AGM

The AGM will be held on 21st April 2007 at 11am followed by the BMM AGM at 12 noon. Longdon Village Hall, Longdon, nr Tewkesbury, Glos, with lunch at a local pub afterwards.

Transport of Animal Regulations.
From January 07 you are required to have authorisation to travel with animals.
From January 08 you will require authorisation plus a Certificate of Competence.
Apply online at www.defra.gov.uk/animalwelfare, or with form to:

Welfare in Transport Service
State Veterinary Service,
Block C, Government Buildings,
Whittington Road, WORCESTER,
WR5 2SU.

Blue Tongue

The general feeling is now that it is only a matter of time before this disease reaches the UK – most probably the South-East area first. Goats will probably display little signs of the disease. We will be required to treat our animals with insectisides – but clear rules are not yet made.

Main  SHOW  DATES and contact numbers.

Newark and Notts - 12-13th May - 08702 241035

Devon County Show - 17-19th May - 01392 446000

BAGS Craft Show incl in the Royal Welsh Smallholder show
19-20th May - 01982 554408

Staffordshire County Show - 30-31st May - 017850258060

BAGS National Breed Show Inc in 3 Counties Show                     
15-17th June - 01684584900

Royal Highland Show - 21-24th June - 01313356200

Royal Norfolk Show - 27-28th June - 01603 748931

Royal Show - 1-4th July - 02476858275

Great Yorkshire Show - 10-12th July - 014230546205

Royal Welsh Show - 23-26th July - 01982553683

 

The Judge at the BAGS Show will be a South African Judge, Peta De Witt. He will hold a talk at Malvern during the show period and in Devon the week after the show.

The British Angora Goat Society AGM will be held on Saturday 22nd April 2006 at Longdon Village Hall, Longdon, nr Tewkesbury, Glos at 10.30am.

The British Mohair Marketing AGM will be held at the same venue on Saturday 22nd April 2006 at 11.30am.

There will be a buffet lunch at 12.30pm.
During the afternoon there will be talks and demonstrations from:

• FecPak - regarding worm egg counting systems and the control of endoparasites
• Grassroots - a computerised herd/flock control and recording system
• Fibre Analysis - Hilary Redden, previously of McCaulay Research Institute, who now works freelance, will talk about the services she can provide on the subject.

The BAGS Craft Event 2006 will be held on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st May at the Smallholder Show, Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells.
Please support this event if you can. The competition is an ideal way to promote angora goats and mohair. If you can't come to the Show there will be someone who can take your exhibit for you. Contact BAGS office if this is the case. Entries will be returned after the event.
Schedules and entry forms from Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys, LD2 3SY.
Tel: 01982 554411
Fax: 01982 553563

2005

BREED SHOW

The annual Breed Show held this year at the Three Counties Showground at Malvern, was extremely well attended with 80 goat entries and 100 fleece entries. Several exhibitors were present who had not previously attended the Breed Society Show.

The Show Champion was CRIDO ROYALE owned and bred by Mr and Mrs C Tyler. The Reserve Show Champion was GILSTONE JULIA owned by Mr and Mrs I Mason and bred by Mrs S Gill. The Breed Show will be held next year at the Three Counties Showground during the Three Counties Show.

ROYAL SHOW

Royal Show Champion was CORRYMOOR WASHINGTON owned and bred by Mr and Mrs S Whitley. Reserve Show Champion was LONGHOPE TRUDIE owned and bred by Mrs J King.

ROYAL WELSH SHOW

Royal Welsh Show Champion was CRIDO TSAR owned and bred by Mr and Mrs C Tyler. Reserve Show Champion was ELAN MORPOSH owned and bred by Mr and Mrs TM Rogers

WELSH GOAT OF THE YEAR was CRIDO TSAR owned and bred by Mr and Mrs C Tyler. Reserve Welsh Goat of the Year was CRIDO ROYALE owned and bred by Mr and Mrs C Tyler.

2005 MOHAIR SALE PRICES

Kid fleece £6.00 per kilo
Young goat fleece £3.40 per kilo
Adult goat fleece £2.20 per kilo

With the reduction in the mohair production from the USA and South Africa there is a relative deficit in mohair in the world and the future for mohair prices looks very favourable. The changes in subsidy payments now mean that the Single Payment Scheme moneys can be offered for land used for goat husbandry. This is the first time any financial assistance has been available for goats in this country. This is a further boost for angora goat ownership.

EAR TAGGING

Electronic tagging has now been cancelled in regard to goats due to the small number of goats in the UK. The new ear tag numbering regime, which means we will obtain tags and numbers identical to the cattle system, will operate from next year. The tag manufacturers will issue numbers to us in accordance with DEFRA instructions, not in according to the number sequence that we require. We can use our own individual identifying numbers of separate tags if we wish.

SKINS

There will be new forms and regulations with regard to skins, their collection from abattoirs, salting and onward transit to tanneries after the end of September 2005. In essence this will mean that owners of goats slaughtered can take skins back to their own premises, salt and preserve them there and then arrange to transport them to the tanneries. The principle rules mean that transit must be in leak proof containers/packages and that skins must be kept separate from livestock and in vermin proof areas. There will be forms that must be completed with copies for the farm, haulier and tanneries.

Richard and Mary Yonge who won the Supreme Championship at the Royal Show and the British Angora Goat Society Breed Show.

Reg and Gill Scott, who won the Supreme Championship at the Royal Welsh Show.

Mal Rogers who has won the Welsh Goat of the Year Trophy.

It is hoped to hold the 2004 Craft Show at the Smallholder Show at Builth Wells on 15/16th May 2004. Further details will be published when known.

The Breed Show venue for 2004 will be at Stafford County Showground and the expected dates are 17th/19th July. The British Goat Society are also investigating holding their Annual Show at Stafford at the same time.

A Judges Day is planned to be held at Hampton Lucy Village Hall on November 15th 2003.

A Members Day will be combined with the AGM, the date and venue to be decided, but anticipated to be April 2004.

Reg and Gill Scott are leaving us for Australia. We wish them well. Reg was a very helpful and useful Vice-Chairman and member of the Judges Committee, as well as a very active member of the Wales and West Group.

2004

Welsh Goat of the Year 2004. Joint winners were Chrido Milton (owned and bred by Dot and Chris Tyler) and Corrymoor Shogun (owned by Sue Gill and bred by Steve and Jenny Whitley.

15th/16th APRIL BMM Mohair grading at Wetherby. Contact the office for details.

23rd APRIL 11a.m. A.G.M at Hampton Lucy Village Hall. A post AGM lunch at the Charlecote Pheasant will be arranged if interest is sufficient. Please contact BAGS office for more information.

Ian Mason is retiring as Chairman this year and Graham Sexton, the current Vice-Chairman has been proposed for the post of Chairman. Jenny Blackmore has been proposed for the post of Vice-Chairman. Chris Tyler, the current Treasurer is willing to continue in his post.

21st/22nd MAY Royal Welsh Smallholder show at Builth Wells, at which the BAGS Craft Show will again take place in addition to Angora goat and fleece classes.

17th-19th JUNE BAGS Breed Show at the Three Counties Show at Malvern.
The first year in this new venue.

16th JULY BAGS Event at Stafford. A one day Show and Sale and also instructional events on worm egg count and worm control and computerised breed recording.