The Editorship of this newsletter is going to be a joint task from now on between myself and Peter Le Bas, who hails from New Zealand where he was a prominent Berkshire breeder for 50 years. This month I will be introducing myself, and in the next newsletter it will be Peter’s turn.

I have been involved with pigs since the early 1960’s and breeding Berkshires myself since 1991, my herd name is Bruisyard, and some of you will already know me through buying stock from me, meeting me at shows or maybe competing against me!

I have always had great admiration for our chosen breed, I do not think you could find a prettier, more docile pig than a Berkshire, and I am delighted that we have so many members now, and that the Breed is holding its own against other rare breed pigs.

It is always a slightly scary task taking on anything new, but this newsletter is for you, the members, so if there is anything you would like included – perhaps details of your favourite farm shop, more advice for newcomers, a photo section supplied by our members, more recipes which you have enjoyed, snippets from local papers about anything to do with pigs etc.etc If there is anything at all that you would like to send for inclusion please do, we will be delighted to hear from you! If we got enough response we could also have a members letters page. Remember this is your newsletter.

I have recently returned from six weeks in New Zealand where Peter introduced me to several Berkshire breeders out there. They are certainly different from ours in some ways, and Peter will be writing an article about our visit in the next newsletter, and the possibility of importing back into the UK the Sally Lunn line, which was originally exported to NZ during the 1960’s. The photo of me was taken out there ( the weaner has white on her side, which is a fault in the UK, but only an objection in NZ). From now on we will be including in every newsletter the Standards of Excellence for the breed which it is hoped all breeders will aspire to.

We had a very constructive AGM on 17th April held in the pleasant surroundings of the George in the Tree at Balsall Common near Coventry, this is a good time to meet fellow members and enjoy a buffet lunch, and we would be very pleased to see you next year. Our secretary Tracey Bretherton’s report is later on in this newsletter.

A discussion took place at the meeting on the for’s and against notching as the sole means of identification for the Berkshire, or whether tagging is permissible instead, and a motion was passed that all Berkshire breeders will be balloted on this, and therefore later on in this newsletter you will be able to read the full facts from both sides of the argument. This issue at the moment is only at the discussion stage with the BPA, but we feel this matter needs to be clarified by all breeders (whether or not they are members of the Club),so that our Berkshire representatives can act on our behalf. We would very much appreciate a response from you. Notching has been the traditional way of identifying and is the only sure way of knowing that the pig you are buying is the pig that the seller says it is. Tags can fall out and be replaced with a different number.

Many congratulations to one of our youngest members and show competitors Grace Bretherton on winning the Gillhouse Tropy with her pig Kilcot Farewell. A great achievement, and we look forward to seeing her in the show ring again this year.

We have for sale a limited number of the BPA Berkshire posters (see photo), if you would like one they cost £3.00 each including postage and packaging – please make cheques/P.O. payable to The Berkshire Pig Breeders Club and post to me at 4. Alexandra Rd. Beccles NR34 9UD.

I hope you all have a successful year whether breeding or showing, and don’t forget to send in those photos!