Farmers Guardian 3 July 2020

JOHN DEERE OVERHAUL

By Abi Kay

INDUSTRY has won an 18-month battle with Government to set up a Trade and Agriculture Commission to protect food production standards but concerns remain over whether it will be up and running in time to influence current trade negotiations.

Trade Secretary Liz Truss finally relented and agreed to establish the body during a meeting with NFU president Minette Batters last Friday (June 26), just three weeks after Farming Minister Victoria Prentis rejected the idea in an interview with Farmers Guardian, prompting an angry response from the union.

Negotiations

Though the move has been universally welcomed, US trade negotiations, which have prompted a huge level of angst over substandard imports, are already underway and pressure is mounting on both countries to secure a deal.

US trade representative Robert Lighthizer recently told Congress there would be no deal with the UK without ‘fair’ access for American

agricultural products and accused the UK of using the standards issue as ‘thinly veiled protectionism’.

Some groups, such as food and farming alliance Sustain, felt uneasy about the fact the commission’s work would be ‘strictly time-limited’ and its recommendations advisory only.

But speaking to FG, Ms Batters said she did not think it would take long to set up the body, as most of the legwork was done under Michael Gove when he was Defra Secretary.

She said: “The recommendations can only be advisory, because you could not have an independent body which could overrule the Government. There was always a realisation this was going to be time-limited work, but the important thing is Parliament has a say in trade deals based on the expert advice of this independent, non-political body.

“We want to make sure MPs are well-briefed so they can go back to their constituencies armed with the facts.

“It is also really important for the Department for International Trade that these decisions are not taken completely behind closed doors.”

● Watchdog to scrutinise trade terms ● Continued fears over US standards COMMISSION WIN

Though the commission’s full terms of reference are yet to be hashed out, Ms Truss said it will be charged with presenting a report to Parliament which considers how to prevent UK farmers being undermined by low-standard imports. It will also explore how the UK can push for higher animal welfare standards across the globe at the World Trade Organisation, look at new export opportunities and have a duty to ‘reflect consumer interests’, including the price of food.

Government must invest in rural economy

By Mollie Leach

The implications of weaning the flock earlier, and a look

GOVERNMENT has been called to invest in rural communities to kick-start the economy and protect the countryside.

In its new Covid-19 ‘regeneration’ manifesto, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has set out a series of objectives which include enhancing green belts, increasing funding for community outreach projects and regenerating rural communities.

This could see the creation of a rural economy task force, designed to provide support to farm businesses and the tourism sector, which have been particularly hard hit by Covid-19.

Speaking at a virtual debate on the manifesto, CPRE chief executive Crispin Truman said: “The countryside is not a museum.

“We need successful rural communities looking after the countryside, but many rural businesses have been suffering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“That is why we are calling for a rural economy task force, working across Government to develop a comprehensive, rural specific strategy to help kick-start farming and tourism.”

Philip Dunne, chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee, echoed

this and reinforced cross Governmental support would be ‘essential’ for supporting rural economic survival.

Mr Truman highlighted this task force would also be used to focus on elements that disproportionately affected rural communities, such as affordable rural housing and the need to improve broadband and connectivity.

Resilience

Addressing the link between affordable rural homes for key workers, Mr Truman added: “Our key workers, such as farmers, bus drivers and care workers are often priced out of rural areas, undermining the resilience of countryside communities.

“Creating more affordable housing can be achieved through local engagement and investing in rural housing associations, which are key drivers for encouraging local communities to find workable solutions to housing issues and planning processes.”

Emma Bridgewater, CPRE president, added: “We need to make sure rural communities do not bear the brunt of the economic fallout by supporting the rural economy and investing in rural social housing.

“Only then can the Government claim to be learning the lessons of lockdown and building back better.”

Planning reform can help the country thrive

INDUSTRY has called for further detail on Government’s proposal to simplify the planning system and a commitment to work alongside landowners and rural businesses to ensure new changes work for the rural economy.

It follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on June 30 that ‘new regulations will give greater freedom for buildings and land in our town centres to change use without planning permission and create new homes for the regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings’.

The changes to the law form part of Mr Johnson’s package of measures to

spark economic growth post Covid-19 and are expected to come into effect by September.

CLA president Mark Bridgeman said: “At a time when many people are understandably considering leaving the city for a more rural life, we must ensure the rural economy is fit for purpose.

“An effective, efficient and proportionate planning system is a key component of delivering that.

“A simplified planning regime will facilitate the economic recovery we desperately need, delivering jobs, homes and much-improved environmental and natural capital resources.”

PIG FARMERS FEED ONE MILLION BEES

PIG farming brothers Mark and Paul Hayward have succeeded in feeding one million bees thanks to a pioneering project which saw them turn 13 hectares of their farmland into wildflowers. Under the guidance of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, a scientific study was carried out on their family outdoor pig unit, Dingley Dell, Suffolk, which found an estimated count of 1.19m bees. Recently featured in Farmers Guardian, where the pair discussed their Dingley Dell pork brand, the project saw the brothers develop a rotational system for pork production on-farm, which has provided vital flowering habitat for bumblebees and other pollinators. Paul said: “We see ourselves as caretakers of this land. Between us, we have six children, and we owe it to them to farm sustainably and set an example for generations to come.”

Farm deaths fall to record low

rIndustry in midst of ‘culture change’

By Hannah Binns

FARM deaths have fallen to their lowest level on record, new figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed.

However, the data to March 2020 shows the sector still accounts for about 20 per cent of all worker deaths.

Recent months have seen several on-farm fatalities across the UK and earlier this week, a two-year-old boy died after being found ‘unresponsive in water’ at a farm in Lancashire.

Emergency services attended the incident at Ireby on Saturday, June 27, and the boy was taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary for treatment, but died shortly after.

NFU deputy president Stuart Roberts said while the figures showed an important drop in fatalities – 20 in 2019/20 compared to 32

I hope these figures indicate the start of a downward trend

ROBERTS

the year before – they indicated there was more to do.

He said: “Last year we lost too many of our family, friends and colleagues in the workplace – one fatality is too many.

“For the past few years we have seen many in the industry consciously prioritising health and safety. I hope these figures indicate the start of a downward trend which is underpinned by a culture change in the agriculture sector.

Improvement

“There will be variations year-onyear and we need to see longer term sustained improvement before we can say that farm safety has fundamentally changed.”

NFU Scotland vice-president Charlie Adam, who represents NFU Scotland on the Farm Safety Partnership, praised farmers, the Farm Safety Partnership, HSE and the Yellow Wellies Foundation for all their work to help improve agriculture’s safety record.

Mr Adam said: “NFU Scotland has continued to work with both HSE and Yellow Wellies to provide our members with the best possible advice and guidance to keep themselves, their workforce and their families safe on-farm.

“There are still too many farm related deaths every year and it is important that we as an industry continue to work on improving our safety record.”

Mark (left) and Paul Hayward.

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Online auction sees new world record price for sheepdog

Elan Valley Sally, which sold for £18,525 to an undisclosed buyer.

IN an online timed auction hosted by Farmers Marts (R.G. Jones), Dolgellau, sheepdogs sold to a top price of £18,525, which when including the buyer’s premium, amounts to £19,451.

The figure, claimed by the market to be a new world record price for a sheepdog, was for Elan Valley Sally, a 19-monthold black-and-white bitch, consigned by Brecon-based David Evans.

The bitch was bred by Dean Addison of Pen y Garreg, Rhayader, and was sired by Derwen Doug, owned by David Evans’ son, Kevin. It sold to an undisclosed UK buyer.

Bitch

The existing world record price for a working sheepdog was set by Emma Gray, Northumberland, in February this year, when she sold her two-and-a-halfyear-old black and white bitch,

Megan, for 18,000gns (£18,900) at Skipton.

Next, making £12,900, was 24-month-old Tynygraig Mal, from D. Jenkins, Tynygraig.

Sired by his own dog, Moss, the dog sold to an undisclosed buyer from Ireland.

The third highest bid, at £11,025, was for David Evans’ 25-month-old old bitch Non, having bought her from breeder J.E. Mumford, Neath.

Kevin Evans received £10,300 for Lynn, a 31-month-old bitch.

THE first working dogs trial since the coronavirus lockdown will take place on July 20, with proceeds being donated to charity.

The Whitbeck Open will take place at Town End Hall Farm, Whitbeck, Cumbria, LA19 5UR, off the A595, starting at 8am. There will be two fields, no points and no prize money.

To enter, call Ross Watson on 07825 875 097.

‘Worthless’ wool goes up in smoke

rPrice collapse sees

farmers burning fleeces

By Hannah Binns

SOME sheep farmers have burned or composted fleeces to help offset handling and haulage costs, after Covid-19 caused the wool price to collapse.

It comes as the global wool market turmoil saw British Wool announce the average wool cheque price for 2019/2020 would be almost half (32p/kg) compared to last year (60p/ kg), with about nine million kilos of unsold wool stock.

In contrast to independent wool merchants, the board stated no

advance would be made on the 2020/2021 clip, with no forward price indication.

Will Sedgley, who farms 1,050 Swaledales at Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, said he was saddened to dispose of such a sustainable natural fibre for economic reasons.

Mr Sedgley said: “Quality and price-wise, Swaledale wool is at the bottom of the pile.

Cost

“This year’s wool price reductions rattled me, so I decided it would be more economical to save on wool handling cost and time.

“While we plan to send in our Mule and Texel cross fleeces, I remain

doubtful the wool cheque will even cover the shearing cost, since it has not done so for a few years.”

Gerallt Hughes, who farms near Llangefni, Anglesey, also chose to dispose of the wool rather than sell it, composting 547 fleeces in total.

National Sheep Association chief executive officer, Phil Stocker, said: “If a farmer has undergone the costs of shearing and packing, the investment has been made and if the wool is of any quality it must make sense to store it or send it to British Wool.

“Remember the payment made recently is the balance from last year. No advance payment is being made and no-one yet knows what the value will be.”

Sheepdog trial

MARKET INSIGHT

LIVE & DIGITAL

2020 GLOBAL IMPACT

INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS

Picturing the future is a challenge at the best of times, let alone right now. Our industry faces uncertainty on so many fronts, with issues as diverse as coronavirus, trade policy and the impact of weather on the upcoming harvest. Yet it is that uncertainty that makes a forward outlook more important than ever.

Agri-market outlook: July 2020

STAY INFORMED

Agri-market outlook analyses farming prospects sector by sector for the coming 12–18 months and explores the longer-term impact of economic and policy drivers on our industry.

THE TEAM BEHIND THE INSIGHT

“The uncertainty surrounding the UK’s future trading relationships, impact on changes to agricultural policy, trade agreements and labour availability are all explored.”

David Swales, Head of Strategic Insight

“Not only do we have a smaller wheat harvest to deal with, we have the added pressures of a changing future trade pattern and the longer-term risks of reducing subsidies to factor in.”

David Eudall, Head of Market Specialists (Arable)

“For farms producing all types of livestock, the future is likely to involve greater exposure to world markets and, with that, increased uncertainty and price volatility. Risk management will become even more important.”

Duncan Wyatt, Lead Analyst – Red Meat

For the latest pricing information, insight and analysis, visit: ahdb.org.uk/markets-and-prices

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Engage in a webinar: ahdb.org.uk/events

“Flexibility and adaptability have been key for businesses over recent months. The future, with Brexit and changes in consumer habits, means flexibility will be just as important over the years to come.”

Sign up to join the 40,000 subscribers who get the latest insight delivered regularly to their inbox: ahdb.org.uk/keep-in-touch

Chris Gooderham, Head of Market Specialists (Dairy & Livestock)

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● 8 July – 2020 Harvest and Market Outlook

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NFU Cymru president John Davies has called for a full independent review of the RDP.

Concerns over Welsh Gov RDP funding

A DAMNING report on Wales’ Rural Development Programme (RDP) by the Wales Audit Office (WAO) has sparked concerns after it found Welsh Government granted £68 million in funding without ‘robust justification’.

The WAO report ‘Ensuring Value for Money from Rural Development Grants Made Without Competition’ (June 30), revealed key aspects of the design and oversight of the Welsh Government’s Rural Development fund did not ensure £53m of grant awards would deliver value for money.

WAO also found Welsh Government

had adopted an approach of granting funds to known individuals or organisations without competition.

Responding, Farmers’ Union of Wales president Glyn Roberts said: “Welsh farmers pay the highest percentage of money possible into the RDP pot through the pillar transfer, totalling around £40m a year, whereas in most EU countries and regions, farmers pay a tiny fraction of this.

“When it was announced in 2013 that Wales would have the maximum 15 per cent pillar transfer rate – the

highest in the EU – we were promised an RDP that would deliver transformational change.

“Having since paid a total of around £230m, our industry deserved far better from the RDP, and the concerns that we had raised repeatedly since 2013 over the RDP should have been acted on sooner.”

Calling for a full independent review of the RDP, NFU Cymru president John Davies echoed this and said the latest WAO report confirmed Welsh farmers had been placed at a ‘competitive disadvantage’.

Ag ‘absolutely crucial’ to Shortage Occupation List

rSevere labour shortfalls on horizon

By Mollie Leach

WITH the demand for overseas workers ‘absolutely crucial’ to a permanent workforce within the farming sector, farm groups have warned agricultural roles must be included within the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) to avoid labour shortages.

Following the Government’s controversial announcement of its plans for a points based immigration scheme earlier this year, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) launched a call for evidence as part of a review of the SOL, running from April 10-June 24.

Pointing to the added pressure of an end to freedom of movement on labour at the end of this year, NFU

vice-president Tom Bradshaw hit out at the MAC’s exclusion of agricultural workers from the list.

He said it was ‘essential’ these roles were recognised as being in short supply, despite the call for evidence focusing on roles deemed to be of medium to high skilled.

Points

“Most farm jobs fall below the Government’s salary threshold of £25,600 and with farm businesses struggling to increase wages due to ever increasing pressures for cheap food, the SOL is likely to be the only way to achieve the points needed under the Government’s new immigration system,” added Mr Bradshaw.

Currently, migrants sponsored in SOL roles are exempt from having to meet a higher salary threshold, lowering the requirement by 20 per cent.

UK growers seek views on ‘outdated’ compulsory levy

THREE growers are urging their colleagues to complete a ballot to gauge views on the AHDB levy in order to paint a ‘truly representative picture’ for Defra.

Earlier this year, Defra published its analysis on the board following a call for views in 2018, with AHDB chief executive Jane King stating the results were a ‘general endorsement for the continuation of the levy’.

But three Lincolnshire producers, Simon Redden, Peter Thorold and John Bratley, said less than 0.5 per cent of levy-payers responded to the review.

They also highlighted the fact compulsory levy was based on business turnover, which had resulted in large growers facing payments of thousands of pounds and subject to legal action and potential criminal convictions for payment failure.

The ballot aims to canvas ‘accurate’ views on the continuation of ‘compulsory levy based on business turnover’.

Mr Bratley said: “This undemocratic quango continues to impose itself on us without representation regardless of our wishes and needs.”

The group was quick to express its ‘disappointment’ at AHDB’s failure to supply a complete list of 4,000 levy payers, which meant only 1,600 growers will automatically receive the ballot papers.

Mr Thorold added: “We believe that in the interests of democracy and openness AHDB should be releasing all levy-payer’s names directly to the company running the ballot in order for all voices to be heard through our ballot.

RABDF managing director

Mark Knight warned that, post2021, some of the largest, most technically advanced dairy farms could be lost due to their reliance on foreign labour.

RABDF provided evidence to substantiate why UK dairy farms struggled to recruit a home-grown workforce, alongside the ‘huge impact’ restrictions would have on their businesses.

Mr Knight said: “It is these larger, more intensive operators, having an increasing reliance on foreign labour. Their dairy operations tend to function 24/7 with employees often working shift patterns.

“Foreign workers are fulfilling these skilled roles due to the unsociable hours and the nature of the work, which are frequently not accepted by our domestic labour force.”

“Despite a Freedom of Information request, they have refused to do this.”

REQUEST A FORM

From the start of July, all known growers will receive a ballot paper, but all levy-paying growers are encouraged to request the form via ahdbpetition@gmail.com during the three-week canvassing period.

cost spike

COVID-19 has seen a spike in labour costs of up to 15 per cent leaving British growers in an ‘unsustainable’ situation, according to a report by Andersons. The increase follows an additional 34 per cent rise in labour costs over the past five years across the horticultural sector.

Bayer to pay £8.8bn cancer settlement

rPressure to curtail use of glyphosate

By Olivia Midgley

BAYER has agreed to pay $10.9 billion (£8.8bn) to settle cancer claims linked to its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup following a lengthy legal battle.

New York-based law firm Weitz and Luxenberg said it had reached a settlement on behalf of about 100,000 people, over the herbicide’s allegedly carcinogenic effects.

Bayer said an ‘extensive body of science’ indicated Roundup does not cause cancer and the product, used widely across the world, was

therefore ‘not responsible for the illnesses alleged in this litigation’.

However, Bayer chef executive Werner Baumann said the settlement was the right action to take as it ended a ‘long period of uncertainty’.

The firm became embroiled in the legal action when it bought Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, as part of a $63bn (£50bn) deal in 2018.

Mr Baumann said: “[The settlement] resolves the most current claims and puts in place a clear mechanism to manage risks of potential future litigation.

“It is financially reasonable when viewed against the significant financial risks of continued, multi-year litigation and the related impacts to our reputation and business.

Roundup weedkiller has been alleged to cause cancer.

“The decision to resolve the Roundup litigation enables us to focus fully on the critical supply of healthcare and food.

“It will also return the conversation about the safety and utility of glyphosate-based herbicides to the scientific and regulatory arena and to the full body of science.”

Safety

The agchem giant said its glyphosatebased herbicides were among the most ‘rigorously studied’ products of their kind, ‘and four decades of science support their safety and that they are not carcinogenic’.

Bayer pointed to a report by the US Environmental Protection Agency, issued in January, which concluded it

‘did not identify any human health risks from exposure to glyphosate’.

Bayer said it was investing about €5bn (£4bn) over a 10-year period to develop additional methods to manage weeds as part of an integrated approach to sustainable agriculture.

Opponents of glyphosate, including the Soil Association, continue to campaign for its use to be curtailed, especially in pre-harvested crops, after tests showed residues in bread.

However, farmers and unions maintain the active ingredient is essential to help produce crops with the least possible environmental impact .

France has committed to banning glyphosate in most agricultural practices by the end of this year.

New Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland David Duguid speaks exclusively to Ewan Pate on trade, business confidence and why he decided to vote against legal protection for UK food standards.

‘Brexit brings opportunities and risks for UK farmers’

David Duguid, like all Ministers in Boris Johnson’s government, can be fairly described as being committed to a speedy exit from the European Union.

In an exclusive interview with Farmers Guardian earlier this week, he admitted there would be risks, but that these would be outweighed by opportunities.

Speaking about the need to end

31, he said: “I do not think people would look kindly on us if we just kicked the can down the road a bit further.”

Asked about the recent joint Scotland’s Rural College/James Hutton Institute survey, which showed only 26 per cent of Scottish farmers were optimistic about adapting profitably to life outside the EU, he said: “I know from experience that the responses to surveys depend largely on the questions that are asked.

Just an hour before the interview on Monday (June 29), the Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss had announced her intention to create a Trade and Agriculture Commission.

This would, it seems, be purely an advisory body with a limited life.

It falls well short of the amendments suggested to the UK Agriculture Bill which would have enshrined food production standards in law.

sector being overwhelmed by low cost US pork produced to lower welfare standards, Mr Duguid said: “As long as pork is safe to eat it will be allowed in in the same way that pork is currently imported to the EU.

“Incidentally, if the amendment to the Agriculture Bill had been voted through, one of the consequences would have been that the UK could not import Danish bacon.”

the transition period on December the risks.

“I do think we need to be mindful of the opportunities as well as

“I know from my family experience that farmers will take a cautious approach until they have enough information to make decisions.”

I do not think people would look kindly on us if we just kicked the can down the road a bit further

DAVID DUGUID

“This proposal for a commission is very new, but I welcome it in principle,” Mr Duguid said.

“It is something that the farming unions have been discussing with Defra.

“As an independent advisory body it will go a long way to engaging with stakeholders.

“It is always good to have a voice from the sideline.”

Standards

The ‘voice from the sideline’ is, however, a long way from the amendment to the Agriculture Bill proposed by Conservative MP Neil Parish but voted down by all Scottish Conservative MPs, including Mr Duguid.

Asked why he had voted against legal protection for UK food standards, he said: “The question should really be to all the MPs from other parties who voted for the amendment and against the opportunities for trade deals.

“If the amendment had been passed it would have had many unintended consequences affecting the supply of food.

“It would not have worked under World Trade Organisation rules.

“I could not have supported anything that would have affected the balance of risk between standards and our ability to export to markets such as the US, where there is tremendous potential for Scotch lamb.

“The current ban on hormonetreated beef will be retained in UK law as a part the EU transition process.”

As to the possibility of the UK pig

On another tack, Mr Duguid said attention would need to be paid to ensuring that the internal UK market operated smoothly given that agricultural policy was devolved.

“It is important that a UK-wide framework be created for areas such as labelling,” he added.

“There is no reason why it cannot happen assuming that the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly cooperate.

“I expect the Scottish Government to do what is right.”

PROFILE

DAVID Duguid made history in the 2017 General Election when he took the Banff and Buchan seat back into Conservative hands after 30 years of SNP control.

Born into a farming family near Turriff, in the heart of his constituency, he went on to take a degree in chemistry at Robert Gordons University before taking up a career in the oil industry.

Mr Duguid has particularly championed the fishing industry throughout the Brexit debate.

Early in June he was appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland as a replacement for constituency neighbour Douglas Ross who had resigned in protest at the retention of Dominic Cummings as a Downing St adviser.

There are concerns the initial ELM scheme is unfit for purpose.

Farm groups move to fix ‘poor’ ELM plans

rStewardship issues will hinder take-up

By Abi Kay

FARM groups concerned about the Government’s ‘lacklustre’ proposals for its new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme have joined forces to help design something ‘fit for purpose’.

The NFU, Tenant Farmers Association (TFA), CLA, Linking Environment and Farming and Sustainable Food Trust are working with Defra officials to ensure the new scheme is as attractive as possible to farmers. The aim of the scheme is to publish a White Paper containing the plans this autumn.

TFA chief executive George Dunn told Farmers Guardian the industry had been moved to act when the Government published

its ‘policy discussion document’ on the new scheme in February.

He said: “It was like an old Entry Level Stewardship manual with income foregone stamped all over it and a few additional bells and whistles.

Lacked ambition

“It really lacked the ambition which had been around in years previously. We were also concerned you have an organisation in the Rural Payments Agency [RPA] which is already badly administering Countryside Stewardship.

“We worried we would end up with a lacklustre scheme which the RPA could just about run, but which did not do much for our members or the wider natural environment.”

NFU president Minette Batters said the alliance was particularly focused on improving the entry level parts of the scheme, Tier 1 and

Tier 2, to allow farmers to ‘climb the ladder’ if they choose.

The idea is to create a system where farmers can score points for achieving certain outcomes or taking particular actions, including those which increase productivity and bring environmental benefits.

Industry was also keen to ensure tenant farmers can access the new scheme, with the TFA pushing for legal guarantees on this in the Agriculture Bill.

Ms Batters said: “The big danger is many farmers across the country will step back from this after the Countryside Stewardship debacle.

“If only 50 per cent of farmers in England decide to join the scheme, it is a disaster for the Treasury and a disaster for everybody else.

“We have to make sure this is an exciting place people want to base their businesses on.”

Uncertainty stalling farmers’ action on climate change

UNCERTAINTY around Brexit and disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic has prevented farmers from taking action to mitigate climate change, the CLA has said.

The group’s president, Mark Bridgeman, warned progress in the sector would remain slow until ‘clear policies and programmes’ were in place.

Mr Bridgeman was speaking after the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published its latest report on the UK’s plans to reduce emissions.

The report recommended farming should be changed to put much more emphasis on carbon sequestration and biomass production and a shift to less ‘carbon-intensive’ diets.

“Uncertainties about Brexit, trade negotiations and Covid-19 disruptions have delayed legislation and the development of policies for agriculture and land use which will support climate action,” said Mr Bridgeman.

“Farmers and land managers are increasingly looking at what they

Farmers blast charity over ‘reckless’ claims

AN environmental charity has come under fire from farmers after it ‘recklessly’ claimed poultry farms in Wales were polluting rivers in the region.   Farmers in Brecon and Radnor, Mid Wales, have blasted the Wye and Usk Foundation after it issued a press release titled ‘Nation’s favourite river facing ecological disaster’, which pinpointed poultry farms as the principal reason for an increase in phosphates in the River Wye, contributing to an increase in algal blooms.

However, Natural Resources Wales refuted the claim and highlighted the long-term phosphate levels in the Wye catchment had been declining.

Undermined

Following a virtual NFU Cymru Brecon and Radnor and Monmouthshire county meeting where the matter was discussed, egg producer Gywn Price said: “Many farmers feel the trust, respect and confidence in this organisation is undermined as a result of its gross misrepresentations of farming in Mid Wales.

“As poultry producers, we are proud of the animal health and welfare, environmental and food safety standards we operate to and that are regularly checked and verified by Government and their agencies, alongside independent assurance bodies and our customers.”

FUW president re-elected

FARMERS’ Union of Wales (FUW) president Glyn Roberts has been unanimously re-elected following a virtual meeting of the union’s Welsh council.

can do, but until there are clear policies and programmes for woodland creation and management, alongside programmes to help shift the sector to low carbon farming, the progress will be slow.”

Mr Bridgeman went on to say the agriculture sector could help mitigate climate change while aiding the economy’s recovery from the pandemic. He pointed to opportunities for new jobs in forestry, the woodland industry, environmental services and food production.

Mr Roberts, a North Wales beef and sheep farmer, became FUW president in 2015 and has seen the union’s #FairFarmFunding succeed in preventing the Barnett formula being used to dictate the amount of funds allocated to farmers in Wales, having focused on the importance of agriculture in rural communities and promoted the why #FarmingMatters initiative on a national scale. He said: “These are uncertain times for our industry. Our sector is dealing with the repercussions of Covid-19, Brexit and our future relationship with the EU is still uncertain. Additionally, there are other issues, such as water regulations, future farm policies and bovine TB, which will need to be addressed over the coming months and years.”

Will standards resonate if deep recession hits consumers?

IN times of crisis and disruption, it turns out the British public does not turn towards falafel or hummus as comfort food, but rather red meat and pizza to get it through lockdown.

The astonishing statistics included in this week’s study of shifting food trends since the pandemic struck (see page 15-17), shows that consumers still cherish many staple products, such as beef, bacon, cheese and milk.

Yet the same piece also highlights the hardship many people are facing, with the appalling statistic that 7.7 million people have missed meals or reduced their food intake due to money worries.

And finally...

Sheepdog prices are at record highs, while wool is almost worthless. A strange paradox, but for more see page 4.

This is a morbid precursor to some of the social challenges which could yet arise amid the ‘new normal’.

As the economy starts to see an increased flurry of redundancies, the potential scale of the forthcoming post-Covid-19 recession will shape the fortunes of the country for decades to come.

Many will debate whether the lockdown measures have been worth the economic cost, but the

implications for consumer demand, and therefore what UK farming produces, will be challenging in the coming years.

While the unions and others are right to fight for our world leading standards, we must still retain the flexibility as an industry to produce food at multiple price points which meet the needs of all consumers.

It is encouraging and commendable that Waitrose has sought to back British standards, but your average Waitrose shopper is probably not fretting over job security or how to keep their family fed. They can choose to be picky. Many cannot.

And it is that balance which will form a tightrope to walk as the economic impact of coronavirus starts to unfold. It also shows the threat posed by cheap imports and the fact that if large swathes of the population are struggling financially, are they going to be concerned where their food comes from?

Coronavirus could reshape how society operates and the challenge for agriculture will be to mitigate the risks, while also being fleet of foot enough to exploit the opportunities.

YOUNG FARMER FOCUS

‘I’ve worked at some of the

biggest dairy shows’

Travel: TheNationalFederationof YoungFarmersClubs(NFYFC)has playedanimportantpartinmylife, beinganactivefoundermemberof CalderdaleYFC,whichhasbeen runningforthelast15years.

Growing up: Ihavegrownuponmy familyfarminCoDurham,wherewe milk125pedigreeHolsteinsunderthe Langparkprefix.This,alongside attendingButsfieldYoungFarmers’Club andHolsteinYoungBreeders(HYB), hasenabledmetodevelopmypassion foragriculturefromayoungage.

In 2013 I attended Askham Bryan College to complete a national diploma in agriculture, before studying a BSc (Hons) at Harper Adams University. I spent my placement year in 2018/19 working for AB Europe assisting with ewe flushing and AI, as well as ram semen collection and freezing. Also, in the past few years I have

been helping out with lambing about 900 ewes in Lauder, Scotland.

Showing: HYBandYFChavehelped medevelopmanyskills,presentingme withnewchallengesandopportunities.

At a young age, I began showing at our local Holstein club, starting from the bottom with our human hair clippers and a hairbrush to clip our calves.

The closure of the Northumbria Holstein Club’s calf show meant we were unable to show our calves, so I used this as an opportunity to help others, such as Marleycote Ayrshires and Littlebridge Holsteins.

Champion calf: Myexperienceswith theseherdsencouragedmetobegin showingathomeagainandInow competeatmultipleshowsannually. Thisyearhasbeenourmostsuccessful yet,withourfirstchampioncalf.

Dairy shows: Showingismybiggest passionandhasenabledmetotravel

andworkatsomeofthebiggestdairy showsintheworld.In2017,Iwas selectedbyMastergentoworkatthe SchauDerBestenshowinGermany.

