The Sheep Geeks

Nerys and Liz catch up with Amy about how this year in farming has challenged a lot of farmers' mental health and approaches to use to check in with people and ourselves. It is a bit sweary, so please don't listen with sensitive ears nearby. Links mentioned: Farm Succession, Conflict & Family Mediation | EmpowerAg Future Farmers offers GRIP training to help you take control Podcasts available on all usual channels: ‘Think Outside the Fence’ and ‘Out of the Rut’ Som...

Nerys and Liz talks to Jonathan who is a vet working in the Bluetongue outbreak in Devon. He shares his experiences and provide background to the virus. We also talk about next steps for farmers this autumn as we try and prevent it affecting next year's lamb crop. Links mentioned: Bluetongue: latest situation - GOV.UK North Park Veterinary Farm | North Tawton | Facebook Bluetongue virus | Virus | The Pirbright Institute Membership explained - Sheep Veterinary Society Dr Li...

Matt Colston is a vet and works for Elanco. He is heavily involved with Sheep Veterinary Society and Moredun Foundation. He was previously in practice in Scotland and Cumbria. He talks us through the issues around ticks and how our thinking around control needs to change as the hills alters with more vegetation and different stock being grazed. Let alone the changing weather patterns! Links mentioned: Questing ticks: Tick Questing Moredun louping ill Donate to Bring a New Louping ...

Nerys finally gets her dream to talk about parasites for an entire episode. We answered submitted questions and talk through some of our client work. Links mentioned: Support the New Louping Ill Vaccine – Moredun Research Institute Survey on PhD with Moredun https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/moredungroup/pasture-management-and-grazing-strategies-on-uk-farms FAMACHA course Sustainable control of Haemonchosis in UK livestock grazing systems (FAMACHA card training) | Short...

Tom Bird farms with his dad in south Derbyshire. They run sheep and also have combinable crops. He is the current Farmers Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year and also involved in the OptiEwe programme with Liz and Nerys. He talks through his system of indoor lambing mule ewes and the use of creep to get the lambs away as soon as possible to balance labour requirements on the mixed farm. Links mentioned: To enter or nominate people for the award, go to https://www.fwi.co.uk/sp/events/farmers...