Farming Scotland Magazine (September - October Edition 2022)

£3.75 October 2022 Articles Preston Mill Farm - Doing Different Wellbeing in the countryside Biodiversity on grouse moor History comes back to Fife Made in Scotland Sustainable Farming at Uradale Travel Scotland Stunning Stirlingplus Scottish Country Life • Women in Agriculture Book Serial • Farmhouse Kitchen including our regular news areas and columns ScottishMuckGrainPloughsDryersSpreadersPloughing Championships Our Farm Shop Balgove Larder, St. Andrews Topic The risk of water scarcity Case Studies Bonnington Mains speeds up harvest Simple spreader makes great impact Meet the Producers Regenarative Raby Advertorial Packaging Advice magazine Tuathanachas Alba Proud to support Scottish farming, and agriculture throughout the five nations

contents October 2022 All Editorial & PR enquiries AtholeEDITORMurray Fleming Tel. 01738 639747 E-mail: mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.com 50 COPYRIGHT This publication has been produced and published by ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD who are the copyright owners. No reproduction, copying, image scanning, storing or recording of any part of this publication without the permission of ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD. Contents disclaimer: FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is not responsible for any factual inaccuracies within press information supplied to us. Any concerns regarding such matters should be directed to the supplier of the materials. FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is designed, produced and published by Athole Design & Publishing Ltd., Tolastadh, 18 Corsie Drive, Kinnoull, Perth, Scotland PH2 7BU. Tel. 01738 639747 ISSN: 2041–918X ©ATHOLE DESIGN 2022 est 1994 COVER IMAGE: Salers face to face 14FeaturesPrecision Engineering 20 Seeds & Seeding 28 Ploughs 40 Grain Dryers 49 Scottish ChampionshipsPloughing 53 Anaerobic Digestion 72 Muck Spreaders 35ArticlesPreston Mill Farm - Doing Different 39 Wellbeing in the countryside 94 Biodiversity on a grouse moor 100 History comes back to FlavourFife of Scotland 16 Butcher of the Year Case Study 1 18 Bonnington Mains speeds up harvest Case Study 2 46 Simple spreader makes great impact 24TopicThe Risk of Water Scarcity Our Farm Shop 26 Balgove Larder, St. Andrews Meet the Producers 58 Regenerative Raby Northern Isles 60 Orkney & Shetland Made in Scotland 86 Sustainable Farming at ScottishUradaleCountry Life 95 With Linda Mellor 101AdvertorialPackaging Advice Travel Scotland 102 Stunning 106Women105Beatha104FarmhouseStirlingKitchenApple&BrambleBakeanEileanLifeontheIslandsinAgricultureRoyalHighlandrecap Book Serialisation 108 Part 5 of Native: Life in a vanishing landscape News Areas 6 Arable & Root Crops 22 World Farming 36 Environment 48 Renewable Energy 56 Science & Technology 62 Beef 64 Livestock 78 Dairy 81 Pigs 82 Sheep 88 People 89 Estate 96 Forestry 111 Machinery 122 Outdoor Clothing 124 Events 126 136ColumnsFinanceEditor’sBitJamesHutton Institute 17 Scotland the Brand 23 Scottish Government 37 Farming for the Climate 38 Farm Advisory Service 57 Crofting 66 The Vet 71 NFU Scotland 79 Scottish Dairy Hub 83 Quality Meat Scotland 85 National Sheep Association 91 Scottish Land & Estates 93 Conservation Matters 99 Scottish Forestry 107 Southern Belle 128 The Money Man 130 People on the Move 130 Book Shelf mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.comorPleaseEnquiriesAdvertisingcomwww.farmingscotlandmagazine.SeeLAMMADairyDietFeaturingOutNextcopy110SubscriptionsReview&129.Orderyourownhere.IssueinNovember.AgriScot,ATV’s,Feeders,FarmSecurity,Equipment,looktowards‘23andsomuchmore.ourwebsitefordetails.&Editorialcall01738639747email 58 87 90 103 facebook.com/FarmingScotlandMagazine All Advertising & Editorial enquiries ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Athole Murray Fleming Tel. 01738 639747 E-mail: mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Barry Tweed Tel. 01475 910153 Email: barry@farmingscotlandmagazine.com PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Christina Fleming Email: christina@atholedesign.com

editor's bit Can ‘butcher’youacarrot?

“Maize likes warm weather, but the plant also requires sufficient moisture and lack of rainfall has had a negative impact on some crops this year, with several showing signs of suffering from fairly extreme drought stress,” notes Dr Pope.

The hot and dry conditions experienced this growing season are set to bring maize harvest dates forward considerably, as well as impacting yield in some cases.Wynnstay crop protection manager Dr Simon Pope urges growers to assess crop maturity from late August onwards, to avoid being caught out by crops maturing earlier than normal. “Maize harvest date will always vary across the country depending on whether the crop is grown in a favourable or less— favourable area, and the FAO number of the variety will also have a bearing,” says Dr Pope. “The extreme weather conditions this season could push crops to mature much earlier than would normally be expected, so harvest dates will probably need to be brought forward to reflect that.“The FAO number of a variety relates to the number of heat units it must accumulate in order to reach maturity,” Dr Pope explains. “Given the extraordinary temperatures that have occurred this growing season, we should expect an unusually early maize harvest, especially for early varieties with a lower FAO number.” He recommends checking crops regularly to assess the stage of maturity and speaking to contractors to arrange for harvest to be brought forwards if necessary.“While there is little doubt that an early maize harvest is on the cards, the impact of the growing conditions on yield will be more variable.

AtholeSlàinte,. www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

Apple trees natural response to virus mirrors mechanismGM

Apple trees respond to a common viral infection by targeting a gene in the same pathway that genetic scientists are aiming at, find scientists from The University of Manchester. The discovery published in Current Biology shows that the fruit trees, which develop rubbery branches when infected, mirrors how scientists are trying to genetically modify trees. Apple rubbery wood virus (ARWV) -which causes apply rubbery wood disease - is now largely, if not totally, eliminated from commercial apple trees.

arable & root crops Avoid being caught out by an early maize harvest

I have to confess to being somewhat puzzled by the concept of Vegan butchers and plant-based chicken currently being promoted on our TV these days.A vegan butcher? –seriously?Whatis the prime cut of the carrot? – I have friends coming over and I want to give them a treat!And no one gets a leg… right?Apart from ‘plant’ – whatever that is? – How many other ingredients and chemicals are in your plant-based fake chicken? – I have friends coming over and I don’t want to feed them with something that one of them may be allergic to! How can you call something, that it Thereisn’t?is no such job or career as a Vegetable Butcher. There is no such thing as a Plant Chicken (Please notice I am not mentioning burgers etc – I suspect I would lose count of the ‘air miles’ involved). With good reason, I have always doubted the Advertising Standards Authority’s credentials, with a history of some really dodgy TV ads over the years. Now we have the Vegan PR machine in full swing, with their chicken-ish, sausageish, burger-ish and even fishish highly processed chemical concoctions of fakery. If Vegans had their way, fresh water all over our planet would be in grave danger and billions of animals would die, oh and a few humans.What a “Load of ish” indeed. Tonight I will be cooking a previously living free range chicken in a Bhuna sauce with un-sentient rice.

However, an extensive survey in the UK during the 1950s when ARWV was widespread revealed that in some cases, over 50% of apple trees sampled were infected with the virusThe widespread presence of the virus across the globe is well documented.Though their branches become more flexible, no adverse effects to humans who have eaten fruit from the infected trees have been recorded and there have been no adverse environmental consequences. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust the study also provides important insight into how scientists might one day be able to process woody plant tissue so that it efficiently produces sugars needed for biofuels. Woody plant material represents a vast renewable resource that has the potential to produce biofuels and other chemicals with more favourable net carbon dioxide emissions. However, scientists haven’t yet worked out an efficient way to release its substantial store of sugars estimated to be at around 70%.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out November 2022 Subscription page 110 & 129

arable & root crops www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 7

The scientific team showed that the symptoms of ARWV infections arise from a reduction in lignin - a complex organic polymer that forms key structural material supporting the tissues of mostUsingplants. next generation sequencing (NGS) to analysis the expression of all the genes in the rubbery apple tree branches, they discovered that phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), an enzyme responsible for lignin biosynthesis was suppressed by the plant in response to the infection.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com8 arable & root crops weeds a head-start and leave crops playing catch-up. “With several grasses and broad-leaved weeds already displaying resilience to a selection of key herbicides, it pays to use a range of active ingredients With rapeseed prices remaining high, those growers who are intending to drill a crop (if and when rainfall allows) should use a pre-emergence herbicide to guard against weed competition during the crop’s establishment phase. That’s the advice from Dr Bill Lankford, herbicide technical specialist at ADAMA, who cautions against the temptation to withhold herbicide applications until post-emergence as this can give

Use a pre-emergence herbicide to allow OSR to steal a march on weeds` throughout the season, including at the pre-emergence timing,” Dr Lankford explains. “This not only spreads the risk of resistance by reducing the overexposure of any single active, but also ensures crops are able to out-

British berry growers urge UK government to recommendationsheedofautomationreview

“A pre-emergence herbicide should therefore be applied, especially where good crop establishment is expected – for example where Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle populations aren’t expected to pose a significant threat to OSR survival.”

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The automation in horticulture review brought together experts across horticulture, technology and supporting industries to understand what would be required to accelerate the development of automation technologies in horticulture. The review puts forward key recommendations to

Following the recent release of the Defra-commissioned review of automation in horticulture, British Berry Growers, the body representing 95% of the UK’s commercial soft fruit growers, has called on the UK Government to heed the review’s recommendations.

“For example, halauxifen can’t be applied until 1st September or when two true leaves have emerged at BBCH12 which gives broad leaved weeds plenty of opportunity to grow away, out-compete the crop, and become harder to control.

arable & root crops compete weeds during the critical establishment phase.” HGCA research (Project Report No. 530) indicates that OSR yield losses from poor broadleaved weed control can range from 3% to 73%, with the mean yield response to a pre-emergence application of metazachlor followed by a post-emergence graminicide and propyzamide treatment equating to 0.94t/ha or 41%“While the efficacy of postemergence applications can be excellent when weeds are small, rate and timing restrictions for some actives can result in long delays between the emergence of early drilled crops and the first opportunity to apply a post-emergence treatment,” Dr Lankford continues.

Farmers are being asked to check for middens – tennis ball-sized plugs constructed by earthworms – when monitoring theirNewsoil. research, led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has found these plugs made of straw, plant debris and stones, cover up to 42 per cent of the soil surface in regenerative agriculture fields. Importantly, these ‘middened’ patches – the area underlying the middens – are biological hotspots with high earthworm densities and very biologically active and porous soil.Middens, which are built by Lumbricus terrestris earthworms to plug their vertical burrows, are more common in areas where conservation agriculture and regenerative practices such as no-tillage soil management are Leadused. researcher Jackie Stroud, a Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Farming Systems at SRUC, said: “We would recommend that during soil monitoring, farmers check for the presence of middens to avoid underestimating biodiversity and misunderstanding soil health.” To find out more, visit: www.wormsurvey.org.

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government to overcome barriers to automationCommentingdevelopment.on the review, British Berry Growers chairman Nick Marston said: “If implemented, the recommendations in the review can set out a path toward automation that will support our berry growers and secure the long-term health of the entire horticulture industry. “The report rightly acknowledges that the replacement of fruit pickers with autonomous selective harvesting is a long way off and therefore seasonal workers are essential in bridging this gap.”

arable & root crops

“As such, the review’s recommendation calling on Defra to consider pursuing a longterm Seasonal Workers Scheme starting in 2022 is very much welcomed. A long-term scheme will give growers the muchneeded certainty they need to plan and grow their businesses.

“However, we are also calling for Defra and the Home Office to not only extend the length of the scheme, but to also increase the number of visas made available. It is essential that farms have access to the seasonal labour they need to harvest their fruit in the years before such automation is a reality.”

Digging up soil health hotspots

Grow Your Own Potatoes

Grow Your Own Potatoes scheme set to continue

(GYOP), the hugely popular education programme, is set to continue thanks to Andrew Skea, managing director at Potato House.His aim is to ensure the scheme continues to benefit across the different sectors of the potato industry by cultivating the consumer of the future. Andrew says: “Growers, packers and processors have emphasised the importance of Grow Your Own Potatoes to the future of our industry.” Since the project was launched in 2004 it has reached over six million primary school children with positive messages about potatoes, many of whom

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 11 arable & root crops

“During the build project we have been fortunate to achieve the sale of and smooth transition from our heritage site in the town, which we occupied for almost 90 years, and we are delighted that we now have the facilities and space to maximise our manufacturing capability,” says Edward.

the schools to grow, to growers visiting schools to talk about food and farming, and the benefits of including potatoes in a healthy, balanced diet. “Now more than ever GYOP needs industry’s help to work together to keep this essential programme running.” Sue Lawton, Project Manager at GYOP says: “Grow will now be responsible for shopping for their own children. At its peak, GYOP was present in around three quarters of all primary schools across Great Britain.Andrew is now looking for industry members to help him drive the project forward; this may be through funding or supplying seed potatoes for Your Own Potatoes has delivered consistently positive results in educating the next generation of consumers.“Investing in the consumers of tomorrow will help futureproof the potato industry. “We have an ideal opportunity to put potatoes front and centre. With more consumers turning to plant-based diets, we need to work together to remind children and their parents, that potatoes are a versatile, low-cost source of nutrition.” To get involved with GYOP and join together to support the future demand for potatoes, please contact Sue for more information on sue@ potatohouse.co.uk.

arable & root crops www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com12

After a continuous three-year, twophase project to build a purposebuilt manufacturing facility on the edge of the company’s hometown of Spilsby, Tong Engineering officially opened its brand-new doors to visitors on 6th & 7th July in a celebratory Grand Opening event.The two-day opening event marks a key milestone for the vegetable equipment manufacturer, with the new 90,000 ft2 factory now in full operation. “Since we commenced works on our first-phase building at the end of 2019, we have been working towards the day where all departments of the business can operate from one site,” explains Edward Tong, Managing Director at Tong Engineering. “It has been a pleasure to finally open our factory doors to showcase our new manufacturing facilities, as well as demonstrate the part that every employee and each department at Tong Engineering plays in manufacturing our wide range of custom-built handling equipment.”

Grand Opening of Tong’s new manufacturing facility an eye-opener

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Amongst the investments inside the factory is new shotblast, paint spraying and powder coating facilities. The shot blast unit ensures materials are properly prepared prior to the high-quality paint process which uses either powder or a two-part primer and paint, for a long-lasting finish as standard.

The UK’s leading manufacturer of vegetable handling solutions will present its revolutionary new grading machine – the ProSort - to European farmers at Potato Europe 2022.As well as promoting its new ProSort mobile optical grader, Haith will also be talking about the latest developments in modular washing lines, the ProLine, and Queens Award for Enterprise winning RotaTip box tippler. Developed by Haith Group and GRIMME UK, the ProSort automates the removal of stone, clod and foreign debris from potatoes and helps growers cope with labourFeaturingshortages.aTOMRA 3A optical sorter, the ProSort can handle up to 100 tonnes per hour with high levels of accuracy. The TOMRA 3A employs Near InfraRed multi-spectral sensors for an unobstructed assessment of every object ‘in flight’, seamlessly identifying between potatoes and foreign material. As well as debris, the 3A’s colour sensors can also detect green potatoes, which like the debris, are removed at the end of the conveyor belt by intelligent finger ejectors. As the ProSort is a modular unit, it can be used in the field or on a farm and easily integrated into a new or existing grading line. Haith’s ProLine is an innovative, flexible wash line platform for potato packers and processors looking for a complete turnkey solution.

Potato innovationsseevisitorsEuropetothelatesthandlingfromHaith

Imagine crops that can be used to help secure enough food for a growing global population while benefiting the environment. Well, there are such crops: legumes. Legume plants, like pea, broad bean, soya bean, clover and cowpea, can team up with soil bacteria called ‘rhizobia’ to convert, or ‘fix’, the nitrogen present in air and use it – meaning they do not need fertilisers, unlike most crops. Given how useful this is, why have legumes got this superpower when most other plants do not?

How did legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria learn to work together?

A global study led by scientists at the James Hutton Institute and the University of Zurich, funded by the Engineering Nitrogen Symbiosis for Africa (ENSA) project, has been exploring the origin of nitrogen fixation in the legume family. The relationship between legumes and rhizobia in root ‘nodules’ to make use of atmospheric nitrogen, is globally important in agriculture and has been at the heart of recent research into crop mixtures for improvedScientistssustainability.examined the nodules of 128 legume species of the Caesalpinioideae subfamily and produced a genetic tree of these plants. This showed that the loss of the ability to fix nitrogen is more prevalent in certain lineages that have less intimate relationships with the rhizobia that live in their root nodules. In contrast, those lineages that have fully embraced their rhizobia by supplying them with all their needs (SYMlineages) have an enhanced ability to fix nitrogen. Encouragingly, all our major crop legumes are of the SYMlineage type. Dr Euan James, an ecological scientist at the James Hutton Institute and co-author of the study, said: “This is one of the most important scientific papers of my “Tracingcareer. the origins of legumes’ ability to fix nitrogen

The James Hutton Institute is a world-leading scientific research organisation working to resolve global challenges in food, climate, energy and water security. The Institute works in partnership with people, organisations and governments to enhance sustainable environmental, social and economic development to deliver practical solutions for our shared future. www.hutton.ac.uk and maintain this partnership will allow future research teams to develop more resilient, environmentally friendly crops, allowing for enhanced food security for an increasing global population.” The study, entitled The innovation of the symbiosome has enhanced the evolutionary stability of nitrogen fixation in legumes and co-authored by Sergio M. de Faria et al, has been published by New Phytologist.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com14 PRECISION FARMING

Agriculture faces major challenges today. On the one hand, it needs to produce highquality food to feed the world but this is against the backdrop of a steadily growing world population where the amount of arable land on which food can be produced is decreasing due to increased urbanisation and the drive towards green energy. This means that higher yields are the key objective for agricultural production. However, this improvement in yield isn’t going to come by simply increasing the size of machinery, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of production processes through automation and to treat the plants as precisely as possible for them to reach true potential. To make matters worse, climate change with its extreme weather conditions poses new challenges for agriculture meaning that there isn’t a consistent level of yield.There is also pressure coming from environmental regulations, such as limitations on fertiliser application or the reduction in the use of chemicals as well as the elimination of many individual plant protection agents altogether and this further restricts potential production. At the same time, increasing biodiversity must continue to be the primary goal of modern agriculture, so that there are good prospects for future generations in the long term. In addition to saving resources for reasons of environmental protection or public acceptance, it goes without saying that the optimum use of inputs is also of enormous economic importance for agriculture and so they must be applied even more precisely. Whereas a uniform application rate was applied to the full area in the past, this now is being done more and more by part-area - and even by individual plant in the future. This means that the precision involved in sowing, fertilisation and crop protection machinery must increase.

4.0

The ongoing digitalisation of production processes will significantly support agriculture in overcoming these enormous challenges and also in supplying the world population with high-quality food in the future. A combined approach to digitalisation, such as AMAZONE 4.0, means that farmers and contractors are offered comprehensive, optimum solutions for precision farming.

AMAZONE – the digitalisation hub

Using precision farming then enables this move towards a more plant by plant approach. Fertiliser spreaders can automatically react to wind conditions using WindControl or to changes in fertiliser quality and spreadability by constantly monitoring the spread pattern with ArgusTwin. Dividing fields up into zones, whether it is by identifying soil type, nutrient levels, yield returns or having an input of local experience into field performance, can then be used to generate an application map.Application maps can be used to spot spray areas of the field using AmaSelect Spot or to target nutrient applications to the crops needs using soil sampling, tissue sampling, satellite imagery or historical data which can be passed across to the spreader. Plant populations can be evened up across different soil types and

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areas prone to post-emergence damage from pests by working to a seed rate map with the seed drill. The seed drill can also be set for depth automatically by using soil texture maps to control coulter pressure on the move. Real-time sensors, such as the SmartSprayer project, are giving the information required to make in-field adjustments to application rates or the style of application such as switching from standard flat fan nozzles to air inclusion nozzles where drift has become an issue. Decision-making engines, such as the BASF xarvio system, can take data supplied by the machine in the field, analyse that data and then send a request to alter the machine settings all within milliseconds of a scanning system ‘seeing’ the crop. Utilising section control means that overlaps are avoided on the ins and outs which can prevent lodging, stop chemical resistance build-up, improve yield by optimum fertilisation and prevent yield loss by overapplying chemicals, etc. And this applies across the seed drill, fertiliser spreader or sprayer alike. Going to a sprayer with individual nozzle shut-off, like the AmaSelect system, will reduce unnecessary overlap by 85% giving a 5% saving in agchem or fertiliser use as well giving a boost to yields. The droplet size is also automatically maintained by automatically selecting the optimum nozzle. Using section control on the drill means the optimum plant stand across the field with no areas missed allowing for weed pressure or areas with too thick a crop meaning potential lodging as well as disease pressure from reduced air flow. AmaSelect Row enables a conventional sprayer to switch to band spraying across varying row widths on the move. DirectInject can apply an additional product into the spray line on demand. And so the list of potential digital solutions goes on. The knock-on effect from using this level of technology is not just seeing an improvement in the efficacy of the application but also improved timeliness and a serious reduction in operator pressure and improved output form the use of this automation. A win-win situation all round.

PRECISION FARMING

Award-winning Perthshire butcher celebrates another success

The Scotch Butchers Club proudly supports independent butchers from across the UK who stock Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork. For more information and details on how to get involved, visit www.scotchbutchers.com.

Gloagburn Farm Shop, Perthshire, has once again been crowned champion of the Scotch Butchers Club Challenge by a panel of international judges, announced today by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).Inwhat was the second contest of its kind, head judge Michael O’Kane from Northern Ireland highlighted the standard of entries coming from Scotch Butchers Club members across the country: “This year’s contenders were exceptional and ticked all the right boxes for us with the way they showcased the quality and versatility of Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork.“Despite a very marginal number separating the scores of the final three, Gloagburn Farm Shop’s winning entry, which was created by Colin Brown, demonstrated a unique combination of standout produce, visual appeal and practical ability.”

Mackie’s at Taypack, a joint venture between the Taylor family and leading ice cream producer Mackie’s of Scotland was launched in 2009, to create premium crisps under the Mackie’s of Scotland brand.

Scottish crisp makers become wholly-owned Taylor family buy out final shares from Mackie’s of Scotland another success

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com16 FLAVOUR OF SCOTLAND

Scotland’s leading crisp and snacking brand is set to go its own way – after the successful completion of a share buy-out.

The finalists were tasked with creating a counter display of Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork. Showcasing their craftmanship, the finalists were assessed on their overall technical skill, product innovation, creativity, presentation of the products on display as well as health and safety. The displays were judged by an international panel of industry leaders from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, New Zealand and Holland.Owner of Gloagburn Farm Shop, Fergus Niven, said he was thrilled to be the winner of the Scotch Butchers Club Challenge for the second year and praised Colin“ToBrown:take home the title once again has been a real honour, and it is both a testament to the skill and dedication of our team here at Gloagburn, and a reflection of the craft inherent to modern butchery. “We are immensely proud of the produce we serve to our local community, and this trophy will sit with pride above our countertop for another year, in recognition of their continued support too. We are already looking forward to taking part in the competition again next year.”

The families pooled resources to invest and build a successful independent business, launching a range of Mackie’s potato crisps, from a base near the Taylor’s family farm in Errol, Perthshire. It now produces more than 2 million bags each month – and is established as one of the UK’s favourite premium crisps. As majority shareholders, the Taylor family has now purchased the shares held by Mackie’s – a key step in the long-term strategy of the joint venture.Production of the existing, award-winning crisps will continue at Errol but will transition to a new brand in mid2023 that will reflect the Taylor family’s ownership. The company’s offering has been extended over the years to

Hunters of Kinross and DH Robertson, based in Arbroath, were awarded runners up respectively, with Cairngorm Butchers, John Saunderson, Castletown Butchers and the Smiddy Butchery all highly commended.Presenting the Championship Trophy and £500 prize was Gordon Newlands, QMS brand development manager and qualified butcher, who said: “Scotch Butcher Club members have an incredible story to tell, and this competition is a way of celebrating the teamwork and expertise involved in running a successful butchery business.“We are a unique community, combining tradition and innovation in our everyday practice to produce quality products for our customers. I would encourage any of our members to get involved in the Challenge, as it truly shines a light on the craft as well as allowing contestants to connect with other experts in the field.” Once again, I would like to congratulate the team at Gloagburn Farm Shop for an exceptional entry.”

The last few years have seen a welcome sales bounce around the time of the campaign. The trick, however, lies in finding ways of keeping lamb on the table.

FLAVOUR OF SCOTLAND www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

As the cost-of-living crisis hits more households this winter, the challenge the sector faces is two-fold: raising the profile of Scotch Lamb, and persuading people it is a high value product which is worth the cost.

“I don’t know why that is,” says Janet Roberts, a shepherd with the Keoldale Sheep Stock Club, with a flock of North Country Cheviots over 30,000 acres of land she describes as predominantly peat bog. “Most of our mutton goes to Europe. It’s even hard finding it in the local butcher’s.”

ScotlandTheBrand include popcorn and the “Lentil waves” range of popped chips. Over the last decade, both Mackie’s crisps and ice cream businesses have enjoyed increasing levels of success, based on profitable growth, several awardwinning products, increasing sales in UK and export, along with both businesses now being joined by some of the next generation of eachThefamily.ice cream, crisps and chocolate now make Mackie’s Scotland’s fifth most shopped foodToday,brand.with both businesses aiming to continue their growth plans for the next generation, the Taylor family are taking control of the crisps and snacking business by buying Mackie’s shares in the business. James Taylor, MD of Mackie’s at Taypack said: “This next exciting stage in our development is made possible by the success of the joint venture to date, in particular the expertise and support from Mackie’s. “We have some exciting growth plans and innovative products in the pipeline, which will ensure the continued success of the business under its new brand in the years ahead.” Mac Mackie, MD of Mackie’s of Scotland commented on the success and uniqueness of the joint venture: “We are delighted to have been able to play our part in establishing a quality snack business in Scotland and look forward to seeing the new brand grow and “Innovationsucceed.and progression are at the heart of Mackie’s, and we will continue the development of our premium ice cream and chocolate ranges at the heart of our success.” Both Mackie’s and Taylor’s look forward to continuing to make a growing range of delicious treats and snacks for their loyal UK and global customerMackie’sbase. of Scotland produces luxury ice cream at its fifth generation Aberdeenshire farm from ‘sky to scoop’, with wind and sun-powered renewable energy powering the dairy where it makes its ice cream using fresh milk and cream from its own herd. Produced nearby the fourth-generation Taylor farm, Mackie’s Crisps has become a leading Scottish crisp brand with a dedication towards making high quality, delicious crisps and snacks and will now start to make the transition to a new brand, which is set to hit shelves in 2023.

“I think it is absolutely critical Scottish produce is clearly labelled so customers can make a choice about what they are buying,” Neil says.

Ruth Watson is the founder of the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign.

Put the Focus on Scotch Lamb

Neil Wilson is the Executive Director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland. He says the sector has been hit with a double whammy of Brexit and Covid, but he and his colleagues are determined to put Scotch Lamb on as many tables as possible with the ‘Lamb for St Andrew’s Day’ campaign. “It started off with restaurants and rugby clubs but then Covid hit, and we had a think and wondered if schools would be interested. We ended up with 180 schools getting involved, with over 30,000 children from Stranraer to Shetland enjoying Scotch Lamb. All the auctioneers in Scotland take part. We set up a ‘lamb bank’ last year, where farmers could donate one of their lambs to the local school. We take care of the logistics and match the donation.”

L-R - James Taylor of Mackie’s at Taypack and Angus Hayhow, Mac Mackie of Mackie’s of Scotland

By Ruth Watson Lamb and mutton have been a part of our diet for thousands of years. Yet, this most sustainable of Scottish meats is facing several challenges. It not only appears to be falling off menus, it is being squeezed off our shelves.

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Having long-standing and trusted relationships with BDC Systems’, John Wilson and d.m.i.’s George Brown, Mr Robertson approached them to design and develop a new grain processing plant. “BDC and d.m.i. have delivered a new processing plant that ‘bang-on’ delivers what we needed and it was up and running for harvest 2021,” said Mr OnceRobertson.designs were approved, the new plant building was constructed by Thorburn Group directed by Alistair Thorburn with all of the required electrics handled by John Noble of Bonnyrigg, both trusted members of the overall team involved with constructing the new plant. From the field, grain now enters the new plant via a 14m Skandia I-line 60tph trench intake, it is then transferred to an Aagaard Aspirator (AF40) pre-cleaner before moving to a Zanin (PPR4/9) rotary cleaner. All trash and screenings are transferred to a dust house.

case study

Alistair Robertson centre and his team - David Thomson (L) and Peter Thomson (R) BDC Systems' Svegma drier SV 6-5 38tph with Skandia elevator

Bonnington Mains Farm speeds up harvest by one week with new grain processing plant from BDC Systems Ltd and partner d.m.i. Mechanical Engineers

BDC Systems Ltd working closely with d.m.i. Mechanical Engineers (now part of McArthur Agriculture) have helped Alistair Robertson, who farms a large arable unit which includes winter wheat, oil seed rape and winter barley, at Bonnington Mains Farms, Kirknewton, Midlothian, to finish last year’s harvest in record“Ourtime.drier was nearing the end of its life, unable to cope with an increase in capacity and was part of an outdated system,” said Mr Robertson. “We had to handle grain several times before the grain went into store or on to the lorry to be sold,” explained Mr Robertson. “We were tipping wet grain at other sites, then bringing it to the drier and then taking it from the drier to other sheds. All of which was extremely time consuming and an expensive use of labour.”

case study

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com System (MMS) to ensure the moisture content (mc) of grain as, it goes into and out of the Svegma drier, is constantly monitored.TheMMS sits on the wet grain intake elevator and a grain sample is taken before it enters the drier and another sample is then taken from the dry elevator as the grain exits the drier.

Once cleaned the grain is transported to and from a Svegma (SV 6/5 38tph) continuous flow drier which is fitted with a turbo cleans dust extraction system, via three Skandia I-Line 60tph belt and bucket elevators and five Skandia I-Line 60tph chain and flight conveyors. Any overflow is fed back into the system to be processed.ASkandia 60tph belt conveyor runs along the length of the new grain store and is fitted with a tripper discharge with a key fob remote control to stop the conveyor when necessary to allow grain to be discharged where required.

19

The entire plant is controlled by a BDC Systems PLC control panel with a 21” touch screen. Crucially the plant can be controlled remotely via a smart phone or tablet so there is no need for anyone to be continuously at the plant. The ability to pre-configure the MMS to automatically send text and/or email alerts, should the mc fall above or below predefined maximum and minimum levels, enables the necessary adjustments to be made remotely and swiftly to restore mc to the required levels.Being able to adjust the grain drier settings remotely ensures that it is optimised to maintain the correct mc, helping to reduce the current spiralling energy“Despitecosts.last year being a bit of a learning curve around the new plant, harvest was easier, quicker, more productive and efficient, handling increased capacity we shaved one week off the time it would previously have taken us,” said Mr Robertson. “Last harvest was fairly dry but I can see how the new plant will be of huge benefit to us when the weather is wet.”

About BDC Systems Ltd: BDC Systems Ltd, renowned for its superior customer support and comprehensive technical service ability, offers an extensive range of grain drying, cleaning, storage, handling, ventilation, milling and mixing equipment, together with other specialised solutions. In the UK, the company represents a number of world leading manufacturers and suppliers (incl: Skandia Elevator, Svegma, Zanin, and BM Silo) providing outstanding technology, quality, durability and value for money. For more info visit: https:// BDC SystemsSystems.com/ or call: +44 (0) 1672 810851

The plant has been designed so that there are several options as to how the grain is handled i.e. grain can bypass the rotary cleaner and go straight to the drier or go directly from the precleaner to the store. Because of the often wet harvest conditions in Scotland, Mr Robertson has installed BDC Systems’ Moisture Monitoring

Drier & plant PLC control panel delivering remote access Trench intake bunker with overflow from BDC Systems' Svegma drier

About d.m.i Mechanical Engineers Now part of McArthur Agriculture, d.m.i. provides engineering services and agricultural machinery in the Scottish Borders, Northumberland and The Lothians. For more info: https://dmimechanicalengineers.mcarthuragriculture.co.uk/https://www.co.uk/orcall:+44(0)1573226255

Vaderstad proceed opens the future of seeding

Väderstad is introducing a new innovative seeding machinery category called Väderstad Proceed, where one single machine increases the yield potential of a full range of crops – such as wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet, peas, maize, sunflower. “At Väderstad we build machines that keep our customers at the forefront of modern farming,” says the company’s senior vice president sales and marketing Mattias Hovnert. “We develop new methods and from time to time we set completely new standards. Proceed is one of those leaps that doesn’t happen often in the farm machinery industry, but when it does, it changes“Väderstadthings.

