Kuhn provides productivity from lower horsepower Championing agriculture for 180 years
August 23, 2024
All of the farmer reaction to broadcaster’s attack on our cattle industry Page 6
Lucy Noad reignites her enthusiasm for dairy farming with new approach on her Wiltshire farm
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Alex and Jo Gidlow are re-energising and future-proofing their family farm. See p78-79.
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ACCESS to the countryside and all the benefits it brings is a basic human right.
Not only does getting out in the great outdoors do wonders for our physical and mental health, but it also helps to bridge the gap between farmers and the general public.
But there is no doubt that this is a balancing act that is becoming harder and harder to strike.
Statistically and anecdotally, incidents of dog attacks on livestock, camping fires which have got out of control, alongside the usual littering and dog muck bags adorning tree branches like smelly ornaments, have spiked since the pandemic.
With right to roam groups putting more pressure on the Labour Government – which they rightly or wrongly see as a listening ear –the farming industry must stand together to ensure its voice is heard.
It is only by working together that clear guidelines can be established which strike that fine balance between public access and the rights of landowners.
Scan the QR code using your smartphone’s camera to take you to our Take the Lead page where you can claim your FREE signs.
Workable solutions come in the form of signage showing walkers which areas of a farm or land they can and cannot use at specific times of the year – for example, at lambing time or when crops have been newly sown.
Not only do these guidelines help connect the consumer with the land by educating them about what goes into producing their food, but also importantly, they help mitigate damage.
But the public must play its part too.
And this unofficial ‘contract’ with countryside users does depend on trust and positive behaviour which, for the majority, comes naturally.
Why not add ‘respectfully’ to ‘right to roam’?
That would be a good start and a more palatable soundbite for farmers to digest.
As with all things, it comes down to respect and common sense – something we will no doubt be discussing at length following the broadcast of Sir Brian May’s BBC documentary –The Badgers, the Farmers and Me. to respect and common sense – something we
Farming groups have called for legislation to support farmers amid a feeling of a lack of respect from the public. Chris Brayford reports.
MOOR fires, livestock worrying attacks and fly-tipping incidents have brought into focus the threat of opening up access to the countryside for the general public, with farm groups calling for specific legislation to protect farmers.
Farmers and farming groups have warned the Government that widening access to nature, as stated in its General Election manifesto, could come at a cost to farmers as a result of bad behaviour from the public.
Incidents reported this summer
alone on farms have included moor fires from disposable barbecue fires, livestock worrying attacks, fly-tipping from litter left by countryside users and cars from ‘inconsiderate drivers’ blocking access to businesses.
National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive Phil Stocker said he was opposed to increased access in the countryside without improved legislation which protects farmers and their businesses.
He said: “We continue to see irresponsible use of the countryside and the attitude from some members of the public shown to farm businesses is utterly appalling.
“Without Government support and legislation which protects farmers while prosecuting those who do not adhere to responsible behaviour, the NSA simply cannot back any further plans to expand access to the countryside.”
Responsibility
However, environmentalists including Dr Amy-Jane Beer, who runs the landowners’ working group for the Right to Roam campaign, said allowing access to land for countryside users could allow people to learn what responsibility means in practice.
But sheep farmer Kate Esler, from Kingston Seymour in Somerset, said a
THE Charollais Sheep Society has paid tribute to a ‘dear friend and devoted supporter’ as it announced the death of chair Charles Sercombe.
Mr Sercombe, who had previously served as NFU livestock board chair, had battled with cancer.
The Charollais Sheep Society said he had been an ‘integral part of the Charollais Society and one of its strongest supporters for 37 years’.
The society said: “The flock has produced many of the top show and sale sheep in the breed, holding a number of records for top prices.”
The NFU has paid tribute to his ‘commitment and dedication’ to the beef and lamb sector and wider farming community.
The union said he was a ‘passionate advocate’ for both tenant farmers and the sheep sector.
NFU deputy president David Exwood said: “Charles led the national livestock board through a
“His
NANTWICH Agricultural Society held its fifth annual ‘Charity Vintage and Classic Tractor Road Run’ on August 18. During warm and sunny weather, the owners of 43 vintage and classic road-legal tractors arrived with their vehicles to Maylands Farm on Broad Lane, Stapeley, Nantwich, for a 10am start, to drive along Cheshire roads, before returning to the start point for lunch at 2.30pm. Money raised from the event will this year go to the Leighton Hospital Breast Care Unit.
lack of respect shown from the public had resulted in the business stopping grazing livestock on land due to livestock worrying.
She said: “There is just a lack of respect shown towards farmers from the public. Over the past two years we have had to contend with five incidents of dogs attacking our sheep.
“We put signs up on the farm to warn the public of the dangers farms can pose but they still do not listen.
“We stopped sheep from grazing on some parts of the land because we simply cannot trust the public to behave.
“It is upsetting that we have to take these measures as a business, but the cost is unbearably difficult to see financially and emotionally.
“There is no respect from the countryside users and we believe increasing
access could cause further problems for our businesses with more livestock worrying attacks.”
Arable farmer Deryk Parrish, from Hawick, Roxburghshire, said there was an ‘attitude problem’ from members of the public who could not see the potential risks of farms as dangerous workplaces.
He said: “Farms are busy, dangerous places with very large machinery and at times dangerous animals, but the public seem to think they are large play parks. Would they go into a building site or factory and do the same? Absolutely not. But they think they can on farms.”
Defra has been approached for further comment.
THE Environment Agency (EA) has warned landowners and farmers to be vigilant of criminal gangs which are operating across the country, targeting privately owned property and land, particularly in rural locations, to dump illegally collected waste.
The EA said waste crime cost the economy in England an estimated £1 billion a year through evaded tax, environmental and social harm, and lost legitimate business, with enough waste managed illegally across the country to fill four million skips annually.
The EA’s deputy director of waste regulation, Steve Molyneux, said the criminal gangs were offering cash incentives to landowners to store
waste at their property or on their land, promising to remove it, but they do not. He said: “Some do not ask. They break in, dump waste they have illegally collected and disappear.
“Waste criminals need access to places to dump the rubbish they illegally collect, but your vigilance can stop them. Shutting them out of property and land is just one tactic to scupper these rogues.”
MORE INFORMATION
If you suspect illegal waste activity is taking place, report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via the Environment Agency helpline on 0800 80 70 60.
By Jane Thynne
LIVESTOCK farmers have challenged claims by the BBC that the UK farming industry is fast becoming just a collection of megafarms, describing the story as the latest example of what farmers believe is a ‘sustained attack’ on the industry.
A recent news story reported that animal welfare campaigners had been outraged after the BBC revealed more cows ‘could be kept indoors for the whole of their productive lives’, owing to a rise in ‘megafarms’.
However, farming groups have insisted the size of the farm is irrelevant when considering UK farmers’ high welfare standards.
Chief executive of the National Beef Association, Neil Shand, said this new accusation was merely the latest in what he views as a prolonged attack on the livestock industry.
He said: “The size of the farm is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is the way the farmer cares for those animals.
“Yes, farms may have got bigger, but they are often linked holdings where the herd could be spread over several sites.
“This [story] is part of a sustained attack on the livestock industry – stories about megafarms, legal actions by animal groups and the Sir Brian May documentary.
“Our farmers have the best welfare standards in the world and that should be defended.”
on livestock farming.
According to the latest AHDB data, 440 dairy producers left the industry in the year to April 2024, leaving a total of 7,130.
This, according to the board’s senior analyst Freya Shuttleworth, ‘suggests there has been further movement towards larger farm size over the past 12 months’.
“Scale has nothing to do with it,”
RURAL groups have reacted angrily to the news the BBC is to air a documentary today (August 23) made by well-known antibadger cull campaigner Sir Brian May, claiming the broadcaster is breaching its ‘impartiality’ remit.
The upset comes at a tumultuous time for the corporation following the news the broadcaster’s ‘rural champion’ Dimitri Houtart has decided to leave after 21 years.
Mr Houtart, who has overseen programmes such as BBC1’s Countryfile, Radio4’s Farming Today and a host of food and environment shows, said the decision to leave had been ‘difficult’.
Writing on X, he told followers: “In my role as Rural Affairs Champion, I am particularly proud of the increased coverage of rural, nature,
environment and food topics on the BBC.”
The BBC has defended the decision to broadcast Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me, saying it shares ‘discoveries and tragic stories’, and follows Sir Brian as he works with farmers to look at how bovine TB is spread, giving him an insight into how
said third-generation Peak District dairy farmer Robert Thornhill.
“We cannot say all small farms are good and all big farms are bad.
“It is about management, health and hygiene, and the dedication of those working there. There is so much negativity and people seem to delight in farmer bashing. I would ask the BBC, ‘What is your agenda?’.
devastating the disease can be for the farming community.
A BBC spokesperson added: “While this is a first person piece authored by Sir Brian May, the documentary hears from numerous voices in the debate on badger culling, including farmers. The BBC adheres to strict editorial guidelines on impartiality on this matter.”
But the Countryside Alliance (CA) has challenged the decision, branding it ‘fundamentally incompatible’ with BBC impartiality rules.
In a letter to BBC director general Tim Davie, CA chief executive Tim Bonner accused the publiclyfunded corporation of allowing a campaigner with ‘clearly partisan views’ to front a current affairs programme.
READ MORE
For more farmer reaction see P12.
The size of the farm is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is the way the farmer cares for those animals
NEIL SHAND
A BBC spokesperson said: “Our coverage of agricultural issues includes a wide range of perspectives from across scientific and agricultural communities, including different views from within those communities.
“This includes on programmes and in news coverage about farming, agriculture and developments in those sectors.”
The CLA has also raised concerns about comments made by River Action UK chief executive James Wallace on BBC Breakfast when speaking about river pollution, which went unchallenged on the programme.
Mr Wallace said: “The problem originates here with sewage and also with farms; let us not forget all those growth hormones pumped into chickens and cattle and so on in factory farms, that too has a big impact.”
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By Jane Thynne
AHEAD of this year’s harvest, 50% of farmers have revealed they have financial worries, according to a new study.
The survey, conducted by The Farming Community Network (FCN) and Farmers Guardian’s parent company Agriconnect, also found that six out of 10 farmers planned to change their cropping pattern for the coming season.
Of those questioned, 80% said they felt market forces were becoming more volatile year-on-year, while many disclosed they had diversified into non-farming revenue streams on their farms to boost income.
Alex Phillimore, head of communications and development at FCN, said: “As part of this survey, farmers have shared important insights into their outlook ahead of this year’s harvest. This information is important in helping FCN to better understand the pressures our farming community is under.”
Farmers were also asked a series of questions about how they felt going into the harvest period after what has been a particularly
TRIBUTES have been paid to a sixyear-old boy who died as a result of a quad bike incident on a farm in Northern Ireland.
The funeral of Joe Hegarty took place this week following the incident which occurred in Ballycastle in County Antrim on August 16.
The incident is the fourth on-farm death to take place in the past month in NI following those of Noel Boyd, Richard Ruddell, Harold Gilmore.
FARMERS have been reminded to respond to the UK farm assurance review, with it due to close on August 31.
Dr David Llewellyn, the lead commissioner of the review, said they had seen a ‘strong response to date from all sectors and across all parts of the UK’. The independent review is planned to report at the end of this year.
FILL IN THE SURVEY: app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/promaraf2021/the-uk-farm-assurance-review
Six in 10 farmers plan to change their cropping pattern for the coming season, a new survey has revealed.
challenging year. Many said talking with others, staying hopeful, embracing the challenge and getting off-farm where possible were key to staying positive and navigating change.
“It is encouraging to hear that
many of the people who filled in the survey are staying positive and hopeful, and have encouraged people to talk if they are feeling stressed or worried about the future.
“A problem shared is a problem halved, and we do encourage people to talk – whether it is to friends, family, co-workers, or charities such as FCN,” Mr Phillimore added.
The study was produced to tie-in with this year’s CropTec Show which takes place at the NAEC in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, from November 27-28.
OUTBREAKS of bluetongue (BTV3) virus are on the rise across northern Europe, with Defra warning British farmers to remain vigilant to signs of the disease.
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said 4,000 cases of the insect-borne viral disease, mainly affecting livestock, have been reported in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands since May.
Defra has also confirmed the first ever cases of BTV-3 have been confirmed in France, Luxembourg and Denmark recently.
Between November and March, the Government has reported 126 incidents of the disease on UK farms in Norfolk, Kent and Suffolk.
Ms Middlemiss said farmers must remain vigilant to the threat
of disease spread and report suspected cases.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency’s interim chief executive Jenny Stewart said the latest outbreak assessment had set out the scale of bluetongue cases across Europe and underlined how important it was for farmers and animal keepers to monitor their livestock and to take up the offer of free testing where necessary.
