NSA Shearwell EID Stick Reader Kit prize giveaway 2015: The Howells family, Shropshire

In the all the time NSA has been offering its membership recruitment prize draw to existing members as well as new members, it took until the ninth raffle for an existing member to win a top prize.

NSA was delighted when the Howells family, who have been members of NSA for a number of years, were drawn out of the hat to win a Shearwell EID sticker reader kit. They qualified for the draw after encouraging their part-time workman, Josh Kirby, to join NSA.

The family farming business – WG Howells and Sons, Marsh Farm, Abdon, South Shropshire – has changed significantly in recent years, with the two main farming partners (brothers Tom and David) passing away and the next generation stepping up. The 700-acre farm (part owned and part rented) is now managed by brother and sister Will and Leece, alongside their mum Fran and Leece’s partner Martin. Leece and Martin have a two-year-old son, Jed.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Leece says: “We were chuffed to hear we had won the Shearwell reader and, since its arrival, have found it to be robust and easy to use. We would recommend it to anyone looking to buy a reader. We find Shearwell a very good reliable company. For a number of years we have bought all our sheep tags through them, and various other livestock related products.

“We became NSA members some years ago and have found membership very worthwhile. During the snows of March 2013 we turned to NSA for advice, as much of the televised coverage was aimed towards Wales and felt very isolated. The snow came 10 days into lambing and was with us for weeks. The roads were not passable for almost three weeks, we suffered unbelievable losses and were on our knees. We spoke to NSA one morning to explain the desperate situation we were in; we had no idea how we would be able to dispose of that quantity of fallen stock. Joanne at NSA soon came back to us with the offer of a free use of a large portable incinerator from a company in Worcestershire, but pressure from NSA and others on Defra meant that soon after the burial ban was temporarily lifted. During this time we were fortunate to have the support of the NSA as our representatives and we are very thankful to them for that.

“Following such losses we have now altered lambing to 1^st April to try to ensure most of the bad weather has hopefully passed by then. We have found this to be successful, with grass coming too and lighter nights helping outdoors. We have also been lambing some ewe lambs in order to keep our numbers up. We trialled 100 ewe lambs last spring and lambed them from 1^st May onwards, the theory being that they would benefit from the warmer weather. Touch wood, we had very few problems, and with plenty of grass by then, saw the lambs finishing quickly.”

Farm fact file

• 700-acre beef and sheep farm rising to 1,772ft above sea level.
• Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
• All grassland, with fodder produced on the farm and straw bought in locally.
• More than 1,000 ewes – improved Welsh Mountains on highest ground and Lleyn cross Texels on lower land. All replacements are home-bred.
• Outdoor lambing.
• All lambs finished off grass.
• Clear flock health plan and good quarantining system to protect the flock.
• Strict culling policy, with a particular focus on lameness, excess daggings, lambing ease and mothering ability.