| Sheep
Cornwall shearer attempts first
World Record in UK
This summer sees Champion sheep shearer Matt Smith attempt to break the
current world record, the Nine Hour Full Wool Ewe World Shearing Record.
It's the first time an attempt of this kind has ever been made in the UK, or
indeed anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. The current World record
stands at 721 ewes in nine hours, and was made in 2007 by Rod Sutton of
Porangahau, New Zealand. To beat this Matt will need to shear each sheep in
less than 45 seconds.
ith the support of the British
Wool Marketing Board (BWMB),
this hugely demanding
challenge will take place on
26th July, at Trefranck Farm, St
Clether, Launceston, in
Cornwall - Matt’s home farm.
Bedwyr Jones, Chairman, BWMB Field
Services committee says “This will be a unique
occasion, the first time anyone in the UK has
attempted this world record and we are behind
Matt all the way as he takes on the challenge.
Shearing is vital to the sheep industry, and a
hugely popular activity. Matt is helping
showcase British wool to a wider audience
helping move the whole industry forward. On
behalf of the British Wool Marketing Board I
wish him the very best of luck in what is,
without a doubt, a phenomenal task.”
Matt’s entire working life has been involved
in the sheep shearing industry and he already
has his name in the record books. In 2010, at
the age of 25 he set a world record for the Eight
Hour Strong Wool Record in New Zealand
shearing 578 sheep and beating the record by
18.
Matt has shorn in 7 countries across the
world including New Zealand, UK, USA and
many parts of Europe. He has won several
shearing titles, and has had his sights set on
the Nine Hour Ewe World Shearing Record ever
since he learnt of its existence. Born and raised
in New Zealand, Matt left school aged 14 and
has been shearing ever since. He first came to
the UK to shear when he was 17 years old,
shearing with Gavin Mutch, a former World
W
Shearing Champion. The following year, he
returned to the UK and sheared across the
South West, where he is still actively involved
working with Nick Jasper’s shearing gang.
It was while he was shearing in Cornwall that
Matt met his wife Pippa. The two are now
settled in Cornwall, with their son Dusty, where
they farm in partnership on Pippa’s family farm.
Together they started their sheep farming
enterprise with 360 ewes - today they run a
flock of 1,385 breeding ewes, primarily
Romney’s with some crossed with the Lleyn.
The Nine Hour Ewe World Shearing Record,
world record attempt is no mean feat and is
equivalent to running three marathons back to
back - it's therefore absolutely imperative that
Matt's in peak condition. Since the New Year
he has been following a very strict diet and
fitness regime, which will now dovetail with his
shearing schedule across the South West, in
preparation for the record itself in July.
Matt says, “I am eager to take on this huge
challenge. I am proud to have learned from
some fantastic shearers throughout my career,
and I genuinely look up to all the other shearers
who have inspired me over the years, starting
with my own father.”
In addition to supporting Matt’s own
ambition, this competition is also supporting
Children’s Hospice, Little Harbour, and
proceeds from the event will be donated to the
Saint Austell based Charity.
Matt is keen to encourage the next
generation and hopes that his mission to
secure a World record will be successful. He
has this message for up and coming young
shearers: “Never stop learning and listen to
advice. Every day is a challenge. You have to
have a goal to aspire to. Maintain your
determination, and never give up.”
He acknowledges that the shearing training
provided by the BWMB is vital to encourage,
and provide opportunities to the next
generation. The BWMB’s shearing trainers are
passionate and highly motivated, which is
essential in encouraging young people to take
up shearing – and Matt is also seen as a great
role model for a new generation of shearers.
“I’d like to thank the British Wool Marketing
Board for their invaluable support in this world
record attempt,” adds Matt. “The shearing
training they offer is an unmissable opportunity
to any young shearer, or for anyone who wants
to brush up on their skills.”
As Matt begins his preparation, the BWMB’s
own shearing courses begin across the UK and
take place between May and July.
Bedwyr Jones continues: “Shearing is
currently enjoying a revival amongst the
younger generation, so Matt’s world record
attempt is without a doubt an excellent way to
both raise the profile of this important industry
skill, and to encourage even more young
people take up competitive sheep shearing.”
Act now on ‘mid-summer rise’ in sheep and the
threat of lungworm in cattle
The latest NADIS Parasite Forecast sponsored by Merial Animal Health highlights the importance of taking an
integrated approach to parasite control in lambs to reduce the risk of disease now and later in the season; the
importance of including rams in the overall parasite control strategy; and the risk of lungworm in cattle.
iven the high risk of
nematodirosis in many regions
of the UK this year, lambs
grazing contaminated pastures
will almost certainly have been
treated, often with a Group 1
anthelmintic,” says Sioned Timothy, Veterinary
Adviser for Merial Animal Health. “However,
Group 1 products may not be as effective
against other nematode species and additional
treatments may be necessary to prevent
disease, reduce the impact of worm burdens
on growth, and minimise the number of eggs
shed onto pasture.
“The need for such treatments will depend
on a number of factors including ewe
G
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
anthelmintic treatment at lambing time, grazing
conditions, stocking density and weather
conditions over the coming weeks. It’s also
important to remember to include rams in your
overall parasite control programme because
they are also susceptible to PGE.”
Any lambs grazing ‘safe pastures’ should not
require anthelmintic treatment until they are
three to four months old. Safe grazing includes
pasture not grazed by sheep last year,
reseeded leys, and any ground not grazed by
sheep until mid-summer such as aftermath,
where parasite contamination from last year will
have died off.
Sioned says: “Safe pastures are an
important component of your farm’s
sustainable parasite control and should be
used to best effect to reduce the parasite
challenge posed to at-risk lambs, reducing
reliance on wormers.
“Taking an informed approach to treatment
decisions will optimise parasite control whilst
minimising selection for resistance, and
potentially save money through fewer
treatments. The use of faecal worm egg counts
to assess whether groups of lambs require
worming is one proven approach. Targeted
treatment of individual lambs which are not
achieving expected growth rates is also
increasingly carried out to maximise the
benefits seen after treatment, and reduce
unnecessary treatments.”
June 2016 | Farming Monthly | 33