Wednesday May 7, 2014

Day 75..

Farming Theory - today we were split into two groups the first investigated mowers and my group investigated toppers. We created a cross sectional drawing on the board and labelled the main parts before talking through the functions etc. We were then set the task of discussing the current legislation and codes of practice that influence the agriculture sector, for example, the health and safety at work act 1974 - affecting employers and employees, LOLER - lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations, PUWER - provision and use of work equipment regulations and COSHH - the control of substances hazardous to health. (Forms part of the D assessment criteria). Finally, in small groups we had to draw and label the main parts and components of a tractor and discuss the materials each were made out of and why, for example the cylinder block is made out of cast iron as this is durable, has a low melting point, good fluidity, castability, exceptional machinability and is ware resistant!

Farming Practical - this afternoon we had to relocate the set of later lambing ewes and their lambs to middle meadow but first we had to worm and ear tag the lambs! We herded the sheep into one of the lambing yards at home farm (eventually - after some of the ewes went one way and their lambs went another) so that we could separate them into two groups (one to keep one to go to market). The lambs received two oral solutions today: zermex - for the control of internal parasites such as gastro-intestinal round worms and lungworm and helps to prevent and treat external parasite psoroptic manage (scab). provides persistent action against scab mites for - 4 weeks, preventing infection or reinfection. Persistent action against stomach worms for up to 5 weeks. And, vecoxan - to treat and help prevent coccidial infections in lambs caused in particular, by the more pathogenic (infectious organisms) Eimeria species: E. crandallis & E. ovinoidalis. All the galway lambs were also ear tagged and recorded as this will remain on the farm or form part of lamb packs later!