HEDGE PROJECT NEWSLETTER.AUTUMN 2015 Issue 100 HEDGE Project Newslett er. Autumn 2015 OCT 2015 The last 6 months have seen the regular seasonal changes in our conservation work. We go from felling/scrub clearance, site repairs and keeping the housed animals healthy and fat throughout the Winter, to invasive weed management, project work, keeping tabs on our deployed livestock and stopping them from escaping off the heaths throughout the Summer, as well as getting a healthy suntan of course. And now the days shorten and we are about to switch back into our Winter routines. There have also been changes to our livestock and team. In August we waved goodbye to the last of our Poll Dorset sheep; although they will be greatly missed, it has eased our workload and, as a result, our cattle have never been in better fettle. Kayleigh Winch has been welcomed in as Team Leader; a fresh Bournemouth University graduate who had previously worked with us. Not only is she very sharp and intelligent(!), winning the Jack Parsons Award for best dissertation, but she is also extremely organised and the tool shed has never been so tidy. In late July one of our cattle on Holt heath was spotted by a member of the public, stuck in a pond, in a very sorry state. Anticipating deep water, Dale prepared by bringing a wetsuit, much to his surprise the water was only 18 inches deep! So with a push, a shove and a large winch the cow was removed from the pond. Able to stand on its own, it was left on the heath to recover, hoping to remain in the main herd. Much to our surprise the same cow was spotted by one of our volunteers, Susi, a few days later, stuck back in a boggy area of the heathland, just yards from the original pond. With the help of Dorset Fire Brigade, she was removed from the bog for a 2nd time and, reluctantly put in the livestock trailer for safe return to the home farm for some TLC from Nicola (see 1 st picture). The past few weeks have focused on finishing the new cow muck store ready for the cattle returning to the barns for the Winter (see Kayleigh at work in 2 nd picture). This new facility will make our manure management much easier and greatly reduce the risk of getting bogged down with the tractor in the middle of a damp, smelly muck heap, without any wellingtons to aid one’s escape. There’s no way around the hard graft, but together Dale, Kayleigh, Nicola and David managed to lay 120 Tons of concrete in just 8 days and lived to tell the tale! The Summer months
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HEDGE PROJECT NEWSLETTER.AUTUMN 2015 Issue 100
HEDGE Project
Newsletter.Autumn
2015OCT 2015
The last 6 months have seen the regular seasonal changes in our conservation work. We go from felling/scrub clearance, site repairs and keeping the housed animals healthy and fat throughout the Winter, to invasive weed management, project work, keeping tabs on our deployed livestock and stopping them from escaping off the heaths throughout the Summer, as well as getting a healthy suntan of course. And now the days shorten and we are about to switch back into our Winter routines.
There have also been changes to our livestock and team. In August we waved goodbye to the last of our Poll Dorset sheep; although they will be greatly missed, it has eased our workload and, as a result, our cattle have never been in better fettle. Kayleigh Winch has been welcomed in as Team Leader; a fresh Bournemouth University graduate who had previously worked with us. Not only is she very sharp and intelligent(!), winning the Jack Parsons Award for best dissertation, but she is also extremely organised and the tool shed has never been so tidy.
In late July one of our cattle on Holt heath was spotted by a member of the public, stuck in a pond, in a very sorry state. Anticipating deep water, Dale prepared by bringing a wetsuit, much to his surprise the water was only 18 inches deep! So with a push, a shove and a large winch the cow was removed from the pond. Able to stand on its own, it was left on the heath to recover, hoping to remain in the main herd. Much to our surprise the same cow was spotted by one of our volunteers, Susi, a few days later, stuck back in a boggy area of the heathland, just yards from the original pond. With the help of Dorset Fire
Brigade, she was removed from the bog for a 2nd time and, reluctantly put in the livestock trailer for safe return to the home farm for some TLC from Nicola (see 1st picture).
The past few weeks have focused on finishing the new cow muck store ready for the cattle returning to the barns for the Winter (see Kayleigh at work in 2nd picture). This new facility will make our manure management much easier and greatly reduce the risk of getting bogged down with the tractor in the middle of a damp, smelly muck heap, without any wellingtons to aid one’s escape. There’s no way around the hard graft, but together Dale, Kayleigh, Nicola and David managed to lay 120 Tons of concrete in just 8 days and lived to tell the tale!
The Summer months
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The great weather we’ve had this year has allowed the rarer heathland vegetation to thrive, and also enabled the edible grasses to last much longer than in previous years. Thanks to this, many of our cows could remain deployed on the National Trust’s Holt Heath National Nature Reserve for a while longer; allowing us to leave the remaining cows at the home farm in the fields and out of the barns. Much better for them and for us….