This was topped off by leading the top price calf at the show’s sale, where 40,000 people were in attendance. The following year, Semex gave me the opportunity to travel to Toronto and work at The Royal Winter Fair on the walk of fame, which was incredible. Dairy challenges: Milkpriceshave beenachallengefordairyfarmersinthe pandemic,withourpricebeing19.5ppl forMayalongsidereductionsforabove averageproduction.

However, imports make up a huge

Lanchester, Co Durham

Lizzie Bradley, 23, from Lanchester, Co Durham, is a Harper Adams graduate and has worked at some of the biggest dairy shows in the world.

percentage of the dairy market, with 98 per cent of baby milk powder, 50,000 tonnes of mozzarella and 183,000t of yoghurt being imported annually. Standards: JamieOliver’ssupportof theNFUfoodstandardspetitionisalso hugelypositivefortheindustry,withhis elevatedprofileallowingthegeneral publictobecomeawareofthevarying foodstandardsindifferentcountries. I think Covid-19 has reinforced the importance of domestic food production and I believe the UK should become more self-sufficient, especially following Brexit.

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to be featured, email olivia.midgley@fginsight.com

Lizzie Bradley

Lizzie Bradley

Future of small abattoirs

clarity

THANK you for making clear where the future of small abattoirs does and does not lie in ‘Small abattoirs in the spotlight’ (FG, June 12).

It is in the hands of bold entrepreneurs like Jane Parker, willing to bet on her conviction that ‘on-farm slaughter is the pinnacle of animal welfare’.

I wish her success in finding sufficient demand from likeminded farmers.

In contrast, I suggest the Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare is flogging a dead horse (sorry) in seeking ‘public money under post-Brexit schemes’ in ‘Rescue plan for abattoirs’ (FG, June 12).

The fundamental reason small abattoirs have disappeared is weak demand, perhaps from some of the very farmers who now mourn their loss.

In 2009/10, about 60 brave people invested to resurrect one such in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire.

Despite being led by very capable individuals, it did not work, I believe due to insufficient throughput, despite high densities of cattle and sheep within easy travelling distance.

National stage

On the national stage, when will this industry’s establishment learn that top-down proposals cannot buck the realities of supply and demand?

Public money cannot be justified to support unviable services, no matter how noble their claims.

If enough farmers really want services like a local abattoir and they follow through by actually using it, more entrepreneurs like Jane may step up.

Perhaps where the appetite is strong enough we might even see farmers groups investing for themselves?

Phil

Christopher, Shrewsbury.

Keep markets

I AM an 82-year-old farming granny and now just doing what I can to help my hardworking family, mostly with paperwork. The June 19 issue of FG rang a few bells. Namely Alastair Sneddon from Bagshaws, Farmers Guardian’s Farming Hero Emma Picton-Jones and Harrison and Hetherington’s Richard Rankin. Mr Sneddon has sold hundreds of our cattle and sheep and we have traded with Bagshaws of Bakewell Market, with my late husband and I buying and selling 60 years ago. I can even remember in 1960 buying 12 calves instead of an engagement ring.

This was when the market was in the centre of Bakewell. The area is now occupied by a Co-op store and other shops and houses.

Statement and

&

disclose to us by entering into our

Wil Hopkins, Hendryd, Maestir, Lampeter, carrying a load of kale. The kale was also strip grazed by his Dairy Shorthorn cow, Fanny, which was yielding eight gallons of milk a day. These pictures featured in Farmer and Stockbreeder in 1955. Sent in by John Hopkins, Ceunant Farm, Aberystwyth.

to marcello.garbagnoli@agribriefing.com

We also had livestock markets at Derby, Uttoxeter, Ashbourne and Hartington sheep sales and Hope.

All of these are now sadly gone, to be replaced with the Bakewell Agricultural Centre, which provides us with an excellent service, all under cover.

Ms Picton-Jones and her wonderful DPJ Foundation: she has faced what any one of us could encounter and knows the vital importance of talking, helping, communicating, just being there and much more.

We have often attended Harrison and Hetherington’s Carlisle market for pedigree sales of cattle and sheep and the poultry sales.

We have thoroughly enjoyed the day out, meeting new people, but have found the online bull sales very confusing. Nothing beats

seeing the animals from an auction ringside.

Mr Rankin’s ‘Looking to the future’ gives food for thought. Yes, times are changing, technology is a great way forward, but I despair when I see a generation of youngsters so dependent on it. We still need personal contact and we must not lose our livestock centres.

Farming can be a lonely life, the ups and downs putting incredible stress on families, so please, for the sake of all those involved, young, middle aged, old – let us keep our live markets.

They are vital for the health and mental well-being of our present and future generations.

Judith Hancock, Foolow, Derbyshire.

analysis, data, pricing, insight and market intelligence to agribusiness professionals across the globe. This policy sets out how we do this and applies the use of your personal data that you

to win £200 for the Stockjudging Competition or £20 Love2Shop vouchers for the weekly Crossword Competition, referred to throughout this statement as the “Competitions”. How we collect your information: We collect the personal data you have provided to us by filling in the form on our website www.fginsight.com OR printed form when entering the Competitions. If you have entered the Competitions via our site we may also collect some technical information about how you use our site, for example, the type of device you are using, your operating system, IP address, uniform resource locator (URL), clickstream and length of visit. How we use the information you provide: We will use your personal information: • to administer the Competitions, on the basis that the use of your personal data for this purpose will be necessary to enter you into the competitions and, if you are successful, contact you to notify you of your prize; and, • if you are new to AgriBriefing and where you have agreed to this, to provide you with news and updates from time to time about our services; and, if at any point in the future you do not wish to receive any news and updates from us or from, you can unsubscribe from our marketing list at any time by following the steps below. To unsubscribe from any AgriBriefing communications using the link on the email we send you or by emailing us at dataprotection@agribriefing.com. We will not use your information for any purposes except those listed in this policy without letting you know and getting your permission, if necessary, first. Who do we share your information with? We will not disclose your information to any third parties without your consent, except where: • it is necessary to enable any of our staff, employees, agents, contractors, suppliers or commercial partners to provide a service to us or to perform a function on our behalf; • we have a legal obligation to disclose your information (for example, if a court orders us to); or • there is a sale or purchase of any business assets, or where AgriBriefing or any of its group companies are being acquired by a third party. Where we use third parties as described above to process your personal information, we will ensure that they have adequate security measures in place to safeguard your personal information. For how long do we keep your personal information? We keep your personal information for 36 months for the purposes for which it was collected or for any period for which we are required to keep personal information to comply with our legal and regulatory requirements, or until you ask us to delete your personal information. Your rights: You have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. These include the right to: •

Virtual home-working has been a learning curve for many agricultural employees, so what lessons can be learned from the journey so far? Danusia Osiowy speaks to three young professionals who have adapted to new working days.

Covid-19: a learning curve for young professionals

WHEN lockdown began, I found myself working in my living room and relying on virtual meetings to communicate with colleagues and farmers.

I was relatively new to all the Office 365 technology, so wasn’t skilled in navigating Microsoft Teams, but I actually find I talk to my team more now in lockdown than I did when we were all scattered around different offices.

I have had to adapt to more independent work, which has forced me to become more confident in myself and abilities. Before the change, I didn’t really use much software to facilitate virtual work, but I don’t think I could do my work without them now.

Software

I would regularly meet with clients through Skype, which although served a purpose, didn’t have the

same scope for sharing files and accessing shared data which my current software does.

Sometimes it can feel less personal, but at least it allows work to continue while conforming to lockdown rules.

I think this has also allowed time for some farmers to take a step back and think about their own sustainability, especially moving into a post-crisis world.

The farmers I have spoken to are really interested in improving soils and protecting the future of farming.

I think one of the better things to come out of the crisis has been the appreciation for the agricultural industry. Despite a crisis, crops still need to be grown, livestock needs to be reared and silage still needs to be cut.

It has highlighted the importance of farmers and all the hard work they do year-round.

Once lockdown began, I, like most

people, found supermarket shelves apocalyptically empty and I think this urged consumers to think about where food actually comes from.

We are all guilty of just expecting food to be there, so when it is not, it forces us to think about the process behind getting it onto shelves.

I HAVE always worked from my home office, so fortunately for me I was already set up to work from home before the lockdown.

As soon as the Government restrictions came into place, BASF took the decision to stop all business travel and that was the biggest change for me.

My role is customer-facing, so not being able to go out and about to see people face-to-face has made my job very different.

Rather than a ‘typical day’ of visiting farmers and agronomists or travelling to meetings, I now permanently sit at my desk on a virtual meeting or on the phone.

I have adapted to this new way of working and am fortunate to have been able to continue doing my job, but I really am looking forward to being able to see people face-toface again, even if it is at a two-metre distance.

Luckily, I managed to finish all of my customer spring update presentations just before the lockdown

restrictions came into place. But we are now approaching the typical ‘summer demo season’, where I would normally be providing trials tours at our Rawcliffe Bridge site, Yorkshire.

Obviously, this is not going to be possible this year, so we are moving all of our events online into the BASF Virtual Farm, which will be launched later this month.

Giving presentations is a regular

part of my job, but this has always been face-to-face to a group of people in a room or on a farm. I have never previously done this sort of thing virtually, so I have quickly had to adapt and learn how to do this online.

Making sure you can be seen and heard clearly is the most important part, which can be especially challenging with rural broadband. Also, getting

engagement during online presentations can be very difficult, so adapting presentation style is a must.

We have managed really well to continue working effectively as a business. If you had told me six months ago I would be working from home and I wasn’t able to go anywhere, I would have said it wasn’t possible. But we have all pulled together as a team and kept it ‘business as usual’ as best we can.

Many farmers have also been adapting and working closely with supermarkets and the food industry to ensure we have a continued and reliable supply of food, particularly during the panic buying we saw earlier in the pandemic.

During this period, the changes I’ve had to make in my work and personal life are insignificant in comparison to what key workers, such as our NHS staff, have had to make.

As nice as it would be to return to work as normal, it’s more important we stay safe and not undo all the hard work everyone has already achieved.

Luchia Garcia-Perez, 27

Sustainable agricultural consultant, ADAS

Rory Galloway, 28

Agronomy manager, BASF

About #ThisIsAgriculture

FARMERS Guardian has joined forces with 20 key industry stakeholders from across the farming sector to promote careers in agriculture, collaborating with industry bodies and industry partners to see how and where we can work together to shape the political agenda, drive educational reform and provide learning resources. Articles have featured in Farmers Guardian to help agricultural businesses and farms understand recruitment and staff retention challenges and practical ideas they can adopt to mark the evolving changes which are happening in the careers, skills and training arena.

THE immediate post-lockdown challenge has primarily been about minimising the impact of the pandemic on our farmers; making sure they are supported financially, as well as having as much information as possible to help them through the crisis.

I am usually on the road a lot meeting with farmers and seeing our suppliers face-to-face and I have definitely missed that. I have been fortunate to be in lockdown on a dairy farm, so I have never been too far from a cow, and Zoom has allowed me to keep in regular dialogue with farmers, suppliers and colleagues.

I have definitely become more astute at work electronically, which sounds like a really lame skill for someone who is only 24. I think a lot of businesses, including ours, will question how and where people work in the long-term.

Our business has coped and adapted amazingly well at all stages of the supply chain throughout the pandemic. Whether it be having thousands of colleagues working from home, record

amounts of food going through our distribution network or our store colleagues managing with social distancing in stores. Everyone has knuckled down and got the job done.

The way in which people shop for and buy food continues to change every week. Frequency of shop visits have fallen and basket sizes are up substantially, yet convenience and

online continue to be the winners at the moment, with many customers wanting to avoid large supermarkets.

I have been particularly impressed by how our farmers have adapted to virtual farmer meetings. I never thought presenting to up to 40 farmers at a time via Zoom would have been something I would do during 2020, but it has been.

In fact, these meetings have not just been nice to have, but they have instead been vital in enabling us to communicate with them on issues such as business resilience, people/ staff management, commodity and feed prices and financial planning, the list goes on.

Farmers are now requesting these regular updates and advice sessions happen every six weeks.

Surely all this will remind people that regardless of global pandemics or otherwise, the food industry will always be there, and that it offers not just job security, but some really interesting and exciting careers.

Josh Dowbiggin, 24

Twenty years ago this spring saw the formation of Farmers For Action. To mark the anniversary, Farmers Guardian spoke to its leader, David Handley, about why the organisation remains relevant two decades on.

Firebrand Handley still up for the fight

It was in May 2000, in the salubrious surroundings of Frankley Services, on the M5 in Worcestershire, that Farmers For Action (FFA) was born.

Back then, the industry was being assailed by a range of problems, with the dairy sector seeing prices at their lowest ebb in real terms for 30 years.

With rising tensions in the wider economy as fuel prices rose above 80 pence per litre, with much of that being fuel duty, there were growing calls for action on both fronts.

Step forward David Handley, a tenanted dairy farmer from near Chepstow, Wales.

“We were having the same problems then as we are today,” said Mr Handley.

“There were beef imports flooding in and the lamb and milk markets were on slippery slopes.

“There were about 25-30 people who were ringleaders of sporadic protests at the time, but it was actually a discussion with Tesco that led to the formation of FFA.

Impetus

“I rang Tesco’s procurement director and they said that they would not deal with individuals, only organisations, and that gave us the impetus to come together.”

The meeting on the M5 would be followed by another formal get-together in Wiltshire, where, Mr Handley suggests, Derek Mead pointed to him as the formal chairman of FFA.

With the fuse lit, Mr Handley and the FFA became high-profile figures in the fuel protests of that year, with BBC reports of their blockade of Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, in September 2000 describing them as a ‘rag-tag army of farmers and hauliers’.

Milk contracts were next in their sights.

“We got meetings with retailers and our big breakthrough was in milk,” said Mr Handley.

“We had a meeting in Leeds with [then Asda chief executive] Alan Leighton and Robert Wiseman.

“Milk prices were at 12-13ppl and we put our argument forward and Alan turned to Robert and said we need 3ppl more, and he had to deliver. And the rest is history.”

Over the intervening years, Mr Handley has often been a highprofile figure when the farming industry has turned to protesting, especially if milk prices have been in the doldrums.

And for many years he said he struck up a strong working relationship between the FFA and NFU, especially while the latter was under the presidency of Sir Peter Kendall.

“Peter Kendall at the NFU allowed us to come together and while we sometimes had our hiccups, I think he did more for the NFU membership than anyone before,” said Mr Handley.

“It had usually been the NFU way or no way, but he changed that.

“The NFU today seems to be all about the publicity it receives, whereas I really think it should be about results and not just getting your name in print or on TV.”

With 13,000 members at its peak, the FFA currently has about half that figure, but has a strong social media following.

And while Mr Handley has no intention of stepping back from the leadership, he is clear there needs to be an eye on the future.

Passionate

“People are asking what we have been doing in the current dairy crisis, but we have been vocal behind the scenes rather than in the media,” he said.

“In terms of my legacy, I believe that if you do not try then you will never know. You will not be liked by everybody, but if you are passionate then you will make things happen.

“But if the younger generation reverts back to thinking that other people will do it for them, then we could be back to the situation we had in 2000, when the farming voice was not heard.”

Still milking cows, albeit at a

If the younger generation reverts back to thinking that other people will do it for them, we could be back to the situation in 2000, when the farming voice was not heard

DAVID HANDLEY

much smaller scale then he once did, Mr Handley, now 68, remains passionate about the FFA.

“There will always a place for the FFA and this type of organisation which is not afraid to ask the hard questions,” he added.

When milk prices have been low, David Handley and Farmers For Action have made their voices heard.

Edited by Olivia Midgley

– 01772 799 548

Coronavirus has brought big changes to

in the UK and across the

farmers adapt? Cedric Porter reports

Covid-19 brings big shift in food landscape

rAll questions now on what ‘new normal’ will be

NEARLY four months on, it is clear the Covid-19 crisis will lead to some significant changes in the way people buy and eat food and farmers need to prepare for those changes.

Phil Bicknell, head of market intelligence at AHDB, whose team

has been forecasting what some of these changes may look like, said: “At the beginning of the crisis, people were questioning when things would return to normal.

“All the questions now are on what the ‘new normal’ will look like.

“There are obviously risks for farmers, but there are likely to be opportunities too.”

Here are what the key areas might look like.

IN HOME EATING AND RETAIL

IT was inevitable that lockdown would lead to increased demand for food at home.

With most people forced to be at home in lockdown during the height of the crisis, market research company Kantar estimated that an extra half-a-billion meals were being eaten at home every week, many of them lunches as workers and schoolchildren ate at home and not out of it.

AHDB’s weekly coronavirus retail sales tracker, compiled by Kantar, showed total weekly food and drink sales have been up more than 15 per cent on average since the beginning of March.

In particular, there was strong demand for cream, burgers, bacon and potatoes. Elsewhere, retail sales of flour almost doubled in late March.

A survey by Tesco found that

one-fifth of people cooked meals from scratch during lockdown, with 90 per cent saying they would continue to do so after restrictions were lifted.

Opportunities

Mr Bicknell said: “People are likely to continue to work from home more for the foreseeable future, while renewed interest in cooking present opportunities for farmers.”

However, food poverty has increased during the pandemic and could get worse as more people lose their jobs.

A survey for the Food Standards Agency estimated as many as 7.7 million adults reduced meal sizes or skipped meals altogether in April and May because of a lack of money. Up to 3.7 million people sought help from charities or food banks.

Continued over the page...

Phil Bicknell said demand for British pork has been maintained, especially in the Chinese market.

Changes

0.5 billion

extra meals are estimated to have been eaten at home every week, according to Kantar

82%

more lamb is estimated to have been used in takeaways in the 12 weeks to May 17

7.7 million

adults reduced or skipped meals in April and May due to lack of money, according to the FSA

78%

more cheese used in takeaways, which equates to an extra 4,600 tonnes as pizza sales soared

92%

more online sales in the four weeks to the middle of June compared to the same period last year

35%

of those surveyed by the FSA said they had bought more local food during the lockdown

Using market intelligence to prepare for the future

UNDERSTANDING the impact changes will have on a farming is critical. In its latest Outlook series, AHDB highlighted key areas livestock farmers need to be aware of:

■ Greater exposure to world markets will mean farmers need to be more competitive, with the price of imports becoming more important. As a result, good on-farm cost management will be essential

■ Growth in global meat consumption will outstrip that in the UK over the next decade, so targeting export markets will be key, especially for lamb. The global pork market has been supported by a lack of supply due to the African swine fever outbreak. It is likely to be up to four years before it gets back into balance

■ The Covid-19 crisis has exposed

TRADE

THE value of UK food exports in April was 11.6 per cent less than April 2019 at £1.611 billion, with imports 0.6 per cent higher at £3.972bn, according to HMRC figures. Global food trade has been affected by some disruption to the shipping and logistics chain and the closure of restaurants across the world. But Mr Bicknell said there have been some bright spots.

“For example, demand for British pork has been maintained, especially in the Chinese market,” he said.

Coronavirus has come at a time when the UK’s trading relationships

a carcase imbalance in beef sales, with the UK seeing one of the highest price ratios of sirloin steaks to mince. Currently 45 per cent of the average carcase is minced and that proportion could increase as demand for mince increases globally. Less culling of dairy beef calves could also see more beef production from dairy and put pressure on suckler cow output

■ Consumers say they want the Government to prioritise health, well-being and the environment after coronavirus, but ensuring payment for farmers who deliver these ‘goods’ is still to be devised

■ The volatile weather of 2020 demonstrates that carrying out a climate change risk assessment on-farm is important

with the rest of the world are changing. It is hoped that a free trade agreement with the EU can be in place by the end of the year, despite significant areas of difference remaining.

At the same time, the UK is looking to do deals with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and other Pacific countries.

Much has been said about the threat to British production if food produced to lower standards is allowed into the country, but there could be opportunities in fast growing non-European markets.

DIGITAL AND DIRECT SALES

THE pandemic has given a boost to online food sales.

In the four weeks to the middle of June 2020 online sales were 92 per cent higher than the same period last year, with online retailer Ocado posting a 42 per cent growth in sales in the 12 weeks to the middle of June.

Takeaway businesses which had implemented precautions were able to reopen soon after lockdown. Big changes were seen in the way people accessed their takeaways. Before lockdown, 84 per cent of people

VIA

picked up their takeaways, according to Kantar data for AHDB.

Of the remainder, 7 per cent used services such as Deliveroo or Just Eat, 5 per cent the restaurant’s own apps, with 4 per cent receiving a delivery they had phoned through.

By the middle of May only 41 per cent collected their orders, with delivery service apps accounting for 21 per cent of the total, restaurant apps 20 per cent and phoned deliveries 18 per cent.

Lamb, cheese and pork benefited

WEEKS ENDING MAY 17, 2020

from extra takeaway trade, but the closure of restaurants such as McDonald’s had a big impact on beef and potato usage.

Takeaways

In the 12 weeks to May 17, it is estimated lamb usage in takeaways jumped by 82 per cent or 1,300 tonnes compared to last year.

Cheese usage in takeaways rose by 4,600t or 78 per cent as pizza sales soared. Pork usage was up just 4 per cent or 100t, while beef sales fell 22

per cent by 1,200t and potatoes by 35 per cent or 10,000t.

Although there is no solid data, sales directly from farms and in farm shops are believed to have increased during the pandemic.

A survey for the Food Standards Agency found that 35 per cent reported they had bought more local food and 11 per cent less.

The increase in farm retail sales was counterweighted by a reduction in sales to restaurants. Many artisan dairies reported much reduced sales.

PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN WEEKLY YEAR-ON-YEAR TOTAL RETAIL

RESTAURANTS, HOSPITALITY AND FOOD SERVICE

THE pandemic has highlighted how dependent the food and farming industry is on sales to restaurants, hotels and other food service outlets.

In the year to June 2019, AHDB estimated that there were 9.8 billion meals eaten out of the home in the UK, with implied spending of £77.3bn.

The reopening of pubs and restaurants in England from July 4, is likely to lead to a short-term bounce in sales as pent-up demand is released, but it will take the sector some time to recover from more than three months of shutdown and the economic uncertainty ahead.

Food service analyst Simon

Stenning predicted that one-fifth of outlets may not reopen at all in 2020, with another £23bn lost in the second half of the year.

He does not expect sector sales to get back to 2019 levels until 2025, although by 2030 they could reach £108bn.

Mr Bicknell said: “The food service sector faces very big changes in reassuring diners that it is safe to return to pubs and restaurants.

“However, eating out is at the top of the wishlist for many people as they seek to return to normal, while the simplification of menus could mean increased opportunities for the sale of British produce.”

Recycled black and coloured wrap has a limited demand as a recyclate which is resulting in mountains of it lying about the countryside unwanted. Clear wrap (kept separate) is in demand as it can be reused into a multitude of recycled products meaning wrapping your bales with it is the best environmental option For nationwide sales of Crystal Clear bale wrap Contact:

Produced award winning bale silage 2019. Free recycling trial to NFUS and NFU Members in Southern Scotland and Northern England Contact Solway Recycling for details

Farmers urged to maintain social distancing at marts

rSome marts have built ringside barriers

By Olivia Midgley

WHILE lockdown restrictions have started to ease, farmers attending livestock markets have been reminded to adhere to social distancing guidelines and ‘avoid complacency’ to ensure sales can continue undisrupted.

Limited numbers of vendors are now permitted ringside, provided all social distancing measures are adhered to, but the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association (LAA) has asked for extra understanding, given the ‘inherent difficulties’ of maintaining safe distances around the sale pens and rings.

LAA executive secretary Chris Dodds said: “There is a limit as to how many people can be safely accommodated ringside and pen side, and we ask farmers to work

Arla confirms July milk price cut by 0.63ppl

ARLA farmers will see a 0.63ppl price cut in July after the co-operative warned it was still feeling the effects of a demand shortage caused by the coronavirus lockdown.

The processor has confirmed prices for conventional milk will decrease by 0.75 euro cents per kilo, while the UK organic price will fall by 1.5 euro cents from July 1, bringing milk prices to 29.26ppl and 37.62ppl respectively.

Prices quoted include the bonus for farmers who have completed their Arlagarden and Climate Check data.

Graham Wilkinson, UK agriculture director at Arla, said: “Despite significant redeployment measures and the start-up of the food service sector, our organic demand continues to be disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 disruption. The 0.63ppl drop will, however, still see Arla retain its lead with the top market price during a time of severe market disruption.

with us as we gradually advance towards reopening our markets to a greater extent.

“We need customers to operate to, and abide by, the continuing social distancing measures in place. We are asking vendors to be understanding and appreciative of the need to maintain compliance with the latest Government guidelines.”

The LAA said it was working hard alongside Defra and the Welsh Government to deliver procedures to enable greater market access ahead of the crucial autumn sales.

Solutions

“We know many more vendors will want to be ringside at this crucial time during the sales programme, and we are looking at solutions to accommodate them as the situation evolves,” added Mr Dodds.

He warned against complacency, with vendors encouraged to protect their own health and minimise the risk to others.

“Unfortunately, we have recently seen examples of confirmed coronavirus outbreaks and positive tests within meat and food processing plants, resulting in their temporary closure or disruption to their businesses,” said Mr Dodds.

“Our priority is of course public health, but equally we do not want to see the knock-on effects of

marts having to temporarily close, or indeed, farmers put on a 14 day self-isolation, due to failures to minimise risks.”

The organisation said it feared for a second virus spike and the implications this would have on the autumn sales programme.

Farmers are therefore advised to

continue to follow the guidelines unless Government guidance changes. Marts have been updating their own websites and social media pages to ensure farmers can stay abreast of any new rules or relaxations. Some, like Skipton, have installed ringside barriers to help farmers maintain social distancing.

Scots calf registrations at 10-year high

SCOTTISH calf registration data from the first third of 2020 show a year-on-year increase of 5 per cent, putting them at the highest level for more than a decade.

In 2019, the proportion of the annual total calvings occurring in the first third of the year was 46 per cent, compared to 44 per cent a decade ago, as the importance of the dairy herd has slipped.

Stuart Ashworth, Quality Meat Scotland’s director of economics services, said the trend explains some of the increase but that it was also a continuation of changed breeding herd management.

He said: “Although the December census suggested a decline in the Scottish dairy herd of 1 per cent the number of dairy sired registrations in the first third of

2020 has fallen faster. This suggests a greater use of sexed semen for breeding dairy replacements, increasing the potential to expand production of beef crosses from the dairy herd.”

Breeds

Native breeds now account for almost 30 per cent of all registrations, an increase of almost 50 per cent in the past decade. The largest growth has been in AberdeenAngus sired registrations. It will be 18 months before this increase in stock numbers will reach an abattoir. In the meantime, previous falls in calf registrations will continue to mean lower availability of slaughter stock in comparison to year-earlier levels for the medium-term.

Mr Ashworth said: “The number of one- to two-year-old male cattle in the Scottish December census showed a decline of 5 per cent, while heifers fell 1 per cent leading to an inevitable tightening of prime stock through 2020.”

However, slaughter data has shown an increase in prime cattle reaching Scottish abattoirs so far this year, with a 1 per cent lift in the opening five months of the year, while data from the price reporting abattoirs indicates this has continued into June.

On the beef supply side, the Irish processing sector has returned to full capacity in June after a sharp reduction in slaughter through April and May, potentially adding some competitive pressures to the overall beef market.

Ringside barriers have been installed at Skipton farmers market

For

visit FGinsight.com/FarmersStriveToThrive

Speaking up when things get tough saved two farmers from the point of no return. Former dairy farmer Bobby Stevenson and farm worker Duncan Maclellan speak to Farmers Guardian about their recovery.

The road to recovery

Bobby Stevenson

BEFORE mental health problems hit, former dairy farmer Bobby Stevenson was someone who could ‘deal with anything’.

“Whatever life threw at me I could cope with,” he says.

But that began to change after Bobby purchased some additional land to expand the farm in Ballantrae in 2012.

Land was not often available and he felt it was an opportunity not to be missed. Initially all was well; milk prices increased and his repayments were easily covered. That was until the price began to fall.

He says: “By no means was the business on its knees, but I was in a situation I was unfamiliar with. It was my first experience of borrowing a large sum of money.”

Then, at 49, Bobby suffered a stroke which affected the right-hand side of his

Duncan Maclellan

SHARING his experience of depression was a key part of recovery for Aberdeenshire farm worker Duncan Maclellan.

He had difficulties throughout his late teens following his parents’ separation, but these became much worse following the sudden and unexpected death of his father in 2017.

Duncan, 26, was working on a dairy farm in New Zealand at the time and initially started having problems sleeping. He says: “I was lucky if I got a couple of hours per night. I was okay during the day, but as soon I tried to get to sleep everything went rolling through my mind.”

This led to feelings of depression and, after eight months, he returned home to Scotland, unsure what his next step would be. One of my relatives was looking

Sources of help

Samaritans

● Telephone: 116113

● Confidential helpline open 24 hours/ day, 365 days/year

● Visit samaritans.org

body. After a few days in hospital, he was straight back to work on the farm, but as well as new physical challenges, his mental health was suffering too.

He says: “Being a farmer means you are making decisions all the time, but unlike other jobs you never get a break from it. I felt as if I was in a hole and the sides kept falling in and it was my job to just keep shovelling it out. I got to the stage where I couldn’t face going outside. All I saw were the problems.”

Shift

Over the next couple of years Bobby was hospitalised three times and it was during his third stay something shifted for him.

“Mainstream mental health services have limited experience of agriculture,” he says. However, while at Woodview Hospital,

for somebody to help with harvest, so I took that job and I am still there.”

But his depression got worse. “Everything kept going through my mind, I wasn’t sleeping and I couldn’t cope with even little things. I thought everything was my fault.”

Struggle

In August 2019 he received the news that a friend in New Zealand had taken his own life.