A CONSERVATION group has been granted permission to intervene in a Supreme Court case about the public’s right to camp on land in Dartmoor.
Kate Ashbrook, general secretary of the Open Spaces Society, Britain’s oldest national conservation body, said they were ‘delighted’ to have the opportunity to intervene in an upcoming case about the public’s right to back-pack on Dartmoor.
Stall Moor common landowners, Alexander and Diana Darwall, have appealed last year’s decision to allow backpackers the right to camp without landowner’s permission, favouring Dartmoor National Park Authority’s view that wild camping should not be banned on the moor.
Ms Ashbrook said the outcome of the decision could have ‘far-reaching implications’ on land rights and the ‘future attitudes’ of landowners.
However, the Darwalls had
argued that the right granted to the public on foot and horseback on the Dartmoor commons, for the purpose of open-air recreation, did not include the right to camp.
But the court said the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 gave the public the right to camp on ‘nearly all’ of Dartmoor’s commons. The appeal is set to be heard on October 8.
By Rachael Brown
THE Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has called on the Planning Inspectorate in England to give ‘urgent training’ to its inspectors to improve their understanding of agricultural tenancies when handling planning appeals.
It follows a decision made by an inspector in relation to a planning appeal from a developer which had been refused consent for a solar farm on land in Somerset.
The TFA understood the decision to refuse consent was made by Somerset Council partly due to the impact of the development on the personal circumstances and business of the tenant farmer, who was not a party to the application, which the local planning authority considered was ‘significant’.
TFA chief executive George Dunn said this case was an example of where the council ‘got it right and the planning inspector got it badly wrong’.
Mr Dunn said: “In his appeal decision, the inspector outlines his consideration of the objection to the development proposal, which was based on the occupier of the site being a tenant farmer. He agrees
that the impact on the personal circumstances of the tenant farmer is a material consideration.”
He said even though the inspector acknowledged the objection tabled by the TFA warning the tenant farmer would face a notice to quit if the development went ahead, he chose to overlook it.
“Bizarrely, the inspector then finds that the tenant farmer could instead continue to use the land for grazing and downplays the significance of the impact on the tenant farmer,” said Mr Dunn, questioning how this was possible if the farmer no longer had access to the land.
Mr Dunn said the inspector had either not understood the basis of
FARMERS and all employers of temporary seasonal staff are being reminded they may risk a fine of up to £10,000 if they do not comply with workers’ pension requirements.
The Pensions Regulator launched an online campaign aimed at employers most likely to hire seasonal temporary workers, including those in the agricultural and horticultural indus-
tries, to ensure they checked on their legal automatic enrolment duties – notably to introduce workers to the scheme and make contributions to a pension should they be eligible.
Any staff member aged between 22 and State Pension age who earns more than £192 a week, or £833 a month, must be put into a pension scheme which employers must pay into.
* DIVORCE & SEPARATION
Farmers were warned that even if additional staff worked for a few days or weeks, employers must assess whether they were eligible to be enrolled into a pension scheme each time they were paid.
There is an option to delay the assessment for three months, which may apply to many horticulture businesses, but this must be carried out at the beginning of the contract.
a notice to quit or had failed to take it into consideration.
The TFA said it was told the decision was legally binding, adding the tenant farmer would need to apply for a Judicial Review to challenge the outcome.
Mr Dunn added: “Financially, emotionally, practically and legally the bar is very high for an individual to take such a step. Access to justice is not easily achievable.”
A spokesperson for the Planning Inspectorate said: “Inspectors are independent and impartial decisionmakers, who determine planning appeals covering a wide range of complex areas.
“When reaching a decision, they consider fully the evidence submitted to them, taking account of current planning legislation, policy and guidance, before applying their judgement to reach a balanced view.”
Plaid Cymru says Labour’s energy plans are ‘hollow’
CARMARTHENSHIRE dairy farmer and Plaid Cymru MP for Caerfyrddin Ann Davies said Labour’s energy plans would ‘ring hollow for ordinary people in Wales’.
It was after the Prime Minister and the First Minister visited West Wales this week to highlight their plans for GB Energy and Trdyan Gwyrdd Cymru and failed to commit to keeping profits generated from new energy projects within Wales.
Plaid Cymru criticised Labour’s energy plans, adding they ‘will not maximise benefits’ for Welsh
communities without the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales.
Ms Davies said it was ‘incredibly disappointing’ to see Eluned Morgan not pressing Sir Keir Starmer to devolve the Crown Estate.
She added: “The Labour Welsh Government has previously said that the Crown Estate in Wales should be devolved, in line with the position in Scotland. This is money which should be kept and reinvested here in Wales to address the high levels of poverty and inequality facing our communities, and bring down our energy bills.”
By Rachael Brown
THE widow of Warwickshire farmer
Rocky Poulson who ended his life four days after a farm inspection said although ‘slight changes’ have been made to improve the inspection regime there was ‘still more that could be done’.
In February, Rita Poulson spoke to Farmers Guardian for the first time since her husband’s death. She said the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has since told her that ‘outdated’ terminology and wording has been removed from on-farm inspections and it intends to put greater emphasis on advice and support.
But Ms Poulson believed further changes were still needed.
She said: “There needs to be a more compassionate approach towards the burden of responsibility carried by the few personnel on farms. Farming is a physical activity, but requires ad-
herence to regulation and reporting at every stage. We should be working together towards high standards and sharing the responsibilities, whether it is the quality of food or the protection of the environment.”
Ms Poulson has always made clear she blamed the system and the culture, not the individual inspector, but said she would like to see all inspectors spending time on-farm as part of their training, adding inspections should be a ‘positive experience’ commending good practice and ‘advising where necessary’.
A coroner’s inquest is to be held into Rocky’s death, which Ms Poulson feels ‘optimistic’ about, adding she hopes it will initiate change and will look into the ‘culture of fear’ around inspections.
She said: “Rocky did not have mental health issues. His reaction was more one of pride in a lifetime’s work that was unappreciated. The inspector found 18 sheep had been tagged with incorrect coloured eartags, which was a petty issue in the scale of things.
“A civilised society should not be
INTERIM Red Tractor chair Alistair Mackintosh has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cumbria Farming Awards in recognition of his ‘unwavering dedication to British Farming’ and his contributions to the region’s agricultural community.
Mr Mackintosh is not only the interim chair of Red Tractor, but also a beef, sheep and arable farmer in Cumbria, with a long history of working across the farming industry, including previous roles as NFU’s livestock chair and council member.
Cheshire, has been working with a local vet to treat the calves since the attack happened on August 9.
punishing those aiming to make an honest living,” Ms Poulson added.
She said since sharing her family’s story she has been made aware of ‘many inspections’ that have caused distress, adding the pressure ‘imposed fear’.
Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the RPA, said: “We were deeply saddened to hear of this tragic death. Our condolences go to Mr Poulson’s loved ones, and we have been in contact with his family to offer our support.
“We will continue to work with farmers and farming welfare organisations to further improve our engagement with the farming community.”
The RPA said steps had already
been taken to simplify language, greater signposting to support for farmers and to consider mitigating circumstances where requirements have not been met, as well as piloting advisory, supportive visits to preemptively help farmers to meet requirements. The pilot is expected to launch in the spring.
For all land-based schemes the RPA has moved away from unannounced visits, extending the notice period to at least 72 hours and in some instances up to 14 days.
Read Dan Jones’ In Your Field column for his recent experience of a farm inspection on p96-97.
Farmers
The dogs who attacked the youngstock have been identified and their owners have agreed to pay Mr Latham’s vet bills.
FARMERS For Action’s (FFA’s) Steering Committee has taken issue with the Livestock and Meat Commission’s (LMC’s) claim to be an ‘honest broker’ within the red meat industry in a recent LMC News bulletin.
The LMC statement went on to claim an 80% recognition rating with local consumers for the Northern Ireland Beef and Lamb Farm Quality Assurance Scheme logo – perhaps more so the writing on the logo rather than the symbol.
To be fair to LMC, its promotion of red meat in schools and in certain retail outlets, in fact across its advertising remit, is valued by the industry, although more can always be done.
Where FFA has huge issues with LMC is the fact that the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme started out delivering a bonus for beef and lamb producers, all these years later, now to be merely used as an excuse for penalties
FARMERS have had their say on social media following the news that Queen guitarist Sir Brian May will present a documentary on bovine TB on the BBC today (August 23):
■ “Perhaps he should spend time at affected areas, not just farms, and see [the] damage to cattle, ground nesting birds, hedgehogs, etc., and the reality of what is actually happening.”
HELEN DAVIES
and a stick with which to beat producers down in price.
In addition, it claims to be a facilitator and an honest broker within Northern Ireland’s red meat industry. This it certainly is not, as FFA witnessed a few years back at a meeting in Belfast in mid-August 2014, courtesy of LMC.
Representatives from six farm organisations – Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), National Beef Association, the Severely Disadvantaged Area Group, Northern Ireland Agricultural Producers Association, Northern Ireland
■ “I would be astonished if it’s impartial.”
GORDON HAMILTON
■ “It’ll just be a one-sided programme.”
TIM MESSENGER
■ “Brian May, a great campaigner and spokesman for wildlife. Keep up the good work Brian.”
WILF SLACKER
■ “Remember him on a farm with
Livestock and Auctioneers’ Association and FFA – were present, along with two representatives from Northern Ireland Meat Export Association.
At the meeting, Pat O’Rourke, thenchair of LMC, set out to conclude the introduction of a four-farm residency restriction limitation on all cattle across Northern Ireland abattoir-bound.
This thereby attempted to reduce the number of cattle going through the livestock markets and playing into the hands of the large abattoirs.
generations of Jersey breeding, cow had green tag put in, he asked to stroke her and thought she’d live out her life on the farm. Can’t say I believe this will ever get sorted.”
SYLVIA CROCKER
■ “I’d be interested in Adam Henson’s opinions on the greatest rock guitarists of the 1970s.”
DAVE ANDERSON
A vote was called by FFA to stop this draconian move, with the result being five farm organisations against and the UFU in favour.
In spite of this, LMC, in support of large abattoirs in the industry, bulldozed the four-move restriction through creating more penalties for farmers when their animals arrive at abattoir if they have more than four moves.
To conclude, until LMC reverses this undemocratic decision, Northern Ireland’s family farmers cannot be lead to believe that LMC is an honest broker on their behalf.
Sean McAuley, Farmers For Action.
CONGRATULATIONS Team FG. You are doing a wonderful service to the farming industry through your #farm24 campaign.
Haworth (left) with his father George (second from left) accepting the trophy for the best bull in the Ayrshire bull championships at the Royal Lancashire Show, circa 1960. The bull, Eyton Fairheart, won the prize for three years running. Sent in by John’s granddaughter Emma.
If you have a classic picture you would like to share, please email it to marcello.garbagnoli@agriconnect.com
I am now a retired farmer and I understand and empathise with your ‘Welcome from the editor’ piece on August 9.
There has been a huge change in our industry since my childhood.
My father, a farmer before me, was like others of his generation, a
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hard-working man. He didn’t have a day away from the hard work, because there was money to be made from farming in those days. That was the ‘incentive’.
There were no mental health issues at that time, only physical health issues due to hard work. But, what’s the old saying – ‘hard work never killed anyone’.
Fast forward to today, 60 years later, and the whole ethos of farming has changed.
Big machines have come to lighten the physical workload.
However, the strain these days does not come from physical overload, but from mental strain and pressure.
Where does this come from?
Quite simply, rules and regulations, set upon the farming industry, largely by people that know nothing about farming.
After retiring, the rules and regulations have gone, I’m a free man.
The £64,000 question is ‘how do we free the farmers of today from all this outside pressure?’
My simple answer is to stand together – exactly what you say in your article.
Jeremy Clarkson is not afraid of authoritarians. Farming bodies, whoever they are, must learn to do the same: stand up for our rights and unite.
Gwynfor Davies, via email.
Alex Black Head of News and Business – alex.black@agriconnect.com
VISITING Switzerland last week as part of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress was a great chance to understand more about how farming operates in different countries.
From issues of direct democracy to all the demands farming on the alpine slopes brings, Switzerland, like every country, has unique challenges.
But what was most striking to me, was the similarities between the challenges we all face. Swiss farms are on average far smaller than British ones, but the focus on how to keep small family farms in business was a major topic, as was the disconnect between consumers and farmers, a topic which is all too familiar in UK discussions.
Balancing sustainability with tradition, profitability and modern farming techniques was a key question for Swiss farmers.
Speaking to other agricultural communicators, there were similar themes across the world. In Sweden, for example, food security was a major focus, while Australian farmers were weighing
‘We
Background: I am a new entrant into dairy farming, having previously come from a family background in beef and sheep.