Proceed can place the smallest of seed at the perfect depth with millimetre precision, enabling significant improvements in areas like yield levels, need for tillage, chemical treatment and use of fertilisers.” Field trials show that Proceed can cut the wheat seed rate by half, while keeping the yield compared to modern seed drills. Importantly the crops are stronger and very even in all growth stages of the crop year. “Proceed takes a huge leap from current seeding technology,” says Väderstad director product management at business development Lars Thylén. “It is outstanding in depth-precision, in-row precision, end-of-row precision, as well as seedbed optimisation. The result is a quick, even emergence and vital crop population where each plant is provided conditions needed to reach full Resultspotential.”fromtrials show that a few months after drilling winter wheat at a rate of 150seeds/ m2 gave an increase of 102% in plant biomass, 72% in root biomass and 62% more shoots per plant, compared to a modern seed drill. Highest precision for all crops

For drilling cereals Proceed has a row spacing of either 225 or 250mm. By an easy configuration and a quick change of seed discs the machine can switch to 450 or 500mm for crops such as sugar beet or oilseed rape, to then switch again to plant crops such as maize, sunflower or cotton at 750mm row spacing. All crops will be established with an outstanding precision, maximising the yield potential for each seed. At the heart of Proceed are high-precision row units. Prior to seed placement, individual preseeding wheels consolidate the field to ensure same conditions for each seed. The pre-seeding wheels are individually mounted, using hydraulic down-force to ensure high performance. “When the seeds reach the row units from the central hopper, an adaption of Väderstad PowerShoot takes full control of each single seed all the way down to the soil,” says Lars Thylén, director product management at business“Leavingdevelopment.theshort seed tube, each seed is received by a stop wheel. This ensures optimal seed-to-soil contact at selected depth all over the working width. This provides the driver with full control, each row unit is electrically driven and controlled via the iPad-based control system Väderstad E-Control,” he says. “Functions include row-byrow shut-off and variable rate, dynamic tramlining, individual calibration, as well as real-time precision monitoring and control. All of which are true technical innovations in the cereal seeding sector.”

NAAC Field Trials: Seed Size Matters

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com20 SEEDS AND SEEDING

New independent field trials done this year by SGS, on behalf of the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), show that bigger seed sizes result in significantly higher vigour, emergence, crop height and rooting weight. These trials are now being taken to harvest when final yield results will also be analysed. These results are particularly important this coming autumn and spring as risk management will be key to growers. As input costs continue to remain at breath-taking highs, with no signs of abating, a tight juggling act will be needed to manage crop establishment and agronomy costs and cash flow, whilst commodity prices remain a relative unknown next year. Farm saving seed will be an obvious choice for many but then it will be vital that every seed put in the ground is given the optimum opportunity to grow and reach a productive yield. Integrated farm management techniques will help growers to minimise the application of nutrients and plant protection products, but the seed itself will remain the building blocks of the following crop. Whilst NAAC processors suspected that seed size matters, there was a lack of independent research and when initial processor trials in Cornwall indicated a link, this led to the NAAC commissioning scientific glass house trials of winter wheat and spring barley in 2020 to gather evidence. Initial results (below) support the seed processors

SEEDS AND SEEDING www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 21

Trial spring barley plots showing seed size less than 2.22 (on left) and greater than 2.8 (on the right)

long held belief that bigger seeds demonstrate improved germination, emergence and vigour.The next step was to take the trials out to the field. In Autumn 2021, the NAAC commissioned a fractional seed size field trial with SGS, who planted the seed and monitored crop growth, taking the final crop to harvest for a yield response measurement.Winterwheat and spring barley were sorted by size into four different fractions, varying from >2.8mm and <2.22mm in size, and drilled in field conditions. The results to date (June 2022), are showing that larger seeds, which receive the same inputs pre- and postdrilling, grow significantly better than smaller seeds.

Elite French dairy, beef and goat genetics destined for UK improves Mastergen product portfolio

“We are passionate about producing affordable, high quality and responsible food across the globe,” said José Nobre, AB Agri’s Chief Executive Officer. “The new mill increases our capacity and reliability across the supply chain and helps develop a sustainable future for the feed and food industry in China.” The mill is AB Agri’s ninth production site in China. The completion of construction was WORLD delayed by two months because of Covid-19 restrictions and bad weather.“We are delighted and proud of the effort and passion the team demonstrated to complete this project with just a two-month delay, despite all the obstacles faced,” said Nie Kuo, AB Agri China, Managing Director. “As part of our responsible approach, production at the new site is free of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), which is important given the widespread restrictions on their use and potential impact on human health antibiotic resistance.”

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com22

FARMING

genetics from up to 65% of the French market will be sold in the UK through the MASTERRIND subsidiary, Mastergen. The deal secures the strongest ever line-up of French and German dairy and beef genetics for UK producers. Innoval’s French line-up is dominated by Holstein genetics

AB Agri opens ninth feed production site in China to meet growing customer demand

AB Agri has opened a new 240,000 tonne capacity feed mill in Tongchuan City, Shaanxi Province, China, to further expand production capacity in the region as it grows its global footprint. The new 34,000 square metre site becomes AB Agri China’s second largest facility and comprises separate production lines for swine and ruminant feeds. The Tongchuan mill is the latest in a significant investment programme in China for AB Agri. The business is now producing in excess of 1.7 million tonnes of compound feed equivalent.

The widest ever range of European cattle genetics will be heading to the UK, thanks to a new and intensified relationship between France’s largest breeding organisation, Innoval, and Germany’s dominant breeding company, arm,ThroughMASTERRIND.Innoval’sexportingEvolutionInternational,

Farming, crofting and land management will continue to play an important role in maintaining our iconic landscapes and supporting our rural and island communities.Thesector is also leading the way as we tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. One of the ways we are supporting the agriculture sector to become low carbon, sustainable and regenerative is through the provision of specialist oneto-one advice services and carbonThisaudits.provides key information to assist farmers and crofters improve on their efficiency and climate change resilience. I am delighted to see that demand for Carbon Audits by farmers and crofters in the first six months of the year has exceeded the number of completed audits undertaken over the whole of lastCarbonyear. Audits will be now be provided through the National Test Programme. In 2018, just 99 applications for Carbon Audits were received, with 502 applications for the whole of 2021. The rate of applications dramatically increased in 2022, with 498 received between January and the end of July. In the future, carbon audits will be delivered solely through the National Test Programme, while one-toone advice services will continue to be available through the Farm Advisory Service.This high demand for Carbon Audits highlights the key role Scotland’s farmers and crofters are playing in delivering priority climate change commitments and the just transition to our zero carbonTheytargets.really are engaging willingly with our shared ambitions here and I thank them for doing so. This shows what can be achieved with the right support. We want Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture and Carbon Audits will continue to be an important part of that journey.Iwould like to take this opportunity to urge more in the agri sector to engage with the process and play their part in the shift to sustainable, low carbon farming.Iwould also encourage farmers, crofters and land managers to take advantage of the specialist advice available from the Farming Advisory Service to help them provide the high-quality food and drink that Scotland is renowned for in a sustainable way.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com WORLD FARMING Agri sector leads the way in sustainability with audit demand

By Mairi Gougeonbut also features bloodlines from the Normande, Pie Rouge and Brown Swiss breeds. The beef breeds include the Limousin, Charolais and Blonde d’Aquitaine for which the country is famed, but also the acclaimed composite INRA breed, which is mainly an amalgam of Charolais and Blonde, but also includes genes from the Limousin, Red Meadows and Piemontese, and is now a breed in its own right. The deal also secures a route for less mainstream pedigree beef breeds, some of which have previously been difficult for UK beef producers to access. This includes the Parthenaise, Bazadaise and Gascon breeds, and the popular Salers, used increasingly across UK suckler herds. Also difficult to source have been the Abondance and Tarentaise breeds, which will be added to the dairy line-up. Dairy goat semen will also be part of the deal, tapping into a hugely important industry and gene pool in continental Europe.

Alison Dunphy, MD of Mastergen, says: “We have had a trading relationship with Evolution for the past six years, and are thrilled to cement this with such a strong agreement. “Innoval runs an exceptional programme of research and development and has one of the largest breeding programmes in the world,” she says. “It represents 65% of the French market, distributes its semen in 70 countries, and its R&D activity and genetic development involves a network of 2,000 participating breeders. “With over 6,000 Holstein males genotyped every year and one of the largest semen sexing laboratories in Europe, we can look forward to the continued availability of diverse and industry-leading bloodlines.” Much of the semen from Evolution will be marketed to UK customers by Mastergen itself, but existing routes, through third parties, will also be stepped up. This ensures farmers committed to working with other breeding companies will have no disruption of supply. “When Mastergen was established in the UK in 2014, we were the exclusive UK importer of genetics from MASTERRIND,” she says. “As we also become the exclusive importer from the majority of France’s cattle breeding industry, we are proud to offer UK producers an unsurpassed catalogue of mainstream, elite and specialist genetics from the main breeders and breeding programmes across continental Europe.”

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com24

Filpumps the fluid specialists

topic

Livestock will have a growing water demand during increasingly drier weather Borehole drilling

Theshortages.weather

Whilst many people were revelling in the record breaking temperatures this summer, by either heading to the beach or the nearest beer garden, many farmers were heading to dry fields and empty water tanks. After a predominantly dry year so far, the soaring heat has been the final straw that has broken the back of many a water supply across Scotland. With agriculture being heavily dependent on water use, farmers are some of the first people to experience difficulties with diminishing water availability, as well as being amongst the hardest hit commercially due to water has been getting increasingly drier in recent years and while this has reduced the amount of water available, our demand continues to rise. This year has been one of the most severe so far. In July alone, there have been multiple reports on the BBC of water shortages in Scotland, with SEPA and the Met Office predicting that this is likely to continue in the coming years. If so, ground water supplies, such as wells and springs, will be at risk of struggling to meet the demand they once provided.

The question is, what can be done to ensure a reliable water supply?The first thing is not to leave taking action until the water supply is almost dry. Whilst there are solutions that allow you to make more efficient use out of less water, it takes time to implement these systems. During this time, if the water source continues to struggle, the farm may experience loss of produce or incur additional costs owing to having tankers of water delivered to site. To save this additional stress and expense, contact a private water company such as ourselves, as soon as you start to notice consistent decline in your water supply. This way, the solution can be in place before the situation reaches crisis level and you can reap maximum benefit and savings, not to mention a great deal more peace of mind. So what are some of the solutions available? With surface ground water supplies such as wells and springs, the key is to take the pressure off the water source from having to meet the live demand of the application. It may be that the supply can still provide the daily volume of water required, but can no longer be pumped at the previous flow rate used to replenish existing tanks or points of use directly. This can be compounded if

Protecting Against the Growing Risk of Water Scarcity

By Ben Trotter

Ben Trotter

Drilling down into the bedrock (on average 40m to 80m total depth) taps into the various veins of water, which continuously flow through fissures and porous channels in the rock. These veins are supplied by a large underground catchment of constantly flowing water, surrounded by impermeable rock. This protects the water from the effects of seasonal change, contamination or from flowing away due to the pull of the water table. As no water is lost due to those factors, it offers a vast sustainable water supply. The volumes of water that can be abstracted from a borehole also frequently exceed those of other supplies, with even a moderately low flowing borehole providing tens of thousands of litres of water per day (note that abstraction licenses may apply). These factors allow boreholes to provide a reliable and consistent water supply, removing the potential risks affecting other water sources, during the growing concern of water scarcity.

Thainstone Business Park, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 ben.trotter@filpumps.co.uk5GTET:01467623010

Seasonal change is the ‘hot’ topic affecting water supplies just now, which is a perfect example of how these types of water source can be affected by means out with our control. Ultimately, with the best will in the world, if a water source runs completely dry, there is little that can be done to make that supply viable. If you have concerns that a water supply might be susceptible to any of the above risks, then a water borehole offers an ideal alternative solution. Boreholes offer a consistent and sustainable supply on a par with, or even exceeding, mains water. When a borehole is drilled correctly, it penetrates into the bedrock below ground, bypassing all loose deposits above (eg: soil, sand, gravel etc…). Any water found flowing through such deposits is sealed out of the borehole and not used, as this is surface ground water, which would still be susceptible to all the risks detailed above.

Filpumps the fluid specialists

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 25 topic the existing pump system is also older and inefficient. It may have been installed a long time ago, before the water source began to experience difficulties. As such, it may no longer be suitable and could be putting undue strain on the supply. Getting the water needs of your application assessed correctly, including testing the water source to determine the volume and flow it can provide, is essential in ensuring that any system in place is the best it can be. If done correctly, this will optimise the efficiency of your water use and minimise running costs.As effective as such systems can be, surface ground water supplies will always be at risk of change, both in flow and quality. This is because the water they draw from is unconfined. It can flow anywhere the pull of the water table dictates, as well as pick up contamination from natural and artificial sources.

The Steak Barn and The Cafe is famous for its range of meats - reared on the farm, hung and cut in-house by a team of awardwinning butchers. The Steak Barn menu includes a premium range of steak cuts, which are hung for at least 28 days and cooked to order on the massive wood-fired BBQ. Burgers and sausages, all made at Balgove Larder, are also available alongside the likes of twice fried chips and crispy beer battered onionMasterrings. butcher, James Lothian, heads the butchery team. Along with his team they ensure each carcass is skilfully prepared and that no part of the animal is wasted. The care taken by each butcher means that Balgove Larder can offer a wide range of traditional cuts, alongside its award-winning burgers, black pudding, sausages and haggis. In addition to this, game is sourced direct from the estate and locally, and the team has seen a growth in sales in this area with shoppers rediscovering a taste for rabbit, pigeon and pheasant. James and his team also offer classes master butchery as well as knife sharpening. The Cafe team is always on hand for simple, seasonal good food using the best home grown and local ingredients. The granola is made with Fife oats and the morning rolls are

By converting former farm buildings on the Strathtyrum Estate in St Andrews, over the years Balgove Larder has developed and expanded its offering. On the estate customers can explore The Farm Shop, The Steak Barn, The Butchery, The Flower Shed, The Home Store, The Eat Out, The Pizza Box and TheOpenCafé.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com26 OUR FARM SHOP

Founded in 2010, Balgove Larder has become a destination for locals and visitors alike, who are able to shop for artisanal Scottish food and drink from Fife and beyond; including seasonal produce direct from their own farms and award-winning meat prepared by their team of traditionally skilled butchers.

Balgove Larder, St Andrews

Co founder Will Docker

seven days a week, the Farm Shop has 1000’s of food and drink products, with the strong focus on local and Scottish producers, including craft drinks, pantry essentials, snacks and a deli counter with cheeses and cured meats. Co-founder Will Docker says, “We started Balgove Larder to connect people with the farmers and fields that their food comes from and whenever possible we use home grown, home reared and local produce…”Duetopopular demand, the Balgove Kitchen has produced a range of comforting heat at home meals, with soup, cottage pie, lasagne, macaroni cheese and steak pies for customers to enjoy or freeze at home. Meat for The Butchery, The Steak Barn, The Café and the ready range are sourced directly from the Strathtyrum farms and other local Scottish supply. Pigs, cattle and sheep can be seen grazing the surrounding fields.

Tuesday 2nd August, 5 – 9pm Tuesday 6th September, 5 –For9pmmore information on Balgove Larder call 01334 89814 email info@balgove.com or visit www.balgove.com.

Follow Balgove Larder on Twitter @balgove Like Balgove Larder on Facebook

The Pizza Box is a converted shipping container, serving wood fired sourdough pizzas with local and seasonal toppings. Toppings include salamis from the familyrun Great Glen Charcuterie and local cheese from the St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese in the East Neuk of Fife, as well as other great Scottish ingredients including The Buffalo Farm Mozzarella. Already a favourite with locals and visitors to the area, with outdoor seating available or takeaway for a picnic on the iconic West Sands Beach.The popular Night Markets are held in the distinctive Steak Barn, which has walls made of wooden potato crate and a wood-fired barbecue at its heart. Visitors are able to order from the Steak Barn menu, as well as enjoying street food from a visiting guest vendor as well as the Balgove Eat Out and Pizza Box stands. The Night Markets are free to attend and take place on the first Tuesday of the month between May and September. Shoppers are able to enjoy live music as they meet with local food and drink makers and producers from Fife and beyond, and browse a selection of artisanal preserves, craft spirits and beers, baked treats and a carefully curated range of craft makers.

Follow Balgove Larder on Instagram @balgovelarder

baked down the road! Visitors can expect Scotch pancakes with Scottish back bacon and maple syrup or sit down to the Balgove Breakfast with their own pork sausages, black pudding and back bacon, flat cap mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and two Fife free range eggs on granary toast. The lunch menu includes Balgove meatballs with potato gnocchi, tomato, mascarpone and basil sauce; chilled beetroot soup with feta cheese, croutons and balsamic glaze; Fife Ploughman’s Salad with crusty bread, St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar, their own pickled vegetables, apple wedges, homemade vinaigrette and green salad. New for the summer, the Balgove Eat Out takeaway hut that launched in April. It has outdoor seating and take away options are available. A barista operated coffee machine serves up speciality tea, coffee and hot chocolates as well as a selection of chilled juices and water. With a selection of sweet and savoury baking and snacks, a breakfast menu is served every morning offering; freshly baked croissants, pain au chocolate, cinnamon swirl danishes, sausage rolls, Portuguese custard tarts, and granola and yoghurt pots. The lunch menu is served daily, with filled ciabatta rolls, brioche sandwiches, filled salad boxes, homemade soups and daily special pie of the day such as chicken, leek and bacon or a butcher’s scotch pie.

Plenty of choice on display

Butchery preparation

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 27

OUR FARM SHOP

Balgove Larder is open daily 9am to 5pm. The Steak Barn is open seasonally and does not take bookings. Please refer to the website for up-to-date opening times.

The night market

The new ploughs feature the new AutoAdapt front furrow width adjustment which offers a huge advantage in terms of comfort and precision. AutoAdapt means that the front furrow width is adjusted when the overall working width is changed. This is achieved by the parallelogram beam to headstock linkage and a hydraulic connection between the working width cylinder and the front furrow cylinder. AutoAdapt also has a positive effect on both metal wear rates and fuel consumption as the pull line is always maintained square to the lower link cross shaft irrespective of the working width set. The front furrow width can also be over-ridden on the move to ensure the perfect match up, bout on bout, for when ploughing on sloping ground.

In addition, the new SpeedBlade plough bodies ensure reduced wear costs, even at higher speeds. As ploughing speeds increase, the soil flow up the mouldboard changes and the wear takes place outside of the normal shin area. The new SpeedBlade mouldboard consists of a new extended shin which is then able to be replaced much more cheaply than having to replace the complete mouldboard. This cuts the running cost of the machine. Secondly, the point

Playing it straight

The latest news on ploughs available today

The all-new Teres 300 reversible plough range and wing overlap each other to prevent string and roots getting trapping in between.

The new hydraulic stone release system protects the plough in stony ground; the pressure on which can be set centrally, or on each body individually, up a maximum trip force of 2,000kg. This runs alongside the conventional double-action shear bolt.And the design of the plough is all about longevity; with its exceptional beam strength,

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com28 Ploughs

The Teres 300 is the all-new mounted reversible plough from AMAZONE. In 4, 5, and 6 furrows, the new mounted plough is designed for tractors with a horsepower rating up to 300 HP. The Teres 300 is available in two formats, the Teres 300 V, or the VS with hydraulic stone release system; both models are equipped with variable furrow width adjustment as standard. Designed to keep operating costs, both in diesel usage and wearing metal, to a minimum, the plough is characterised by its simple adjustment, its exceptionally light pull and that perfect finish to the working profile.

the ProtectShaft lower link mounting, where the cross shaft is carried in bearings to take out the shock load of the plough turning over and when on the road, as well as the gentle SmartTurn turn-over system. SmartTurn actuates the frame swivel cylinder to enable sufficient ground clearance to turn the plough over without having to close up the furrow width on every end, this removes that risk of pivot bearing wear and tear over the years.

Multi-leader ploughs from Kuhn

The single wheel Multi-Leader plough is Kuhn’s high output machine for medium to high power tractors. The MultiLeader covers the 270 – 360hp tractor power range, and – with a 110-degree turning radius – has great manoeuvrability on headlands. All models are available with multiple working widths (35, 40, 45 and 50 cm per body). Its Z-frame design means there is very little wheel overhang during work at field edges and allows the potential to fit wide tyres of up to 1,200mm diameter, thereby offering good carrying capacity. The Multi-Leader has a large offset range, with adjustments made by sliding the drawbar to change the wheel spacing between 1.15m and 1.6m.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 29

Ploughs

Tel: 01738 710381 Fax: 01738 710581

The Multi-Leader XT is the latest addition to KUHN’s semimounted single-wheel plough range. Available in the UK with 7 or 8 bodies, this heavy-duty plough is suitable for tractors up to 500 horsepower and crawlers with 400 horsepower. Both in-furrow and onland versions of the plough are available, with the on-land version also able to be set up to work in-furrow. Operational efficiency, and reduced fuel use, is ensured by a new draw line correction system that optimises traction and minimises wear on the plough. As with the Multi-Master L, this plough benefits from tool-free adjustments to allow quick and simple set-up, minimising down-time and increasing the performance in the field. Offset adjustment capability on the Multi-Leader XT allows the on-land version of this plough to work effectively with large tractors, up to 5.4m wide, which includes dual wheel set-ups and tracked machines. The Multi-Leader XT can also be used with a press arm and both traction bolt and nonstop hydraulic safety systems are available.

Working depth adjustment is set by using spacers on the lift cylinder at the wheel. Underbeam clearance is 80cm and point-to-point clearance 102cm. All models of the Multi-Leader are available with a choice of either T Bolt (T) or Non-Stop Hydraulic (NSH) safetyThesystem.MLD 6 starts at £28,927 for the T-Bolt equipped model, with prices rising to £43,058 for the MLD 8 with NSH safety.

MULTI-LEADER XT

Kverneland introduces new mounted plough models

Called Stepwise, the new versions continue to offer variable furrow widths, with adjustment achieved by moving one bolt on each leg assembly. The 2300S Stepwise plough is available in three different frame formats, offering point to point clearances of 85cm, 100cm and 115cm, with mechanical furrow width adjustment of 12-18in, 1220in and 14-22in respectively. Recommended for tractors up to 225hp, the 2300S is available in three, four and five furrow builds on all but the 115cm version,

D-K-R AGRICULTURAL SERVICES LTD. LanarkshireCoulter,Westfield,Biggar,ML126HN Tel. 01899 220897 • FAX. 01899 221413 E-Mail: dkrcoulter@hotmail-com AGRICULTURALD-K-RSERVICES LTD. Main Dealers for PÖTTINGER Ploughs www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com30 Ploughs Main dealers in Perthshire for OVLAC Ploughs

Following the success of the hydraulic vari-width 2300S and 3300S mounted reversible ploughs, manual vari-width models are now available, offering a cost-effective solution for growers who adjust furrow widths infrequently.

Sales • Service • Parts Repairs for a wide range of Agricultural Machinery Murthly, Perthshire, PH1 4HG

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 31

Ploughs which is available as a three or four-furrow plough. The 3300S Stepwise plough, suitable for tractors up to 330hp, is available in two frame versions offering 85cm or 100cm point to point clearance. Mechanical furrow width adjustment is from 12-18in or 12-20in depending on clearance, and in four-to-six furrow versions. Receiving features found on much larger ploughs such as the aero-profile plough leg assembly, the Stepwise models can be specified with the optional trailer-transport headstock. This development, first seen on the innovative i-Plough, allows the plough to be towed so it follows the tractor, just like any other trailedThisimplement.eliminates the overhang usually associated with carrying a fully-mounted plough, and simultaneously improves road safety.Skimmers offer a single point of adjustment, and a

Paul Creasy LEMKEN UK’s General Manager commented ‘the OptiStone autoreset system has been well received by the revised auto-reset spring protection system sees flexibility provided to suit soil conditions – adding or removing one leaf spring can be achieved using two bolts, that can be unscrewed by hand. Depth wheel design is one that uses a swivelling bracket, allowing the rear-mounted wheel to hang as the plough is turned over. Options include a hydraulically adjustable wheel. The 2300S is also available with XHD Carbide – Kverneland’s extra heavy-duty plough parts that use a new design of tungsten carbide tile that wraps around the leading edge of parts. This corner tile design prevents the hardwearing elements from being damaged or knocked off by hidden obstructions, when leading edges are put to Alongsidework.the plough point, XHD is available for short and long landsides, shins and skimmer

New overload protection for Lemken ploughs

as standard with individual shear bolt protection and an optional, fully automatic hydraulic stone release system. The New Holland stone protection systems also feature a shear bolt system which gives a maximum of 40.5cm clearance with the hydraulic autoreset offering 54cm clearance. A large area of free space around the large rear depth wheel allows residue material to flow past and makes for trouble free ploughing in difficult conditions.

disruption-free work, even with deep ploughing. The tripping forces can be continuously adjusted from the comfort of the driver’s seat to adapt to changing soil conditions. If the system catches below a slab of stone or roots, it is additionally protected by a double-cut shear bolt to prevent damage to the plough. The OptiStone overload protection features high-strength radial spherical plain bearings to keep the plough bodies stable as the system deflects. The plough bodies are firmly connected to the three-dimensional bearing points and therefore cannot unhitch – a clear advantage compared to the overload protection systems with four-point suspension commonly found on the market. The radial spherical plain bearing is durable, reliable, and easily accessible for convenient maintenance.

UKshares.and Ireland. The tolerances it can work to suit the areas where auto-reset machines are a must’. The Juwel plough range will be at this Autumn’s Tillage Live event showing OptiStone at work. The New Holland PSX range of ploughs are perfect for high capacity ploughing and are compatible with tractors of up to 360hp. Available in ultra-high capacity five to eight furrow configurations with all models benefiting from robust frames that offer high ground clearance and heavy-duty beam housing technology. Each model is fitted with one of the largest wheel dimensions available on the market – 15.5/80-24 which in turn delivers not only low pull resistance during field work but also high stability during road transit. Stoney ground and difficult ground conditions are a breeze for the PSXV range which are all fitted

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com32 Ploughs LEMKEN, the specialist for professional arable farming, launched the new OptiStone automatic overload protection for its Juwel, Diamant and Titan ploughs in 2021. At the heart of the OptiStone is a closed system of highly stable leg plates, which is reliably protected against dirt and foreign objects. A newly designed swivel bracket ensures high lateral tripping forces and optimal plough control in stony soils.When an obstacle is encountered, the new LEMKEN overload element simultaneously deflects up to 37 centimetres upwards and 20 centimetres to the side. This provides for a sufficiently large range of deflection to ensure consistently

New Holland PSX Plough Range

There is plenty of choice from New Holland with six different plough bodies to choose from which all offer low draft requirements with market leading levels of fuel consumption, the ideal solution for all soil types and residue conditions. The PSX range’s overall narrow transport width, low centre of gravity and ideal weight distribution make for easy and efficient transport, even when travelling over rough and uneven surfaces. A Factory fitted On-Land extension can also be specified on the 6, 7 and 8 furrow variants. This extension can also be retrofitted on farm to enable flexibility for both on-land and in-furrow ploughing. An optional front wheel is also available which offers additional stability whilst ploughing.

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SERVO T 6000: the new Pottinger plough while at the same time allowing the plough to track the ground perfectly. As a result, wheel slip is minimised and fuel consumption is reduced by up to 3.5 litres per hectare.The new SERVO T 6000 has fewer greasing points to minimise maintenance requirements. In addition, all reversible points are DURASTAR quality as standard. This contributes to a significant increase in durability and cost effectiveness.Thesemi-mounted plough is attached to the tractor using double sided linkage lugs. This configuration conveniently covers every possible geometry of mounting system. A long drawbar provides more space for turning manoeuvres and narrow entrances.Theplough settings on the new semi-mounted plough can be adjusted easily and intuitively in just a few steps. The working depth is set using swing clips on the support wheel. The front furrow width can be adjusted using the turnbuckle on the stabiliser or hydraulically as an option. If required, the working width on the PLUS and PLUS NOVA versions can be hydraulically adjusted to the site conditions, the application and the tractor power.

Ovlac are the biggest Spanish manufacturer specialized in soil-working machinery, which believes firmly in innovation. Ovlac ploughs are born from a constant effort to take care of quality. Therefore by engineering and design they´re in high demand. Behind it there´s over 85 years of continuous evolution that represents the value of experience.Ploughs are Ovlac’s flagship product with over 400 variations to answer to different needsOscillating cross-shaft a key feature on all ploughs where alignment is automatically corrected with no adjustments necessary. We are talking about mounted, conventional, reversible, in/out of furrow, shallow and semi mounted all of them perfectly designed offer the best possible performance. Hardox is used throughout construction in particular

Ovlac’ ploughs from Spain

the reinforcing supports and mouldboard legs. Mouldboards are 8mm case hardened whereas slats are 10mm which use a conical bolt ensuring the slats remain in place. The XPerience is their most advanced plough using a parallelogram system this incorporates a powerful front furrow width ram complete with gauge, the headstock has a hollow centre allowing for neat/ safe passage of the hydraulic hoses. Straight leg design allows for improved trash flow. Two possibilities for mounting of the combi wheel either at the rear or advanced allowing for tighter field boundaries. An extremely strong forged steel link joins the main beam to the headstock allowing for varying furrow widths from 12- 20inch..TheXperince plough range from Ovlac has proved extremely popular choice for framers and contractors in the UK with many thousands of hectares having been inverted.Weare also seeing increase in demand in shallow plough range where up to 40% increase in productivity is possible due to the wider widths ploughing at only 4-inch depth with a recommend power requirement of only 20hp per body.

The SERVO T 6000 is the result of many years of ploughing experience and intensive development work. The main beam section and the NOVA stone protection system have been revised from the ground up to optimise reliability. The new semi-mounted ploughs are offered as NOVA and PLUS NOVA versions (6 to 8 furrows). NOVA and PLUS NOVA ploughs feature hydraulic stone protection with an adjustable triggering pressure of up to 2,200 kg to prevent damage to the plough and enable ploughing without interruption. The TRACTION CONTROL system on the SERVO T 6000 actively transfers weight from the plough to the tractor. This means that up to 1,100 kg more load can be applied to the rear wheels

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Located in Midlothian, Preston Hall Farms is made up of four units with a combined 520ha of cereal crops, and since 1996 has been managed by Bill Gray. Their rotation, which includes winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley, OSR and oats, is well balanced ensuring they are financially stable whilst also protecting the environment and enhancing wildlife.Part of this approach includes working in collaboration with neighbouring farmers and their livestock to graze the pastureland, helping enrich their soil organic matter. Good soil health and soil structure is something that the team works hard to sustain, with green manure utilised across the whole farm as well as cover crops during the winter months. “We believe in collaboration and working to our strengths.” explains Bill, “Our focus is as a cereal unit, but we believe reintegrating livestock will benefit our rotation. We have worked with our neighbours at Saughland Farm to monitor the impact of integrating cattle for a short period of time, over a three-year period. We have seen an increase in micronutrients and a higher worm count and having planted some of the grassland into wheat this year, we are excited to see how the soil health benefits may have impacted our crop potential, as we get ready to harvest.”Thebusiness does not standstill and continuously invests in their infrastructure, staff team and local community. The construction of a new grain store is helping to ensure yield quality is well maintained as well as marketing control, giving the optimum price for their crop.

Preston Hall team

Doing Different Reaps Rewards

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Preston Hall Farms is one of those businesses that embraces the term “doing different”. They don’t shy away from change and adopt new innovations to ensure they remain profitable and sustainable for the future. It is one of the reasons they were awarded AgriScot Scottish Arable Farm of the Year in 2021, sponsored by SoilEssentials and supported by AHDB. We visited them to find out more.

The old steading buildings have recently been refurbished to provide 10 working units for a mix of businesses within the creative industries, whilst also generating an additional income stream to help offset the volatility of farming. The farm often welcomes visitors to learn more about their farming practices, and in 2017 they enrolled as one of Scotland’s Monitor Farms, sharing knowledge and learning from the industry to further improve their operation. For Bill, this is all an essential part of their“Webusiness.havenever been afraid to try new things and believe in being open and sharing information and our experiences with others,” he continued. “Being a Monitor Farm has given us the opportunity to do this and being able to share our story as the recipient of the AgriScot Scottish Arable Farm of the Year goes further along this path.”As a winner of the award, Bill is invited to join the judging panel for 2022 and has just recently visited the shortlisted candidates. ‘It was hugely rewarding to visit this year’s contenders for the award. Arable farming has become more complex over the years, integrating new technologies and systems to give the best outcome, environmentally and commercially. New jobs and skills have been developed, and it is great to see an award, such as AgriScot, recognise not only the Farm Owner or Manager, but the whole team. This was one of the reasons I was keen to enter and delighted to win – it is a chance to say thank you and acknowledge every individual's contribution.” As part of the AgriScot prize, SoilEssentials are providing a full system health check, firmware upgrade to their Trimble system and providing a one-year upgrade to RTK accuracy with the correction signal, provided by SoilEssentials’ very own awardwinning EssentialsNet RTK service.Rod Armour, Head of Sales at SoilEssentials, added: “Bill is a real advocate for technology at farm level, and whilst it is moving at pace, it must offer material and cost benefits. Bill and his team have always been early adopters, initially purchasing a Trimble CFX-750 guidance display and later upgraded to provide full steering to a Case Puma tractor. Their forwardthinking approach, and eagerness to explore and try new solutions, is one of the many reasons they won the award.” The AgriScot Scottish Arable Farm of the Year will be announced on 16th November at AgriScot. To find out more about the event, visit www.agriscot.co.uk or to learn more about the technologies from SoilEssentials, visit www. soilessentials.com

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Colin Chappell of Gander Farm in North Lincolnshire has been awarded the inaugural Rawcliffe Bridge Award for sustainability, coinciding with a special 20year celebration of the ongoing biodiversity and advocacy work at Rawcliffe Bridge, in partnership with BASF and the Hinchliffe family. The award is aimed at celebrating those farmers who manage to strike a balance between supporting ‘people, profit and the planet’ and judges had a difficult job choosing between the two finalists, with Guy Prudom of Northfields Farm, North Yorkshire, being awarded runner-up. On winning the award, Colin Chappell said: “I am unusually lost for words. I know some of the people who applied for this award and to have pipped them all is just incredulous. It was an honour to have been in the final two with Guy and as soon as harvest is over, I want to go and see his farm and see what I can learn from him.”

