Issue 7 Winter 2024
2023 OSBPG Awards The votes are in and counted… UK's only pedigree pig breed that is a registered charity in England & Wales and Scotland setting the Standards High
In This Issue 3. Lets Rootle 4. Upcoming Events & Replays 5. 2023 OSBPG Awards 6. Fundraising Events 7. Soya Free Pig Feed 8. Farrowing Updated 11. Official Scottish Charity Status 12. MEATing our OSB Pork Producers 16. Education Update 18. Vet Attestation 21. Competition Time 22 OSBPG Pork Labels 23. Farming Through the Eyes of a Child 25. OSBPG GSA Program 27. Vet Chat 28. OSB Pork Recipe 29. Breeder & Producers 30. Social Media Info Front Cover: Jane Sedley - Coleg Glynllifon
Photo by Kathleen O’Shea
Photo: Mr C Lea
Lets Rootle - Welcome 2024 Welcome to Our New Year Magazine: A Promise of Progress and Partnership As we step into the promising expanse of 2024, brimming with new ideas and the vitality of fresh beginnings, we wish to continue to share the journey ahead with you. The upcoming year holds the promise of novel challenges and exciting projects, endeavours that the Trustees are dedicated to upholding with a steadfast commitment. Our pledge remains unwavering - to ensure that every action we take is for the progress of our cherished breed, its bloodlines, and its breeding potential. Equally significant is our promise to extend our care and support to you, our independent pork producers, breeders, and keepers, along with your families. In a remarkable achievement, we are proud to announce our successful collaboration with Harpers Feeds Ltd, resulting in the development of a soya-free pig feed. This innovation resonates with the desires of today's discerning consumers who seek transparency in understanding the value of the produce they consume. Moreover, it underscores our commitment to bolstering local producers. The positive outcomes and feedback extend beyond pig farming, with the the soya free feed is proving equally successful for poultry and cattle. Continuing our dedication to data-driven excellence, we will persist in gathering pork statistics to gauge the progress of our carcasses year on year. By analysing live weight, dead weight, age, and sex of carcasses, we aim to refine our practices. Last year, thanks to the invaluable contributions from you, our supporters, we witnessed the production of over 26,000 tonnes of pedigree OSB Pork, warmly appreciated by consumers. We extend our encouragement for your continued collaboration in submitting the above information, making us the sole pedigree pig breed engaged in such an initiative. We wish you a New Year filled with good health, bountiful litters and continued prosperity.
Upcoming Events & Replays Looking Back on 2023
Join us as we receive an update from Andrew O'Shea, Chair of the charity, reflecting on the accomplishments of the OSBPG Charity in 2023. Discover a wealth of valuable information and witness the remarkable journey the charity has undertaken. Explore its offerings and witness the significant impact it has had on the OSB.
Podcast South Paddocks
Coming soon, tune in as Kim Brook speaks to Katie and Matthew Cooper at South Paddocks as they tell us about their journey into pig, pork and producing foods for events, shows and more. Keep an eye on our social media channels for news of its release. For now catch up on all our other podcasts here
FEBRUARY PIG KEEPING COURSE
Winter Get Togethers are back
Hosted by Lisa Corcoran - OSBPG Trustee.
Join us for our comprehensive pig keeping course on Saturday, 24th February 2024, starting at 10:30 am, conducted via Zoom. The course is aimed at those looking to keep pigs for the first time.
From November through March, our virtual get togethers are back. The next get together is on Friday 23rd February. Further dates will be published on our social media platforms. Register Now for February
OSBPG Award Winners 2023 Back for its 3rd year It is consistently humbling to witness a significant number of individuals being nominated for our awards, marking the largest field to date. The nominations for our awards are submitted and voted on by all our supporters, with no influence on the results. These awards belong to you, and the decisions are always yours. For our 2023 nominees, we received hundreds and hundreds of votes. It was no small feat to coordinate, tally, verify, and double-check, but every minute invested is worthwhile to unveil the eventual winners.
Pig Excellence Award A wonderful selection of nominee’s, each of them deserved of the Award, Here are your nominees; Anita & Edward Withers, Bob Pratley, Cara Allan, Darren Ashton, Emma Haines, Eve Atkins, Harriet Gallagher, Kathryn Green-Smith, Lillie Smith- Ham Farm, Linda Hricko, Lisa Corcoran, Lloyd & Eilidh Verstage ,Louise Blenkhorn, Lucy Ball, Mary Benfield & Gaz Hughes, Nicole Armstrong, Richard Lea, Sara Spellman, Shaun Jennings, Steve Wright and Stuart Cooke.
