Dung Beetles and Parasite Management, with Claire Whittle

Kindly hosted by Liz and Mark Watson at Harvard Farm, please join us to learn all about the crucial role of dung beetles in livestock health and parasite control amid ever-increasing wormer resistance.

Farm vet Claire Whittle will explain strategies you can use on your own farm for parasite control that will help to minimise chemical dependence. We will learn how working with nature can improve your livestock health and farm ecosystems including the role of dung beetles and their benefits to your farm. The workshop session will be followed by a farm walk to see dung beetles in action.

About Claire Whittle

Claire has been a practising farm vet since 2014. She currently works with a range of progressive dairy, beef and sheep farms in Shropshire and Cheshire. She also sits on the steering group of the Nature Friendly Farming Network and is the veterinary lead for the Dung Beetles for Farmers team. Claire’s particular passion is regenerative farming methods and how they can benefit livestock health and welfare.

She currently delivers a range of training for farming groups across the country, including integrated parasite management and dung beetle safaris, as well as tailored consultancy advice for individual farm businesses within the regenerative sphere to identify how to work with nature and improve the health of livestock.

About Harvard Farm

Mark and Liz Watson took over Harvard Farm in June 2023, together with their Farm Manager, Henry Riley. The farm has been organic since 2008, but had mainly been used for grass by neighbouring dairy farms; in 2021 it was ploughed and sown with a grass/clover ley, and 3-4 cuts of silage were taken each year.

By 2023/24, the fields were characterised by compacted soils, areas of bare ground and low biodiversity, with large areas of creeping buttercup and Yorkshire Fog. The aim is to improve the land, biodiversity and landscape, while also producing from it in a way that prioritises livestock health and welfare. The deteriorating grass/clover leys have been overseeded with herbal ley mix (with greater or lesser success), and the hope is that some of other pastures will be able to move to a multi-species grassland. The combination should provide different benefits at different times of year. With the help of FiPL (Farming in Protected Landscapes) and EWCO (English Woodland Creation Offer) areas of woodland and in-field trees are being planted, which, in future, should provide more biodiversity on farm, and shade and shelter for livestock.

At present the main focus is on sheep, which are mob-grazed. There are Gotland and Teeswater sheep that provide the additional benefits of different wool products, as well as a range of Dorset sheep. In future there will be a diversification of farming practices, probably starting with a few beef cattle, once the infrastructure and the resilience in the sward to support year-round outside grazing is in place.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes programme

"Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes," supported by Dorset National Landscapes and funded through the Farming in Protected Landscapes Fund (FiPL), welcomes all farmers in Dorset’s Protected Landscape. The program is launching a free mentoring and events initiative, specifically designed for farmers interested in nature-friendly or regenerative farming practices. We believe that farmers learn best from other farmers and throughout the next year, the project will organise farmer-led, on-farm educational events.

Farmers in these regions can engage with the project in three ways:

Overall Program Participation: Join a comprehensive series of on-farm events and webinars, covering diverse topics determined by participant feedback.

Mentorship Opportunity: 14 farmers within the program can be paired with a trained, experienced farmer mentor. The mentor will visit the farm and provide ongoing support as farmers explore and implement new livestock management approaches. If you'd like to sign up please complete this form.

Free Membership: Non-members receive free Pasture for Life membership (valued at £120) until the end of March 2025. This includes access to learning opportunities from farmers across the UK.

Farms in Dorset’s National Landscape aren't obligated to seek mentoring. All farmers are encouraged to join, whatever your farming practice, whether making adjustments or seeking knowledge. Participation doesn't commit to specific practices; the initiative supports farmers at any stage in their journey.

To find out more, please visit Pasture for Life or contact Sarah at [email protected]

Host or Publisher Pasture for Life