BASF Agricultural Sustainability Manager, Mike Green explained why they felt it was important to introduce this new award and what legacy they hoped it would build.

“We had the 20 years celebration coming up at Rawcliffe Bridge Farm and we wanted to find a way of recording the value that people put on sustainability in their businesses and to find a way of celebrating them for the work they do.

“There are a lot of people who claim to be sustainable and are incredibly technically competent and are supporting biodiversity on-farm, but maybe weren’t interacting with the social side. We wanted to have a competition which recognises

environment Colin Chappell lifts inaugural Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability

Commenting on the future of sustainability in farming, he added: “We need to have a conversation about sustainably producing food, whilst also caring for the environment, the water and the people around us –that is what it is all about. That is trueMrsustainability.”Chappell,who runs an arable unit on the banks of the river Ancholme, impressed judges with his engagement with carbon and soil monitoring; implementation of multiple wildlife schemes; his approach to reducing nitrogen, but above all, his dedication to community. The award was supported and judged by representatives from BASF, Farm 491 and the Institute of Agriculture Management. Fellow judge Richard Hinchliffe of Rawcliffe Bridge Farm said: “The thing that really impressed me about Colin’s setup, is what he did with some more economically deprived children from the local area, bringing them on farm and engaging them about agriculture and where their food comes from, and you could really see the passion he had for this. We had two fantastic finalists but a really special winner.”

environmentScottish

Using a scientific technique that applies just air and electricity to slurry, the technology within the N2 Unit performs a plasma conversion which retains both methane and ammonia within the

Robert Ramsay, Senior Consultant, SAC Consulting

Farming for a Better Climate is funded by the Scottish Government that there are three legs to the stool of sustainability, economic, environment and societal, and you have to be supporting all three of them, to keep it steady.” Echoing similar sentiments to his fellow judges, he said that both finalists’ dedication to community was a “societal good that can often be overlooked in conversations around sustainability”.Duringthe award ceremony, Colin Chappell received a bespoke ceremonial plate, painted by a local artist, and both finalists have been given a free ticket to the Institute of Agricultural Management’s annual conference, and access to the expert network run by Farm491.Rawcliffe Bridge was developed by BASF and the Hinchliffe family, to understand how to balance intensive farming and wildlife management. Over the last twenty years it has captured extensive data and welcomed thousands of visitors to learn how a productive arable farm can improve the natural environment, without sacrificing yield and profit.

The pace of change in farming has never been greater than it is today. With the impact of a changing climate, conflict in Ukraine and increasing inflation, what does the future hold for the economy? For farmers, there is still some uncertainty about future support and trade, but we know that loss making businesses will need to make fundamental changes to allow them to stand on their own feet. Don’t put this off; change isn’t coming, it’s here now.

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One of the best tools available to farmers to assess business efficiency For more information on other practical measures to improve farm efficiency and how these can also reduce the farm carbon footprint, see www.farmingforabetterclimate.org Find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @SACfarm4climate. Free nutrient management planning tools are available at www.planet4farmers.co.uk; guidance on the rules around slurry application are at www.farmingandwaterscotland.org is a carbon audit. Although carbon audits are designed to look at the carbon efficiency of production systems, there are very strong correlations to financial efficiency. With grant funding aimed at Scottish businesses for completion of carbon audits, bringing in a new set of eyes to take a deep dive into your business could suggest previously unexplored efficiency savings. Whether carrying out a detailed carbon audit with an accredited adviser or completing the process yourself, its likely to highlight areas which could have a positive impact on your bottom line. This process will help you position your business for the future, both in terms of profitability, environmental performance and also for future agricultural policy. For more information on practical measures to improve farm efficiency and how these can also reduce the farm carbon footprint, see SACfarm4climate.ororgfarmingforabetterclimate.www.FindusonFacebookfollowusonTwitter@

Efficiency savings are key

In an ideal world, producers would have two options to improve profits, 1). increase the price of products and 2). reduce the cost of production. Option 1 is difficult if not impossible for most farm businesses. Instead, farmers can only focus on controlling costs and hope for a fair price when they sell their wares. All producers are seriously looking at their costs. However, not all costs are born equal and it is essential that cost savings don’t have a detrimental impact on output.

N2 Applied, the European agricultural technology business, today announced that Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has become the first UK organisation to purchase an N2 Unit, a farming appliance that uses revolutionary technology to practically eliminate methane and ammonia emissions from slurry production. SRUC, which has six campuses across Scotland, is a research institution that provides higher education, consulting, and research in agriculture and life sciences. It will use the Unit in its ongoing farming operations and as part of its courses at its Barony Campus near Dumfries, many of which examine the long-term potential of circular agriculture models.

Institution Is First UK Purchaser Of N2 Applied Unit For Ultra Low Emission Slurry Production And AgricultureCircular

• Drive smoothly- unnecessarily high engine speeds, accelerating too fast and braking hard results in increased fuel consumption.

Fuel SummarySavingArticle environment liquid waste material, producing a sustainable fertiliser. Treated slurry produced on-farm has the potential to eliminate the need for chemical fertiliser, and therefore further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. N2 Units are typically powered by renewable energy, with the ability to draw from multiple sources whenSRUCrequired.will use the N2 Unit to process dairy manure into sustainable slurry material that locks in methane and ammonia, and retains nitrogen to maintain grassland yields comparable to those achieved with chemical fertilisers. “The sale of the first commercial N2 Unit in the UK is a major milestone for both our business and the future of sustainable farming,” said Nick Humphries, UK General Manager for N2 Applied. “SRUC is a pioneering institution helping to push the boundaries of not just specific farming techniques, but overall models of more sustainable agriculture and their broader impact on rural communities. It is the ideal first customer that will help to explore the full potential of what N2 Applied’s technology can achieve.”

Maintenance and Setup:

Claire Renton, SOSE’s Head of Operations for Dumfries and Galloway, added: “Agriculture is such an important sector for the South of Scotland, making up more than a quarter of all the businesses in our region. “SRUC’s purchase of the N2 Unit with SOSE support is such an innovative move for the sector, which we believe can be another step towards Scotland’s Just Transition to Net Zero, and creating a fairer, wealthier and greener economy.”

Climate change offers opportunities and challenges, with agricultural valuers having a key role as trusted advisers, said Central Association of Agricultural Valuers secretary and adviser Jeremy Moody. Speaking at the CAAV National Conference and AGM in Liverpool, Mr Moody outlined how agricultural valuers could help farmers transition and understand what responding to climate change could mean for their businesses. “If climate change is a crisis then you have to start doing things now for actions to be less costly and most effective. Whether it is land use, soil, buildings, leadership, staff or carbon pricing, this bears on rural land management and farming in the 2020s. This year’s weather shows we now have much to more adapt to. “The role of the professional is to help clients understand their resources, weaknesses, land tenure, development controls and give advice. We are looking at nascent markets, barely developed and barely regulated. With any proposal in this area, the valuer’s job as adviser is to look the gift horse in the mouth – it is worth accepting?”MrMoody said it was important to look through the words used and behind the labels at the realities of any proposal. “Do not look at labels, analyse the deal. See what is actually happening and test it: what are the terms and what is the payment?

• Match tyre choice and pressure to the job - higher pressures on the road and lower pressures in the field. Don’t be an aggressive driver!

• Remember your filtersclean fuel and plentiful air are vital for modern engines to work as efficiently as possible. Use the right tractor and weights for the job.

• Make use of technologyvariable transmissions and economy or Eco settings makes it much easier for operators to drive economically. The use of headland management systems and GPS improves fuel efficiency in the field. Monitor and record to inform further analysis Noting fuel usage and tasks undertaken on a brim-to-brim basis is a simple way to help find out• what tasks use most fuel • any differences between similar machines or operators. Making small changes to machines and driver habits could bring big savings in the months ahead. For more information, you can read our full article at www.fas. scot

• Set up machinery correctly and adhere to optimumrecommendationsmanufacturerstoensureperformance.

• Replace worn soil working parts and keep blades and cutting surfaces sharp.

Harvest sees machinery working long hours and inevitably using lots of fuel. With red diesel prices at record levels – saving even a few percent can translate into a decent financial saving. Typically it takes around 100l/ ha to produce a hectare of cereals – last year this would have cost around £50/ha however with prices rising by 150% in the interim, this year will see costs in the region of £125/ha. This will have a huge impact not only on production costs but also on cashflows. What can farmers do?

John Newbold, Professor of Dairy Nutrition at SRUC, said: “The agricultural sector is pivotal in creating a more sustainable future for our world through reduced impact of its activity on the environment and more secure food production for a growing population. As we work to help the sector to achieve that, the N2 Unit offers a pathway to addressing one of the least welcome by-products of dairy farming, making slurry sustainable and reducing chemical fertiliser dependency.” South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) provided significant support for SRUC with the purchase of the N2 Unit.

• Matching tractors for the job in hand is important- an oversized tractor will use more fuel.

• Follow recommended maintenance and service intervals.

Helping farm businesses navigate climate change policy

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• Weights and ballasts help improve traction and stability however too much leads to wasted fuel.

Ronald Rose Cape Wrath Anyone in the gamekeeping community who needs help can contact the GWT, free and in confidence, on Jamie’s Helpline 0300 1233 088.

Walking and the countryside are known to help our bodies and our minds, and there are increasing opportunities enabling people to benefit, from unmarked routes through remote hills to Dementia Friendly Walks in easier reach. And it’s not just those who need to escape the rat race who unwind in the wild; earlier this year a wellweathered countryman from Lockerbie took to the hills for 24 days of walking across Scotland. But A Walk with Shaun was no ordinary trek. The incredible journey was Ronald Rose’s 480 mile walk from the Solway Coast to Cape Wrath in memory of his muchvalued friend and colleague Shaun, who took his own life in 2019. As well as raising vital funds for the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust (GWT), Ronald was generating invaluable awareness among his rural peers - “Given the work the GWT does to support those in our industry, I wanted to use the trek to fundraise for the GWT and raise awareness about the help available for those struggling with their wellbeing in general, as well as those who consider taking their own life.” Ronald, a Wildlife Ranger Manager for Forestry & Land Scotland, is from a long line of deer and wildlife managers. Despite many years in this line of work, or perhaps because of it, he doesn’t take the personal challenges lightly: long hours, challenging weather, solitary working, and more. “It’s OK not to be OK. And it’s more than OK, it’s the strong thing to do, to tell a family member, a trusted friend or work colleague, or specialists like the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust, about what problems you are facing and how you are feeling.”Throughout his journey, he met a number of walkers who had lost loved ones to suicide or considered it themselves; a stark reminder that mental ill health isn’t rare, with figures showing 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year [1]. Impressed by his undertaking, some people donated to his cause there and then.The walk took Ronald though a wide variety of landscapes managed by the very people he was walking for. “When I was travelling through the remote mountainous areas on the Cape Wrath Trail it became evident that most of the roads, paths, bridges etc. used were created and maintained by estates owners, keepers, stalkers and ghillies. This provides the infrastructure that enables us all to get out into these areas for the benefit of our wellbeing. If something goes awry whilst out there it is inevitably the same keepers, stalkers and ghillies who have the local knowledge and equipment to assist us in our time of need”. A Walk with Shaun raised over £3000 for the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust. The charity, who managed a Facebook page to document Ronald’s journey, are publishing a short film about the walk on their social media and the Facebook page A Walk with Shaun on 2 August.

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Rural workers helping provide access to walk-related wellbeing

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com40 Grain Dryers Grain Dryers

The Tornum Intelligent Drier Control (IDC) does all the hard work for you – IDC is a softwarebased control system which continuously monitors incoming moisture content and physically controls the speed of the drier to ensure the precise average moisture content of the grain is achieved, irrespective of outside weather conditions. Remote data includes the number of discharges per hour, chosen moisture content, drying air temperature, and a moisture tolerance – the latter is a reaction to fluctuations with incoming moisture content, and is a reference to the intelligent control. This lets the IDC counter any effect of overdrying grain caused by sudden moisture content fluctuations and is achieved by automatically releasing grain with a slightly higher moisture content, to average out in-store variations. Labour hours are greatly reduced by not having to rely on basic monitoring systems and crucially over drying is always kept to an absolute minimum –thus having a huge impact on costs.A recent installation of the IDC software at Laurence Kirkby Farms, near Lincolnshire, has received positive feedback from George Strawson of Active Business Partnerships who manage the 800ha estate, “Drying grain is now a very easy process that no longer needs a member of staff permanently watching what’s going on,” Charles White, Director, JWI UK Ltd, “All of our current and upcoming projects are incorporating the IDC system, so it won’t be long before our customers are reaping the benefits of this market leading application.”

Finding the right individual crop drying solutions

Allmet Grain Dryers driving forward with technology designed to save energy and labour costs

Future-proofed and automated dryer control – the sophistication of Tornum’s market leading application can make this a reality. Drying grain precisely is a complex process, but doing it correctly achieves the best possible grain quality for the best price. Relying on manual drying can risk either not attaining the desired moisture content or over drying the grain which is a costly exercise –by over drying to 13% instead of 14% can typically add up to 20% to your energy bill!

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Fuel efficient grain drying solutions for peace of mind harvest from Alvan Blanch

A British manufacturing company, with over 70 years of experience, Alvan Blanch are one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of post-harvest equipment. The Continuous Double Flow drying system can process any combineharvestable crop, no matter how wet or dirty. Alvan Blanch grain dryers are unique and highly fuel efficient, recycling the warm drying air to reduce fuel consumption. Through careful design and automatic operation, our modern technology provides even drying whilst requiring little supervision – There are plenty of reasons the Alvan Blanch Double Flow Grain Dryer is the first choice for British farmers. Alvan Blanch is the onestop-shop for your grain processing needs supplying all complementary handling and cleaning systems. In partnership with Søby, Alvan Blanch can offer a wide range of grain handling solutions – with conveyors, augers and elevators designed to work in conjunction with the drier along with the recently

Grain Dryers

We have seen increased interest in temporary cooling measures such as pedestals and spears, but the ambient air temperature has been too high for them to be effective!Farmers need to be looking at more permanent ‘dual-purpose’ solutions to dry grain during the wet harvests that will still happen in Scotland, plus what looks like becoming increasingly important, to cool it too. Svegma continuous flow driers from BDC Systems provide the answer. Svegma driers have long been a key weapon in BDC’s grain handling armoury and have come into their own during early harvest as grain coolers!

One of our Scottish customers has used his Svegma 38tph drier to simply cool all of his winter barley without using a drop of diesel. Designed using the latest cutting-edge technology, Svegma driers have an industry leading reputation for outstanding quality and efficiency. As a result, they are used extensively by farmers, farming co-operatives, commercial plant operators and maltsters. Storage that preserves grain quality to achieve the best possible price relies on getting the moisture content and the temperature of the grain just right. BDC’s Svegma continuous flow driers help achieve just that.

introduced range of Alvan Blanch Rotary Cleaners and Aspirators. Manufactured in UK, they are available in six different models, with two size options per model (with the option of 2, 3, or 4 screens), designed for powerful pre-cleaning and seed cleaning/grading. Interchangeable screens allow for the processing of multiple grains, all in one machine.Alvan Blanch are also able to offer a complete range of farm machinery, including: Mixers, Hammermills and Roller-Mills. A range designed to allow on-farm grain processing and feed milling. Through utilising home-grown grain, the costs are reduced and the quality of the feed, for your livestock, has provenance. All solutions are custom built, whilst remaining simple to use and maintain. Through Alvan Blanch’s network of reliable dealers nationwide, and service engineering team, annual drier servicing and technical support are provided. An internal parts department ensures that you can source the parts for your machine.

Grain cooling to become as important as grain drying says John Wilson, BDC Systems, Area Manager for Scotland and Northern England

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Scottish farmers have experienced early harvest weather which has been exceptionally hot and somewhat different from the inclement conditions they are more usedWithto. climate change not going away and looking set to bring with it longer, hotter and drier summers, the emphasis on grain storage needs to switch from grain drying to grainEarlycooling.harvest 2022 has produced some horror stories around ‘hot’ grain. One of our customers reported very dry winter barley going into store in the high 20º and the following morning its temperature had risen to over 30º. Hot grain not only raises issues around how to maintain its quality and therefore value, it also becomes a fire hazard.

OPICOGrainDryers

Speed and efficiency are key features of the OPICO range of recirculating batch dryers, with automated features allowing farmers to keep pace with harvest and larger capacity combines, whilst reducing the time needed to manage the dryer. Available as gas or diesel fuelled models and with 3 phase or PTO drive these self-contained units constantly recirculate the grain to ensure thorough, consistent and economical drying. Loading time and unloading time are also minimised with high capacity loading augers, recirculating augers and unloading augers to keep grain flowing.

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This summer has seen extreme temperatures and controlling grain temperature has been a key consideration for some. OPICO dryers have been used to blow ambient cooler air through the grain to prevent over-heating.Furthermore, the action of a recirculating batch dryer cleans and polishes the grain whilst also removing chaff, weed seeds and broken grains. Resulting in higher hectolitre weights and in turn the value of the crop; giving an advantage over on-floor stores or continuous flow systems. A Sky Vac dust extractor can be added for even more impressive results. The lower capital investment needed already makes an OPICO dryer an attractive purchase. Recent improvements to extend working life include galvanized or stainless steel components in areas that are susceptible to corrosion will help reduce ownership costs and result in a higher residual value. Easy to install and relocate when necessary, OPICO recirculating mobile batch grain dryers start from £46,114 gas fuelled range (GT 395QF) and from £46,148 for the diesel fuelled range (Magna 120 Eco).

Diesel DryerGas Fired GT

Both gas and diesel fuelled dryers can be specified for fully automated operation – allowing you to sleep while they dry! These models load, dry, cool and unload automatically, giving unattended drying hour after hour, seven days a week and require minimal labour allowing more efficient use of farm resources.

Thinking of upgrading your grain drying capability for next year?

Here’s what John & Allan Marshall from Fife did with theirs. They have an arable farm with a 1,400T barley store and a 3,800T wheat store. They farm 695 acres of wheat, 217 acres of barley, 247 acres of OSR & 80 acres of potatoes.

The diesel fuelled Magna range offer high volume, with the largest having a holding capacity of 48t, drying up to 480 tons of grain per day on automatic versions. Unique to the Magna range is the Duax heat core – heat retaining bricks that ensure a more even and consistent drying temperature with the added benefit of saving up to 10% on diesel costs.

OPICODEALS

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com44 Grain Dryers CONTACT YOUR LOCAL DEPOT FOR OUT OF SEASON

The gas fuelled GT range of dryers provide clean, cost effective, controllable heat. Liquid propane is vaporised in the dryer and burnt in a ring burner to achieve high temperatures and an even safe heat.

Perhaps Perry of Oakley have the answer?

GRAIN DRYERSMagna

Grain Dryers

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The father & son team refurbished their store which included erecting a new building and upgrading their drying plant. They contacted K M Duncan Agricultural Engineering Ltd to undertake the refurbishment work who in turn, recommended Perry of Oakley Ltd as the supplier of the grain handling & drying equipment.Theintake comprises of two 60tph Perry mechanical reception pits which feed an aspirator precleaner. The grain is then elevated via a 60tph belt & bucket elevator. The Perry model M511 drier is capable of 41tph and has had our light grain & chaff recovery system installed, which removes the need to clean out light grains and chaff from the drier exhaust plenum as it’s pneumatic flaps open periodically to allow this back into the drier column. The dried grain is then delivered to stores via a belt conveyor which has been installed with a motorised tripper which is winched along the building as the level of grain builds up. The whole system, including the handling equipment is controlled using a Perry 12” touch screen with a PLC program which is designed & programmed in house at Perry’s factory in Devon. The Marshall’s Said: “We particularly like the PLC control panel. It’s simple to use & the text message alerts are really helpful. The automatic set up has simplified getting our drier performing at its optimum, and with the inclusion of handling, rerouting the crop is easier than we could’ve hoped for.”

Mr Miller, who farms in partnership with his wife Emma, bought a second-hand Bunning Lowlander 90 Twin Vertical Auger (TVA) in 2018 after spending the best part of a decade hiring in machines to spread his stockpiled heaps in bulk batches. The machine was a 2012 model and was an ideal way for Mr Miller to begin changing his approach. “One of the ways I justified buying a spreader was looking at what it cost me to buy and comparing it with the price of a lorry load of fertiliser. When I brought the Lowlander 90, it was the equivalent of two loads of fertiliser. If you produce your own organic manure from livestock, there has never been a better justification to make the most of what you already have. “We must be doing all we can to reduce the reliance on bagged fertiliser and bought-in feed costs. For grazing land, feeding the grass with the same nutrients in the farmyard manure would be the equivalent to £117/ha (£47.50/ ac) in bagged fertiliser. We reseed fields every year to keep our grass in good health and spreading manure accurately across our acreage is vital for this.” The 145ha High Aketon Farm in Fletchertown, Cumbria, invests wisely in machinery and likes to have control of as many jobs as possible to keep costs fixed, and flexibility at the heart of every operation. The manure is produced from a 400-strong herd of predominately Limousin cattle, that are brought as stores and finished on farm, while there is also a 350-strong flock of Texel ewes. Spreader upgrade “The Lowlander 90 was a huge step up in efficiencies and owning a strong and simple to operate spreader allowed me to make little and often applications, targeting specific fields one load at a time. It also meant we stepped away from having peak spreading workloads from stockpiled farmyard manure produced throughout the winter.” The purchase of the Lowlander 90 was all Mr Miller needed to convince him of the benefits of owning rather than William Miller

case study

The flexibility to spread his own manure when he needs to, and to guarantee accurate application, are key factors for Cumbrian farmer William Miller changing his approach to buying a simple manure spreader, rather than hiring one for his regular applications.

Simple spreader makes big impact

When William Miller’s new Bunning Lowlander 105 manure spreader arrived in December 2021, the price of bagged fertiliser was nudging £800/t, which placed even greater significance on accurately spreading his organic manure at the optimum time.

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The new machine boosted carrying capacity by 1,000kg, but, crucially for Mr Miller, didn’t increase the chassis length, which was a key consideration when operating on the small lanes around his farm.

Further benefits of the bigger machine include a heavier duty axle to accommodate the bigger load and an increase of 230mm on the side height to allow the extra carrying capacity. Accurate spreading All Bunning spreaders are available with weigh cell technology, but Mr Miller wanted to maintain the benefits that the simple Lowlander 90 had afforded him. However, the addition of a rear canopy is one extra that has improved accuracy with the new machine.

“Financially, it looks more attractive to hire as there are small costs a couple of times a year rather than an initial outlay and ongoing maintenance. However, from a field management point of view, our inflexibility to spread when it was right for the crop was causing me concern,” explains Mr Miller.

“If I had gone for the Lowlander 120, it would have added some useful extra capacity but also nearly 300mm in length, which for some of our gateways would have made all the difference. The 105 is the same length as my previous Lowlander 90 but offers extra capacity and will handle our workload comfortably. A good day can see 300t put through the augers.“Ialso opted for the narrow body pressing, which uses a narrower axle and reduces the overall width of the spreader by 100mm to 2,820mm, when on Loading in the yard

Narrow body pressing Mr Miller aims for 12t/ha on grazing land and up to 35t/ha on his 50ha of arable land after harvest, but it all depends on what the soil analysis indicates that the land requires to make the most of each load, Mr Miller adds.

Bunnings spreader in action 580/70 R38 tyres. This is a big factor in narrow gateways and lanes and can be the difference between swinging straight in or shunting back and forth,” comments Mr ApplicationMiller.rates vary depending on the crop, but

“At today’s fertiliser price, the cost to upgrade to a new machine was the equivalent to 75% of just one lorry load of bagged fertiliser, and I knew there would never be a better time to justify an upgrade. The Lowlander 90 proved the flexibility benefits of owning our own spreader and we upgraded to improve efficiencies and fit with our machinery policy of buying new equipment and maintaining it well to improve longevity.

case study www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 47

The Lowlander 105 has a heavy-duty fully welded construction and uses twin 695mm dynamically balanced augers that feature 10mm thick Boron auger flights. The augers are fed by a full-width slatted floor with 16mm chains, and it has a capacity of 12.6t.

hiring, and in December 2021, the 90 was replaced with a new Bunning Lowlander 105 TVA, supplied by dealer Rickerby.

“At the build stage, I added the sludge kit to help breakdown

“I found that by spreading everything during a concentrated window, there were issues with achieving the right application timings for some crops and the knock-on consequences could mean requiring more bought-in fertiliser later in the year.”

lumps of bulky material, but the biggest improvement in spreading accuracy has been the addition of a rear canopy, which attaches to the rear of the machine and forces material to be spread by the bottom blades rather than applied from the full length of the auger.” Bunning offers a rear canopy for farmers spreading dry products such as lime and compost to achieve a positive accurate wider spread. On farmyard manure, the canopy helps to further break down bulky or heavy straw content manure and ensures an evensized product is applied across the whole field. “Before the canopy, we would have to put the harrows over the field after spreading to break down the bigger lumps before putting stock back into graze. The rear canopy does an incredible job of delivering a consistent product to the bottom blades.“We use it nearly all the time now to guarantee consistent application and it allows us to graze the fields very quickly after spreading. It also means we can go further with each load. I also added a wide-angle PTO kit to allow turning on the ends without switching off the PTO drive each time,” says Mr Miller.

Small dimensions

Today’s situation is a devastating reminder that renewables and energy saving are the future. With the COP27 in Egypt and COP28 in the UAE ahead, renewables provide governments with affordable energy to align with net zero and turn their climate promises into concrete action with real benefits for people on the ground,” he inofOECDIRENA’sincontinueInvestmentsadded.inrenewablestopayhugedividends2022,ashighlightedbycostsdata.Innon-countries,the109GWrenewableenergyadditions2021thatcostlessthanthe

As to supply chains, IRENA’s data suggests that not all materials cost increases have been passed through into equipment prices and project costs yet. If material costs remain elevated, the price pressures in 2022 will be more pronounced. Increases might however be dwarfed by the overall gains of cost-competitive renewables in comparison to higher fossil fuel prices.

New IRENA report shows almost two-thirds of renewable power added in 2021 had lower costs than the cheapest coal-fired options in G20 countries.

renewable energy

“While a temporary crisis response might be necessary in the current situation, excuses to soften climate goals will not hold mid-to-long-term.

Renewable Power Remains Cost-Competitive amid Fossil Fuel Crisis

cheapest new fossil fuel-fired option will reduce costs by at least USD 5.7 billion annually for the next 25-30 years. High coal and fossil gas prices in 2021 and 2022 will also profoundly deteriorate the competitiveness of fossil fuels and make solar and wind even more attractive. With an unprecedented surge in European fossil gas prices for example, new fossil gas generation in Europe will increasingly become uneconomic over its lifetime, increasing the risk of stranded assets.The European example shows that fuel and CO2 costs for existing gas plants might average four to six times more in 2022 than the lifetime cost of new solar PV and onshore wind commissioned in 2021. Between January and May 2022, the generation of solar and wind power may have saved Europe fossil fuel imports in the magnitude of no less than USD 50 billion, predominantly fossil gas.

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IRENA’s new report confirms the critical role that costcompetitive renewables play in addressing today’s energy and climate emergencies by accelerating the transition in line with the 1.5°C warming limit and the Paris Agreement goals.

Solar and wind energy, with their relatively short project lead times, represent vital planks in countries’ efforts to swiftly reduce, and eventually phase out, fossil fuels and limit the macroeconomic damages they cause in pursuit of net zero.“Renewables are by far the cheapest form of power today,” Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA said. “2022 is a stark example of just how economically viable new renewable power generation has become. Renewable power frees economies from volatile fossil fuel prices and imports, curbs energy costs and enhances market resilience – even more so if today’s energy crunch continues.”

Costs for renewables continued to fall in 2021 as supply chain challenges and rising commodity prices have yet to show their full impact on project costs. The cost of electricity from onshore wind fell by 15%, offshore wind by 13% and solar PV by 13% compared to Renewable2020.Power Generation Costs in 2021, published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today, shows that almost two-thirds or 163 gigawatts (GW) of newly installed renewable power in 2021 had lower costs than the world’s cheapest coal-fired option in the G20. IRENA estimates that, given the current high fossil fuel prices, the renewable power added in 2021 saves around USD 55 billion from global energy generation costs in 2022.

Stanstill Farm, Wick, Caithness on 22nd and 23rd October 2022 by kind permission of Mr and Mrs M Milne.

SCOTTISH PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The fields of competition

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The 58th Scottish ChampionshipsPloughing and Five Nations Challenge

A very successful Scottish Ploughing Championships was held at Stanstill in 2013 and it is the ideal venue to return to after the past two years. A subcommittee of local enthusiasts have been working hard securing

The board of directors are delighted to announce the continued support of Kverneland UK as main sponsor of the Scottish Ploughing Championships with RobertsonsOrkney Ltd as platinum sponsor of the Five Nations Challenge. Alongside the main sponsor we are pleased to welcome HRN Tractors and Pottinger UK Ltd as platinum sponsors; Gow Agricultural Ltd as gold sponsor; East Coast Viners (Peas & Beans) Ltd, Ferguson Traveline, Amazone Ltd and Caithness Machinery Ring Ltd as silver sponsors and Doug Fowlie Plant Hire, AGCO Ltd / Alexander & Robertson Ltd, D and H Law Ltd, John Gunn & Sons Ltd and NFU Mutual Thurso and Dingwall as bronze sponsors.

Dave is Scotland’s first World Ploughing Champion, having won in 1996 and he has represented Scotland nine times at the World Ploughing championships. Dave farms in partnership with his brother Brian and son Derek at Laurencekirk where they grow barley, oilseed rape, wheat and potatoes.

Gordon will be representing Scotland at the World Ploughing Championships for the first time. He farms sheep and beef at Lockerbie and is also a keen wildlife photographer.

The Young Ploughers Development Programme is now in its seventh year and the ploughers selected this year are from Caithness and Dumfries and Galloway. The young ploughers from the other areas selected in 2020 have decided not to take part in 2022. Young ploughers are nominated each year by societies affiliated to the Scottish Ploughing Championships. The Board of Directors selects young ploughers from each area and an experienced plougher in their district is appointed as a mentor to work with them over the year. The successful young ploughers also receive a contribution to their travel expenses to compete at the Scottish Ploughing Championships.Thepenultimate weekend in October will see over 200 ploughers compete in the different classes for modern, vintage, classic and horse ploughing. Classes on offer are: Conventional (general purpose), classic, multi furrow reversible butts, classic reversible, Ferguson T20, vintage mounted, vintage trailing, high cut, horticultural, horses broken furrow and whole furrow. The champions in the majority of the classes go on to represent Scotland at World, European, Six and Five Nations championships around the globe.

The Five Nations Challenge (World Style Conventional and Reversible) is being hosted by Scotland this year and top ploughers from England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland will compete for the honours. Scotland’s representatives are James Tait from Thurso in the Reversible and Mark Skea from Inverurie in the Conventional.Atrainingday was held in January at Caithness and another was held recently near Forfar. Both events were well attended with experienced ploughers on hand to offer advice and information on how to improve their ploughing as well as information about what the judges are looking for when they award the marks. Kverneland also attended to demonstrate setting up and adjusting the plough. Both days were very enjoyable and well-received. Points League trophies are presented at the dinner held on the Saturday evening of the Scottish Ploughing Championships. The George Mutch Trophy is presented to the plougher achieving the most points in vintage and classic classes at matches affiliated to the Scottish Gavin Robertson Dave Carnegie

The European Reversible and Vintage Ploughing Championships will take place in Limavady, Northern Ireland on 2nd and 3rd September. Scotland’s representatives are Jim McIndoe Jnr (Classic), Dave Veitch (Vintage Mounted), Doug Stewart (Vintage Trailing) and Neil Ramsay and Fraser Millar (Classic Reversible). This year’s World Ploughing Championships are being held at Rathenska, County Laois, Ireland on 20th - 22nd September. Scotland’s representatives are Dave Carnegie from Laurencekirk and Gordon Rae from Lockerbie.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com50 SCOTTISH PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS sponsors and support for the Championships as well as promoting the ploughing at local Shows and events. The format of the majority of classes on the first day in the World Style Conventional, Reversible (Butts and Multi Furrow), Classic Conventional, Classic Reversible, Vintage Mounted and Vintage Trailing with the top ploughers in each of these classes going through to the Plough Offs on the Sunday with the points scored each day added together to select the Scottish champions introduced in 2017 will continue. The Junior ploughers (under 26 years) will now also be included in this format with their Saturday class being split conventional and reversible and the top placed ploughers going through to the Sunday Plough Off to select the Scottish Junior Ploughing Champion. Junior ploughers will be allowed a mentor or coach to offer advice and give verbal assistance. Horses, High Cut and Horticultural continue to plough on both days. A new class has been introduced on the second daythe “Modern Classic”. This is for mounted ploughs, 2 or more furrows, in production after 31st December 1976 and before 31st December 1992. Tractors must have been in production before 31st December 1992.

