Constantly working to improve the performance of the flock he works with at Selkirk, Scottish Borders, NSA member Gareth Thomas says he was delighted when he heard he was the winner of a £200 voucher.
NSA has teamed up with FecpakG2, Cox Agri/Richey and JG Animal Health to give away three £200 vouchers in a free prize draw giveaway every other month in 2016.
Gareth is one of three winners in the second prize draw of the year and walks away with a voucher to spend with FecpackG2.
New NSA members are automatically entered into the draw, as well as existing members who have recommend a friend or neighbour to sign up to NSA.
Describing the farm at which he works as ‘diverse’, Gareth explains: "We keep 600 Scottish Blackface ewes, with around 400 bred pure and hefted to the hill.
"The remaining 200 are crossed with a Bluefaced Leicester ram to produce a Mule. A mix of 700 Mules and Suffolk cross Mules are also kept.
"The main of the sheep lamb in April, with the majority of the lambs being finished off grass, aside from the last 300 which will receive some concentrates.”
The farm uses a variety of tups, including the Suffolk, Texel and Charollais as well as ‘experimenting’ with the Beltex and Berrichon in recent years.
A flock of Bluefaced Leicester ewes, established on the farm in 1972, are also kept to produce rams. These are sold as shearlings at sales in the region including Kelso, Lanark, Longtown and St. Boswells.
With flock improvements very much at the forefront of Gareth’s everyday tasks, he says he is looking forward to using his voucher win to assist with planning on how parasite control, to improve overall performance