I made the leap to start my own dairy farm last year and I have just completed my first year as an autumn block calver. Now, I am looking forward to beginning my second year of calving at the end of August.
Routine: My day-to-day life on the farm usually involves everything from milking the cows, feeding calves, cleaning the yard, sowing our own crops and silaging.
We try our best to do it all in-house. I like to document and share as much of my life on the farm as possible on social media.
It is important to be honest about the mistakes I have made, so I can look back and learn from those experiences. Ultimately, it shows others in the
sector that we are all in the same boat.
Social media: I am passionate about using social media to advocate for farming.
Social media is an ever-growing platform and there are so many opportunities for farmers and rural businesses to positively influence people about what farming is really like.
Whether that is raising awareness of mental health, the importance of safety in agriculture, educating the public about where their food comes from, or the hard work farmers must put in on a daily basis to ensure we have the food we need on shelves.
Social media has also opened avenues for farmers to market their produce, such as through local meat boxes, which is great for those who may not have a busy point of sale at their farm.
Because of social media in general,
up the impact of a ban on livestock exports, although the recent ban in the UK will not have the far-reaching implications the Australian industry faces. The impact of predator reintroductions was also keenly in focus for many of our counterparts. The crops we grow and the landscapes we farm may look different, but farmers across the world have far more in common than we often think. It also really showed the need for communication, and technical communicators, in order to disseminate information both ways.
James Scott
there is now a wide range of role models within farming for people from non-agricultural backgrounds to look up to.
Influence: For me, growing up without the social media we have today, I looked up to my dad who has always farmed day and night.
Now, there are so many content creators and farming influencers out
James Scott
there who can use this platform to share an insight into agricultural life for younger people aspiring to go into this field; such as Tom Pemberton, Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper. In my opinion, we can never have enough influencers sharing their experiences of farming, as every farm is unique.
I feel strongly that we need to keep educating the public and sharing our experiences in farming with each other so we can become more diverse and efficient as an industry, and I believe social media is the best tool to do this.
MORE INFORMATION
If you would like to be featured, email chris.brayford@agriconnect.com
Edited by Alex Black – 07880 490 486 – alex.black@agriconnect.com
With inflation returning to the upward path once again in July, Cedric Porter takes a closer look at the current trends affecting the UK retail market.
● Shoppers cut back as budgets squeezed
THE high cost of living continues to alter food buying habits, with shoppers seeking out bargains alongside the occasional treat.
The general level of inflation rose by 2.2% in July, according to the Office for National Statistics, a small rise on the month before, but not as big a jump as some had feared.
The increase in food and catering prices was 2.6% in July, which compared to 17.5% in March 2023.
Food price inflation could be speeding up, according to market researchers Kantar.
In the four weeks to August 4, its grocery inflation index rose by 1.8%, the first increase since March 2023.
“Having reached its lowest rate in almost three years in July, August saw inflation nudge up again slightly,” said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar.
“While this is noticeable following 17 straight months of falling rates, it actually marks a return to the average levels seen in the five
Shoppers have cut back at supermarkets as inflation has trended up once more.
years before the start of the cost of living crisis.”
In its basket of food and non-food goods, there were price rises in 182 product categories, with a fall in 89 others.
He added: “Shoppers are continuing to take advantage of the
the price of shopping down. Spending on deals rose by 15%, while sales of products at their usual price saw no increase.”
While consumers may continue to feel the squeeze, they were willing to celebrate too.
Wine sales were 32% higher on the Friday of the Olympic opening ceremony than the week before, as viewers turned to booze to get through the four-hour event.
Sales of nuts jumped 60% and crisps were up 10%.
Meanwhile, England fans spent the most on beer on a single Sunday (July 14) since the last time they had to drown their sorrows when their team lost the 2021 Euros final.
The much-needed arrival of hot and dry weather boosted burger sales by a third as people dusted down their barbecues.
Prepared salad and ice cream sales were also up by more than 20% on last year.
HIGH prices have led to reduced food sales, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
The volume of purchases was down 0.6% in July compared to July 2023 and it was the 31st month in a row that the volume was down.
In contrast, the value of sales was up 1.7% compared to the same month last year.
At the height of the inflation crisis over the past two-and-ahalf years, retail price rises were outstripping farmgate price rises for most products, but more balance has now been restored to the market.
Using the Kantar measure, the value of grocery sales was up 3.8% in the four weeks leading up to August 4.
Of the 11 goods that Farmers Guardian has been following for
the past two years, the price of only four was greater in July this year than last, according to ONS figures.
These were lamb chops (up 14.2%), carrots (up 10.2%), beer (up 4.6%) and bread (up 2.9%).
The largest drop in price seen was a 12.8% decrease in cheese prices.
Of the nine agricultural products that make those retail goods, prices of malting barley were 12.6% lower in July 2024 than July 2023, milling wheat prices had fallen 7.0% and pigmeat values were down 6.9%.
The biggest difference in price changes was a 0.5% drop in the retail price of apples, which compared to a 30.5% increase in farmgate apple prices.
A LARGE drop in market share taken by the UK’s third largest supermarket chain, Asda, is the main headline from the most recent retailer sales data compiled by Kantar.
In the past year, Asda’s market share has fallen from 13.7% to 12.6%. That is down from 17.2% a decade ago, when the Leedsbased retailer was in second spot after Tesco.
Tesco is still at number one, with its market share increasing from 27% to 27.6% over the past year. Sainsbury’s has gained ground too – its market share going up by 0.5% to 15.3%.
In recent years, the standout supermarket performer has been Aldi, but it lost 0.2% market share this year, settling at 10%.
That contrasts with 0.4% market share growth by rival German retailer Lidl to 8.1%.
Online retailer Ocado’s sales were 11.3% more in the latest 12-week reporting period compared to last year, making it the fastest growing grocer in percentage terms, with upmarket supermarket Waitrose also posting strong growth.
The market share figures are the latest blow for Asda, which recently reported a 5.3% decline in sales in the second quarter of the year.
Chief financial officer Michael Gleeson said: “We continue to make progress by investing in bringing our quality and value
offering to more customers across the UK, with Asda’s food price inflation trending lower than the market.
“However, we also know that there are some areas where we can and need to improve.”
Company chair Stuart Rose described the results as ‘embarrassing’ and suggested part-owner Mohsin Issa should step back as chief executive.
Mohsin and his brother, Zuber, bought the retailer for £6.8 billion in 2020 along with private equity company TDR capital.
From Blackburn, the brothers made their fortune with the Euro Garages filling station and retail business founded in 2001.
Zuber is reported to be selling his 22.5% stake to TDR.
The difficulties have prompted the GMB union to call on Asda to take urgent action to protect jobs and shoppers.
In a statement, Nadine Houghton, from the union’s national office, said: “Asda’s plummeting market share is entirely down to TDR Capital’s financial mismanagement and Asda is now in a fight for survival. It is time for TDR Capital to get serious – more than 150,000 jobs are on the line if they get this wrong.
“TDR must start listening to its workers to arrest this worrying and dramatic decline.”
Supermarkets were not the only ones seeing subdued
British food sales. Demand at fast food chains was also down, with KFC reporting a 3% decline in UK sales in the second quarter and a 2% decline over the year. European demand for Pizza Hut was 6% down in the quarter,
although global sales for Yum, which owns both brands was up by 3%. McDonald’s saw a 1% decline in global sales in the three months to the end of June 2024, the first quarterly year-on-year decline since Q3 2022.
By Cedric Porter
TIGHTENING beef markets may continue to give price support for the rest of the year, with lamb prices also seeing support.
Deadweight beef prices lagged behind the year before during the three months between April and June, but since then they have pulled ahead. The most recent overall average deadweight GB steer prices are just under £490p/kg, according to AHDB. That is almost 35p/kg more than a year ago and less than 10p/kg off the all-time highs seen at the end of February and beginning of March this year.
Despite some weekly fluctuation, the overall rise in price was despite an increase in production so far this year. Defra figures showed a 3.3% increase in the number of UK steers, heifers, young bulls and adult cattle slaughtered in the first seven months of the year at 1.589 million head. That was the most for that period since 2020.
Throughput in July was 9.4% more at 234,000 head. Total production of beef in the January to July period was at 541,900 tonnes, 3.5% more than last year. An extra 8,800t of beef was produced in July this year than last, at 80,800t.
Hannah Clarke, senior red meat analyst at AHDB, said: “Deadweight cattle prices saw pressure through the spring as greater supplies from domestic kill and imports weighed on the market. However, prime cattle prices have generally been on an upward trajectory since early June, as estimated weekly numbers have come back and consumer demand has been robust.”
Stronger beef demand at home and abroad has also helped the market. In the 12 weeks to July 7 retail sales of beef were 0.7% up on the same period last year, according to Kantar figures for AHDB. The value of those sales was 3.7% as shop prices continued to rise. Market reports suggest that demand has also been strong in the last month or so.
Ms Clarke added: “Mince has been
According to AHDB figures to July 7, retail sales of beef were up on the same period last year.
performing well lately as a versatile cut and has been taking some market share from burgers in particular, likely due to poorer weather. However, we hope that the arrival of better weather in July gave a boost to burger sales as people fired up their barbecues.”
There has also been stronger demand for British beef exports as supplies come under pressure elsewhere, including in Europe.
In the first six months of the year, just under 71,800t of beef and beef offal were exported, according to HMRC, which was 10% more than the same period in 2023, with the biggest gains in fresh beef sales.
However, imports were also up 9% to 153,600t and they could increase further, particularly from Ireland, where prices were significantly lower than in the UK.
Bord Bia reported steer prices of between €5 and €5.15/kg (£4.25-
£4.38/kg) deadweight in the week to August 10.
Irish beef slaughterings in the year to August 10 were similar to last year at 1.069m head, but a tightening of numbers over the rest of the year is expected.
“We forecast total UK beef production for 2024 will be 0.3% higher than 2023 at 903,000t, with higher prime cattle slaughtering counterbalanced by reduced cow slaughter,” said Ms Clarke.
“We expect further tightening of numbers into next year, with a 3% decline in prime cattle slaughter in 2025 to 1.99m head.”
The global market was also tight. Rabobank senior animal protein analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said: “Rabobank’s forecast for selected major beef-producing countries shows Q2
Mince has been performing well as a versatile cut and has been taking some market share from burgers in particular
HANNAH CLARKE
global production is only just higher than in Q2 2023, but projected volumes in Q3 and Q4 2024 are expected to be down year on year.”
DEMAND for farm-based holidays is continuing to surge, quashing any concerns the staycation has had its day. That is according to figures from the outdoor accommodation booking provider Pitchup, which found searches for camping, glamping and caravaning on farms were up 266% in July this year compared to July 2023. Pitchup.com founder Dan Yates
said the agritourism sector has grown year on year since the pandemic and shows ‘no sign of slowing down’.
He said the growing popularity of agritourism is also being felt at the farmgate, with one dairy farmer in Derbyshire having achieved £140,000 in bookings so far this year – double the revenue the campsite had generated by the same point last year.
Mr Yates added: “Farmers and landowners continue to be in a unique position to capitalise on this and help meet the rising demand.”
Bridget Gooden, of Garslade Farm on the Somerset Levels, has noticed an increased level of interest from people wanting to stay on a working farm
which she puts down to the ‘Jeremy Clarkson effect’.
Ms Gooden, who runs a campsite alongside an organic dairy herd, said: “Before, people used to ask about bird watching or flooding – things they have seen on the 6pm news. But now all they want to know is if I watch the programme [Clarkson’s Farm] and if it is true to life.”
By Cedric Porter
LAMB prices have been above last year’s levels for all of 2024 so far, with the latest average deadweight price at 667p/kg, according to AHDB, which is 16.2% or 93p/kg above last year. At the peak of the market this year, prices were just short of 900p/kg, more than 150p/kg above last year.
Reduced production has been a key factor. In the first seven months of the year the number of UK sheep and lambs slaughtered was down 9.1% to 7.108 million head, according to Defra, with a 3.3% drop in July numbers. Lamb and mutton production in the seven months was 8.4% lower.
Stronger sheepmeat consumption was providing support, with retail sales up 4% volume in the 12 months to July 7, according to Kantar figures, while the value of purchases was 6% higher. Religious festivals have also boosted demand, with key dates coinciding earlier this year.
Greater sales at home and reduced production have reduced exports, with 40,100 tonnes of sheepmeat and offal shipped during the first half of 2024, a drop of 7.5% on last year. Imports have also increased, standing at 38,400t in the first six months of the year.
Hannah Clarke, senior red meat analyst at AHDB, said: “The reduced
ORGANIC dairy could be at a turning point, with the potential of better times ahead following a difficult two years.