This year has also been great for calving; the new bull “Obee One” (as in the Star Wars character – see picture) seems to love doing his job as a bovine gigolo! What he lacks in style he makes up for in enthusiasm and commitment.
With over twenty calves currently bouncing around, the home farm fields look more like a playground than a conservation project.
It has also been a great learning opportunity for our new staff and interns who have now been exposed to normal
and fully assisted calvings, calf management, downer cow management and variations in cow behaviour before, during and after calving.
The Current TeamThe Current Team comprises:Dale Garwood – Project Manager, Head Ranger and General Good Egg. Kayleigh Winch – Field Team Leading Ranger. An award winning graduate in Env & Wildlife Cons (EWIC) at Bournemouth University. Having undertaken a number of standard course placements with us during her degree, she joined the permanent staff team at the end of her paid Graduate Internship. David Stratten – A long standing volunteer who assists us for 3 Days each Week, as well as being our main supplier of elite Donuts for tea breaks.
Nicola Lamb – A recent EWIC graduate from Bournemouth University who first completed a Summer work placement with us 2 years ago. She is currently undertaking a 3 month paid internship with us via the Bournemouth University internship scheme. Susi Thayer – A local resident with bionic eyes and ears who volunteers every week to help find our elusive native breed cattle and Dartmoor hill ponies out on our heathland areas.
John Terry – a mature student undertaking a full time course in
Countryside & Wildlife Management at Kingston Maurward College. Jon undertook a short placement with us last Autumn and will return to us in December 2015.Matt Cook – a local VIth form student who helps out during school holiday periods.Tony Payne - A local resident who has volunteered to assist us over the coming season on an occasional basis. Steve Beach – A Ferndown resident who volunteers with us whenever he has gaps in his main occupation.Ellie Seedhouse-Morton – Ellie is a student on the Env & Wildlife Management Course at Bournemouth University. She is planning to undertake her next Summer course placement with us.
Graduate Interns. We have 2 x additional paid Graduate Internship vacancies starting in the current academic year, run in collaboration with Bournemouth University. These 3 month paid placements are suitable for any Bournemouth University 3rd year
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students, those who graduated in the last 2 years or any Masters/PhD students.
Start dates are from now through until July 2016 after exams are finished. We are looking for personnel wishing to become reserves in case one of our current candidates is unable to start. Please contact Dale if you are interested.
Apprentices. Due to the success of our graduate internship programme, we have not recruited any Apprentices for the current academic year. We will reexamine our requirements in the Spring for Apprentice Recruitment for Summer 2016, ready to commence the college-based phase in September 2016.
We also run a range of course visits and outreach programs to identify future staff, recruit new volunteer helpers, educate potential placement applicants and educate various groups from the general public about the work that we do.
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The coming months…As summer has now ended and the colder weather sets in, it’s time to move the cattle back into the barns to begin our winter routine of bedding and feeding; a newly concreted barn this year means extra space for the new calves and their dams which is always beneficial. We also still have cattle due to calve in the coming Winter months, so the excitement (and occasional bemusement) hasn’t stopped yet.
Site restoration work has also begun on our SSSI heathland sites with some late Autumn scrub clearance at the forefront of it, to improve the quality of the ecosystem and prevent loss of biodiversity. Our semi-feral Dartmoor Hill ponies will remain on Whitesheet plantation, as they did last year, to continue grazing throughout the winter months. Compared to Dartmoor, our heathland sites are apparently a holiday park. Brrrr…
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Looking into the New Year, plans for erection of the new tool shed and workshop are underway. This may not sound thrilling to any ordinary person. However Kayleigh is itching to clean, tidy and find every last tool an organised home. OCD does have a use…
In the Spotlight…
Nicola Lamb
As a recent graduate with a Bsc (Hons) in Ecology and Wildlife Conservation I have an underpinning knowledge of conservation theories and principles. I also understand the importance of vegetation management for protected sites and species. However I was lacking many of the essential practical skills needed to secure full time employment. I knew that an internship, awarded by Santander bank through Bournemouth University, would be a great opportunity to learn these skills, and therefore once I was informed that I had a place, I couldn’t wait to start. I had already completed a 2 week work placement at the farm in 2013 as part of my degree and therefore I knew what to expect.
The skills I have gained from being part of the HEDGE project have been varied, including fencing, livestock management, learning about cattle diseases plus involvement in assisted calvings and the management of downer cows. All of the large grazing animals that we look after serve a vital purpose in heathland SSSI conservation management. Every one of our Ruby Red Devon’s have a different personality (with a tag number of course!) and the 14 wild ponies are just as engaging in a different way as I have come to know their habits well, both good and bad.