Stuart Cooke
It was a close call, but with a handful more votes, Stuart Cooke from county Cork Ireland collected this year award, £200 cash, An etched glass keepsake bowl and fleece.
Pork Producer Award With just as equally deserving field of nominees Arngask Farm – Lloyd & Eilidh Verstage, Ash Paddocks - Linda & Sebastian Hricko, Clifton Lodge – Edward & Anita Withers, Conway Valley Produce – Lydia Johnston, Glenorchy Farm – Fiona & Tristan Maclennan, Graham Bellingham, Happy Wallow – Justin & Donna Newman, Kathryn Green-Smith, Natalie Revett, Nicola Goodings - Green Farm, Ryecroft Rare Breeds – Mike & Jayne Carter, South Paddocks – Katie Cooper, Poppyfields Fine Produce - Aimee & Stephen Edmond and Lisa Corcoran. Another very close battle for the title, but by just a head length, Katie Cooper - South Paddocks, collected this year award, £200 cash, An etched glass keepsake bowl and fleece.
Katie and Matthew Cooper - South Paddocks
A very commendable outcome with a deserving “Congratulations” to our winners, and thank you to all our nominees, voters and supporters, without all of you this would not be possible. Keep an eye out for the nominee process for 2024 opening soon across our social media channels.
MAKE A FUN DAY WITH A FUNDRAISING DAY By holding an event, whether it be a farm open day, a competing event like running, cycling, swimming, dancing, having a stall at a country show, hosting a coffee morning, helping organise a community or school event, enjoying cake with friends, or even participating in a charity fundraiser, you can make a meaningful impact. Consider one of our fundraising packs, which are brimming with goodies, inspiration, and support materials to assist you in running a successful event. The aim is to raise awareness of our beautiful Oxford Sandy and Black breed and all the joys they bring, as well as the incredible work accomplished by those hosting the event through breeding and rearing outdoors, resulting in wonderful produce. To receive your free fundraising pack for your upcoming events, please apply here. Raising awareness of our remarkable breed and the OSBPG Charity, which is always here to support each and every one of you, is crucial. It goes without saying that we couldn't achieve as much as we have without the unwavering support of individuals like you, our valued supporters. Thank you for your dedication and passion for our cause. Together, we can make a real difference. To register your wonderful ideas of fun and obtain your free fundraising pack, email:
fundraising@osbpg.org
It’s a Hit - Soya Free Feed
The evolving interests of consumers, driven by a desire to understand and support local produce and producers, are a clear indication that our independent pork producers are successfully showcasing the quality of OSB Pork. Today's consumers are increasingly concerned about the origins and sustainability of their food, questioning aspects such as its source, rearing practices, breed, and the growing trend of feed composition fed to our pigs. In the Autumn edition of The Sandy Pig, we shared our collaboration with Harpers Feeds Ltd, in partnership with Massey Feed Group. Harpers Feeds not only emphasises environmental responsibility but also adheres to ISO 14001 standards, actively working to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainable farming practices. Last year, they introduced a soya-free feed, which has gained significant success. The OSBPG Charity is now actively involved with Harper Feeds, proudly announcing the successful deployment of the soya-free feed. An exclusive account has been established at Harper Feeds for our supporters, allowing them to order directly. While this account focuses on pig feed orders, Harpers also offers feeds for poultry, cattle, and goats that supporters are welcome to include in their orders. The soya-free feed, available in 20kg bags or dumpy bags, is available in sow rolls, or 6mm pencils, comes with a minimum order of 1 tonne (50 bags) at the current price of GBP8.20 per bag, with a protein level of 15%. For more information and to set up an account (without immediate commitment to order), please enquire about this exciting OSBPG Charity initiative Email: hello@oxfordsandyblackpiggroup.org.
OSBPG Farrowing Update
Here is a summary of OSB breeding in 2023 by our Charity supporters; Gilt Count: This represents the number of young female pigs ● The highest Gilt Count is in May with 90. ● The lowest Gilt Count was in August and November with 49. Boar Count: This represents the number of male breeding pigs. ● The highest Boar Count is in June with 111. ● The lowest Boar Count is in March with 50. Farrowings: This represents the number of times sows gave birth in a month. ● The highest number of farrowings is in June with 22, closely followed by December with 21 ● The lowest number of farrowings is in January with 12, closely followed by March with 13. Bloodlines: This represent the lines used and number of piglets born of that sex. Bloodline
Sows Bred
Gilt Count to Bloodline
Cynthia
30
124 Boars Used
Boar Count to Bloodline
Alison
21
90
Bloodline
Clare
21
87
Jack
74
323
Clarissa
23
91
Alistair
63
292
Gloria
17
66
Clarence
30
126
Sybil
15
66
Alexander
27
132
Lady
13
46
Total
194
873
Gertrude
12
46
Iris
13
48
Dandy
12
43
Elsie
7
23
Duchess
5
20
Mary
5
14
Total
194
764
OSBPG Farrowing Update (continued) .
