Charlotte, Elizabeth and Diana came out of their colony farm on May 2nd, the same day the nation welcomed the latest addition to the Royal family. These 3 plucky ex-colony girls are looking for a ‘royally’ good home, but a Peckingham Palace is not required!
Hen welfare charity, the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) is holding pop up Hen Collections across the country this May and hopes to find loving homes for hundreds of ex colony laying hens just like Charlotte, Elizabeth and Diana. Jane Howorth, Founder of the BHWT explains, “These girls will make amazing pets, giving so much back with their friendly and inquisitive natures, not to mention eggs. If you haven’t adopted hens before, it’s incredibly rewarding to give them a second chance in life, and I’d highly recommend it.”
Upcoming Hen Collection dates:
Saturday 23rd May
Cornwall
Devon
Dorset
Saturday June 6th
St. Andrews
*PLEASE NOTE hens need to be reserved in advance of the Hen Collections. If you have a little more room in your chicken coop for a few hens please call Hen Central 01884 860084 or email [email protected]. A donation of £5 per hen is requested to cover costs and help save more hens from slaughter!
There is always something eggciting happening at the charity, to find out more search for the BHWT on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and/or Linkedin.
Dengie is backing Northern Ireland’s leading agricultural and equestrian event by sponsoring a national showjumping class in the 2015 Balmoral Show, taking place at Balmoral Park, Lisburn, Co Antrim, from 13 to 15 May.
The feed company will take up the sponsorship mantle of the SJ 6/7 Year Old Championship, with its seven horse-and-rider combinations.
“We are really pleased to have a presence at this prestigious show, which is celebrating its 147th year,” said Dengie marketing manager Lisa Wilson. “Horses are a huge part of Irish culture and the show attracts an enthusiastic crowd of all ages from Northern Ireland and beyond. This gives us the perfect opportunity to fly the flag for Dengie and promote the benefits of a healthy fibre diet for all horses – including those competing at high levels of equestrian sport.”
The 20th anniversary of the Pony Club Dengie Winter League Championships was an extra-special occasion for all the young riders who had earned a place in the finals of this prestigious competition held on 3 and 4 April at Moreton Morrell College, Warwickshire.
“Dengie has backed the Winter League for two decades, which must make it one of the equestrian world’s longest-standing sponsorships,” said the brand’s marketing manager, Lisa Wilson. “The championships are a fantastic experience for young showjumpers and dressage riders, and a wonderful way for Dengie to promote the importance of good nutrition and the benefits of a fibre diet.”
The Easter weekend saw a strong field of about 80 jumpers aged between 11 and 24 fight their way through the warm-up classes for a place in the Winter League and Open Grand Prix Championships – and an equal number of dressage riders aiming for the Novice and Open ride-offs.
Prizes were donated by Dengie Horse Feeds and presented by marketing manager Lisa Wilson, Laura Hedley Gray – winner of the first Dengie Winter League – and international dressage rider Gareth Hughes, who took part in a Q&A session earlier in the day. Winning riders received salvers, trophies, championship rugs, Dengie jackets, saddle cloths, feed vouchers and special commemorative rosettes. Riders and their families also tucked into a slice of Dengie anniversary cake, which was served at the winners’ presentation.
The Winter League Show Jumping Championship was won by 14-year-old Lucy Hassall (pictured below), of Cheshire Hunt South, riding Starlight Clara, with the Open title going to Hollie Pearce, 16, of the Garth Hunt, on Hilarius.
Jessica Miller, 15, of West Kent Hunt (Meopham), won the Novice Dressage Championship on Merlin, while Beth O’Driscoll (pictured below), 19, of the Meynell Hunt, took the Open Dressage Championship on Freelance.
After a year of planning, searching and fierce deliberating the team at Your Horse magazine has finally revealed the winner of its exclusive Win a Horse competition.
Readers will discover which finalist fought off the competition in the spring issue of the magazine, on sale now.
Your Horse editor Imogen Johnson says: “When our Win a Horse competition began in January last year we wanted to find someone ready to own a horse and jump head first into horse ownership and so passionate about riding they’d do anything to make their dream a reality. We believe we’ve found just that in our winner.”