A new report by Kite Consulting and leading dairy consultants and market analysts, titled Organic dairy – battered, bruised, but back on the up? has reflected on a ‘torrid’ two years with soaring costs and unsustainable farmgate prices, alongside the cost of living crisis driving organic shoppers to either trade down or across from organic brands.
In the report John Allen, of Kite Consulting, Rob Daykin, of the Daykin Partnership, and dairy analyst Chris Walkland, provide a summary of where the UK sector sits now, considering demand, milk volumes and prices, plus a look at how the picture differs compared to EU countries.
Lamb prices have remained higher throughout 2024 than they were in 2023.
UK numbers are partly due to poor weather throughout the spring, but also likely influenced by ongoing profitability and disease challenges.”
She expected an increase in slaughter in the second half of the year, with a 1% increase in clean sheep slaughter to 3.3m head. That would take total clean sheep production to 11.8m head during 2024, down 400,000 or 3.3% on 2023.
Total sheepmeat production is forecast to fall by 2.9% to 278,000t.
These forecasts assume a minimal
impact from the sheep diseases bluetongue and Schmallenberg. That is the case on mainland Europe, where the EU estimates sheepmeat output in the first five months of the year was at 162,000t, down 7.4% on the same period last year.
Production in New Zealand (the largest single supplier to the UK) has been more robust. In the 42 weeks to July 20, lamb output was up 5.6% to 16.225m head, with a 3.8% decline in mutton slaughter to 2.918m head. However, more recently New Zealand lamb numbers have tightened, as the season draws to a close.
Consumer demand for organic milk has been relatively static throughout the year, but currently, the market produces too much milk in the peak months, and not enough in the trough months, the report said.
The authors also considered some short-term options, should volumes fall short this autumn, including diverting organic milk from other destinations. Certification bodies were encouraged to be flexible, in allowing the feeding of non-organic milk powders to calves destined for the conventional beef supply chain.
A key question was, who would fly the flag for organic, with Mr Allen saying there was a real opportunity for a processor or processors to take the lead and build a positive narrative the consumer can ‘understand and get behind’.
ALDI has hit its commitment to sell 100% cage-free eggs more than a year ahead of schedule. The supermarket has been working with its suppliers to move to higher hen welfare in recent years, with all its UK stores now only selling cage-free eggs.
Aldi’s eggs are all British Lion Code of Practice-approved, with the retailer selling more British free-range eggs than any other UK supermarket, according to the latest data from Kantar.
Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi, said: “Improving animal welfare is incredibly important to us at Aldi, and by working with our suppliers we have been able to hit our 100% cage-free target more than a year early.
“Our British suppliers are at the heart of our business and without them Aldi would not be where it is today and we are proud to work with so many UK egg farmers.”
TEN young leaders in agricultural journalism were recognised at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) conference in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Farmers Guardian head of news and business Alex Black was one of those receiving the IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Award, alongside professionals from countries including the USA, Australia, Sweden and Ghana.
By Alex Black
PEOPLE make very different choices when voting as a citizen on food and farming priorities than when shopping as a consumer.
That was the message from Swiss Farmers’ Union vice-president Fritz Glauser, speaking at the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists conference in Interlaken.
Switzerland has a direct democracy system, meaning when 100,000 citizens sign a federal popular initiative stating a proposed constitutional change a vote to the constitution is called.
This means the farming industry is very aware people may vote for things which fundamentally change the face of farming.
With the population of Switzerland now about nine million people, it was not too difficult for a popular initiative to reach the required threshold, meaning more votes on issues which affect the agricultural industry would likely be on the horizon.
In September, there will be a spot vote on biodiversity, which the industry is currently gearing up for.
Mr Glauser said: “They have high expectations but low willingness to pay for it.”
The farming sector is steeped in tradition. Cheese products, such as
Gruyere and Emmental, are in demand all around the world, pitching the traditional methods of dairy farming in the Swiss Alps as a unique selling point for authentic products of Switzerland.
Swiss dairy farmers also generally receive higher prices than many of their international counterparts, with farms generally at a much smaller scale than in the UK.
According to one farmer, their most recent milk price for providing milk to a major processor was 0.67CHF per litre (60ppl), with cheese producers’ milk prices standing higher, but needing to be produced to strict standards, such as not feeding silage to cattle.
Emmi is the largest dairy company in Switzerland and exports products, such as its cafe latte range, to countries including the UK.
Urs Riedener, chair of Swiss dairy giant Emmi, also highlighted the
According to one farmer, their most recent milk price for providing milk to a major processor was 0.67CHF per litre (60ppl).
intention and behaviour gap of consumers who believed one thing but in store shopped on ‘quality and price’.
He said: “People are shopping for value. It is good to talk about sustainability, but it is not the only thing the consumer wants.”
Switzerland’s agricultural policy switched from market support to direct payments in the 1990s, with those in the challenging mountainous areas
receiving more support to maintain agricultural production in a difficult landscape.
There were also additional ecological direct payments for farmers.
However, according to Christian Hofer, director of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, without that support Swiss agriculture would not look the way it does.
In the past five years, he said there had been large amounts of debate in society as to where farm policy should go next.
Alongside priorities on climate change and food security, Mr Hofer highlighted the increased workload and administration which had been placed on farmers.
He added this could be challenging: “If you begin to make it more simple, there is always one group which says you should not delete this measure because it is very important.”
With guests fascinated by the farming way of life, Chris Brayford spoke to Caroline Millar about making a success of holiday lets.
Escaping from the world to a farm’s tranquil surroundings in Scotland’s countryside could be the ideal answer for those seeking some timeout. From honeymoons, romantic getaways or relaxing retreats with friends, the Hideaway Experience offers bespoke, adult-only accommodation, with the diversification working alongside the family-run farm.
The award-winning business at Balkello Farm in Dundee, is run by husband and wife team, Caroline and Ross Millar alongside their two children, Finlay and Sophie, and features a bespoke collection of self-catering lodges boasting luxury features such as hot tubs, saunas and even a personal concierge.
During their stay, guests can also enjoy food which is produced on-farm.
Rated five stars by Scotland’s national tourist organisation, VisitScotland, guests can relax in the comforting surroundings of a log-burning fire during winter, grill delicious meat on a gas barbecue during summer and enjoy the wildlife of the Angus countryside from the holiday lodges.
The farm has two units across the 263-hectare (650-acre) mixed arable business, with about 120 breeding cows, including Aberdeen-Angus and Herefords, alongside growing cereal crops.
Branching out into agritourism in 2005, Ms Millar said the core farming enterprise remained strong. And she attributes her strong work ethic to her family farming background.
Ms Millar says: “I was brought up on my family farm in Perthshire.
“My father was a tenant farmer and we grew a lot of potatoes alongside beef and sheep.
“I remember it was a fantastic experience growing up on farm where we had a lot of freedom, but we were also expected to work hard. As a family, we did everything we possibly could with potatoes and there could be very long days in all sorts of ways.”
She highlights the vital role family farms play throughout Scotland and is also passionate about the many opportunities it has provided to ‘thrive and prosper.’
liked and what I did not like about an accommodation and it has really helped in shaping the focus of our holiday let business.
“When we thought of ways to bring in additional income on farm, this experience helped when it came to thinking about transforming our former farm cottages into luxury holiday lettings.
“We started with one hideaway lodge and now we have five. Around 3,000 guests come here every year to enjoy what we have to offer.
With over 40 years’ experience, we achieve planning consents through designing high quality solar projects that respect your land and deliver biodiversity enhancement.
The will and determination to make an idea a reality, along with ensuring the farm business has another source of income, has been one of Ms Millar’s goals.
She says: “It is a passion. I think that if you have an interest in something, that is the basis for making something a success.
“It has made a massive difference to our family in offering another income stream to the business.”
Alfred Agbortoko, New Sites Manager +44 7789 901 252 | alfred.agbortoko@res-group.com res-group.com
“I have always loved food and drink and helped my grandmother, who ran our farm’s bed and breakfast, whenever I could. I was very close to her.
“She taught me how to cook and really helped me want to tell the story of what farms can offer.”
Such curiosity extended beyond the farmgate and into other countries as the couple enjoyed travelling the world including visits to New Zealand and Australia.
Ms Millar adds: “Ever since I was 17, I have written a journal of the things I Looking to diversify your land
Ms Millar has spearheaded the Scottish Agritourism movement as sector lead since its inception in 2020. The membership network represents more than 600 agritourism businesses in the country and provides peer-topeer support, while measuring the future growth of the sector and the vital role farms play in furthering tourism opportunities in Scotland.
As the sector lead, she has helped play a vital role in ensuring Scotland hosts the World Agritourism Conference in 2026, which will bring industry bodies from across the globe to Scotland to recognise the opportunities that on-farm diversifications can provide.
According to the sector body, the agritourism industry is worth £60 million to the Scottish economy, while farm retail sat at £110m.
As with most things in life, challenges and obstacles are never far away when starting a new venture.
“It took us 18 months to get funding from the bank,” she adds.
“Back in those days we had Scottish Rural Development Programme grants, a form of capital grant, to help us because without it, there would be no Hideaway Experience on the scale that it is today.
“I am really passionate about providing young people with capital grants today because they cannot always rely on parents to bank roll a scheme.
“And it is challenging to have the scale of agricultural enterprise these days with the returns we get from the marketplace to offer a financial viability to businesses.”
Reflecting on welcoming the general public on-farm, she admits things can unexpectedly go wrong for guests which she cannot foresee.
“But it is how you manage that and address the problem which is critically important.
“I think the experience of dealing with issues comes over time.”
Ms Millar says the business’ unique selling point is the countryside setting and what it offers which makes it special for guests.
“It really is the beautiful views overlooking East and West Lomond to Fife which sets our business apart. You can hear the birds singing and each lodge has its own character and privacy.
“The relaxation and facilities can offer the right level of indulgence which is fantastic.
“And people are genuinely interested in our farm as well because they are often working in cities or towns and they very rarely get to see the countryside.”
She says people understand the hard work which goes into farming and are ‘fascinated’.
“Our agritourism business has only used one acre of land and my husband Ross does a fantastic job of managing the farm. If anything, the Hideaway Experience has worked hand-in-hand with the farm business and helped us to achieve our dream.
“But it is a team effort, from our family to the staff on-site, who have made it possible too and we could not have done it without them.”
THE Land, Leisure and Tourism Show, co-located with the Farm Business Innovation Show, is the UK’s only large-scale diversification event for farmers and rural businesses dedicated to creating a sustainable future. Connect with industry experts, gain insights on the latest trends, and network with like-minded individuals to explore new diversification opportunities for growth and success.
■ Registration is now open.
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The Hideaway Experience is a collection of self-catering holiday lodges offering bespoke luxury features including saunas and hot tubs.
With a space more than fit enough to call a home from home, the Hideaway Experience continues to fly the flag of agritourism in Scotland.
REGISTRATION for the Land, Leisure and Tourism Show is now open. Scan the QR code or visit farmbusinessshow.co.uk to register today.
• Protect water logged ground. No damage to existing crops
• Whitewash or clean greenhouses or Polytunnels
• Spray Nematodes/slug pellets/ fertiliser
• Spray, cover crops
• Spray rate up to 22 L/min
• Spray width 3.5 to 9 metres
• Granular variable spread rate of up to 150kg/min
• Open fields up to 19Ha/h, orchards 2Ha/h Greenhouses/ Polytunnels 1 Ha/h
Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768 796 492 – angela.calvert@agriconnect.com
A radical change in the approach to milk production has greatly improved quality of life for the Noad family. Wendy Short finds out more.
Having previously targeted high yields and herd expansion, the current priority for managing the Noad family’s 200-cow herd in Wiltshire is to farm in harmony with nature.
A milk vending machine has recently been installed and, following the success of the first farm open day in July, visitors are being welcomed to the watch the cows being milked. It was only last year that Robert and Lucy Noad held a review of the management of Woodhouse Farm, near Melksham, and concluded that the income from dairying was not justifying their input and the sacrifices made to their family life. Lucy says: “It had come to the point where we had considered giving up milking cows.
“Robert is the fourth generation at Woodhouse and we wanted to farm, but there was very little job satisfaction despite all our efforts.
“After communicating our feelings to our milk buyer, First Milk, it was suggested that we adopt a more regenerative approach, with the milk price linked to environmental outcomes.
“The offer did not require much debate over the dinner table before it was accepted. It has not only transformed the management system, but has also reignited our enthusiasm for dairy farming.”
The milk price is calculated following a review of the annual farming practices via First Milk’s Regenerative Farming Programme.
It includes crop establishment methods, forage and fertiliser
usage, wildlife species diversity, and hedgerows and wildflower margins.
These are allocated a score based on their effect on soil health, carbon sequestration, water quality and nature encouragement.