Regional Breakdown: A view of farrowings in Great Britain and Ireland
As we concluded 2023, it's pleasing to note a substantial rise in farrowings in Scotland. This increase can be attributed, in part, to the support provided by the charity's GSA program, which has bolstered several significant bloodlines extending into Scotland. Similarly, the Northern region has experienced a noteworthy surge in farrowings. When combining the data from the Central and North regions, it aligns with the South West, which consistently leads due to the higher concentration of breeders in that area.
In Summary Our bloodlines, encompassing Alison, Alistair, Clare, Clarissa, Cynthia, and Jack, boast robust breeding populations across the UK. Notably, Dandy, Gertrude, Gloria, Iris, Lady, and Sybil make significant contributions to the overall diversity of our bloodlines. Upon scrutinising this data, we have pinpointed specific areas of focus within our charity programs, such as BIP and GSA. In 2024, our efforts will be concentrated on enhancing the diversity of female bloodlines, with a particular focus on Duchess, Elsie, and Mary. Simultaneously, we aim to fortify the male lines through a concentrated effort on Alexander and Clarence. This strategic approach aligns with our commitment to the conservation and genetic diversity of the OSB. It is heartening to observe a positive shift in breeding populations since 2022, underscoring the dedication of numerous breeders to the preservation and diversification of the OSB. This encouraging trend emphasizes the collective impact of our breeders commitment to the conservation and genetic diversity of these bloodlines.
Oxford Sandy and Black Pig Foundation Charity - Official App The FREE application from the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig Foundation Charity #1190469 (England & Wales) SC052662 (Scotland) . Our app gives you access to all our key info and tools whilst you're on the move. Tools such as: - Pig Weight Tool - Farrowing Date Tool - Standstill Calculator - Feed Calculator - Abattoir Checklist Up - Access to our Breeders Map ava date n o il - GSA Program new able w w - and loads more ith to hel ols to py ou
Your Charity Officially Recognised by the OSCR After three successful years as a registered charity in England and Wales, our organisation embarked on an exciting expansion journey. In the summer of this year, we initiated the process of applying to the OSCR (The Scottish Charity Regulator) to become an officially recognised charity in Scotland. This diligent application process took approximately one month to complete, demonstrating our commitment to achieving this milestone. Photo:Ryecroft Rare Breeds We are thrilled to announce that our efforts bore fruit, as we were granted charity status by the OSCR. This achievement marks a significant milestone, as we proudly become the first pig breed-dedicated charity in Scotland.
Our dedication to our mission, coupled with this new recognition, enables us to extend our reach and make an even greater positive impact on the welfare and conservation of our Oxford Sandy and Black in the beautiful Scottish landscape.
Valuing OSB Pork - doing what we do best MEATing our OSB Pork Producers Katie & Matthew Cooper - South Paddocks
South Paddocks – Our Story… First, a sincere heartfelt thank you to those that nominated and voted for us for pork producer of the year! You could have knocked us over with a feather when we watched that video and Andrew said South Paddocks! We are not only new to the pig keeping game but the whole farming game and just entering our 4th year! Last year was our first whole year of selling our produce and boy what a year! So, a little bit about us novices… South Paddocks is our family run smallholding situated in the heart of the Winterborne Valley, near Blandford Forum, Dorset. Which is run by me Katie, my husband Matthew and our 3 children Riley, Sonny and Analise. On our holding we have Huacaya Alpacas, Pedigree Boer Goats and Rare Breed Pedigree Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs. Rearing our livestock for breeding stock and pedigree pork, pedigree goat meat and alpaca fibre.
