Royal Welsh Spring Festival starts on Saturday.

Lots on the cards- Large number of pigs in the show, Farming Connect have a series of demonstrations with our president Bob Stevenson, Our stand will be dispensing teas and coffee and we have activities for children.

Members can collect a free membership card entitling them to free refreshments at all the shows we attend.

AND, we are launching our Junior pig handling competition ending with the championship at the Winter Fair. We have Pig Agility back by popular demand.

We will have a folder with pigs for sale in it. If you have any for sale, please bring photo and description on A4 sheet and a poly pocket awaits.

On Saturday evening we have a get together at the stand from 5.30 onwards with a shared buffet. Bring a chair, drink and food to share. We will have some entertainment-. See you all there!!

Wales & Border Counties Pig Breeders Association
Sunday 28th February 2016 – Pig Keepers Education Day

For all pig keepers, new and experienced.

FULL DAY TRAINING & VISITS INCLUDING LUNCH

Meet at Leysters Village Hall HR6 OHP, 10.30 for 11am

TRAINING DVD
Followed by discussion & questions

TWO-COURSE LUNCH in Village Hall, then

FARM VISIT to WELSH PIG BREEDING UNIT
SEPARATE VISIT TO FINISHING UNIT
Ending about 3.30pm

Please wear CLEAN footwear suitable for a farm walk
Cost for the day, including lunch and refreshments –
Members of W&BC PBA £10,
Non-members £25 (includes a year’s subscription to W&BC PBA)

Places must be booked in advance –
Dave Lang 01597 860211 / Chris Bemand 01568 750461
(To book and/or for more details)

The day includes: –
Introduction to pig keeping, regulations, health & safety,
breeding, AI, showing, tattooing, notching, and more

‘Wanted! Suppliers of free range pork for salami business in Longtown, Herefordshire.

We are looking for cutting weight to bacon weight pigs, must be raised to high welfare standards. Please find more information about us at www.jakescuredmeats.com‘

Email- jake@jakescuredmeats.com

phone- 01873860254

Free of charge – 9 spaces available

Contact Barbara Warren to get full details & to book your place (07885 790821)

———-

Upon arrival at 9am , refreshments will be provided, and John Messenger from the MLCSL will present on various aspects including carcase grading, market requirements and  best practices.

Around 10.30, we will make our way up to the abattoir, where live pigs and carcases will be viewed and discussed.

Pig breeders and keepers are invited to an industry meeting run by HCC on Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea Virus (PEDv) on Friday 17^th April at the Welsh Government Pavilion, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells at 12 noon.

As you may be aware PEDv has hit the pig industry in North America over the past year and is a serious disease epidemic which causes severe diarrhoea in all ages of pigs. The new strain of PEDv is highly infectious and moves very easily between pig units not only by infected animals but anything which may be contaminated by the virus. As a result, PEDv presents a huge financial burden to affected pig herds.

It is important that the Welsh pork industry understands about PEDv and is well prepared in anticipation of the disease coming to Britain. The meeting will address what PEDv is and where it is, how to control a PEDv outbreak and the approaches taken to prevent the spread of PEDv in Wales . The organisers will also take the opportunity to update you on the initiatives currently being undertaken by HCC to promote and develop Porc from Wales as a brand.

Please confirm your attendance by emailing cmorris@hccmpw.org.uk or phoning the HCC office on 01970 625 050

 22^nd February 2015

Basic pig tasks Workshop. A workshop for those who are starting with pigs. Venue: Pleasant View, Cold Blow, Narberth, Pembrokeshire. SA67 8RR. Start at 11.30 and plan to finish at around 3.00p.m. A buffet lunch will be provided. Price £15

e-mail sharron@nicholas80.fsnet.co.uk to book a place.

If you would prefer to attend on Sunday 8^th March, please contact Sharron on the e-mail above.

29^th March 2015

Showing Pigs Workshop hosted by Wendy Scudamore at Barton Hill Farm, Kentchurch, Hereford. Price £15. Turn up at 10.30am for an 11am start. Bring a packed lunch.  More details to follow shortly. Contact Wendy either by her Facebook page or on wendy@bartonhill.co.uk

Burry Herd Welsh Pigs Visit, Gower, Swansea
on Thursday 20th November

Visit by Invitation to the Ken Austin’s Burry Herd of Welsh pigs which includes more than 300 Welsh sows.
Burry Dairy Farm, Reynoldston, Gower, Swansea, SA31BE
11.30am till 2.30 pm on Thursday 20th November.
We hope to have Bob Stevenson in attendance
Please contact Barbara on 01495 755557 if you would like to attend.

