CUMBRIA’S native sheep breed has received a welcome boost from an unexpected source.

The local Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association (HSBA) has won a grant of £1,000 from the Herdy Fund to enable it to buy vital technology for use on Herdwick hill farms The money from the Kendal-based fund, which helps to promote the breed and rural hill farming lifestyle, will pay for a hand held scanner and software to read electronic identification tags which distinguish between individual sheep.

As well as complying with new European Union legislation, the equipment will help the association to build up a comprehensive database of thousands of Herdwick sheep across hundreds of hill farms.

HSBA secretary Amanda Carson took the chance to try out the new scanner recently at Turner Hall Farm, Broughton-in-Fur-ness, owned and farmed by Anthony Hartley.

She said, “The scanner will make it much quicker for the Association to visit sales, shows and farms to register Herdwick tups that meet the breed standard. This technology isn’t cheap, so is beyond the reach of most hill farmers.”

The HSBA’s database, which records exactly where Herdwicks are, will provide a basis for protecting their genes to ensure the breed survives.

Spencer Hannah, of the Herdy Company, which supports Herdy Fund, said “We want our company to give something back to the region where we live and work, and which inspires us.

“The HSBA represents many unsung heroes who farm remote places. We hope the scanner will help this system have a future”.

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