“In the 18 months up to that I lost five friends to suicide, three of whom were involved in farming. Something twigged for me and I knew I didn’t want to get to the point where that seemed the only option. I spoke to close family members, my mum and my sisters. I told them I was really struggling.”

Duncan then got in touch with a counsellor recommended by his sister’s friend and

Farming Community Network

● Telephone: 03000 111 999

● Confidential helpline open 7am to 11pm every day of the year

● Visit farminghelp.co.uk

Irvine, he worked with a professional who was a farmer’s daughter and her understanding of his situation was transformational. He says: “She gave me the building blocks to put myself back together again.”

Part of his recovery included his decision to sell the farm after realising he needed a permanent change.

Bobby is passionate about sharing his story and assuring others who might be suffering with their own worries and anxieties. “Depression is an illness, but it is curable if you speak to somebody and, just like with an animal which is unwell, it is better to start treating it early. We have to break down the stigma with mental health.”

He encourages farmers to look out for neighbours. “Particularly since Covid-19, we have lost that neighbour connection. Take

made an appointment. “I also decided to put a status on social media to let people know I had been struggling and encouraging anyone else to speak up if they were also having difficulties. The worst thing is to keep it bottled up. I got hundreds of messages and phone calls from friends, people I was at school with and even people I barely knew.”

Duncan had a few counselling sessions

Directory of National Rural Support Groups

● National and regional groups offering help for rural communities, published by YANA ● Visit yanahelp.org/rural-directory.pdf

the time to stop your tractor and talk.”

A year on from leaving the farm, Bobby and wife Val live a stone’s throw from the sea at Lendalfoot. Bobby is well and particularly appreciates being able to go away without the worry of leaving the farm.

He still has some farm machinery and enjoys working for a local contractor without the pressure of running his own farm.

which he found helpful, but says sharing his feelings with others was the most powerful source of support.

He says: “If you are having a bad day and someone asks how you are doing, being open and honest is the best way.

“I still have down days. I am not 100 per cent there, but my sleep is recovering and I feel better.”

Running has been great therapy for him too. “It is my number one escape –getting out with my music on and just running and blocking out everything else. That has been a massive help.”

He prioritises his self care more now. “I go around things in a slightly different way looking after myself, taking time away from the farm and just trying to get more of a balance in my life I guess.”

British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy

● Information on talking therapy, how it can help and how to find a therapist

● Visit bacp.co.uk

In association with

Increased regulation and tax changes have created a difficult environment for the amateur landlord, but with a well-informed approach, there may still be profit in buy-to-let. Specialist property journalist Gill Broad reports.

Is buy-to-let property still a viable investment?

For many years, buy-to-let seemed an obvious investment route for anyone with a deposit available. It was attractive due to the prospect of capital growth from a rising property market, combined with regular rental income.

However, tax variations and greater regulation have led to a substantial drop in the number of landlords.

It is important to remember that rental income is taxable.

Tax relief on mortgage interest has been phased out and ended in April 2020, which particularly affects higher rate taxpayers.

Landlords cannot deduct the cost of interest on a buy-to-let mortgage from their rental income to reduce their tax liability.

Landlords in higher tax brackets can claim tax relief of 20 per cent of their mortgage interest payment.

THE strongest reason for entering the buy-to-let market is the forecast of rising rents due to high demand for rental property.

To achieve the best return, investigate the type of proposed buy-to-let – whether that be student accommodation, a house in multiple occupation, holiday home or residential house – and compare current rents being paid for such properties in the area.

Before deciding whether buy-to-let is for you, examine other investments to see whether a better yield is achievable, for instance from the stock market.

Landlords are also no longer able to offset 10 per cent of their annual rental income against their tax bill to cover wear and tear.

Changes to stamp duty have proved a significant deterrent to aspiring buy-to-let landlords.

An extra 3 per cent is payable by anyone buying a second home, increasing the overall purchase cost.

Another dampener has been the ban on agents charging letting fees to tenants.

To recoup their losses, agents have increased fees to the landlord for letting services.

Tax

Clearly the Government wants to deter amateur landlords who may not follow all the regulations.

Many may be paying tax incorrectly or not managing their properties properly.

Recent volatility connected with the Covid-19 outbreak may lead to the conclusion that property is a safer investment.

With historically low interest rates, investors holding cash may consider a buy-to-let attractive, but this should be set against the ongoing commitments and costs involved in ownership.

There are still opportunities for an investor who is prepared to do research and take an informed view.

If the right property is purchased for the right price and in the right location, buy-to-let is still worth consideration.

However, measures are now in place to protect tenants and tax those with second homes and the Government is aware of the requirement for good quality rental properties.

Another concern is proposed changes to Section 21 of The Housing Act, which enables landlords to regain possession of properties let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy, often termed a ‘no-fault eviction’ as a landlord need not give a reason for seeking repossession.

The Government wants to increase security for renters, but the step may deter landlords who fear difficulties in regaining possession of their property.

When calculating the viability of buy-to-let, it is important to consider voids between lettings, covering the mortgage during these times and the possibility of dealing with difficult tenants.

Landlords must also factor in

the costs of insurance, provision of an Energy Performance Certificate, annual gas and electrical safety certificates, maintenance and repairs.

Other regulations include keeping properties free from health hazards, protecting tenants’ deposits in a Government-approved scheme and checking that tenants fulfil Right to Rent legislation.

Regulations

Landlords must give tenants a How to Rent checklist, fit and test smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and follow fire safety regulations.

Apart from these considerations, landlords deciding to sell up are likely to incur Capital Gains Tax on the sale of the property at their marginal rate of tax and from April 6, file a residential property return and pay tax within 30 days.

Rising rents forecast

Tax relief on mortgage interest ended in April 2020.

Global pork production set to drop 8 per cent

and coronavirus impacts blamed

By Mollie Leach

GLOBAL pork production will see an 8 per cent drop in 2020, the latest Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations report has revealed.

According to the biannual FAO report on world food markets, this reduction is expected to witness pork production fall to 101 million tonnes, with much of the global decline attributed to African swine fever (ASF) in China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

20 per cent fall in pigmeat output to 25m tonnes this year, with outbreaks causing drops in Vietnam and the Philippines.

Negative production in the US comes, however, as a result of severe supply chain disruption, which has seen mass meat plant closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Exports

Lockdown measures tightened in Germany

LOCKDOWN measures have been tightened in two districts of Germany’s most populous state, after one of Europe’s largest slaughterhouses saw more than 1,500 workers contract Covid-19.

Due to a major outbreak at the Toennie meat processing plant in the North Rhine-Westphalia state, Guetersloh county’s 360,000 residents have been instructed to only have contact with their own household or one person from outside.

Similar restrictions have also been imposed in neighbouring Warendorf county, where many of the plant’s employees live.

Standards

Global Chinese pork imports are also set to rise according to the FAO, which has forecasted an increase by 1.2m tonnes (42 per cent) in 2020, reaching 4.1m tonnes and accounting for 40 per cent of the global volume trade.

The outbreak has raised a debate about standards in Germany’s food industry and its reliance on migrant labour, particularly from Romania, which has seen Germany’s Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner push for an animal welfare levy to clean up the meat trade.

This has seen China suffer from a

Meanwhile, global pork exports in 2020 have been forecasted to increase by 11 per cent at 10.6m tonnes on the year before, which experts have attributed to an expected increase in Chinese imports as well as a moderate surge in demand in Vietnam, the Philippines, Chile and the Ukraine.

The EU and UK will see an increase in pork supply due to a decrease in domestic consumption and a rise in production, which could lead to more exports, especially to China, following newly signed agreements between China and major EU suppliers.

Pork exports from Brazil are expected to increase due to a higher demand from China, while sales to other countries are likely to fall. rASF

It follows a series of outbreaks in UK plants, which has prompted a number of sites to temporarily suspend production.

The British Meat Processors Association urged processing plants to remain ‘extra vigilant’ and to ensure guidance is applied ‘rigorously’ as the lockdown eases in England.

1,500

More than 1,500 workers from one of Europe’s largest slaughterhouses have contracted Covid-19.

Global pork production is expected to fall to 101 million tonnes this year.

Edited by Hannah Park – 01772

Planning a large-scale pea crop across more than 100 farms in Norfolk and Suffolk is a complicated task. Andy Beach, general manager of growers’ co-operative Anglian Pea Growers, spoke to Clemmie Gleeson on how he makes it work.

Planning and delivering a successful pea harvest

Producing top quality vining peas for quick freezing requires careful planning, combining technological tools with ‘good old gut feeling and judgement’, says Andy Beach, general manager at Anglian Pea Growers (APG).

APG has been operating in its current format since 2000, first supplying Birds Eye before securing a new contract with Ardo UK in 2011 after Birds Eye’s departure from the region the previous year.

As well as nitrogen-fixing, peas are a low input crop which provide spring cover and early entry for the following crop.

Norfolk and Suffolk have been collaborating for many years to make it possible.

Now in his tenth season managing the group’s collective crop, Andy’s role includes deciding what to grow where in order to fulfil Ardo UK’s requirements.

Other benefits are that growers do not need to harvest, store or transport the crop.

However, one downside is the harvesting machinery which comes with a hefty price tag, one reason why this group of 120 growers in

This starts in June the previous year when members are asked to submit details of land they will be making available to APG.

Suitability

Later in the year, Andy and his colleague, Robert Lee, visit the proposed pea growing fields to check their suitability and distance from the processor in Lowestoft.

“We have to factor that in to the process to come up with a harvest plan.

“This is the age of technology, but we still rely on gut feeling and experience.

“For example, we use accumulated heat units to help predict crop maturity, but we also use our feeling and knowledge of the crop and variety and how it reacts to different conditions.”

They then start planning the season, starting with a harvest plan and working back to drilling.

“Each field and its locality will grow peas differently,” says Andy.

Soil type, aspect and variety selection are also important factors and as well as looking at breeding companies’ trial results, Andy also trials new varieties on APG land before committing too heavily.

This starts with five hectares (12 acres) and, if successful, would increase to 50ha (124 acres) by the third year and then to 200300ha (494-741 acres).

When it comes to harvest, Andy develops a sequential 24-hour, seven days per week plan.

EAST ANGLIA FARM PROFILE

“The aim is to start on day one and work continuously until all the peas are harvested,” he says.

“Mother Nature has an impact on the success of that along with various other factors, but that is what we aim for.

“Once the factory opens, it just wants to keep running.”

However, the volume of deliveries needs to be kept within the factory’s capacity to process the incoming peas.

The harvest plan informs the drilling plan.

“We aim to start drilling in the last week of February, although this year we were coming back

Andy Beach.

Peas are sent to a processor in Lowestoft.

FARM PROFILE EAST ANGLIA

from a very wet autumn and winter, so we were delayed and did not start until March 11.”

The drilling conditions started well in 2020 and the team even had to pause temporarily so they did not get ahead of themselves, but then as the dry conditions continued it was difficult to establish crops.

Members carry out primary and secondary cultivations and may do some or all of the drilling themselves.

Otherwise APG drills the crop with group-owned precision equipment. The group uses a 6m Terratech precision drill which it commissioned.

It counts seeds individually before pressing them into the soil and thereby causes less soil disturbance than a conventional drill.

Its use, Andy says, has increased output and helped with the success of sequential planting.

Individuals are responsible for maintaining the crop between drilling and harvest, with Andy overseeing and advising where necessary.

Recent losses to the chemical arsenal have included loss of some seed treatments for early drillings.

“Essentially we are now drilling naked seed before April 1,” Andy says.

“We could live without them for later drillings, but the impact on early crops could not be worse because they are more susceptible to problems.”

Pests that pose a particular problem for vining peas include the pea and bean weevil in the early season and aphids, both peach potato and pea types.

Pigeons

“We do not like applying insecticides, but will closely monitor and if we see a threshold of economic damage approaching, we will treat them,” Andy says.

The pea moth and the silver Y moth are also potential problems, so the group monitors populations through pheromone traps to inform whether chemical intervention is needed.

Pigeons, however, pose the biggest economical risk to a crop.

In terms of cost, the biggest to the group is its harvesting machinery.

“We have five viners which are about £450,000 each,” Andy says.

“But as a producer organisation, APG has been able to access EU grant funding to help with this.”

The sharing of crop risk between growers is also an important benefit of membership.

“It is not the case that if one grower has a disaster beyond his control, like a hailstorm, he takes it fully on the chin,” Andy says.

“The other members are com -

Drilling is completed by June, and harvest of the early fields are started soon after.

mitted to helping one another out.

The growers still have an incentive to do well, but given that the group dictates when crops are drilled and what variety is grown on each individual’s land, it is only fair to spread the risk.”

Drilling is completed by early June and harvest of the earliest fields starts soon after.

“It is three and a half months for those earlier crops while the later drilled fields will be ready by mid-August.”

As well as heat accumulation, flower scoring is another important maturity marker for predicting harvest.

“We do regular visual assessments. It is a fairly accurate gauge of when a crop is likely to be at optimum maturity, coupled with heat accumulation figures and good old gut feeling and judgement.”

And once harvested, peas must be frozen within 150 minutes to qualify as ‘speedy’ peas.

“Peas lose quality if they are not frozen within that time and particularly if they miss a three-hour time limit,” says Andy.

“This is due to microbes and bacteria on the pea which start to break it down.”

All of APG’s crop is intended to be ‘speedy’, he says.

Tenderness

This means the group also aims to hit the top A or AA quality grades which, put simply, is the tenderness of the pea.

Andy measures the group’s success not just by producing good yields, APG typically yields 5t/ha (2t/acre) for petit pois and 6t/ha (2.4t/acre) for standard peas, but also reaching the required quality

profile and the volume required by the customer.

“It is also about hitting budgets and being as economical as possible,” Andy says.

“Knowing how much it costs us to run the precision drill, for example, and how well we are covering harvesting costs and sourcing all our inputs at the best price.”

An additional health and safety consideration for 2020 has been the group’s response to Covid-19 with the most significant day-today change being how it manages the transportation of staff to and from the field.

“We use minibuses for staff transport. We used to have one bus, we now have four,” Andy says.

Another direct cost has been provision of additional personal protective equipment and further in-field provisions for hand wash-

EAST ANGLIA FARM PROFILE

ing, sanitisation and disinfection of machinery between operators.

Andy has also taken the initiative to order spare parts that may be required during harvest well in advance, in case of any supply issues which could be disastrous for the 24-hour harvesting plans.

“The most important aspect from my and APG’s perspective is doing everything possible to protect our staff and their families,” he says.

“But we are lucky in this industry to be able to carry on with what we are doing in relative isolation.

“Like all agricultural enterprises, APG and its growers have had a lot of challenges so far in 2020.

“The continued success of APG is down to a mix of experienced and committed growers, expertise of its employees and hopefully a touch of good fortune.”

Pea Growers facts

n Grower cooperative of 120 farmers (105 currently active)

n Total 3,025ha (7,475 acres) of peas grown

n 60 per cent of area grown is standard/garden peas; 40 per cent is petit pois

n Area covered reaches from Walcott in north east Norfolk to Nacton near Ipswich in Suffolk

n Peas grown for Ardo UK and frozen at the XPO Logistics processing plant in Lowestoft within 150 minutes of harvest

n All growers are Red Tractor Fresh Produce Assured

n 10 varieties of petit pois and 16 varieties of standard or garden peas including trial material

n Group shares machinery –precision drill and five viners

n Staff teams of 10 working day and 10 at night during harvest

Once harvested, APG’s peas must be frozen within 150 minutes.

Anglian

More than 100 producers are part of Anglian Pea Growers.

PICTURES:

ARABLE

Edited by Teresa Rush – 01787

A year for fat hen

rDry spring affected herbicide performance

By Alice Dyer

THE increased area of spring crops teamed with poor herbicide performance resulting from spring drought conditions has seen broadleaved weeds take off this season.

Problem species including fat hen, poppy and mayweed are particularly prevalent this year, says Laura Crook, weed ecologist at Rothamsted Research.

“I also saw a bad case of chickweed in spring wheat. [The fact] there are fewer winter crops and an increase in spring crops being grown this year will be favouring the spring germinating weeds.”

Black-grass

However, the rise in spring crops has helped with black-grass control, she says.

“Black-grass does appear to be at lower levels this year, probably due to the reduction in winter sown crops and the drought. There is black-grass present in spring crops but it tends to be lower in the crop canopy at the moment. I have also seen a big problem with wild oats in crops this year, particularly in spring sown barley.”

Artificial intelligence solution to seed germination testing

A NEW tool, SeedGerm – based on machine learning-driven image analysis – is said to be able to test seed samples to ensure a certain germination rate is met in a lowcost, high-throughput and semiautomated way.

The product is the result of a collaboration between the Earlham Institute, the John Innes Centre, Syngenta and NIAB. Carmel O’Neill, research assistant in the Penfield Group at the John Innes Centre, says: “Currently most seed germination is still recorded manually. Against this, SeedGerm presents fast, accurate, high throughput screening and will be of major interest to crop seed production companies and research programmes screening large germplasm collections.”

Ms Crook says now is the time to hand rogue grass-weeds or spray them off in particularly bad patches.

“For broad-leaved weeds, the best practice at the moment would be to spray off particularly bad patches or pre-harvest desiccation to prevent seed return, especially as broad-leaved weed seed is more persistent in the soil compared to grass-weeds.

“Considerations for next season would be to ensure a good rotation

which will in turn use a range of herbicide modes of action to assist with control and resistance.”

Root crops

In root crops, phone calls from growers struggling to control fat hen with the usual herbicide mixes are at an all time high, says Darryl Shailes, Hutchinsons agronomist.

“Weed control in sugar beet has been a real headache with the dry, hot and frosty weather mixed with some gappy beet crops,” he says.

SeedGerm uses a cabinet equipped with cameras that take photographs throughout the germination process, documenting each stage from imbibition (seeds taking up water) through to the emergence of the root and further changes in the newlygrowing plant.

Predict

[The fact] there are fewer winter crops and an increase in spring crops being grown this year will be favouring the spring germinating weeds

LAURA CROOK

“The lack of rain to activate any residuals and then having to switch away from the likes of Betanal maxxPro when farm stocks had been used up has caused some real issues.

“The use of less active materials and lack of timeliness due to weather, reduced spray days and limited farm spraying capacity has really taken its toll, and I think we may see more fat hen and other weeds in crops than we would normally anticipate.”

Mr Shailes adds that in future, significant changes to sugar beet weed control strategies will need to be made, using more residuals, targeting smaller weeds, shorter gaps between applications and focusing on timeliness.

“Weed control in potatoes has also been an issue,” he adds.

Supervised machine learning is used to automatically determine how germination is progressing through comparing images. Algorithms can be trained to predict how likely it is that a seed has germinated based on measurements extracted from an image that relate to the seed’s size, shape and colour, according to the research.

Also, the power of SeedGerm to measure phenotypic changes over time has further novel applications in crop improvement research. Many of the characteristics that can be measured help to estimate performance in the field in terms of canopy closure, weed suppression and predicted yield, according to the researchers.

Rene Benjamins, senior scientist at Syngenta Seeds, says: “The developments and learnings from SeedGerm are truly a big step forward in automation and generating high quality and reliable data in scoring seed germination.”

Fat hen is widespread in many spring crops this season.

ARABLE

The need to restore soil health, control black-grass and reduce exposure to oilseed rape has resulted in a complete rethink over cropping and rotation on a North Yorkshire farm. Farmers Guardian finds out more.

How cover crops are making spring cropping work

Twenty years ago, half of the land at Stephen Tuer Farms was in grass for dairy cows. This provided a perfect three-year break for arable cropping, helping to condition soil and keeping pernicious weeds such as black-grass at bay. Mr Tuer says: “We could plough out the grass and combination drill it – the soil was teeming with life and we could get three good crops of wheat and barley before going back in to grass.

We need to try to get our soils back to where they were under a mixed farming system

STEVE TUER

“When we gave up the dairy cows in 2009 we turned to break crops such as oilseed rape. We knew we were living off the inheritance of good soil biology, and that we probably had a 20-year honeymoon period before soil fertility would revert to that of an all-arable rotation.”

To help maintain the soil’s biological fertility and structure, Mr Tuer has introduced several changes to his arable operation. He began by reducing the intensity of cultivations. Ploughing was largely replaced by tine-and-disc operations, which have become shallower over time.

In addition, he has more recently introduced cover cropping to boost soil health, in combination with spring cropping for black-grass, which has spread rapidly as a consequence of the all-arable operation and reduced cultivations.

“We appreciate that black-grass is a symptom of a bigger soil problem,” says Mr Tuer.

The cover cropping/spring cropping sequence required a leap of faith on the farm’s 400 hectares of

heavy, high magnesium clays. The decision to adopt it was helped by the need to find suitable breaks to replace a large proportion of the oilseed rape.

This crop is no longer viable as the sole break crop following the loss of neonicotinoid seed dressings, a bitter blow for Mr Tuer, who held the unofficial world rape yield record just five years ago.

But spring cropping on its own is a very high risk strategy on the farm’s heavy soils.

“It is uncommon round here,” says Mr Tuer.

Seedbed

“You cannot just leave stubbles over winter and then expect to get a good seedbed.”

A visit to Agrovista’s Project Lamport, recommended by the farm’s agronomist, Chris Martin, along with other events such as Groundswell, persuaded Mr Tuer to try a cover crop/spring crop sequence.

Mr Tuer says: “Chris is a fantastic sounding board and I very much rely on his expertise. I had also read

Steve Tuer says spring crops sown into green cover got away well, but establishment looked better where the cover had been sprayed off.

the press and seen what other people were doing.”

Agrovista’s work at Project Lamport has proved that the cover crop/ spring sequence can work year in, year out, even on very heavy land, says Mr Martin, who is also Agrovista’s head of soil health.

Mr Martin says: “We are trying to build resilience into the soil. Cover crops act as soil health improvers, returning organic matter to the soil, conditioning the soil with their roots and boosting soil biology.

“Overwintered cover crops also draw out moisture through transpiration and improve drainage through rooting. This makes establishing profitable spring crops viable even on the high magnesium soils that Steve farms.”

Black oats grow slowly for a few weeks before entering their rapid growth phase, allowing black-grass to germinate and establish. The young black-grass plants are then sprayed off with the rest of the cover before the spring crop is direct drilled to minimise soil disturbance and the risk of fresh weed chit.

The black oat-based cover crop is open enough to allow black-grass to germinate and grow.

Mr Martin says: “Using these techniques, we reduced black-grass plant numbers from 2000/sq.m to single figures at Project Lamport over a couple of seasons.”

Mr Tuer started cover cropping last summer, using black oats, phacelia and vetch ahead of spring barley and spring oats, and dropping the vetch where he intended to plant spring beans. A fifth of the cropped area, about 80ha, is now in this system, increasing this summer to around 140ha.

The spring crops were drilled with a demo Dale direct drill, some into cover which had been sprayed off with glyphosate a month beforehand, and some into a standing cover which was sprayed post drilling.

Mr Tuer says: “Overall it has worked very well; we have some fantastic-looking crops following cover crops, better than others following overwintered fallow that was forced upon us by last autumn’s atrocious weather.

Destroyed

“Establishment looks better where the cover had been destroyed. Crops sown into green cover got away well but have suffered since, so I plan next year to destroy cover crop in advance of sowing.”

Black-grass control is better in all spring-sown crops than those sown last autumn, he notes.

“We are using low-disturbance tines to start with and will sow at a much lower target speed of 6-7kph to minimise the chances of chitting black-grass.

“We are now focused on rebuilding fertility – we need to try to get our soils back to where they were under a mixed farming system.”

A nine-year rotation is planned with about 40 per cent remaining

After dropping livestock, Steve Tuer has been looking to improve soil health in his all-arable rotation.

Practical improvements

IN addition to implementing the cover crop plan, the farm has been making use of Agrovista’s Soil Health service.

Chris Martin says: “The aim of the service is to provide growers with a summary of various key soil parameters to help highlight key practical steps to help improve their soil health.”

The service uses electrical conductivity scanning to provide accurate information on soil texture variation and topography across fields, providing an accurate base layer of information to make more informed decisions.

Variable rate

This can be used to draw up variable rate seed zones and can help target other inputs including slurry, farmyard manure and biosolids.

As an option, satellite-derived biomass images and yield maps can be overlaid to indicate the effect of soil type on establishment and crop output. Data is gathered from several years to identify trends, which can be compared to soil type to establish where to look for limiting factors in a field.

as winter wheat – the farm’s most profitable crop. Winter barley and some winter OSR will also feature, while a third of the area will consist of spring crops, including barley, beans and oats. All spring crops will be preceded by a cover crop, and the rotation will also feature at least one double spring break.

Mr Tuer is also introducing a partial controlled traffic farming system based on the eight-metre drill. He believes this, cover crop roots and incorporating more straw will negate the need for annual soil-loosening cultivations.

ARABLE OSR development speed key to CSFB fight

Choosing oilseed rape varieties which are fast growing in autumn and spring can help in the battle against cabbage stem flea beetle. Farmers Guardian reports. rClear differences between varieties

SPEED of oilseed rape (OSR) development in autumn is at least as important as establishment vigour in the battle against cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB). Also important in combating damage from the larvae, as well as adults, is the earliness and speed of spring regrowth.

This is according to Bayer OSR specialist Richard Phillips, who adds that too often speed of development is confused with vigour.

He says: “We know they are quite separate characters and ones which vary widely between both hybrid and conventionally bred varieties. So it is vital we do not confuse them if we want to make the best use of the genetics we have to counter the CSFB threat.

“While establishment vigour is the prime consideration in getting the crop from germination to two true leaves, speed of autumn development is what really counts in its ability to grow away from autumn challenges such as flea beetles and slugs before winter.

Pigeon grazing

“The earliness and speed with which the crop grows away from winter is equally important in the extent to which it can tolerate damage from flea beetle larvae, not to mention pigeon grazing.

“The right plant populations have a major part to play here, as do well-managed spring fertilisation and plant growth regulation. All the agronomic factors though, fundamentally depend upon the underlying genetics.”

Over the years, the Dekalb team has identified clear developmental differences between varieties. And as much variation has been recorded between hybrids in their autumn and

spring development characteristics as between hybrids and pure lines.

Mr Phillips says: “Regardless of how they are bred, some varieties grow noticeably more rapidly in autumn and are earlier or faster to regrow in spring.

“These characters appear to be separate. So varieties which are faster to develop in autumn are not necessarily either earlier or faster

DEKALB VARIETY CHARACTERISTICS

Varieties with rapid Varieties with ultra-rapid Varieties with early autumn development autumn development spring regrowth

DKExtremus DKExcited(TuYV) DKExtremus

DKExstar DKExpedient

DKExpectation(TuYV) DKExtrovert

DKExalte DKExsteel

DKImprintCL

DKImpressarioCL

DKImperialCL

DKImpressionCL

V367OL

V353OL

DKPlastic

DKPlatinium

Source: Dekalb

DKExpedient

DKExtrovert

DKExalte

to grow in spring, and vice versa.

“Studies with one of our breeding trials badly affected by flea beetle have shown varieties developing more rapidly before winter branch better, lose fewer main stems to flea beetle larvae and suffer less stunting from them than those developing less rapidly.

“These studies also demonstrated fewer main stem losses and less stunting in varieties growing away earlier or more rapidly in spring.

“The more rapidly developing varieties in autumn were as infested by larvae as the other hybrids and the pure line control, but assisted by better branching, their extra biomass appeared to enable them to cope more effectively with the damage caused.”

To enable growers to take the greatest advantage of varietal development in their efforts to manage CSFB, Dekalb has identified its varieties in terms of both autumn and spring development characteristics (see table).

Of the breeder’s 18-strong 2020

portfolio of varieties, 12 are said to have faster than average autumn development, with a further four classified as ultra-rapid developers. Four varieties are also characterised for their early spring regrowth.

Speed

Mr Phillips says: “Choosing a variety as much for its speed of development as for its vigour will be especially important for growers this autumn.

“A rapid autumn developer is almost essential to my mind these days whenever you are sowing, while ultra-rapid development is most valuable for later sowing or where seedbed conditions are challenging.

“Varieties which get away earlier in spring offer particular benefits where CSFB larval levels are likely to be high, such as with earlier drilling. For drilling in good conditions in the first half of August, however, I would combine this with rapid, rather than ultra-rapid, autumn development.”

The earliness and speed with which oilseed rape grows away from the winter is important in the extent to which it can tolerate damage from flea beetle larvae, says Bayer OSR specialist Richard Phillips.

November 25-26, 2020, East of England Showground

Stand bookings being taken for CropTec 2020

Is your company an industry leader looking to increase brand awareness and market share? Or are you an innovative SME enterprise looking for quality leads?

By exhibiting at CropTec, you’ll meet top-level farmers and agronomists who are there to do business. 74% of our visitors are the decision-maker or main influencer.

CropTec can provide you with the ideal platform to get back to ‘business as usual’ with quality new leads plus an extensive pre-show marketing campaign.

Crop

Sponsorship

Sponsored by Yara

Unless P indices are zero, consider integrating application with N and S, moving away from traditional autumn/winter applications, says Mark Tucker.

Rethinking the NPKS strategy

rAdvice says applying S little and often is key

By Marianne Curtis

AS growers prepare to make their fertiliser investments for harvest 2021, adopting a more comprehensive approach to supplying crop nutrients rather than just focusing on N will boost crop yields, delegates listening to a Yara webinar heard.

Natalie Wood, Yara country arable agronomist UK and Ireland, said sulphur management should be an important part of the buying decision.

She said: “Less than 10kg/hectare is supplied from the atmosphere in most parts of the country and crops require 45-75kg/ha of sulphur per year. The shortfall comes from fertilisers and manures.

“There is a close relationship between N and S and each time you apply N, S should be present as well. It has a strong impact on N uptake and use.

“In a 2019 response trial on wheat

comparing 54kg/ha S with 75kg/ha S, we saw a 0.3-0.5t/ha yield response.