The overall result dictates the regenerative bonus payment, which adds 1.43ppl to the milk cheque and is capped at 1.5ppl.
“We could also potentially access other sources of support through our milk buyer via the programme and possibly also from Sustainable Farming Incentive payments,” says Lucy, a qualified vet who previously worked in a farm practice.
“We are now being paid a fair price for managing the cows in a
■ Originally tenanted, Woodhouse was bought by the family in 1925
■ The soil type ranges from a heavy clay to a medium loam
■ Cows in the latter half of the breeding season go to an Aberdeen-Angus stock bull
■ Heifers are calved at 24 months old
■ Some 150 beef cross steers and heifers are finished on a forage diet and sold at 24-28 months old
■ The farm grows 24 hectares (60 acres) of maize
way that falls directly in line with our own ethos.
“The First Milk option supports its members with a payment that reflects their commitment to regenerative farming principles in the long-term.
“The changes have increased our profit margin through reduced inputs, so it is a win-win situation.”
The Noads’ herd is made up of black and whites, with some Norwegian Red and Brown Swiss bloodlines.
The current herd yield average is 8,400kg at 4.6% butterfat and 3.6% protein.
However, the focus has changed from an ongoing expansion plan and maximising yields, to maintaining herd numbers, grazing more extensively and accepting a slightly lower output per cow.
Milk production had reached 9,000kg/head, but a new target of 8,000kg has been set.
Another goal is to produce 50% of the milk from forage, compared with the previous figure of 37%.
Increasing lactation numbers is also a priority; the present average is 4.9, with the aim being seven lactations per cow.
Fertiliser rates have been cut significantly, with ploughing replaced by min-till techniques where practical and the establishment of herb-
To fit into the new regen management policy, a smaller type of cow with an average weight of 550-600kg is being bred.
al leys containing up to 15 species, along with additional tree and hedge planting.
The cattle are managed on a oneday rotational grazing programme, to prevent selective grazing and maintain the species range.
The herd, which is block-calved from mid-September until midNovember, has a 121-hectare (300acre) grazing platform on the 202ha (550-acre) unit.
The coloured bloodlines were introduced to improve foot health and longevity.
To fit into the new management policy, a smaller type of cow with an average weight of 550-600kg is
being bred using British Friesian sires. Sexed semen is used to produce replacements.
Modern cubicles are used for winter housing and the herd is fed a ration comprising grass and maize silage, rape meal, wheat distillers’ grains and rolled barley.
The grazing period runs from early March until mid-November, which is in stark contrast to the previous system, where the cows were turned out for just five months of the year.
Prior to the changes being instigated, the silage leys were based on
perennial ryegrass and white clover and the land allocated to maize was left bare over winter.
Maize is now followed by a winter cover crop, to preserve soil structure and limit soil erosion and nutrient run-off.
While the land is managed conventionally, it follows many organic principles, says Lucy.
The family has taken the option from First Milk to sell the company’s products direct from the farm under the ‘Golden Hooves’ brand franchise.
The range includes a several cheese varieties and fresh milk, as well as milkshakes made without sweeteners or artificial colourings.
“The vending machine was put in
The current herd yield average is 8,400kg at 4.6% butterfat and 3.6% protein.
just in time for our first family fun open day this July, when we were delighted to welcome about 600 visitors; many more than were anticipating,” Lucy says.
“There was a lot of curiosity from the visitors, who came with many questions that we were pleased to be able to answer.
“The children enjoyed nature walks and hunted for insects in the cow pats, while the Young Farmers’ Club organised games and local businesses attended with stalls promoting their goods and services.
“The event also raised awareness
of the milk product vending machine, and sales have exceeded our expectations.
“The open day was the first of many and there will also be farm visits arranged with local schools,” she adds.
Several other changes of direction have been made in the past, illustrating the couple’s flexible approach to their farming system.
Lucy says: “In 2014, we were milking 70 large Holstein-type cows with a 7,000kg average yield.
“They were loose housed, but it was proving a challenge to keep on top of mastitis levels, which is why the cubicles were installed.
We believe that the move has improved the resilience of the business to any future market changes
LUCY NOAD
“The investment was one of the motivations for the push for maximised yields and that was the general pattern for milk production until we switched direction.
“In 2019, the cows were moved to autumn block-calving, to give us more time to spend with our children, Joseph and Lottie, in the summer holidays.
“Our herdsman also has a young family, so it has improved his working conditions as well.”
The Noads, who employ three full-time staff, are planning to introduce some additional regenerative farming practices.
Lucy says: “Farmers cannot reasonably expect the public to support agriculture if consumers have no clear understanding about how their food is produced.
“The open day has given us a great deal of insight into public perceptions about food production.
“Next year, the large paddocks for rotational grazing will be divided into smaller areas using electric fencing.
“A silvopasture system for grazing the cattle among trees is being created and we are trialling striptillage for the maize.
“Nevertheless, the land for mintill is being carefully selected and some fields may still be ploughed, if necessary.
“We believe that the move has improved the resilience of the business to any future market changes.
“Milk has become almost a byproduct because the main priority is to work towards enhancing the farm’s biodiversity.
“We have a much more positive attitude towards the farm’s future and now feel more confident that we will leave it in better shape for the fifth generation of Noads,” says Lucy.
Milk production had reached 9,000kg/head, but a new target of 8,000kg has been set.
Edited by Jane Thynne – 07882 219 917 – jane.thynne@agriconnect.com
For more arable content, go to farmersguardian.com/arable-news-hub
By Jane Thynne
TRIAL plots of a precision-bred wheat variety, which could pave the way for gene-edited cereal crops being grown on commercial farms, are ready to be harvested.
Backed by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, PROBITY – a Platform to Rate Organisms Bred for Improved Traits and Yield – is a multi-partner, three-year project which is being hailed as a groundbreaking farming system.
PROBITY is being delivered by Innovate UK and led by the British OnFarm Innovation Network (BOFIN). Its aim is to bring farmers, scientists and food manufacturers together to trial the production and processing of precision-bred crops, to accelerate understanding of their value to farm-
ing. Tom Allen-Stevens, Oxfordshire farmer and founder of BOFIN, says the project is ‘incredibly important’ for farming and food production in this country.
“We need to produce more, nutritious food with fewer resources and with less impact on the environment,” he says.
“Scientists have been developing new crop varieties that could help us rise to that challenge. This project will bring those varieties from the laboratory to farmers’ fields where we can fully assess their potential, explore barriers to their adoption and pave the way for future innovation.”
The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 allowed for the release and marketing of certain gene-edited plants.
This makes England the only country in Europe where this novel material can be grown in farmers’ fields.
The seed harvested from plots at the John Innes Centre near Norwich will be scaled up during 2025 to enable farmers in England to grow trials of the crop the following year.
Two further cereal varieties are being grown in glasshouses at Rothamsted Research and, once harvested over the coming months, will also be multiplied up to be trialled on farms.
The three varieties will be grown on commercial farms and subjected to testing and scrutiny by farmers, scientists and food manufacturers to establish their potential.
The three cereal varieties in the pro-
ject are: a wheat with superior baking, toasting and processing properties; a barley making high-lipid, high-energy forage aimed at lowering livestock methane emissions; and a wheat with a bigger, bolder grain size promising a step change in productivity.
Prof Nigel Halford, technical lead of PROBITY and scientist at Rothamsted Research, who developed the healthier wheat line, says: “It is tremendously important that we grow these varieties on farms so farmers and food manufacturers can see the benefits and want to use them, and that consumers can be reassured they are no different in practical terms from other varieties of wheat.”
The high-lipid barley variety was
developed by Prof Peter Eastmond at Rothamsted Research.
He says: “This project is hugely significant as it is the first time that it has been possible to grow these varieties on real farms.
“The work leading to this point has all been funded by the taxpayer so it is extremely important to take it to the next stage and see if this trait could stand up from a commercial point of view.”
Precision-bred crops can be created through gene editing, a widely used technology which enables scientists to make changes to plant DNA, like those that occur naturally, but introduced in a precise, targeted manner.
A NEW project aiming to improve management of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) – the primary cause for the dramatic reduction in the area of oilseed rape crops over the past decade – is being launched in England.
Levy board AHDB has contracted NIAB to monitor migration of the adult insects throughout this month until October and larval invasion from September to October.
The information obtained will be made available to farmers during the
2024-25 growing season and may also be used for research.
To monitor adult CSFB, yellow water traps will be used at ground level to monitor general activity and at a height of one metre to monitor flying at seven sites across England.
In one location, monitoring will be undertaken in two to three more fields, to gauge variation in CSFB activity in nearby crops.
Updated data will be available on the AHDB website twice a week throughout the monitoring period.
Sacha White, AHDB lead crop protection scientist, says: “We believe this information will be of use to growers in selecting integrated pest management interventions, thereby helping reduce crop losses.
“The data will also be useful in future work looking to develop risk prediction models.”
At all locations, a Bayer MagicTrap which is new to the UK and photographs beetles caught in the trap, then uses image analysis to identify and count CSFB, and transmits informa-
tion remotely, will be used in addition to the yellow water traps. This will allow data to be compared to that of traditional yellow water traps, which have to be monitored in person, with beetles counted manually. Weather data will also be recorded.
To monitor invasion by CSFB larvae, 50 plants within 10 metres of the traps at each site will be assessed for presence and number of scars on the plants, showing they have been attacked by larvae. Again, the data will be updated regularly on the AHDB website.
Ayear ago, a consortium of organisations and experts joined together to launch a groundbreaking project with the aim of proving that homegrown pulses have a huge part to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from UK agriculture.
The proposition was ambitious and two-fold; increase pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations from 5% to 20% and displace up to half the soyabean imported into the country for use in animal feed.
Running from 2023 to 2026, the Nitrogen efficient plants for Climate Smart arable cropping systems (NCS) project led by the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) brings together 17 industry partners – and importantly, hundreds of farmers – to rapidly evolve knowledge and understanding of how to grow peas and beans, and also test and trial new feed rations.
PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers says: “Bringing together knowledgeable and talented individuals and using the innovative ideas within our partner organisa-
Farmer-led research has contributed to year one success of a major UK pulse crop project, but the huge potential of home-grown peas and beans still needs to be realised. Farmers Guardian reports.
tions and businesses is what lies at the heart of NCS – it has never been done before, and there has never been a project on this scale with this much ambition.”
Funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and delivered by Innovate UK, the consortium aims to bring about a reduction of 1.5 mil-
lion tonnes CO2e per annum, which equates to 54% of the maximum potential for UK agriculture.
What sets the project apart is that it is farmer-led – the goals of the project are steered by science, but they will be proven by farmers through a series of paid-for onfarm trials, coordinated by the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN).
Tom Allen-Stevens, BOFIN founder, is delighted with the level of interest from across the farming industry.
He says: “The engagement we have had has been fantastic.
“More than 350 people have got involved with our PulsePEP – an online hub for the farming community to discuss best-practice pulse cropping – exceeding our initial target.”
We are looking to double the number of farmers who are paid to carry out trials towards this project TOM
ALLEN-STEVENS
As spring and winter crop trials approach harvest, Mr Allen-Stevens is keen for more farmers to come forward to take part in second-year trials.
He says: “We are now looking to double the number of farmers who are paid to carry out trials towards this project – pulse pioneers as we call them. We would like 20 sites growing either winter or spring beans.
“The nature of the trial is very much down to the individual farmer – we
FARMING 800 hectares in Northamptonshire, predominantly on Boxworth series chalky boulder clay, Andrew Pitts specialises in high value seed production.
A second-generation farmer, his rotation consists of two consecutive years of wheat followed by a break crop of either oats, peas or beans.
With 100ha in environmental stewardship, Mr Pitts champions environmental excellence and has taken part in numerous crop trials over the past few years.
He says: “Our farm has hosted seed, fertiliser and spray trials for multiple organisations, not to mention environmental and soil trials too.
“It brings us into contact with the best scientists and plant breeders.
“I have worked with BASF for 16 years, carrying out environmental and fungicide weed control trials.
“We have a lot of experience with trials and love doing them – we have learned a lot that has helped our business.
“The NCS project fits perfectly into our business as we hope that our well-looked after soils grow healthy and profitable crops. Being a pulse pioneer is a great way to test this.”
The trials undertaken on Mr Pitts’ farm are taking place in a field of seed marrowfat peas.
“A 36-metre strip of spring oats have been planted alongside a strip of peas and then we will also have strips that are treated with a plant growth promoter,” he adds.
want to see what they are interested in, and they may choose to carry out that work using side-by-side blocks of crops, a tramline trial or maybe field-by-field comparison.
Remunerated
“They will be remunerated as well as benefiting from the information that is being produced across the whole NCS project.