Valuing OSB Pork - doing what we do best We bought the smallholding at auction in April 2020. Neither of us from farming backgrounds, but we both always had an interest in livestock and dreamt of owning some land and rearing our own produce and a place to bring up our children. Matthew a builder by trade and me, Katie a florist. We helped Matthews parents part time with their outside catering business, consisting of a mobile catering unit, Victorian jacket potato oven and hog roast. We attended the Great Dorset Steam Fair and other local village fetes and tractor rallies and offered wedding and event catering with the hog roasts. After paying premium prices for “top quality” meat we began to become frustrated when the quality wasn’t always reflected in the price. So, we thought the only way to insure 100% traceability and quality was to do it ourselves. Rear our own meat…The purchase of a smallholding would give us the opportunity to do so! After doing some research… lots of research; online, visiting local shows and talking to butchers and chefs, we knew we wanted to keep a rare breed of pig, so we would be helping with conservation along with the fact that the native breeds although slower to finish make up for it in flavour and quality. We decided on the Oxford Sandy and Black, we knew we wanted to buy pedigree stock therefore ensuring we had 100% traceability. We became members of various organisations along with Oxford Sandy and Black Pig Group (OSBPG) - still to this day the most beneficial and helpful!. We found a local breeder who was just 3 to 4 miles from us. Mrs Case of the Longash Herd was a wealth of knowledge and an inspirational marvellous lady, she showed us around her farm and answered every question we had, we brought 2 Cynthia gilts aged 6 months who we named Petal & Peggy! We arranged to bring them back to run with one of her boars when they were old enough to be served. We fell in love, we really did pick the right breed for us; size, temperament, fertility and above all a true pleasure to keep for all the family. We have had farm visits from members of the public including scouts, beavers and brownies who all fall in love with our pigs. We returned the girls to Mrs Case twice and each sow had successful farrowing’s. First time One a litter of 9 and the other a litter of 6. Second time one a litter of 9 and one litter of 5.
Valuing OSB Pork - doing what we do best We now choose to hire a boar in and save moving the girls and this has resulted in a higher percentage of piglets at farrowing, their next farrowing’s after not being moved resulted in a litter of 10 and one of 9 and their last again having a boar to them gave us litters of 13 and 10 sadly after losing a few we ended up 10 and 8! Looking forward we now feel we have reached the stage and gained enough experience and knowledge to buy our own boar later this year. Our first meat weaners were soon ready, and the timing fell on when we would be at the Great Dorset Steam Fair… Prime time to put our first lot of pork to the test! We had most of the pork back as sausages and burgers for the show and some roasting joints for ourselves! When I collected it, the trays filled the car, and we couldn’t quite believe the volume of meat we had back! The verdict… IT WAS A MASSIVE HIT! We sold out. After buying it people were asking if I had more with me, wanting to buy it to take home, they were going back to their stalls, exhibitions and campsites spreading the word and then more customers were coming asking for the ‘best burger on the showground’. It was such a relief and the confidence boost we needed we were so proud, the orders for our gammons and first bacon come in just from a few Facebook posts and the feedback was amazing. It made us decide to keep more of the next meat weaners for ourselves and I started to look at opportunities to sale our produce locally. In October 2022, I received an email from Love Local Trust Local, a Dorset based business that celebrates Dorset produce. We were asked if we would like to enter their annual awards. We dropped entries of our pedigree pork & goat meat to a local pub, and we were entered into the meat category. Not expecting much we thought if we could maybe gain a few local customers or feature on the pub menu, it would be great. We were contacted in December to say we were shortlisted we couldn’t believe it! Little us along with some top Dorset producers that were supplying top restaurants, farm shops and winning national awards! We were interviewed by judges at our smallholding, and I thanked them for their time, over the moon we had even got that far thinking that would be as far as we would go! We were invited to the awards ceremony in February 2023, and I didn’t have any intentions on going but family members encouraged us to go. We had a delightful meal and heard about all these wonderful Dorset producers. You could have knocked us over when we heard the words South Paddocks and we were awarded the highly commended award in the meat category!
Valuing OSB Pork - doing what we do best The award was another push to get our produce out there, I applied to some local farmers, growers, and makers markets. We got accepted and started to get prepared, I was so nervous! We didn’t have a lot of time from when the next pork was back to the first market and then it suddenly dawned on me… I ran through the ever-growing pre-order list, I double checked numbers and thought what weight the carcasses would roughly be and what amount of meat I would be getting back, and I suddenly realised I wasn’t going to be left with much left to sale once I had done the pre-order! I was devastated. We couldn’t possibly go we would look stupid a 3m gazebo, two tables and hardly anything on them! My dad had a brainwave he said don’t be so silly, make some of your sausage rolls! I had been making sausage rolls with my Nan since I was young and always made them for family parties, anytime we had a get together and more so lately now we had the best sausage meat ever to hand! Dad said look it’s a great way for people to try your produce at a low cost without giving samples or anything free. Also, another selling point for people wanting a cooked /grab and go option at the market. A quick phone call to our local Environmental Health Officer who was so helpful with the short time scale. We already had our 5* hygiene rating for holding and selling our fresh meat, but I knew I would need to get another for the baked produce. I asked her to come out and check I was doing it all correctly and she was happy and after her visit we got another 5* hygiene rating for us to offer the cooked produce. Phew, I went with it, done a few flavours and was relieved they would fill a large gap on those empty tables! The first market…we sold out in 2 hrs! Fresh pork and the sausage rolls, I had to hold back the tears. It was unbelievable each market I would try different flavours, I made some goat meat ones too and bacon turnovers in different flavours and also added scotch eggs and pork pies to the list! The amount of people that comment on the taste and love the fact not only do we make the baked produce we rear the animals and do the whole process from paddock to plate. From our fields to abattoir to butchers back to us is just 14 miles. The diary began to fill up with events starting to contact us. We have such lovely loyal customers some try and come to every market we do. Our bestseller is again down to Dad it is our Marmite & Cheddar sausage roll... don’t knock it until you have tried it!
