Countryfile Farmer Extends Solihull College Animal Family

Hollie Orchards learns how to handle one of the Tamworth pigs Solihull College has extended its animal family again with the arrival of four piglets from Countryfile farmer Adam Henson. The piglets, which are Tamworth Pigs, are the latest group of animals donated to the College from Adam’s Cotswold Farm Park, and they are joined by four lambs from a local Warwickshire farm. The new additions will be housed in the College’s Land Based Centre and looked after by students at all levels, from the Level 1 Diploma in Animal Care through to the HND in Animal Management. Alongside staff, the students will be involved in ensuring the animals’ care and welfare, which involves cleaning of accommodation, feeding at their different life stages, and looking at their changing nutritional needs. They will also learn the various handling techniques to use as the animals develop. Nigel Smith, Head of Land Based Studies at Solihull College, comments: “We are thrilled to welcome these new additions to the Centre and it is great for the students to experience working with all kinds of animals and learn about their welfare. As part of our Animal Care programmes we look at farming practice, so the lambs and piglets are ideal for the students to work with to help develop their knowledge and understanding in this area.” As part of their course, the students will also look at the effects consumer choice and buying power has on the decisions farmers make, as well as the local economic value of buying local produce. Student Paris McFadyen comments: “It’s really exciting to have the new animals at College as it allows us to truly understand and experience how they need to be cared for. It helps that they are really cute as well!” The Tamworth Pigs are listed on the Rare Breed Trust Watch List as they are currently at risk, with only 300 – 500 breeding females. The lambs are a mixture of two cross-bred Lleyn/Texel weather lambs, one Jacob lamb, and one pure bred Lleyn. To see how the animals are getting on, people are invited to the College’s Blossomfield Campus for its annual Open Gardens Event, which this year takes place on Sunday 24th June between 10am and 4pm.

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