Please consider your bio security and wear clean clothes and boots, etc. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn how a large herd of pigs is managed. Anyone considering moving on from dairy, or enlarging their herd would benefit from this visit.

Numbers limited, so please phone or email (ba.warren@hotmail.co.uk) to secure a place.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
on Sunday 23rd November 2014, 11am-3pm at The New Inn, Newbridge-on-Wye

Come to our main annual event
AGM + Sunday Lunch + Special Charcuterie Tasting

£10 / head only
• 2 – Course Lunch and coffee
• Association Annual General Meeting
• ‘Tutored Tasting’ of Trealy Farm produce with prize-winning charcutier James Swift

Booking essential – telephone Sue Howe on 07801 577072
Winter Fair, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells
1st and 2nd December 2014

Come and join other Association members at the Winter Fair. Volunteers are always welcome to help in the Association marquee and to help with the Sausage Competition. Please contact Barbara Warren (01495 755557) if you can help; a free ticket for the show will be winging its way to you!

SUE HOWE – GENERATING ADDED VALUE WITH YOUR PORK
September Sunday 28th 2014 at Talgarth Church Hall, Hay Road, Talgarth
Cost £10 per person
10.30 for 11.00 finish at 3.00 approx.
Buffet lunch is included
The morning session will concentrate on the added value to your pork products, the afternoon will be more of a Q&A regarding legislation and selling.
Contact Sue Howe directly (07801 577072)

BOB STEVENSON – PIG POST MORTEMS
November Sunday 2nd 2014 at Greenmeadow Community Farm, Cwmbran, NP44 5AJ. Numbers limited & booking is essential – and book early!

Cost £20 per person (lunch available)
10.30am-3pm

This is our last opportunity to hear international pig vet expert and celebrity Bob. He has given us many talks over the years, has high regard for the Association, and has kindly agreed to one more course before he steps down and retires properly.
Bring clean clothes & footwear
Part funded by Farming Connect
Contact Sue Howe directly (07801 577072)

COME TO OUR MAIN EVENT

AGM + Sunday Lunch + Special Charcuterie Tasting

on Sunday 23rd November 2014, 11am-3pm

at The New Inn, Newbridge-on-Wye

£10 / head only

•   2 – Course Lunch and coffee
•   Association Annual General Meeting
•   ‘Tutored Tasting’ of Trealy Farm produce with prize-winning Charcutier James Swift

 Booking essential – telephone Sue Howe on 07801 577072

Part funded by Farming Connect

Venue: Greenmeadow Community Farm, Cwmbran
Bob Stephenson to give a talk about A.I. and Pig Breeding.
Charge £15 per head
10.30 Coffee
11.00 Start session
Lunch 1 to 1.30 in the café(order lunch before)
1.30 -3.30 Afternoon session
3.30 Finish

Contact Barbara Warren to book your place

AGM & Pork Marketing workshop, Sunday 10th November 2013, 11am to 3pm, New Inn, Newbridge on Wye

Sue Howe will be running a pork marketing workshop prior to lunch and the AGM on Sunday 10th November 2013.  Please let Andy Zambanini know if you plan to attend (andy.zambanini@btconnect.com).

Salami and Charcuterie workshop,
Sunday 24th November 2013, New Inn, Newbridge on Wye

The Association plans to host a Salami Workshop run by an external expert
(Mark Frederick) on Sunday 24th November.  Cost will be £20 per person payable in advance and spaces are limited to a total of 12 so that you can gain hands on experience.  If you would like more information on
the workshop, please contact Sue Howe directly (sue_howe@hotmail.com;
07801 577072).

Artificial Insemination & Pig Breeding Workshop,
RESCHEDULED TO FEBRUARY 2014

Bob Stevenson as many of you will know is an expert in all maladies, treatments
and interventions related to pigs.  He has very kindly agreed to run a
workshop next Sunday at the New Inn, Newbridge on Wye primarily focusing on
artificial insemination and pig breeding, but he will also be running a general
question and answer session so please bring along your photos, videos and
questions for any pig health related issues.

Cost is £5 for association members payable on the day.  Lunch is also
available at extra cost (approximately £5).  Please confirm your
interest by phoning Barbara Warren on 01495 755557 or e-mail (ba.warren@hotmail.co.uk).