Plans for us for 2024, is to get our own cut room built and do our own butchery. The butchery costs especially with the amount of sausage meat needed is our biggest cost. We would also like to expand our herd to at least two more different breeding sows and purchase our own boar. 2023 has shown us that despite current times people really do support the paddock to plate ethos and want to know where their food has come from, and who has produced it. I think they are understanding the need to eat pedigree pork to help us keep these native breeds and are willing to pay for quality and high welfare over quantity. We honestly wouldn’t have had the success we have had if it was the OSBPG, the support and knowledge is second to none. I know I could contact somebody from the group anytime of the day about anything and its that reassurance and guidance that has got us to where we are with our pigs and our journey so thank you!
Education: OSBPG Breed Conservation Talk Success at Coleg Glynllifon The OSBPG Charity was delighted to have our very own Andrew O'Shea speak to the students at Coleg Glynllifon in Wales in early December about rare breed pigs. The focus was on why conservation and diversity is crucial for protecting our native breeds. The feedback we received was extremely positive, and the students thoroughly enjoyed the talk. They had numerous questions about the different breeds we have in the UK and why, as a charity, we are particularly focused on the Oxford Sandy and Black breed. At the end of the talk, we organised a small competition for the students, offering a chance to win one of our hoodies, aprons and travel mugs. The winners were: 1st Place (OSBPG Hoodie) - Niamh 2nd Place (OSBPG Apron) - Maddie 3rd Place (OSBPG Travel Mug) - Trystan Following the prize distribution, the students and their Lecturers took some photos of themselves, their pigs, and the winners with their prizes - along with some Christmas wishes for us all. They kindly granted us permission (with the all the relevant consent required) to share these on our social media channels. The charity would like to express heartfelt thanks to Coleg Glynllifon, their tutor Sarah Roberts (Lecturer in Animal Studies), the students, and Andrew O'Shea for their time in supporting the charity's educational, conservation, and diversity objectives outlined in our Constitution.
OSBPG PIG HAULIERS FOR UK Qualified competent attendants Mike and Jayne Carter, long time supporters of the OSBPG Charity, are happy to lend a hand for those seeking transportation services for the movement of pigs.
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Mike and Jayne have a 750kg trailer and are both qualified competent attendants and have breakdown cover for both trailer and vehicle which includes recovering of trailers including livestock. In addition, Mike is also a HGV driver (retired from the Army and use to driving heavy vehicles) and travels extensively up and down the country.
The logistics would be as follows: ●
movement starts from Mike and Jayne (Wigan) to point of collection to point of delivery and return back to Wigan.
Trailer details is as follows: ●
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Small trailer max 750kg = 1 large pig male/female, or two 6 month old pigs, or 6/8 weaners. This trailer can be partitioned into 2 sections to carry one of either sex of medium size pig and weaners. Small trailer cost would be 80p per mile + VAT billed to purchaser. And if you qualify for the GSA you may also use it in connection with the movement.
Requirements ● ●
It would be advantageous to have an idea of weight of each animal being transported in the event of multiple pigs being moved.. Loading and unloading would be the responsibility of the vendor/purchaser. In addition to the above we have copies of Mike and Jayne hauliers licence and their driver/attendants certificates for movement of livestock Category 1 up to 8 hrs.
If you would like to find out more or book Mike and Jayne, please visit our website here
VET ATTESTATION NUMBER (VAN) England & Wales and Scotland
Yep it is a tongue twister of a word. Is that a clue to the way we are grasping the concept of putting it into motion? Since its inception on 13 December 2023 it seems so, as from the communications the OSBPG Charity have been receiving, it seems that many individuals are still unclear as to the protocols in sending your pigs to the abattoir and a little confused from announcements and correspondence that have been read, which then sends you off to another source or link. The OSBPG Charity contacted AHDB and spoke with the ever helpful Nicola Gumery, head of The Bureau responsible for England & Wales and newly appointed, Scott McDowell, of SAOS, who is head of ScotEID. What is first and foremost is that the Vet Attestation came into force on 13 December 2023 and includes ALL livestock.
