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1946 - 1951 While still at Hereford Cathedral School, I was involved with looking after my father’s flock of pedigree utility Rhode Island Reds. I also had a small pedigree Brown Leghorn flock of my own. 1951 - 1952 I left school at 16 to start full time training on a ministry approved poultry farm in Surrey, rearing chickens, ducks and turkeys for the table all year round. Ducks and chickens started off in tier brooders and then at two weeks of age, the ducklings were transferred to fold units to complete their growing period. At six weeks, the chickens were moved into cooler units for a further fortnight, and then transferred to Sussex night arks until two weeks before killing. Finally, they were moved into individual units and fed a mixture of fattening meal and whey. This was blended into a porridge consistency which was then fermented for between two to four days depending on climatic conditions. This mix was then fed strictly ‘to appetite’. Turkeys were started off in small 'oil heated' outdoor units, and hardened off in sun verandas. They were then moved to motley verandas. During my year here, we experimented with housing ducklings in turkey verandas and discovered that the wire floor cut their feet as their weight increased. We replaced the wire floors with wooden slats 3.81cm (1.1/2”) wide, 1.27cm (1/2”) long, and this proved to be very successful. The farm also had its own supply of meal which was hand mixed by shovel every Friday by myself and another junior. During this period, the owner also decided to branch out into pig production, which added to our daily chores and learning. 1952 - 1953 My second year of training was on another ministry approved farm. This general farm involved a pedigree Friesian dairy herd, a herd of pedigree Wessex Saddle Back pigs, and also pedigree poultry and arable utility poultry. Breeding consisted of free range houses, semi intensive units and fold units, with grandparent stock being bred in small orchard units. All birds, parents and grandparent stock were 'trap nested' for accurate pedigree recording, and a few pullets were entered every year into the National Laying Trials. Reproduction was by artificial incubation. I was expected to work on all areas of the farm when required. 1953 - 1955 National Service in the Wiltshire Regiment as a Basic Training Instructor. 1955 - 1956 Attended Merrist Wood Agricultural College as a General Agricultural Student. 1956 - 1962 At the age of twenty one, I was appointed poultry manager to one of the earliest, (and later), largest egg producing units in the South of England. At first, I built up a pedigree utility poultry breeding unit to supply our own requirements and during this time, we came 3rd in the National Laying Trials. The sudden expansion of our laying flock was too quick for us to enlarge our breeding flock without losing quality, so our replacement stock was bought in at one day old, and reared on site using tier brooders, hay boxes and range shelters. By this time, we had several thousand growers out all year round, so predators proved to be very costly. Because of this, we decided to use straw yards as an alternative to range shelters. As expansion continued to increase, rearing again was altered to large broiler type houses. Young pullets started on litter, and then slats until they were moved to their laying quarters. During this period, I co-opted with a few other 'like minded' egg producers. Together, we founded the West Sussex Commercial Poultry Association, attracting a large membership and leading speakers throughout the U.K. 1962 - 1969 With a partner qualified in engineering, we decided to set up Southern Engineering Services. This company was involved in the maintenance of poultry equipment and also the installation of packing station graders coupled with a 24 hour breakdown service throughout the South of England. We also purchased a smallholding where we produced and retailed eggs from our own 5000 birds. The eggs were sold 'door to door' via six small vans, along a 35 mile stretch of the Sussex coast. Due to egg marketing problems in the UK, myself, along with two other egg producers founded the National Producer Retailer Association (NEPRA), forcing the Government of the day to set up the Rowland Wright Commission to look into Egg Marketing controls. As a result, the British Egg Marketing Board was dismantled, allowing producers free market at improved prices. This Association subsequently merged with the United Kingdom Poultry Producers Association (UKEP), who now represent 70% of all UK Egg Producers. UKEPRA in England and Wales, and SEPRA north of the border act as pressure groups and lobby both the UK and European parliaments and the European Commission. They are also members of the International Egg Commission. 1969 onwards I founded Southern Pullet Rearers (S.P.R.) in 1969, which over the years has changed its course from solely pullet rearing, to supplying most types of poultry houses for free range production (suitable for units of between 4 - 500 laying birds). I also offer practical advice and assistance to those wishing to set up independent free range egg or meat production flocks. Until June 1995, we were the largest, registered utility poultry breeding unit in the South, but due to ill conceived and inept European Commission Animals in Transport Legislation (which included poultry), our breeding stock had to be sold. In all other aspects, S.P.R. Centre goes from strength to strength. Around 1980, I became concerned because new enthusiasts wishing to keep pure breed poultry (who in their naivety as first time buyers), were purchasing poor quality birds at poultry auctions or at 'show and sale' events (thinking they were buying quality stock). I conceived and introduced a system of card grading, where the potential buyers were able to read qualified judges comments on each bird entered, before the actual auction or sale. S.P.R. Centre held 'carded' poultry auctions across the South of England during the following 12 years to establish this system. This was then subsequently taken on board by the Rare Breed Survival Trust, at whose auctions, poor quality birds were fetching embarrassingly high prices. As a result of using the card grading scheme, the quality of birds sold has improved greatly. The Rare Breed Survival Trust have also introduced this method to their sheep auctions. Card grading is now becoming a more accepted practice, with organizers of such events becoming more concerned with the general standard of all stock sold. For over 22 years, I wrote the poultry column for Smallholder Magazine UK, having started a year after it came into circulation. I have also written for Fancy Fowl Magazine, and now present the 'Poultry Talk' column in Feathered World Magazine. This enables me to keep the readers up to date with legislation, as well as providing them with valuable information on all aspects of poultry keeping, (including a full colour 'pull out' section on poultry diseases and common ailments). My articles have also been forwarded to a General Farming Magazine in California which is in the process of being republished. In 1996 in partnership with Alexandra Bastedo and Mary l’Anson, a TV producer for Video Arts and the John Cleese Company, we set up our own Video Company, Light Sussex Productions to produce the DVD and Video ‘Poultry Matters’, which is we hope, to be a forth coming series. We also plan to produce videos for other poultry welfare concerns. I published my first Poultry Book POULTRY FOR THE GARDEN in 1975, and a second called PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPING which was published in 1996 by Crowood Press. The latter was specifically written as a poultry book of reference. In 2000 my third book TURKEYS. A GUIDE TO MANAGEMENT was also published by Crowood Press. Now with more than 50 years experience in the industry, David accepted an appointment in 2007 to become an Executive Committee Member and Director of UKEPRA - The United Kingdom Egg Producer Retailer Association, who represent the commercial egg producer, packing stations and retailers. |