SCOTTISH PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 51 Ploughing Championships in the previous season. The Rab Birrell Conventional Trophy is presented to the plougher gaining most points in conventional classes and the Dave Carnegie Reversible Trophy is presented to the plougher gaining most points in reversiblePloughingclasses.commences at 9.20 am each morning, and finishes at 2 pm, so make sure you go along early to see all the action. On Saturday there are the Conventional, Classic, Classic Reversible, Multi Furrow and Reversible Butts, HorsesBroken Furrow, Horticultural, Vintage Mounted, Vintage Trailing and Junior classes. On Sunday are the Plough Offs to select the Scottish Champion in Conventional, Reversible, Classic Conventional, Classic Reversible, Vintage Mounted, Vintage Trailing and Junior ploughers. Sunday classes are High Cut, Horticultural, Modern Classic, Ferguson T20 and Horses - Whole Furrow. Alongside the competition ploughing there will be machinery stands, demonstrations by modern farm machinery plus a vintage working demonstration and display of vintage tractors and machinery by Caithness Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club.The 58th Scottish Ploughing Championships and Five Nations Challenge take place at Stanstill Farm, Wick, Caithness on 22nd and 23rd October 2022 by kind permission of Mr and Mrs M Milne. Ploughing commences at 9.20 am and finishes at 2 pm eachAdmissionday. is £8 for adults, Concessions £6, accompanied children under 14 free and free car parking.

More information is available on the website at www.scotplough.co.uk and you can also keep up to date with the latest news via the Scottish Ploughing Championships Facebook page. James Tait

New Anaerobic Digestion equipment now available from Reid Hydraulic Services

Reid Hydraulic Services Ltd (RHS) have been appointed distributors for sales, service and parts for a range of Anaerobic Digestion equipment, including Vogelsang lobe pumps, Seepex progressive cavity pumps, Lowara pumping equipment, NOV MONO pumping equipment and ABB motors. RHS already has a presence in the Anaerobic Digestion market through their ability to design, supply and maintain hydraulic and pneumatic systems. These acquisitions further strengthen the product range and service that RHS can offer. The biggest asset that RHS can offer to the customer is the ability to perform complete overhauls on a range of pumping equipment, which can save the customer time and money from unnecessarily having to replace with new. RHS also offer 24/7 on-site breakdown assistance meaning that in the event of a problem they can come to you day or night, vastly reducing downtime and increasing long term efficiency. These new partnerships have allowed RHS to enhance their already large product range in the Anaerobic Digestion market that includes Layflat, Suction hose, Valves, Flanges, genuine BAUER fittings plus much more. RHS aim to provide a ‘one stop’ shop for all your Anaerobic digestion requirements. Reid Hydraulics office For more information on the new range that RHS can offer, then do not hesitate to give them a call or visit their website. Tel 01674 820224 Website: www.rhs.uk.com.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 53 Anaerobic Digestion

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Slurry additives that increase nutrient recovery and improve product consistency are commonplace in the dairy industry, but a cutting-edge trial has shown that these practical and financial benefits can also be available to digestate users.

Digestate is becoming an increasingly valuable source of plant nutrition for growers with access to it, but not fully realising the nutrient value has meant bagged fertiliser is still a more reliable source of crop nourishment.

A recent trial has found that adding a liquid slurry additive to an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant has delivered a 20% increase in available nitrogen and a 29% reduction in dry solids in comparison to the untreated product. This has made it easier for crops to access nutrients and reduced the time it takes to pump and apply the digestate.

Origin Fertilisers’ Digest-It product has been proven to decrease ammonia emissions and increase ammonium nitrogen levels within slurry through aerobic fermentation, and speciality sales manager at Origin Fertilisers, Callum Norman, wanted to try the product on digestate as it has a similar nutrient composition to slurry.

“Dairy slurry is quite anaerobic so the makeup and biological status of digestate has many similarities. Our main aim was to try and improve the nutrient value of digestate through the addition of the Digest-It additive, allowing the grower to achieve more from the same product. A secondary element was to reduce the solid content within the digestate and make it easier to pump and handle.” Nitrogen content The trial started in December 2021, to coincide with the closed period of the Lincolnshire AD plant and local NVZ spreading restrictions. Digest-It contains food for dormant aerobic bacteria and existing microbes within the digestate, and requires between eight and 12 weeks after application to work effectively.Theconcentration rate trialled was the same as slurry, so 20 litres of Digest-It treated 454,000 litres of digestate. The lagoon was sampled every two weeks following application, with the final test in February before field applications began. Mr Norman explains how Digest-It made a difference. “The organic matter is broken down by the bacteria within Digest-It, which use the ammonia gas as a source of nitrogen. This is turned into ammonium nitrogen, which increased from 89kg/ha to 121kg/ha in the treated digestate.” This increase not only helps nutrient recovery but lowers the risk of losses to the atmosphere. At the time of the trial, the value of adding Digest-It translated into a £36.47/ha saving and returned an investment benefit of 2:1. There were further advantages when looking at storage and application.“The29% reduction in dry solids occurred in the first eight weeks after Digest-It application and nitrogen content fell from 4.3kg/m3 to 3.8kg/m3. This means 13% more Digest-It treated product could be spread over the same acreage, which could help growers farming smaller areas or limited by NVZ restrictions.” A further gain is that DigestIt only requires one application as the live bacteria within the product continually multiply by feeding on the organic matter and breaking down the solid content. Maximising digestate’s value The average nitrogen content in the digestate remained at 6kg/N/per tonne and didn’t vary between the liquid or the solid product due to the forage rye and maize feedstock remaining consistent.Spring applications offer the greatest efficiency from digestate as up to 55% of the nitrogen is available to the growing crop. With the readily available nitrogen increased through the addition of DigestIt, the accessible nitrogen in the digestate is offering farmers extra options regarding fertiliser use.“Anaerobic digestate can take longer to be consumed into the soil as the solid material needs to break down after early season applications, especially in dry periods. But changing it to a more aerobic state and closer to a liquid fertiliser consistency, the soil and plants aren’t working as hard to access the nutrients as it is more mobile at the point of application.” Farmer viewpoint The trial took place at AEL Biogas near Boston, Lincolnshire. Mark Wallace has managed the AD plant since it was installed nine years ago and has noticed the build-up of solid digestate under the lagoon’s roof becoming more of an issue. “Even though we separate solid and liquid digestate before the latter enters the lagoon, we were noticing pockets of solid material under the lagoon’s roof as it emptied. It has a soft liner so we can’t mechanically stir it, and removing the roof has hugeAD plant at AEL Biogas in East Kirkby, Lincs

Additive increases available nitrogen and lowers solid content of digestate

Anaerobic Digestion

“Since adding Digest-It we have seen a marked improvement in the consistency of the product, it is now like water as opposed to slurry, which makes it easier to pump, reduces fuel use, and fills the Claas Xerion tanker nearly three minutes quicker than before,” comments Mr Wallace.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 55 cost implications. It was also becoming difficult to pump the liquid once the lagoon was down at 30%Thecapacity.”digestate is applied across the 1,800ha farm as a top dressing onto wheat, pre application to maize, and a starter fertiliser for brassicas.

“This year we didn’t reach the point where we couldn’t pump any more, and the lagoon is the lowest we’ve ever seen it at, between 15-20%. This is due to DigestIt converting the solid organic material into liquid digestate.”

The Digest-It has reduced solid content in the lagoon by over 10% after one application Maize after Digest-It application

Mr Wallace said that digestate has been applied to all the sugar beet crops this year as more is available in the lagoon, which has halved the fertiliser cost across the acreage. He has also seen that crops nourished with digestate during the dry spring absorbed nutrients quicker and were visibly stronger earlier in the season as a result. The pleasing results have meant Mr Wallace plans to use Digest-It again this year and he will add it in October to offer a longer working period to further reduce the solid content that has built up.

Anaerobic Digestion

Mr Wrangham emphasises that using the app and a drone is now accessible to all: “Skippy Scout automates drone flight using field maps to navigate a drone to points of interest. Users need not have any experience of flying drones or a license* because Skippy will fly the drone for them. Our image analysis takes only minutes after the drone has completed its flight to present high resolution photographs and crop data such as green area index. This means that users can identify problems with crops such as weeds or pests more quickly by viewing the leaf level images on their phone or tablet.”

Ag-drive, the app that helps agricultural contractors and farmers to manage their businesses more efficiently, has released a significant update to support teams of operators who work on the same job at the same time.The app replaces timeconsuming paperwork with digital timesheets, field mapping, job recording for teams of any size, health and safety checks, and integrations with common accounting software for easy invoicing.The new update allows multiple operators to record their work under one job. Setting up a job has also been simplified, with the team leader responsible for completing the job details

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Existing users can add Android devices for free now, and new users will benefit from all of the additional features when they register. “It is easy to start using Skippy. Anyone who owns a drone can sign up online with monthly subscriptions starting from just £50,” he concludes.

and operators only required to sign into the job on the app to say they are Multiplepresent.locations for a job can now be specified, with instructions for each location provided by Google maps via a pin drop or farm address. Jobs can also be scheduled without allocating an operator, giving flexibility to the team. Any operator can then start a job from a scheduled list when they are Timeavailable.recordings have also been improved. When jobs are part completed and resumed later, the time recordings are separated with individual dates and times, making it easier to bill longer-term jobs.

Ag-drive app improves team job management with new update

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com science & technology

An Android version of the pioneering Skippy Scout mobile app has been launched by agricultural software specialist Drone Ag. “This app has been built specifically for Android users with a new interface that is compatible with any device anywhere in the world,” says Drone Ag founder Jack Wrangham.Skippy Scout was launched in 2019 on the popular Apple iOS platform. The app has since grown a user base worldwide and seen significant support from both farmers and investors through crowd funding. The addition of an Android based version of the app will make New Android crop scouting app launched it accessible to a much wider market and has increased the capabilities of the software. “By introducing Android, we have been able to design new features such as creating field boundaries. Android devices are also far cheaper than Apple which will enable more users to access the app at a lower price using existing phones, tablets, or computers,” he adds. The Android version has also created the functionality to share crop data from the field with other Android devices and iOS devices. This can be shared through a dashboard system or by sharing data from one device to another directly.

A significant benefit of the Ag-drive app is its integration with popular accounting platforms Quickbooks, Sage, and Xero. Now a further improvement means that completed jobs can be approved for invoicing on the go via the mobile app, as well as on the desktop version. And finally, operators now have even more functionality at their fingertips with the ability to create and modify products, vehicles, and implements they’re using, as well as map fields directly in the app.

crofting

www.crofting.orgFederationrepresent

A cutting-edge grain analysis project has won £366,000 in innovation funding under the Defra Farming Innovation Programme from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Crover is an Edinburghbased company creating robotic grain storage solutions for improved and automated monitoring and management of grains.Cereal grains are the basis of staple food, yet postharvest losses during longterm storage are exceptionally high, above 20% in the UK and worldwide. Pests are to blame, with grain moisture content and temperature being the most significant factors. Cereal storage sites such as farms, grain merchants, millers, and breweries, experience these challenges, which have highcost implications in terms of lost revenue and costs to rectify.

During a series of local crofting meetings, it is clear that the government messages being publicised on agriculture policy reform are causing confusion, what with a “National Test Programme”, “Tracks 1 and 2”, “Preparing for Sustainable Farming” (and crofting??) and “Testing Sustainable Farming” phases 1 andNow2. that we are no longer under the EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), Scotland is developing its own policy. This stage of agriculture policy reform for Scotland is called “The National Test Programme” and was launched in April this year. It is being delivered in two stages – Track 1, also known as “Preparing for Sustainable Farming”, and Track 2, also known as “Testing for Sustainable Farming”. It’s Preparing and testing for sustainable farming (and crofting) AKA “The National Test Programme” practical to think of this as an information gathering exercise. Track 1, “Preparing for Sustainable Farming”, offers financial support (£500) to farmers and crofters undertaking Carbon Audits and/or Soil Analyses to help prepare their farms and crofts for a sustainable and productive future. Track 2, “Testing Actions for Sustainable Farming”, is to design, test, improve and standardise the tools, support and process necessary to reward farmers, crofters and land managers for the climate and biodiversity outcomes they deliver, we are told. The first phase of Track 2 is a simple survey of multiplechoice questions to understand current awareness and experience of sustainable and regenerative agriculture. To ensure the survey results By Patrick Krause, Chief Executive, Scottish Crofting the breadth and diversity of farms and crofts across Scotland, a representative base of participants has already been invited to participate. The survey is now open to farmers and crofters across Scotland. Scottish Government want to hear from businesses in every part of the country, of all sizes and all stages of the sustainable production journey. Even if your current awareness or knowledge is low, this survey is for you and your answers are important. Participants who have completed the survey will be awarded a participation fee of £50.The second phase of Track 2 will come later, and our understanding is that it will be an exercise in collating information gathered from all sources, including the survey, in order to design pilot schemes. More information on this will follow.

Crover is developing a novel non-contact sensor for non-contact grain analysis able to detect specific molecular compounds within a radius of up to a few tens of centimetres, based on a novel miniaturised sensing technology. Crover aims to integrate this sensor onto their CROVER robot, the world’s first ‘underground drone’, which swims through grain bulks, and which is at the core of the CROVER autonomous Grain Storage Management system.

upbasedEdinburghstart-leadsthewayingrainmonitoring

meet

ForsterDavidofCourtesy

The Raby estate in Durham is owned by Lord and Lady Barnard. This traditional country estate combines a mix of in-hand farming as well as supporting farm tenants with their own enterprises across the estate. Philip Vickers is directly employed as Raby Estates’ Farm Manager for the Durham in-hand farm, working closely with Lord and Lady Barnard to make their shared sustainability goals a reality.Philip has a strong farming background, growing up on a mixed arable and beef farm in North Lincolnshire, before studying agriculture at Writtle Agriculture College in Essex. He had a successful career at a national agrochemical distribution company recommending crop inputs across a large area of Lincolnshire. He set up a consultancy company after several meetings with farmers at the forefront of the regenerative agriculture movement, and has had a very active role on the family farm managing all aspects of crop production for over thirty years, before joining the team at RabyTodayEstate.Philip oversees a farm that occupies substantial areas of land between Piercebridge and Staindrop. Traditionally Raby’s arable area predominately consisted of wheat and oilseed rape. Recently this has changed to broaden out the rotation to include winter and spring beans, spring barley and a small area of novel crops – one of which is peas and barley bio cropping, aimed at the local animal feed market. Alongside this, Raby is experimenting with lupins – with the goal to produce a close-tomarket, high protein and highquality animal feed to reduce the carbon footprint of importing soya. The wheat grown on the farm is all hard group four feed wheat selling to local feed mills. Barley is also sold to local feed mills whilst the oil seed rape is crushed to extract a highquality oil that has many enduses, including being sold as vegetable oils. Livestock comes into the equation too. Since 1970, Longhorn cattle have lived at Raby, and the size of the herd has grown over the years to over eighty animals. Twelve hundred ewes are also on the estate as part of a shared farming agreement with a local tenant. Many Raby products –including the venison and Longhorn beef – are used at the estate’s High Force Hotel and in the estate cafés. Additional produce from the kitchen garden is sold alongside the meat in Raby’s onsite farm shop. Philip admits that the land offers up a lot of“Thegoodness.arable soils at Raby are highly productive,’ says Philip Vickers

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By Janice Hopper the producers

Regenerative Raby

Philip says, “Raby is a vibrant commercial business that has financial, social and environmental targets, as well as the owner’s long-term aim to hand it over in better condition. I feel that we’ve started a very excitingDiscoverjourney.”more at raby.co.uk.

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Philip, ‘The climate in this part of County Durham is favourable to crop production, and being in the north of England there are more daylight hours. Rainfall is typically 650mm year and most of the arable land is free draining. Raby has an extremely skilled and dedicated arable team that has looked after the land extremely well over the last thirtyDespiteyears.” the fruitful conditions, every region and farm throws up its own challenges. Philip continues, “The challenges of farming at Raby includes direct drilling in County Durham and the short autumn growing season that restricts the window for growing cover crops. There is also the early onset of winter to contend with, which reduces the direct drilling window, and the stone content in the fields provides challenges to both drilling and harvest. Through our journey so far, the key messages have been to adopt an approach that best suits the farm and fields, there is no ‘one size fits all’ to this methodology. Detailed knowledge is paramount to decision making, and attention to detail in all aspects of crop productions.”Philipworks particularly hard to realise Raby’s commitment to rolling out regenerative agriculture – although the team prefer to call this best farming practice – to build a legacy for future generations. This has been introduced by Lord Barnard, and Philip Vickers ensures it’s put into practice effectively. The change of approach was trialled in small areas last year with the intention to expand across the whole farm. Goals include disturbing the soil as little as possible: forgoing tilling, which disturbs the complex network of worm-holes, fungal hyphae and a labyrinth of microscopic air pockets, and avoiding heavy doses of fertiliser or sprays. Most advocates grow a diverse range of crops, often at the same time, and believe that grazing animals are essential for improving soil health.Philip says, “Part of this new system is trying to keep plants growing in the soil for as much of the year as possible and increasing the biodiversity of the crops. Raby is putting the environment at the heart of what it does, while building business resilience and flexibility, and the new approach will enhance natural capital and deliver public goods, allowing the estate to keep producing high yields and qualityRabyfood.”offers so much to see alongside the farmland. Visit the impressive castle, built in the 14th century by the powerful Nevill family. Spot red and fallow deer within two hundred acres of green parkland. Dine at the Plotters’ Pantry or the Yurt Café, or bring goodies home from the Stables Shop. The Plotters’ Paradise children’s adventure playground allows youngsters to enjoy the Raby experience too. Visitors seeking a rural retreat can even overnight in the High Force Hotel, exploring the nearby waterfalls of High Force, Low Force and Cauldron Snout. There’s no time to stand still, with several new ideas and projects in the pipeline.

Janice Hopper is a freelance writer based in Aberdeen who’s written features, copy and social media text for a range of publications and clients. Her Scottish family travel blog, Scots2Travel.com, covers child-friendly short breaks, attractions and activities. the producers

meet

A few weeks on from Farm Safety Week, The Orcadian has spoken to one South Ronaldsay farmer who wondered if he would ever leave a calving pen alive, following an attack by a cow. Since then, James Wishart, of Knockhall, on the outskirts of St Margaret’s Hope, has been a lot more cautious when dealing with cows during calving time. Around 3am on March 19, 2020, James was checking his cows in the byre. One had just calved, so he needed to shift it into the calving pen. The pen was at the time occupied by a Simmental cross, which had calved three or four days before. So he opened the gates to put it in the bigger pen with all the other cows and calves. “I opened the gate and she just trotted in amongst the other cows fine,” explained James. It was when he was nudging the calf out of the pen that the cow turned back into the pen and “went absolutely crazy.”

NORTHERN ISLES News

By Ethan Flett

“She knocked me back ten or 15 feet against the wall and was just hammering into me relentlessly then. She knocked me off my feet and I couldn’t get up again because she was hitting me that hard. I genuinely thought then that this was it. I thought I’m not going to get out of this.” His ears were ringing and he was seeing stars, worrying that he would lose consciousness. “I’ve never seen anything like it — they’ve got such power. I curled up into a tight ball to try and save myself and luckily a cow came from the pen I was going to be putting them into — she came wandering out and distracted her a bit.“I managed to scramble to the gate and she came back for me, but I was started to climb the gate, so she hammered me over it.” From there, he managed to leave the byre and began shouting for his wife Susan, who was fast asleep at the time and woke up when she heard the noise. The couple have three children, boys James, Thorfinn and Erlend. “I heard James yelling my name,” said Susan. “It was just the most horrible yell — that you know something terrible has happened. I first thought that something must have happened to one of the boys.” He was standing in the back doorway, and told her he had been attacked by a cow. Badly hurt and in shock, she sat him down in a chair.“He was obviously in a lot of pain, so I phoned 999, and when I said I was going to phone an ambulance and he didn’t disagree, I knew that he wasn’t great,” said Susan. With the ambulance on its way, she phoned James’s parents to come and look after their three boys so that she could go to the hospital with Describinghim.his injuries, James said: “I had a couple of lacerations on the top of my head that need stitches. Multiple fractures on the face. Broken ribs and something wrong with my sternum too — but, luckily I was okay.” It wasn’t until last summer that he felt back to normal again. However, he is now certainly more cautious when dealing with cows at calvingJames,time.who has been farming for 30 years, said: “Now, if at all possible, I’ll open the gate up and just go away for a bit to see if they go through the gate themselves into another pen, but it’s not always possible to do that. “At calving time you’re always going to be shifting cows and calves back and forth. But I’m an awful lot more wary than I was.” Unlike other some other cows, this one had showed no signs beforehand that James should be concerned about her behaviour. He described her as “one of those cows that you don’t really remember anything about, because they’ve never given any bother before.”He added: “I’ve had cows in the past — I’ve even had ones I’ve called the widow-maker because they were that bad when they calved. But I don’t joke about that anymore, because I honestly thought… It’s one of the things that goes through your head ‘this is it’ and I remember thinking, ‘I do not want to go like this.’

A call for caution during calving time

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“I’m sure if I’d lost consciousness, or if that other cow hadn’t come in the pen, I wouldn’tJames Wishart before James Wishart after

‘I remember thinking I do not want to go out like this’ - South Ronaldsay farmer recalls terrifying cow attack

The RBST supports the survival of rare native livestock and equine breeds in Scotland. They celebrate the people and businesses throughout Scotland’s farming and food industry who have placed environmental sustainability at the heart of what they do.

Survival Trust Scotland ‘Rare Breed Award’ for father and son team

She said: “I’d like to extend my congratulations to all of the winners of the inaugural RBST Scotland Food and Farming Sustainability Awards. I wish them every success in growing their sustainable businesses. “We are committed to supporting farmers, small holders and crofters to produce more of our food, more sustainably, which will ultimately help make our food systems more resilient. “This will transform how we will support farming and food production in Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. “The genetic diversity of our livestock are an important part of Scottish agriculture. Rare breeds are the result of hundreds of years of selective breeding developed to meet a range of cultural needs and a variety of environmental niches.” Martin Beard, RBST vice president Scotland, said: “RBST Scotland is delighted to celebrate the innovative businesses which are leading the resurgence of sustainable food and farming in Scotland.”

be here today, because she was just absolutely relentless — I’ve never seen the Evenlike.”leaving the calving pen that night, there was nothing in her manner to suggest what was to follow. The calf didn’t make a noise as he was moving it out of the pen, but, as he said, its mother turned “and, like a light switch going on, that was it” — she leapt over the calf and went straight for him.Thinking about the incident, James said: “If I’d been an older buddy, like there is in farming — there’s plenty of guys in their 60s and 70s and older that are working with cows themselves, I would never have stood that.”

In association with www.orcadian.co.ukTel:01856879000

Father and son team Ronnie and Jakob Eunson certainly had no beef with the Rare Breed Survival Trust Scotland, which presented the duo with the coveted sustainable farm of the year award. They were left “thrilled and humbled” by the news which came after a ceremony at the Royal Highland Show. But the presentation ended up a somewhat low-key affair, with Lauraine Manson of Shetland Livestock Marketing Group (SLMG) handing the award to Jakob, who was not able to attend the event at Uradale,Ingliston.inEast Voe, has specialised in producing organic native Shetland lamb and beef for 25 years.The farm is also engaged in successful environmental management for biodiversity, now enhanced with carbon sequestering peatlandJakobwork.said: “When me and Dad found out that we had won the award, we were thrilled and humbled.“Itshows that our hard work pays off, but also shows that the Shetland native kye and ewes are breeds from the past with a place in theThefuture.”Eunsons did examine the possibility of attending the event, but other commitments prevented them from going down“Wesouth.did look into one of us going, but at that time of year with such short notice we hardly could fit it in,” added Jakob. “We did joke with each other that going just to receive an award wouldn’t be very sustainable!” Ronnie added: “In using rare and native breeds we are using thousands of years of evolutionary development to provide future answers for our world’s predicaments. “It is crucial that those of us farming with rare and native breeds engage with customers near and far about why these breeds matter for the environment, for food production and for our communities.“Our commitment to Shetland’s native breeds and this truly sustainable production system is total, and winning this award is a welcome recognition.”

The awards were presented to winners from across Scotland by Mairi McAllan, minister for environment and land reform.

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The picture has been mixed in different EU countries, with German prices falling back sharply to 416p/kg for R3 young bulls after a surge, while Polish prices have now slipped back towards 390p/kg. By contrast, young bull values remained elevated at almost 450p/kg in the Netherlands in early July.

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“It has certainly been a volatile period for the global beef market, with the introduction and eventual removal of public health restrictions leading to major rebalancing of demand towards retail and back again,” says Mr Macdonald. “Meanwhile, beef processors have had to cope with reduced staffing levels through illness and general labour shortages in many parts of the world.”In the EU, cattle prices were pushed down during the initial covid lockdowns but rose significantly between early 2021 and spring 2022, only to soften in recent weeks, possibly as the rise in cost of living begins to dampen consumer demand.

In South America, high rates of inflation over a prolonged period led the government of Argentina to introduce export controls in the middle of 2021. Over the past year, this has supported domestic food security while squeezing the ability of the country’s beef processors to build on recent successes in the ChineseBrazil’smarket.beef sector also faced significant challenge last autumn, being locked out of some major markets after the detection of two atypical BSE infections in cows. However, its beef export business in China has been rebuilt this year while increased deliveries to the US have helped offset the shortfall in Australian beef reaching the US. Cattle prices in Brazil and Argentina do however signal that their beef has retained its competitiveness in the global marketplace, with steer prices working out at a respective 322p/ kg and 339p/kg in the week to July 17th, making them around 25-30% cheaper than Scottish levels.“A multitude of different pressures have resulted in significant market fluctuations across the world. Here in Scotland, one factor that has likely to have been placing some downwards pressure on cattle prices over the past couple of years has been the ongoing labour constraints faced by Scottish processors, which have limited slaughtering capacity relative to potential supply on farm,” explains Mr Macdonald. Moving away from shortterm volatility and onto the fundamentals, this year’s World Agricultural Outlook has recently been published by the OECD and FAO, covering 202231. These projections continue to signal global meat demand growth in the coming years.

beef Volatility of the global beef market

For beef, overall consumption is forecast to rise nearly 6% between 2022 and 2031, driven by population growth. To satisfy this rise in demand, global trade in beef is set to rise by closer to 9%, reflecting a mismatch between population growth and the location of production. “As a net exporter of beef, Scotland is well positioned to make a continuing contribution to global food security,” concludes Mr Macdonald.Iain Macdonald

Meanwhile, in the Irish Republic, which has retained unfettered access to the continental market, R3 steer prices had gone from trading at a discount of 17% to Scottish R4L steers in autumn 2021 to overtake them for four weeks between late-May and midJune this year. However, as Irish supplies have started to increase from their seasonal low point, the market has cooled, placing them 6% below Scottish R4L steers at 432p/kg in the opening week of July.On top of this, the effects of a changing climate have had implications for some major beef producing nations: “For example, in Australia, beef production has been affected by severe drought, which initially led to herd liquidation, followed by unprecedented levels of rain, which have resulted in a drive to re-stock. As a result, you had a surge in slaughter, followed by a severe supply tightening over the past couple of years,” explains Mr Macdonald.In2021, Australia’s beef production had fallen by nearly a quarter compared to 2019 and while a rebound is expected this year, the USDA is still expecting it to fall around 15% short of the 2019 high, having recently lowered their 2022 forecast by 3%. “This reduction in supply has pushed Australian cattle prices up significantly. While off the highs seen earlier this year, processor cattle in the Eastern States still averaged 516p/kg in the week to July 18th, placing them 13% above the latest Scottish R4L steerMeanwhile,price.” in the US and Canada, severe drought conditions over the past year have led to herd consolidation. Steiner Consulting Group reported the highest levels of cow herd liquidation in three decades in the US during the opening quarter of 2022, with the cow kill holding well above historic averages in the second Nevertheless,quarter. beef demand remains firm in the US, where a large part of consumption is in the more recession-proof mince and burgers, and farmgate steer prices opened July at 427p/kg, meaning a lead for Scottish R4L steers of 7%.

As we move into the second half of the year, prime cattle prices in Scotland continue to hold around 10% higher than last year and 18% above the five-year average. However, in inflation-adjusted terms, they are only around 1% higher than last year while still 11% below their July 2013 peak, according to the latest market commentary from Quality Meat ScotlandCommenting(QMS). on farm input cost trends, Iain Macdonald, QMS senior economics analyst said:“While the price of straight feeds has now fallen back from the highs seen after the war in Ukraine began, prices remain elevated above pre-war levels and sharply higher than last year, suggesting that the cost of compound feeds, which moves at a lag, will continue to rebalance higher, squeezing finishing margins in the coming weeks and months.”

Virtual fencing technology helps with autumn grazing management in preparation for the 2023 season With grass growth slowing down and the end of the grazing season approaching, virtual fencing technology offers livestock producers a unique tool to start management for 2023 forage production, says farm consultant James Daniel, Managing Director for Precision Grazing Ltd. Perennial plants like grasses, clovers and herbs need a chance to recover after grazing to regrow their leaves and replenish energy reserves before the next grazing event, this ensures high productivity and plant resilience. As day length shortens and soil temperature reduces during autumn and winter, this rest period increases to be 120 days. This means a field grazed on 1st November should not be grazed again until 1st “AchievingMarch.this rest period requires a plan and the ability to accurately allocate the feed on farm pasture to livestock to ensure they are fed to demand in what they need and not appetite – what they want,” explains Mr Daniel. Following successful UK farm trials of Nofence virtual fencing technology, Mr Daniel sees it as a useful tool for livestock producers to overcome these challenges. Using a combination of GPS, mobile data network, audio signals and solar power to work with animal behaviour and create a ‘virtual pasture,’ livestock wearing Nofence collars can be allocated to an area to graze with no physical fencing, explains Synne Foss Budal, General Manager for Nofence“WithinUK. the Nofence app, farmers can quickly map out, create and move virtual fencing,” says Miss Budal. “Not only does this allow for long-term strategic grazing planning that can be modified easily if weather conditions change, but it cuts down on labour associated with moving fences during an already busy time of year.”

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Managing end of season grazing to support next spring’s forage production

Having fields safe a tidy with hazards fenced off can help stop accidents. We had an interesting case of a calf that got its leg tangled up wire, seemingly no harm done, and the skin not broken, the calf was released from its entanglement and trotted off. A few weeks later the calf was lame with a swollen hoof. On close inspection a circular band of dead skin where the wire had been, had died back and shrunk having the effect of a tourniquet on the underlying tissues. Now that’s been removed it has made good progress. I remember a similar situation with a calf that got its

A Dorset farming business has suspended more than £150,000 of orders and may be forced to abandon any future activity in Europe because of post-Brexit changes at sea ports. Wessex Lowlines has spent a decade breeding world-leading cattle genetics with customers on the continent who want to buy their pedigree Lowline breeding stock. But the failure to set up a Border Control Post (BCP) to provide crucial veterinary services and processing of livestock entering Europe means all orders for breeding herds in France, Switzerland, Czech Republic

business unable to fulfil £150,000 of European business due to

B. RAE CONTRACTING LTD. Chesters Brae, Southdean, Hawick TD9 8TQ Office: 01450 860672 Mobile: 07774 163665 / 07980 916297 B. RAE CONTRACTING LTD FOR AG-BAG, SILAGE Direct Drilling • Crimping Grain Bruising all other General Contracting

livestockDorset farm sea changesport

VETThe A Summer Summery

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So, another summer nearly done, and we await the housing of cattle in Orkney. Summer generally a quieter time for the large animal side of our practice depending on when the last of the spring calving eventually tails off! Not everything stops of course, injuries to bulls feature prominently and can have a serious knock-on effect on next springs calving spread. Difficult to prevent these injuries but having them fit and well before going in with the cows, so feet trimmed and balanced and some time to exercise outside before being put straight to work helps a lot. Also, what’s your back up plan if things do go wrong?

By Andy Cant Northvet Veterinary Group leg stuck down between slats for a few hours – seemingly ok to start with then a few weeks later a tourniquet of dead skin causingSummerproblems.isalso the time of non-descript stomach problems probably due to ingested plants often just an individual and sometimes associated with photosensitisation. Not always easy to know what plants the culprit is and is it just at a certain stage of their growth, but usually they’ve got yellow flowers! Cows are well adapted to deal with the toxic onslaught which they digest and deal with on an ongoing basis whether at grass or in their silage but sometimes factors come together to push them over the edge. We had a herd lose cows which in retrospect pointed to chronic liver damage most likely from ragwort poisoning but then with probable blue-green algae poisoning causing liver necrosis after access to some stagnant pond water. So now with the oddities of the summer season coming to an end, back to the routine jobs after housing; pregnancy diagnosis, johns blood testing, routine foot trimming, TB testing....and so, the circle of life continues...thankwww.farmingscotlandmagazine.comgoodness!