Vet Attestation for England & Wales - What does it mean
Quite simply put, it is all about what the abattoir you use do with the by-products Ie: trotters, feet, offal, ears, head etc 1. 2.
If your abattoir tells you that they incinerate the by-products - "You do NOT need a vet attestation number (VAN)" If your abattoir sells on the by-products - "YOU NEED a Vet Attestation Number (VAN)"
So how do you go about getting a VAN: ●
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Contact Your Vet: Explain that you require a Vet Attestation number (VAN). They will come out and visit your farm/holding, they will look at your livestock, observe how they are kept and generally look at your biosecurity. They will then issue you with a certificate showing our VAN. This inspection will last for 12 months and will cover all your livestock. This is just a routine inspection it is not intrusive and as you will know your vet it will be an invitation for a nice chat over a cuppa. Once you have your VAN: Visit the Pig Hub where you can add your VAN. This will automatically update and show on your movement licence. Signing in to the Pig Hub: You can do this either from eAML2 or visit: https://www.pighub.org.uk/iip/home.eb Sign in using the same user name and password as your eAML2.
VET ATTESTATION NUMBER (VAN) England & Wales and Scotland Once in the Pig Hub: ● ●
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Click the "Producers" icon. Once in the producers section under "Your Data" Click "Your Holdings". Once in "your holdings" Click the little cog wheel next to your name (this will expand the file and show all your details) if your details have not shown in full. Scroll down to second page look for section "BD.1.7" Here is where you fill in your VAN. Scroll down to the bottom click "Update" Then you are good to go for 12 months.
AHDB works with DEFRA, ensuring that all information provided is accurate and reliable. Should you require additional assurance, information, or guidance, please contact The Bureau, where Nicola and her dedicated helpful team will be able to assist you in anyway they can. Tel: 0844 335 8400 OR go to the eAML2 website and click the Contact button on the top of the page, fill in your details and you will get a quick response. Vet Attestation for Scotland - What does it mean On the 15 January 2024) Kim Brook engaged in a productive conversation with Scott McDowell, the GM of ScotEID, discussing the implementation and details of the Vet Attestation in Scotland. The key points highlighted in the conversation are as follows: 1. 2.
3. 4. 5. 6.
Enforcement of Vet Attestation: Mr. McDowell confirmed that the Vet Attestation has been in force since 13 December 2023. Procedure for Vet Attestation Number (VAN): Obtaining a Vet Attestation Number (VAN) involves contacting your veterinarian. Veterinarians, like smallholders/crofters, have access to the Export Eligibility Checker on ScotEID. After a visit to the farm/croft, the veterinarian will access the holding's CPH and insert the VAN. The VAN is valid for 12 months, covering all livestock, and is reflected on movements. Visit for VAN Authorisation: If a veterinarian is already on-site to tend to livestock, this visit can count as the authorisation visit for the VAN. ScotEID Website: Mr. McDowell emphasised that comprehensive information regarding the Vet Attestation is available on the ScotEID website. Reference to Specific Article: There was a recommendation to refer to the article titled "08/11/2023: New Vet Attestation, if not Farm Assured, from 13 December 2023." Encouragement to Seek Assistance: #OSBPG Scottish members and supporters were encouraged to contact ScotEID for any queries or questions relating to the Vet Attestation. Veterinary practices are also able to provide advice.
VET ATTESTATION NUMBER (VAN) England & Wales and Scotland 7. ScotEID Contact Information: Tel: 01466 794 323
Email: help@scoteid.com Website: scoteid.com
Conclusion: This report serves to disseminate information obtained from Mr Scott McDowell of ScotEID regarding the Vet Attestation in Scotland. The conversation highlighted key aspects of the VAN process, emphasised the importance of visiting the ScotEID website for additional details, and provided contact information for assistance.
OSBPG Competition Time
Win an OSBPG Polo Shirt Just tell us what you see for a chance to win. Email you answer to hello@oxfordsandyblackpiggroup.org and use the subject “Sandy Pig Competition” Good Luck!
OSBPG PORK LABELS Helping our Independent Producers, the OSBPG charity provides valuable support The OSBPG Foundation Charity is always thinking of ways to help our independent pork producers. Our pork is first and foremost as it is representative of our breed, its flavour, its texture, its colour and its versatility. The OSBPG Charity recognise the hard work and dedication from our independent producers, breeders and keepers of the Oxford Sandy and Black pig. Furthermore, we see the value in what you do, and as such Kathryn Green-Smith has designed the OSBPG Charity Pork labels. The labels are free and are in recognition of the value that you show in producing OSB Rare Breed pork. Just like Mr. & Mrs. Edmond of Poppyfields Fine Produce, you can also own your free 150 OSB Pork Labels here .
