United Utilities invites farmers to night of pies, pints and parasites

United Utilities is inviting farmers with land in the River Dee and Llangollen Canal drinking water safeguard zones to a night out with a difference.

The company has joined forces with the Welsh Dee Trust to organise an evening of pies, pints and parasites to highlight how to prevent and treat sheep mites, ticks, scab, blowfly or keds while at the same time minimising the impact on the environment.
The evening will be hosted by David Jones, catchment advisor for the River Dee and Llangollen Canal, on 24 May 2018 at the Bala Golff Club, Penlan, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7YD from 6:30pm onwards.

As well as a free pie and pint, guests will have the opportunity to hear direct from the experts how best to control sheep parasites and dip safely:

Dr Peter Bates from the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep Group will explain the latest methods on how to control, prevent and treat sheep parasites;
Bob Edwards from Natural Resources Wales will discuss safe and legal sheep dipping practice
Neil Fell, a mobile sheep dipper contractor, will speak about the benefits of using a mobile dipper.
David Jones commented: “The event will be an opportunity for local farmers in the River Dee and Llangollen Canal catchments to learn more about effective treatment of sheep ecto-parasites. Our guest speakers will detail the best practice methods for ecto-parasite control in sheep while minimising the impact on local watercourses.”

Dr Peter Bates said: "Sheep can be affected by a number of external parasites that can seriously affect their health and welfare. It is essential that these parasites are identified and the correct treatment administered. Failure to do so can be expensive and may lead to resistance.

"Remember, scab and lice are primarily contracted by sheep to sheep contact - via your neighbours’ sheep, strays, via markets, sheep grazed away and common grazing, so quarantine and/or treat all sheep entering or re-entering your flock. Automatically assume they have scab or lice.”

To find out more please contact Clare Vincent in the United Utilities Press Office on 0345 072 0822 or 07904 112484.

Notes for Editors

United Utilities
United Utilities is the UK’s largest listed water company and manages the regulated water and waste water network in North West England – which includes Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside with a combined population of nearly seven million. United Utilities' headquarters are in Warrington. Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 Index.

Welsh Dee Trust
The Welsh Dee Trust is a registered charity. Its objectives are to protect, conserve, promote and enhance the River Dee and all its indigenous species of fish, animals, birds and plants.