“Sulphur is very leachable, so a big dose at the start of the season will not deliver the seasonal supply need. Why apply it all in one go when you would not with N?

“Ideally, apply little and often. Also think about the source. Elemental S is slow to become available. One hit in spring takes eight weeks to beco me plant-available, so bear this in mind when looking at S sources.”

Action

When considering P and K, unless P indices are zero and remedial action is required, growers should consider

integrating application with N and S, moving away from traditional autumn/winter applications.

Yara agronomy and business development manager Mark Tucker said: “Look through the lens of the crop, not the soil. Seventy per cent of soils are Index 1 or above, so consider a switch to spring P and K application.”

Mr Tucker said: “Seventy per cent of P demand is from February onwards. Sadly, at the same time the crop is wanting to move away, soil P availability is at t in cold February soils.

“K, while not as leachable as N and S, moves down the soil profile out of the way of shallow roots and demand from the crop cannot be met by the soil.”

“In February, when soils are cold, fixation is slower, so when you put on fresh P, the crop can take it up as it is sitting in a pool. But we have done some work on fixation and up to 40 per cent of orthophosphate can be fixed within 10 days of application, so you are not going to get a seasonal supply, but a small rapid hit, soon unavailable to the crop as the soil fixes it.

“Think about this in terms of product choice.”

■ ApplySlittleandoftentoboostN impactanduse

■ ConsiderapplyingKandPin spring

■ BeawareofPlock-upwhen choosingfertiliserbrands Applying NPKS

For phosphorous, fixation also needs to be considered, said Mr Tucker.

He said: “P interacts with calcium, iron and aluminium. The problem comes when you apply fresh P, as the crop wants it, but so do the ions in the soil which fix and make it unavailable to the crop.

There is a close relationship between N and S and each time you apply N, S should be present as well

NATALIE WOOD

Benchmarking and diagnostics service announced

rGetting nutrition right is a ‘major challenge’

By Alice Dyer

A NEW initiative said to add an innovative dimension to refining crop nutrition has been launched by ADAS. Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) Nutrition is a comprehensive grain analysis which addresses all 12 essential crop nutrients for grain, oilseeds and pulses.

Launching for harvest 2020, the analysis will act as a ‘post-mortem’ for each individual farm’s nutrient management package.

The initiative has been launched on the back of YEN, which highlighted that getting crop nutrition right is a major challenge even for the most innovative growers, says Prof Roger Sylvester-Bradley, ADAS head of crop performance.

He says: “Grain analysis is remarkably accurate, because if you think of how we sample soil and take cores from a W pattern in the field, it is still only a small proportion of the field.

“Whereas when you bring grain into the grain store and you are sampling every load, it creates a very good, accurate representative sample of that field.”

This will complement results from soil or tissue testing, he says.

The programme will also allow

growers to benchmark against other YEN Nutrition participants and against critical thresholds, where they exist.

Prof Sylvester-Bradley adds:

“No other country, as far as I am aware, is using grain analysis as a diagnosis for crop nutrition, generally. We have been finding it really useful as a diagnostic, and that, I think is a global first.”

MORE INFORMATION

For additional details, visit yen.adas.co.uk/projects/yen-nutrition

Cost savings

GRAINanalysishasbeenused inYENforthelastfourseasons acrossmorethan900crops.

Overtheyears,resultshave shown74percentofcropswere deficientinatleastonenutrient, whilenearlyhalfweredeficient inmorethanone.

Justbyhavingtheknowledge ofPandKofftakes,Prof Sylvester-Bradleyestimates growerscouldsaveabout£50 per10-hectarefield.

Ifallnutrientswereoptimised, heestimatesthevalueofthatis morethan£500/fieldonaverage.

“Ifwecangetnutrientlevels right,particularlynitrogenand phosphorus,therewillbemajor environmentalbenefitsaswell,” headds.

Nutrient levels can be compared to other farms and against a critical threshold where available.

Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768

Rising Stars sell to £8,300 for Beltex in online sale

rTop breed average was £2,230 for

Dutch Spotted

BELTEX led the trade at the Rising Stars online timed auction, hosted by Harrison and Hetherington, selling to £8,300 for Woodies Exquisitor.

The sale leader was a shearling gimmer by Kingledores Demonstrator, out of Smart Ass Welshie, which was consigned by Stuart Wood, Skene, and sold to Messrs Miller, Inverurie.

Next from the same home, at £4,000, was Woodies Extravagant, a shearling gimmer by Carrigans Bob Lee Swagger, out of Woodies Wild Wind, which went to Messrs Lawrie, Lanark.

Hackney Esmie, a shearling gimmer by Airyolland Castro from Paul and Christine Tippetts, Shifnal, then sold for £3,500 to Messrs Morton, Denny.

Texels topped at £5,050 for a shearling gimmer from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock, Turriff. By Auldhouseburn Billy The Kid out of a Strathbogie Untouchable daughter, it sold to Messrs Vaughan, Leominster.

Next in the Texels at £3,250 was a shearling gimmer by Donrho Aristocrat from Robert Bennett’s Plasucha flock, Meifod. The buyer was Messrs Cubitt, Ballymena.

Saltire Blue Diana Ross, a shearling gimmer from Stasha Moyse, Skene, led the Blue Texel trade at £4,650. By Caryl’s Blue Captain out of Saltire Blue Betty, it sold to Messrs McFarland, Co Tyrone.

Saltire Blue Disco Diva, another shearling gimmer by the same sire out of Saltire Blue A Beauty, also from Ms Moyse, made £3,750 to Messrs Shortt, Strabane, Co Tyrone.

Making £3,950 was Derg Esmerelda, a ewe lamb by Saltire Blue Derek out of Derg Coco Channel consigned by S. Allen and A. Shortt, Strabane, which sold to Messrs Phillips, Reading.

In the Dutch Spotted section, the top price was £3,550 for Tiptop Denver, a ram lamb by Tiptop Charlie out of an imported ewe from Ali Jackson, Annan. The buyer was Messrs Lofthouse, Harrogate.

Diamond Daffy

Next, at £2,800, was Diamond Daffy, a ewe lamb by Challoch Bearskin from E. Allan, Armagh, which sold to Messrs Middleton, Carnforth.

Bluefaced Leicesters sold to £1,600 for a shearing gimmer by K1 Carry House from the MacGregor family’s Allanfauld flock, Kilsyth, which sold to Messrs Proctor, Kirkby Stephen.

Woodies Madonna, a 2014-born ewe from Stuart Wood, topped the Badgerface Texels at £1,500, selling to Messrs Hogan, Co Carlow.

AVERAGES

10 Dutch Spotted, £2,230; 22 Texels, £1,661.36; 6 Bluefaced Leicesters, £1,063.33; 19 Beltex, £1,675.26; 7 Badgerface Texels, £960; 28 Blue Texels, £1,932.14. Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Flying trade for cast cows at Kirkby Stephen

THE sale of over thirty-month and cast cows at Kirkby Stephen topped at £1,952.25 (205.5p/kg) for a 950kg pure British Blue cow from Messrs Lancaster, Sandford. It was bought by Owain Llyr, Ruthin.

Messrs Marston, Easegill Head, sold a 740kg British Blue cross cow to make 186.5p/kg (£1380.10), also to Mr Llyr.

The dairy section topped at £1,089.90 and 157.5p/kg for a Holstein

Friesian heifer from Messrs Heron, Warcop.

The overall sale average for a nearly half dairy and beef cow split was 140.58p/kg (£960.86). Beef cows averaged 152.5p/kg, with Limousins averaging £1,003.70.

Dairy cows averaged 120.2p/kg, with all Holstein Friesians averaging £915.52.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Woodies

Exquisitor, a Beltex shearling gimmer from Stuart Wood, Skene, which sold for the top price of £8,300 to Messrs Miller, Inverurie.

Top priced Texel, a shearling gimmer from Robbie Wilson’s Milnbank flock, Turriff, which sold for £5,050 to Messrs Vaughan, Leominster.

Top priced Blue Texel was Saltire Blue Diana Ross, a shearling gimmer from Stasha Moyse, Skene, which sold for £4,650 to Messrs McFarland, Co Tyrone.

Limousin steer leads Pateley stores

AT Pateley Bridge, store cattle sold to £1,180 for a 15-month-old Limousin steer from J.A.S. Church, Lofthouse, which sold to C.D. and R.F. Kitching, Threshfield, with another from the same home making £1,150.

Heifers sold to £1,160 for a 22-month-old British Blue from G. Abbott and Sons, Heyshaw, bought by M.V. and M.E. Atkinson, Kirkby

Cull cows sold to £1,015 for an entry from P. Henfey, Hebden.

AVERAGES Cull cows, 122.89p/kg (£725.08); store cattle: steers, £1,036; heifers, £790.76; overall, £823.03.

Auctioneers: Pateley Bridge Auction Mart.

Malzaeard.

Sedgemoor dispersal peaks at 2,150gns

THE dispersal of the commercial NMR-recorded herd on behalf of G. and R. Bailey, East Sussex, at Sedgemoor topped at 2,150gns twice for an August 2019 calved heifer due again in August to sexed semen and a September 2019 calved second calver due again in September to the British Blue.

Heifers due with their second calves in October to the British Blue sold to 2,100gns twice.

In-calf heifers by Welcome Armitage Pesky out of 11,000kg dams and due to sexed semen in August sold to 1,900gns.

The 2017-born Limousin bull, Gotham Nitro sold for 2,700gns.

A consignment of 30 in-calf British Friesian heifers from Mike Church, Glastonbury, sold to more than 2,000gns six times and topping at 2,100gns for three-year-old heifers by Lakemead Marquis due from July to a named Aberdeen-Angus sire.

AVERAGES

Bailey dispersal - dairy cows and heifers, £1,645; in-calf heifers, £1,646; Limousin bull, £2,835; Church dispersal – 30 in-calf British Friesian heifers, £1,866.20.

Auctioneers: Greenslade Taylor Hunt.

Suckler dispersal realises £2,320

THE dispersal of the commercial suckler herd on behalf on S.W. and J. Hargreaves, Market Drayton, at Shrewsbury saw 26 outfits sell for more the £2,000, with most cows born in 2015 or before.

Top price was £2,320 for a 2016born Charolais cross cow with Limousin steer calf which sold to Ed Nield and Partners,  Cheshire. This was followed at £2,250 for a 2015-born Limousin cow with Charolais steer calf which sold to J.H. Davies, Beulah.

The pick of the cows with heifer calves was a 2015-born Limousin cow with a January-born heifer calf which sold for £2,180 to Ed Nield and Partners.

Cow and calf prices started at £1,350 for a 2004-born Angus cross cow with heifer calf.

The senior Charolais stock bull, 2013-born Cockerington Inspire a 2013 bull sold for £2,750 to D.I. Jones, Whittington.

AVERAGES

69 cows with calves, £1,845. Auctioneers: Halls.

High of £2,400 at Shrewsbury dairy sale

rTop 10 animals averaged £2,100

PRICES remained strong for both heifers and cows at Shrewsbury’s dairy sale on Tuesday, with the top 10 animals averaging £2,100.

Top price was £2,400 for Dilandy Amour Memory, a heifer from Andrew Shakeshaft, Ellesmere, who also sold another heifer, Dilandy Up Jackie, at £2,250.

Leading the cows at £2,200 was Meadowfort Successful Lilac 47 from D.N. James and Co, Crosswood, Ceredigion.

J.M. and D. Shepherd and Sons, Bakewell, sold a second calver, Meldamar Confirm Eilwen 98, for £2,150.

Dilandy Goldfish Kate 3, a second calver from Mr Shakeshaft sold for £2,000 to the Lewis-Jones Partnership, Sarnau, Powys, and Dilandy Pety Reenie 3, giving 38kg and from the same home, made £1,950 to J.R. Paddock, Shrewsbury.

Around the marts

SEDGEMOOR

A MUCH larger entry of 1,210 cull ewes and rams sold to a strong trade and set a new market record of £207 for a pen of Texel ewes from F.H. Chave and Son, Wellington, who sold other ewes to £130/head.

Cull rams sold to £168/head for J.M. Hoddinott, with others to £99 for KNK Farm Partnership.

THRAPSTON

THE SQQ for prime sheep was 230p/ kg, an increase of 24p/kg on the week. Prices topped at £120/head or 273p/ kg for a 44kg Beltex lamb from N. Blincow, with medium lambs averaging 229.9p/kg. Standards sold to £96 for 36kg Texels from Thornby Farms and averaged 225.6p/kg.

P.M. Bonner topped the heavies section with 46kg Texel lambs at £118.50, with the section averaging 230.2p/kg. Cull ewes sold to £88 for a pen of eight Suffolks from R.G. Payne.

THIRSK

STORE cattle sold to £1,265 for Limousin cross steers from D. Ashton and Son, Spaldington, while heifers made up to £1,200 for Limousin crosses from T. Rymer and Sons, Sutton-underWhitestonecliffe.

Thomas and Wilson, Alberbury, sold a pedigree second calver for £2,000 with a heifer from the same home making £2,080.

A. and J. Whittaker, Knowlesmere Holsteins, Shrewsbury, sold a second calver for £1,950 with

Young bulls sold to £1,000 for a Limousin cross from A.J. and J.C. Beckett, Sinnington, and a Lincoln Red from J.W. Capp, Beckingham. Cows and calves sold to £1,350 for Simmentals from G.W. Warriner and Son, Crayke.

WELSHPOOL

COWS and calves sold to £2,650 for a Limousin cross first calver with a Limousin heifer calf which was part of the ongoing dispersal from M. and T. Jones, Gesailfa Uchaf, who sold other outfits to £2,320 and £1,900 to average £1,940.

An entry of six first calvers with Limousin calves from B. Jones and Son, Cwmtrefarlo, sold to £2,020. Two Hereford cross first calvers with Aberdeen-Angus calves from M.S. Jenkins, Brynmawr Farm, sold for £1,900 per outfit.

SALISBURY

BARREN cows sold to 173.5p/kg for a Limousin from Barry Isaacson, Isle of Wight, who also sold a British Blue at 156p/kg. Top price per head was £1,333.29 (147p/kg) for South Devons from Clarendon Park Farms. Luings sold to 139p/kg for Hillandale Farm, Frome. Dairy cows sold to 117p/kg or £881.01 for James Crosbie-Dawson.

Messrs Paddock the highest bidder. A fresh calved commercial heifer from Betley Court Farm Partnership, Betley, sold for £1,700.

AVERAGES

Cows of all breeds including faults, £1,790; Holstein cows, £1,955; heifers of all breeds including faults, £1,700. Auctioneers: Halls.

Market news

SITE IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETE AT STIRLING ■ CaledonianMartshas recentlycompleteda£250,000 programmeofinvestmentand improvementsatitsStirling AuctionCentresite.

The recent site improvements, phase two of an ongoing investment plan, are geared towards broadening the business, giving clients and other site users better facilities, improving security and reducing energy usage.

Security

Theimprovementsinclude anewcompoundsurrounded byhighsecurityfencingtohold machinerybeingofferedfor salewhichhasrequiredthe constructionofanewaccess road,improvedloadingbay facilities,anewoutsidetoilet block,newwashfacilitiesfor vehicles,theconversionofan existingbuildingtoanewoffice blockandLEDlightingthroughout thewholesite.

Prices were strong for dairy heifers and cows for sale at Shrewsbury.

STANDING STRAW SALES

BY DIRECTION OF

D & L JONES LEESWOOD FARM

110 Acres of Straw (Winter Barley, Spring Oats and Spring Barley) in 10 lots ranging from 5 to 19 acres

Friday 10th July 2020 at 3.00 p.m. AT

The Store Cattle Ring, Mold Livestock Market &

BY DIRECTION OF E.A. REED & SONS LTD

502 Acres of Wheat & Barley Straw in 30 Lots from 4 to 40 acres.

Monday 13th July 2020 at 7.00 p.m. AT

Ashfield Hall Farm, Neston, Wirral, CH64 3RY

All sales will be subject to coronavirus restrictions requiring social distancing ALL BUYERS MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED

Further details from the auctioneer Leeswood Farm - James Griffiths Mobile 07866 419371 email james@jbradburneprice.com

Ashfield Hall Farm - P.D. Lewis Mobile 07774 151 371 email peter@jbradburneprice.com

Tel: 01352 753873 Ref; PDL

Brockholes Arms Auction Mart

Claughton On Brock, Preston PR3 0PH 01995 640280 www.brockholesauction.co.uk

Tuesday 7th July, 2020

8.45am Spring Lambs to £131/hd Followed by Cast Ewes to £122/hd Followed by Prime Cattle to 222p/kg Followed by Store

PLEASE

PLEASE NOTE VENDORS MUST REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLES ALL SALES ARE CONDUCTED UNDER STRICTGOVERNMENT RULES AND MUST BE ADHERED TO AT ALL TIMES

ANNUAL STANDING CROP & STRAW IN THE SWATH SALE

1,087 Acres of Wheat, Barley, Oat and Pea Straw

79 Acres of Spring Barley Straw at Swadlincote

70 Acres of Winter Barley Straw at Heather

57 Acres of Winter Barley Straw at Ravenstone

100 Acres of Winter Wheat Straw at Leamington

60 Acres of Pea Straw at Leamington

174 Acres of Spring Oat Straw at Kenilworth

80 Acres of Spring Barley Straw at Wroxall

171 Acres of Spring Wheat Straw at Atherstone

137 Acres of Winter Wheat Straw at Weedon

75 Acres of Spring Oat Straw at Weedon

84 Acres of Winter Oat Straw at Weedon

To Be Sold by Auction on

Tuesday 7th July 2020 at 7.30pm

At Lutterworth RFC, Ashby Lane, Bitteswell, Leicestershire LE17 4LW

The Sale will comply with necessary Government guidelines

For more information contact Jenny on 07921 511852

Catalogues & Information Tel: 01788 564749 7 – 11 Albert Street, Rugby, CV21 2RX www.howkinsandharrison.co.uk/auctions

Monday 6th July

Usual Weekly Fatstock Sale Friday 10th July at 11am

Store/Breeding Sale - Calves @11.30am Usual selection of Feeding Cows, Young Bulls Inc 6 Genuine Young Shorthorn Heifers/Cows

HAWES, NORTH

Tuesday 7th July

600 Prime Lambs & Hoggs at 10am

300 Cast Ewes & Rams

Everyone

www.hawesmart.co.uk

Mold Livestock Market - CH7

NATIONAL CLASSIFIEDS

North West Auctions

Pedigree & Commercial Livestock Auctioneers & Valuers nwauctions.co.uk info@nwauctions.co.uk

NOTICE***

Before bringing stock to our market or intending to buy stock please consult our website or contact staff on any of the numbers below

Lancaster Auction Mart Tel: 01524 63308

Monday 6th July

11am 1000 SPRING LAMBS, PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP

Friday 10th July

10.15am 100 REARING CALVES 10.15am 125 OTM CATTLE 11.15am 300 STORE CATTLE

Tuesday 21st July at 11.15am

Monthly Sale of DAIRY CATTLE Last sale heifers sold to £2400 Entries close Tuesday 14th July at 12noon

J36 Rural Auction Centre Tel: 015395 66200

Tuesday 7th July

1pm 1500 SPRING LAMBS, PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP

Thursday 9th July - JULY CATTLE FAIR

Including Monthly Catalogued Sale of 150 BEEF BREEDING CATTLE to inc Herd Dispersal of 30 Continental Cows with Limousin Calves, Tullithwaite Hall, 10 British Blue & Limousin Heifers with Limousin Calves, 10 Angus Cows with Angus Calves Also today CALVES & STIRKS, CAST/OTM CATTLE & STORE CATTLE

Thursday 16th July

Opening Sale of STORE LAMBS Advise of entries by Wednesday 8th July

Monday 17th August Largest Production Sale of the WHITELEY HEY flock on behalf of Mr Paul Slater

North West Texel Breeders Club Sale

Sunday 9th

On Farm Sale - Saturday 11th July

Please

Sale

Market Results

July Online Timed Auction of Farm Machinery & Equipment + Builders Tools & Equipment. Commencing Monday 6th July concluding Monday 13th July. Visit our website for a link to the sale or contact Matthew Probert on 07540 446667 for more information Leek Smithfield • Barnfields

Contact Details

Ian Atkinson 07766 521472, Matthew Probert 07540 446667

Gary Capstick 07970 830518 Bradley Thompson 07867 000244 Andrew Butler Fieldsman 07966 556592

Graham Watkins Dairy Sales

On behalf of S Combridge & Son, Brownlow Farm, Creeton, Lincolnshire 150 HOLSTEINS

Being the genuine dispersal sale of the entire NMR recorded herd of 94 Cows & Heifers In-milk & In-calf, 23 In-calf Heifers & 33 Youngstock. Entirely homebred these are strong, deep bodied, milky cows that are averaging 28.6kg daily. With an abundance of summer milk they are also young with 84 milking in their 1st-4th lactation, comp 26 Hfrs, 26 2nd, 27 3rd & 5 4th Calvers. In-calf heifers & youngstock are displaying great style & promise. Superb sires feature including Ponder, Zelgadis, Trigger, History, Zeber, Gillespy & Silver to name a few. The Herd Average is running at an exceptional 9691kg with the latest bulk sample showing 3.79%F 3.13%P cc187. 4 YEARLY TB.

TUESDAY 7TH JULY 2020 Following the Usual Commercial Entry For Further Details & Catalogues Contact (01889) 562811 Ref: MEE Store Cattle Sales 430 STORE CATTLE THIS SATURDAY 4TH JULY 2020

Fat/Barrens: Graham Watkins 07976 370894 Dairies: Meg Elliott 07967 007049 Stores: Mark Elliott 07973 673092 Sheep: Robert Watkins 07929 946652 Visit us at www.leekauctions.co.uk

SEDGEMOOR AUCTION CENTRE NORTH PETHERTON, SOMERSET, TA6 6DF (M5, J24) Tuesday 7th July at 11.00am

The Dispersal Sale of the Classified ‘Steventon’ Herd being 145 PEDIGREE HOLSTEINS

Comp: 118 Dairy Cows & Heifers Inmilk &/or Incalf; 16 Incalf Heifers & 11 A Lot Heifer Calves

✰ HERD AV: 10,168 KGS. 3.71%BF 3.30%P SCC=131

✰ 36 VG & EX CLASSIFIED COWS

✰ HERRINGBONE Parlour; CLOSED Herd

✰ YOUNG COWS: 85 1st – 3rd Lactation

✰ CALVING: Apr-Jul (40); Aug-Nov (41); Dec-Mar (44)

✰ SIRES INC: Alexander; Baloo; Chief; Cosworth; Derren; Escalade; Frizzy; Galactico; Jethro; Milo; Power; Rotterdam; etc.

✰ SERVICES: Armour; British Blue; Lucifer; Mambo; Overtime; Topmodel.

To Include 290 Tonnes of Maize Silage For J & J Bown (Removed from Bassetts Farm, Steventon, Basingstoke, Hants)

A New Route to Market

BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE

T: 01228 406200

301 DAIRY CATTLE SELLING AT THE BORDERWAY MONTHLY DAIRY DAY

Friday 3rd July - 11.00am

Sale of CROP

Monday 6th July – 1.00pm

Please note change of time

PEDIGREE HOLSTEIN CATTLE

Friday 17th July – 12.00noon

Including the Border & Lakeland Club Sale

Entries close Friday 10th July

BEEF BREEDING CATTLE

Friday 17th July – 10.30am

Beef breeding cows and heifers in calf or with calves also bulling heifers and breeding bulls

Entries close Monday 6th July

Sale of MV accredited PEDIGREE SUFFOLK SHEEP

On behalf of Carlisle & Northern Counties Society

Friday 7th August

Entries close Monday 13th July

Sale of MV accredited PEDIGREE ZWARTBLES SHEEP

Saturday 8th August

Entries close Friday 3rd July

Premier Sale of MV accredited PEDIGREE BELTEX SHEEP

Thursday 13th/Friday 14th / Saturday 15th August

Entries close Monday 6th July

Sales of MV accredited PEDIGREE ROUGE SHEEP & PEDIGREE BLEU DU MAINE SHEEP

Friday 14th August

Entries close Friday 10th July

ONLINE TIMED AUCTIONS

‘SUMMER SENSATIONS

PEDIGREE TEXEL ONLINE SHEEP SALE

Sale bidding starts Tuesday 7th July 12noon until Thursday 9th July 12 noon

Includes consignments from Cowal, Ettrick, Garngour, Holylee, Knap, Milnbank & Sportsmans.

SALE OF FROZEN EMBRYOS AND SEMEN

of Pedigree Beef and Dairy Genetics

Sale bidding starts Wednesday 15th July 12noon until Thursday 16th July 12 noon

ST BOSWELLS MART

Tel: 01835 822214

JACOB SHEEP SOCIETY

Official Scottish Regional Sale

Saturday 8th August

Entries close Friday 10th July

ABBEY COURT

GISBURN

Auction Marts Ltd 01200 445376

Saturday 4 July

9.30am BREEDING & STORE PIGS 9.30am CAST EWES & PRIME LAMBS 10.00am BREEDING & FEEDING CATTLE, COWS WITH CALVES AT FOOT 10.30am FARMERS’ STORE CATTLE

Tuesday 7 July 11am

SUMMER MACHINERY SALE CATALOGUE SALE IN MAIN RING Drop off Monday 10am – 5pm ONLY Viewing 9-10.30am Buyers register in advance

Loadall on sale day. Entries inc: Bateson cattle trailer, Freelander, Stihl saw, DB885 tractor, cast pig trough, Bamford BL58 baler, 30m Collinson feed anger, cattle foot trimming crush, 4t dumper, West 1600g spreader, selection of Ifor Williams trailers. Full details on web subject to Covid reg’s.

Thursday 9 July

10.30am 80 YOUNG BULLS, STEERS & HEIFERS, CULL CATTLE 10.30am 200 REARING CALVES

12.30pm approx PRIME LAMBS & CAST EWES 11.30am 50 DAIRY CATTLE regular weekly sale Drop off 9.-10.30am, Shippon open for viewing 11am

Saturday 11 July

9.30am CAST EWES & PRIME LAMBS

Saturday 25 July EARLY BREEDING EWES & OPENING SALE OF STORE LAMBS

Thursday 30 July

Following the regular weekly sale DISPERSAL SALE OF THE SEMERDALE HERD Of 100 Holsteins for M Bell & Son, Leyburn in conjunction with Norton & Brooksbank All Buyers must register by 4pm the day before Beef & Store Cattle: Jack 07710 708326 Calves/Stirks/Br. Sheep: Rachel 07713 075659 Dairy Cattle: Fred 07713 075660

Gisburn, Lancashire BB7 4ES www.gisburnauctions.com

mark@nortonandbrooksbank.com

•Mark Lee: 07980 924179

•Simon Lamb: 07815 188125

•Tom Brooksbank: 07836 592501

•Chris Norton: 07836 592500

TUESDAY JULY 14TH (10:45am)

TRAINED HOLSTEINS

FARM, WIGMORE, LEOMINSTER, HEREFORD, HR6 9UF 300 HIGH YIELDING, ROBOT

Comprising the complete herd dispersal sale on behalf of Gurney & Sons. Featuring 200 cows in milk together with 100 youngstock. NMR showing 11000kg herd average 3.80% F. 3.30 P SCC179. Herd currently averaging 36.8kg including thirty cows giving +50kg daily! All cows cubicle trained and milked through Lely A4 Robots. SemiTMRwithcakeinrobotstoyield,emphasisonforage consumption. Medium sized, strong, capacious cows in super condition. All-year calving with many carrying service & calves to the Belgian Blue. Almost 100 milkers in their 1st & 2nd lactation! Sale also includes some super, well grown youngstock from Summer calving heifers to calves at foot, all by top AI sires. Follow us on Facebook for further details, pictures & online catalogues.

PLEASE NOTE – CATALOGUE BY APPLICATION ONLY. CALL, TEXT, EMAIL FOR YOURS.

Test your skills and you could win £250 plus a £250 ram voucher

The Farmers Guardian stockjudging competition is back for 2020, sponsored by the Blue Texel Sheep Society.

To enter the competition, simply place the four sheep in the same order as the professional judge, fill in the entry form and return it to us by August 21, 2020.

Alternately, you can enter by going online at FGinsight.com/ sheepstockjudging.

The sender of the first correct entry selected at random will receive £250 plus a £250 ram voucher. Second and third prize winners will receive ram vouchers for £150 and £100, respectively. The ram vouchers can be redeemed at any of the society sales.

History

The Blue Texel breed was first recognised and recorded in Holland in the 1970s, with blue lambs being born to white Texel parents.

About the sponsor

The Blue Texel was then established to create a breed independent from its original source. The Blue Texel has been bred in the UK for more than 20 years, but it was quickly discovered from the early days that the attributes this relatively new breed possesses would make it appealing to both pedigree and commercial farmers.

The demand for Blue Texels is soaring, with Blue Texel rams rapidly gaining popularity with the commercial farmer.

The society says Blue Texel rams are the terminal sire which ticks all the boxes:

● Easy lambing: The breed is noted for its easy lambing capabilities due to its finer bone and smaller heads. Resulting lambs are strong, vigorous and up and sucking soon after birth. These aspects ensure a decrease in labour and therefore cost of production at lambing time, making the breed an ideal replacement from conventional sires

● Carcase quality: Blue Texel sheep have excellent conformation, higher

lean meat yield, limited fat coverage, higher killing out percentage, and lambs regularly achieve premium U and E grade carcases, leading to increased liveweight and deadweight returns

● More than 90 per cent of Blue Texel-sired lambs to commercial ewes are born white

● Growth rates: Capable of producing fast-growing heavy lambs from a grass-based diet

● Replacements: High percentage of Blue Texel-sired ewe lambs can be retained for replacements

Source: Blue Texel Sheep Society

SPONSORED COMPETITION

competition. Pit your skills against a professional livestock judge and be third prize winners will receive ram vouchers for £150 and £100.