Farming through the eyes of a child by Lili & Megan Bee Hello my name is Meg and I am 9 years old and my sister Lili is 8. We live in a village called Carmel near Caernarfon in North Wales We have lots of different animals on the farm and we love every single one of them and they love us too. The pigs love to nibble our wellies and we play chase around the field when they make grunting noises which makes us laugh. We think they are laughing too and enjoy playing with us. The chickens and ducks are brilliant because they lay eggs for our breakfast and they allow us to pick them up for a cuddle they are so warm and cuddly. We also have cows and sheep. The Cows are the biggest animals on the farm and are very pretty they make big bellowing noises. The sheep are pregnant and we love helping mum with the lambing. The lambs are so cute we love to cuddle the lambs, they are so soft and warm.. Although we are young we have always helped our mum around the farm, we feed the animals, and help to clean out their pens and wash out their feed troughs and water troughs and refill them. We also know how much to feed our animals to make sure that they do not get over fat and stay healthy. You most probably can tell that we love being outdoors and being with all our animals, especially when they are giving birth. We help mum look after the piglets and the lambs and we love the funny noises all the animals make, it makes us happy all the time.
Farming through the eyes of a child Our mum works as well as looking after us and the animals every day, we are happy that mum has the animals because it makes her happy which makes us both happy. We do help mum in the mornings before we go to school and when we return home from school. Sometimes we think that mum is unhappy because she has to go out when it is raining, windy, snowing and freezing cold. Lili and I don’t like going out in the horrible weather, of course mum tells us that the animals need to be cared for all the time no matter what day it is or what the weather is like. We just agree and then disappear quickly when it's raining. Basically, mum is very kind to us because she lets us go out when we want to. We are very lucky. We have been asked if we are lonely living and growing up on the farm, we never get lonely because we can always go and see the animals and we can talk to them and give them a big hug, we also have lots of friends too. Late last year we were a little sad because mum moved the Oxford Sandy and Black Pigs off the farm. It made mum sad too but luckily they didn’t move far they were picked up and taken to mum's work where she can still see them everyday. Happily we still have Johnny the big OSB boar, but he is always away on holiday. Mum says that he is having the time of him life. When he comes home we check him over and mum makes sure that he is up to date with his medicines we worm him and check him everyday before he goes on holiday again. Oh, we also had to let Molly go, we were very sad, she had a sore leg and it was hurting her so it was kind to let her go. We did enjoy the sausages, they were very nice! After awhile we began to miss the pigs so much we moaned and moaned at mum to get some pigs and of course she gave in and bought us two Kune Kune pigs! We got to go on a fantastic road trip to Scotland, the dogs came and we spent a weekend in Haven.
Thank you for reading our story and we hope you enjoyed it. From Meg & Lili
Genetic Spread Allowance At the end of 2023 , the charity has supported the move of 46 pigs all across the UK, adding key bloodlines to regions without or with low levels. Our supporters have clocked up a whopping 15,070 miles, this is the same as the circumference of the Earth when measured around the equator The pigs themselves have travelled 7,535 miles, this is almost the same as the width of the Atlantic Ocean when measured from the eastern coast of North America to the western coast of Europe and Africa Since the last update we have supported the moves of a Jack boar from Gloucester to Scotland, a Lady gilt from Colwyn Bay to Scotland a Sybil gilt to Scotland from East Anglia and finally a Gloria sow from South Kent to Warwickshire Our program has donated £4,900 to our members, supporting them with these key moves to diversify and conserve our dynamic Oxford Sandy and Black.
Genetic Spread Allowance What is the GSA Program?
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The GSA is a financial allowance to be given to the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig Group charity supporters to encourage the geographical spread and genetic selection of the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig bloodlines within the UK. ● ● ● ●
The GSA encourages the charity’s supporters to travel for genetic diversity. Encourages a good genetic selection Encourages new breeders and a network of communication Creating positive and direct communication with the Trustees and/or Regional Mentors.