The lucky winner of the competition will not only benefit from a £5,000 donation from Your Horse magazine to help them buy their dream horse, but also support from the Your Horse team as they search for their perfect partner.
In addition, the winner will receive an incredible prize package, courtesy of the competition’s sponsors including; lessons with William Fox-Pitt and Zara Phillips plus gear courtesy of Musto, an Equi-Trek trailer, feed vouchers and nutrition advice from Dengie, safety gear from Countrywide, rugs from Horseware, training from British Eventing, a Wintec saddle and Snowflake bedding from Plevin.
Over 5,800 hopeful readers entered the competition but only three made it to the final. Get your copy of the spring issue, on sale now, to find out if Julie Sperling from Coventry, Gareth Parry from Cheshire or Elizabeth Jones from Yorkshire took the top spot. You can also follow the winner’s journey with their new horse over the coming months, only in Your Horse.
PHOTO:The Win a Horse semi-finalists, staff at Summerhouse Equestrian Centre and the Your Horse team. Photo copyright: Your Horse/Matthew Roberts
Research into the link between diet and horse behaviour commissioned by Dengie and conducted at Edinburgh University has been published by Applied Animal Behaviour Science – an international journal reporting on the scientific and objective study of the behaviour of animals managed by humans.
“This fantastic news and means that the study can now be referred to as independent peer-reviewed research, which gives it a much higher level of credibility,” said Dengie technical and product development manager Katie Williams. “It will also be used by other researchers carrying out further studies in this field.”
The study was conducted last year by project leader Dr Jo-Anne Murray, researcher Louise Bulmer, from Glasgow University (formerly Edinburgh University) and Sebastian McBride, from the University of Cambridge. Although the effect of diet on behaviour had been studied in many species – including humans and rats – very little had been done to explore the link between horses and diet.
Eight mature horses were used in the study, which ran from January to March, at a time when grazing was sparse. They were each kept in light work – taking part in jumping and flat work for five days a week – with daily turnout for between four and six hours at weekends.
Two different diets were fed during this time, both featuring exactly the same amount of energy and based on haylage. One diet was fibre-based, containing Dengie Alfa-A Molasses Free, with a starch level of 2 per cent, and the other included a cereal-based concentrate mix, with a starch level of 22 per cent, which is typical of a mix.
The horses were divided into two groups and fed each of the diets for 28 days in a crossover-design study. Behaviour was measured throughout as the horses were introduced to new situations and equipment. Heart rate was also measured to monitor stress levels during the tests.
The study showed that, overall, the horses had higher heart rates (indicating higher stress levels) when exposed to new situations when fed a cereal-based concentrate mix compared to when they were given fibre-based feeds.
This suggests that, although high-starch diets are considered an effective energy source for humans undertaking increased exercise, they are not necessarily ideal for providing energy for working horses.
Instead, energy might be better provided by feeding good-quality fibre because the study concludes that this type of diet appears to reduce reactivity, making horses easier to handle from the ground.
Click here to view the full version of the study.
The Dengie sales team is looking in better shape than ever as it appoints Jo Harrow as area manager for the North of England, welcomes back regional manager Danielle Gautrey from maternity leave to East Midlands & East Anglia and makes Hannah Atkins area manager for Wales & West Midlands.
“We are delighted to have these three extremely experienced sales managers on board as we drive the Dengie brand forward,” said the company’s national sales manager, Laura Dolphin.
“Jo, Danielle and Hannah all have a passion for horses and really believe in the benefits of providing a healthy fibre diet. They are fantastic ambassadors for the Dengie brand and will work tremendously hard to support our loyal network of customers, as well as building new relationships with retailers and feed merchants.”
Jo Harrow, the new area sales manager for the North of England, was brought up on her parents’ livery yard and has ridden since she was a small child. From her first pony, Jingles, a little Shetland, to her BSJA jumping pony, Kelly, aka Beechwood – whom she describes as her “pony of a lifetime” – horses have played a huge part in Jo’s life. She fell in love with showjumping and, as a Young Rider, competed for England and Great Britain. She was even based for a while at international showjumper Lionel Dunning’s yard in Leicestershire.