Title: First name:

Surname:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone number:

Email:

Are you the main decision-maker on farm? Yes No N/A

Primary occupation (tick one box only):

Farm Owner Farm Manager

Farm

Student

Secondary occupation: (tick one box only):

Farm Owner Farm Manager

Farm Worker Tenant Farmer

Contractor Agronomist/Adviser

Student Other

Privacy statement: Your personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with our Privacy Statement which can be viewed (see page 11). From time to time AgriBriefing would like to use the personal data that you have provided in this form to contact you via email, post, phone and text about AgriBriefing goods and services that we think will be of interest to you. If you would like to receive this communication, please confirm this by ticking this box.

Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ.

Terms and conditions: 1. The competition (prize draw) is open to UK residents (aged 18 years or over), with the exception of ‘employees’ or ‘relatives of employees’ of AgriBriefing or Holstein UK. 2. Inclusion in the prize draw is subject to registration. 3. Entry to the draw will close August 21, 2020. 4. Only one entry per person is permitted. 5. Winners will be selected at random from all valid and correctly answered entries. 6. The judge’s decision is final. No correspondence or discussion shall be entered into. 7. Prize is non-refundable and no prize alternative available. 8. Completion of the entry form implies acceptance of these terms and conditions. Data Protection: Information you supply to AgriBriefing may be used for publication (where you provide details for inclusion in our directories or catalogues and on our websites) and also to provide you with information about our products or services in the form of direct marketing activity by phone, fax or post. If at any time you no longer wish to receive anything from AgriBriefing, or to have your data made available to third parties, please write to the Data Protection Co-ordinator, AgriBriefing, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ, or email fgsupport@fginsight.com.

SKIPTON AUCTION MART

Tel: 01756 792375 www.ccmauctions.com

Auctioneers:

Jeremy Eaton - 07747 780481

Ted Ogden - 07855 958211

Kyle Hawksworth - 07538 539077

Important Notice

COVID 19 Precautions

ONLY BUYERS & AUCTION STAFF NOW ALLOWED AT THE MART ON SALE DAYS

A ‘Drop & Go’ Policy is now in place for all vendors, please complete the relevant form

Monday 6th July

CROP & PRODUCE - Suspended REARING CALVES Sale 10.45am

WEEKLY PRIMESTOCK SALE (6 day rule)

CLEAN CATTLE Sale 12.00noon followed by CAST & FEEDING COWS (4 Year and Pre Test) followed by TB EXEMPT CATTLE (pre enter)

PRIME LAMBS, HOGGS & CAST EWES

Sale 1.00pm (PLEASE PRE ENTER)

DELIVERY OF STOCK IS STRICTLY 7.00AM TO 11.00AM

Wednesday 8th July

120 FEEDING BULLS Sale 9.30am followed by 30 BEEF FEEDING COWS, 30 BREEDING CATTLE Sale 11.00am followed by 300 STORE HEIFERS & BULLOCKS

Saturday 11th July

STIRKS WEANED CALVES, BREEDING & CULL GOATS & STORE & BREEDING SHEEP

(entries close Monday 6th July)

Wednesday 15th July

Opening Sale of STORE LAMBS (entries close Monday 6th July)

Working Sheepdogs

Online Timed Auction of 49 Working Sheepdogs

Sale commences Wednesday 15th July –Thursday 16th July 2020

For more information please go to Working Sheepdog page on www.ccmauctions.com

Dairy Cattle

Monday 6th July

Sale of Dairy Cattle – 12.00noon Main Ring

Monday 10th August

Pedigree Holstein Dispersal – details to follow Monday 24th August

Sale of Pedigree Jersey cattle from prizewiing Cherryview Herd for Mrs J Waring in conjuction with Kivells

Please contact Sarah Liddle 07710 795585 with all enquiries

Monday 6th July -9.30am-

WEEKLY SALES

PRIME SHEEP

Every Thursday at Thrapston STORE & BREEDING SHEEP & CATTLE

Every Saturday at Thrapston ALL CLASSES OF SHEEP

Every Tuesday at Stratford

THRAPSTON COLLECTIVE MACHINERY SALE

Friday 31st July, 10am at Haldens Parkway. Entries close Monday 20th July to be advertised in the catalogue. All Lots will be accepted on-site Thursday 30th July 8am-4pm and on the morning of the sale until 9am. Entry forms can be found on our website.

For further information contact: Alastair Brown: 07885 804450 Jake Wagstaff: 07487 526803 01832 732241 or visit the website for weekly listings of sale entries

www.bletsoes.co.uk STRATFORD

Tuesday 7th July

10.30am Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle SUCKLER BREEDING CATTLE

Furniture Sales on line for the last 6 weeks. Produce sales started last Monday. Horticultural sales Wednesday July 1st or 8th. Outside Machinery Auction 2nd Tuesday ie. 14th July Monthly Machinery Sale entries with photographs requested. Outside Machinery Auction 16th July 2020 on behalf of Anthony Bloor. Hulme Barns Farm, Mere, Knutsford. JD 7530, JD 6210R, Einbock Harrows, Land Roller, Kuhn FC313 Rear Mower, Kuhn FC313F Front Mower, Kuhn GA7301 Rower, Kuhn GF6502 and Fransgard SV-250-09 3Mtr. Tedders, Spaldings Flat Lift (little used),Kuhn 6F Rev. Plough, Compact 1230 Rollers, Kuhn 3004 NC Power Harrow /3000 Air Drill Combination, Howard Rotovator, two Warwick 25’ Bale Trailers, Marshall 25ft Bale Trailer, 2009 Baily 16T Grain Trailer, 2012 Mecmar D20/153T HP Grain Drier, two Warwick 14T Grain Trailers, Two 24’. Tandem Axle Bale Trailers, Star 850 Tanker, Photographs and details available via email. Also with online bidding Saturday July 25th - Pursa Farm, Shocklach Saturday 1st August - Shays Farm, Little Budworth All details via email

All attendees must wear a mask and abide by social distancing rules

email: info@ashleywaller.co.uk Roy Waller 07774 995969 www.ashleywaller.co.uk

COOPER AND TANNER

For P H Creed & Sons – Auction Dispersal of TRACTORS, JCB, EXCAVATOR, DEFENDER, ATV & FARM

MACHINERY

Friday 10th July

2 Ped Lim Bulls from T & E Priestley 27mo & 21mo; BVD Test & Vac., Johnes Level 1 10-15 Cows/Hfrs with calves at foot Followed by 100 STORE CATTLE

Wednesday 8th July

10.30am SALE OF DAIRY CATTLE

11am Weekly Sale of 100 Rearing Calves 3.30pm 2000 Feeding/Cast Ewes, Hoggs followed by 3000 Spring Lambs

Tuesday 14th July

OPENING SALE OF 2500

STORE LAMBS

Early entries requested Tuesday 28th July

EARLY BREEDING EWES & SHEARLINGS

Early entries requested

11am - Sale of 120 Store Cattle and Feeding Bulls of all classes

Richard Turner & Son

9am – Sale of 100 Rearing Calves and Weaned Stirks www.penrithauction.com BENTHAM AUCTION MART

Claas 640 & 630 Arion 4wd, McCormick MC120 4wd, JD6410 4wd, JD2250 2wd, Kubota L3540 4wd, McCormick Int B 2wd Scraper, Int 674 2wd Tractors, JCB 536.60 (T4IV) AgriSuper Telehandler, Takeuchi TB145 Mini Digger, Buckets & Conc Breaker, LWB TD5 Landrover Defender, Honda Foreman ATV, NC 14T Silage, NC 14T Dump, Flemming 3T Tip & 26ft, 15ft & 12ft Flatbed Trailers, West 1600 Dual Spreader, Hi Spec 2500 Slurry Tanker, Shelborne 656 Flail Hedge Trimmer, Kuhn HR3004 Power Harrow, Kverneland ED85 5F Rev Plough, Twose 10m Hyd Ring Rolls, Folding Chain Harrows, Reco-Sulky DPX, Kuhn FC280F Front & Kuhn FC283 GII Lift Control Mtd Mow/Conds, Teagle 285 Offset Dual Flail & Teagle 9 Rotary Pasture Toppers, Haybob, Browns Rnd/Sq Bale Squeeze, McHale Bale Spike & Squeeze, Browns F8 Bale Grab, BVL 14 V Mix+ Feed Waggon, Reco Jevlin J3000 Straw Chop, Bodman Iydeland Ride-On Saw Dust Disp, Shelborne Cubicle Bedder 150, PlantMec 2260 Hyd Roadsweep & Bucket, NC 3 Ram Shear & Albutt Silage/Dung Grabs, 2x Browns Maxi Yard Scrape, Storth GI SM250/600 Slurry Stirrer, Strimech 2.5m Bucket, Quicke 2560 Front Loader, Protech P200S Hyd Post Ram, 13ft Man Cage, IAE GI Foot Trim & IAE Cattle Crush & Handling Pen, Calf Hutches & Pens, Browns PTO Saw Bench, Teagle Cement Mix. Inc by Kind Permission: 12T Wootton Grain/Muck Trailer, Bomford Kestrel 5m Hedge Trim, Kverneland 3m Power Harrow c/w Packer & Levelling Board, Warthog Loader Mtd Straw Spreader, Taarup Tornado 842 Straw Chop, Albutt Silage Block Cutter, Maxiscrape 6ft Yard Scraper, 2 Way Plate Coolers, AI Flask, Folding Head Yoke Gates, Foot Baths. AT SOUTHTOWN FM, W.PENNARD, GLASTONBURY, BA6 8NS

TUESDAY 14th JULY

Commencing at 11am. Viewing from 10am. Covid-19: Only one person per household please, observe social distancing & wear gloves Full Catalogue online inc Conditions of Sale & Payment Terms. Enquiries 01373 831010 or online www.cooperandtanner.co.uk/forthcoming-sales

THRAPSTON

Serving the rural community for over 140 years

Bakewell Market Results - Monday 29th June

557 Cattle, 1,349 Sheep - Full report available on our website

To enter your store cattle to the “Early warning” list for Monday 29th June please call the Bakewell office on 01629 812777. ‘Drop & Go’ for vendors. Any queries speak to Alastair Sneddon on 07973 982441

Store Cattle sales now Livestreaming on streaming.auctionmarts.com

Special Entries:

Monday 6th July - 54 Limousin bulls (7-11mths) 10 strs and 13 hfrs (24 mths) AA from a named sire.

Ewes and Lambs and Store Sheep every Thursday Peter Oven Email: peter.oven@bagshaws.com

Breeding Cattle Sale - Next sale on Thurs 16th July. Entries and enquires to Alastair Sneddon on 07973 982441 and Oliver Hiles on 07801 530899.Further information on our website and Facebook.

Already Entered: 18 Lim x and Her x cows (1st Calves to aged cows) with 19 Lim x calves at foot (3-4 mths) BVD Tag & Tested (by Ashford Hall Bull) Cows been back to bull since calving. 1 Ped Limousin Bull “ Seven Gun Nero”

On Farm Dispersal Sales - We currently have 9 farm sales in the pipeline: 7th July & 9th July - STRAW SALES Penkridge (7th July) and Uttoxter (9th July) 25th July - Sale of Slate & Stone Roofing Items - Bakewell DE45 1GS 31st July - MEADOW FARM, Trowell, NG9 3NZ 5th August - Reserved for sale in Derbyshire 7th August - Abbotts Bromley, Genuine dispersal sale

SALE - 23rd July at 10.30am

FARM, Bradnop, Staffordshire, ST13 7NQ

2 Case Puma 220 & 150t Tractors (50KPH - 2018 & 2016) Claas 830 Self Propelled Forager (2002-2WD- 2380 work hours)

Takeuchi 4 Ton Excavator (2017 - Only 1160 Hrs) Case MXM 190 (40KPH), Ford 3930 2WD 2019 Hi Spec K36 Compactor Trailer

Pottinger Triple Mower Conditioners (Front Mount & Butterfly)

Joskin & Redrock Tankers

Joskin And Slurry Kat Umbilical Equipment Keenan 360 Feeder, Grassland Equipment, Livestock Items

Email: bakewell@bagshaws.com

North West Auctions

Pedigree & Commercial Livestock Auctioneers & Valuers nwauctions.co.uk info@nwauctions.co.uk

On Farm Sale - Saturday 11th July

On-Farm Sale of Machinery & Equipment on behalf of AV Lord & Co, Ulverston on Saturday 11th July at 11am Vehicles

John Deere 5080M 4 WD Tractor, John Deere 6330 TL5 4 WD Tractor, 1983 John Deere 1040 2 WD Tractor, 1992 JCB 2CX Digger & Back Actor & Bucket, Kawasaki Mule 3010 Diesel, 2003 Green Honda Fourtrax Quadbike, 2017 Ride on Lawn Mower Machinery

14’ IW TA510 G3-14 Livestock Trailer, Ruscon Model 1600gallon Slurry Tanker, Major 9’ Grass Offset Topper, 2009 Keenan Mech Fiber TM300 Diet Feeder, Conor 750 Muck Spreader, 3 Furrow Reversable Plough, Fleming Yard Scraper, A cattle heat time system, Pettit 3T Tipping Trailer, Slurry Tanker Pipe, 9’ & 8’ Rollers, Cambridge Roller, Quad Bike Trailer, 12’ Chain Harrows, Fleming 5 foot Shear Grab, Spring Tine Harrows, Teagle Straw Chopper, Tipping Trailer, Howard Paraplow, 600L Sprayer with 9m boom, Livestock Transport Box, Harrows, Weed Wipe, Power Harrow (S&R), Qty of Clay Drainage tiles, Glazed Pott Air Vents, Cattle Troughs, Lister Electric Bale Elevator, Pallet Forks and Drainage Buckets, 6T Collinson Feed Bin, 10T Molasses Tank & Stand, Ritchie Cattle Crush with Hoof Trimming attachments, Sawdust dispenser, Fire wood, Milk bar, PTO Driven Generator, Honda Generator, Stihl M5 180 Chainsaw, Thermal Arc Welder, 9” Angle Grinder, Feed & Water Troughs, Calf Pens, Combine Cutter Bar Riveter, Power washer, Wheel Barrow, Dairy Pipes and Fittings, Ladders, Cement Mixer, Horse Saddle and Equipment, Milk Maid Bucket Carrier, Quad bike Sprayer, Air compressor, Oil Tank, Cow matts, 20T Grain Bin, Garden Bench, Potato Scales, Strimmer, Dutch Harrows , General Work Shop tools and equipment, General Livestock handle equipment , Plus Additional Input Items

Full list of items and photos available on our website

Viewing Friday 10th July 2pm-7pm Saturday 11th July from 9am BUYERS

Anyone wanting to attend the sale MUST pre-register with the office by 5pm Friday 10th July. Anyone not registered will be turned away. Only ONE buyer per household. Please note it is card payment ONLY, NO CASH To register phone the office on 015395 66200 or For Sale Information Contact Ian Atkinson on 07766 521472

JD 6420 SE c/w 633 loader (07); Case MX110 c/w loader (51); JCB 155-65 Fastrac; JD 855 Gator (11); JCB 520-50 (99); Hanix N120U mini digger; Daewoo 13T tracked; Wootton 2500L slurry tanker; Triffitt 12T root; IW TB4621 tilt bed (17); Ozsu TKM18 12T drier (18); Welger Farmer 435 baler (09); Kong. Delta 3m

Detailed catalogue inc photographs and video on Ibidder & Bidspotter from 8th July

Suffolk Ram Breeding Sales 2020

JULY

18th July

National Sale, Shrewsbury

24th July

Scottish Area Sale, Lanark

28th July

Northern Ireland Premier Sale, Ballymena

AUGUST

7th August

Northern Counties & Carlisle Sale, Carlisle

Covid-19 Restrictions will apply, details on the Society Website www.suffolksheep.org

FRIDAY 10th JULY FARM SALE

Darlington Farmers Auction Mart are kindly instructed by Messrs G H Watson & Son, Home Farm, Catterick, Richmond, DL10 7PJ to undertake a complete and unreserved farm dispersal sale. The broad range of farming equipment from this renowned beef and sheep rearing former dairy farm is worthy of buyers attention, the sale contains some extremely useful and exceptionally well maintained tractors, implements and livestock requisites.

SALE TO COMMENCE AT 12NOON

THIS SALE WILL FOLLOW STRICT SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES ALL BUYERS PLEASE REGISTER (BEFORE NOON THURSDAY 9TH

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND IF YOU SUSPECT YOU ARE SHOWING ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS COMMISSION BIDS ARE ENCOURAGED YOU MUST SIGN IN ON THE SALE DAY ONLY ONE PERSON PER HOUSE HOLD MAY ATTEND ONLY STAND BY LOTS THAT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN Tractors

John Deere 6115M with H340 John Deere Loader, 2013 reg., 120hp, 4500hrs (approx.) Massey Ferguson 375, 1989 reg. Massey Ferguson 135, 1977 reg. Trailers & Implements

12ft Graham Edwards Livestock Trailer with Decks (2001); 22ft Bale Trailer; 18ft Bale Trailer; HiSpec Muck Spreader; Slurry Tanker; 56 Bale Carrier; 6.5t Muck Trailer; Haybob; Lely Grass Cutter; John Deere Conventional Baler; 3 furrow reversible Lemken Plough; Polycrok 1750 Front Mounted Silage Feeder; Link Box; Bale Nipper; Yard Scraper; Front Weights; Sprayer; Livestock Requisites & Miscellaneous

2x10t Feed Towers; 1x5t Feed Tower; 2xCattle Crushes; Qty Cattle Feeders; Qty Sheep Feeders; Qty Sheep Troughs; Qty Metal Gates; 4xHay Hecks; 2xSheep Weighs; Sheep Turnover Crate; 30xCalf Pens; Lamb Creep Feeder; Turnip Cutter; Wooden Hen House; Emergency Milk Tank; Qty Sandstone Flags; 2xStone Troughs (Large and in exceptional order); Cement Mixer; More goods may be added nearer to the time Terms & Conditions will be displayed on the day or can be obtained from the DFAM office at any time prior. Payment – Strictly on the day. Bidding Number System in operation.

Contact - Office 01325 464529 or Auctioneer Scott Ferrie 07557 260653 for full terms and conditions and further information. Please see website and Facebook page for Photos

Your one stop shop for all agricultural sales

auctionfinder.co.uk

Family announcements

Laing Philippa

Our strong, brave and beautiful mum lost her short battle with cancer on Sunday evening. 21-06-2020. She faced one challenge after another over the past few years but she never gave up and she always showed the strength in adversity that she had shown through every stage of her wonderful and diverse life.

Our family are incredibly sad but we know that this news will also have a profound impact across the whole Dexter world. Mum has made so many lifelong friends throughout her 50+ years being a member of the Dexter Cattle Society. Although her attendance at shows and social events has diminished over the past few years nothing made her happier than spending time with her Dexter family, and the animals that she so dearly loved. We are so grateful for all of the help and support that mum has received over the years, especially of late. We are so proud of her in so many ways. She is at peace now.

Any donation to be made please send to J Westacott and Son funeral directors, South Molton. EX36 4DG, on behalf of the Kenn Ward of the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, to whom we shall be forever grateful for the care, compassion and dedication that they showed to our mother in her final stage of life. Please make cheques payable to Kenn Ward

LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEER

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the position of Livestock Auctioneer at a leading, modern livestock centre, renowned for selling quality stock from Cumbria and across the North of England. Rostrum experience is vital, as is the ability to source livestock and talk to farmers and buyers.

All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence, in the first instance to David Bowman, Mart Manager on 07721 616786 or alternatively please call John Peile in his role as a Director for an informal discussion on 07896 336203

Housekeeper/ Cook Required

Semi retired gentleman arable farmer in North Shropshire is looking for a capable, cheerful, reliable and kind person to assist in daily duties. Separate private en-suite accommodation available. Driving licence and a dog lover is essential.

Please apply with CV and references to beech55@hotmail.co.uk or call on 07989 645 732

J.P WHITTER (WATER WELL ENGINEERS) LTD

• BOREHOLE DRILLING FOR DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES

• WORK CARRIED OUT TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD

• WATER SYSTEMS INSTALLED

• BOREHOLE PUMPING INSTALLATIONS

• 24HR BREAKDOWN SERVICE

• FREE QUOTATIONS AND SITE VISITS

THE POTTERIES GARAGE SMALLBROOK LANE, LEIGH, WIGAN, LANCS, WN7 5PZ. TEL: 01942 871900. FAX: 01942 896843. Out of office: 01942 893660 Visit our Website www.waterwellengineers.co.uk Email: sally@waterwellengineers.co.uk

• 25 years experience • Registered waste carrier

• All farm tyres & tyre bale removed in bulk

• Competitive prices

For free quote call Chris Ingram on 07860 670 201 www.intowaste.co.uk

• Borehole Drilling • Commercial & Domestic

• Surveys & Licensing • Water Analysis

• Pumping & Filtration

• Supply & Installation

• Service & Repair

• Geothermal Work 01625 878411

info@blairdrilling.co.uk

www.blairdrilling.co.uk

coverage Bolton, Lancs

From £5.00 per tonne - delivered the alternative to expensive sulphur & calcium fertilizer

• Helps improve soils structure and increases nutrients after flooding.

• Reduce water runoff and erosion.

• Improve Calcium and Sulphur nutritional elements

Tel 01724 841945 | Tel 07776-100974 Email info@mineralgrow.co.uk

RETIRED ENGINEER

is looking for a companion with a good sense of humour aged 40-65 who enjoys the country life and the adventures of UK travel in an Auto Sleeper 1014 Unit 4, Caxton Rd, Fulwood, Preston PR2 9NZ

WOOD PIGEON & CROWS Problem all year round crop protection. Worcester/Warwickshire Area. Hales Owen based. BASC insured, FREE reliable service, 40th Year. Call Ken on 07553 948043 or 01214 233524

Orders for Insertion of advertisements in Farmers Guardian are accepted subject to the following conditions:

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NEW & REFURBISHED BULK MILK TANKS FOR SALE

6,000 Ltr Mueller 6,000 Ltr Fabdec

5,000 Ltr Roka

/ Japy

10,000 Ltr Roka

10,000 Ltr Delaval

10,000 Ltr Mueller

9,000 Ltr Roka

8,000 Ltr Mueller

7,000 Ltr Mueller

7,000 Ltr Fabdec + new cleaner

5,000 Ltr Fabdec

4,000 Ltr Fabdec

3,700 Ltr Vaccar DX 3,500 Ltr Delaval

3,400 Ltr Fullwood Packo – open top instant cooling

3,300 Ltr Mueller 3,200 Ltr Delaval

2 Ton factory refurbished I/Builder suitable for up to 12,000 Ltrs every day / 24,000 Ltrs every other day

1.4 Ton Ice Builder, suitable for up to 14,000 Ltrs every other day

2 x 720kg refurbished Ice Builder suitable for up to 8,000 Ltrs every other day

500kg Ice Builder – suitable for up to 6,000 Ltrs every other day

CUSTOM BUILT HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS, TAYLORED TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS SMALLER BULK TANKS AVAILABLE REFURBISHED ICE BUILDERS IN STOCK EMERGENCY OPEN & ENCLOSED LOAN TANKS AVAILABLE TO RENT *WATER SOFTENERS AVAILABLE * SOLE UK IMPORTER FOR NEW RO-KA MILK COOLING SYSTEMS & SPARE PARTS

INDOOR & OUTDOOR TANKS & SILOS ALSO AVAILABLE

Tanks wanted - 6,000 Ltr and above.

For further details please call S.W Refrigeration specialising in “On Farm cooling Equipment” 01392 210344 or Paul on 07974 140949

All Tanks can be fitted anywhere in the country or ex-yard and all come with a 12 month warranty.

Talk to us about our “Green Machine” Heat Recovery System. With almost all installations returning a 30-50% return on investment, can you afford not to install it on your Dairy Farm?

Please see www.southwestrefrigeration.co.uk for more info.

Portable Milking Machine

Complete with Honda engine and Electric motor. This unit is ready for work and can be delivered anywhere in the UK.

Livestock Supplies LTD

Call Ashley on: 07831 887531 or 01829 260328 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

Litres

Fullwood 5,000 Litres

Serap 6,000 Litres

Delaval 8,000 Litres

Serap 8,000 Litres

Vaccar 8,000 Litres

Serap 9,000 Litres Mueller 9,000 Litres Ro-Ka 9,000 Litres

Kirstal

HIGH PEAK Cattle Scanning Services. Contact David Astley Tel: 01457 863151 or Mobile 07976 773797 (T)

CONCRETE GROOVING Neil O’Donnell -Tel: 01900 817009 or 07759 194600 Nationwide (T)

IAN SMITH Livestock Scanning Services. Across the North -Tel: 01200 445750 or 07976 539197 (T)

COLLECTORS OF DEAD ANIMALS THROUGHOUT LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE Competitive prices PLEASE CALL: 01704 893161 or 07768 051800 (24 hrs) Martland’s the name, knackering’s the game Established over 100 years

BRAND NEW & UNUSED Fibreglass CALF -O-TEL

Beltex X Texel X Charollais Shearling Rams

Calf Hutches. Complete with fencing.

A large selection of all animal and calf feeding equipment and all other associated products also available. Massive saving on list price Livestock Supplies Ltd. Tel: 07831 887531 or 01829 260328 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

Excellent conformation, tight skins, ready for work. Heptavac P

Contact Mr Brocklehurst on 07764 196462 or 01260 223338 Nr Congleton

Lleyn - MV Signet Flock 1448

Enhancing profitability through Performance Recording. 200 registered shearling ewes. Can be purchased by EBVs. High EBV tups registered & commercial. Culland Hall Farm, Derbyshire Tel: 01335 361 322 or 07802 887814 www.culland-farm.co.uk

WOOL WANTED types required. Full payment. L.Pierce Wool Merchant: North England - Grace Dobson 07840 957803 or South England - John Wood 07980 655637

IMPORTED PEDIGREE DAIRY CATTLE

From Holland, Denmark, Germany, France & Ireland.

Available now for immediate delivery - 34 pedigree in calf heifers. Due to calf July, Aug & Sept. Ready to import from Holland.

All the above livestock are of the highest quality and all paperwork and testing meet our stringent regulations. Also available a weekly selection of 8-10 UK sourced fresh calved heifers and cows. All guaranteed & delivered anywhere in the UK. Finance can be arranged

Telephone: 07831 887531 or 01829 260328

SHEEP SPECIAL

PEDIGREE FOCUS - JULY 31

This not-to-be-missed Farmers Guardian Sheep Supplement is perfect if you want to reach the people right at the heart of the sheep industry.

Jam-packed with key pedigree and commercial sheep sales from auction marts across the UK, it is ideal for anyone involved in sheep farming and beyond.

It will comprise of private stock for sale, feeding, housing equipment and much, much more.

There will also be editorial features on:

• Pedigree sheep flocks

• A look ahead to the breeding season

• Technical and veterinary advice

This is your chance to advertise alongside top-quality journalism and reach over 80,000 people across the farming industry.

Key benefits to you:

• A reach of over 80,000 readers

• Increased brand awareness and recognition

• More credibility for your company by advertising in a respected magazine

Call Gemma Thorpe or Katie Robinson on 01772 799500 to find out more about our advertising opportunities or email fgclassified@farmersguardian.com

HOMOZYGOUS POLLED CHOICE OF 5 RED OR BLACK

Please feel free to contact

• Good conformation & muscling • Exceptional temperament.

• High health status. TB4. • Ready For Work Tel: 07849 153733 or 01223 426412

3 Well

FRESH REARING CALVES

Available in suitable batches delivered to most parts of the country Continental Bull and Heifer calves 3-5 weeks old available now.

Quality store cattle sourced directly from Welsh/Shropshire Borders Farms, delivered to your farm. Delivery Nationwide. Livestock Supplies Ltd TEL: 07831 887531 or 01829 260328 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

Polled Charolais Bulls

Ready to work, delivered direct to your farm, very quiet, easy calving. Also females avaliable. Health monitored, closed herd, full pedigree with each animal, Red tractor.

Tel: 077157 64351

High Health Status TB4

Tel 07801 868856 - Penrith

Mobberley Aberdeen Angus Pedigree breeding bulls for sale Well-shaped, easy calving, easy fleshing, grass based, ready to work.

Contact Ian on 07900 922380 Mobberley, Cheshire WA16

Tel 07801 868856 - Penrith Beef Shorthorn

CHAROLAIS

2 PEDIGREE BULLS

16 months old. TB tested. BVD Acc. Quiet, easy calving breed.

Tel: 07792 417291 or 01335 324687 Derbyshire (P) Simmental Bull

High Health Status TB4 Polled

CREAG- MHOR POULTRY Point of lay pullets, day old chicks. Commercial Brown Hybrids, Copper Comets, dark brown egg layers, Blackrocks, Light Sussex and other coloured hybrids. Ducklings. Cheshire Blue, Blue Egg layers. - Tel: 07946 761435 Cheshire www.creagmhorpoultry.co.uk

EGG PACKING MATERIALS

Trays, Pre-Packs plain and printed. Outer cases. Staples etc. All you need to present your eggs from J. COULTHURST Bamber Bridge (01772) 623123

TURKEY GROWERS available for Christmas Trade. July, August and September. White or Black sexed Hens. Baron Turkeys: 01928 716416 or 07768 603825 www. baronturkeys.co.uk

NOVA RED White Star & Purebreds now available. -Tel: 07768 790962 W.Yorks (P)

LIMOUSIN BULLS

choice of 3 strong, well bred, natural bulls. TB 4 area Tel: 01539 733422 Cumbria (P)

CHESHIRE BLUE Russet blue and Russet green. Blue and Green egg laying Hybrids, Available from CMP, Tel: 07946 761435 Creag-MhorPoultry Nantwich (T) Naturally reared and ready to work Well grown with good shape, easy calving. Used to Cubicles

Telephone: 01625 424284 Cheshire (P)

ERVIE HEREFORDS

Good strong bulls for sale. Running at grass & ready. Easy-calving & high health. Nationwide transport possible. Tel. John on 01776 854226

BRITISH BLONDE cattle for sale. Heifers 13-28 months old & Bulls 12-14 months old. Tel Philip Dixon 01772 877289 (Lancs)

HEREFORD BULLS Registered Polled 16 to 36 months from £1600. Grab yourself a bargain! Tel 07909063048 Derbyshire

07973 208 384

(T)

If it’s not our name on the bag, It’s NOT our salt!

