NSA voucher giveaway 2016: Stephen Scott, Londonderry
31st March 2016
Continually working to improve the efficiency of his sheep flock, NSA member Stephen Scott describes winning a £200 voucher win as the perfect tool to push progress even further.
NSA has teamed up with FecpakG2, Cox Agri/Ritchey and JG Animal Health to give away three £200 vouchers in a free prize draw giveaway every other month throughout 2016. Stephen is one of three winners in the second prize draw of the year and walks away with a voucher for JG Animal Health. Winners are chosen at random from people who sign up as NSA members in 2016, as well as existing members who recommend someone to join.
Stephen, who farms alongside his father Tom near Swatragh, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, described receiving the news of his win as a ‘welcome stress relief in the middle of a busy lambing’. He has been concentrating on the livestock side of the business since 2005, increasing the flock size steadily over that time. He explains the sheep enterprise as it stands today: “We run a total of 390 breeding ewes, of which 340 are commercial Suffolk cross Cheviots and Mules, which we cross to Texel rams. We also run 50 Blackface ewes, put to the Bluefaced Leicester, to breed our own replacements.”
In line with improving the flock’s efficiency, Stephen says one of his primary focusses is on cutting input costs in order to ensure the flock is as profitable as it can be. He continues: “The main of the flock lambs indoors from mid-February, with the 50 Blackface ewes being slightly later towards the end of March. We sell all of the lambs liveweight at local markets, while we’ll also buy in any additional replacements we need from there too.”
Having recently become a member of NSA, Stephen says one of the main membership benefits that appeals to him is the NSA Lambing List. This is a service NSA provides to help members looking for help at lambing time. Having heard success stories from others, Stephan says he plans to use the free service in the future.
Full terms and conditions, plus NSA membership application forms, at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/draw.