“And this engagement is key, whether you are a pulse pioneer or not, you can be part of the community around the project by using the PulsePEP.
“What is also crucial is for PulsePEP members to get themselves carbon-baselined so we can form a vital dataset throughout the lifetime of the project.”
MORE INFORMATION
To join PulsePEP or find out more about becoming a pulse pioneer, visit ncsproject.co.uk
We have a lot of experience with trials and love doing them – we have learned a lot that has helped our business
ANDREW PITTS
“They will all be taken to yield, so it will be interesting to see how much they produce.”
Although he has predictions as to what will perform best, he is looking forward to seeing the data collected.
“I am expecting to find out that peas are a better break crop than spring oats and that the wheat crop that follows the peas is higher yielding than the one which follows oats,” he says.
“I am also expecting that when we do soil mineral nitrogen tests next spring, we will see probably 40-70kg N/ha in the ground after the peas, but very little after the oats.
“I will not be hugely surprised if the growth enhancer does not have an effect, but I will be very surprised if the soil mineral nitrogen is not considerably higher after peas rather than oats.
“It will be interesting to see what the gross margins are, which performs the best and the effect on the
PAUL
following crop and how the overall rotation benefits.
“We will plant a first wheat or a hybrid rye as a seed crop following the trial and I am sure it will have an impact,” he says.
Passionate about combating climate change, Mr Pitts believes the NCS project is a step in the right direction with regards to mitigating the impact of global warming on the agricultural industry.
He hopes that becoming a pulse pioneer will also help him identify strategies to produce a more consistent bean crop.
“We have grown spring beans for many years and the yield varies from 2.5 tonnes/ha to 6t/ha,” he says.
“At 5-6t/ha they are very profitable; at 2.5t/ha they cost you money to grow.
“I hope the project will bring us consistently closer to 6t/ha and reinforce the fact that it is a good idea to grow beans,” Mr Pitts adds.
BARNES - PULSE PIONEER
PAUL Barnes, estate manager at the South Ormsby Estate in Lincolnshire, was keen to join the NCS project as a Pulse Pioneer to further understand the benefits of growing pulses.
He says: “Understanding the crops more is key for us. People often question the returns, but I am interested in the bigger, wider picture of what we can do.
“Obviously it is important that growing pulses is economically viable, but the NCS project is a great opportunity to learn more.
“We have got to try to understand the benefits of pulse crops. However, we need to know the failures too, such as harvest losses.
“Being organic, I need to fully understand the benefits of including them in a rotation and
where they should sit. The spring wheat that followed spring beans last year was excellent – we need to know exactly why that is,” Mr Barnes adds.
This year’s Hutchinsons Potato Demonstration Day, held at Worth Farms, Holbeach, Lincolnshire, focused on solutions to some of the challenges faced by UK growers. Farmers Guardian reports.
● PCN resistance trials continuing
ONGOING research into wireworm, potato cyst nematode (PCN) management, crop safety of post-emergence herbicides, nutrition trials, plus updates on root lesion nematodes were some of the topics covered during the well-attended day.
Hutchinsons root crop technical manager Darryl Shailes highlighted some of the key field trials being carried out by the company to assess the impact of different strategies on wireworm populations in a crop of Maris Piper.
These include a pyrethroid granule which has approval in the pipeline and a calcium-cyanamidebased fertiliser.
Mr Shailes, highlighting that the fertiliser has had some effect in onions, said: “At the moment,
we are focused on the theoretical effects of these products.”
Some cover crop species help reduce wireworm populations, and the Hutchinsons team is measuring the impact of two different types of buckwheat, a high glucosinolate mustard, a lower glucosinolate
Some varieties of oil radish and French marigold were poor hosts and suppressed RLN population numbers
VONGAI CHEKANAI
standard mustard and a multi-variety cover crop for soil health.
Mr Shailes also presented additional work exploring the potential benefits from growing DeCyst-Prickly (solanum sisymbriifolium) and DeCyst Broadleaf (solanum scabrum), which can be used as catch crops for PCN, as well as cover crops.
He said: “We will be comparing the final populations with those initially present [pf/pi], so growers can make informed strategies on how to reduce PCN infestation.”
Simon Faulkner, of SDF Agriculture, highlighted the importance of developing PCN management strategies which were not dependent on pesticide approvals.
He said: “Concerns over pesticide approvals highlight the importance of knowing which varieties can offer resistance and/ or tolerance.
“Growers must manage their
land to ensure PCN levels are manageable without over-relying on pesticides.”
PCN varietal resistance trials, which started last year, are continuing, and are assessing a mix of older and newer potato varieties.
Mr Faulkner added: “We are seeing some additional crisping, packing and chipping varieties, which have both tolerance and resistance, which will be important traits going forward.”
French marigold and some varieties of oil radish cover crops can be effective at reducing soil populations of root lesion nematode, PhD student Vongai Chekanai told the meeting.
French marigold (tagetes patula) and certain varieties of oil radish cover crops can be effective at reducing soil populations of root lesion nematode (RLN) pratylenchus spp., PhD student Vongai Chekanai, of Harper Adams, told the meeting.
Potatoes, onions, carrots, daffodils and other narcissi are among main crops susceptible to RLN.
In potatoes, pratylenchus is associated with potato early dying disease and poor emergence.
Ms Chekanai said: “Cover crops can be non-hosts, trap crops or biofumigants to nematodes. On the other hand, other species used as cover crops can be good hosts which support nematode multiplication.
“Our trials indicated that some varieties of oil radish and French marigold were poor hosts and suppressed RLN population numbers.
“However, Indian mustard, which is popular as a biofumigant to suppress PCNs, increased pratylenchus spp.”
Michael Rodger, of Richard
Austin Agriculture, updated the meeting on herbicide crop safety trials being held on 26 varieties, including some new, coded varieties provided by breeders.
While last year’s trials were focused on metribuzin, hotter herbicide mixes have been used this year.
Observations will be made weekly through August and the plots will be taken through to yield.
Another area which generated plenty of discussions was agroecological strategies and their benefits and potential pitfalls when not correctly deployed.
Ed Brown, head of agroecology services at Hutchinsons, said healthy soils were key to healthy crops, and agroecological strategies can deliver real benefits for potato crops when used appropriately.
He encouraged visitors to explore the principles and keep an open mind.
Strategies include minimising soil disturbance, maintaining living roots in the soil throughout the year, maximising diversity, and, where possible, integrating livestock into the rotation.
Mr Brown said: “These activities will help develop healthy soil, thereby growing healthy plants which will rely on less intervention but provide better yields and better quality.”
He suggested possible reasons why PCN may be proliferating, including too short rotations and lack of predators on nematodes in the soil food web.
He said: “We need to ensure the
soil food web is balanced, so individual species never get a chance to take hold.”
Ian Robertson, of Sustainable Soil Management and head of soil services at Hutchinsons, emphasised that nutrient soil indices do not imply functionality or availability of nutrients to the plant.
He described some of the interactions of the soil food web, which go from photosynthesisers, at the top level, through decomposers, pathogens and root feeders, and predators at different levels.
He said: “Connectivity between the different levels of organisms is key, and as soon as you move soil you lose this, which allows some pests to proliferate above others.”
PROF Ian Toth, director of the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) and Scotland’s Plant Health Centre at the James Hutton Institute, has been appointed as president of the European Association for Potato Research (EAPR), in recognition of his 35 years of pioneering potato research.
He will also lead the EAPR Triennial Conference in Scotland, set to take place in 2027.
As director of the NPIC, Prof Toth has successfully collaborated with national and international partners to lead the company in its mission to find new and sustainable solutions for the potato industry.
Commenting on this new role, he says: “I am looking forward to working with the scientists within the EAPR network, who are renowned for being the drivers of innovation for potato research in Europe.
“It has never been more crucial for scientists and researchers to unite in overcoming the many challenges which threaten the potato industry, not least climate change and the loss of plant protection products.
“I hope to integrate the ground-breaking research at the James Hutton Institute with those advancements being made across the research network globally,” he adds.
THE nutrition use efficiency trials drew a great deal of interest from visitors.
Rob Jewers, crop nutrition specialist at Hutchinsons, said products such as foliar biofertilisers have the potential to allow growers to choose their product according to conditions each season.
Utrisha N, a nutrient efficiency biostimulant comprising the natural bacteria, methylobacterium symbioticum, which fixes nitrogen from the air and converts it into
ammonium from within the plant; Vixeran, a biofertiliser based on endophytic bacteria; and R-leaf, which captures atmospheric nitrogen oxidide pollutants and converts them to plant food are being evaluated by the Hutchinsons team to gain understanding of how to get the most from them.
Mr Jewers said: “Given the rise in input prices, environmental concerns and the need to improve soil health, tailored nutrition programmes containing these biofertilisers are an important way forward.”
Tailored nutrition programmes containing these biofertilisers are an important way forward
ROB JEWERS
Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768
l Third prize winning ewe lamb leads trade
FEMALES led the trade at 2,000gns at the Bleu du Maine Sheep Society sale at Carlisle.
The sale topper was the third prize-winning ewe lamb, Aghavilly Zelda by Calla Jumping Jack Flash out of Aghavilly Victoria Beckham, which had been a class winner at Balmoral this year. Consigned by Glenn Baird, Armagh, it sold to Messrs Pickford, Ashford.
Its full ET sister, Aghavilly Zendaya, then sold for 1,800gns to Messrs Percival, Belper.
The winning shearling gimmer, Willpower You Can’t Catch Me by
Aghavilly What’s App from Will Price, Wem, sold for 1,600gns to Messrs Jones, Talsarnau, who also paid 1,600gns for the second prize shearling gimmer, Aintree Yoga, an Aintree Tyson daughter from R. Pilkington, Wrexham.
The winning ewe lamb and reserve overall champion, Greenside Zinnia by Greenside Yager Master from Laine Duff, Renfrewshire, was knocked down for 1,200gns to Messrs Millar, Kirkpatrick Fleming.
Rams sold to 1,500gns twice, with the overall champion and winning ram lamb Maximum Zafonic by Haydon VIP from Sally Shone, Malpas, also selling to Messrs Millar.
The other ram at this money was
the second prize winning shearling, Danygraig Yoda, a Danygraig Valentino son consigned by D. and C. Jones, Llandrindod Wells, which sold to Messrs Wyllie, Kirriemuir.
Shearling ram
Its ET brother, the winning shearling ram, Danygraig Yakubu, from the same home, made 1,200gns to Brighouse Farms, Knutsford.
Also selling for 1,200gns was Maximum Zoustar by Skye Bleu Warrior from Ms Shone, which sold to Messrs Mounsey, Wigton.
Millennium Bleu rams sold to 1,400gns for the champion and
THE entry of 250 head at Thirsk’s early sale of breeding sheep topped at £268 for a pen of six Texel cross gimmer shearlings from Sandra Thornton, Sinnington.
Mule gimmer shearlings sold to £220/head for a pen of nine from Bryan Meadley, Skeffling. Suffolks topped at £252/head for Len and Sarah Clubley, Middleton-on-theWolds, who sold two more pens for £240/head.
Cheviot Mule gimmer shearlings
sold to a high of £242/head for Robert Turnbull, Wrelton.
The 114 aged ewes averaged £206, topping at £225 for a pen of seven, three-/four-crop Texel cross ewes from Di Whiteley, Scawton, whose 23 ewes averaged £215. Myton Hall Farms, Myton-on-Swale, sold a run of 91 onecrop, Lleyn ewes to average £203, topping at £220 for a pen of eight.
In the show and sale of store lambs, the championship went to a pen of 10 Beltex crosses from Stuart Beeforth,
Chopgate, which sold for £139/head to the judge, Tom Walmsley, Harrogate, who also paid £130/head for the reserve champions from Ali Dods, Dishforth.
Suffolks
The first prize pen of Suffolks from Karl Wilson, Farndale, sold for £129. Store lambs averaged £107/head overall.
Auctioneers: Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart.
PEDIGREE heifers sold to a top of £3,700 with three more at £3,000 in Gisburn’s entry of 90-head with 60 in-milkers at £2,000 or more. Sale leader was a Rubicon heifer from M. and J. Bristol, Newtonin-Bowland, from their Claremont herd’s Patty family.
At £3,000 was Newcroft Rager Agatha from M. Crowther, Annan, Dumfries. Out of a Superior Production Unix dam, the heifer has Shottle and Roylane Jordan in its near pedigree.
Next at this figure came from W.J. and I. France, Chipping. Out of their EX90(2) Corfield Azar Joy 35, the heifer is by Milliedale Rapid.
Third under the hammer at £3,000 was from the Lynholme herd of D. and H. Tatham, Burnley. By Renegade Improbable, the heifer is from the Rona family.