Telephone: 01981 250301 www.ballofmadley-hereford.co.uk

TOMLINSON BROS

Top Quality Hay & Straw.Cheshire

All types of big bales. 01829 782378 07710 933681

FOR SALE Mowing grass. approx 23 acres. Available immediately. Tel. 07837 091147. Longridge (P)

NEW CROP Hay, Wheat and Barley Straw.Tom Noblet (Abbott & Co Wessex ltd) Tel: 07951 962064 N.England and South West Scotland (T)

HAYLAGE FOR SALE www.haylageforsale. co.uk 07785 361396 (T)

01285 653738 abbottwessex@btinternet.com

CALF AND LAMB milk replacer. Quality Products visit www.premiermilkreplacers.co.uk. Competitively priced. U.F.A.S reg. Tel: Chris 01522 680815 / 07778 743080 Nationwide Delivery (T)

LIQUID FEEDS to encourage forage intake. Molasses and molasses blends plus additional minerals if required. J E Morten: 01663 734621 High peak, Derbyshire (T)

GOOSTREY PRODUCE Auction last Monday 19 loads. Details in full at info@ ashleywaller.co.uk

HAYLAGE & STRAW Both very good quality Both in 4 ft round bales. Tel 07792300868 Manchester (T)

Door frames for the above, all galvanised, excellent condition

Telephone: 07960 979702 Cheshire (P)

•

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS

Although every advertisement is carefully checked,occasionally mistakes do occur.We therefore ask advertisers to assist by checking their advertisements carefully and advise us immediately should an error occur. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than ONE INCORRECT insertion and that no re-publication will be granted in the case of typographical or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement. While every endeavour will be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers, the publisher does not guarantee insertion of any particular advert.

We are currently aware of a number of fraudulent advertisers attempting to sell items within the classified section. Whilst we endeavour to protect our readers and pull these adverts before going to press, sometimes they may unfortunately appear in print.

Please be mindful before entering into any deals you PROCEED WITH CAUTION with the seller and do not part with money until goods are received.

Farmers Guardian are NOT responsible for any part of the transaction that takes place with the seller and the buyer.

ROLLER SHUT TERS

Manufacture, supply, installation and repair all types of industrial/agricultural

DIY kits available Nationwide Telephone Bolton 01204 853243 or 07917 864585 Email sales@sssindustrialdoors.co.uk Redearth Farm, Bolton, Lancs.

•

•

•

•

LANDSCAPE

Question over sustainability of property market

While most of the country emerges from lockdown and businesses start to adjust to the ‘new normal’, the poor residents of Leicester face further restrictions as the Government impose a ‘local lockdown’.

You can only feel sorry for those businesses which last week were busy getting staff back to work only to be told they cannot re-open premises for at least another two weeks.

Many will surely be hanging on by their fingertips and I suspect this will be the nail in the coffin for some. Add to this the fact that at some point the furlough scheme will be phased out and I believe that the employment status of many who have been sitting at home since March will move seamlessly from furloughed to redundant as companies struggle to survive. It is not a cheery prospect.

Based in rural Shropshire, with a client base predominantly made up of farmers and landowners, we have remained busy during the lockdown period – something for which I will be eternally grateful.

Basic Payment Scheme, stewardship schemes and bank valuations have kept us busy and farmers have taken the opportunity of low interest rates to refinance and/or restructure, with a great many looking to the future with building projects.

During lockdown the property agency side of our business slammed to a halt, but over the last few weeks we have seen unprecedented levels of interest with an extremely buoyant market. The revelation that they can work equally well, and sometimes better, from home has led to peo-

ple re-evaluating fundamental life choices, resulting in a surge of relocation to the countryside.

However, I do not believe that this buoyant market is sustaina ble. As the full effect of the pan demic on the economy becomes clear, with some businesses fail ing and increased levels of unemployment, the first-time buyer market will surely take a hit.

This aspect of the property market is crucial as without buy ers stepping onto the first rung, no-one else can move up the lad der and I predict that over the next few months we are likely to see the first signs of stagnation in the market, even in rural areas. I sincerely hope I am wrong.

What does this mean for the farming community? It is difficult to know but I am certain that having a robust and flexible business plan which maximises assets has to be at the top of everyone’s agenda and while succession plan ning has been ‘talked to death’, this really is the time to get the conversation started about what is going to happen to the family farm. Do not delay, start today.

Louise Taylor is managing partner of Barbers Rural Consultancy LLP. Call 01630 692 500, or email l.taylor@barbers-rural.co.uk

one stop shop for all agricultural sales Search by sale type, mart, auctioneer or region

Property market latest with Louise Taylor

Louise Taylor PROPERTY

BALDOCK | HERTFORDSHIRE

4 Bedroom Farmhouse set within 1.12 Ha (2.76 Acres). Two principal complexes of farm buildings. 3 Bedroom detached bungalow. 245.46 Ha (606.54 Acres) of Arable farmland. 12.30 Ha (30.40 Acres) of Permanent Pasture. For Sale by private treaty.

Guide price £7.14 million | In all extending to 261.51 Ha (646.16 Acres)

A productive stock farm extending to around 233.49ac (94.48ha) with a mixture of grazing, mowing and arable

Affording a four bedroom farmhouse with an extensive range of traditional and modern farm buildings A productive stock rearing farm extending to around 207.97ac (84.17ha) with a mixture of grazing, mowing and arable Affording a traditional five bedroom Farmhouse and modern Bungalow with an extensive range of modern farm buildings

RTS Richard Turner & Son

AUCTIONEERS VALUERS & ESTATE AGENTS Est 1803

Preston M6 Junction 32 - 6 miles

Richard Turner & Son, Old Sawley Grange, Sawley, Clitheroe BB7 4LH

Tel: 01200 441351 Email: sawley@rturner.co.uk www.rturner.co.uk

Blackpool M55 Junction

For sale by informal tender Stanley Farm, Pinfold Lane, Sowerby, Preston, Lancashire PR3 0TX

About 288 acres

The renowned home of the Joylan herd of Holstein dairy cattle comprising a prestigious principal residence in its own landscaped grounds with private driveway, two additional detached three bedroom residences, detached farm office, steel frame 498 cow housing complex, calving pens, additional cubicle sheds, general purpose sheds, silage bunkers, large slurry lagoon, 34,000 bird modern poultry shed and grade 2 fertile level cropping land in all extending to 288.39 acres for sale by informal tender as a whole or any combination of five lots ranging from 127 acres with buildings and 2 houses, 30 acres with 1 house and 129 acres in 3 further lots.

Guide Price: £5,250,000 fully equipped. The dairy cattle will be sold on the premises on 11th August. Grass silage and standing crop maize will be to take over at valuation.

Informal Tender: Completed tender forms required by 12noon Friday 31st July.

Viewing: By appointment with the selling agents.

Selling Agents: Richard Turner & Son, Old Sawley Grange, Sawley, Clitheroe BB7 4LH Tel: 01200 441351 Email: sawley@rturner.co.uk

5 Bedroom contemporary farmhouse in Buckinghamshire

Condition

Three Bedrooms £130,000 Telephone: 01782 522 117 ellie.ormrod@whittakerandbiggs.co.uk

MILK ROUND WANTED

A detached farmhouse set in approximately 0.88

Acres

SALES English, Scottish, Welsh & Northern Irish, BPS Claims, CS Applications, Carbon & Water Abstraction Licence Trading. www. townsendcharteredsurveyors.co.uk Tel: 01392 823935

Farmers Guardian

Finance: Terms & Conditions

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Farmers Guardian contains advertising and sponsorship. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for ensuring that material submitted for inclusion on Farmers Guardian complies with international and national law. Farmers Guardian (nor its websites) is not responsible for any error or inaccuracy in advertising or sponsorship material.

Any agreements, transactions or other arrangements made between you and any third party named in, on (or linked to from) in Farmers Guardian and its websites are at your own responsibility and entered into at your own risk.

Farmers Guardian promises to develop and operate with reasonable skill and care and will use reasonable efforts to promptly remedy any faults of which it is aware.

Farmers Guardian does not provide any other promises or warranties about its products and services. Farmers Guardian is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. This means that Farmers Guardian does not make any promises in respect of Farmers Guardian or the services and functions available on or through Farmers Guardian, Fginsight.com and fgbuyandsell.com or of the quality, completeness or accuracy of the information published on or linked to from Farmers Guardian, Fginsight.com and fgbuyandsell.com other than as expressly stated above.

| Whitchurch, N Shropshire | £150,000 14.79 Acres versatile land for sale | well-fenced, water connected | suitable for crops, grazing or equestrian | good access | close to A525 3mths-25yrs £10,000 - £5,000,000 Specialist help for Financial Problem cases

The above disclaimers apply equally to your use of Farmers Guardian, Fginsight.com and fgbuyandsell.com without limiting the above; Farmers Guardian and its websites are not liable for matters beyond its reasonable control. Farmers Guardian does not control third party communications networks (including your internet service provider), the internet, acts of god or the acts of third parties.

Farmers Guardian liability will not be limited in the case of death or personal injury directly caused by Farmers Guardian negligence in those countries where it is unlawful for Farmers Guardian to seek to exclude such liability.

Any individual, who is in doubt about entering into a loan agreement, should seek professional advice or consult an authorised person who can assist in relation to entering into a credit agreement. Before acting on any information you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to these matters, any relevant offer document and in particular, you should seek independent financial advice.

All loans, loan participations and financial products or instrument transactions involve risks, which include (among others) the risk of adverse or unanticipated market, financial or political developments and, in international transactions, currency risk. Lending against non-traditional physical collateral exposes investors to specific risks such as the potential for fraud, theft, damage and illiquidity.

Double cab

& Machinery

MACHINERY & TRACTOR

On July 17th, Farmers Guardian’s popular Machinery & Tractor magazine is back. It's the perfect platform to reach over 80,000 agricultural professionals in print and online!

With a focus on tractors and loaders, this special will feature user stories, top tips, the latest kit updates and buyer’s guides. Filled with unrivalled journalism, you could reach thousands of decision-makers while being cost-effective.

What's more, we can help raise your brand awareness, launch new products, increase sales and much more using multi-platforms!

Place your products and services in a trusted, market-leading title which gives you direct access to the heart of farming.

Call Ewa Bailey on 01772 799500 to find out more about our advertising opportunities or email ewa.bailey@farmersguardian.com

• Reinforced credibility of your

by

WANTED

-3m combination drill - 4 thorough reversible plough - 4wd International, Renault or Massey Ferguson tractor - Stanhay Seeder and belts and 3 row coulters - 4 thorough reversible plough Land wanted for next season in a 30 mile radius or G.Manchester and Cheshire area to rent between 20 and 60 acres

Tel: 07398 777786

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

JCB 3CX & JCB Telehandlers.

Most makes, immediate payment, 07778008715. Lancashire (P)

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer

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TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer NORTHSTAR

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UK Main Dealers

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TheUK’s No.1 Spot Sprayer NORTHSTAR

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UK Main Dealers

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Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers

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JOHN DEERE TRACTOR HIRE

UK Main Dealers

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Sprays over 4 metres

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers

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Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers

Tel . 01566 77220 8

Sprays over 4 metres

Tel . 01566 77220 8

Tel . 01566 77220 8

26hp 42” cut with collector, Mulch capable. New and unused. Cost £5,000, will accept £1,999 OVNO. Can deliver. Tel: 07710 169150 (P)

UK Main Dealers

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR

Tel . 01566 77220 8

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers

1/7/20 to 31/10/20

Tel . 01566 77220 8

www.spraytech uk com

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR

Tel . 01566 77220 8

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR

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Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers www.spraytech uk com

8370R 10 wk £1800 p/w

7310R 10 wk £1485 p/w

7290R 10 wk £1350 p/w

6250R 10 wk £1255 p/w

6215R 10 wk £1057 p/w

6155R 10 wk £792 p/w

6145R 10 wk £711 p/w 6130R 10 wk

Sprays over 4 metres NORTHSTAR UK Main Dealers www.spraytech uk com

el . 01566 77220 8

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BOBCATS For sale used and reconditioned. New and used spare parts. -Tel: 01495 237888 or 07793 744622(evenings) www.borderbobcat.com

What’s more, it can be done for a fraction of the cost of buying a new one.

We are specialists in the supply and repair of augers for all models of grain dryers and header augers for combine harvesters. We also provide a cost-effective repair service for all makes of diet-feeders.

The company can respond to seasonal market needs where combine augers can often be repaired on your premises, in one day, meaning a minimum of downtime.

The multi award-winning, family run Roto Spiral Ltd., has expanded and opened anew UK base at Deeside, North Wales. We are now able to provide our UK customers with the same high quality, cost-effective repair, design, manufacture, supply and installation service for augers, tub feeders, screw conveyors, hoppers and silos as we have been doing for our Irish customers for the last 38 years. Nationwide collection and delivery service is available, so wherever you are in the UK, we can help.

Head Office - Knocktopher, Co Kilkenny, Ireland

Tel: 00 353 (0)56 7768619 Email: rotospiral@eircom.net

Roto Spiral (UK) Limited - Unit 33, Engineer Park, Sandycroft, Deeside, CH5 2QB Tel: 07761 292070 Email: info@rotospiral.co.uk

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SilaPactor

BREAKING

Combines JD, Claas, MF, NH, Laverda, Deutz Fahr and Dania

J.J Cowap & Sons, Agricultural Salvage - Tel : 01829 760263

The heavyweight answer to making light work of silage compaction

Can increase dry matter compaction density by up to 40%*.

Widths from 2.1m to 4m and weights from 2.5t to 6t. *compared to conventional tractor rolling Making a

23,000

t: 01458 252281

e: info@kelvincave.com visit kelvincave.com

Hyundai Robex 145CR-9A

2016 Manufactured, 5542 Hours,15 Tonne, Zero Tail Swing, Hydraulic Quick Hitch, Metal Tracks, 3 Ft Toothed Bucket.

£38,000.00

NEW McHale Orbital Wrapper NEW/OLD STOCK, Shop Soiled, Fully Automatic, High Speed Loading & Wrapping, Proven cut & Hold

Case Farmall 65C 2018, 1003 Hrs, PowerShuttle 12×12, 540 PTO, A/C, 2 Spools, Front Weights, 420/85/30 Rear, 9.00×16.0 Front. £18,500.00

Claas Arion 630 2012, 5980 Hrs, 40K, Hexashift Trans, Front Linkage & PTO, Cab Sus, 4 Spools, Air Seat, Passenger Seat, A/C, 460/85/38 Rear, 420/70/28 Front. £25,750.00

Massey Ferguson 6615 2016, 3426 Hrs, Dyna 4 Trans, 40K, 3 Spools, Cab Sus, Air Seat, A/C, Passenger Seat, 540/1000 PTO, Front Weights, 380/85/28 Front, 460/85/38 Rear. £46,500.00

Case Maxxum 140 2015, 2372 Hrs, 3 Speed PTO, 3 Spools, Electric Hitch Control, 4 Speed Semi-Powershift, 40K, Front & Cab Sus, Full Set of Weights, A/C, Air Seat, 600/65/38 Rear, 480/65/28 Front. £44,000.00

John Deere 6210R 2013 Registered, 6694 Hours, Autoquad 20×20, 50K, 3 Mechanical Spool Valves, Air Seat, Air Conditioning, Passenger Seat, Front & Cab Suspension, Hydraulic Top Link. £POA

Massey Ferguson 5465 2012, 4764 Hours, Dyna 4 Trans, 40K, 3 Spools, Air Seat, Passenger Seat, A/C, 540/1000 PTO, 600/65/38 Michelin Rear, 480/65/28 Michelin Front. £29,750.00

TRANSPORT WORK

• Ensures

•

•

Ferguson 6480

2012, 4141 Hours, Dyna 6 Trans, 40K, Front & Cab Susp, Front Linkage and PTO, 4 Mechanical Spool, 650/65/38 Rear, 540/65/28 Front. £34,500.00

• BODY MADE OF GRADE 420 HIGH TENSILE STEEL • SPRUNG DRAWBAR • HYDRAULIC DOOR

• JOSKIN ROLL-OVER BOGGIE • AIR BRAKES

• HYDRAULIC JACK • REAR BUMPER • WHEELS 560/60R22.5 BKT FL 630 • EUROPEAN CERTIFICATION (COC) • MUDGUARDS

• BOLTED EYELET

Massey

Nexos 240F 4wd Vineyard, 2011, 4800 hours.

JCB 85Z excavator c/w quick hitch & 3 buckets, 2014, 2700 hours.

Cat Challenger MT765, rear linkage + pto. 2005, 4 spools.

CaseIH Farmlift 742 telescopic, JCB Q-Fit carriage, rear trailer hitch, 2015, 2700 hours. £38,000 + vat.

CASEIH Puma 240 CVX. 2016, 3060 hours, Pro700 & GPS ready,

John Deere 7310R. front linkage + pto. 2014, 3615 hours, 50kph.

ISUZU 2.5TD EXTENDED CAB = more load space, 2014, air cond. load liner, ladder rack, central locking. £10,995 + vat.

ISUZU 2.5TD DOUBLE CAB, Automatic 64’ reg. 50722 miles, Nav. Reverse camera, Cruise, Climate, roller shutter top, remote locking. £14,495 + vat.

CaseIH Puma 150 Semi Powershift 50kph. 2019, 1200 hours, 650/65 x 38 tyres, trailer air brakes, balance of CaseIH Warranty.

NEW CaseIH Puma 150 Semi Powershift 40kph. Cab, suspension. CaseIH Warranty. £58,000 + vat.

Deere 1565 diesel c/w Trimex flail mower, 2013, 1255 hours.

ISUZU XTR Auto. 2019, 18000 miles, roller shutter, Nav. Roof rails, Lazer lights + more spec. £29,995 + vat.

reverse camera, heated seats, air cond.alloys, roof rack, power fold

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK 2016, 71360 miles, Canopy, tow bar, reverse camera, bluetooth, part leather, remote locking. £15,995 + vat.

ISUZU EIGER, 2019 ‘69’ reg. 50 miles, alloy wheels, air conditioned, reverse camera, electric windows & door mirrors, spare wheel, just like new. £18,900 + vat.

1.7 CRDi SE. 2014, climate control, bluetooth, reverse camera, cruise control, central locking. £7,995

CLAAS

CaseIH LB434 baler, 120 x 90 bales, 2014, roller chute, 300 screen.

AMAZONE UF1801 + front tank, 24m boom, 2019, lots of spec.

John

McConnel Robocut c/w remote controls & 1.3m flail, choice of machines.

NEW ISUZU alloy wheels, set of four £400.00 + vat. Ford Transit Connect Automatic van ‘67’ reg. 27324 miles, Navigation,

mirrors. £12,495 + vat.

HYUNDAI

CaseIH Axial Flow 9240, 35’ header & trolley, 245 Rotor hours, Redekop chopper, side knives, CaseIH Warranty.

Edited by James Rickard

Aside from a healthy dose of re-styling and a refreshed cab interior, you may be forgiven for thinking that John Deere has merely given its latest 7R a bit of an update.

Has Deere finally

However, while the cast iron bits and its overall dimensions remain pretty much unchanged, internally the latest generation 7R is a very different animal. And it all stems from John Deere’s ambition to right a few wrongs with the 7R.

As many will know, the 7R has not exactly been the manufacturer’s finest hour, particularly when it comes to reliability. And while the firm’s other tractor ranges have enjoyed a relatively healthy report card, it has put up with a perpetual blot against the 7R and its chequered history.

So what has Deere done to put things right? Fundamentally, the firm has gone right through the tractor from front to back and has changed and improved a multitude of components, especially in the

generation 7R Series tractor. James Rickard finds out more with a test drive.

transmission department. It has also managed to reduce hydraulic pipework by about 25 per cent.

While the new tractor is christened Gen 2, for us it seems more like the third version. Wind the clock back and the original 7R arrived on the scene in

2011, bringing with it the infamous push-type cooling package and electric power steering option. Transmissions were limited to the firm’s CommandQuad robotised semi-powershift and its AutoPowr continuously variable transmission.

got the 7R right?

In 2013 a second iteration of the tractor was launched, dropping the push cooling in favour of a more conventional set-up. A transmission more befitting the tractor was also introduced, the e23 full powershift, and a refreshed control layout and terminal joined the party too.

RANGE OVERVIEW

To find out more about the latest tractor, we got our hands on a limited production build 7R 330, took it out of its arable comfort zone, and equipped it with a set of Kverneland triple mowers.

John Deere’s latest 7R Series tractor has undergone some substantial changes.

THE 7R Series is now made up of six models, ranging from 250hp to 350hp (rated power). As with many manufacturer’s tractor ranges, the 7R has climbed up the power ladder over the years, dropping the smallest 230hp (rated) model along the way and gaining two new, more powerful models at the top-end of the series, the 7R 330 and 7R 350.

The latter has a rated power of 350hp and a maximum rated power of 385hp (power bulge). Add to this the firm’s intelligent power management (IPM) and the tractor will be nearing 395hp.

With the new styling comes a new model numbering system, which sees the series number split up from the rated power figure. For example, what was once a 7310R, is now a 7R 310.

Rear-end layout is still the same as is linkage performance, with a near eight tonne lift capacity throughout the lift range (10.2t maximum lift capacity), and a hydraulic pump output of up to 223 litres per minute.

Front-end is similar too, using the same ‘box’ type cooling package and engines. Now meeting Stage 5 emissions, the four largest 7Rs use the same nine-litre engine as the larger 8R models, so have a lot to give. The two smallest models use the 6.8-litres,asusedinthe6Msand6Rs.

Relating to the 7R’s options and technology packages, three levels of spec can be chosen from; Premium, Ultimate and Signature.

TEST MODEL SPECIFICATIONS

■ Model: 7R 330

■ Engine: Nine-litre, six-cylinder, PVS John Deere

■ Rated power: 330hp

■ Maximum rated power: 363hp

■ Maximum power with IPM: 373hp

■ Peak torque: 1,545Nm

■ Transmission: AutoPowr continuously variable, 0.05 to 50kph

■ Hydraulic pump capacity: 223 litres/minute

■ Rear linkage lift capacity:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

John Deere and the Cornthwaite Group for tractor and support, particularly Geoff Whiteside

7,850kg throughout whole lift range

■ Front linkage lift capacity: 3,150kg throughout whole lift range

■ Fuel tank capacity: 513 litres

■ DEF tank capacity: 26.2 litres

■ Wheelbase: 2,925mm

■ Approximate un-laden weight: 11,400kg

■ Maximum permissible weight: 16,000kg

■ Retail price: £303,145

Kverneland and Clarke and Pullman for the mowers (more on these in a following report).

Continued over the page...

MACHINERY

TRANSMISSION

WHILE the 7R comes with the same two transmission options as before, as mentioned both have been completely revised. This extends to new bearings, more robust components, improved lubrication and better management.

Our test 7R 330 model came with the AutoPowr CVT. While the CVT in the 6Rs is a ZF-based unit, the CVT in the 7R, and the 8R, is built in-house by Deere.

The hydro-mechanical unit features four mechanical ranges and two hydro/pump units. Apart from a slight audible change between ranges,the‘boxgivesanearseamless change of speed from zero to 50kph.

Therearenomanualrangechanges to worry about either; the tractor does it all itself, depending on pedal or lever input. However, you can set two cruise speeds and you can limit the tractor’s top speed. The latter is crucial when it comes to more

accurate control of the tractor at slower speeds, especially around the yard when driving with the pedal. However, shuttling back and forth is one of its Achilles’ heels. Unlike the 6R’s CVT which has a pair of clutch packs for snappy direction changes, the 7R makes do with one. While this is a simpler set-up, it does mean the tractor has to slow and come to a complete stop before changing direction, making shuttling a little more sedate.

Depending on your circumstances, this is something which you may not notice, but if you are doing a lot of shunting at headlands, it is something which can test your patience. If it is an issue, the e23 full powershift gearbox may be the better option as it works completely differently.

Thankfully, the 7R is a remarkably nimble tractor for its size. With its wheels fully set out to 2,083mm it can achieve a turning circle of 8.7 metres.

CAB

WHILE the cab frame itself is the same, steering wheel, steering column, ventilation placement and roof line have all been subjected to styling changes.

Practical changes include the removal of the old floor fridge and a new larger, 11-litre fridge located in the left rear corner of the cab - this really opens up the floor space.

Enabling you to put your feet up, foot pegs either side of the steering column are included. A third foot peg is also placed towards the right-hand side of the cab, which when the seat is swivelled to the right, can be made the most of, offering a driving position ideal for keeping an eye on rear implements.

A new 6.5-inch touch-screen now adorns the roof line, which takes care of all infotainment functions. It can be paired with

your phone and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and the Android equivalent, giving access to your contacts, maps, music. It does not take care of any tractor functions, for this, you still use the dedicated 10.4in touch-screen 4600 terminal and/or an optional ‘Extended Monitor’ screen, as was fitted to our test machine.

And then there is the seat. With Ultimate and Signature spec you get a full leather armchair with heating

and cooling functions, a multitude of electric adjustment and a two-stage massage feature. The latter is the icing on the cake, but can take you by surprise when trying to mow around telegraph poles.

For comfort, the front axle suspension remains unchanged, but the hydraulic cab suspension has been ousted in favour of a simpler, four-point mechanical set-up which works just as good, if not better than the old system.

CONTROLS

CONTROLS on the new 7R remain largely unchanged. The firm’s CommandArm will be familiar to John Deere users, and is very easy to work out for non-John Deere users.

Just as easy to fathom is the 10.4-inch, 4600 touch-screen terminal, featuring clear icons and easy navigation.

New to the 7R is the availability of the CommandPro joystick option. Originally launched on the 6230R and 6250R tractor models in 2016, it brings with it much greater functionality. While to some its menagerie of buttons may seem over facing, it is actually very easy to use and set-up.

ON-TEST MACHINERY

PRACTICALITIES

Most buttons on the ‘stick can be customised to how you like and/or the particular job at hand, and with buttons on both the near and far side of the ‘stick, it means you can make the most of your fingers.

In terms of feel, there is also

Access to the cab is much easier with wider, more inline steps and a lower door handle.

Right-hand platform is improved, but a large toolbox has not been included in the re-design.

LED beacons and StarFire receiver are now fully integrated, but an interchangeable StarFire 6000 can still be specified.

a really good distinction between all the buttons, which helps avoid confusion. It is a shame, however, CommandPro is not available with the e23 transmission, as its functionality would work well with the full powershift transmission.

Deere has kept the use of rubbish bits of coiled wire to retain things such as drop link winding handle.

Verdict

OVERALL, it is clear to see John Deere has been busy with the latest 7R, from the new features which you can see, to the improvement of the internal workings which you cannot see. While we can easily try out the former, we will have to see if the

latter has made the desired impact on reliability. Of the bits we can try, the overhauled cab is a fantastic place to work, with comfort a stand out element. CommandPro is also a welcome addition and adds a lot to the 7R’s functionality.

rDaily checks recorded on phone

By James Rickard

SPECIFICALLY developed for use in agriculture, health and safety specialist Safety Revolution has developed a free app to help with the daily inspection of farm vehicles.

Called Merit AgCheck, it enables users to easily carry out daily checks using their phones, offering a simple and effective method of recording machinery defects, managing equipment reports and documenting compliance on-farm.

As we found out, it offers a completely paperless way of keeping on top of fleet health.

Checks are quickly fed automatically back to the Merit AgCheck dashboard, giving a complete overview of the business’ vehicles and the ‘state’ of each vehicle.

From here, various pieces of equipment in the fleet can easily be added to the dashboard, which operators can access via the app for their daily checks.

These include tractors, trailers, ATVs, pickups, combines, foragers, sprayers and telehandler, to name a few.

Each vehicle gets its own checklist, which is easy to run through on your phone. For a tractor, this

App aims to make machinery safer

covers everything from simple visual checks to making sure the guidance system is receiving a signal.

As well as checking various items on the tractor, it makes sure you are carrying out the checks in a safe manner and includes a ‘safe stop’ procedure right at the start of the check list.

Images

For each item on the checklist, a traffic light system is used for reporting defects with the ability to upload images and make comments, which can be viewed by everyone on the dashboard, keeping everyone informed of any defects or issues.

Each checklist report is time stamped, with automatic notifications sent to management for serious faults.

Full reports can also be generated from the management dashboard, at which point maintenance plans can be put in place, or the

vehicle taken out of operation if it is serious.

Members of the team can be invited to sign up through the dashboard and each user gets their own login.

To some this may seem like extra work, but to us it was an aid to what good operators will already be doing.

It is easy to do too, and more importantly, it keeps everyone in the loop so no miscommunication between operators on the state of machinery.

Available now on both Apple and Android operating platforms, it is currently in a pilot testing phase.

The standard version which we tried is free, with a premium version to be launched in August.

This subscription version will

bring with it increased levels of management tools with the ability to customise checklists.

Shorter checklists can then be used on a daily basis, with longer a checklist used on a monthly basis, for example.

In addition, the premium version will give prompts if a certain piece of machinery has not been checked for a while, and it will alert if any statutory equipment reviews are due, such as a lifting operations and lifting equipment regulation inspection for a telehandler.