I have spent approx. 2 hours most mornings cycling over the various heath sites to check the ponies and cows health, which has been a privilege and not really like work at all. However, believe it or not my, my highlight so far has been my involvement in the building of the new muck store. Yes concreting and lots of it!! But also many, many new transferrable skills to match.
Knowing that our work on the muck store was making a better environment for the cows and the SNCI wildflower fields at the home farm made me plough on through some very challenging work, (often with lunch on the go). We saw clear progress every week and, of course, regular Donuts with Tea helped the whole process. Thank you to David our Head Donut supplier. My days spent learning to concrete were really hard work and there were some long days on task but it was all so rewarding.
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Hi, I’m Kayleigh, the new team leader at The HEDGE Project. I’ve recently completed a three month paid internship through Bournemouth University and Santander Bank at the HEDGE Project, having just finished a degree in Ecology and Wildlife Conservation. I have volunteered at The HEDGE Project intermittently over the past two years and I am excited to be completing an entire season as part of the permanent staff team and looking forward to see what new challenges and successes this year will bring!
I grew up in an urban part of Essex, completely different to the rural farming environment found in East Dorset and initially wanted to work in education, having completed a placement with Essex Wildlife Trust as the assistant Education Officer.
However, after my first summer here at the HEDGE Project I fell in love with the cattle and working outside; I’m constantly learning new things. Everything from cattle behaviour to fixing fences; it’s great to still be challenging myself having finished university. On advice given by Dale during my first placement, I gained my chainsaw, pesticide and brushcutter certificates during my
time at University and I have also
just passed my tractor course. Although I have the necessary degree to work in conservation, it is these technical licences and certificates which have gained me my job; they are essential to anyone looking to
work as a ranger.
In my relatively short time with the HEDGE Project I have been involved in a rich variety of tasks; TB tests, cattle round ups, ear tagging, injections and fence building, initially always under supervision, but increasingly, as my confidence and competence grows, doing things on my own or leading my own tasks. It has been a big change, going from being a part time volunteer to standing up to head tasks as the Leading Ranger. I have already learnt so much during the last four months as a permanent staff team member. My highlight was when I helped directly with an unplanned fully assisted calving for the first time in August; it was incredible.
Given my own experiences over the last 2 years, I would highly recommend volunteering at The HEDGE Project– it’s a great way to earn about local wildlife, stay fit, and get real hands on experience in a
conservation project. You can also discover which areas you excel in and which need more work if you are looking to be a Park Ranger or Reserve Manager one day. You can get involved in the more practical side of the Project as there are always fences that need fixing and construction projects to complete. Or you can help us out by completing cattle checks which is a great way to learn about cow behaviour and illnesses while enjoying the countryside. Or you can carry out wildlife surveys covering
birds, reptiles and vegetation (a great way to help us monitor the effectiveness of our management techniques, or perhaps do it as an independent research project for
university purposes). We have roles available for a variety of ages and abilities – just contact me for any advice that you might want. As a recent graduate, I know what you need to do and I know how best to achieve it.
Introducing our new Team Leader – Kayleigh Winch…
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Disease of the Month – Cattle ScoursSevere diarrhoea or calf scours is one of the most costly disease issues affecting beef enterprises. It is a major cause of calf mortality and severe growth check in recovering calves.
The following are the more common and important variants of calf scours:
• Rotavirus infection (most common) Infection can cause a complete range of clinical signs, from no observed abnormality to severe diarrhoea and dehydration with high mortality.
• Coronavirus diarrhoea Infection can progress rapidly to weakness, recumbency, severe dehydration and death.
• Enterotoxigenic E. coli Incidence is low (1% of scouring calves) but losses can be high. Sudden onset of scour is accompanied by a bloated appearance.
• Cryptosporidiosis Diarrhoea is caused by the physical loss of absorptive area from the small intestine and increases the severity of other potential infections. Dehydration tends to be mild, but calves lose condition over 2-5 days and have a dull tucked-up appearance.
• Coccidiosis Caused by single-celled parasites, coccidia. Coccidial species that cause disease damage the cell lining of the large intestine, resulting in diarrhoea.
• Salmonella
Risk factors and susceptibility
All young calves are potentially at risk of infection, but the following will increase the likelihood of disease occurring: • history of specific infection on the unit; • replacements from another unit; • inadequate colostrum; • poor standards of hygiene. •
R o t a v i r u s most commonly affects calves at 8–14 days.