Geoff’s herd of Lowlines is believed to be the largest in Europe.

Geoff said: “It has taken us more than a decade to breed a large herd of Lowline cattle to serve customers in the UK, Ireland and across Europe. We had a strategy and it was working but it has been pulled apart by this failure to provide services across the Channel. What’s even more frustrating is that the UK has fulfilled the necessary requirements and livestock is able to enter from Europe.“Customers have been really patient but they have been waiting for over a year for us to be able to transport the animals from our farm to theirs and we simply can’t do it without the checks being in place over the border.“Obviously it’s painful financially but it’s heartbreaking for the small team who have put their lives into this project to see it blocked by something that could so simply be fixed.” Geoff has asked his MP, the NFU, DEFRA and others for help in resolving the matter but says he doesn’t feel like there is any urgency from the UK or French governments to act. He said: “We’ve been told it could be 18 months or more before we get any movement on this issue which, when you’re farming livestock, is no good. Our customers want young animals, often with their calves too, and it takes years of planning to make that happen. “We have bred herds specifically for the customers we have and now we can’t fulfil the orders to them. It’s devastating.”

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 67 livestock and the rest of Europe have been suspended.GeoffRoper, the owner of the Wessex Lowlines, says the lack of a BCP within Europe has cost the business more than £150,000 in the past six months alone, and that no resolution is in sight.

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John Gent Receiving David Thomlinson Award from Sheila Thomlinson

Nominations will be judged by Sheila Thomlinson, David’s wife, and a panel of specifically chosen individuals.Lastyear’s winner was Newark based farmer and auctioneer, John Gent, whose nomination outlined his generosity and willingness to help other farmers and his desire to share and pass on his knowledge for the benefit of the industry. The award will be presented by David’s wife, Sheila, at Borderway Agri Expo which takes place at Borderway Exhibition Centre in Carlisle on Friday 28th October. For further information, full details, and entry forms, please visit: borderwayagriexpo.co.uk.

Harrison & Hetherington are welcoming nominations for the prestigious David Thomlinson Award, with the winner announced at the 2022 Borderway Agri Expo. Dedicated to one of the livestock industry’s most respected figures, Harrison & Hetherington will, for the second year running, present the David Thomlinson Lifetime Achievement Award to someone recognised for their commitment, success, and accomplishment within livestock farming. Inaugurated last year, the aim of this prestigious award is to acknowledge a person who, like David himself, has a passion for the future success of the industry and is an inspiration to others.

The Heat is on: Broiler Farms Urged to Assess Ventilation Systems

Broiler farms need to prioritise maintenance of ventilation systems to ensure healthy and productive livestock as well as avoid unexpected costs, according to experts at leading ventilation company Hydor. With summer heatwaves in the UK becoming a more frequent and intense occurrence, it is more important than ever that broiler farmers ensure ventilation systems are operating at peak performance. According to John Lack, Business Development Manager at Hydor, farmers are too often neglecting such equipment during the colder months as more emphasis is placed on heat. This can lead to bird welfare issues and reduced returns, as well as unforeseen maintenance costs when it comes to the peak ventilation seasons of spring and summer.John comments: “A key problem for broiler farms is that later-staged fans can often seize up through underuse. As these fans are much less active until a heat wave approaches, they often haven’t been checked, maintained and operated. This means the fans often fail to perform when called upon.

Nominations Open for Prestigious David Thomlinson Award

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“Without proper ventilation, poultry is put at serious risk of heat stress which can lead to less feed intake or even fatality in worst cases. This obviously puts broiler farms in a position where production is significantly hindered and system repair costs have to be considered.” With these issues in mind, Hydor is urging farmers to take a proactive stance and conduct a thorough review of all air movement systems ahead of the summer months. A simple check of the motors, fan blades, belts and louvres can help to confirm that all fans are in working order. From here, a detailed audit of the temperature, CO2 and humidity sensors can be carried out. John continues: “If laterstaged fans do need replacing, it is recommended to install already-working Stage One Fans instead of a like-for-like replacement. This way, farmers can look to replace ventilation systems with a more energyefficient fan from our product range to help drive down running costs in the long term.”

British Charolais leads the way forward

When it comes to the UK’s leading terminal sire, British Charolais is the best breed for British farmers thanks to its notable sustainability and profitability. Breeders continue to thoughtfully select a system that ensures the structural correctness of the Charolais, without sacrificing it’s two leading/prominent strengths: exceptional growth rate

By NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy of upstream and downstream businesses and jobs, As co-chair of the ARIOB (the group charged with defining a way forward) I take part of the responsibility for the slow pace of change. However, let’s not forget that for 50 years the EU has steered governments. Now they’re on their own, that means that means that they must design, implement and deliver policy for the first time in two generations. Therefore, the industry must be at the heart of the discussions. Without us, there won’t be a cat in hell’s chance of government reaching their targets on wider environmental goals. To me, going slow in the right direction is far more important than rushing things through for the sake of getting something out there. Let’s hope that history will show from a Scottish perspective that we made the right decisions and recognised food production as being the number one energy source. and conformation, with particular attention given to the depth of loin and hindquarter muscling. Whilst equal attention is paid to calving ease, temperament, and tight sheaths, the females are selected for their maternal traits: calving ease, milk, and fertility. Which all plays a role in helping to improve the British Charolais breed and retain its position as the leading terminal sire among Britain’s beef suckler herd. By consistently delivering progeny with superior performance in daily liveweight gain and quality conformation, the breed’s become renowned for its attributes and maximising financial return, helping farmers to cross into profit. Charolais bulls mature at 12 months with the ability to work in diverse environments, whether in commercial suckler herds in the hills and uplands, or in more intensive lowland systems. While females are generally able to have their first calf by 24 months of age. The average adult weight for bulls stands at 1,250kg and 1,000kg for cows.Charolais-sired suckler calves command top prices when sold as weanlings and regularly top up markets across the UK. They can also be stored through winter to be finished off at the farm around 1215 months on a forage and grainbased diet or finished off with grass the following summer depending on the farm’s Originatingoperations.fromits native France, the British Charolais has become a remarkable example of the breed, offering high-protein, low-fat, full-flavoured, and tender cuts. All of which is due to its unrivalled growth rates, lower slaughter age, and outstanding eating quality. The British Charolais Cattle Society truly believes that no bull works harder for the farmer, the plate, and the planet.

NextSCOTLANDFARMINGMAGAZINEissueoutNovember2022

livestock ScotlandNFU www.nfus.org.uk

Few industries can claim they are the oldest industry in the world, but farming and food production can

For millennia humanity has in one form or another foraged, killed, and grown food to survive. Long before ‘essentials’ such as electricity, central heating, planes, trains and automobiles were even dreamt about, people only had one worry and that was how they were going to feed themselves and their families. Fast forward to modern day society and food, to a large degree, has become a product that has lost all respect for what it delivers in terms of health, economic output and environmental delivery. This is not only extremely sad but it’s also extremely dangerous. Unless we change our views now on the one thing that we cannot do without, at a time when we can make a difference, then in the not-too-distant future history will tell us we got it completely wrong. Such an approach will be catastrophic for a UK industry that, in global terms, punches way above its weight on standards and environmental concerns. This sounds dramatic, but these messages must be fully understood by governments. If they think that there’s unrest with strikes and the cost-of-living crisis right now, who knows what will happen if and when food supply becomes short. Here in Scotland, future agricultural policy is still not defined. I completely agree that the pace of the work to show the direction of travel is glacial and the industry is desperate to know what is happening.Theresponsibility and requirement in Scotland must be to ensure farmers and crofters are enabled (through a new approach to support that recognises and rewards agricultural activity and good practice) to deliver on high quality food production first and foremost and, as a result, deliver on the climate and biodiversity challenges we face. This is something that only active farming and crofting can address whilst also underpinning rural communities and a multitude

The NEW HBS series is in addition to Agri-Spread’s existing range of vertical beater 6 -18 ton manureAvailablespreadersin14, 16 & 18 ton models with an internal floor width of 1,600mm. Smaller models with floor width of 1,500mm are planned in the future. The gearbox/shaft driven rear horizontal balanced twin rotors with boron flights, 12mm flight tips finely shred and chop up material before the adjustable large diameter 1,085mm disks with twin paddles each spread material uniformly up to 24 mtrs depending on material density & quality.Wide angle 1000 rpm PTO with driveline & disk paddle shear bolt protection & automatic HD cam clutch protection for the spinner disks & the horizontal beaters.Fully welded construction with double 20mm grade 80 floor chains & galvanised heavy gauge box profile quick fit single slats that the speed can be controlled variably including cross flow relief valve protection.

The Agri-Spread Range for 2023

Agri-Spread International (www. agrispread.com) release their newly developed Horizontal Beater & Spinner Disk Rear Discharge Manure Spreader Range for 2023.Designated the Pro+ HBS Series, with twin horizontal rotors over large rotating disks, these spreaders are designed for increased output, productivity & precision spreading of manures, composts, & bulk materials.

Hydraulic double acting slurry door & a rear rotor hydraulic canopy door with adjustable spring-loaded hood drop point with border control limiter are all features offered. Drawbar with fixed, swivel or spoon hitch & option of sprung drawbar. Hydraulic brakes, parking brake are standard with LED lighting. Air/Hyd brakes are also offered as an option. Full ISOBUS application rate control is also an option with load cells & sprung drawbar to ensure rate is maintained relative to speed. Demonstrations available from April 2023 via UK Distributor: PK Sales Ltd, Paul Kelloway 07734 559 696

Spreading it about!

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A look at some of the muck spreaders available today

GT Bunning and Sons has been individually balancing every auger and beater it has fitted to its twin vertical auger (TVA) and horizontal beater and spinning disc (HBD) muck spreaders, since it started building them in 1986. “One of the main advantages of dynamic balancing is the low vibration offered by the auger or beater when in use,” says Chris Druce, sales director at GT Bunning and Sons. “Vibration causes excess fatigue throughout the machine’s assembly and without balancing,

Muck Spreaders

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Importance of individually balancing augers and beaters on Bunning muck spreaders

Dynamically balancing muck spreader augers and beaters increases the longevity of machinery and maintains smooth operation, and the importance of the process can’t be Norfolk-basedunderestimated.manufacturer

Fleming Muck Spreaders

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Fleming Agri offer a range of side discharge muck spreaders with capacities from 1 cubic yard a reduced lifespan and a greater likelihood of breakdowns are both possible.”Thedynamic balancing process is similar to balancing a car tyre or a hedge cutter rotor. The auger is placed in a cradle with floor mounted sensor pads detecting any imbalance in the auger or beater profile when it is spinning. The balancing machine then provides a readout detailing which end of the auger or beater is out of balance and where in the circumference additional weight is required. Depending on how much weight is needed, a series of different options can then be welded to correct the imbalance.

to 9.5 cubic yards covering both compact and agricultural uses. The bodies of all Fleming Agri muck spreaders are welded both internally and externally to give added support under load.

“It is a process we apply to every auger and beater that passes through the factory whether it is destined for a TVA or a HBD model,” comments Mr Druce. “As long as the muck spreader is well maintained and wearing metal is replaced evenly, the dynamic balancing will help to increase the machine’s longevity.”

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

Muck Spreaders

West Maelstrom Rear SpreadersDischargefromHarryWest(Prees)Ltd

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There are 2 models in the compact range, the Minimuck which is three point linkage mounted and has a capacity of 1 cubic yard and the MS150 trailed model which has a capacity of 3.35 cubic yards. Both models have a reinforced 3mm body and starter bars for quick start up. The power requirement is geared down through a simple chain and sprocket drive line mounted on heavy duty bearings to reduce the power demand on the tractor and increase fuel efficiency. The compact range of muck spreaders are suitable for tractors from 30hp upwards. In the agricultural range, Fleming offer 3 models; the MS450 has a capacity of 4 cubic yards, the MS700 with a capacity of 6.5 cubic yards and the MS1000 which has a capacity of 9.5 cubic yards. The new and improved MS1000 comes with a heavy duty galvanised, hydraulic opening lid. It has 8 stud axles with 550x60x22.5 wheels as standard. The MS1000 has 36 chains to give an accurate and even spread pattern and is fitted with 6mm end plates. Fleming Agri muck spreaders offer value for money with high output, and an even shred and spread of muck. Suitable for all types of manure, including semi-solid and poultry litter as well as farmyard manure.All Fleming Agri products are designed and manufactured in house, with a range of options to suite a wide range of uses. Here at Fleming Agri we manufacture products with simplicity and strength at the core, with a growing global dealer network, currently spanning over 20 countries. A full list of our machinery and any optional extras can be found on our website www. fleming-agri.com. If you would like more information or images please don’t hesitate to get in contact with your local Fleming Agri rep and we will point you in the direction of your nearest Fleming dealer. Contact our Offices for more information on +44 (0) 2871 342637.

Built to a high capacity specification and capable of achieving a spread width of up to 12M (40ft), the West Rear Discharge unit is particularly suited for farmyard manure. With the optional hydraulic rear door, it can also be used with poultry muck and semi-solids. The twin rear vertical rotating beaters operate at a powerful 400 rpm from the PTO input drive of 1000 rpm. For trouble free maintenance the rear beaters are fitted with replaceable blades, and feature a protected two-piece drive-line with a PTO and slip clutch. The rear discharge machine has large diameter tyres to minimise any ground pressure and is fully equipped for road use as standard with hydraulic brakes, hand brake and lighting.

Additional options are available for these machines, electric in cab controls for the bed chains, mudguards & weighing systems are a few of the optional items. Six different models are available in the West Maelstrom Rear Discharge line up ranging from 8M3- 18M3. mounted discharge rotor. The hydraulically operated door opens vertically, utilising the complete width of the discharge rotor, which works at 700rpm in an overshot direction, allowing the Hardox door to act as a shear bar to fragment the material before spreading in an arc away from the side of the machine.

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Weigh Cell System Among Side -Discharge Developments from Shelbourne Reynolds

Shelbourne Reynolds continues to focus its muck spreader manufacturing on universal machines able to handle all types of manure from slurry to solids, with its Powerspread sidedischarge range. Available in two versions, the Powerspread Dairy comes in 7.25m³/1,600gallon and 9m³/2,000-gallon models, each with a full-length auger rotating at 13rpm to bring material to the centrallyThe wide mouthed design of the main body allows for easier loading with modern telehandlers and larger buckets. It also enables the load to be increased with larger capacities. The introduction of body extension alters the model to reflect the increased load capacity.

The four-model Powerspread Pro range offers capacities from 8-14.5m³ (1,800-3,200 gallons) for high-output operations. A new weigh scale option, developed from the maker’s Powermix diet feeders, features three 90mm load cells – two on the axle and one of the drawbar – each with a maximum 10t capacity. The scale head can be mounted on the spreader or in the tractor cab, and a wireless remote scale is also available for the machine loading the spreader. “This new option allows users to manage application rates more efficiently, which is particularly important given rising fertiliser prices,” says Shelbourne Reynold’s Neil Smith.“The system is optional on all long wheelbase Powerspread Pro models. For the near future we also have in development a data transfer system to help users maintain

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“Powerspread Pro machines are also available with tandem axles and optional rear-wheel steering to spread the load and minimise field damage and tyre wear, options which can be combined with a range of flotation tyres.”

accurate application records for farm record-keeping, and a GPS mapping system to allow variable rate application, features will further enable these machines to match the capabilities of any other type of spreader on the market.

Muck Spreaders

coursesAccreditationTechnicianSystemannounced

“When managed for maximum productivity, grass delivers astonishing levels of dry matter and energy. At grass, cows can convert around 85% of that energy into milk. Grass really is the basis for profitable, sustainable, productive dairying.”

The Milking Equipment Association (MEA) has launched its new Milking System Technician Accreditation (MSTA) courses, announcing the start dates and supporting colleges that will deliver the course content. Category 2 courses for new technicians looking to improve their skills and knowledge will be delivered by Hartpury College starting October 12th. Category 3 courses for experienced technicians seeking to establish themselves as supervisors and leaders will be offered by Reaseheath College beginning November 22nd. Both courses

The Grass Clinic at the September 14th event, held at the International Centre in Telford, Shropshire, invites anyone with a query about their grass to drop in and speak to Barenbrug’s grassland experts for insight and advice.

dairy www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com78 Drop-in to UK Dairy Day’s first-ever Grass Clinic

Often imitated, never bettered, when it comes to dairy there’s no doubt about it: grass is the original sustainable feedstuff. That’s why grass-breeding specialist Barenbrug UK will host the first-ever Grass Clinic at UK Dairy Day, encouraging farmers to be more ambitious about getting more from their grass.“Cost-effective, sustainable, with benefits for soil health and biodiversity, good quality grass – whether grazed or conserved –is the cheapest feed for the dairy cow,” says Barenbrug’s Agriculture Manager, David Linton.

“That will help our experts to suggest the best course of action and offer the most appropriate advice, alongside tips on species and variety selection. Farmers really can grow their future with grass, helping to sustain farm resilience by maximising quality homegrown forage.” Barenbrug’s Grassland Index can be viewed at https:// bit.ly/good-grass.

“The secret to good grassland is to ‘think crop’,” says David. “But grassland agronomy doesn’t have to be complicated. In just a few steps, underperforming grassland can quickly become goodThere’sgrassland.”noneed to book for the Clinic. Barenbrug’s team will be available all-day at the stand near the main entrance, but David says attendees will get most value from it if they first index their fields using Barenbrug’s ‘Grassland Index’ guide.

Milking

By Stuart Martin, Scottish Dairy Hub Manager For some time, staff recruitment, training, retention, and new entrants into the dairy sector in Scotland has been a challenge for all. This was one of the topics that dominated discussions at the Royal Highland Show and other local shows throughout Scotland Staff and employment issues have huge implications for dairy production in Scotland and therefore I have noted with interest that Scottish Government is now working on solutions. The Commission for the Land-based Learning Review (the Commission) is a group that has been established to provide Government’ssupportskills.thewomen,people,apprenticeship,basedcollege,qualificationsprovideearlyaquacultureScotland’sreviewundertakethatshort-termScottishevidence-basedindependent,advicetoMinisters.TheCommissionisaadvisorygrouphasbeenestablishedtoarootandbranchoflearninginland-basedandsectors-fromyearstoadulthood-toopportunitiesandthroughschool,university,andwork-learning,includingformoreandspecificallymoretoworkwithandonland,particularlyingreenTheworkofthegroupwilltheScottishambitionsof delivering a just transition to net-zero, by ensuring our learning system equips people with the skills and knowledge needed to work in Scotland’s land-based sectors as well as any new and emerging green occupations in land-based sectors.And more good news, a new scheme aimed at addressing inequality and providing more opportunities for women in Scottish agriculture is to receive more funding, it was announced recently.TheWomen in Agriculture Practical Training Fund, which has supported more than 750 trainees since its launch last year, is administered by Lantra Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, enabling women to benefit from courses in a range of areas, including tractor and trailer driving, sheepdog handling, lambing, cattle hoof trimming, and chainsaw use. Scottish Government has announced £100,000 of new funding as this will enable Lantra to open the fund up for applications again shortly. For information on this grant and how to apply visit the Lantra website Scottishtraining-fundwomen-agriculture-practical-www.scotland.lantra.co.uk/https://orcontacttheDairyHub.

costtoliquidinfarmerscorrelationperformance-to-financialmodel.Acrosstheboard,dairyareseeinganincreasebothmanufacturingandmilkcontractpriceshelpoffsettheincreasingofproduction,saysPaul

The SCOTTISH DAIRY HUB offers dairy farmers and service providers a free signposting service connecting the dairy sector throughout Scotland. Visit our website to view all the latest information on our noticeboard and events page Tel:www.scottishdairyhub.org.uk03454755110Mob:07500766083Email:lnfo@scottishdairyhub.org.ukwww.farmingscotlandmagazine.com dairy will offer a mixture of online and in-college“Farmersdelivery.should receive the highest level of technical support for their milking equipment, and we believe that technicians who can complete these courses will be able to offer this. These courses will help dairy technicians stand apart in the industry with accreditations that demonstrate their learning, skills, and commitment,” says MEA Chair, John Baines. The MSTA courses, previously under the name Parlour Safe, have been updated and rebranded in 2022 to reflect developments in dairying, especially the increase in robotic and automatic milking systems. There are already 216 technicians accredited at Category 2 and 71 accredited at Category 3. “We believe this demonstrates the industry’s commitment to training and continuing professional development. The courses and assessment are a way to benchmark the quality of service being offered. We also hope that this is being driven by farmer awareness and the need to be reassured that technicians working on complex equipment have received a suitable level of training,” he adds. 2022 has been the launch year for Category 4, Master Dairy Engineering Technician courses. This accreditation takes a different approach, with only Category 3 technicians able to apply for professional review and interview by an independent panel of “Categoryassessors.4 is aligned with the professional standards required for application to the Engineering Council for Engineering Technician (EngTech) registration. It is a new benchmark for the milking industry and a goal for those who are true specialists,” says Mr Baines.Thecollege fees to complete the courses are £2500 for Category 2 and £2400 for Category 3, with the option to spread the cost over two years. More information about MSTA courses is available mstawww.milkingsystems.co.uk/at

Updated milk contract prices for August and September show UK dairy farmers are still achieving notable returns on investment upwards of 88 percent when feeding rumen-protected fat supplements, shows data from Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredient’s

Feeding supplementsprotectedrumen-fatremain profitable going into late summer

Labour of Love

Holstein sire, Genosource Captain, has held the number one position he regained earlier this year in the young, genomic sire ranking, published recently by AHDB Dairy. He affirms his place by smashing the £1,000 barrier for Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI), achieving a comfortable lead over two of his sons, which join their sire to take the top three places. The high production Captain improves his PLI to £1,014, thanks to small improvements across the board, most notably for Calf Survival (CS). With a CS of 5.8, thanks to the addition of new UK data, he becomes one of the breed leaders for this trait. His index of 4.9 for EnviroCow, also tops the breed for green credentials, aided by excellent transmission of feed conversion efficiency (Feed Advantage 257). The Captain son (out of a Redrock dam) in second place is the new entry, DG Peace (PLI £962), whose transmitting pattern is similar to that of his sire, with high Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTAs) for milk (1,025kg) and protein (41kg). And moving up the ranking to third place is Cogent Koepon Rocky (PLI £959), a UK-bred Captain son from a Kenobi dam. Each of the top three sires scores well for resistance to digital dermatitis, helping them achieve above average scores for Lameness Advantage.

“For those on manufacturing contracts at 47ppl, feeding a rumen-protected fat supplement in calcium salt form resulted in a return on investment of 71 percent, increasing to 78 percent for contracts set at 50ppl,” explains Mr Fransen. “Producers on liquid contracts at 47ppl also saw financial benefit in feeding calcium salt fat supplements with a return of 88Calciumpercent.”salts of fatty acids are commonly used in the dairy industry. These products combine fatty acids with calcium ions producing a rumen-insoluble supplement, with Volac Wilmar’s calcium salt supplement, Megalac, containing a fatty acid composition of ~48% C16:0 (palmitic) and ~36% cis-9 C18:1 (oleic). High C16:0 fat supplements also continue to hold a place for producers with Volac Wilmar’s Mega-Fat 88 supplement giving manufacturing contracts at 47ppl and 50ppl a 57 percent and 65 percent return on investment, respectively. Those on a liquid contract at 47ppl saw a return of 33 percent.

dairy www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

Captain breaks through £1,000 PLI barrier

80 Fransen, the model developer and Business Development Manager for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients.ArlaFoods increased its standard manufacturing contract to 50.35ppl from August 1st onwards. From September 1st, farmers on Müller contracts who meet the herd health and environmental conditions for the Müller Advantage programme will receive 47ppl, up 1ppl from the set August price. It was announced in late July that Müller farmers part of the Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group would be receiving an additional 1ppl in August for a price of 47ppl. Tesco quickly followed suit, increasing its August price rise from 46ppl to 47ppl for the 1st of September. Other buyers such as Saputo Dairy UK have implemented even greater price increases upwards of 1.5ppl, with a 49.50ppl standard manufacturing price going into effect in September.

pigs Solar powered feeder for outdoor pig producers

The Outdoor Transition Feeder has all the benefits of the normal Transition feeder with the provision of freshly mixed gruel to help newly-weaned pigs overcome the stressful transition period after being removed from the sow. Two Transition Feeders will cater for up to 120 piglets and simply require topping up with feed, plus the provision of water at a minimum pressure of 1 bar. The benefits of the original Transition Feeder have been largely unavailable to outdoor pig producers. By its very nature, there is less control over outdoor production and ‘bed-and breakfast’ producers who finished pigs in straw yards would often find pigs of varying weight after delivery.“Ina batch of 1,000 pigs there could be 400 needing extra care and attention to catch up,” said QE’s Mark Harding, who developed the feeder. “It was found that the Transition Feeder worked well in this situation. Now this is a viable option for farmers who wean their pigs into tents.” inequalityhighlightsinporksupplychain

Outdoor pig producers can now reap the benefits of the well-proven Transition Feeder with a new, nofuss solar powered model.

“Put simply, the British banger could become an endangered species!” said Paul Marland, sales director of ARM Buildings. Images can be obtained by emailing Hugh Crabtree - hugh@ farmex.co.uk or phoning 07831 402470.

“We intend to add appropriate statistics to factually back up the visual depiction. The industry is in danger of losing its backbone. Many pig farmers have gone out of business already and the national herd is predicted to contract by 20 per cent, or 80,000 sows, which would have produced two million finished pigs, equivalent to 120,000 tonnes of pork, or 240 million packs of sausages.

High-quality digital copies of the illustration are being made available to pig producers and their suppliers – free-of-charge – so that they can be used on letter heads, posters, cars and vans, banners, T-shirts, mugs, etc. This will focus attention on the unfairness suffered by this sector of the British pig industry.“This image will help pig farmers to get a crucial message across to government and the general public of the serious plight they find themselves in, through no fault of their own,” commented Farmex director, Hugh Crabtree.

“We developed a model that would run off 24 volts, powered by 12v batteries, but the problem was that these had to be regularly changed and charged up to avoid any interruption in supply,” said QE director Graham Baker.

“This means there will be a shortage of British pork and bacon, leading to higher prices and more pigmeat imports from countries which don’t have the same welfare standards,” warned Mr Crabtree.

Image

The feeder has been developed by Quality Equipment (QE) in response to many enquiries from the outdoor sector.

On behalf of pig producers, Farmex and ARM Buildings have joined forces to commission a top London-based graphic artist to create a striking image highlighting the inequalities in the pork supply chain.The image, portrayed by James Dawe, vividly illustrates that, far from profit-sharing, producers are losing millions of pounds while processors and supermarkets are making handsome profits.

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The company therefore developed a portable solar panel station which is used to keep the batteries continuously topped up. The solar station will power up to ten feeders, is mounted on a frame and, when folded, can be transported via a forklift. As well as 24V it can also be specified for other requirements, including 12V and mains voltage with an inverter.

An SRUC-led multinational project to improve the uptake of digital technologies in sheep and goat farming has held its first in-person transnational workshop in France. Around 70 researchers, farmers, lecturers and advisors from seven countries attended the event in Saint Affrique in July, which was held as part of the Sm@RT (Small Ruminant Technologies) project run in partnership with the Moredun Research Institute and funded by the EU Horizon 2020 research programme.Twoprevious workshops had been held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sheep and goat project on tour to France sheep

The next workshop is scheduled for Spring 2023 in Norway and will focus on feedback related to a selection of innovative technologies for the small ruminant sector. For more information about the project, visit: www.smartplatform. network

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The delegates from UK, France, Ireland, Norway, Estonia, Italy and Israel, visited two sheep farms - La Cazotte in Roquefort, which is linked to an agricultural school, and mixed dairy and meat sheep experimental farm La Fage in Aveyron – where they had the opportunity to see and learn about the use of 14 small ruminant innovative technologies. These included virtual and connected fences, automatic feeders in the milking parlour, individual feed bins, and shed sensors for temperature, humidity and CO2, among others. On the second day, following a presentation about the French sheep sector, delegates shared examples of the innovative technologies being used in their countries, including automatic weighing and water consumption in one trough, DNA sampling for lamb parentage and a hay drying machine.

Claire Morgan-Davies, Sm@ RT coordinator from SRUC, said: “It was great to be able to see each other for the first time. The group dynamic was fantastic and the organisation by the French partners flawless. It was nice to see delegates exchanging ideas and seeing for themselves the wide range of innovative technologies available to the sheep and goat sectors.”

Jaehoon Lee, who is based in Namhae-gun, a county in South Gyeongsang-do Province, located in the far south-east corner of the Korean peninsula, paid £6,900 second top call for the 15-monthold black and white Dog, Wyverne Max, offered for sale by Southern Finland’s Ian Dodd, of Mustajoentie, Laylianen. It was a multi-international transaction that clearly illustrated and again cemented the power of the online selling system and its ability to match dogs with vendors and buyers globally.MrLee’s new acquisition is a well-bred son of leading Welsh handler and breeder, Kevin Evans’ Derwen Doug, a European Nursery Champion and dual Welsh and International Brace Champion, out of David Meek’s Wyverne Meg, herself a daughter of a twice International Champion. David runs Wyverne

RamCompare ramps up: On-farm event to highlight merits of data recording

An event for commercial farmers looking to improve efficiency and reduce the cost of lamb production will take place later this summer at RamCompare’s Scotland farm with the support of Scotland’s red meat levy board, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

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The joint levy-funded research project demonstrates how commercial producers can use specific estimated breeding values (EBVs) to identify rams with high genetic potential and prove their worth when assessing financial impact. Findings have revealed that differences in progeny values (worth £4–6/ lamb) provide farmers with the opportunity, through careful ram selection, to enhance flock profitability by £1200–1500/ram over their working lifetime.Highlighting the value of the project and upcoming on-farm event, Bruce McConachie, Head of Industry Development at QMS“RamComparesaid: has been an incredibly valuable datacollection project to date, and now it’s about translating that into financial terms. Previously a Monitor Farm, Saughland is an excellent example of a business adopting performance recording and productive sheep systems to improve their stock’s performance and output. I would highly encourage coming along to the event as Owen shares his knowledge and learnings thus far.” Owen Gray, Saughland’s livestock manager commented: “Almost all our decisions are made from facts and figures, not guess work. “We hope we are able to demonstrate the benefits of recording to wider agricultural communities, using data from Saughland’s commercial ewe flock and feeding it into RamCompare.” More information and tickets to the event taking place on 15th September can be found at ramcompare-phase-iii.visitRamCompareandramcompare.www.qmscotland.co.uk/https://Fordetailsresultsfromtheproject,https://ahdb.org.uk/

Innovative livestock enterprise, Saughland Farm, Midlothian, will host the RamCompare event which will involve a series of workshops covering everything from ram health to lamb grading, as well as disseminating some of the knowledge from the UK’s national progeny test, having completed its sixth year.

The Sheep Breeders Round Table is back Tickets are now on sale for the UK’s premier conference for sheep farmers, to be held from Friday 11 - Sunday 13 November 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel at East Midlands Airport. Visit https://events.ahdb. org.uk/ for more information and to secure your spot.

First-ever Koreanbought dogworkingSkiptonsheepsettlinginwell,reportsnewowner

The first-ever South Korean purchaser of a working sheep dog at a recent online-only sale at CCM Skipton reports that the dog has arrived safely, is settling in nicely and working well on his sheep flock.

Sheep farmers experiencing grass shortages should consider offering supplementary feed to lambs or weaning early and prioritising better grazing for ewes to safeguard fertility, advises a leading ruminant nutritionist.Mole Valley Farmers’ Nutritionist Rebecca Moore warns that ewes with a low body condition score (BCS) at weaning could see poorer ovulation, fertility and scanning rates.And with farmers already reporting grass shortages in the South, South West and Midlands and high temperatures set to continue, action may need to be taken soon to ensure ewe fertility isn’tShecomprised.said: “Supplementary feeding of lambs pre-weaning when the grass is limited can help your lambing percentage the following year by not adding pressure on the ewe. Another option is to wean lambs early, so ewes have a longer dry period to recover. This is also the case if ewes have a low BCS.”

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Border Collies in Maesteg, near Bridgend in Mid-Glamorgan. As on many occasions at previous Skipton dog sales, both live and online, Mr Evans, of Brecon, was again top dog on price in June when claiming £7,000 with an 18-month-old Derwen Doug daughter. Mr Lee, who farms close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that attracts many tourists, explained: “I have bought a lot of dogs from England. I am trying to be the best in the world and there is only one reason why I bought Max. His ability seemed very good and I thought he would be the dog I needed.”

Prioritise Ewes Over Lambs if Grass is in Short Supply, Specialist Warns

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The target should be for ewes to be one BCS up from their weaning BCS by tupping, giving them ten weeks to gain one BCS before mating if they have a low BCS.For farmers to reach their optimal scanning percentage, number of lambs born and number of lambs weaned, 90% of ewes to be at their correct body condition score before tupping.The target BCS’s at tupping are:Lowland ewe = 3.5 Hill ewe = 2.5 Rams = 3.5- 4 – they should be fit, not fat. Ms Moore added: “Thin ewes should be placed on the best pasture and prioritised over finishing lambs, or receive supplementary feed to help maximise fertility in these ewes for the following year.”

