Message from Dan Jones, Great Orme shepherd.
Hi everyone – I hope you’re all coping with this heatwave. It’s made for some challenges up here on the farm. We’ve had cases of some sheep straying into residential areas recently and I’d just like to assure all my neighbours that I’m on the case!
Part of my role is to heft a brand new flock to the Orme, which is still in progress. This year it’s particularly challenging because the hot, dry weather has burnt much of the grasses and the sheep are making for the fresher grasses further down the hillside. To help manage this I am supplementing their feed and have taken on more staff to help with the hefting.
As an area open to public it’s hard to completely stop livestock up here straying, but Parc Farm landowners the National Trust are working with other partners on the Orme at ways to try and minimise any disturbance to local people.
Some people have raised concerns about ticks from livestock. I can assure everyone that all of my sheep have been treated for ticks twice this year and will be treated again in a couple of weeks. Veterinary advice is that this routine keeps our Parc Farm flock tick-free (and we have seen no ticks on sheep or handlers here at the farm.) Unfortunately ticks are around in the countryside and there has been an increase nationwide this year, so check out the advice from the National Trust website
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fea…/ticks-and-lyme-disease or the NHS advice on what to look out for and how to deal with it
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-diseaseI really appreciate everyone’s co-operation and if anyone wants to discuss anything do get in touch with me here on Facebook.