Close behind at £2,950 were a Stantons Adorable heifer under
Ripon breeders Jennings Farmers’ Abbeyhouse prefix, and a Kilnhall heifer from K.E. Robinson and Son, Carnforth.
Non-pedigrees topped at £2,980 and £2,950 for fresh heifers from R.W. and M. Walker, Keighley.
AVERAGES
Pedigree newly-calved heifers, £2,705; pedigree newly-calved cows, £2,375; non-registered newly-calved heifers, £2,295; maidens, £786. Auctioneers: Gisburn Auction Marts.
Overall champion, ram lamb Maximum Zafonic, from Sally Shone, Malpas, which sold for 1,500gns to Messrs Millar, Kirkpatrick Fleming.
winning ram, Skye Bleu Yankee, a shearling by Broughton Enricher from Kenny O’Connor, Lanark, which sold to Barrie Farms, Bigger. Females topped at 500gns for the first prize winner, a shearling gimmer from Gareth Howatson’s Sannan flock, Conwy, by a homebred ram which went to Messrs Brooks, Newark.
AVERAGES
Bleu du Maine – 34 shearling gimmers, £472.81; 15 ewe lambs, £679.70; 2 aged rams, £577.50; 14 shearling rams, £735; 19 ram lambs, £655.97; Millennium Bleu –15 shearling gimmers, £365.40; 10 shearling rams, £525; 1 ram lamb, £367.50.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
DAIRY Shorthorns sold to 2,600gns at Penrith’s show and sale for a heifer from D.E. Jackson, Firbank, which sold to T.J. and E.M. Jackson, Dedra Bank.
The in-milk champion was Newpark Wildeyes 13, a roan second calver giving 25 litres from D.H. Craig, Weardale, which sold for 2,400gns to H. Smith, Rotherham. Holsteins also sold to 2,600gns for the second prize winner from G. and E. Harrison, Mount Clifton, which went to E. Ramsay, Wigton. Black and whites
First prize in the black and white classes went to T.R. and P.E. Little, Low Moor Dyke, with a Holstein heifer giving 26 litres, which sold for 2,500gns to Messrs Connell, Maryport.
Auctioneers: Penrith and District Farmers Mart.
l Overall champion sells for 7,000gns
THE Farmers Guardian-supported Beltex Sheep Society’s premier show and sale at Carlisle saw a top price of 60,000gns for a shearling ram.
The sale leader from Brian Ryder, Moffat, was Ryder Jordan by the Woodies Edgy son, Tanqueray Gladiator and out of a home-bred ewe. It sold in a two-way split to Lipley Beltex, Market Drayton, and Messrs Tippetts, Shifnal.
Next in the shearling rams at 22,000gns was Langlands Jack The Lad by Smart Ass Alfie out of Ardstewart Gaynor from J. and S. Wilkinson, Richmond. It sold in a five-way share between Messrs Gray, Selkirk; Messrs Cockburn, Perth; Harvey Farms, Duns; Faughhill Farming, Melrose; and Messrs Hunter, Castle Douglas.
Two shearling rams made 18,000gns. They were Wannop’s Jetski from Morecambe-based Wannops Farms. The Aviemore Festival son out of a home-bred ewe was bought by Messrs Ryder. At the same price and selling in half shares to Faughhill Farming, and Andrew Morton, Denny, was Callacrag Jesus by Callacrag Hot Shot out of a home-bred ewe from Andrew Baillie, Carstairs. Making 10,000gns apiece were Curwen Hill Jericho, an Airyolland Goin’ Gets Tough son from Daniel Towers, Lancaster, which sold to Messrs Thornley, Leicester, Lipley Beltex and Messrs Tippetts, and
Sale leader, Ryder Jordan, from Brian Ryder, Moffat, which sold for 60,000gns in a two-way split to Lipley Beltex, Market Drayton, and Messrs Tippetts, Shifnal.
Reserve champion, ram lamb Woodies
Karate Kid, from Stuart Wood, Westhill, Aberdeen, which sold for 25,000gns to Messrs Ingram, Inverurie.
To find out where we will be next, go to farmersguardian.com/mth-roadshow
Carse Jump Start by Buckles Fizzy Pop from William McMillan, Newton Stewart, which went to Messrs Williams, Aboyne, and Messrs Gregor, Inverurie.
A 25,000gns bid saw the sale’s reserve champion from Stuart Wood, Westhill, Aberdeen, leading the ram lambs. Selling to Messrs Ingram, Inverurie, this was Woodies Karate Kid, a son of Vicky’s Gladiator out of the Woodies Snoop Dog-sired Bailey Brook Diamond.
Grant Maxwell, Melrose, took a 16,000gns bid for the ram lamb, Faughhill Kaiser, a son of Ainstable Javelin out of the Buckles Dark Dawn daughter, Heatheryhall Glitter. The joint buyers were Messrs Laing, Biggar, Messrs Baillie, Carstairs, and Messrs Taylor, Lanark.
Mr Maxwell also took the sale’s
Callacrag Jesus, from Andrew Baillie, Carstairs, which sold for 18,000gns in a two-way split to Faughhill Farming, Melrose, and Andrew Morton, Denny.
overall championship with the shearling ram, Faughhill Julius by Kingledores Godzilla which made 7,000gns to Messrs Wales, Carlisle.
Mellor Vale King King, a ram lamb by Lipley Hugo Boss from Rosie Boden, Stockport, sold for 10,000gns to Miller Farms, Inverurie, and Messrs Wood.
Aged rams sold to 5,000gns for Airyolland Goldmine, a 2021-born son of Ardstewart Dare Devil from I.A. Wainwrigth, Cupar, which was
Jack The Lad, from J. and S. Wilkinson, Richmond, which sold for 22,000gns in a five-way share.
Wannop’s Jetski, from Wannops Farm, Morecambe, which sold for 18,000gns to Brian Ryder, Moffat.
knocked down to Messrs Green, Melrose.
Top price female at 7,000gns was Aviemore Jerri, a Baily Brock CR7 daughter which sold in the dispersal for Colin G. Mair and Partners, Turriff. The buyer was Messrs James, Builth Wells.
AVERAGES
6 aged rams, £2,590; 477 shearling rams, £1,765.54; 80 ram lambs, £2,227.96; 166 shearling gimmers, £844.65.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
It’s decision time as we reveal the shortlist for Mart’s the Heart Awards, so register your vote at britishfarmingawards.co.uk/martstheheart, scan the QR code or send o the form on the opposite page.
Supported by
In association with
Carmarthen Mart had a di cult few years preceding its closure in 2020, leading to the owners, Carmarthen County Council, to advertise a public tendering process. Nock Deighton Agricultural proved successful and reopened the mart in March 2022. It now sells 1,000 sheep, 100 dairy cattle, 250 calves, 250 store cattle and 70 barren cows weekly, as well as 300 weanlings and 80 bovine TB-restricted store cattle monthly, plus machinery. There is still room for improvement at Carmarthen, but it shows what a dedicated and hardworking team can achieve.
CLITHEROE CAFE
WE are over the moon to be nominated for Cafe of the Year. In May 2021, we were invited to re-open and provide the catering facilities here at Clitheroe Auction Mart. The menu has seasonal daily specials and caters for all tastes, from a bacon sandwich to a full carvery for any occasion. We serve co ee and a delicious selection of cakes and pastries made by our own on-site pastry chef. We use only fresh local produce and we are very proud of the team, who have helped create a welcoming and friendly environment for diners.
(Harrison and Hetherington)
JOE Bowman grew up on a farm near Carlisle, where early exposure to the agricultural lifestyle laid a strong foundation for his future career. In 2015, he joined Harrison and Hetherington and began his auctioneering journey by selling poultry and small machinery. Joe takes pride in working for both sellers and buyers, treating every client with the same level of respect and commitment whether they have one sheep or a thousand. He firmly believes in seller equality, ensuring that every sale is conducted fairly and transparently.
HEXHAM and Northern Marts are honoured and delighted to be recognised and nominated for this award. The company is renowned for having a warm welcome, customer service, integrity and ambition as its core values. Perfectly situated near the A69 and A68 to serve the agricultural community of the North of England and the Scottish Borders, the centre provides great business opportunities and regularly holds social events for the wider community.
MARKET Drayton is honoured to be shortlisted for this award. Our sincere thanks go to all our clients who use the market and have contributed to its success. It is the team ethos from director through to drover who all display that ‘can do’ approach and are passionate about making the market thrive. Our aim is to enhance our client’s livestock marketing experience by bringing together the rural community and o ering a facility where service and trade matter. Coupled with ever-changing technology, we try and keep our buyers and sellers informed on a daily and weekly basis.
DOT’S Cafe is led by Dorothy Macdonald, a farmer’s daughter whose heritage spans six generations. Dorothy’s upbringing instilled a profound respect for farming and the environment. She supports this by sourcing local ingredients, turning them into hearty meals and homemade desserts. Dorothy champions British farming, promoting its importance with passion and education. Dot’s Cafe serves as a welcoming community hub where people gather for good food and conversation. Dorothy and her team ensure exceptional service, going the extra mile to make everyone feel at home.
MEGAN DOWSON
(Darlington Farmers Auction)
GROWING up around farms in the local area, Megan knew the importance of auctions. Since joining Darlington in 2022, she has learnt the trade from the bottom up, and recently established a calf sale. She has enjoyed both the time in the rostrum and on-farm building relationships with farmers. Her aim as an auctioneer is to forge, encourage and build on trusting relationships, being a constant in the customer’s life when everything else in the industry can be volatile.
THE Market Cafe has been run by Jenifer Gore and family for the last 15 years. With all food made to order, the team provide a heartwarming service to all customers from near and far. Their focus is on using local ingredients and creating good, wholesome food, but listening and caring is just as important. The cafe also champions and donates to many charities, and support visits from the NHS Health check team and local health counsellors who provide invaluable support for all.
STARKIE (Clitheroe Auction)
ALTHOUGH not originally from a farming background, George always dreamed of having a career in agriculture. He first started working at Clitheroe as a clerk, then as a drover, eventually moving on to auctioneering – all while studying a degree in agriculture at Myerscough College. Although he loves the auctioneering side of the role, George says he also enjoys meeting new people and building long-lasting relationships with customers, which is key for an auction mart to thrive.
Skipton Auction Mart, owned and operated by CCM Auctions, serves the needs of customers both local and countrywide, with a full range of large prime, store, breeding, pedigree, sheepdog and machinery sales. Sales are two days per week year-round, rising to four to six days at busy times. The compact team of auctioneers, o ce and yard sta strive to o er the best possible service they can to all clients at every stage of the marketing experience, welcoming customers to our modern and easily accessible mart on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
THE ROSTRUM CAFE, SELBY JUSTINE Bloom took over the running of the cafe over five years ago along with a small team of ladies, who meet you with a warm and cheeky welcome. They serve good, old-fashioned, hearty, locally sourced, quality food – from a bacon butty, to a traditional full English breakfast, to the highly acclaimed roast dinners, where all meat is supplied by regular wholesale buyers at the mart. All cakes are homemade by Justine, who also o ers outside catering and private functions.
BEN WILSON (Thirsk Farmers Auction)
NOW 18, Ben first started selling cast sheep on joining Thirsk at 16, and now sells all the store and breeding sheep, taking over the pig section last November and selling a few cattle. Coming from a family farm, he appreciates the role auction marts play in the agricultural industry, not just for business but for friendships and socialising. He says that since he first picked up a gavel and has been able to do what he loves from such a young age, he has been living the dream.
CHRIS DODDS Executive secretary for the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association which represents livestock markets in England and Wales.
RICHARD WEBBER Director of Shearwell Data, the UK’s largest animal tag manufacturer, based at Whedmoor Cross, Exmoor. He also farms 405 hectares.
MYSTERY
JUDGE
This year’s mystery judge of the Auction Cafe category will remain anonymous until the awards evening.
THE Livestock Auctioneers’ Association is delighted to sponsor the awards, which acknowledge the role auctioneers and their businesses play in the livestock industry and the wider agricultural and rural community, a key part of which is ensuring farmers get a fair and true price for their stock. The last year has demonstrated
the importance of the live market when demand outstrips supply, driving prices and creating trends. This is a great opportunity to recognise the role auctions play within the industry.
CHRIS DODDS Executive secretary, Livestock Auctioneers’ Association.
Please return by August 30, 2024, to: Mart’s the Heart
Submit your vote for the chance to win a £200 M&S voucher.
ALL finalists will have their status raised, with a profile in print and online during public voting. Winners of all three awards will be guests at the British Farming Awards, with their awards presented by Farmers Guardian, the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association and Shearwell Data.
SHEARWELL Data is delighted to be continuing its support of the Mart’s the Heart Awards. Livestock markets are an integral part of the livestock farming community. Not only are livestock markets a place of business, but also a space where farmers can seek advice and see friends.