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sheep Looking Ahead

By Grace Reid

Take the Rumevite survey for a chance to win a PortaYards mobile sheep handling system

FARMINGNovemberNextMAGAZINESCOTLANDissueout2022

UK livestock producers who take the Rumevite survey by Rumenco will be entered in for a chance to win a 3.0m PortaYards mobile sheep handling system from Wise Agriculture. The 10-question survey focuses on beef and sheep supplementation practices during the grazing season.“As we approach mid-summer and grass begins to change, many producers will be starting to think about their supplementation strategy for the rest of the year to address any shortfalls in forage. We want to hear from farmers directly on what they are doing and what they need so we can continue to provide the tools to support their businesses,” says Amy Wright, product manager for Rumenco.Afeedand mineral block, Rumevite stimulates the rumen to work harder by fueling and supporting the rumen bug population. This results in up to a 10 percent improvement in forage intake and digestion for cattle and sheep. The eightproduct range with formulations that include options of high energy, protein, magnesium and fish oil help provide tailored nutrition to individual farming systems.For a limited time, for every one tonne of Rumevite purchased, farmers will receive three free orange feed block holders. These reusable block holders provide a sustainable feeding system based on one block per 35 head of sheep, using 85 percent less plastic than other feed buckets. Take the survey Manufactured in New Zealand, the 3.0m Porta-Yards have a 250-head capacity. To reduce the number of jumping sheep and protect the legs of working dogs, Porta-Yards have 1.0m high alloy hurdles with solid top sections. The unit also has a hydraulic lift and lower, allowing for quick and easy set-up. To take the survey and be entered into the competition, visit rumencogiveaway.wiseag.co.uk/

It has come round to that time of the year again when we focus on next year’s crop of lambs and getting the correct ram(s) lined up for the flock whether it be from genetic potential based on figures or aesthetics. With a real focus on animal health and welfare, buyers (and sellers) focus on many things when they set off to the various marts across the country. A small reminder that whilst many criteria can be based purely on paper, it is worthwhile thinking about what may not be visible to the naked eye when welcoming a new member to the flock. NSA Scotland along with Moredun, Scottish Government and others have been making progress with both the sheep scab and OPA working groups, with a particular focus on the transmission of these highly contagious diseases at this time of year and raising awareness of their consequences. If you are ever in doubt, have a look at the Moredun website which has some fantastic animations to help you address your particular circumstances. Ram selection is one thing, however ensuring ewes are ready for tupping is another. For instance, if poor body condition is prevalent, your vet may suggest taking samples to look for diseases such as Maedi Visna and Johne’s, parasites such as liver fluke or gut worms and scanning the lungs for OPA. If you are able to identify these diseases early, it can make future control much easier, cheaper and effective whilst ultimately boosting the overall health of your flock for better returns. Either way, this is just the start of the journey to get lambs on board, many are oblivious to the fact there is a whole year left to get to the finish line! NSA Prize Giveaway Enter NSA's 2022 prize giveaway to WIN a Te Pari Racewell HD3 mobile sheep handling system including EID and scale system worth £20,000! Head over to the NSA website for more information: nationalsheep.org.uk/https://www.

NSA Scottish Region Coordinator

Scottish Thistle Award Regional Ambassador (2018/19) for Central, Tayside & Fife Director of Scottish Food Guide Made in Scotland

By Wendy Barrie

Farming the Sustainable Way

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com86 Regularly omitted from maps or relegated to somewhere off Aberdeen, in actual fact Shetland is a jewel in Scotland’s crown, never to be underestimated. This subarctic archipelago has as much in common with Scandinavia as the British Isles: from its language and culture to its geology and location. With local and migratory birdlife, natural unpolluted landscapes, cliffs and beaches, heathery hills and peaty bogs, Shetland attracts walkers, explorers and birders from across the world. The northern lights are often seen on a clear winter’s night and the summer dim brings midnight daylight over the isles aroundMostmidsummer.knowof the photogenic Shetland ponies but Shetland also has a rich biodiversity that includes specific heritage varietals of kale and tatties, oat and bere barley. Deliciously different and, to my knowledge, not commercially Uradale:

BarrieWendy©Photos UradaleFlock

grown on Shetland however small genebanks remain on crofts and in kitchen gardens. These windswept isles have a natural beauty of their own: big skies and clear waters, fertile lands and a rich food culture. Shetland also has a growing appreciation for the importance of local sustainable food, an exemplar being father and son, Ronnie and Jakob Eunson of the award-winning Uradale Farm. Ronnie’s forefathers came from Fair Isle and settled in Lerwick where Ronnie was born and raised. His father had built up a thriving business with a number of butcher shops about town that he sold when he retired. Ronnie’s ambition was to buy land and start farming on Shetland, starting out with a small commercial flock of sheep, trying his hand at crofting and all that entails. In the mid 1990’s he purchased Uradale, up on the hillside overlooking Scalloway and the isle of Trondra on Shetland’s west coast. A stunning location it may be but at that time there was barely a building or byre and the track left a lot to be desired so there was much to do. The hills were silent apart from birdsong and all the fencing needed replaced. Farming always has its Ronnie on greenland

Ronnie and I first met at Slow Food’s inaugural Terra Madre, a world meeting of food communities and, as Ronnie says ‘blazing a trail for a food revolution.’ Slow Food, founded in the 1980’s by Carlo Petrini, has a mantra of ‘good, clean, fair,’ meaning good quality food, environmentally produced and sold at a fair price for both producer and consumer. Nothing else will do. Tourism is a large part of Scotland’s economy and food tourism is increasingly a buzzword, yet the quality and integrity of that local food is key and Ronnie and Jakob recognise this with their purebred flock and fold of pedigree kye. Only the winning combo of breed, feed, hanging and skilled butchery will produce consistently high quality meat. Their excellence was recognised most recently when they won the 2022 Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s Sustainable Farm of the Year Award.In2016, on completion of his butchery apprenticeship, Jakob joined Ronnie to become a full time farmer and is a real asset to the business, building up the meat market and delivering a year-round weekly supply to local shops. They may have regular customers in London and Hong Kong but their local market is equally valued and key to their sustainability. Thanks to Jakob’s skills they have flexibility, enabling them to offer cuts of lamb, hogget and mutton (depending on the season) to chefs where other producers may only be able to sell on whole carcasses. Their animals travel six miles down the road to the local abattoir then return to Uradale where Jakob butchers on-farm - low food miles indeed. He is also one of few butchers to offer whole rolled lamb – a skilful craft of deboning a whole carcass and rolling back as one for an amazing and delicious centrepiece for a celebration or an impressive Sunday lunch. Sassermaet is another of his popular specialties. His Kye Sassermaet, along with Native Shetland Sheep and Shetland Kye are all on Slow Food International’s Ark of Taste for heritage foods. Another important pillar of sustainability is making the most of every opportunity and the yarn produced from their sheep is another cornerstone of the business with natural dyed, unbleached, organic yarns much desired by knitters and crafters across the globe. Shetland knitwear is world famous, with intricate patterns passed down through generations of families. These classic designs are both stunning and wearable but so too are the many modern garments, hangings, rugs and accessories young designers are creating, with the natural beauty of the Shetland fibres and shades offering both warmth and fashion, often reflecting the land and seascapes of their origin. One peek at uradaleyarns on Instagram and you will be off to buy knitting needles or a loom! Having recently returned from The Arctic Circle Short-tailed Sheep Conference on Greenland, Ronnie’s next stop is Sweden for a trade show. Meanwhile Jakob is following in his father’s footsteps, creating a growing local market for his butchered beef and lamb, and has been selected as one of only three official delegates to represent Scotland at Terra Madre 2022 this autumn. It is inspiring to see a young farmer coming into the family business with such passion and commitment.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 87 challenges and by the end of the 90’s Ronnie could see the volatility of the market so he decided to focus on pure native breeds, Native Shetland Lamb and Shetland Kye, both rare and indigenous. With an established flock, hefted on the hills, Ronnie made his move, sending a leg of lamb to a high-end butcher in London for their feedback. Their comments were positive, their praise immense, and it was decided to go for Organic Certification for the whole package and the rest is history. Uradale has now been fully certified for almost twenty years, farming sustainably with nature.

Wendy Barrie is a cook, campaigner for local sustainable food & food writer. Founder & Director of award-winning www.scottishfoodguide.scot & www.scottishcheesetrail.com. Wendy is Leader in Scotland for Slow Food Ark of Taste, a Cooks Alliance Member & Thistle Regional Ambassador. Her latest book, “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook” co-written with her husband, Bosse Dahlgren, is available online & from selected farmshops.

Uradale Farm https://www.uradale.com

Uradale yarns Shetland uradale cattle

Shetland shoulder and dumplings

Lincolnshire-based vegetable equipment manufacturer Tong Engineering has increased its apprentice recruitment campaign for 2022, with a variety of training opportunities available at the company’s purpose-built manufacturing facility in Spilsby. With five apprenticeship places available in areas including fabrication, machining, fitting and electrics, Tong’s established apprenticeship scheme offers anyone aged 16 or over the opportunity to develop a skill whilst working on-the-job within a growing manufacturing business.“We are proud of our established apprenticeship scheme and are very pleased that over 10% of our current workforce started with the company as an apprentice,

Dingwall-based John M Munro Butchers has been presented with an engraved quaich as it marks its 100-year anniversary of trading.Managing Director Charlie Munro accepted the quaich at the Black Isle Show from Quality Meat Scotland’s Chair, Kate Rowell, Chief Executive, Sarah Millar and NFUS Vice President, Andrew Connon.

Dingwall butcher marks centenary with Quaich Presentation

Tong opens applications for

including team leaders, managers and even directors,” says Jim Worley, Factory Manager at Tong Engineering. “In line with business expansion and increased production capacity brought by our new facility, the Tong 2022 apprentice scheme includes more positions than ever before. We are excited to recruit a number of enthusiastic apprentices who will work alongside our experienced engineers to develop their own skills with the opportunity of permanent job positions once training is complete.” For more information on the specific apprenticeship roles available visit: comjim.worley@tongengineering.apprenticeships2022/tongengineering.com/careers/https://oremailtoexpressyourinterest.

meat bears the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork seal of approval. The company also operates a local abattoir that helps distribute quality meats across Scotland. Recent investment of £1 million has allowed the butchers to streamline processes and upgrade its chilling facilities within the cutting plant and abattoir.The company currently delivers to butchers from Fife and Glasgow to Shetland, and from Aberdeen to the Western Isles.Sarah Millar, Chief Executive at Quality Meat Scotland, said: “It was a real privilege to be able to present Charlie and his team with the quaich.Charlie Munro, Managing Director of Munro Butchers, said: “When our family started the business in 1922, I’m sure we never anticipated reaching 100 years of trading. Our success lies with the consistently high quality of our local livestock, and with the hard work and skill of our staff, some of whom have more than 40 years of experience within the industry. “We’re over the moon to be presented with the quaich and hope to still be serving fresh, quality meat to our local communities in the next 100 years.”

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Apprenticeships in 2022

Established in 1922, John M Munro is the leading meat supplier in the north of Scotland. The company runs six retail shops across Inverness-shire and Ross-shire and employs a team of 95 Blendingstaff.traditional values of good service and value for money, the company uses modern production methods and is a member of the Scotch Butchers Club, meaning all red

bringing a much needed cash injection into the rural economy. That revenue boost will be important against the backdrop of looming recession, but also comes at a time when Avian flu looks set to curb the 2022 pheasant and partridge seasons.

The 2022 grouse season could help buffer some remote rural communities and households from the deepening cost-of-living crisis. That is the view of Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) Chairman Alex Hogg, MBE, who is hoping for some respite for rural businesses enduring spiralling petrol and energy costs.

A number of UK shoots have been impacted by supply issues caused by Bird flu outbreaks in the Loire region of France where many young birds are sourced for low ground shoots, which will begin later, in September and October.

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Grouse season can lessen cost-of-living crisis

Scotland’s grouse shooting season began on August 12th and, after successive years of poor breeding on the moors, there has been an uplift in some regions this year.Large surpluses of birds to harvest are not forecast but gamekeepers expect visitors to return to the heather uplands again,

“In a stable year, grouse shooting brings over £30m to remote communities in a short window, helping a range of spinoff small businesses at a quiet

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However, Avian flu is set to limit the pheasant and partridge seasons, with potential impacts on some rural jobs. “I know of some part-time gamekeepers around me, in the Scottish Borders, who will not be able to host shoots at all this year because they were reliant on poults being imported from overseas.“Some are turning their hand to other things and hoping to source birds for the 2023 season but it is worrying and we hope to be able to sit down with shooting bodies, game farmers, vets and respective UK governments to look at future contingencies,” stressed the Gamekeepers’ Chairman.

A multi-skilled South Lanarkshire youngster who volunteers for Mountain Rescue and community causes in spare time has been crowned Scotland’s best Young Gamekeeper. Cole Stewart (20), who hails from Braidwood, collected the coveted national prize which recognises outstanding youthful ambassadors for the gamekeeping sector, on Friday (5thTheAugust).award is presented annually by The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA), the body which represents professional gamekeepers, ghillies, deer managers and wildlife rangers. Chairman Alex Hogg, MBE, presented the prize to Mr Stewart, described by the Head Stalker at Black Corries Estate in Glencoe as ‘one of a kind’, at Moy Country Fair in Invernessshire.When it became known that the youngster was to collect the prize, colleagues and deer stalking visitors in his shoot party stopped to offer the 20 year old a deserved round of applause. Cole, introduced to rabbit and roe deer management as a young boy, has undertaken formal gamekeeping qualifications at North Highland College UHI in Thurso.

Young Lanarkshire gamekeeper crowned Scotland’s best At Black Corries Estate he combines deer, grouse, low ground and habitat management while turning his hand to seasonal fishing ghillie-ing on the estate’s trout lochs. Black Corries, a mixed estate, is home to conservationlisted Black Grouse, Golden Eagle and Black Throated Diver. time after the summer holidays. The recent Scottish Government commissioned study indicated just how important that income and household wages can be in these remote areas,” said Mr Hogg (1). “We are not looking at consistently good grouse numbers nationally. Red grouse are completely wild. There are so many things which can affect breeding success, but, at a time when grouse shoots have been continuing to invest and getting no income back, we should be grateful for the coming season. The return of visitors spending money is also equally important for local businesses. Their operational costs are going up all the time, with inflation. “The cost of living crisis is affecting everyone in the countryside. We are going to need all areas of the economy firing, if we are to get back to some form of stability.”Grouse shooting is part of a game sector bringing nearly £300m annually to Scotland’s economy.Game shooting and angling sustain more full-time direct jobs (4400) than all of Scotland’s large conservation charities combined (2204).They* also support more direct full-time jobs than the onshore and offshore energy sectors (3300), BBC Scotland (1250) and the film (3635) and computer games (1285) industries. **

While Mr Hogg acknowledges some people oppose game shooting, he believes gamekeepers, river and land ghillies and deer managers are helping to meet Scottish Governments’ environmental and biodiversity aspirations. “As well as the work that pays the bills, our members are helping restore peatlands, are managing non-native invasive species, humanely controlling deer populations, planting and managing woodlands and creating wetlands.“These activities, and many others, are helping Scottish Government reach towards its targets and this skill and local knowledge resource is an irreplaceable asset to Scotland.”

By Stephen Young, Head of Policy at Scottish Land & Estates For more www.scottishlandandestates.co.ukinformationTelephone:01316535400

“I couldn’t be in a better place,” said the new SGA Young Gamekeeper of the Year, 2022. “It is the variety which appeals to me as a gamekeeper. You can wake up in the morning and you might be going out to the hill with a stalking party and the next day you might be doing a walked- up grouse shoot with trained pointer dogs. “Another thing that drives me is seeing the biodiversity which arises from good management. When you walk onto the estate, you can see the wider benefits of the predator control work we do. We have greenshank, snipe and wading birds in abundance. I believe that good gamekeeping is part of the solution for our countryside in Scotland.” In order to satisfy the award judges, Mr Stewart received supporting nominations from college lecturers, estate guests and Head Stalker, Dave Thomas, as well as presenting at interview. Scottish Gamekeepers Association Chairman Alex Hogg, said: “It is an honour to present Cole with this award and to celebrate the future of gamekeeping. It is clear, from those who spoke so highly of him, that his willingness to work hard, learn and take responsibility makes him the type you don’t find every day. “Not only that, he is willing to help out in the community, including with the Mountain Rescue, and is exactly the type of youthful ambassador that our sector requires in the modern day.”Three individuals also received Long Service Medals from the SGA at Moy Country Fair, for an amazing 150+ years of combined, unbroken service to theRecentlysector. retired Strathconon Estate Head Stalker Angus Cameron, hill stalker and grouse keeper, Jimmy Miller and Perthshire grouse keeper, Ronald Kippen, all received medals and plaques for their loyal service of over 50 years each.

Land reform concerns

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The summer period saw the Scottish Government publish their new land reform consultation document, effectively firing the starting gun for a legislative Bill expected next year. Following on the theme from previous land reform bills, this seeks to continue Scotland’s land reform ‘journey’. While many have strong views on land reform, a recent survey carried out for the Scottish Government found that 73% of the population knew very little or nothing at all about land reform so while it is important, it is not the burning issue facing most ScotsLandtoday.reform itself covers many areas, and while it is often portrayed as largescale land ownership versus community ownership, it is vital to recognise where progress has been made in areas often overlooked. The right to responsible access is a cornerstone of land reform and completion of the land register also ensures there is now far more transparency in landWhileownership.these are developments SLE has readily supported, there are reforms which have previously caused concern. Agricultural holdings legislation is one example where government policymaking has led to unintended consequences, with the amount of land available for tenancies consistently declining because of legislative reform. Within the newly launched land reform consultation, there are areas which cause some confusion, including the stated aim of “tackling the issues associated with scale and concentration of land ownership in Scotland.” Indeed, this objective goes against the findings of a Scottish Land Commission report in 2019 on the subject. That paper stated: “We consider that the scale of a land holding is not in itself the most significant factor... Rather the core issue is the concentration of power.” However, the proposals contained within the new consultation are specifically based on scale. The Scottish Government states that it is their intention that these proposals would apply to large scale land holdings where an arbitrary figure of 3000ha is used as the criteria for ‘large scale’. There is an acceptance that these proposals should not apply to ‘family farms’ - yet the government provides no attempt to define just what a ‘family farm’ is. While the objective may be to avoid impacting smaller scale holdings or family farms, this is still the early stages of the consultation and that may change. The consultation runs until the end of September, and I would urge anyone with an interest in land management to look at its contents as the impacts may be far reaching and indirectly affect the way land in managed in Scotland.

A grouse shooting estate in Strathbraan, Perthshire, is assisting conservation of the iconic Golden Eagle in Scotland by donating a healthy eaglet to a major population recovery project. With the help of the estate’s gamekeeper, licensed climbers on ropes descended to a nest on a steep rock face overlooking a grouse moor in late June, safely collecting a 6.5 week old male eagle chick.

Strathbraan grouse moor assists eagle recovery

Tenant farmers indicate strong desire to buy Crown Estate Scotland farms in Moray - the opportunity to buy the holdings which they currently lease.All 22 tenants who have expressed an interest in buying have now been advised they will move to the next stage. They’ve also been provided with an anticipated timescale for this stage and further steps of the The bird has now been transported to a purpose-built aviary in the South of Scotland where, after being fed and prepared for release, it will augment the fragmented eagle population in the south of the country.The work is a collaboration between the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, Tayside and Central Scotland Moorland Group and the award winning, multi-partner South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. While the recovery of the Golden Eagle to green-listed status nationwide is a success story in Scotland, the south of the country has seen challenges for the species. At one stage populations around the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway fell to just 3 breeding pairs before the first project eaglets were translocated under licence from NatureScot, to bolster the isolated population in 2018.The project has now been running for five years, although Covid 19 prevented a translocation that year. In June, two chicks from the successful nest in Perthshire, were carefully removed from the nest by the licensed and experienced SSGEP team assessed by an experienced team from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at Edinburgh university.Onechick was returned safely to the nest and the second was transported to aviaries in Southern Scotland. The Strathbraan eaglet has settled in well with its new adopted sibling, is eating well and growing fast.The Perthshire eaglet is one of six collected by the project team during the 2022 breeding season and this year’s birds will satellite tagged before being released in August.DrCat Barlow, SSGE Project Manager, said: “We are very grateful to the donor estate and the team who aided in the safe collection of the eagle chick. This eagle chick from Strathbraan will soon become part of a growing population in Southern Scotland.” The donor estate is part of the Tayside and Central Scotland Moorland Group and the gamekeeping staff are members of the profession’s representative body, The Scottish Gamekeepers Association.Becky King, co-ordinator of Tayside and Central Scotland Moorland Group said: “It is good that one of our member estates is involved in the collaboration. We see a lot of eagles in the area, as do visitors, and this cements the working conservation happening on the estates and farms in Strathbraan.”AlexHogg, MBE, Chairman of The Scottish Gamekeepers Association said: “It is really pleasing to see our members getting involved in these collaborations. I also understand gamekeepers and farmers are also playing a key role, down in the release area in the Borders, because their land management is providing a food source to help the eagles.”

estate www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com92 A pilot initiative to increase diversity of land ownership in a planned and managed way has attracted strong interest from tenant farmers.

Crown Estate Scotland offered farmers on secure tenancies across two pilot areas - on the Applegirth Estate in Dumfries & Galloway, and the area around Auchindoun

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The PARTRIDGE project is focusing on how to improve agri-environment schemes across Europe by demonstrating how the options available in the schemes might be improved and/or better used. We have also surveyed the opinions of hundreds of farmers across each partner country to gauge experiences and attitudes regarding these schemes and farmland conservation in general. It will be no surprise to this readership that a high proportion of those farmers surveyed thought that conservation of wildlife on their land was a high priority, but there were many concerns raised about agrienvironment schemes. Suffice to say, we would advise those devising the next generation of schemes to make them more accessible, flexible and with easy access to free advice from the application process and throughout the resulting management agreement. We also think the flower blocks currently being demonstrated across the European farms would make an excellent new option. Dare I say, they have already been adopted in the English scheme. These flower blocks consist of multi-species crop mixes providing a range of resources throughout the year that would help support a suite of farmland biodiversity, whilst remaining flexible and adaptable to each farm’s (and farmer’s) requirements. A rare win-win for farmers and biodiversity.

Dave Parish, Head of Scotland Lowland Research, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, and PARTRIDGE coordinator for Scotland

Agri-environment schemes –the support mechanisms that help farmers implement more advanced wildlifefriendly management plans – are changing. Government policy in Scotland is likely to require at least 50% of farm payments to be based on environmental outcomes from 2025. So, for example, if a farmer should choose to include hedgerow management in their plan in future, they will probably have to provide evidence as to whether the actions taken have delivered a hedge likely to support a range of wildlife. Deciding what that evidence will look like and how it is collected is a key part of trials that NatureScot is currently running. And, of course, hedgerows are just one element on the farm that might be assessed. This isn’t as easy as it sounds because what constitutes good management for one species might not be good for others, so understanding multiple outcomes could be difficult, and any system has got to be reasonably easy to implement if it is going to be successful. At our Interreg-funded PARTRIDGE demonstration farm at Balgonie we have monitored a range of indicator species over a number of years whilst also creating and managing new flower blocks designed to support farmland wildlife, so we may be able to help advise on what to expect from such habitat changes and how best to measure wildlife responses.

Shaping futureschemesagri-environment

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www.gwct.org.uk/auchnerran/ process. This stage will involve the preparation of detailed Sales Reports, setting out what tenants can expect if they go ahead with the Osterpurchase.Milambo, Director of Property for Crown Estate Scotland, said: “The response from our tenant farming community to this opportunity is very encouraging. This pilot will not only increase diversity in land ownership, but also allow tenants to take full control of the holdings which they already care for and have worked for generations, in some cases. “We realise that this process will be a momentous one for many of our tenants, and we will be offering support and guidance to assist farmers as they consider their options over the coming months.”The pilot programme has been developed following consultation and engagement with a range of people and organisations including tenants themselves, the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association, and the Tenant Farming Commissioner. This initiative provides an opportunity for tenant farmers to own their own farms and has the potential to generate funding to help Crown Estate Scotland deliver on its commitment to invest £70m over the coming years to generate lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits for communities across Scotland

The tally does not surprise Angus Glens Moorland Group gamekeeper, Ali Brown, because the gamekeepers’ own daily observations have shown evidence of breeding success. “We’ve certainly seen a lot of wading birds this year,” he said. “As gamekeepers, we probably take it for granted when it comes to the abundance of wildlife we see, which is a spin-off of the management we carry out for grouse. However, it is good to have the students here to provide an independent assessment of that.” As part of any potential extended partnership, University staff hope to be able to house appropriate research equipment for the students at the estate.

Rare wildlife offers students opportunities

Glasgow University and Angus grouse estate in research tie

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An Angus grouse estate and Glasgow University are exploring options for formal partnerships after two successful years of biodiversity monitoring on the estate.The estate, a member of Angus Glens Moorland Group, has provided a diverse opportunity for fieldwork and monitoring of birds, invertebrates and small mammals for Glasgow undergraduates.Indeed,areport for 2021 showed that the Glasgow students observed healthy populations of birds, with over 30 sightings of red-listed Curlew. The Curlew, with its distinctive call, is regarded as the UK’s most pressing conservation priority.Students also ringed 36 redlisted Lapwing, 16 amber-listed Oystercatcher and 10 Barn Owls, a Schedule 1 protected raptor. Following the success of the 2021 monitoring work, more students were accommodated on the estate this year, expanding the survey work, with the help of the gamekeepers and infrastructure support from the estate. Now both parties are assessing options for further structured collaborations, to facilitate wider opportunities for students at different stages of their research journeys. Options being discussed are a possible Phd project on nesting Curlew and the development of short residential field courses for Masters level students. In addition, both parties hope to continue the opportunities for undergraduates to participate in annual summer field visits. Providing a research base for Final Year and Masters students is also an idea under consideration. The collaboration evolved from Glasgow University Senior Lecturer Stewart White’s own work ringing wading birds, sand martins and Barn Owls in Angus, which he conducted with Tay Ringing Group. He said: “There are a wide range of habitats across the estate, both terrestrial and freshwater and by working on the estate the students benefit by being able to develop their expertise on the techniques they are familiar with and to learn new techniques. “The students also benefit from working alongside the gamekeepers. “They learn about life on the estate, management practices, issues with predator control and also learn a huge amount from the keepers and their knowledge of the animals. “It is also good for the students to experience different perspectives from the very much conservation-based approach that they are familiar with.” Students are currently working on a short biodiversity report from their 2022 work, which promises to be equally as impressive.Birdsringed by the students include 18 Barn owls, 2 buzzards, 51 Lapwing, 11 Oystercatcher and 17 Swallows.

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SCOTTISH COUNTRY LIFE I don’t know about anyone else, but I felt an enormous sense of joy in being able to attend a countryside event. The first big one for me was the Scottish Game Fair at Scone (I didn’t manage to get to the RHS, sadly) from 1-3rd July. That long forgotten excitement of getting up and out early to travel to the event had been renewed, and with vigour! We travelled down to Scone from Loch Rannoch in under two hours, drove in and parked up and made our way to the entrance. I loved seeing and feeling the buzz of activity around the showground. There was an air of positivity and excitement, and a sort of ‘let’s celebrate being back in business’ vibe as well as people made their way from the entrance gates into the rows of stalls. This year, I hosted in the GWCT Hive tent, and conducted live conversations with a range of interesting countryside characters over two days. On the Friday, in front of an audience, I chatted with Auctioneer Sheldon Cameron who travels around Scotland in search of antiques and long forgotten family heirlooms –his bright red socks make him unmistakeable (not sure if that’s a good or bad thing!), followed by Shooting Times editor, and author of ‘In Search of One Last Song: Britain’s Disappearing Birds and the People Trying to Save Them’, Patrick Galbraith. Lindsey Gibb, a storyteller from Dunkeld had us all enthralled with her Scottish tales. Later, Traveller, Foodie, and author of over 50 books, Ghillie Basan, joined by her black labrador, shared her food journey as she spoke about her latest book, ‘A Taste of the Highlands’. On Saturday, I chatted with Megan Rowland, a deer management officer for Nature.scot and the only Gamekeeper on Skye, Scott MacKenzie. Both wellknown experts in their field, and a pleasure to spend time with.It was pure countryside celebration: the audiences listened as the guests and I chatted. It felt exciting to be part of the game fair and having a platform to share all their stories. These ‘in conversation’ events are important on many levels but probably one of the most significant reasons is refreshing our human need for contact away from technology. Chatting to others, interacting, meeting new contacts, and renewing old acquaintances feeds us at a deep level. Seeing peoples’ faces and their smiles makes us feel better. Now more than ever, we need this type of contact and stimulation from countryside events and to be around others with shared interests. Each event requires us to take action – to travel, to arrive and to take part in our way: buying an admission ticket, managing a stand, speaking, promoting a new book, taking part in a gun dog test, the scurry, putting on a display in the main arena, demonstrating fly casting skills by the river, clay pigeon shooting and instruction, or hosting a cookery demonstration. These, and many more, are all ways of connecting and supporting outdoor events. Game Fairs inspire, and they are a great place to showcase new products. Walking around the fair, it was great to see a big range of tents offering products, and services. In years gone by, and before the internet, fairs were always the places to pick up a bargain or two, buy new clothing and footwear. I’m pleased to see people were buying stuff, and supporting the stands. I didn’t go away empty handed, I got a lovely new pair of Crispi stalking boots from Outwear, and I’m rather chuffed about them and the comfort they provide.Next in my dairy (I write this column in advance) is the Black Isle Show on 3rd and 4th August at the Mannesfield Showground, Muir of Ord. The following day is Moy Field Sports Fair. The stag season will be getting going soon as deer stalkers across Scotland will be busy in the hills managing the deer and helping guests, young and old, explore one of the most incredible days they’re ever likely to experience in their lifetimes, stalking a ScottishGreatstag.news from Wales! GWCT Wales will be hosting their very first Game Fair this year, and it was a pleasure to see the organisers enjoying the Scottish Game Fair and experiencing an established event. The Scottish Game Fair leads the way, and I wish Wales the very best for their event in September.

by Linda Mellor

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how to effectively increase forest resilience is important, as the ability of forests to sequester carbon, provide habitat for a range of species and to continue to deliver a range of ecosystems services is dependent on them being robust to climate change.” Mr Ovenden and his team collected tree cores – samples extracted from the trunks – to examine the tree rings that document the annual variation in tree growth. He said: “As tree growth is partly driven by how favourable a given year’s climate is, by collecting and measuring tree rings, we can quantify how much of an impact an extreme event such as this 2012 drought had on tree growth.“Unexpectedly, we also found no evidence that competition from surrounding trees had a role in regulating either tree resistance - their ability to withstand the impact of drought - or their resilience - their ability to get back to normal after to drought. This may be because the forest was still relatively young, at 24 years, when the drought occurred.”

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Surprising new research shows how different forests cope with drought PhD researcher Tom Ovenden, of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, who led the study, said: “As expected, we found evidence that Scots pine was more resistant to drought than Sitka spruce. However, to our surprise, monocultures of both species appeared to be more resilient to spring drought than any of the mixtures of the two species that we considered. “As we rapidly try to adapt our forests to deal with the challenges of a changing climate, it’s important that decisions on how best to achieve this are based on robust scientific evidence. This work is important because it demonstrates that simply adding more tree species to a forest does not automatically increase its resilience. Instead, the existence of any beneficial effects of species mixture likely depends on which species are mixed, their characteristics and how they “Understandinginteract.

A First-of-its-kind business has been launched to guide organisations through the carbon-offsetting journey, from identifying sites to growing trees and navigating the rapidly emerging carbon market.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com96 forestry Monocultures of some of the UK’s most economically important conifers may be more resilient to spring drought than mixed species forests, new research has ofandforestsAlthoughshown.mixed-speciescanbemoreproductiveprovideawiderrangesocial,environmentaland economic benefits than those containing a single species, they may not be as resilient to drought, the University of Stirling researchers found. Using a long-term experimental forest in Ardross, near Inverness in Scotland, they measured the impact of a spring drought in 2012 on monocultures of two species - Sitka spruce and Scots pine - compared to mixtures of the same two species growing together in different proportions.Scotspine and Sitka spruce are two of the most economically important timber species in the UK, collectively making up 68% of all the UK’s coniferous forest area, with Sitka spruce alone comprising 51%.

Monocultures or mixed species?