What is Required? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
An Oxford Sandy and Black Pig breeder is willing to travel either (in one direction); over three hours or 150 miles Introduce a rare line or a sow/boar bloodline where 5 or less than a given bloodline exists in that county/region Both parties(Buyer and Seller) have to be active members or Friends of the OSBPG Foundation Charity Purchased pigs must adhere to breed standard Provide pedigree details of all currently owned registered stock Provide pedigree details of all proposed registered stock Provide photos and/or video (including identification i.e tag) of the proposed stock
How much is the Genetic Spread allowance? As of January 15th, 2024, the GSA payment for qualifying applications has been increased from £175 to £200. The £200.00 allowance will be awarded after the successful transition and movement of the Oxford Sandy and Black Pig is confirmed and verified with the OSBPG Charity and purchaser. Members of the OSBPG register will receive £250 for qualifying applications. Why are we doing this? The achievements will be tenfold as we hope to see a steady increase in our bloodlines diversity and to populate designated regions that may not otherwise have a particular bloodline. The objective of this project is to encourage a good genetic selection. To encourage new breeders and to encourage a network of communication for the supporters of our charity. To also encourage communication, which is paramount, with our supporters and trustees. Creating positive and direct communication with the Trustees and/or Regional Mentors. The Charity’s ethos and focus is to support, inspire, educate and enthuse individuals about our breed and give guidance to our supporters. How do I apply? To apply you need to submit an online application form, you can do this here. Please note that application does not guarantee qualification for the award, applications are reviewed on an individual basis and reviewed by the charities’ trustees.
Vet Chat Louise Blenkhorn Louise Blenkhorn, BSc(Hons), BVM&S, MRCVS, is an independent pig veterinary consultant and a pig farmers daughter. Louise's private life is just as busy. A mother of two to Emma and Ava. Louise and her husband Neil, run a successful herd of Limousin beef cattle.
Controlled Exposure as a Disease Prevention Tool – best ‘vaccine’ on your farm There are many vaccines on the market however these commercially available vaccines are not always targeted to the precise unique farm strain or type and may therefore have limited efficacy. In the absence of an effective alternative control measure, to protect pig health and welfare, controlled exposure can be used as a disease prevention tool. Controlled exposure is not suitable for disease control in all cases so it is important to consult your veterinarian who will direct and advise you further. The most common scenario on commercial units where we use controlled exposure is in the control of piglet scour, either E.coli or Rotavirus which commonly affect piglets <5 days of age. If piglet scour is encountered in the first 5 days post farrowing, these loose faeces can be used to ‘feed back’ to in pig sows and particularly gilts, which are between 2 and 4 weeks pre farrowing. This exposure will mount an immune response in the sow/ gilt which she will create antibodies to. These antibodies will then be available in the colostrum when the sow/ gilt farrows and this will protect this litter when born. The stages targeted are important as it takes at least 2 weeks to create antibodies and have them available in the colostrum – any closer to farrowing and the antibody levels will not have peaked and any further away from farrowing and the litter will have missed the peak. This is essentially doing the same as a pre farrowing E.coli/Rotavirus vaccine – only the piglet faeces exposure is strain specific to your farm – and will have excellent efficacy if used correctly. A general protocol – Faeces can be collected using a gloved hand/equipment by lifting it with straw. Good personal hygiene during collection and transporting of faeces is advised. In indoor slatted systems, faeces can be collected on flattened cardboard. Faeces can be frozen and stored if needed at a later date. Should any unexpected disease or clinical signs occur in the target animals or their litters, controlled exposure should be stopped immediately and you should consult your veterinarian. The legal bit! The incorporation of pig manure in pig feed or in drinking water is not permitted. Feed and drinking water are to be kept clean and safe. It is not permitted by law to use pig tissues as a product for disease control. This information and guidance note refers only to the use of pig manure or bedding contaminated with pig manure.
Ingredients (2-4 portions) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
1 OSB pork shank 2 cm grated ginger 1 grated lemongrass 1/4 grated lime 2 tsp garlic puree 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice 1 tsp brown sugar 4 tsp olive oil pinch of salt
Marinated Chinese-Style Pork Shank By Nicky Newbold
Method 1.
Mix all the ingredients, with a little water to make a paste.
2.
Coat the meat with the marinade, cover & leave in a fridge overnight.
3.
Cover & roast on 150°C for about 1 hour 30 minutes.
4.
Uncover & finish cooking for up to 1 hour.
5.
Serve with sautéed potatoes and a bitter leaf salad.
This recipe and more can be found in our cookbook “Pork-licious” which can be purchased from our online shop here
Our OSB Breeders and Producers If you’re looking for weaners, wonderful OSB Pork, breeding stock, or boars to hire, then look no further than our Interactive “Breeders and Producers Map” We have over 100 breeders and producers located all over the United Kingdom and Ireland. So if your looking pop on over to our website and see who is near you.
If you’re an OSB Pork Producer or Breeder yourself, then why not get yourself listed for “FREE” on our map. Our website has over 3,000 visitors every month, with hundreds looking for OSB Pork, Breeding Stock and Weaners.
Click here to add yourself to our map for “FREE”
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