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Students at Bicton College

YOU only have to scan the ads in this magazine or search on the internet to realise how many people are offering courses in animal husbandry or other aspects of self-sufficient living across the country and the numbers are steadily growing.

These are not run by an official body or institution, rather they are simply experienced individuals offering up their expertise and a look at how they manage their livestock, with a chance for some 'hands on' activities.

But with no regulatory body or affiliated college, how can you tell when you sign up for one of these days that your hundred-odd pounds is being wisely invested?

Firstly, you should check on the contents of the course. These are usually designed for the beginner, or as a refresher course, and are most likely to cover the basic aspects of animal husbandry, legislation and good practice. They are a useful aid to the would-be smallholder and their bewildered and rail-roaded family who may have read all the books but have little practical experience of livestock. If you have a definite idea of the breed of pig, for example, or whether your goats will be pets, dairy and-or meat, then it makes sense to pick a course with that particular breed and purpose in mind. If you are undecided (and can afford to), go on a variety of courses and see what you are drawn to most, you might surprise yourself. After your third one, you'll also be surprised at yourself asking more in depth and challenging questions, real proof of how much you can learn in such an environment.

Course Structures
Course structures will vary but usually include contact with the animals in their living quarters, demonstrations of simple procedures such as hoof-trimming or giving injections, talks on relevant laws and discussions on the course holder's own experiences. Most all day courses lay on generous lunches, coffee breaks and even afternoon teas in their own homes which lend a welcoming and informal atmosphere to proceedings. Numbers are ideally kept to no more than ten or twelve, retaining the intimacy of a seminar rather than a faceless lecture, making everybody feels involved.

Wendy Scudamore runs courses on Kunekune pigs at her farm in Hereford She said: "We start with coffee and introductions, then cover the legal requirements, practicalities of pig ownership, housing, fencing and feeding. We then stop for a three course home cooked lunch which is usually soup and home made bread, followed by a vegetarian casserole with jacket spuds and salads, finishing with a fruit crumble and custard cream.

"After lunch it's outside for practical board and stick practice, general handling, injecting and ear tagging. We go to the farrowing pens and discuss breeding, then look at piglets, piglet care and choosing your piglet. The day finishes with tea, cakes and any questions."

I recently spent a day on a smallholder course run by Julie and John Edwards of Brambles Angoras and Kunekunes and various rare breed poultry in Malvern who were just as hospitable. The people I shared the day with ranged from someone with a spare field looking for ideas on what to keep the grass down with to a couple who already kept alpacas and were taking two (pre-ordered, of course!) piglets home with them at the end of the day.

Not only was the course itself enlightening, but spending the day with like-minded obsessives is always nice!

Going prepared to a course like this will mean you have a focus to your learning, but going with an open mind is important too. You are bound to discover something that would not have occurred to you or be surprised by the vast amount of paperwork involved in keeping livestock.

Robin and Clare Wilson at Oakland Pigs, East Sussex insist that there is plenty of flexibility to their days to ensure that everyone feels they have had a worthwhile experience: Robin said: "The motto of the day is "adopt and adapt" and we aim to show students our set-up, and freely discuss how they can adopt and adapt what we have to their own individual circumstances. In the introduction we chat with each student about their plans.

The course is interactive and we are open to questions throughout the whole day, so those who are maybe a little shy in the classroom environment can ask questions in the outdoor sessions. We ensure that everyone gets a chance for hands-on experiences with our pigs and conversely anyone not wishing to meet, for example, the large breeding boar close up, have the option to observe from outside."

It is obvious that these courses are not run purely for the money. A lot of work has gone into their preparation (I came away from 'Brambles' with armfuls of information: what we had covered that day, regulations and sample forms, all presented thoughtfully and clearly).

Describing why they started their courses the Wilson's said: "We love to share the enjoyment we get from our pigs, and to show newcomers that keeping weaners can be easy, economic and fun.

We were regularly selling weaners each weekend and pride ourselves in spending time with purchasers to explain all the ins and outs of pig keeping. When selling a litter we could go through all the details several times in one weekend as each person collected their stock or came to view.

"We then decided that maybe we could provide a course to go through all the feeding, regulations and setting up, so that we could do it all in one go and expand to cover all the questions which we didn't have time for."

Wendy Scudamore said: "I love to meet other people with an enthusiasm for pigs, particularly the Kune kune.

"I want to be sure that people are fully aware of what they're taking on and that they are at least in a position to sensibly accommodate, feed and care for their pigs before they buy them. I take in rescue and unwanted pigs so I have had my eyes opened to what happens when people are not fully aware of the commitment they are taking on. I started the beginners' course so I would be able to sell my piglets to people who were in this position and have gone on to the breeding course through popular request".

Choosing a Course
Once you have chosen your course, the thing to do is to request a look at any feedback from past clients and an idea of the day's activities. Most places post these up on their websites, but if they don't, they'll be more than happy to e-mail them to you. All the courses featured in this article happily provided many glowing reports from clients. It is in the interests of the course organiser to make a success of their days, but it is your responsibility to ensure that you go on the right sort of course in the first place.

If you can't afford to go on a course just yet, there are other ways of gaining experience with livestock. You could volunteer at a city farm or rescue centre, although this requires a long term commitment. I have asked for a tour of a local dairy goat farm and they were so accommodating and welcoming. There is also WWOOF, an organisation that exchanges practical experience of farming and smallholding for a bit of hard labour. If you can, however, do go on a day course before you take the plunge into keeping livestock. They are a welcoming, informative way of preparing yourself for what's ahead. Sarah Dodds at Yearle Tamworths in Northumberland gives this advice on the day courses she runs.

She said: "Do not rush out and buy every bit of new kit that is on the market, let your new enterprise develop slowly and buy gear as you need it. Also do not be afraid that you are going to do things wrong. Keeping animals is not rocket science, just enjoy the experience!"

I left Snowdrop the Angora kid, Alice the Kune kune piglet and their many companions a more informed 'would be smallholder. I had witnessed hoof clipping, ear tagging and pig wrestling (otherwise known as giving an injection). I hadlooked at fencing and housing, feeding and breeding and regulations enough to make my head spin (thank goodness for the notes provided).

The picture the Edwards' painted was balanced and honest; both personal and universal and all relevant. I returned home and bought a hen house. It didn't fit through the garden gate. Now if I can just get a field.

Useful Contacts
For further information on Barton Hill Animal Centre visit www.bartonhill.co.uk or call 01981 240749.Brambles Special breeds are available via www.specialbreeds.co.uk or by calling 01684 833 336.

Visit Oaklands Pigs at www.oaklandspigs.co.uk or speak to them direct on 01892 852663.

Contact Yearle Tamworths via www.yearletamworths.co.uk, or by telephoning 01668 281336. www.wwoof.org

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