And when it comes time to sell a machine, the app will be able to offer a full service and maintenance history of that vehicle.

The company says the app is under constant development and welcomes any feedback by users.

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MACHINERY USER STORY

Now in its second iteration, is Zetor’s improved Crystal 170 HD flagship tractor model living up to expectations? Simon Henley travels to Warwickshire to find out.

Crystal HD answers criticisms

Introduced to the UK at the 2019 LAMMA Show, the Zetor Crystal HD 170 was a replacement for the Crystal 160 model.

Zetor revived its famous Crystal line-up back in 2015 and the all-new version of the tractor range introduced Deutz six-cylinder power with the 30F/30R transmission borrowed from the four-cylinder Foterra HD line-up.

Although well received, early examples of the new Cyrstal were arguably underdeveloped. The cab, for example, featured an interior which lacked the ergonomic refinement of the company’s popular Forterra range, with poorly positioned spool valve levers and randomly placed switch gear.

The good news is this has been rectified by the introduction of the Crystal HD models, which now share a similar cab specification to the Forterra HD. With the HD-spec cab interior the operator gets an increased level of electronic control, with switches and dials arranged in a neat and logically arranged right-hand console.

Driver visibility has also been improved by raising the mechanically suspended cab 100mm, and Zetor now offers eight LED work

■ Farm: Richard Hall, Admington, Warwickshire

■ Farmed area: 202 hectares

■ Farm type: Arable, sheep and pigs Farm facts

lights as an option. A new LCD colour dash monitor is also a feature of the new cab, which shows a wider range of systems information.

The Hall family has owned more than 25 Zetor tractors over the years; Richard Hall can still remember the first Zetor 3045 the family owned when he was a child.

He says: “I think the only other tractor we owned aside from Zetors in those days, was a Ford 5000.

Reliable

“My dad and my uncle have always liked Zetor tractors because they are cheap, reliable, and they can fix them in the workshop. Zetor tractors have always been rugged and simple, with bullet-proof engines that would pull like a train and run on a sip of diesel.”

Alonsgide his father, Mr Hall today farms about 202 hectares, from

which he produces about 70ha of combinable crops which are sold for seed. He also runs a flock of 400 ewes and keeps half a dozen sows, the progeny from which are used to supply pork to local butchers and pubs.

The Hall tractor fleet includes a Zetor Forterra 80 equipped with a Zetor loader, and a Forterra HD 130. The Crystal HD 170 was bought in

April last year to replace a Valtra T151 which had clocked just over 5,000 hours.

Mr Hall says: “We like to swap our tractors every few years, so they do not lose too much residual value. The Valtra was a good tractor, but its value was such that we could not afford to replace it with a new one, so we decided to shop around.

Impressed

“Years ago, my father and uncle owned a Zetor Crystal 81145. This was a good tractor in its day, so last year we decided we would try one of the new Crystal 160 tractors on demo.

“On the whole we were impressed by the tractor’s performance, both in-field and on the road. It had plenty of power and we thought the Carraro independently suspended front axle was well suited to the tractor’s design. What we were not keen on was the cab. The low roof line obstructed forward vision and the interior layout felt outdated.

Additional shrouding has been added by the Zetor dealer to this hydraulic pipe to prevent it fouling on the tractor’s bonnet and wearing through.

Richard Hall’s decision to buy the tractor followed a demonstration with a Zetor Crystal 160 (inset) last year.

The HD-spec cab interior introduced a new right-hand console design.

Chequer-plate inserts have been fitted to the cab steps to make them ‘dog friendly’.

Richard Hall

USER STORY MACHINERY

Tractor specifications

“When we expressed our concerns to our local dealer, we were told Zetor was introducing a new Crystal HD model at LAMMA. The new tractor offered greater power and, more importantly, it had an updated and improved cab design. It also offered LED lighting, which was a bonus as we felt the standard work lights were not particularly good.”

Mr Hall is the first to agree that while Zetor tractors do potentially offer great value, they have not always provided the greatest level of refinement. However, he is keen to iterate that the new Crystal and Forterra HD models offer a far greater standard of fit and finish than the Zetor models of yesteryear.

“The HD cab is what makes the new Zetor Crystal HD 170. It is comfortable and offers easy access and better all-round visibility, plus the layout of the controls is far superior. I find the position of the gear lever is just perfect and the electronic spool valves fall right to hand.

“I also like the positioning of the cab on the tractor. Zetor positions the cab so the driver sits right over the rear axle, much like the older John Deere tractors. This makes it easier to see the linkage and the pickup hitch without having to lean out of the back window.

Powerful

“To be honest, the HD 170 is arguably a bit powerful for our farm, but I like that it is on top of everything we do. It will pull our five-furrow plough running at 1,400rpm and it handles the mole plough comfortably at just 1,300rpm.”

Like many, Mr Hall is keen to improve the efficiency of his farming operation. To exploit the Crystal HD’s 739Nm of torque, he recently adapted a set of three-metre Kongsklide spring tines to mount on the Crystal’s front linkage. These are used to work the ground in front of the tractor, while pulling a three-leg flat-lift subsoiler behind it, enabling

him to work stubble ground ahead of the seed drill in a single pass.

In terms of living with the tractor, to date Mr Hall has only a few minor criticisms.

“All Zetor tractors have their quirks. One of the design flaws I have noticed on the Crystal HD is the peg used to hold the top link on the tractor is difficult to remove, because it fouls the linkage lift ram. It is exactly the same on the Forterra models.

“We have also had a few minor concerns with the routing of the tractor’s wiring loom and hydraulic pipes. There are a couple of places where our dealer has added additional shrouding to prevent pipes from rubbing on the body panels.”

The concept of using out-sourced components to build a tractor is not a new one, but it is something which has arguably worked well for Zetor. Components like the Crystal HD’s well-proven Deutz engine and its Carraro independent suspension axle give the tractor the performance

■ Model: Zetor Crystal HD 170

■ Engine: Six-cylinder, 6.1-litre, Deutz

■ Power: 171hp at 2,100rpm

■ Torque: 739Nm

■ Transmission: Zetor Eco 40kph, semi-powershift (30F/30R)

■ Hydraulic output: 85 litres per minute

■ Wheelbase: 2.85 metres

■ Weight: 6,500kg

edge it needs to keep up with the competition, without adding the cost of in-house development to the price of the tractor.

“The Crystal HD 170 is the most refined Zetor tractor we have ever owned,” says Mr Hall.

“I find it is comfortable to drive, with plenty of power in-field and it travels well on the road. We do not have a big acreage, so affordability is an important factor when it comes to making a choice of what tractor to buy. So far, the Zetor Crystal HD 170 ticks all the boxes.”

Mr Hall says the optional LED lights are an necessity for night work.

The top-link peg is described as difficult to remove, as it makes contact with the rear linkage lift-cylinder.

Key 2020/21 contractor guide prices

The NAAC says consider more than just prices when choosing a contractor.

rSafety management should be looked into

NEW contracting guide prices for 2020/21 have been published by the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC), giving a UK national average to help contractors and farmers.

Overall, there has been a small upward trend in prices from 2019, to start to reflect the increasing cost of staff and inputs, says the association. The full guide can be found on the NAAC website.

However, prices may still vary significantly with region, soil type, customer size and machinery, and farmers should not be surprised to see prices quoted higher or lower than the guide, says Jill Hewitt, NAAC chief executive.

She says: “While cost is important to any business, farmers should also be considering quality, reputation and reliability of their contractor.”

As well as price, several factors should also be considered, says the

NAAC reveals contractor guide prices

NAAC. Is there safety management in place, are environmental scheme requirements being met, is there sufficient specialist insurance and will there be security and longevity on both sides?

Mrs Hewitt says: “Like every industry, there is fierce competition in the contracting sector, which can result in prices being driven down and a race to the bottom. However, a successful business is one which costs its operations carefully and refuses to work for less than a realistic price.”

Farmers should also be considering quality, reputation and reliability of their contractor

JILL HEWITT

■ Complete grass forage harvesting service, mowing, raking, forage harvest, cart (three trailers) and clamp: £166.63/hectare

■ Forage wagon: £117/hour

■ Large square baling (120cm by 90cm): £6.21/bale

■ Round baling: £3.31/bale

■ Round bale wrapping (120cm diameter with six layers): £6.25/bale

■ Tractor and man (150-220hp): £42.32/hour

■ Additional charge for trailer: £8.13/hour

■ Combining (cereals): £92.96/ha

■ Ploughing (heavy land): £66.86/ha

■ Power harrowing (deep on ploughed land): £57.72/ha

■ Combi-drilling (power harrow drill/combination): £63.59/ha

■ Precision maize drilling: £48.29/ha

■ Fertiliser spreading (spinning disc): £12.31/ha

■ Crop spraying: £13.37/ha

■ Muck spreading (tractor and rear discharge spreader): £53.90/hour

■ Slurry spreading (umbilical): £89/hour

LIVESTOCK

Edited by Katie Jones – 07786

Timing of weaning lambs this year can impact on flock profitability for next year, was the message from an AHDB beef and lamb webinar. Angela Calvert reports.

Long-term implications of weaning the flock earlier

rAdvanced weaning offers health benefits

EWE body condition, feed availability and lamb growth rates should all be considered when deciding when to wean.

Monitoring the body condition score (BCS) of ewes and weighing lambs regularly will help to determine the right time to wean.

Nerys Wright, knowledge exchange manager for AHDB beef and lamb, said: “What you do now can impact on next year’s scanning figures, as results from the AHDB sheep KPI project showed ewes which were light at weaning go on to have lighter and fewer lambs the following year.”

The AHDB recommendation is for 90 per cent of ewes to be at the target BCS and if ewes are falling below the weaning BCS targets at eight weeks post-lambing, lambs may need to be weaned earlier to allow sufficient time for the ewes to gain condition to reach target BCS by tupping.

It can take up to eight weeks for a ewe to gain one BCS score on good grazing or more if grass is limited or of poorer quality.

Independent farm consultant Matt Blyth, formerly manager at Didling Farms, which took part in

Prioritising lambs over ewes for grass can impact negatively on next year’s lamb crop.

the project, said: “Traditionally, we had weaned lambs at around 16 weeks, but as part of the project we weaned half of them at 12 weeks and half at 16 weeks and found it made no difference to their weight if they were weaned earlier.

“By 12 weeks they are not getting enough milk to do them any good anyway and they are starting to compete with the ewes for grass.

“An added bonus was lambs weaned at 12 weeks seemed to be less stressed, quieter and settled much quicker than those weaned at a later stage.

TARGET BODY CONDITION SCORE FOR EWES

and if you are hitting the targets keep going and aim to do even better.”

Ms Wright added: “If you have below target weight lambs it is more useful to look at why individual lambs are not doing well rather than the flock average.

Importance

Lambs weaned at 12 weeks seemed to be less stressed, quieter and settled much quicker than those weaned at a later stage

MATT BLYTH

“It worked for us, but might not work for everyone. If you are thinking of adopting earlier weaning but have concerns, try it with one group of lambs to see how it goes.

“Remember the social aspect when weaning. Initially, put lambs back where they came from after weaning so they still know where the water, grazing and boundaries are before moving onto clean ground and keep an eye on faecal egg counts.”

The AHDB KPI project set target growth rates for lambs of 20kg at eight weeks (300g/day) and 30kg at 90 days (300g/day) at weaning.

Mr Blyth said: “It is possible to do better than this if conditions are right

“Data from the KPI project showed that while mastitis was a factor along with other things such as bad mothering, an overriding point was that shearlings produced lighter lambs. This reinforces the importance of looking after shearlings, particularly those with twins.”

Mr Blyth said: “Our aim was to have 80 per cent of lambs finished and sold before the following tupping time and we struggled to finish and sell lambs which were not hitting the 30kg at 90 days target without intervention.

“We found it was better to step in and do something about this by separating these lambs and creep feeding them to get them finished. If

you do nothing you will still have light lambs in January or February.”

Weaning lambs at 12 weeks enables to you to make decisions earlier.

Mr Blyth said: “This year’s dry spring and early summer could impact on grass growth, so feed budgeting is important. Plan for the worst case scenario.

“Decide how much BCS ewes need to gain and how much dry matter they will need. Measure your grass. Do you have enough forage and if not, how can you fill the gaps? It can be surprising just how much grass small lambs will eat and thin ewes will eat more grass than fatter ewes.”

Mr Blyth stressed it was important not to prioritise lambs over ewes for grass as this could impact on next year’s lamb crop.

He said: “If you do not think you have enough grass. Work out what to do with lambs. It may be costeffective to creep feed them to get them away earlier or sell some as stores and sell cull ewes early to lighten the load.”

Dairy farm with regenerativ

Dan Burdett hopes to learn from others and share his vision for balancing efficiency with profitability during his three-year stint as part of AHDB’s strategic dairy farm programme. Hannah Noble reports.

After working off the family farm for a number of years, Dan Burdett returned to Cockhaise Farm, Sussex, in 2008 to follow in his father Jeremy’s footsteps and take over the dairy business.

In 2013 he entered into a contract farming agreement with his father as the landowner and now owns the majority of cows in the herd.

Mr Burdett says: “I would encourage anyone to go and work away from the business for someone else, to know what it feels like to be an employee.

“I think a lot of farmers come into the family business having only worked for their dad.”

Cockhaise Farm has held an organic status since 2001 and Mr Burdett believes this contributes towards his ethos of regenerative

agriculture, which goes beyond sustainability and also takes into account the social and economic impact of the farm business.

On returning to the farm, Mr Burdett has been heavily involved in local discussion groups and is always keen to benchmark his performance against other similar businesses. He says entry into the strategic farms programme is an extension of the work he has done within these discussion groups.

“I know how much we have benefited from learning from others over the years. And, as we have improved, we have had a lot of people visit us and I want to carry on that interaction with other farmers. We are by no means perfect [and] we have a lot of things we are still trying to work on.”

Historically, Mr Burdett’s father had cross-bred using Swedish and Norwegian Red, Montbelliarde and

Kiwi cross bulls. However, over the last five years, he says he has tried to simplify the breeding by using predominantly Irish Holstein genetics with high economic breeding index (EBI) values.

He says: “We are looking for an animal of 550kg producing high weights of fat and protein, so we can get them out grazing on the shoulders of the season without it impacting them too much. [We also want] plenty of capacity so they can eat lots of grass, good udder type and sound feet.”

Challenges

Now milking 294 cows, Mr Burdett hopes to settle at about 250-260 but is currently faced with TB restrictions. The average yield is just under 6,000 litres at 4.4 per cent fat and 3.5 per cent protein but he says as numbers have risen from 220 cows the milk yield has dropped.

“Our replacement rate has increased and with more heifers coming into the herd yield has dropped. Four years ago we were at about 6,500 litres but we were feeding more concentrate. We are now feeding 1.2 tonnes concentrate per animal/year which is about 0.3 tonnes less.”

One of the biggest challenges facing the farm is the price of organic

bought-in protein. The price differential between organic and non-organic feed means the cost of production for organic milk can be up to 10p per litre more than conventional.

Mr Burdett recognises this is an area he must make savings in and aims to improve the protein content of silage with red clover and moving towards a multi-cut silage system, he has also been experimenting with growing lucerne.

He says: “Our overall goal is to get more milk from forage. As we get more maturity in the herd I am hoping we will start to recover the milk yield and get back to over 6,000 litres.”

In recent years Mr Burdett has

I know how much we have benefited from learning from others over the years

DAN BURDETT

The farm has introduced herbal leys or multiple species leys.

e aspirations

introduced herbal leys or multiple species leys to the farm. He says this has helped with the drought tolerance of the forage and increased the yield of much of the pasture. Grass is measured using a plate meter and demand is calculated using Agrinet software.

He says: “We shut up a lot of the farm in mid-May to grow standing hay. We strip graze tall older stemmy grass, which is high in dry matter but low in quality to prevent dry cows putting on too much condition before calving. By grazing standing hay, the grass is putting down deeper roots and by letting the grass go to seed it helps to reseed itself improving the longevity of the ley.”

Calving

The herd begins calving on August 24 and Mr Burdett says in 2013 the calving period lasted up to 15 weeks. However, he says by focusing on a few key variables and speaking to people in his discussion group they were able to calve a sufficient number of cows within the first six weeks. Any which fall outside this period are sold with the aim of keeping the calving pattern tight.

“Calves are reared outside from birth. Heifer calves are trained to the teat and run in groups of 40 on the trailed feeder and are given six to seven litres of milk per day. Once the

■ 303 hectares (750 acres), 141ha (350 acres) of which is owned and the remainder is farmed on contract or annual license

■ Average age at first calving is 24 months old

■ For the last four years heifers have been contract reared off the

youngest in the group is four weeks old they go on to a four-litre feed once a day with good grazing and up to two kilos of concentrates.”

All the silage is fed on a selffeed basis when the cows are inside over the winter, so once calves are weaned they are loose housed and trained to self-feed.

Mr Burdett says this is a great advantage so they do not face the pressure when put onto a selffeed system as bulling heifers or once they have calved.

Mr Burdett says: “Calf rearing is where I am experimenting the most. We used to set stock a lot of calves and I have learnt to use electric fences a lot better and they are now on daily moves.

“Calves are my number one priority and they should be getting the best feed on the farm. It is a key driver for me that we make the most out of them.”

Going forwards, Mr Burdett aims to introduce silvopasture to the farm, which involves planting trees within paddocks rather than round the perimeter. He says this will provide shelter, improve the soil structure and provide good grass growing conditions. There is also the possibility of introducing an additional revenue stream dependent on the type of trees which are planted.

farm, but this came to an end in April and will be managed in-house ■ ThefarmisalsopartofAHDB’s forageforknowledgeprogrammeanotherwayofbenchmarking performance

■ Milk is sold to Arla and goes to McDonald’s

Farm facts

Dan Burdett currently milks 294 cows at Cockhaise Farm.

One of the biggest challenges facing the farm is the price of organic bought-in protein.

Farmers record low worm egg counts after dry spring

rImportant to monitor growth rates

FARMERS are reporting some of the lowest levels of parasites as the prolonged dry weather forces parasites into a state of dormancy. However, experts are warning there could be a spike in worm cases now rain has arrived in some parts of the UK.

Results

According to results from a network of 26 farms involved in regularly monitoring worm egg counts as part of the Zoetis Parasite Watch Scheme, there have been no high cases in recent weeks.

The only cases reported were from a handful of farms earlier this year in March and April.

SOUTH WEST PETER BABER

ACCORDING to sheep farmer

Peter Baber, of Weir Park Farm, Christow, Exeter, the worm challenge has been a lot less this year than previous years, with just a low-level challenge earlier in spring and some suspected nematodirus.

He says: “It does feel a bit aseasonal like we are a lot later in summer. We did treat some lambs on extremely high-risk nematodirus pastures earlier in the year.

“We do not have resistance to the wormer used, so that treatment combined with the dry weather may have caused a lower egg count.

“With the season being earlier

GRASS CHECK GB

GRASS GROWTH ACROSS THE UK

WEEKLY GRASS GROWTH

GRASS QUALITY

Dry

than normal, we are monitoring egg counts earlier every 10-14 days.

“However, as soon as we get rain, I am expecting an eruption of worms, so that means I have to be constantly aware and anticipating what is happening.”

We do not have resistance to the wormer used, so that treatment combined with the dry weather may have caused a lower egg count

PETER BABER

GROWTH RATES

MANAGEMENT NOTES

n Overall, grass growth remains around average for late June, but with some farms seeing growth rates of more than 100kg DM/ha/day (40.5kg DM/ acre/day).

n Grass DM content remains high at an average of 18.1 per cent this week, meaning good intakes should be achievable. Combined with ME values

averaging 11.7MJ/kg DM, good performance should be seen at grass.

n However, where there have been heavy storm showers, localised ground conditions are much wetter, so be aware of any risk of poaching on wet paddocks. On these farms, grass DM could fall significantly, affecting potential intakes and gains from grass.

NORTH YORKSHIRE TOM CARLISLE

TOM Carlisle, who farms near Skipton, has seen exceptionally low worm egg counts compared to previous years.

He says: “We have been quick to dose to keep on top of nematodirus and will continue to carry out faecal egg counts to track levels and to also check the worming dose is still effective.

Fly strike

“We are having to keep a close eye on sheep now with the weather breaking. Not only is it a perfect time for worms, it is also perfect conditions for flies and maggots. We have not found any fly strike so far.”

We are having to keep a close eye on sheep. Not only is it a perfect time for worms, it is also perfect conditions for flies and maggots

TOM CARLISLE

Monitoring worms

SHEEPvetFionaLovatt,ofFlock Health,suggestsmonitoringworm eggcountsalongsidegrowthrates togiveamoreaccuratepictureofthe wormsituationonindividualfarms.

Shesays:“Havingthetwobits ofinformationcanbeverypowerful. Asaminimum,mysuggestionwould betotakeaweightatbetweensix weeksandeightweeksandagainat weaning,alongsidefaecaleggcount (FEC)testingeverycoupleofweeks throughoutsummer.”

Dry spell

Thisdatacouldbecriticalinalerting farmerstoproblemsearlybefore theyarise.Thereisaconcernthat aftersuchaprolongeddryspell whentherainarrivestherecould beaspikeinworms.

SheepconsultantLesleyStubbings saysfarmerswhowereseeinghigh worm(strongyle)eggcountsearlier onintheyearshouldbeparticularly

JOHNandSarahYeomansofLlwyny Brain,Adfa,Newtown,haveseenlow ornowormeggcountsthisyear,with justalowlevelofnematodirusand possiblecoccidiosisbeingreported.

TheYeomansbeganlambingtheir flockof700ewesonMarch20, withtheflockheadingtothehillinthe middleofMay.Priortothis,alllambs wereweighedandwillbeagainat weaninginJuly/Augustandthenevery threetofourweeksonwardsuntil theyaresold.

Anythingwithanunacceptable growthrateisshedofftooneside andtreatedwithawormer.

We also take faecal egg count tests and that is a good warning sign JOHN YEOMANS

cautiousasthedryweatherwill havestoppedthemfromcompleting theirlifecycle.

Shesays:“Ifyouwereseeing highFECsearlieronandtheyhave nowgonelow,thechanceisquite hightheywillspikeagain.Thisis becausethoseeggswillbelying dormantindungonthepasture.

“Whentherainarrives,thesewill hatchoutintoinfectivelarvaevery quicklycompletingtheirlifecycle.

“Initially,becausetherewillbe moreinfectivelarvae,youmaynot seehighwormeggcountsfortwoto threeweeksaftertherain,however, thatdoesnotmeantosayyour animalsarenotinfected.

“Waitinguntilyouseehigh eggcountscouldbetoolatein thissituation,somonitoringgrowth ratesandgeneralconditioniskey.

“Youneedtospeakwithyour animalhealthadviseraboutthe bestcourseaction.”

MrYeomanssays:“Ifthelambsare notlameandtheydonothaveatrace elementdeficiency,weknowthereis ahighprobabilitytheirreduced growthrateisbecauseofstomach worms.Wealsotakefaecaleggcount [FEC]testsandthatisagoodwarning signtoo,coupledwithanydropin growthrate.”

MrYeomanssaysthechanging weatherpatternsandthefactthe farmisheavilystockedmeansthey havehadtostartwormingsome lambsonthehill.

Hesays:“Wehave1,417ewesand lambsand30cattleon65grazeable acres,sowearequiteheavily stocked.ThisiswhereFECsare helpfulinalertingusearlytoany possiblewormissues.”

WALES JOHN AND SARAH YEOMANS

Insufficient

according to vet Claire Whittle.

Lungworm poi

Lungworm disease, also known as husk or hoose, is a serious respiratory disease which results in long-term losses in cattle productivity.

In young calves, growth rates can be reduced by more than 20 per cent1 and the cost of losses in production due to poor growth can average £50-£100/head2

In adult dairy cows, milk yield can be reduced, impacting herd profitability by about £3/cow/day2

Cattle which either fail to develop immunity to lungworm as young animals, or which do not receive an annual immunity boost as adults, are at high risk of developing disease.

Perfect storm

According to Claire Whittle, veterinary surgeon at LLM Farm Vets, this year is developing into a prime candidate for high levels of lungworm disease in late summer and autumn, and she is urging farmers to prepare to act fast to control disease outbreaks.

Claire, who covers livestock farms in Shropshire and the surrounding areas, says: “We are seeing changes in seasonality of lungworm disease, with outbreaks coming earlier and later in the grazing season than we used to expect.

“Typically, these can now occur from July onwards, but last year was particularly bad and we even had a case in May.”

Lungworm infectivity is driven by the weather, with warm and wet conditions increasing the likelihood for infection. The timing of turnout in spring and the climatic conditions during the grazing season have an impact on the ability of lungworm larvae to reproduce and infect cattle.

Claire says: “Lungworm larvae on pasture do not survive for long when it is hot and dry. This year, the mainly dry spring conditions have kept challenge levels low.

“However, this means adult cattle have not received an annual boost to their existing immunity, and calves and youngstock are not receiving any early season challenge to help them build immunity.

“Rainstorms after this dry period will allow lungworm larvae to be released from dungpats and rapidly infect the pasture. With potentially low levels of immunity in cattle this year we expect to see significant disease outbreaks in late summer and early autumn.”

Management

A fine balance needs to be struck between allowing cattle some exposure to lungworm at grass to build or boost immunity, while preventing high chal-

lenge situations which will result in disease.

Claire says: “Vaccination before turnout provides rapid onset immunity. It is a good option, especially for young cattle during their first year at grass, and for all cattle on farms with a known lungworm population.”

Alternatively, allowing cattle to receive a low dose challenge during each grazing season allows them to build long-lasting immunity to lungworm. However, this needs careful management to ensure increasing challenge does not result in clinical disease.

Claire says: “Assess the risk to groups of animals based on their grazing history and any worm treatments given over the past and current season.

“If cattle have not had sufficient exposure to lungworm over the early grazing period, the risk of disease will remain high, potentially until housing time in areas with milder weather.”

She warns that loss of immunity could be a particular problem this year.

“The unpredictable nature of lungworm means sudden high challenge late in the year can overwhelm any immunity gained early in the season, even from vaccination.

“Weaned suckler calves and dairy heifers require particular attention, since even if they acquired some immunity at grass the previous season, this wanes during housing.

“They are effectively naive again at turnout, and this year’s dry spring with limited exposure will compound the problem.”

Diagnosis

Lungworm is usually diagnosed by clinical signs.

Claire says: “We usually err on the side of caution with lungworm. Diagnostic testing to identify larvae, rather than eggs, in dung can be useful, but

sed to strike grazing cattle

we mainly rely on animal history and observed symptoms to determine infection.”

Cattle with a lungworm infection will typically have a deep harsh cough, most noticeable when they are moving, and their breathing may be laboured.

As the lungworm burden increases, individuals may cough at rest and, in severe cases, cattle may salivate excessively and adopt an ‘air hunger’ position with head and neck extended, and their tongue stuck out each time they cough.

Increased resting, reduced grazing, weight loss and sudden milk drop may also be seen, especially in adult or lactating cattle.

Up to 10 per cent of animals may be sub-clinical carriers of lungworm3, which means they may not show signs of disease, but they will carry adult lungworms and contribute low numbers of lungworm larvae to the

pasture. In effect, they are the silent spreaders of disease.

Claire says: “Treatment is usually given to the whole group to ensure animals with infection but not yet showing clinical signs are treated and do not become carriers. In severe cases, individual animals may require antiinflammatory pain relief and additional supportive treatment.

“Secondary bacterial infections may also be present due to the lung damage inflicted by the worms, and in these cases antibiotic treatments may be required.”

Lasting damage

Unfortunately, once cattle have experienced lung damage from a lungworm infection, the impact is long-lasting and the animal will never be as productive as those which were unaffected. Financial losses will likely be hidden in slower growth, later bulling and lower milk yields.

Lung damage can make cattle more prone to respiratory infections later in life, long after the lungworm has been treated. High stress events, such as calving, can prompt the return of pneumonia symptoms which will further reduce a cow’s productive potential.

“Prevention is key,” says Claire. “Vaccination and a risk-based approach to worming at grass can help protect cattle from disease, while allowing them the opportunity to gain long-lasting, effective immunity.”

Although widespread, lungworm is not yet present on every farm. Farmers should avoid importing it wherever possible, by quarantining and treating bought-in cattle.

This will prevent exposing the home herd, which may be completely naive to lungworm and reduce the likelihood of a severe outbreak.

Claire Whittle

Although only in their fifth year of showing pedigree Herefords, the Bowen family are making a name for themselves on the show circuit and last year took the breed championship at the Royal Welsh Show. Laura Bowyer reports.

Breed newcomers take showrings by storm

The name L. and L. Bowen has become familiar in Hereford cattle circles over a relatively short period of time, with the Bowendu herd only established in 2016.

Lyn and Leslie are the names behind the initials, while son Adam is often seen on the steering end of the cattle in the showring and is the driving force behind the new venture at Ty Du Farm, Nelson, Glamorgan.

Having taken the Royal Welsh Show breed championship in 2019 with Auckvale 1 Curly 1725R, you could say this young breeder’s career has peaked.

But at 27 years old, it is only just getting started.

In July 2019, the Bowens were not sure if they were going to make the Royal Welsh Show.

Being in the middle of a period of good weather, there was grass to cut in the South Wales Valleys and their contracting clientele to service.

Adam says: “We very nearly did not make it to the show, but we are so glad we did.

“We were over the moon to have won the breed championship at Builth. Never did we think that would happen, particularly so early on in our time in the breed.”

Lyn adds: “And for a family from Wales to win at the Royal Welsh in

For a family from Wales to win at the Royal Welsh in its 100th year, it was just a dream come true

LYN BOWEN

its 100th year, it was just a dream come true.”

Running 60 hectares (148 acres), alongside an established plant hire, waste management and contracting business, this family is certainly kept busy.

