Falklands : Falklands Farmers' Week Day Two
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 11.07.2008 (Article Archived on 25.07.2008)
Today had everything from putting out fires to disease surveillance.
FALKLANDS FARMERS’ WEEK DAY TWO
By J. Brock (FINN)
Day two of Farmers’ Week began with learning how to attend aircraft and how to put out fires. The venue was FIGAS at Stanley Airport. Workboat Services invited farmers aboard Concordia Bay at FIPASS and provided lunch for them in the late morning/early afternoon.
The very important Falkland Islands Meat Company’s Review followed, with FIMCO Annual Review, presented by General Manager John Ferguson. Mr Ferguson said that 18,600 sheep and 1290 Old Season Lamb as well as 2,000 New Sheep (NS) – lambs went through the Abattoir with a daily average of 500 or as close as possible. A focus was put on Old Season Lamb (OS) so that their production would be increased. He went on to say that objectives for the local market were to make sales and pricing more competitive, increase the wholesale customer base and increase the volume of quality cattle processed.
Carcass Quality this year was better than last year with 12 of 30,029 being totally rejected for a combination of Hydatid Cysts and/or boils. Carcass weight and price had also increased since last year with the daily average increasing but record day decreasing. Sales per head have increased over last year.
The local Beef Market showed a decrease in beef fat scores from 2005 and a corresponding improvement in quality. However, the export of Old Season Lamb did not go as well as expected and there was a difficulty with pricing skins. Further to this there were production bottlenecks and a shortage of cold store space. The transport of livestock also caused problems.
Key issues were expressed as international market prices improving yet volatile, the pricing of Lamb that benefits both the farmer and FIMCO, maximising sales, product quality, efficiencies and operating ability. Livestock transport will also be problematic but Mr Ferguson daid that new animal transport systems were being designed and built in New Zealand and should be with us by the end September – mid October. The focus will also be on building up the local market.
Mr Ferguson said that turnover was over £1Million for the first time
Steve Pointing then talked about the updated results on surveillance for diseases like Hydatids and boils. He began by saying that the statistics were about the same as those last year with Caseous (CLA) boils being the biggest problem. Farmers do not send animals with visible boils but Mr Pointing sad that if boils were in the lungs and in the meat they cannot be seen. Boils are not prevalent in younger sheep and lambs so with the focus on Old season and new season Lamb the problem should be decreased.
It was important to be hygienic at the wool shed with keeping pens disinfected and shearing younger sheep first and keeping them separate from older sheep. Sheep with boils in their lungs cough and could potentially infect other sheep by the aerosol affect when infected sheep cough near a young sheep with a shearing cut.
During the last reporting period there was only one hydatid cyst found at the Abattoir. This was sent off to the UK for testing. The results were that a G-1 rating was given which is common throughout the world. Mr Pointing said that he took onboard Mr Vic Epstein’s suggestion that perhaps the life cycle of hydatid worms could be less than the touted 6-week gestation period. Mr Pointing wanted to put a dog in isolation in a special container and feed it Hydatid cysts. The faecal matter would be tested for the presence of worms and the gestation time would be noted. If it is less than 6 weeks then the cycle for Droncit dosing could be altered.
Other diseases were bleeder cysts, pleurisy, pneumonia and trauma (presumably from transport).
The general consensus is that the animals presented for slaughter at the Abattoir were in very good condition. Not much action needs to be taken but vigilance still the core message.
The day will be topped off with the Variety Show in the Town Hall.
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