupied by two rams – William, with 2 horns but from a family of predominantly 4 horns, and Brendan – an excellent example of a 4-horned, which Ron and Margaret are keen on encouraging within their flock of 19 ewes plus followers. At the top of the property, the beck winds its way within natural rough grassland and rushes where the remainder of the flock have ample grazing. They came readily to Ron’s call and a scoop of feed, to where they could be inspected and admired by us all. He is proud of the fact that they are now almost all of his own breeding. Supplementary winter feeding is from Feed Buckets, and Rockies are available at all times. Lambing is usually at the end of March, and despite the difficult terrain and no sheepdog, he has various set-ups for handling to enable him to keep a close check on their health.
The weekend came to a close with home-made cakes and tea in the garden, kindly provided by Margaret.
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