The cattle enterprise is run separately, but their presence at shows is often dictated by workloads elsewhere.

Until recently, Ty Du had not been home to any cattle for many years, with Adam never before having handled the animals, but instead Nelson-type Welsh Mountain sheep, a hardy breed prevalent in their ex-coal mining area of South Wales.

The family began with two crossbred heifers and they just got used to having the animals about.

At the same time, they spent a lot of time researching Herefords, following what type of animals did well at sales and similarly in the show ring. They also selected a few

breeders to visit and view animals for potential purchase.

In a bid to start their pedigree herd, they took a trip in the summer of 2016 to visit the home of the Dendor herd at Caersws, Powys, where they met the Jones family, who they say have been a huge help through the establishment of their herd.

After viewing the cattle, they purchased a heifer, Dendor 1 Ruby 23, and a cow in-calf, Dendor 1 Holly 7, with its calf at-foot.

Accolade

In their first year with Dendor 1 Ruby 23, they travelled locally to Bedwellty Show where it won native champion, followed by Llangynidr, where it took the same accolade, before heading to one of the area’s latest shows of the year at Usk, where it stood reserve native champion.

In 2017, they took to the national stage, travelling around the coun-

n Farming 60 hectares (148 acres) of owned ground – all grass n 21 pedigree Hereford breeding females, excluding yearling heifers n Regularly re-seeding grassland n The family also runs a contracting, waste disposal and plant hire business separately to the farm

try with three young females, in a bid to win more silverware. Dendor 1 Ruby 23 was shown again along with Dendor 1 Holly 8, and Sky High 1 Miss Valentine which was purchased from the 2016 Designer Genes sale at a then record price of 8,500gns. That year they went away from their first time showing at the Royal Welsh with a second and third rosette. They also had two firsts and a third at Shropshire County and a

Farm facts

Auckvale 1 Curly 1725R stood breed champion at the 2019 Royal Welsh Show.

first place at the National Poll Show with Ruby 23.

Entering the showring for the first time did not come without its own challenges, and Adam admits it was a steep learning curve.

“We did not really know what we were doing at the beginning,” Adam says.

“We did what we could and even used a hairdressing trolley to keep all our show kit in. We took bits of advice from everyone.

“Jen and Aled Jones, of Dendor

Herefords, have been a tremendous source of advice to us, and Roger Birch has also been a particular help, along with his son Boomer, of Sky High Herefords, who gave us our first clipping lesson.”

Arwyn Prichard, from Cowbridge, also helped with advice and show prep, particularly with clipping prior to the show season and the team’s monthly touch-ups.

Ethan Brooke of Forgefield Herefords, Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, is also often on hand, help-

ing in washing in the evenings, walking animals and also helping Adam and the family on show days.

“We are looking to produce deep framed animals with clean shoulders, a good top line and plenty of width in the hind quarters, with a long, strong sweeping neck,” Adam says.

“They need to be milky and correct on their feet. As personal preference, we like a deep red colour with good, even markings.

“Animals need to be balanced.

We are looking to produce deep-framed animals with clean shoulders, a good top line and plenty of width in the hind quarters

ADAM BOWEN

We aim for easy calving and calves with plenty of vigour and good growth rates. They have also got to have big, alert ears.”

Bowendu 1 Del Boy was the first bull the breeders produced.

Born in April 2017, out of Dendor 1 Holly 7 and by Danish bull SMH Euro 30E, it went on to be sold at 12 months of age in a private deal.

The Bowen family now keeps 11 breeding females, not including yearling heifers.

Stock bull Panmure 1 Nugget, has had its own fair share of attention, having won the senior male and reserve male championship at the Royal Welsh Show 2019.

Nugget joined their herd this year after a deal with Paul Moyle and Vicky Weller of Porton House Herefords, Newport, who purchased him

The Bowen family, from left, Leslie, her grandson Harrison and son Adam, and Lyn.

The Bowen family likes a deep red colour to their Hereford herd.

LIVESTOCK

as a calf privately from Audrey Anderson of J.M. Cant and partners, Tayside, Scotland.

The first Nugget calves hit the ground this spring and the family say they are pleased with them.

Nugget’s semen was auctioned in the last Designer Genes sale which attracted a lot of interest.

He has since spent time in UK Sires stud, near Exeter, where straws have been gathered which qualify for worldwide export.

Their previous stock bull was Hollyvale 1 Northern Lad which stood male and reserve supreme champion at the 2017 National Poll Show, while its sire Hollyvale 1 Knight had been the 2014 reserve male champion.

“We were watching Northern Lad’s progress around the shows and after discussions with the Massey family and his success at Moreton-in-Marsh Show, an offer was made and purchase completed the following week,” Adam says.

“He went on to be reserve supreme and male champion at Usk Show.”

Lyn adds: “Northern Lad bred such depth and length into the herd.

“We are now looking to give our herd a stamp which is going to take a while to develop, but Northern Lad has certainly helped us on our way.”

Moving forward, the family say they are working towards being able to provide breeding stock to both pedigree and commercial herds and would like to get their numbers to 20 cows.

Block calving under cover in January and February, the window has been pulled together rather than calving all-year-round.

“We had to assess when the right time was to calve in order to have

cattle at the right age and size for the shows and sales,” Adam says.

Only the show cattle receive concentrates at Ty Du while the ‘general bunch’ are on grass throughout the summer months.

A lot of reseeding is carried out which is a process where costs are closely monitored. While inside, they are on a diet of haylage or silage.

Quality

“Our aim is to breed quality, honest animals,” Lyn says.

“It could take years to establish a name, but we have tried to fast track the process by making some significant purchases.

“The cattle are run separately to our other business, but we still use the same mentality when it comes to management and cost control.

“We cost every input involved in keeping these cattle. If they do not pay, we will not keep them. That is

HEREFORD BEEF

THEfamilyalsosoldsomebeefin boxestolocalcustomerswhich theysaywasamassivesuccess andcouldeasilyhavesoldmore.

“Weaskedforfeedback,good orbad,butwealreadyhave customerspre-bookedforthe nextbeast,”explainsAdam.

“Thisissomethingwewould liketodomoreofandsoneedgood carcaseanimals.Wewerepleased withthefeedbackfromtheabattoir whichtoldusitwasoneofthe cleanestcarcasestheyhad workedwith.

“Wewillcastratewhatwedo notseeasfittobreedfromand killsteersorheifersfortheboxed beefscheme.Wedonotwant anythinggoingfromthisplace thatwewouldnotwanttobreed fromourselves.

“Sellingouranimalsinthisway meanswearegettinguptothree timesasmuchforananimalthan wewouldthroughafatcattlering.

Traits

“Whilewehaveinvestedheavily intoppedigreelines,thishigh marginoutlethasmeantweare nottemptedtobeslackwhenit comestoselectingbreedingstock.

“Webreedfastandcullhard, tohaveaherdpackedwiththe traitswewant.

“Althoughtheboxbeefis anoutletforanimalsthatdonot meetourrequirements,ourmain objectivesaretofirstlyprovide qualitybreedingstock,aswellas supplyingthecommercialmarket.

“Thisisamassivechallenge forus,butwebelievethatifwe continuewiththehardwork, improvingtraitsandshowcasing ouranimals,wecanachieveit.

how we have had to operate in our other business, which must be continued into the farm.

“Every cow is costed, including every feed, vet bill and registration fee. It is all budgeted and all has to work.”

IN celebration of the UK’s agricultural shows, Farmers Guardian is holding a photographic competition this year.

To be in with a chance of winning a £100 prize, and seeing your photo in Farmers Guardian, send in pictures of the stock you would have been taking to some of this year’s shows.

Send your entries in to competitions@farmersguardian. com. For full details visit FGinsight.com/livestock

“Iwasbroughtuptobelieveif youleanonagateandareproud ofwhatyouhavetheotherside, itwillnotfeellikeajob.”

Selling our animals this way means we are getting up to three times as much for an animal than we would through a fat cattle ring ADAM BOWEN

Summer shows competition

Panmure 1 Nugget and young Bowendu bulls.

The Bowen family regularly reseeds grassland.

SCOTLAND

Source: AHDB/LAA

MARKET PRICES STORE CATTLE

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

Source: AHDB/LAA

7/382.1 -/- 2/60.0 7/268.1 1/290.0 6/184.2 5/151.0 5/328.8 20/649.8 17/622.9 20/50.3 7/231.3 3/169.3 7/174.9 8/110.3 4/390.0 26/630.8 105/766.3 29/71.1 27/308.3 29/263.9 26/176.5 24/152.2

-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-

-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-/- 3/373.3 -/- 20/38.8 58/250.9 66/229.4 15/117.7 10/131.0 -/- -/- 13/751.5 2/124.0 14/394.6 7/287.1

Source: IAAS/ScotEID

Figures show livestock numbers first, then average price per head.

Source: AHDB/LAA

LIVESTOCK AVERAGES MARKET COMMENT

Primestock throughput, price and price change (p/kg). Week ending June 30, 2020.

NEWseasonlambcontinuedits upwardtrendthisweekwithprices up8.71p/kgto230.57p/kgbutold seasonstockwasdown1.78p/kg to157.52p/kg.

Cullewesstoodat£68.86/head, aslightdecreaseof0.09p/headon theweek.

Beefpricesremainedstrong withsteersup0.26p/kgto193.16p/ kg,heifersincreasingby1.90p/kg to204.72p/kgandyoungbullprices rising3.46p/kgto181.76p/kg.

Cullcowpriceswereup0.75p/kg to123.96p/kgandcullbullpricesalso increasedby4.93p/kgto147.59p/kg. Pigpricesfellback12.75p/kgto 116.02p/kgandcullsowsweredown 3.04p/kgto41.88p/kg.

As Farmers Guardian wentto pressonWednesday(July1),UK LIFFEwheatpricesforNov20 weretradingat£166.00/tonne, anincreaseof£2.25ontheweek.

Source: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

MARKET PRICES

STORE SHEEP ENGLAND

DEADWEIGHT CATTLE

DEADWEIGHT SHEEP

PIGS

WALES SCOTLAND

DeadweightsheeppricesarecollectedfromasampleofGBabattoirs.Thesampleaccountsforabout one-thirdofdeadweightsales;pricesquotedp/kgareaveragesforallqualities12-21.5kg.

DEADWEIGHT PIGS

Source: AHDB/LAA

SLAUGHTERINGS

HAY AND STRAW

Week ending July 1,

■ GOOSTREY: Mon, straw, wheat, round bales to £66/tonne; square bales to £76/t; barley, square bales to £92/t; round bales to £66; oat, square bales to £72/t; round bales to £58/t; 2020 hay, round bales to £78/t; square bales to £38/t; 2019 hay, square bales to £78/t; round bales to £68/t; haylage, round bales to £50/t; silage, round bales to £44/t.

LIVEWEIGHT HEIFERS

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

LIVEWEIGHT SQQ LAMBS

DEADWEIGHT HEIFERS

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

DEADWEIGHT SQQ LAMBS

SOURCE:

CULL COWS

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

PIG PRICE INDICATOR

MARKET PRICES

UK DELIVERED

PRICES – SUMMARY

UK DELIVERED RAPESEED PRICES

FUTURES MARKETS (WHEAT)

Source: AHDB

ENTITLEMENTS 2020

May 26, 2020 (annual summary data)

Ratevaluesfor2020.NorthernIrelandhasdifferent historicvaluesmovingtoFlatRateby2021/22.All transferswithoutlandsubjecttoVATif transferoris VATregistered.

PREDICTED 2020 PAYMENT RATES (sameas 2019)inc.greening/ha(SubjecttoFDM,payment adjustmentsandchanges): Non-SDA=£230; SDA=£228;Moorland=£63.Welsh=£84(excluding extraredistributivepaymentonfirst54ha£87). ScottishR1=£218;R2=£43;R3=£12.50 SubjecttoFDM,paymentadjustmentsandchanges. Basedon14.01.20exchrateof€1=£0.86and 2019values

◆ FaceValuemultipliersincludinghistoricandgreeningelements. ● Plusconvergencepayment

Source: Townsend Chartered Surveyors

CORN RETURNS EX-FARM PRICES

UK DELIVERED WHEAT PRICES

Thursday, June 25, 2020.

1. FEED WHEAT

Avonrange

Central Scotland East Anglia East Devon

Lancashire

London North Humberside

Northamptonshire

Oxfordshire

South Humberside

Southampton Tyne & Wear

West Midlands

East Midlands

2. FULL SPEC. BREAD WHEAT North-West Northamptonshire South London / Essex Yorkshire

3. FULL SPEC. BISCUIT WHEAT North-West Northamptonshire South London / Essex Yorkshire Scotland

NOTES: 1. Feed Wheat. Any variety meeting <15% H2O, 72kg/hl, 2% Admix 2. Full Specification Bread Wheat, nabim group 1 variety, meeting >250 Hag, 13% Protein, 76kg/hl. 3. Full Specification Biscuit Wheat, nabim group 3 variety, meeting >180 Hagberg, >10.7% Protein, >74kg/hl. Source: AHDB

POTATO PRICES

MaincropGBspotprice.WeekendingJune26,2020.

Source: AHDB

NATIONAL STRAIGHTS PRICES

Last updated July 1, 2020.

MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE

1.Thiscontractwillreceivea13thpayment,theforecastforthisisapproximately0.89pplfromApril2020.

2.Thiscontractwillreceivea0.50pplMemberPremiumpaymentfromApril2020andaTescosupplementof 1.98pplforApril2020.

3.ThiscontractwillreceiveaDirectPremiumpaymentof1pplfromJanuary2020.

4.Thiscontractwillreceivea0.50pplMemberPremiumpaymentfromApril2020.

UK MONTHLY MILK PRODUCTION

March UK milk deliveries were down 1.7 per cent year on year, to 1,306 million litres. Cumulatively this was up 0.6 per cent up on the same period in 2019. March GB milk deliveries were down 2.5 per cent year on year to 1,084m

DAIRY CATTLE PRICES

HAY AND STRAW: REGIONS

WeekendingJuly5,2020.

FARMING: THE BACKBONE OF

Once common place through much of Great Britain, flower-rich hay meadows have encountered serious decline in the last century. One Lancashire-based project is working to remedy that. Hannah Park reports.

Due largely to agricultural intensification between the 1930s and 1980s, flower-rich hay meadows are said to have suffered a reduction in area of up to 97 per cent nationally during that time.

But one organisation looking to reverse some of that is the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), having joined forces with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust to deliver a hay meadow restoration project in the AONB - Bowland Hay Time.

Beginning in May 2012, the Lancashire-based project is working with farmers and landowners in the AONB to improve, restore and establish quality, species-rich meadow sites.

Now eight years in, it has worked on and restored about 150 hectares (370 acres) into species-rich meadows on some 60 different areas of ground across the AONB from farmland to community sites such as church yards and public gardens.

Three meadows at Bell Sykes Farm, Slaidburn, were the first to be restored in the project, with flora from the existing species-rich meadows on the farm used in this restoration work before going on to help many others get established.

Sarah Robinson, farming and wildlife project officer at the Forest of Bowland AONB, says: “Finding good quality, resilient meadows to use as donor sites to enable us to carry out restoration work was the first job at the beginning of the project.

“Bell Sykes is home the largest area of high quality meadows in Lancashire, and lots of farms in Slaidburn have benefited thanks to its meadows, which can be credited for helping to restore some further 60ha across Bowland.”

A third generation Slaidburn Estate tenanted farm, Bell Sykes Farm is home to Peter and Linda Blackwell and their family.

The farm spans 60ha (144 acres) in total, just less than half of which is made up of wildflower meadows. It sells green hay through the Hay Time project for reseeding new wildflower meadows, hosts a few different

The meadows were designated SSSI here because they were one of the very few unimproved herb-rich grasslands left in this area

PETER BLACKWELL

agricultural courses on-farm and is also home to a 100-head flock of Hampshire Down ewes.

In 1999, a 14ha (34-acre) proportion of Bell Sykes’ meadows were designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and later in 2013, as part of a Coronation anniversary campaign by the Prince of Wales, all of Bell Sykes’ SSSI meadows were also designated as the Coronation Meadow for Lancashire. They now make up part of a network of 60 which were pin-pointed in every county through the UK as part of the project.

The recent national recognition through the latter, Peter says, brought home to him that preserving the wildflower meadows was important, but the road to this point wasn’t without its challenges.

Peter says: “The meadows were designated SSSI here because they were one of the very few unimproved herb-rich grasslands left in this area back then, but it came as a surprise to the family at the time, as the decision was made out of our hands.

“One of the prescriptions was to significantly reduce livestock numbers without any compensation and we had

Project restores

a lengthy battle before an agreement was reached. We have always found it hard to make a living though and machinery and infrastructure investment has been as good as impossible.”

Both Peter and Linda work off-farm now a few days each week, mechanicing and building and in retail respectively.

Challenges

“There have been plenty of challenges, but the Hay Time project and Sarah Robinson especially have been a breath of fresh air,” says Peter.

“Sarah is not only very passionate about her job but has always been helpful and willing to teach. I now have a lot more understanding about the flowers and why they grow where they do and can even name a few of them.

“It was an honour to be asked to represent Lancashire in the Coronation Meadows project, but it was also a great wake up call for the whole country in terms of how much wildflower meadows had been lost in the last 75 years.”

When it comes to management of the meadows, Peter says the year starts in April when the meadows are shut up, cutting, weather dependant,

in mid-July before the aftermath is left to grow and sheep brought back into the meadows in winter.

“The prescription on the SSSI meadows is to make small bale hay which is a major challenge in our climate as we have one of the highest rainfalls in the country here,” he says.

“We’ll also alternate where we start mowing each year to give the later flowering species chance to emerge. It takes several weeks for us to hay time all the meadows even when the weather is good so generally each will have a late cut every other year at least.”

Events the farm hosts through the Bowland AONB include courses on meadow creation, plant identification, bumble bee identification as well as scything courses run by a private tutor.

Bell Sykes also hosts an annually organised National Meadows Day, ordinarily held on the first Saturday in July, which celebrates all things wildflower meadow and rural crafts.

“I do enjoy these days, although quite a bit of work to set up, it is nice to meet people who take an interest in what we are doing and appreciate the meadows,” Peter says.

Sarah is hopeful that the project can

restores a local landscape

continue facilitating habitat resilience across the AONB, and while there is a grant on offer for the capital work of carrying out the species transfer and restoration, as well as ongoing management payments to manage these areas as species rich meadows under the higher tier of Countryside Stewardship, this alone, Sarah says, should not be a motivator for doing so.

“One of the first questions I ask to individuals looking to get involved is what their motivation is,” she says. “You need that real buy-in.

Going forward, Sarah says she would like to improve connectivity of meadow sites.

“While the majority of species seen in wildflower meadows are not rare in their own right, they are scarcely seen in abundance in the same meadow.

“We’ve got some amazing meadows in the project, but in many cases they’re very disconnected from each other. Restoration work typically works best in situations where the seed rain can naturally occur in addition to the work we do.”

BELL Sykes’ meadows are also serving the community in other ways, with wild grasses and blooms used by local distiller, Goosnargh Gin.

Based near Bleasdale on the edge of the AONB, owners Richard and Rachel Trenchard have been working with Peter and Sarah to source and harvest a blend of wild herbs, grasses and flowers for the past two years to create their seasonal Chapter Four – Hay Time gin (pictured, inset).

Rachel says: “We’re keeping the exact blend of Hay Time a secret, but we have used flowers, grasses and leaves from species like meadow vetchling, sweet vernal grass, red clover and yellow rattle to distil the gin, giving it the unique essence of Bowland.”

Hay Time is just one of Goosnargh Gin’s creations, which

are all distilled in small batches using traditional methods in copper alembic stills. The couple work with independent retailers such as farm shops, delis and independent wines and spirits stockists.

Projects

For every bottle of Hay Time gin sold, Richard and Rachel donate £5 to projects in the Forest of Bowland, to encourage the education of young children about the importance of protecting these areas.

Botanicals for this year’s Chapter Four – Hay Time batch have just been picked from the meadows and gin is available now. ■ Visit goosnarghgin.co.uk

Left to right: Peter Blackwell, Rachel and Richard Trenchard and Sarah Robinson.

Community spirit

IN YOUR FIELD

Every week

we

follow the ups and downs of farmers around the UK

KATE BEAVAN

Monmouthshire

Kate farms alongside her husband Jim on one of two family farms near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Farming 202ha (500 acres), the main enterprises consist of 1,500 breeding ewes and rear 50 bucket calves annually. She is a mum of two, cider-maker, county chairwoman for the NFU, volunteer with RABI, mental health first aider, teaches three days-a-week at the local college and runs ‘Kate’s Country School’ on-farm.

Ihave big boots to fill following the legend that is James Powell and I will do my best to keep up the good work.

As a brief introduction I am a Lancashire lass who moved to Wales 30 years ago to work as a veterinary nurse, joined Abergavenny Young Farmers’ Club, met my husband Jim and the rest is history. The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs has to be the largest rural dating agency in the world.

Readers in Lancashire may remember my dad, Jack Benson, a true countryman, farming champion, writer and rhymer who made you laugh.

We run 202 hectares (500 acres) over two farms in a family partnership. Predominantly beef and sheep, we also have an arable enterprise to fulfil our animal feed requirements.

Diversification enterprises include Beavan Family Butchers in Abergavenny, run by brother-in-law Huw and family, and Kate’s Country School here, where we offer rural courses, school visits and team building events.

NEW WRITER

IT has been a topsy-turvy farming season so far. After the fine weather of late March, April and May, we are certainly paying the price now. The jet stream has become established close to, or over, the UK and Ireland.

As this meanders around, it is pushing areas of low pressure and fronts across the country, bringing cloud and rain for all.

Last weekend saw some very heavy periods of rain, with farmers in the west of Northern Ireland reporting more than 200mm of rain falling during June.

High rain totals in June have also been recorded over Wales and the

‘We have decided we should sell our cider, rather than drinking it and giving it away’

I also teach animal welfare and conservation three days-a-week at the local college.

Cider has been made on the farm since the 17th century and we have decided we should be selling it, rather than drinking it and giving it away.

Traditionally made, it is part of your five-a-day (made with 100 per cent apples), but can be pretty potent at 8.5 per cent. And this year we made 3,500 litres.

For readers in the Scottish Highlands, please look out for a contract shearer with a Welsh accent as that would be our son Sam who is trying his best to understand the local dialect and I am sure it works both ways.

Our daughter Celyn is currently working for NFU Mutual while studying for a self-funded psychology degree. I am immensely proud of them both.

It is the season for maggots. The commercial flock was shorn in early June and we have just finished shearing our Epynt Hardy Speckled sheep, a resilient native breed.

Wool is worthless this year because of low demand for the material due to Covid-19 and we are storing ours. To be honest, the price of wool has been pretty poor for the last two decades.

The crazy fact is the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords sits on the woolsack, introduced in the 14th century to

reflect the economic importance of the wool trade in the UK.

There was a time it was an integral part of the history of Britain and much of the country’s wealth was founded on wool. At one point, wool became the principal output of UK sheep flocks, but its importance began to dwindle at around the time of the industrial revolution.

With so many properties, surely there is a place for wool in our environmentally aware population.

I have been told the rules and regulations regarding using wool in building materials are expensive to implement. Maybe legislation needs to catch up with science.

south west of England. By contrast, the east of Scotland and the far east and south east England are short of rain. There has only been about 25mm to 35mm of rain falling in these locations and they remain short of water.

Across Europe, the weather has been notably wetter than average in the south and west of France, much of Italy, and across central and Eastern Europe. This wetter weather extends through the Balkans and into northern Greece and the north of Turkey. Southern Ukraine has been wet, as has the west of Russia.

Unsurprisingly, temperatures have

been cooler than average in much of Spain, southern France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. Temperatures have been considerably warmer than average for the time of year across Sweden, northern parts of Germany Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

I have been advising members at weatherweb.net that the coming weeks do not show much of a change in the weather pattern, and that we will continue to chase short-lived weather windows.

There is more weather for the week ahead in my free twice-weekly farming weather videos, updated on Sundays and Thursdays.

For location specific forecasts visit farmersweather.co.uk and for video updates go to weatherweb.net or call the number below.

Farmers Weather by Dr Simon Keeling

Cumbria

NEXT WEEK

‘We will build a new shed to help us expand our herd’

IAN GARNETT

Cheshire Ian farms in partnership with his family near Knutsford, Cheshire. They manage 700 commercial pedigree Holstein/ Friesians on 445ha (1,100 acres). Replacements are home-reared and cows are on a composite system. Ian is a representative for Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group and sits on the AHDB Genetics Advisory Forum.

How the fodder stores have changed in three weeks. Throughout the first half of the year there have been significant concerns about tonnages of crops grown from grass all the way through to arable crops, largely as a result of difficult weather conditions.

Grass growth measurements here

in Cheshire seem to have recovered from when I last wrote in the first week of June. Then they were at 20kg dry matter (DM)/hectare (8kg DM/acre) and thankfully are now closer to 80kg DM/ha (32kg DM/acre).

Rainfall in the second and third weeks of June allayed many of our fears. Arable crops locally also look like the rain arrived just in time.

There has been a flurry of second cut silages made in the county, likewise hay-making too. Looking around the area, there is still a quantity of silage still to come in, although it is looking remarkably green for this time of year.

Some local first cut aftermaths only appeared to start growing after the rains in the first week of June.

I wonder if the delayed growth of these second cut crops may mean outstanding crops may not be as low in protein and energy as could be expected for this time of year.

Jobs on-farm in the past few weeks have included worming youngstock with pour-ons, catching up with activity collars within the milking herd, laying sleeper tracks and giving the go ahead to a local building company to construct a new shed.

We have moved away from bolusing for worming, primarily due to cost, although I am mindful with an allyear-round calving herd, that good record-keeping is essential to ensure no groups get missed.

Activity collars were a significant investment and we have found them very useful, particularly in spotting oestrus and overall they have been a worthy outlay for us.

perspective, they are very good and their integrity compared to hardcore tracks is of benefit to us here in an area with high rainfall and clay soils.

As part of our sustainability plan, we will be building a new shed this autumn to help us expand our herd.

It is great to have such positive news for the team, which, like the whole country, has experienced some huge uncertainties and fears with Covid-19.

I remember a local retired farmer told me once to look at the crop not just the calendar. NAME

To maximise access to grazing, we have invested over the years in the purchase of concrete sleepers to create cow tracks. From a cow lameness

CROSSWORD 1041

ACROSS

correct entry

1 Englishmale,henpecked,coveredwith raisedlumps(8)

5 Wow!Perth’srivercirclingoperatingin bothdirections(3-3)

10 Surprisinglyfour-starincludingbitof tattyartificialgrass(9)

11 DishfromIndia,shelledgrainandsteak nowandthen(5)

12 Somestupendousthingduckdoes(5)

13 Onearrangednewdelicateluminescent tube(4,5)

14 Foldandencloseplaceforschool goodies(4,3)

16 Impartedknowledgeoftenseit’ssaid(6)

19 Makesrequestwithoutessentially obtainingfruits(6)

21 RiotsaboutbitsoftougholdItaliandish(7)

23 Organisedonefarmyardplaceformilk production(5,4)

25 Greedyaboutoldduck(5)

26 Coolhouse!Institutewithfantasticlogo(5)

27 Comestoshoreonpromontorytodo creativegardening(9)

28 PlaythingreturnedtoaJapanesecity(6)

29 Wet-landinhabitanttospoilshowwith hintoflunacy(5,3)

It is heartening to read the following announcement by a major UK supermarket: “We promise we will never sell any product which does not meet our own [UK] high standards. This promise is regardless of the outcome of any trade deal. It is our promise to you. It is our promise to our farmers. It is our promise to the nation.”

Let’s hope other retailers, large and small, all follow suit.

Preston, PR2 9NZ.

DOWN

1 Assesscookedvealyouconsumed, wehear(8)

2 Lavishcomplimentsholdingheadof cutweed(9)

3 Sharpweaponofsingularpromise(5)

4 HorsemostlyandbullonMarchand September22nd,roughly(7)

6 Warningofconflictandevidenceofiton battlefields(3,6)

7 Expelwithdifficultywesterncircle(5)

8 Indeedpigpen’scharacterisedbyupheaval(6)

9 Hardworkmightgetyoufreefromtree(6)

15 CoatinEastLondonfornanny’spartner(5,4)

17 Trickyproblemyou’dbewisetodrop(3,6)

18 Qualitygraingroundtopowderfor pleasingdinner,say(4,4)

20 Horse-keepingbusinessmaintaining equilibrium(6)

21 Catholic,oneacceptedinsouth-eastern Europeanrepublic(7)

22 Adaughterwithbreakinrelations, directionless(6)

24 Insertinsong(5)

25 Mostlyestimatevalueofgrey,long-eared animals(5)

Duetothe Farmers Guardian teamworkingfromhomebecauseofcoronavirusrestrictions, crosswordwinnerswillbeannouncedinabatchassoonaspossible.Butworrynot,aslong as FG isabletogotoprintandbedelivered,yourcrosswordwillbehereasnormal.

Answers to crossword 1039: Across: 1 Temperature, 7 Verbena, 8 Aileron, 10 Neep, 11 Usage, 12 Aria, 15 Customs, 16 Miasmas, 17 Lurcher, 20 Opening, 22 Ugli, 23 Again, 24 Spat, 27 Elm tree, 28 Aneroid, 29 Pile drivers. Down: 1 Turkeys, 2 Meet, 3 Elapses, 4 Amalgam, 5 Ugly, 6 Eardrum, 7 Viniculture, 9 Nearsighted, 13 Bothy, 14 Bagel, 18 Rollmop, 19 Ragweed, 20 Origami, 21 Impious, 25 Oral, 26 Mere.

The first

received by next Friday will receive £20 worth of Love2shop vouchers. Send to: Crossword No. 1041, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood,