On leaving school, I commenced a National Certificate in Agriculture which included certificates in:

•Farm Management

•Animal Behaviour

•Beef Production

•Milk Production

•Crop Rotation

•Crop Yield

The first year of the certificate was classroom based giving the theory that would be needed in the years to follow.

The second year, I was based on a farm in Northumberland. This farm produced dairy and beef with a moderate sized herd. My duties there included milking the cattle twice daily, feeding and rearing the young calves. I was required to support with field management which consisted of ploughing, cultivation and seeding of grass and other crops. I also supported the farm in the management of their small sheep flock. This included shearing the sheep and my biggest achievement in this area was training the sheep dog to be cooperative and efficient in managing the flock.

In the year that I was based on the farm, the milk yield from the livestock almost doubled. I was able to introduce new and updated practices which I had learned from my first year, allowing me to prove the adage of putting theory into practice.

In my third year I was based on a farm inNewcastle. This was also a farm that produced dairy and beef but on a larger scale. I had the same milking, feeding and rearing duties as previously, but the farming methods were intensive, the purpose being to increase the yield and quality of meat quickly and efficiently.

During my time on this farm, I was introduced to the showing of the cattle in County Shows. I was given the opportunity to show my own calf, to be able to do this I needed to learn the skills involved in this role:

•Training the calf from an early age to walk on a halter and leash and to walk in straight lines

•Feeding to increase the calfs condition and form

•Grooming the calf daily

•Ensuring the calf was used to human interaction

In my final year, I was given the opportunity to work on a farm of my choosing. I chose to travel to Australia where I worked on a beef cattle ranch. The duties there included intensive feeding methods to help condition the herd, the timeframe in which the animal needed to be ready for sale was half of that in the UK, this is due to the length of time needed to drive the cattle across the vast country to reach the cattle stations where they were sold. In order to drive the cattle I needed skills of horse back riding, dog control, team work, basic survival skills, as it involved being outdoors for months at a time, and being able to follow commands from the lead ranch hand. The arrival of the herd at the cattle station on time was a very satisfying experience.