Dominic Naylor: A team of 42 students lend a hand

The analysis is pleasing too, with a DM of 38 per cent, starch of 34.7per cent and pH at 4.1.

Thank you to our contractor Ivan Westaby and his team for all their help. Ivan’s new Krone Big X made short work of cracking every grain. As usual, the wind became a gale at sheeting up time but a perk of the job is being able to call upon 42 first-year NDA students for help.

Students have also been busy with cultivations and slurry spreading before the NVZ rules came into force. This year’s Masstock demonstration plots have now been drilled, again with the help of Sumo and its Versadrill.

Awaiting tups

On the sheep front, the teasers went in on October 1. I leave them in for one cycle before putting the tups in on the 20th. I always think tupping time is the best part of the sheep year, the sheep probably do, too.

The flock has been treated for fluke but a recent Sunday afternoon check round with Ruby and Ralph ended up with my feeling frustrated at the level of lameness.

Despite routine footbathing and individually treating footrot infected ewes, we were losing the battle. I had previously thought to ‘footvax’ the ewes at housing, but have now decided on vaccination before tupping, with good results.

I’ve had a couple of days off the farm recently. The first was to visit former student Barry Wheldon on his North York Moors farm. You may remember Barry helps us at shearing time and taunts me by pointing out the high number of ‘blows’ I take to shear a sheep. We went along to the Swaledale tup fair at Ruswarp too, but I resisted any bids.

The second visit was for a sheepdog pup. Childhood holidays to Glencartholme, the farm of T.T. McKnight who won the International in 1967, have led to a lifelong interest in sheepdogs.

I’ve wanted a dog from his line and his widow Janet put me in touch with David Young of Straid Farm in Ayrshire. David’s Straid prefix is premier league and after a look around his immaculate farm, Straid Moss headed for the East Riding.

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