Akre, the brainchild of Renwick Drysdale, builds on his forestry heritage and is an evolution of the woodland creation consultancy, Kilrie Trees. Created following a £2m private funding package, Akre encompasses the world’s first verified carbon negative tree nursery, with a natural capital consultancy and exchange. Its team of six dedicated staff work alongside one of the UK’s most experienced horticulture consultants, Rodney Shearer. It is seeking to tap into surging demand for carbonoffsetting and habitat restoration, with Scotland’s vast peatland and tracts of poor quality agricultural land putting the country at

to expand their investment portfolio. Crops are growing well with all the 2013 and later planting having been undertaken with improved Sitka spruce. It is estimated that the Sitka spruce will achieve a projected Yield Class of 24 or more. Prospective purchasers should make their own determinations on projected Yield Class, but it is anticipated that the woodland will provide an opportunity to grow substantial volumes of high quality timber in the future.” Woodland at Buteland Farm, Balerno, Edinburgh at offers over £3,500,000.

forestry www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com98 the epicentre of rewilding and carbon-sequestration.MrDrysdale,31, recently helped to advise the highprofile Abrdn acquisition of 1500 hectares of the Cairngorm National Park. A majority of the 1.5 million broadleaf trees will be grown at the Akre tree nursery located near Kirkcaldy. The nursery was designed in consultation with world leading experts in horticulture and tree production. It is the world’s first verified carbon negative tree nursery and uses an innovative combination of environmental controls, including LED lighting, to optimise quality and improve the efficiency of production. The nursery has been designed with the principles of circular economy at its core. Running on a solar power and battery system as well as a rain water collection system, the nursery is self-sufficient and exports green energy.Speaking on the launch of the business, Renwick said: “Our mission is to help businesses help the planet – and to help transform our clients’ relationship with nature from extractive to restorative. “We design bespoke naturebased strategies, delivering and managing ecological restoration plans for businesses, funds, communities and private investors.“What this means is that we are a single contact and solution for firms looking to offset emissions to have a positive impact on the environment we all rely on. We exist to help landowners and businesses alike, justify and implement restoration work while meeting net zero targets.“We can grow and plant the trees before assisting clients with the process of registering carbon credits while reporting on the co-benefits of planting to habitat, flood risk mitigation and amenity.” For more information on Akre, please visit: https://akre.co.uk/

A rare opportunity has arisen to acquire an extensive area of accessible commercial forestry and mixed amenity woodland close to Edinburgh. For sale through specialist rural property consultancy Galbraith, Woodland at Buteland Farm represents an attractive forestry investment located within reach of a range of timber markets across central and southern Scotland. With spectacular views over the surrounding countryside, the property extends to approximately 390.70 Ha (965.42 acres) in total. The woodland contains a mixture of productive conifer species which are dominated by Sitka spruce with some smaller areas of secondary conifer including Norway spruce, Scots pine and Hybrid larch. There are a number of areas of mixed broadleaves which enhance the diversity, sporting and landscape benefits of the overall woodland. Duncan Barrie, Galbraith partner handling the sale, said: “The woodland at Buteland Farm represents a fantastic opportunity for an interested party keen

Extensive commercial forestry for sale close to Edinburgh

• Developing and implementing a framework to help forestry support community wealth building; • Identifying and pursuing opportunities to decarbonise Scotland’s wood supply chain; and

Scottish Forestry has published a new three year Implementation Plan, which aims to ensure forests and woodlands continue to deliver benefits for communities, the environment and the economy.Over the last three years, over 32,000 hectares of woodland have been created in Scotland, including more than 12,000 hectares of native woodland.These woods are vital in fighting climate change and nature loss, whilst also strengthening our communities and economy. Within the new three year Implementation Plan, there are a number of key actions that the forestry sector will deliver in partnership.Someof the actions to be taken forward include:

The new Implementation Plan for Scotland’s Forestry Strategy can be found on strategygov.scot/forestry-https://forestry.

New plan build on forestry’sstorysuccess

New roots for Velcourt with forestry firm acquisition

• Supporting farmers and crofters to realise the benefits of tree planting;

forestry www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

• Promoting the use of new wood-based products that can support the decarbonisation of other industries; • Scoping and establishment of a technical training hub; • Establishing a National Register for Ancient Woodlands and encouraging owners to protect and improve their condition;

• Promoting the opportunities for people to engage in woodland-based activities to improve mental and physical healthgreatlyyearScotland’ssupporteconomygenerategreenhouse14%yearcarbon7.6andScotland’swell-being.forestswoodlandsabsorbmilliontonnesofdioxideeach–theequivalentofofScotland’sgrossgasemissions.Ourforestsalso£1billiontotheeachyearandover25,000jobs.Millionsofpeoplevisitforestseveryforrecreationandthisimprovessociety’sandwellbeing.

Farm management and advisory business, Velcourt Group Ltd, has acquired leading timber and forestry management firm Bronwin & Abbey Ltd. This development further extends the scope of Velcourt’s services to include specialist forestry management complementing its agricultural and environmental businesses.Velcourt’s Executive Chairman, James Townshend, said Bronwin & Abbey is an excellent fit for the Velcourt business with the increasingly important part that forestry is set to play within the UK’s rural land base: “Many farms and estates are looking to forestry to deliver on the biodiversity and natural capital agendas with an eye on the opportunities from sequestering carbon in addition to supplying the UK’s timber markets. Opportunities exist to realise the potential of established woodland in addition to plant new land areas which hitherto have been marginal farming“Theland.UK Government has set out its aspirations for tree planting alongside its agenda for UK agriculture: inevitably this will result in considerable change and will necessitate experienced and technically proficient leadership within the sector. Velcourt has a strong reputation of innovation and delivery in the farming sector as do the Bronwin & Abbey team in the forestry world. Against this backdrop it’s an incredibly exciting time for both our own and the Bronwin & Abbey team to work together to deliver for farmers, forest and landowners.” Bronwin & Abbey has worked with landowners in Wales and the Marches for over 26 years, offering woodland management and creation to maximise profitability, and in recent years more specific projects designed around carbon capture and trading. Timber Harvesting Director, Robert South, who will continue to lead the business with the firm’s Managing Director Andrew Bronwin, said: “Interest in forestry has been on an upwards trajectory, both as a capital asset and for the value of timber, but as policy evolves around the sustainability agenda, land management is increasingly about forestry and farming working together and complementing each other for the best outcome, financially and environmentally. It is not, and should not be, farm vs woodland. Forestry, existing and new, needs joined up professional management, and there is great potential to support many of the farming businesses Velcourt manages, and advises for, to maximise on this.”

FARMINGMAGAZINESCOTLAND Next issue out November 2022 Subscription page 110 & 129

For the second year in a row, Scottish tech entrepreneur, George Mackintosh is providing an award programme which will see new creative talent help transform Papple Steading into an impressive agricultural heritage centre which celebrates the rich history of the agricultural revolution.

Papple Steading is thought to be one of Britain’s finest historic model farms of the Agricultural Improvement Movement, designed and built in the mid 19th century. Once part of the Whittinghame Estate, whose Laird was AJ Balfour, the British Prime Minister between 1902 and 1905, the farm fell into disrepair with the buildings unused for decades. Rising like a phoenix out of the ashes as it undergoes an extensive restoration, Papple Steading is currently being transformed into an inspiring countryside venue which will not only communicate the historic importance of the agricultural revolution in Scotland, but will provide tourism, business and community opportunities. Under George’s leadership and vision, the ambitious plans to develop an agricultural heritage centre, heritage reference library, cafe, shop and auditorium, as well as an artist’s studio, meeting rooms, private dining areas and accommodation cottages, are moving forward at speed. With a passion for all things tech, George is harnessing the talents of filmmakers, media experts and creatives at Queen Margaret University to showcase the Papple Steading offering in new and exciting ways. The aim is to use creativity, filmmaking, storytelling and drama performance through digital means to captivate and entertain new and diverse audiences, encouraging them to learn about Scotland’s rich agricultural past.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com100 ARTICLE

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “We are honoured to be involved in such an inspirational and innovative development which showcases an important and transformational period in Scotland’s history. We admire George Mackintosh’s vision for Papple Steading and his foresight in the use of student and graduate talent to enhance and communicate the Papple Steading offering.

The awards present outstanding opportunities for QMU graduates to showcase their skills while making a valuable contribution to the transformation of an important historic but contemporary facility for Scotland.”Thereare two group winners this year, each who will receive £4,500 to progress their creative project.Alexandra Gilbert & Jourie Fraser-Harris will create a multimedia project based on sheep farming. The project, which centres around the use of local school children, will be a fun, light-hearted film which communicates the history and facts of sheep farming and its impact on agriculture in the local areas. This project builds on the style of filming that Alexandra and Jourie produced in 2021 when they created ‘Our heritage of oats’. The film featured lighthearted interviews with pupils from Stenton Primary School discussing their knowledge of oats.

Both groups of winners will bring their concepts to life this summer, with their final pieces of digital being ready by October.

Papple Steading George Mackintosh

Serial entrepreneur supports students bringing agricultural history to life at unique East Lothian steading

A serial entrepreneur is harnessing the power of young digital creators and performers to breathe new life into an historic steading development in East Lothian.

George said: “Papple Steading is developing into such a new and exciting facility that we want to use modern, innovative and creative ways of connecting people with Scotland’s fascinating agricultural past. I am passionate about nurturing young talent and exploring the use of technology to enhance what we have here at Papple Steading’s heritage centre. By working with students and new graduates at Queen Margaret University we can use digital media to blend the new with the old, allowing us to share our history, our traditions and our contemporary facilities with wider audiences across Scotland and beyond.”Now in its second year, the Papple Media Prize @ QMU, funded by Papple Steading, is seeing QMU students pitch their creative concepts as part of a competition. The students were given a creative brief and had the opportunity to choose from themes focused around global agricultural development and food production arising from the achievements and innovations of the people of the Lothians and Scotland.

Stuart McPherson and Shannon Dalyare also winners of this year’s Papple Media Prize @ QMU. Their project ‘Come the spring’ is a coming of age story, set against a backdrop of the agricultural revolution in East Lothian. This will focus on the fictional character, Mary, who is a gamekeeper and bondager in the mid 1800’s. The work will highlight the female voice from around this time period.

Time to #RETHINK your plastic packaging

The portfolio includes block bottom paper bags with handle and window (film or net), cross bottom and pinch bottom paper bags for the food and non-food market. Sewn bottom, open mouth paper sacks which are extremely popular for animal feed (Plain or Printed), Paper sacks that we can insert liner’s into for oily products plus a whole range of other options. We hold plain paper sacks in stock of which we can print your design onto at our site (with up to three colours with a very quick turnaround in small batch sizes of 1000+ paper sacks). These offer excellent alternatives to their plastic counterparts and are kinder to our planet. Ideal for flour, grain, seeds, flour and rice and so much more – we have a solution for all your sustainable packaging requirements.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 101 ADVERTORIAL

LET NNZ HELP – TIME FOR A ~RETHINK Developing (and implementing) a sustainable packaging is not always easy, but that does not mean it is not worth doing. Demand from consumers is growing, it is no longer a nice to have. For purpose-driven products, companies and organisations that Call us now: 0141 956 1992 Address: NNZ Innovation Centre Ainslie Road, Hillington Park Glasgow, G52 4RU Email: craig.farrell@lbkpackaging.co.uk, gordon.mcwilliam@lbkpackaging.co.uk

NNZ develops and supplies a wide range of high-quality paper bags for agricultural and industrial customers.

Bleached outer (white) Block Bottom Paper Sack, unprinted Block Bottom Paper sack for petfoood Block Bottom Paper Sacks for petfood Natural Kraft (Brown) printed Block Bottom Paper Sack

rise to the challenge of supplying sustainable packaging - they will be rewarded for their efforts. With all the new options in our portfolio, and many more in the pipeline we launched #RETHINK – a free audit of all your packaging – to see how we can offer you more sustainable, impactful, reliable, and affordable packaging – protecting your produce whilst helping save our planet! So why not give Craig or Gordon a call in our Glasgow office and see how we can help you with making the right choices for your business and our planet – let us help you #RETHINK your packaging!

Bleached Outer (white) printed Block Bottom Paper Sack Paper Vento with film window Printed Block Bottom Multiwall Paper sack for animal feed Printed Block Bottom Multiwall Paper sack for rice and grain Paper Sacks with carry handle and window

Moving to more sustainable packaging is important because it helps both you, the producer, the supply chain and the consumer reduce their environmental impact. Packaging creates the most plastic waste of any sector. The impact of humankind on the natural world is one the greatest challenges we face today and, in the decades, ahead. So, it is time to #RETHINK and play our part in becoming the solution So how can we help you be more sustainable?

AnAgnes.altogether

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Travel Scotland

Stunning Stirling by Janice Hopper

Old Town Jail Stirling Castle

If you’re seeking a city break with rich history and an agricultural twist then Stirling springs to mind. I started my trip with a coffee pitstop at the renowned Blair Drummond Smiddy Farm Shop, next to the popular safari park. Alongside quality butchery, you can purchase meat hampers, craft meat and ready meals. Fruit and veg, cheeses, bakery and food cupboard luxuries are on offer too, or simply relax in the extensive café. After refuelling it was time to head into the heart of the city Nextitself.stop was Stirling’s Old Town Jail, once notorious as the worst prison in the United Kingdom, it was so bad that in 1847 £10,000 was found to build a new one. Tours, led by actors playing a mix of hideous hangmen, inmates and prison guards, tell the story of the jail and its desolate inhabitants, and farmers weren’t without their fair share of representation. One poor creature was farm servant Agnes Smith from Shiphaugh. Her tragic crime was the concealment of pregnancy, probably to avoid dismissal and shame. The tight bindings she wore to hide her growing figure led to a stillbirth and she was imprisoned for the death of the baby. A pitiful tale that says as much about society as it does about less sympathetic story is that of the last man to occupy the Condemned Cell, an 86 year old farmer called Allan Mair. Mair abused his wife over several decades before murdering her in 1842. Apparently the authorities expected the old man to die in the dire conditions of the jail, but the man clung onto life. A date for an execution by hanging was therefore set for October 1843. The chilling story goes that the old man was so frail that when he hung, his weight wasn’t enough to break his neck so he dangled on the rope until the hangman, wishing the spectacle to end, gave a sharp tug on Mair’s ankles. This story is told in more detail on the Stirling Ghost Walk traditionallystorytale(stirlingghostwalk.com).AnotherunexpectedagriculturalcoveredatthejailistheoftheBeheadingStone,usedforancient executions. Discovered in a field near Stirling, it had been used by generations of farmers to dehorn their cattle. On a lighter note, the jail also offers fun Escape Rooms, giving visitors an hour to crack codes and solve clues to free themselves from the ancient cells. Great fun, and get the grey cells working too. Stirling Castle is a few meters uphill from the Old Town Jail. The city has been described as the ‘key to Scotland’ and it was a seat of power, as the grand castle proves. This land was worth fighting over, and many key battles took place here. Head to the National Wallace Monument to discover more about the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Ascend the steep Wallace Way to encounter wooden sculptures en route, each telling a story about the area or a historical figure. ‘Scotland’s First Farmers’ are included, commemorated with a little wooden pig, sheep and Highland cow. A display board reveals that around 6000 years ago people began to farm and domesticate animals for meat, milk, wool and leather. A polished axe belonging to one of these early farmers was discovered on the Abbey Craig,

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A final stop, for family fun, is Briarland Farm. Set in the rural Stirling countryside, it’s only five miles from the centre of town. Kids can meet and feed farmyard animals such as Cocoa and Melon the Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, Jack and Victor the sheep, and Bramble and Rannoch the Highland Cows (expect a wee Highland calf any time soon). Animal handling sessions run roughly three times a day, allowing little ones to pet and feed small creatures such as guinea pigs and rabbits. But most of the time children will simply run wild, playing on all the apparatus, such as getting lost in a sheep pen maze, seeking a bull’s eye at archery, visiting the egg factory, racing go-karts or tackling Briarland’s climbing monster ‘Bessie’. The two most popular activities appear to be the inflatable jumping pillows (two pillows, one for over 7s, and one for under 7s) and the tower of hay bales, with tunnels for exploration. Prebookable tractor and trailer rides take families for excursions around the farm. And many children end the day by taking a punnet to the strawberry tunnels to pick their own fruit. Overall, a busy and lively day out in the country. Where to Stay Set in a wonderfully central location, it’s possible to go back to school at the Stirling Highland Hotel. This former secondary school is now a welcoming hotel, with a 17-metre pool with whirlpool, steam room and sauna, plus a spa for beauty and relaxation treatments. An added quirk is a domed observatory on the hotel’s roof. If you wish to escape the land and transport your mind to the stars, hotel guests can request observatory access in stirlinghighlandhotel.co.ukadvance.

A second key site that cements Stirling’s role as the ‘key to Scotland’ is the National Trust for Scotland’s Bannockburn Experience. This time covering King Robert the Bruce’s victory at Bannockburn in 1314. Guests are placed in the heart of the action as screens surround you 360 degrees, making it feel like arrows are flying past you and through you. It’s a noisy and exhilarating experience. Step outside to visit the Robert the Bruce Memorial Park. See the spot where he raised his royal standard, appreciate the surrounding landscape and the iconic bronze statue of Robert the Bruce by Pilkington Jackson. Just around the corner from Bannockburn is Egglicious and its farm Shop. The eggy empire started with a teenage farmer’s daughter requesting a few hens for her birthday, and it grew from there. Today the company has INFO BOX

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Travel Scotland

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 103 and can now be viewed in the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.Atthe top of Wallace Way visitors enjoy sweeping views over Stirling and the surrounding countryside, but it’s definitely worth paying to enter the monument itself. The Hall of Arms features a brief documentary about William Wallace, his victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge and his life. Head up another level to the Hall of Heroes that covers Scottish icons through the ages. In the Royal Chamber visitors can design their own shield, which is fun for all ages (not just the kids) before heading to the The Crown Spire for even better views of the land that Scots fought and died for.

Wallace Monument Bannockburn

briarlandsfarm.co.ukeggliciouseggs.combannockburnnts.org.uk/visit/places/comnationalwallacemonument.stirlingcastle.scotoldtownjail.co.ukblairdrummondsmiddy.co.uk

over 16,000 free range chickens, selling eggs to cafés, restaurants and shops. Their farm shop sells a host of local produce from meat and veg, to treats such as Milk & Honey ice cream. On Sundays, look out for Base Pizza, dishing up artisan pizza from their farmyard food van (but check the Base Pizza Facebook page to confirm if they’ll be there for sure).

BarrieWendy©Photograph

Founder & Director of award-winning www.scottishfoodguide.scot & www.scottishcheesetrail.com

• Chop 2 of the apples roughly and fold into mix along with the brambles, adding milk only if needed. The mixture should be a dropping consistency.

Apple & bramble cake

Method:

Handful of brambles

2tbsps milk – if required

• Spoon into prepared tin and level surface with a spatula.

By Wendy Barrie

James Grieve are ideal

• Slice the remaining apple quarters and arrange segments in wheels radiating from the centre. Press lightly into mix.

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• Pre-heat oven 180°C. Butter and line a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin with parchment.

Wendy is Leader in Scotland for Slow Food Ark of Taste & Member of Slow Food Cooks Alliance.

104 Ingredients: 100g plain flour 100g sugar 100g soft butter 1tsp baking powder 2 free range eggs 1tsp cinnamon 3 tart apples, washed, quartered & cored –

• Bake for 30 minutes until risen, set and slightly shrunk at the edges. A skewer should come out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Cool on a wire tray. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Scottish Thistle Award Regional Ambassador (2018/19) for Central, Tayside & Fife, Wendy Barrie www.wendybarrie.co.uk is a highly respected campaigner for local sustainable food, popular cookery show presenter and food writer.

• Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, butter and eggs in a bowl until mix is glossy and smooth.

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Tha Bile ùr Aiteachais a’ tighinn agus Alba agus Breatainn air fad air cur an cùlaibh ri Poileasaidh Choitcheann an Aiteachais an dèidh Aonadh na Roinn Eòrpa fhàgail. Ged a thachair sin gu h-oifigeal san Fhoileach 2020, chaidh cumail a’ dol le CAP san eadar-ama, ach tha sin a’ tighinn gu crioch ann an 2024.Thuirt Daibhidh: “Tha Dualchas Nadair na h-Alba a’ coimhead air dòighean as an urrainn taic àiteachais a dhealbh ann an dòigh a bhios ag aithneachadh an èiginn anns a bheil an àrainneachd agus a’ meòrachadh air na cothroman as urrainn a bhith ann buannachd fhaighinn bho ionmhas a tha ‘uaine’,“Tha goireas mòr againne anns na h-eileanan leis a’ mhòine, ach tha tòrr dheth air seargadh agus a’ cur a-mach carbon dhan iarmailt, an àite a bhith ga ghlasadh.“Thacothrom mòr ann le bhith ag ath-nuadhachadh na mòintich - agus a’ cruthachadh cothroman dha obraichean ùr co-cheangailte ri nadar aig an aon àm. “Bidh àite mòr aig croitearachd ri chluiche a-thaobh a bhith toirt dhuinn biadh, ach tha e gu math dualtach gum bidh an taic a bhios ri fhaighinn san àm ri teachd a’ crochadh air buannachd poblachd nas fharsainge, dha nadar agus a-thaobh atharrachadh na sìde. “Bu chòir smaoineachadh gu math cruaidh ciamar as urrainn dhuinn truailleadh is cosgaisean a ghearradh agus an eaconamaigh ann an seagh farsaing a neartachadh.“Ciamar as urrainn dhuinn barrachd feum a dheànamh de stuth ionadail agus cosgaisean agus truailleadh bho chòmhdhail a ghearradh.”Thamar-tha na h-uimhir a’ chonnspaid air a bhith ann mu mar a tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ dèiligeadh leis a’ chùis.

Feumaidheilean

Beatha an croitearan an guth aca a thogail

Tha e mar amas aig Alba a bhith carbon cothromach ro 2045 agus sin am measg na targaidean as airde san t-saoghail.

By Murray MacLeod

www.stornowaygazette.co.uk

Ach, thuirt Daibhidh: “Tha Alba a’ deànamh math a-thaobh cumhachd ath-nuadhachail, ach chan eil e gu leòr. ‘S e na trì roinnean mòr ‘s e comhdhail, teasachadh thaighean is toglaichean agus cleachdadh fearann - trì nithean a tha cur gu mòr ri truailleadh - agus iad gu lèir ag iarraidh obair mhòr sa bhad.”

Thuirt fear de dh’àrd cheannardan Dualchas Nadair na h-Alba gu feum croitearan a dhol an-sàs anns an deasbad mu bhith dèiligeadh le blàthachadh na cruinne agus deànamh cinnteach gun tig an guth aca a chluinntinn aig àrd Bhaìre.Daibhidh MacIleinein a’ bruidhinn agus dùil ri Bile Aiteachais an ath bhliadhna a dhearbhas dè an seòrsa siostam taic a bhios ann dha obair àiteachais san àm ri teachd, agus làn dùil gun tig fada barrachd cuideam a chur air gnothaichean na h-àrainneachd agus nadar, rud a shaoileadh thu a dh’fhàgadh croitearachd ann an suidheachadh caran fàbharach. Ach, tha mòran ri obrachadh a-machThuirtfhathast.Daibhidh, a bhuinneas e fhèin do sgìre croitearachd ann an Leòdhas, gu bheil crathadh mor a’ tighinn air gach nì ri linn atharrachadh na side agus sinn a’ dol a dh’fhaicinn fada barrachd grèin agus tide thioram. Agus ged is docha nach bidh sin ro dhona air taobh an iar na dùthcha, bidh buaidh mòr aige air cùisean eile - mar esimpleir èirigh ann an ìrean na mara agus stoirmean nas fhiadhaiche. Tha Daibhidh ag ràdh fiù ‘s le aonta COP26 - a bha air fhaicinn mar rud gu math cudromach is bunaiteach - tha teas na cruinne dol a dh’èirigh gu trì degree le “buaidh a bhios dha-rìribh mòr”. “Tha am fianais bho luchd saidheans gun cheist: tha atharrachadh na sìde na chunnart do bheatha dhaoine, dhan eaconamaigh agus slàinte na planaid, a rèir am Panal Tharriaghaltasan air Atharraich na Sìde,” thuirt “Feumaidhe. sinn an truaillaidh a tha sinn a’ deànamh a ghearradh, ach tha e cuideachd cudromach gun ullaich sinn sinn fhèin airson coinneachadh ris a’ bhuaidh a tha dol a thighinn le atharrachadh na side.”

Thainig buidheann de dh’eòlaichean, gu mòr air an tarraing bho ghnìomhachas an àiteachais, an airde le molaidhean airson tuathanasan mairt a dheànamh nas “uaine”, agus draghan gu sònraichte mu dheidhinn na roinne seo. Ach, bhon uairsin nochd draghan nach eil an Riaghaltas idir dol a ghabhail riutha agus g’eil iad dìreach airson àireamhan a ghearradh gu mòr - rud a tha tachairt an dràsta thall ann an Eirinn.

Tha atharrachadh bunaiteach dol a thighinn air na siostaman taic. (Dealbh: Lorne Gill/SNH)

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• Adam Davies and Hamish Logan from Savills speaking on diversification opportunities and breaking down the jargon and myths of carbon audits

To make the most of our membership coming together for the show, Women in Agriculture Scotland (WiAS) hosted a breakfast on the Thursday and was delighted to welcome over 200 guests. The event, which was kindly funded by the Scottish Government provided an opportunity for attendees to improve their confidence and skills, create a network of new contacts to support them with their endeavours and enable them to continue to positively contribute to Scotland’s rural economy. A key aspect of the event were the workshops hosted by industry specialists. Moving around each table to give 10-minute talks, attendees were able to participate in a number of topics. Our sincere thanks go to:

• Kim Lawrie and Sally Norrie from Johnston Carmichael speaking on understanding accounts and VAT

• Graeme Gass and Heather Bruce from Turcan Connell, speaking on wills and powers of attorney and succession to agricultural tenancies

PhotographyStephenCraigofcourtesyPhotos

For many of us, it was a longanticipated return to Ingliston for the Royal Highland Show. After a two-year physical hiatus, many of us craved the banter, bacon butties and beers with friends old and new that the show provides.

Royal Highland Show Recap

• John Scott, Emily Grant and Emma Koubayssi speaking about the Farmstrong Scotland initiative

Finally, the WiAS Committee would like to sincerely thank the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Scottish Government – along with all the supporting specialists and organisations – for making this event possible. For more information regarding upcoming WiAS events, please make sure you have subscribed to our newsletter and follow us on social media.

Tour season is well under way and as normal when herding farmers on and off busses we chase our tails for two weeks. The usual “Plan B’s have increase to C’s, D’s etc., due to delayed and cancelled flights and ferries, shortages of staff in hotels, train strikes and the obligatory Covid scares on a daily basis. All of which contribute to frantic clock watching for arrival at the next stop or visit. The big stresses are compensated by the small ones, which inevitably irritate me but make me laugh! Hotel lifts remain the number one incident area for travelling farmers. It never ceases to amaze me, how many times people go up in a lift and ultimately reappear again, one time opening with the same people and their cases, with the addition of two drunken Irishmen with pints in their hands!

Tour leading is like herding cats and a wide running dog would be an asset but when you get wall to wall sunshine for two weeks, the countryside looks at its best, the host farmers have gone over and above, the delegates have had a ball and a long-suffering committee see their efforts come to fruition, it is truly the best job in the world. Oh…and the acquired Covid infection will have disappeared just in time for the next one.

Arriving back late at our hotel with 90 tired delegates, plus luggage, where there was only one dodgy lift, which didn’t go to all floors (something only Scottish people understand) was always going to be a challenge. After taking 40 minutes to get everyone checked in and up to bed, I was left with one missing red bag, one extra red bag, 2 missing husbands (found them in the bar) 1 fall, 2 Irishmen stuck in the lift, 1 load of luggage to carry and several, “what should we wear tomorrows?”

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• Emma Cowie and Georgia Donald from the Royal Bank of Scotland speaking on funding and businesses plans • Helen Tuohy, Kirsty Ritchie, and Anna Davies representing the ‘Be Your Best Self’ programme • Kerry Cowan from Skillseeder Mairi McAllan MSP, Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform, addressed the attendees recognising the important contribution that agriculture – and the people within the industry –make to Scotland’s economy.

Women in Agriculture Scotland

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Southern Belle

The longest day has come and gone and Dumfries & Galloway has never looked better! That was the conclusion of the Shorthorn and Charolais World Congresses, who visited the region recently.

In our penultimate extract from his award-winning book ‘Native’ Patrick Laurie masters the art of haymaking

By Patrick Laurie digital man. I was lucky that a neighbour offered to bring a baler over and bind my first crop into small, manageable parcels. I wouldn’t have known where to start on my own. In my second year, I was allowed to drive the baler under strict supervision. Cubular bales jerked out of the tail and fell with a dunt on the yellow field. Friends had come to watch and help; they tossed the bales to the sides of the field and loaded them into a trailer, marvelling at the weight of them. These were as light and flossy as pillows, but the work was hard and slow as they were piled up in batches of sixty. It was almost dark by the time we finished. Sanny [my elderly neighbour] had commandeered the baler and another friend arrived with a crate of beer. Swallows rushed through a stench of diesel, dried flowers and sweat. Haymaking is a kind of sublimation. Grass becomes hay with little more than a rub

The end result: Laurie’s Galloways munch their way through some of the hay harvest. Raising hill cattle is, he says, hard and friendless work, and only makes sense if you love the animals and the land.

IrelandDuncanPhoto:

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com108 BOOK SERIALISATION

I needed lots of help in my first year of haymaking. The work calls for a fine blend of art and science, and it’s easily botched by an amateur. It’s not hard to dry grass, but hay is made when it becomes a bale. That final step relies on some of the most complex and mercurial machines ever designed by pre-

Native: Prince of bales

TingeySharonIllustration:

Harvesting hay relies on ‘some of the most complex and mercurial machines ever designed by pre-digital man’.

Droplets gathered on the cattle until even the blackest animals were cast in a silver foil of dew. The calves had never known water like it, and they tossed their heads and ran through starry galaxies of yellow bog asphodel. Young swallows lined out along the fences and squalled to be fed, but their parents were already looking ahead to breed again. Then the oats began to ripen, and smears of gold began to sway in the green sea. I pinched the fattening seeds and found them soft and soggy. Milk bled between my fingernails with a chalky tang of starch. A wet wind rode through the dangling heads with a rattling whisper.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com SERIALISATION of sunshine. I was considerably younger than every piece of machinery we’d used in this job, but the work had made it something new. I looked at the machines where they lay in the dusk and knew them as living things. The reaper had a hank of dead nettles trailing from its teeth like a strand of halfchewed sinew. The bob was dizzy and sore, and the moving parts were bound in greasy scabs of grass which came away when you picked at them. Nobody could deny that the baler was the star of the show; the stylish compère, with a joke and a wink for everyone. But now the barrel organ had played its simple rhythm in dust and pollen, and the evening seemed empty without it. I’d done three days’ work in an afternoon. Blood dribbled out of my blisters and I could have wept for joy. I carted the hay home in high trailers which scraped the evening trees and left a swirling wake of grass on the road. My wife sat by my side, and we worked on as the bats came up to scuttle in the dusk. A stack grew in the shed, and we built them in a pattern that Sanny showed us so the bales would lock together and stay tight. It was long after our bedtime, but the work overruled silly routines because the rain was coming and the moment was ripe. By the time we fell onto that mattress, we were wholly done and triumphant. The smell of hay rang from our clothes and the gap of the open window. Then rain came after long dry weeks. The soil sucked it up, and the surplus rolled down over the hard ground into the river. But our grass was safe under a tin roof, and we’d cheated the weather. The smell of dry flowers chimed with the scent of rain on hot soil. We went to sit in the shelter of our stack and watched the water falling in sheets from the tin roof and the chuckling gutter. We laughed and rolled about like kids, and then Sanny came and we pulled ourselves together. He said we’d done alright. That was glowing praise.

I walked quietly around the margins to see weeds which had risen as if from nowhere. With the help of a book, I managed to identify dead nettle and fat hen, shepherd’s purse and sun spurge. These are common enough, but I’d never seen them before. They belong in an arable world, but the small birds and feisty beetles remembered them like old friends. Maybe the seeds had lain dormant in the soil since this field was last worked, and I felt a rush of excitement at the idea of stirring old Wullie’s world [the previous owner of the farm] back into life. I tried to picture a time when every farm was built on fields like these, with ladybirds and spiders tumbling like sailors through the masts and rigging. How easy it must’ve been for curlews and all manner of wild birds when the world was overflowing with variety. Our beasts peered over the dyke and eyeballed the oats. They stretched their long blue tongues to gather some scent or flavour from the nodding heads, and I narrowed my eyes and smiled at their living mass of black and white in a wide pool of green and Butblue.for all this deep and stirring joy, I’d begun to see why folk don’t keep cattle in the hills anymore. It’s hard and friendless work, and it goes against the grain. There’s little reward beyond the love of cattle; this life would be a dire cage without that. I heard a word of advice in the days when I was dithering about whether or not to start with Galloways. A farmer from Wigtown said, ‘Go with the cattle you love; you’ll never make much money and you’ll have to work with them every day for the rest of your life. You won’t stand a chance without love.’ I took a course for young farmers on grass production at the agricultural college and hoped to broaden my horizons and make some farming friends. My classmates seemed to come from a different world; their conversations were noisy and hard to grasp. They spoke of grass in tons per acre and asked questions about Tissue Deposition and Live Weight Gains. Their industry was shiny and new, decorated with gadgets and technology. I asked about birds and the lecturer frowned and said, ‘This is an agricultural course.’ My classmates had never heard of curlews. I came away feeling even more isolated, but it was some consolation to realise that my work was no better or worse than modern agriculture. The boys (because they were all boys) dealt in GPS systems and ultrasound scanners which tell if your cows are pregnant. But I was learning to tell which cow was pregnant by the shift and weight of her walk. They spoke of technology which was measured in megabytes and download speeds, but mine depended upon spanners and rivet hammers. Both are easy when you know how. There was no love for hill cattle on that course.Imight as well have been pushing for Clydesdale horses and steam engines. Native: Life in a Vanishing Landscape by Patrick Laurie is published by Birlinn (£9.99, pbk) www.birlinn.co.uk

And the rain kept falling. I recovered my waterproof trousers from the cupboard and unrolled the legs. They were crispy and hollow like an old cocoon, and I rediscovered smells which had been locked up since winter. There was cow shit and silage to remind me of a time before all this daylight.