Today, being the mother of two sons means that Jo doesn’t have as much time for competition, although she takes a keen interest in her young nephew, who is following in her showjumping footsteps. “I am thrilled with my new role and really looking forward to getting out to meet everyone,” she said. “Dengie is a name that everyone knows and trusts, so it is going to be a pleasure to be promoting its great range of fibre feeds.”
Danielle Gautrey had worked for Dengie since 2006 before going on maternity leave last year. As regional manager, she is responsible for the East Midlands & East Anglia region and is currently involved in the further development of the UK sales team. She gained an HND in equine management from Bishop Burton College in addition to a BHS AI. Danielle, who has three children, competed in dressage for many years before retiring from horse riding following a hip replacement, but she still takes an interest in equine sport. “It’s great to be back in the driving seat,” she said on her return to work. “I am looking forward to catching up with customers, old and new, and working alongside my colleagues, who are not only a fantastic team, but great friends, too.”
Hannah Atkins originally arrived at Dengie on a year’s internship with the nutrition team after gaining a degree in sports science (equine and human) from Warwickshire College. She has earned her stripes in the sales field by covering Danielle’s patch while she was away on maternity leave and so impressed everyone with her natural sales ability and engaging manner that she has been given the area sales manager’s role for the Wales & West Midlands region on a permanent basis.
The proud owner of Vinny a handsome Cob x with whom she competes at affiliated showjumping, Hannah revels in her work on the front line. “I have always been involved in equine nutrition and my college dissertation was based on diets and health-related problems of performance and leisure horses,” she said. “I am really excited that my new job allows me to combine my key interest with work.”
The Laminitis Trust has provided almost £541,000 of funding for research into this debilitating condition. The sum was raised thanks to feed companies such as Dengie, which invests significantly in the charity’s assurance mark – the gold standard for safe horse feeds – and the many horse owners who buy its approved products.
Dengie has more Laminitis Trust-approved products than any other feed company and it is committed to the approval mark scheme, which flags up suitable feeds for horses and ponies that are prone to laminitis.
“We have four approved by the Laminitis Trust, having submitted them because of the high regard in which we hold this organisation’s work,” said Dengie Marketing Manager Lisa Wilson. “To achieve the approval mark, each feed must undergo rigorous testing – which instils a high level of consumer confidence. The seal of approval on feed sacks might be small, but it makes a huge difference for riders seeking suitable, safe feed for their horses and ponies.”
For further information about the Laminitis Trust, visit www.laminitis.org. If you would like to find out more about Dengie’s range of Laminitis Trust-approved fibre feeds, visit www.dengie.com, where you can chat live to a nutritionist, or telephone the Dengie Feedline on 01621 841188.
Join the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), Poultry Talk and Dengie at the Edible Garden Show at London’s Alexandra Palace this weekend, March 20th – 22nd.
The Chicken Coop is a BRAND NEW exciting and interactive area for the show, which aims to promotes the responsible keeping and breeding of poultry in a fun an informative environment. Visitors can enjoy a host of fascinating talks, demonstrations and learn all about the excellent work undertaken by the hen welfare charity.
Poultry Talk will be providing their popular educational displays where you can meet and hold their new chicks and get your hands on the brand new Poultry Talk handbook which provides all you need to know about poultry. And Dengie will be lending a helping hand and available to answer all your chicken bedding queries an promoting Fresh Bed For Chickens.
There will also be a children’s area with fun activities aimed at teaching children about poultry, including a colouring competition, for under 10’s with lots of BHWT goodies to be won! There’s competitions for adults too, try your luck at the BHWT ‘Difficult Dozen’ quiz for a chance to win a Higgidy Hamper packed full of their delicious homemade pies!
Talks and demonstrations will take place throughout the 3 days hosted by a range of special guests including celebrity supporter and hen keeper Pippa Greenwood, chef and wild foods expert Mark Lloyd – who will be cooking with free range eggs – and nutritional advice.
