NSA Welsh Sheep 2019 will be a groundbreaking event, the first held at a college.

The venue may not be a traditional farming setting, but the farm at Glynnlifon Agricultural College is a working farm, operating in a commercial environment.

The event will bring together farmers, suppliers, markets, processors, customers and policy experts in one location. Sheep farmers considering a rapidly changing future, will have the opportunity to update on all the latest news, views and technical innovation against a compelling historic backdrop.

The 150 or so stands and organisations attending will also offer ideas and information on products and breeds. Each will help to answer questions regarding future direction.

A full programme of seminars will cover topics such as Brexit, Sheep Health and Welfare and the industry’s carbon footprint and environmental considerations. The workshops will cover a range of issues, from vaccination for lameness from MSD to Innovis’s latest developments.

‘The Crystalyx workshop What Does Research Prove’ will focus on the extensive research Crystalyx has carried out over the last two decades.

Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales is the event’s major sponsor and will be on hand with advice and industry updates. The other mainline sponsors will also be very much in evidence.

The venue is a 700 acre lowland farm consisting of 400 acres of farm land and 300 acres of woodland. Five hundred youngsters, aged 15 to 18, study for Level 1, 2 and 3 in agriculture, agricultural engineering, forestry and conservation, animal management and veterinary nursing.

The Glynllifon site is owned by Grwp Llandrillo Menai College. Farm manager Rhodri Manod Owen said the college has always been keenly involved in NSA Welsh Sheep and college students from a range of disciplines look forward to immersing themselves in all aspects of the event.

The intensively run farm is based on grass and forage with a dairy herd of 180 cows, plus a hundred followers. There is also Glastir agri environmental work and some innovations, such as the Techno Grazing, and cattle breeding policies.

The change to a closed flock is better for bio security and for better control of genetics, with medium sized 60kg ewes able to produce lamb off grass and forage. The flock comprises Lleyn ewes, put to a Lleyn ram for replacements, as well as continental ewes and Texel and Charollais rams are also used to produce for butchers’ lambs.

There will also be the opportunity to see the results of a decision to use a Charmoise ram on ewe lamb replacements for the first time last year to ease lambing. There is also a small flock of 35 cross bred Texel Charollais ewes, with the ram lambs retained for breeding.

NSA Welsh Sheep will be held at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor Glynfllifon, near Caernarfon on Tuesday, May 21.

For further details see https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk or contact Helen Roberts on 07976 803066, or email helen@nationalsheep.org.uk