109 BOOK

Proud to support Scottish farming, and agriculture throughout the five nations Your ‘collectable’ magazine Keep each issue build your ‘annual set’ RELEASEand...THE LION! Build your own ‘reference’ library of FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE with our new ‘collectable library’ editions To subscribe please call us directly on 01738 SUBSCRIBE639747NOWGet your very own copy delivered to your door. Also makes an ideal gift. £28.50Onlyayear FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

• The EC-Ridger 5 has lightweight basic elements for removing weeds from the tops and sides of ridges. It can be front or rear-mounted and is suitable for use in light soils and with smaller crops which require little ridging.

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• The EC-Ridger 7 is rear-mounted and features the TRS hoeing element which is particularly well suited for working in difficult conditions. A leaf guard can be added to prevent crops from becoming damaged or buried when the implement hoes along the sides and rebuilds the ridges.

In recent years, farms growing ridge crops have been faced with a seemingly unsolvable problem: more and more herbicides are being banned, and the market is now demanding as much chemical-free food as possible. At the same time, it has been almost impossible for farmers to keep ridge crops free from weeds without using agrochemicals. The Steketee EC-Ridger from the agricultural machinery manufacturer LEMKEN offers a modern solution to this problem. The implement, which is designed for a row width of 75 cm, works in three stages. The hoeing discs reliably cut weeds on the top and the sides of the ridge, spring tines loosen the spaces between the ridges and finally ridging bodies return the ridge to the desired shape. The implement is currently available in three variants:

The ridging bodies can be replaced by ridging discs for use in light soils. A subsoiler can be added for more challenging conditions.

• The EC-Ridger 9 is also rearmounted. It comprises a range of tool modules that can be used to adapt the machine to changing conditions and the various growth stages of the crops. There is a module with hoeing blades for hoeing on ridges and a module with hoeing discs for working in between ridges. Depth control wheels ensure that both elements maintain a precise working depth. Complementary tools in the range include spring tines, ridging discs and ridging shares. The quick-change system makes replacing the individual elements easy. If required, you can also add a subsoiler to the system.All Steketee EC-Ridger models can be ordered from your nearest dealer now.

Clean hoeing in ridge crops

New LEXION 8600 makes its entry into the top league

From model year 2023 two new models, the LEXION 8600 and LEXION 8600 TERRA TRAC, will be added to the CLAAS European hybrid combine harvester product range. With a drum width of 1,700 mm and powered by a highly efficient MAN D26 six-cylinder Stage V engine with a displacement of 12.4 l and an engine output of 549 hp, the new LEXION 8600 is positioned directly above the LEXION 7700, which has a drum width of 1,420 mm. Thanks to DYNAMIC POWER, as with the other LEXION models, the engine output is automatically adapted to the operating conditions, thus saving up to 10 percent fuel in the partial load range, for example when swathing. Already successfully introduced in North America in 2019, the LEXION 8600 has proved itself in internal performance comparisons, including under European conditions in the 2021 and 2022 harvests, showing not

A full range of MX-built Kubota loaders is now available for M-series tractors including the M4, M5, M6 and M7 models which span the 66-170hp sector. Designated the LK range, the orange-liveried loader models provide an integrated, highprecision materials handling solution for M-series tractors, enabling customers to choose a tractor and high-performance loader package that closely suits theirThereneeds.are three series of loader available, badged LK U (utility-mechanical), LK M (mechanical) and LK H (hydraulic). And all three series differ in specification, lift capacity and tractor suitability.

Kubota loader range for M-series tractors

Loader numbers closely reflect lift capacities, which extend from 1,180kg to 2,410kg depending on model, while maximum lift height at the pivot pint is from 3.5m to 4.15m. Buyers can choose from three control systems to suit their model of LK loader. These include the cable-operated ProPilot joystick; a low-pressure servo-based FlexPilot joystick; or the electronic e-Pilot S control system. Push-button control options are available for auxiliary services, and depending on the model, these can also include a fourth hydraulic service and an automatic return to dig function. Fitting and removing the loader from the tractor is a straightforward process, thanks to Fitlock - the mechanical latching mechanism that secures the loader onto the tractor’s brackets. The operator only needs to leave the cab once to unlock the loader, as the drivein format relocks automatically when engaged. Fitlock uses a coloured mechanical indicator –visible from the inside and outside the cab – to provide an easy visual reference of the loader’s status; locked or unlocked. In addition, LK H models can be equipped with the optional Fastlock attachment connection and Speedlink 3rd and 4th service connections, enabling attachment swaps without needing to leave the cab.LK loaders are priced from £7,278 for the LK1500U model in loader-ready configuration including a third service, tractor brackets and Pro Pilot joystick controls.

LK U and LK M versions offer a mechanical parallel lift and a headstock that uses automatic mechanical attachment locking, while LK H loaders benefit from a hydraulic parallel lift system. All models can be equipped with the optional Mach 2 coupling for loader and attachment hydraulic services, which delivers simultaneous coupling of hydraulic and electrical connections in a single action.

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The AURA’s 3m3 mixing tank features two vertical augers that require a lower power requirement and feature KUHN’s K-NOX technology to guarantee a service life of six times longer than steel alternatives. The mixing and chopping speed can be adjusted to create a homogenous TMR with a palatable consistency. A 56hp (42kW) diesel engine can power the AURA for up to a week of continual loading and feeding, making it a truly autonomous machine.

The TMR can be calculated as often as is needed and uploaded to the AURA remotely. Its builtin loading and weighing modules enable it to travel to sources of forage, concentrates and minerals to load. A multi-purpose milling head ensures that all forage is loaded efficiently whilst onboard weighing sensors can calculate the TMR to the nearest kilo. Farms using the AURA will also be fitted with augers connected to

New Kuhn autonomous diet feeder launched KUHN has launched a new selfpropelled, autonomous diet feeder capable of feeding 280 cows. The new AURA works autonomously using GPS and RTK to move around a farm collecting and feeding out a TMR. Inbuilt loading and weighing modules calculate the exact mix of forage material including grass and maize, along with any supplements and concentrates required.

See us at Cereals 2022 on 8th - 9th June STAND 808 only excellent throughput thanks to the wide threshing mechanism and powerful cleaning, but also unrivalled efficiency in its class. The grain tank volume is 12,500 l on the LEXION 8600 and 13,500 l on the LEXION 8600 TERRA TRAC. At the same time, the LEXION 8800 and 8700 models are also getting more engine power. The LEXION 8700 gains 41 hp to 626 hp, while power output for the LEXION 8800 has been increased by 47 hp to 700 hp. In addition, the 16.2 l MAN D42 six-cylinder from the 8900 will now also power the LEXION 8800. The increase in output and optimized torque curves mean that a greater power reserve is available, which keep the engine speed constant, particularly under difficult harvesting conditions.

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The AURA is remarkably compact, standing at 2.6 metres high, 1.9 metres wide and just under 7 metres in length. This helps it to move around most areas of the farm including feed passages and clamps. It feeds out at a speed of 2km/h on both the left and right using a conveyor, and can travel at up toA7km/h.dualguidance system uses GPS and RTK outside and LIDAR inside in conjunction with an onboard odometer. Farms choosing an AURA will be mapped and WIFI devices installed to enable connectivity throughout. The AURA also has inbuilt sensors to stop or avoid objects and it can travel on gradients up to 20%.

116 silos containing concentrates and minerals that have a receiver to communicate with the AURA’s onboard transmitter.

The time and frequency of feeding can be set to precise points 24 hours a day to enable consistent feeding without intervention.

The AURA also features rotating bushes that push up forage and double up to clean the clamp of any fallen material. The brushes operate on both sides of the machine to offer the flexibility to feed in any housing.

machinery

Based in Austria, steep slopes and uneven terrain are operating conditions with which Pöttinger is very familiar. With the new NOVACAT F ALPIN mowers, the grassland professional combines strength with lightweight construction and suitability for working on steep slopes. The engineers have succeeded in keeping the machine weight to 400 kg for a working width of 2.20 metres, 450 kg for 2.62 metres, and 490 kg for 3.04 metres. Together with the compact design, this enables the mowers to be operated with lightweight tractors and twin axleLightweightmowers. yet robust. The compact design of these mowers has been achieved by integrating the drive train into the frame of the NOVACAT F ALPIN. The input gearbox is located in the

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The AURA will be distributed initially in France with other countries in Europe following. The first units are expected in the UK from 2024/25.

newlaunchesNOVACATFALPIN:Pöttingeramowerforalpineterrain

machinery www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com118 Manufacturers and suppliers, W Bateman & Co has an enviable reputation for manufacturing and supplying both domestic and industrial pressure washers and air compressors. The Air Compressor and Pressure Washer Specialists Nationwide DELIVERYonallorders 01772 862948 email:www.bateman-sellarc.co.uksales@bateman-sellarc.co.uk main frame of the mower. The centre of gravity is only 350 mm in front of the mounting frame. Two diagonal support arms behind the outer mowing drums carry the cutter bar. The main frame is lengthened as a result and can be made narrower. This saves weight while maintaining perfect support. The friction-locked driveline is protected within the frame. Power is reliably transmitted to the cutter bar by cardan shafts and gearboxes. Maintenance is also easy thanks to the access ports provided. As you would expect from our NOVACAT disc mowers, the driveline passes down the axis of the first drum. A maintenancefree constant velocity joint ensures tension-free connection here. Special ground tracking on steepThegroundnew NOVACAT F ALPIN front mowers are attached to mid-mounts at the tractor’s centre of gravity. Centre-mounted leaf springs provide a freedom of movement of +/- 8 degrees. The cutter bar is stabilised by a push/pull strut when raised. This prevents the mower unit from swaying and makes it easier to drive over swaths, and provides greater stability during transport. With a double-acting spool valve, the cutter bar can be shifted from side to side +/- 200 mm. No forage is driven over - even with dual wheels.

Powerful and with highly fuel efficient three-cylinder engines, a choice of two transmission options including a three-range hydrostatic transmission with mid PTO bring the performance, but what about operating them? Both models feature a wider platform with side-mounted shift gear levers, easy to view dash panel, power steering and four-wheel drive, which can be selected when maximum traction is required. Add in high intensity projector lamps, side-mounted led lights, top-mounted beacon lamp and rear-working lamp mean work isn’t curtailed in winter months.

As Farmtrac’s dealership has expanded, one thing that has become apparent across the country is the popularity of the FT26 and FT26H tractors, distributor Reesink Agriculture reveals. It appears the appeal is universal for those who need results in smaller areas. Owning a smaller piece of land doesn’t mean you need less power, but it does mean you need to think about the size of your tractor. That’s where Farmtrac’s FT26 and FT26H come in: the perfect options to get the job done in tighter areas without compromising on results. The differences between the two models start and end with the FT26 sporting a three-range hydrostatic transmission instead of a mechanical one. All the rest of the performance possibilities of each are the same. So, what exactly makes this diesel duo so popular? Steven Haynes, tractor sales manager for Reesink Turfcare, explains: “The popularity of these models stems from their light and narrow body that effortlessly fits in tighter indoor spaces, as well as their short turning radius which makes them highly manoeuvrable and opens them up to multiple audiences –such as smallholdings, equestrian centres and growers. “And they’re powerful enough to handle fieldwork, boasting an impressive 750kg lift capacity at hitch point. Both the FT26 and FT26H deliver class-leading performance while offering serious value for money.”

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Farmtrac reveals a best-seller for a compact performance

175th

Massey Ferguson is delighted to announce the introduction of an exciting range of Limited Edition S Series tractors as part of its 175th Anniversary celebrations. “With strictly limited production, we expect these very special tractors to sell out quickly. Like many of our past iconic models, they will be treasured by owners and are set to be highly prized by collectors for years to come,” says Jérôme Aubrion, Director Marketing Massey Ferguson, Europe & Middle East. “Available to order from July, the Limited Edition tractors feature a smart and elegant design that reflects Massey Ferguson’s outstanding 175 years’ of heritage. As well as the unique, stylish design, the extra special models also come with a host personalised cab details and an individual gift pack for every customer,” he adds. As well as introducing the Limited Edition tractors, Massey Ferguson is offering a number of other ways to join in the celebrations with a range of activities cumulating at the SIMA show in Paris in November. Following the successful online, prize quizzes earlier this year, MF has launched a new webpage: anniversary.htmldiscover-mf/mf-175-year-masseyferguson.com/en/https://www.

Each week this will unveil Milestones of MF History, providing a fascinating insight into the machines and outstanding developments since Daniel Massey opened the Massey Manufacturing Company in 1847. Later this year Massey Ferguson will be inviting MF owners to submit pictures of their tractors and machines with a chance to win some unique prizes. The climax of the celebrations will be at the SIMA Show in Paris, in November, where Massey Ferguson looks forward to welcoming VIP groups and other visitors to events and presentations in a dedicated area on the stand.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 121 FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out November 2022 Subscription page 110 & 129

machinery Massey Ferguson celebrates its Anniversary with the launch of Limited Edition S Series tractors

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Mens Lightweight Vest

Mens Hanning Dry Wax Travel Jacket

Made from 100% cotton, our Men’s lightweight vest features a classic cut, useful for layering during spring temperatures and warmer months. This vest is the lightest cotton vest we have introduced at Purdey. We have aimed to achieve the lightest cotton vest without reducing its full function. This vest has a hidden D3O? Absorption pad in the shoulder can be interchangeable between the left and right, making it perfect for any sporter. Bellow pockets allow for added storage room. Regular price £375.00

Purdey’s Autumn Winter 2022 Shooting Collection is available to buy from 57-58 South Audley Street London W1K 2ED and online www.purdey.com

Ideal for year-round use, the Hanning Dry Wax Jacket is both stylish and practical, offering protection against the changeable weather. Designed with a doubleended zip fastening, drawcord waist and two lower pockets and chest pockets, its finished with our heritage inspired design details, such as quilted shoulder patches and a storm cuff neck. The fabric will naturally crease, developing character over time for a distressed, lived-in look.Outer fabric - 100% cotton. Lining - 100% viscose. Regular price £925.00

clothingNew

Purdey is delighted to introduce a new Shooting Collection for Autumn Winter 2022

Discover Purdey’s recently launched collection of sporting essentials for men and women alongside field accessories. From rolling hills to lush forests, heathered moorland and Highland lakes, the new collection beautifully reflects the surrounding landscape with rich signaturecashmere,tweedsand refined technical-wear.

shooting collection for autumn winter 2022

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Kaiwaka Clothing is a brand of outdoor workwear that’s guaranteed to last! Everything they make is designed to endure the toughest days, year in, year out. This clothing range ensures it keeps people dry, warm, comfortable and able to weather any storm… that’s why Kaiwaka products are “Built to work. Made to last”. The clothing is made and designed by a long line of farmers, who totally understand what it means to work outside. The products are mostly made and tested in New Zealand and are rigorously tested under all conditions, so we can be sure that they will deliver on their brand promise. The materials that are used are the best technology, which they have developed many of the fabrics, to include the twin skin technology which is used in the Stormforce range. The Stormforce Range of clothing, has a unique double layer of protection, the outer layer is manufactured to be robust with a rip-stop fabric and with an Inner fleece and both are 100% waterproof, wind proof and breathable. Also Kaiwaka Clothing available in Hi – Viz Jackets and Over trousers with the same technology.TheAgtex range is designed for keeping cold and wet out and sealing the dry and warmth in. It has been especially designed and refined in the ultimate lab test - their back yard! This work wear offers heavy duty weather protection and light weight comfort. 100% wind and waterproof, with stretch fabric for ease of movement when working in all weathers. These ranges are all available in Parkers, Winter Jackets, Bibs, Over trousers, Short Sleeve and Sleeveless Jackets in Men’s and Ladies options with different cuts and sizing. For the farming family there is waterproof & bright Hi-Viz Kids range of parkas and overtrousers to keep your little ones dry, warm and safe. Alongside this, there is a range of triple layer all-weather fleece jackets, working shorts, tee shirts and fleece pull overs. Everything you would ever need in your farm working day, weather rain or shine!

Tillage-Live 2022

Get up close to the latest crop establishment machinery and thinking

Tickets on sale now

The Sheep Breeders Round Table is back as a face-to-face event to be held from Friday 11 - Sunday 13 November 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel at East Midlands Airport. This year’s theme will be ‘UK sheep genetics delivering for the nation’ with sessions including the following topics: • Systems and tools to drive the development of genetics for UK sheep farms

Premier conference for UK sheep farmers

Sheep Breeders Round Table

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The event, which is taking place on Wednesday 28th September, will showcase leading machinery manufacturers with demonstrations of crop establishment technology including ploughs, cultivators, sprayers, conventional, strip tillage and direct drills. In the live demonstration arena there will be an opportunity to see machinery working not only in stubble but manufacturers will also get the chance to show off their machinery in several different cover crops. Once again, this area will also give visitors the chance to get up close and a see a selection of sprayers which will also be running in this area throughout the Tillage-Liveday.remains the sole national annual working crop establishment event, and this year’s demo at Dunbar will be the first chance for growers to see many of this year’s new machines in action, in real postharvest

Kuhn,Amazone,fromWithconditions.workingdemonstrationsmanufacturersincluding:Horsch,KRM,Kverneland,JohnDeere,

• Satisfying the consumer –factors influencing sheep meat quality

Now in its 31st year Tillage-Live, the national crop establishment demonstration, returns to Scotland this autumn. Organised by the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) on behalf of the industry, the event is heading back north across the border to East Lothian in 2022 with the event being held at Dunbar.

• The characteristics needed in sheep for the future

• Opportunities for the sheep sector – market place, genetics and support schemes

McCormick, Ovlac, SUMO, Opico and Vaderstad the day promises a real insight into professional crop establishment techniques.Theevent also includes Sprayer demonstrations and a static exhibition area which provides an opportunity to discuss new ideas with industryleading experts. This year’s knowledge trail includes a look at soils and cover crops as well as tyres and soil protection. Kayleigh Holden, event organiser, explained ‘the AEA are extremely pleased that Tillage-Live will be taking place at Dunbar in 2022. The site, which was previously used in 2018, offers excellent facilities for manufacturers to showcase their machinery to potential customers and visitors and we would like to thank Eweford Farm for hosting the event once again’.This year’s Tillage-Live takes place on Wednesday 28th September with the site easily accessible as it is located next to the A1 at Spott Roundabout, Dunbar; please follow the road signs to the visitor’s entrance to the event. More information can be found at www.tillagelive.com. You can keep up to date with the event and the latest news on social media using #tillgrowspray.Tillage-Live is organised by the AEA on behalf of industry exhibitors and has been held since 1992.

events

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com 125 • Increasing the impact of existing breeding schemes • Responsibility of breeding for better health • What will the sheep industry look like in 10 years?

On the Saturday afternoon the conference will debate the motion ‘The use of advanced breeding techniques has positively benefited the British sheep industry over the past 35 years’.The event is a platform for showcasing how we can become more resilient and be amongst the best sheep producers in the world. If you have an interest in sheep production, this event attracts a large audience of progressive farmers and breeders, combined with academic researchers and specialist vets sharing their thoughts and ideas. Bruce McConachie, head of industry development at QMS says, “I would encourage anyone with an interest in sheep production to come along to this convention that is truly at the fore of industry advancement.“Atwhat is such a pivotal time for the sector, having the opportunity to feed off and share ideas with industry experts and experienced breeders is so important, especially when it comes to thinking about your own business and creating longtermSBRTsuccess.”welcome sponsorship for the Friday session from CIEL, the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock. Tickets and accommodation are on sale now. Visituk/https://events.ahdb.org.tosecureyourspot.

Many farmers, particularly in the soft fruit industry are seeing significant impacts on their businesses caused by seasonal labour being unable to enter the UK. Usually, Scotland welcomes around 10,000 seasonal workers each year, this has dropped significantly this year. This is creating a multitude of issues for many sectors, but agriculture is really taking a hit. The cost-of-living has also increased tenfold in the last few months with fuel and fertiliser hitting all time highs. Increasing wages at this point will only put more pressure on our already struggling producers. So, what needs to change?

Farmplan urges VAT registered businesses to comply with new VAT rules

pageNextSCOTLANDFARMINGMAGAZINEissueoutNovember2022Subscription110&129

The labour crisis in Scotland and the UK is having significant impacts on the agricultural sector and the availability for both seasonal and permanent staff. These pressures are only made worse by the increasing costs of fuel, fertiliser, and the general cost-of-living. Labour costs are also having a significant impact on our farmers.Many NFU Scotland members have come forward during recent research to highlight the struggles they face following Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis. The lack of availability of labour is adding to these struggles.

Ultimately, costs need to be decreased somewhere, many producers are trying to cut production costs wherever they can, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Therefore, the consumer is taking on some of those costs in the form of an increase in food prices. At this point, an increase in National Living Wage/National Minimum Wage is only going to increase costs for the producer and therefore increase the cost taken on by the consumer. In addition to this, consistently increasing basic wage rates is only making it more difficult to find experienced labour. By offering a lower basic rate, producers will be able to employ the younger generation with less experience and skills and allow them to grow and develop within the industry, as well as allow space for wage increases as their skills and experience improve. The Agricultural Wages Board is also trying to make changes to sick pay and overtime within the agricultural industry. Changes such as different rates for different shifts, or changes to overtime rates will only make an already difficult industry, even harder to operate in. With this in mind, what can we do about it? To have your say, complete our short survey via this linkco.uk/r/63JJ69Chttps://www.surveymonkey.

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finance Survey seeks views members views on agriculture wages proposals

“There are many compliant software packages available”, says Anne. “We obviously have lots of experience in the farming sector and our systems are tailored to the needs of farming businesses but we really just want to ensure all relevant farm businesses are signed up and not exposed to future penalties. We are always on hand to talk to farmers through our on-line and telephone support network”.

“Now is the time to make sure you are registered for the Making Tax Digital (VAT) initiative”, says Anne Cianchi, Product Manager at Farmplan. “According to a recent communication from HMRC, there are still approximately 200,000 VAT registered businesses under the VAT threshold who are yet to sign up for MTD - we want to make sure all farming businesses make the move ahead of any penalties that may be issued in the future”.TheMTD (Making Tax Digital) regulations require businesses to keep digital records of all transactions that make up the figures reported in their VAT return. If more than one system is used, these need to be linked digitally and kept using an approved computerised method. The regulations apply to all businesses that conduct VAT submissions, whatever their turnover – those that do not comply will be at risk of facing penalties.Farmers should have received a reminder from HMRC in late June and it is important that businesses take heed and sign“Manyup. businesses making the switch to MTD are worried about the learning curve,” continues Anne. “There’s no need to worry. This is a triedand-tested process that many of our customers have already made. In fact, we’ve found that once they make the change, not only are they surprised by how easy the transition is, but also the benefits in time saving and business information which becomes“Howeveravailable”.make sure you get your timing right”, she urges. “Remember it is from your first VAT period starting on or after 1st April 2022 that you must keep your records digitally using MTD compliant software. Therefore, when making the move, make sure all of your transactions from the beginning of this VAT period are entered into your software, in order to make your digital submission at the end of the period.” Although this reminder may seem daunting, Farmplan wants to emphasise that making the digital change is not as challenging as it may seem. With nearly four years of experience to draw on, being one of the very first software companies to be recognised by HMRC back in August 2018, they have seen a lot of businesses successfully make the move. Farmplan customer Andrew Nicholls of H Snelson & Son adds, “This way of managing our accounts is very different for us but help from Farmplan is always on-hand and the software is very easy to use. That’s a big surprise for a non-techy farmer!”

The tax legislation no longer allows any inflation adjustment to the cost. Therefore in virtually every circumstance a farm will have a capital gain arising should it be sold or gifted. Holdover relief exists to allow the gift of business assets or agricultural land with the deferral of the capital gain. Both the donor and the donee must sign the election. The formal election must be submitted to HMRC within four years following the tax tear in which the gift was made.

By Ian Craig gift a tenanted farm and can claim holdover relief. The farmland must be used for agricultural purposes. For individuals a Capital Gain is the difference between the market value at the date of gift less the cost of the asset. Any capital improvements during the period of ownership are included with the acquisition cost. Where an asset was purchased before March 1982 the tax legislation requires the March 82 value to be used. This is why gifting on a farm or estate often involves the services of a land agent to establish current market value and the value at March 1982.

Holdover relief

The deferral arises as the donee adopts the tax cost of the donor. So if father gifts to daughter and years later daughter sells the farm, the base cost for the daughter will be the acquisition cost of the farm by the father. A holdover relief claim and gift of business

Funding has been made available to help ensure a resilient supply of renewable hydrogen from Eday to the mainland, and improve future connectivity between emerging regional hydrogen hubs in the north of Scotland and islands. The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has been awarded £454,000 to secure two hydrogen tube trailers that will contribute towards improved hydrogen supply in Orkney.

THEMONEYMAN

Net Zero & Energy Secretary Michael Matheson announced the funding during a trip to Orkney, which included a tour of EMEC’s onshore facilities on Eday, and Kirkwall Airport’s hydrogen-powered combined heat and power engine. Mr Matheson said: “Scotland has the resources, the people and the ambition to become a world leader in hydrogen production – no more so than in Orkney, which is at the vanguard of our green energy revolution.“TheScottish Government is committed to working with the energy sector to establish hydrogen as an important part of our a cleaner, greener energy system and deliver a fair and just transition to net zero. “Our partnership and support of EMEC has helped to pave the way for a number of world-first tidal and hydrogen demonstration projects in Orkney. These projects have been instrumental in developing both hydrogen supply and demand on the islands. These trailers will help support a number of hydrogen projects on Orkney and help it continue to lead the way in Scotland’s emerging hydrogen sector.”

If you would like to discuss tax planning for your farming business contact Ian Craig on 01738 441 888 or email ian.craig@azets.co.uk. Ian is a Partner at Azets, accounting, tax advisory and business services group. assets seems fairly straightforward so far. The complications begin when you are gifting an asset which has mixed use. So if we consider a farm which has several let cottages and a site let to a windfarm operator. These form part of the overall farm, but do not qualify for holdover relief. There would therefore be a restriction on the holdover relief claim and consequentially part of the Capital Gain on the gift would not be eligible for relief. The apportionment is on "a just and reasonable" basis and this is one area where experience and planning can make a difference. Complications can occur also where property has changed its use. For example, a farm cottage may have been occupied by an employee for a number of years before being let out on a short assured tenancy. This asset has mixed used and a restriction on the holdover relief would be applied for the let period. Finally, it is worth remembering the relief is a deferral of tax. With the capital value of farms running into millions in many cases, it is really important to get this right when succession planning. We recommend you seek advice from a tax specialist who is experienced in dealing with farmers and landowners. Our team at Azets are always willing to assist in this area.

A large of amount of my time is spent advising on succession for farmers and landowners. Tax is one of the considerations, but there are often family, legal and emotional issues to deal with. It is however a tax issue I will address in this article. With the gift of land and property the main taxes to consider are Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. In order to keep this article brief and hopefully not too complex I will cover only one type of relief used to defer Capital Gains Tax. The relief is known as Holdover Relief and used when gifting assets.There can be certain situations were it is beneficial to make gifts into a limited company or Trusts, but I will cover only the gift of property between individuals. Holdover Relief allows the Capital Gains Tax on the gift of certain types of assets to be deferred. It is important to remember that for Capital Gains Tax the legislation does not differentiate between a gift and a sale. A gift creates the same liability as a sale, and to reduce or defer the gain will require a formal claim for Holdoverrelief.relief is available on the gift of farmland, business assets, shares in an unquoted trading company and partnership interests. With the exception of farmland all of the assets must be used in a trade operated by the donor. With farmland a landowner can

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Jim Warnock The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has announced the appointment of Jim Warnock as Chairman for a two-year term.

Dave has a keen interest in dairy farming, having been involved with the Dairy Growth Board and with the Scottish DairyHub since its creation. He has also helped to develop dairy farming in Malawi, is the Chair of Trustees of the Hannah Dairy Research Foundation, a Nuffield Scholar, a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and a Fellow of the Institute of Agricultural Management.

‘In his time as a fisherman, James had often contrasted being at sea in heavy weather with the gentle greenness of the family croft back home. A greater contrast could not be imagined, but he liked both. When at home he yearned to be back at sea, but tonight, as towering seas rose out of the pitch-black night sky, and as the wind screamed all around, James wished as never before that he was at Pund, the small coft where he grew up… a magical place, nestling right by the shore.’ In the nineteenth century in the Scottish islands, many fishermen were also crofters and split their time between the sea and the land. Both industries, both ways of life have changed immeasurably over the last century with traditional methods vanishing and demand much altered.

Commenting on his appointment, Jim said: “I am honoured to hold the position of Chairman at RHASS following what has been a very challenging time.

As the new National Chair for Lantra in Scotland, he will represent the interests of the country’s land-based, aquaculture and environmental industries at a UK board level, while providing support for staff based in Scotland.

Award-winning author John Goodlad is from Shetland and works in the seafood industry. His family have been fishermen for many generations and the story he tells can at times be a very personal one.

Alongside the fishing folk we find musicians, fiddlers, novelists and poets such as James John Haldane Burgess, and artists such as Samal Joensen, raised on the small island of Mikines, who studied at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen. All were influenced in their art by the communities where they lived or worked, communities where almost all the men were fishermen and many were lost to the seas. The great art of the artist who became known simply as ‘Mikines’ tells of the sorrows and great joys of these communities, the hard and often painful work and the celebrations which brought people together, his work also shows the pain and the poverty of the widows left behind with children to support. As well as following the historical thread and exploring how very different cultures were drawn together by the salt fish trade, John Goodlad, meets those whose lives revolve around the industry in the twenty-first century and addresses today’s pressing themes of sustainability, climate change and food choices.

Jim Warnock, 61, from Gartfinnan Farm Clackmannan, is managing director of JDWAgri Ltd. He has been a Stirling area Director at RHASS since 2010 before being appointed Chairman Designate in 2020. During his time at the Society, Jim has served as Steward for Cattle, Sheep, Light Horse, and Heavy Horse before being selected as Chief Steward of the Main Ring, a position he held for five years (2015-2019).

Lucy McGillivray Lucy McGillivray has joined NFU Scotland to lead on issues around labour, employment, education, training and skills.Prior to joining the Union, Lucy studied Law and Management at Robert Gordon University. She remains actively involved on the family farm at Glenlivet taking responsibility for livestock recording, passport applications, movement reporting and scheme applications. She has her own recently established Charolais herd and is currently Assistant Secretary of Keith Young FarmersLookingClub.at her new role, Lucy said: “I am delighted to be joining NFU Scotland, as I’ve always had a passion for agriculture and so I’m excited to make a positive contribution to the Union. “My remit includes education and skills, and I am looking forward to getting more people engaged with agriculture, whether it be land-based learning or full-time education. Closely linked to this are labour and employment issues, an area of growing importance and one that I am keen to make progress on.”

The Salt Roads: How Fish Made a Culture by John Goodlad is published by Birlinn Ltd, £17.99 hbk. It is available now from bookshops and online retailers.

MOVETHEONPEOPLE

Professor Dave Roberts Lantra Scotland has announced that its new chair is to be Professor Dave Roberts, who recently retired as Head of the Agriculture and Business Management Department at SRUC.

“My management style is that of collaboration and I look forward to working closely with fellow directors, members, Royal Highland Show exhibitors and the wider sector as we embark on a new chapter for the Society post-Covid.” Gavin Law Origin Fertilisers has strengthened its Ayrshire team with the appointment of Gavin Law as an on-farm retail sales representative.MrLawhails from a local farming background, and thanks to his previous role with McCaskie Farm Supplies as an on-farm sales representative, he brings with him an excellent knowledge of the region through supplying products and advice to Ayrshire farmers. His new role with Origin Fertilisers covers largely the same area, and he will be handling some of the accounts previously run by Gavin Stewart. Speaking about his new post, Mr Law made the move to Origin to gain a greater understanding of how prescription fertiliser plays a key function in enhancing soil health.

THE BOOK

Now has captured the extraordinary story of how salt fish from Shetland became one of the staple foods of Europe, powered an economic boom and inspired artists, writers and musicians. His book, The Salt Roads: How Fish Made a Culture, is hugely informative and casts a human light over the industry, ranging as he does with his writing over the wild waters of the North Atlantic, the ice-filled fjords of Greenland and the remote islands of Faroe to the dining tables of London’s middle classes, the bacalao restaurants of Spain and the Jewish shtetls of Eastern Europe. He tells quite a story – compelling and thorough, told with a great deal of love for readers with or without prior knowledge of the communities who lived and died on the waters he describes ¬– and as reader you can be nothing other than greatly moved by the descriptions of communities decimated by losses to violent storms.

The Salt Roads: How Fish Made a ByCultureJohnGoodlad