For a full list of talks taking place in The Chicken Coop visit www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk/discover/edible-garden-show/attractions/chicken-coop. Tickets are still available to buy online, quote ‘BHWT’ at the checkout and get 2 adult tickets for £30.
Make sure you follow @BHWTOfficial for live updates from The Chicken Coop at the Edible Garden Show this weekend!
Dengie will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of its sponsorship of the Pony Club Winter League Championships when this year’s event takes place at Moreton Morrell College, Warwickshire, on 3 and 4 April. Young riders in the Show Jumping and Dressage Championships will be battling it out for a place in the ribbons. Special Dengie prizes will include Championship rugs, Dengie-branded jackets, saddle cloths, Dengie feed vouchers and 20th-anniversary commemorative rosettes.
Members of the Dengie nutrition team will be on hand throughout the event with their portable weighbridge and providing healthy feeding advice.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Dengie Winter League Championships, the event’s very first winner, Laura Hedley Gray, will make a trip from her Gateshead home to join in the celebrations. The Pony Club has also launched a Great Dengie Cake Off online competition where entrants are invited to make a cake healthy Dengie feed based cake suitable for a horse or pony. The winner will receive £50 worth of Joules vouchers and their cake will take pride of place at the championships.
“It’s amazing that we have been sponsoring the Pony Club Winter League Championships for 20 years,” said Dengie marketing manager Lisa Wilson. “That’s two decades of supporting enthusiastic and talented young riders from around the UK and having the prime opportunity to promote the benefits of feeding a healthy fibre diet to this switched-on audience. “We wish every rider the very best of luck as they compete for a place in this extra-special, 20th-anniversary Dengie Winter League Championships.”
More than 20 key stockists from the North West took part in a Dengie Retailer Training Day at Nantwich Veterinary Hospital and Reaseheath College Equestrian Centre, Cheshire. The event, designed to highlight benefits of a fibre diet, was led by practice vets Alasdair Topp and Dan Cripwell, with Dengie’s senior nutritionist and technical manager, Katie Williams.
The day featured presentations on equine gastric ulcers, laminitis, equine metabolic syndrome, Cushing’s disease and the importance of diet. Retailers were given the opportunity to watch four scoping sessions, conducted by the vets to check for the presence of gastric ulcers, and see a demonstration of condition scoring and how to use an equine weighbridge.
“We are extremely pleased that the training day was so well attended,” said Dengie marketing manager Lisa Wilson. “Ensuring that our stockists are equipped with sound knowledge and a thorough understanding of the relationship between diet and good health is crucial.
“Alasdair, Dan and Katie provided the retailers with plenty of food for thought as they focused on the ways in which a fibre diet has been shown to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of all horses, especially those suffering from laminitis, EMS and PPID (Cushing’s disease).
“Passing on information in this way is part of Dengie’s strategic plan to make sure that our stockists who work at the cutting edge of equine nutrition are able to deal with enquiries and offer advice to their customers.”
The day was attended by managers and staff from TFM, of Telford, Shropshire, W & T Gibson, of Kingsley Mill, Cheshire, Whitchurch, Newport, Stafford, Pontesbury and Oswestry branches of Wynnstay, Sandiway Shavings, of Northwich, Cheshire, Weaver Equestrian, of Market Drayton, Shropshire, Youngs Animal Feeds, Cheshire, B Corbetts, Malpas and the Stockport branch of Decathlon.
“The topics covered were so beneficial to those of us who are frequently asked for dietary advice,” said Jude Lakey, of W & T Gibson. “It was also fantastic to see the gastroscopy performed live with clear and concise explanation.”
Gena Prince, of Wynnstay’s Newport branch, found the weighbridge demo a great help. “It was a really good idea, as it helps us to pass on advice about nutrition and condition,” she said. “There is only so much information a customer can read on a label and people often prefer to speak with a member of staff.”
Carrie Ash, of sports chain Decathlon, enjoyed the combination of practical and theory sessions. “Topics were really appropriate, as we do seem to be getting more customers coming in to ask about these subjects,” she said. “They are far more savvy and expect more from us. Thanks to Dengie, we get a great deal of support and feel better equipped to deal with questions from horse owners who visit the store.”