• C o r o n a v i r u s causes diarrhoea in calves up to 20 days old.
• E n t e r o t o x i g e n i c E. coli typically affects calves aged 1-3 days.
• C r y p t o s p o r i d i o s i s is most common in calves 10–21 days old.
• C o c ci d i o s i s is particularly common in calves between 3 weeks and 6 months old.
• S a l m o n e l l a usually affects calves 2-6 weeks of age
.
Early identification
Early signs are as follows for the main diseases:
• Rotavirus Reluctance to stand and suck, mild depression, salivation; this is quickly followed by acute onset of diarrhoea (watery yellow/green faeces).
• Coronavirus Depression, reluctance to suck, and faeces containing mucus and milk curds.
• Enterotoxigenic E. coli Profuse yellow/white diarrhoea causing rapid and severe dehydration; calves quickly become recumbent and bloated.
• Cryptosporidiosis Profuse yellow/green diarrhoea with mucus present.
• CoccidiosisA watery diarrhoea is often accompanied by straining, mucus and blood, with depression, lack of appetite and weight loss.
• Salmonella A pasty diarrhoea often with blood and has an offensive odour. Calves can rapidly become dehydrated, collapse and die.
Prevention and control
• Management The risk of all forms of calf scours can be minimised by ensuring calving areas are clean and well-bedded, preferably mucked-out between calvings. Calves must ingest 7% of their body weight of colostrum (2–3 litres) within the first six hours, to reduce risks.
In the case of c r y p t o s p o r i d i o s i s , where the parasite can remain in the environment for months, it is important to avoid using the same fields for calving, and to move newborn animals immediately to clean pasture.
• Vaccination Annual vaccination of pregnant cows with a combined r o t a v i r u s , c o r o n a v i r u s and E. coli K99 vaccine provides valuable insurance. Protective antibodies are passed on in the colostrum.
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis from symptoms outlined above and/or through laboratory analysis of faeces
Treatment of severely scouring calves:
• isolate in a well-bedded pen;
• feed 1-2 litres of oral electrolyte 2–4 times a day (stomach tube once and consult vet if calves will not suck through a teat within 2-4 hours);
• if dehydrated calves cannot stand unaided, intravenous fluids should be administered by your vet;
• antibiotic injections should be used for concurrent infections (e.g. navel ill);
• as calves recover, alternate milk and electrolyte solution every 2–4 hours;
• offer fluids by teat as active sucking is an indicator of improvement
OpportunitiesWe are always looking for students to undertake 3 month paid internships via the Bournemouth University / Santander Bank scheme. The scheme aims to give students (at 3rd year undergraduate, recently graduated and postgraduate course level) who are interested in a conservation-based career, a range of workplace skills to support their academic qualification and increase greatly their future employability. Full eligibility criteria for the scheme can be found on the Bournemouth University Careers Hub.
We also accept university students from a range of courses across the Applied Science Faculty onto course-based placements and are fully familiar with the requirements of such placements.
We accept students from Kingston Maurward College onto course placements from a wide range of NVQ Level2, Level 3 and Foundation Degree courses.
Many of these professional volunteers from the above categories have also been given short term paid contract work with us and some of the best have gone on to become full members of our permanent staff team.
In most years, we take on 1 or 2 individuals as formal Apprentices in partnership with Kingston Maurward College as our academic training provider. Details of the Apprenticeship Schemes available change from year to year. Up to date details on the current government Apprenticeship schemes can be found at www.kmc.ac.uk. Because of the rigour and quality of our training, many of our apprentices have moved into full time paid employment during or at the end of their Apprenticeship year. In 2014, one of our Apprentices was awarded the Kingston Maurward College Apprentice of the Year and now manages her own herd of wild cattle in Northumberland.
Non-career volunteers are always welcome, whatever their skill set, age, ability, availability and aspirations. All you need is the ability to get to one of our sites in East Dorset and a willingness to learn - we can enable the rest. Our volunteer supporters enable us to carry out a number of tasks which are important to the project but which receive no government funding. These include surveys across a wide range of species groups. We also have plenty of activities suitable for those who simply want to blow off some steam with some hard, challenging but satisfying work in a beautiful countryside setting. Without that important group of people, we simply couldn’t do everything that is required to preserve our unique heathland SSSI environments.
If you’re interested in volunteering at The HEDGE Project in any form at all, just get in contact – you’ll get to experience life at a real working grazing conservation project, as well as spending a day in the great outdoors! We have a wide range of activities taking place every day of the week, 50 weeks of the year, with something suitable for any level of experience or ambition.
