Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Getting stuck into assignments all in a day’s work for students
Alan Johnson , curriculum manager at Bridgwater & Taunton College, reports as another of the college’s agricultural students has triumphed in a prestigious national competition
THIS is the second year in a row that a student from the college has won at the Farm Health Management Awards.
In the competition, run by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF), Andy Smith was invited to write an essay on animal health planning, taking into account farm animal health and welfare.
Students from colleges and universities from across the country are invited to take part.
Andy’s tutor, Matthew Riddle, said: “This is great news, following on from the college’s success in last year’s competition. The essay brings together the health and welfare of farm animals which are both very important aspects of farm management. We’re delighted that Andy won the competition and excited to see if another of our students does the hat-trick next year.”
The Plymouth University degree programme offered at our Cannington campus runs over a two days a week in a full-time study structure that enables students to travel longer distances with just one overnight stay. Part-time (one day a week) is also available, but both modes allows students to continue in employment alongside their studies.
Other things happening at the college include very busy interview days for new students starting in September, parent and carer feedback sessions for current students and lots of innovative teaching, visits and the completion of assignments.
Here is this month’s diaries from our students:
Megan Perryman
This month started with a careers day that included a visit from local businesses linked to the agricultural industry. It was a really interesting day that gave us an insight into what we may wish to do once we have completed our education.
Our practical sessions have seen us preparing the sheds and sheep ready for lambing. Now that lambing is underway both at college and at home, there’s plenty of work to complete in the next six weeks. Trying to find the time for college work, completing work on the farm and, of course, having a social life, is going to be tricky. During the lambing period we take on two lambing duties at the college farm and it’s our responsibility to manage the health of the ewes and young lambs.
Millie Cridland
Over the last month or so we’ve been busy on the college farm as well as in the classroom, completing assignments and practical work. The sheep have had their feet trimmed and been blood tested. We’ve also been taught how to correctly treat dairy cows that need additional help with their feet. The blood testing was really interesting and done to try and get the majority of the college flock MV (Maedi Visna) accredited.
Gerogeena Pengelly
After our break for Christmas, we’ve been busy getting stuck in to assignments and completing work. We also visited ABP abattoir to see how the grading system works. It was fascinating to witness the process of animal to plate. We also completed our supervisory duties and mentored the first years to ensure the tasks are carried out to the high standards expected by the college.
The college was forced to close due to snow, but luckily the residential students carried out farm work and made sure the milking was done. Since last month, Rodway Young Farmers have been organising our charity quiz which is planned for Wednesday, March 6 in aid of Cayla’s Fight.
Lambing is starting soon and I can’t wait as it’s my favourite time of the year. It’s such a lovely time, seeing lambs develop and helping the ewes give birth.
Joel Trim
I’m currently completing my work placement on a 400-head spring block dairy calving herd, so am writing this from a caravan in Yorkshire. My duties include milking in a 35-aside swing-over parlour, the care of newborn calves, assisting the herdsman with cows calving and the day-to-day work of a dairy farm.
My investigate project is titled ‘How does housing and nutrition affect growth rates?’ Having a placement where the rearing of calves is essential to the enterprise will help me to gather information. From this investigation I aim to find out which method of housing proves to be the most effective, and to identify the best methods of feeding to increase dry matter intakes.
Ben Peters
The New Year has got off to a busy start in every aspect. Building projects at home alongside the routine bedding, feeding and other animal husbandry tasks are then combined with assignments. So far, managing to keep on top of everything and have a social life is a challenge.
At home we’re getting ready to start the field work, servicing machinery and making sure everything is up to scratch when the ground is dry enough. This week we’re starting to apply fertiliser to the grass before applying slurry through an umbilical pump and dribble bar onto all of the silage cutting ground.
Meanwhile, my studies are still progressing. Over the past few months I’ve completed a budgeting assignment, animal health plans and am currently looking into forage crops and agricultural finance. We’ve also been on numerous visits to look at various systems and see how different enterprises work. We also went to the Dairy-Tech Show where we saw some of the latest innovation in the dairy sector.
Emily Dunster
This half term has been jam-packed. Recently we visited one of our lecturers’ farms to help scan the sheep. It was extremely interesting to learn how to judge if a sheep is pregnant and view the unborn lambs on a screen.
As Level 3 students we have the chance to obtain our telehandler ticket during our theory and practical lessons. This will be straight after half term and I’m looking forward to passing and getting my ticket.
I’m intrigued to see what we’ll be getting up to next term.