Photographs of the presentation will be made available to winners and their companies for their own use and will appear in FG.
Each winner will feature in an in-depth profile in print and online, and will receive a prestigious, cast iron commemorative plaque.
Livestock markets and the live sale rings are key to a buoyant and competitive livestock farming sector and the future of the UK red meat sector.
RICHARD WEBBER Director, Shearwell Data.
Go to britishfarmingawards.co.uk/mart, or fill in and return this form
AUCTION MART OF THE
Carmarthen
Hexham and Northern
Market Drayton
Skipton
Joe Bowman, Harrison and Hetherington
Megan Dowson, Darlington Farmers Auction
George Starkie, Clitheroe Auction
Ben Wilson, Thirsk Farmers Auction
AUCTION CAFE OF THE YEAR
Clitheroe Cafe
Dot’s Cafe, Darlington
The Market Cafe, Hereford
The Rostrum Cafe, Selby
● Texels top at £2,300 for first prize shearling
AT Bentham’s Ram-Page sale, records were smashed in the cross-bred section when W. and C. Ingram, Pitcaple, sold a Texel cross ram for £5,000 to Harry Wood, Preston, with others in the pen at £2,500 and £2,300 twice to average £2,370. A. and F. Nutter, Hurst Green, sold a Suffolk cross Texel to £1,650. Texel cross Beltex from Harry and Hannah Wood, Dutton, topped at £1,500.
Texels topped at £2,300 for the first prize shearling from Stuart Robson, Galashiels, which went to Jon Frankland, Rathmell. D. Towers, Wray, and J. Garth and Son, Keasden, sold to £1,500.
The Geldard family, Kendal, took
first and second prize in the Charollais shearling ram class, with the winner selling to the judge, Robert Skelton, Lincolnshire, at £850, and the second to Deborah Whitcher, York, at £1,000.
Pair
Charollais ram lambs sold to £450/ head for a pair from Messrs Bamforth, Denby Dale, which both sold to David Morris, Thame.
THE Rouge Sheep Society sale at Carlisle topped at 1,800gns twice. Firstly, for the pre-sale show champion, Powerhouse Bodyguard, a shearling ram by Tullyvallen Ya Belter out of a Knighton ewe from Colin, Wendy and Owen Phillips, Weobley. The buyer was Messrs Nairey, Blackburn.
At the same money was the reserve champion and winning ram lamb, Grassknop Culli, a Bennacjoe Avatar son out of Hardhaugh Yas from Alistair and Alison Mitchell, Penrith, which sold to Messrs Wright, Axminster. From the same home, Grassknop Crumble, by the same sire but out of Ian’s Unicorn, sold for 1,500gns to Messrs Ireland, Whalley.
Ram
Grassknop Black Jack, a shearling ram by Bennachie You Cracker, also from Messrs Mitchell, went home with Messrs Reay, Hexham, for 1,400gns.
The female champion and winning shearling ewe, Grassknop Boogie Woogie, a Balvaird Rouge Yes Sir daughter, again from Messrs Mitchell, topped the section at 800gns selling to Messrs Summers and Son, Gainsbrough. They also sold the second prize winning shearling ewe, Grassknop Betty Boop, by the same sire, for 700gns to Messrs Beeby, Crewe. Rou-Tex sold to 1,200gns for Cargen Glen Bandit, a shearling ram by Lagyveagh Gerry from Kerrie McDermid, Dumfries, which sold to Messrs Dowson, Driffield.
Rouge – 11 shearling gimmers, £610.91; 13 ewe lambs, £395.77; 1 aged ram, £630; 7 shearling rams, £1,020; 12 ram lambs, £700; 1 RouTex shearling gimmer, £472.50; 1 RouTex shearling ram, £1,260. Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
Suffolks sold to £1,600 for the champion, a shearling ram from Rachel Cook and Sam Barlow, Leyland, which went to B.P.F. Norwood, Brampton. The winning ram lamb from Tom Bingham, Lincolnshire, made £650. A Suffolk shearling from Adam Brown, Burton in Lonsdale, sold for £1,400. Ram lambs sold to £800 for the second prize winner from Richard Hutchinson, Kirkby Stephen. Beltex topped jointly at £1,250 for
R.S. Green, Lilliesleaf, whose consignment averaged just short of £1,000, and D. Towers, Wray.
AVERAGES
Texels – £725 (+£155 on 2023); crossbreds, £855.59 (+£146); Charollais – shearlings, £521 (+£20); ram lambs, £336 (+£19); Suffolks – shearlings, £772 (£92); ram lambs, £510 (+£72). Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.
Pre-sale champion, shearling ram Powerhouse Bodyguard, from Colin, Wendy and Owen Phillips, Weobley, which sold for 1,800gns to Messrs Nairey, Blackburn.
Winning ram lamb, Grassknop Culli, from Alistair and Alison Mitchell, Penrith, which sold for 1,800gns to Messrs Wright, Axminster.
AT Melton Mowbray’s sale of more than 2,000 breeding sheep, North Country Mules from Lowesby Farms, Leicester, sold to £290, with Scotch Mules from the same home to £290/head and its 199 sheep averaging £233. Suffolk cross shearlings from J.W. Hallam and S.M. Eggleston, Walton on the Wolds, sold to £265/ head. N.J. Allen, Barnstone, sold a pen of 20 Suffolk shearlings for £260/head.
A pen of 10 Texel cross shearlings from W. and J. Griffin, Egleton, sold at £266/head, with Texel cross Mules from Framland Farms, Melton Mowbray, topping at £260/head and a Blue Texel from F. Wilkinson, Gurton, at the same money.
MV-accredited Texels from P. Castle, Peterborough, topped at 240gns.
Full mouth Suffolks from Alex Avery, Tamworth, sold to £205,
with Texels from the same age at £200. D.J. and E.M. Fountain, Long Buckby, sold five Texel cross full mouth ewes at £195/head.
Rams topped at 710gns for Texel shearlings from R. and B. Smith, Slapton.
Four pedigree Charollais rams from C.W. and J. Thomas, Wolston, sold at 660gns each, with three pedigree Texels from A. Pin-
ney, Rugby, making 530gns apiece and two-shear rams from I.J. and P.J. Handley, Grantham, topping at £600.
AVERAGES
North Country Mule shearlings, £197.39; Scotch Mule shearlings, £229.59; Suffolk cross shearlings, £216.94; Texel cross shearlings, £195.77.
Auctioneers: Melton Mowbray Market.
● Pure Texel shearling ram leads trade
THE 23rd annual Whiteley Hey production sale on behalf of Paul Slater, Macclesfield, at J36 topped at 6,000gns for a pure Texel shearling ram out of a flock ewe by £29,000 Garnour Awesome by £20,000 Teiglum Dirty Harry. It sold to A. and H.C. Smith, Hawick. Next, at 3,800gns, was a Beltex cross Texel ram by a Tiree ram from Archie MacLean, which was knocked down to Ben Jones, Belper.
Rams
Two rams sold for 3,000gns. Firstly, a pure Texel by Teiglum Crackerjack out of a Scrogtonhead-bred ewe headed away with W.P. Hughes and Son, Llanddeusant. The other was a Charollais
cross Beltex ram which went home with F. Gargett, Barnard Castle.
Top call for the females went to a pair of two-shear Beltex ewes by a Blackjack sire which sold for £700/head to Ellis Bros, Ilkley. Texels followed at £550, £500 and £480, with the top call for Charollais £480.
Texels topped the shearling ewes selling at £480, £460 and £440 as they did in the ewe lambs, with leading prices of £390, £340 and £330.
AVERAGES
Rams, £1,304 (+£198 on 2023); ewe lambs, £204 (+£14); shearling ewes, £308 (+£5); older ewes, £400 (+£80).
Auctioneers: North West Auctions with Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.
Sale leader, a pure Texel shearling ram, from Paul Slater, Macclesfield, which sold for 6,000gns to A. and H.C. Smith, Hawick.
Ryeland shearling ram Hawthorns Dangerous Dave, from Alison Robinson, Wigton, which sold for a new breed record of 4,000gns to David Evans, Pontarddulais.
THE Ryeland Flock Book Society sale at Ludlow market saw a new breed record set as well as a new Coloured Ryeland record with increased averages and a clearance rate of 86%.
Setting the new breed record of 4,000gns was the Ryeland shearling ram, Hawthorns Dangerous Dave bred by Alison Robinson, Wigton, and by Hawthorns Zinzan Valentine, which was placed second in the show. The buyer was David Evans, Pontarddulais.
Also surpassing the previous record when selling for 3,600gns was the male champion, the shearling ram Michaelchurch Dougie by Red Sewell Zest bred by Sue Quigley, Michaelchurch, which sold to J. Webb, Ashford Carbonel, and Z. Unwin, Dorrington.
Joint top priced Ryeland female at 1,050gns was the section champion, a Red Sewell ewe lamb by Huntsmoor Xanto from T. and E. Redmayne, Southwaite, which joined R. Dilworth, Bradford. Also making 1,050gns was second placed shearling ewe from the Catherton flock of A. Davies, Garthbrengy. By Bryn Caffo Cymro, it sold to J. Stone, Norwich. The third-placed shearling Lodgway Duchess by Wellhill Braemar from Messrs Briggs and Whitehurst, Leigh, also sold for 1,050gns to David Evans.
A new Coloured Ryeland record of 2,600gns was set when shearling ewe, Coxwold Dior by Ryeside Coloured
Brigadier from K. and M. Atkinson-Shaw, Thirsk, which had won the breed championship at Great Yorkshire Show, sold to P. Tyler, Thirsk.
The winning shearling ewe and reserve female champion, Night Star Dolly by Gracewood Explorer from T. and G. Glover, York, sold for 1,300gns to D. Drake, Doncaster, who also paid 1,400gns for Snelson Delilah, the second prize shearling ewe bred by M. Varmen, Macclesfield.
Top priced Coloured Ryeland ewe lamb at 880gns from N. Burton, Hawes, and by Mansel Wade, sold to A. Williams’ Carreg flock, Holywell.
Top priced Coloured Ryeland male at 1,450gns from A. and S. Owen, Aberhafesp, was Siandy Dustin, a shearling ram by Glen Cairn Braveheart which sold to M. Bevan, Hingham.
Messrs Atkinson-Shaw had the top priced ram lamb at 750gns, Coxwold Ecky Thump, by Coxwold Colin, which went to E. Chadwick, Burnt Heath.
AVERAGES
Ryeland – shearling ewes, £445.54; ewe lambs, £519.75; shearling rams, £1,266.30; breeding rams, £1,266.30; Coloured Ryeland – shearling ewes, £552.30; breeding ewes, £178.50; ewe lambs, £354.54.
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
TEXELS led the way at the National Sheep Association’s Exeter sale, with a top call at 2,000gns for a shearling ram, Housey Gladiator from Emma and Amy Coumbe, Liskeard. By Seaford Essien, it sold to K. and H. Cobbledick, Bude.
Further shearlings followed at 1,850gns for Loosebeare Got It from the Quick family, Crediton. Sired by Strawfrank Fearless, it caught the eye of S. Winzer, Totnes.
Charollais realised 1,500gns for the pre-sale champion, from Michael and
Melanie Alford’s Foxhill flock, Cullompton. By Logie Durno All Star, it sold to E.J. Hosegood, Credition.
At 1,300gns, also from the Alford’s pen, was a shearling ram which had been male champion at Devon County Show and again by Logie Durno All Star. Buyers were R.W. and G.A. Pedrick, Ashburton.
The best of the ram lambs at 900gns was class winner from Laura Monk’s Saveock flock, Truro. By Boyo Vicious Sid, it went to J.H. Neale and Son, Launceston.
Suffolk shearling rams sold to 1,500gns for the Quick family, to G.J. White, Crediton. Ram lambs peaked at 580gns for D. Bourne, Okehampton.
AVERAGES
Blue Texel – 2 shearling ewes, £367.50; 1 ram lamb, £367.50; Badger Face Texel – 1 ram lamb, £315; Beltex – 1 shearling ewe, £367.50; 3 shearling rams, £462; Berrichon – 2 ewe lambs, £294; 10 shearling rams, £432.60; Border Leicester – 6 shearling rams, £428.75; Bluefaced Leicester – 6 shearling ewes,
at
2,000gns
£264.25; 3 shearling rams, £430.50; Charollais – 13 shearling ewes, £495.92; 22 shearling rams, £858.14; 15 ram lambs, £518; Lleyn – 1 shearling ram, £367.50; Poll Dorset – 2 shearling rams, £420; Hampshire Down – 5 shearling rams, £649.11; 2 ram lambs, £210; Suffolk – 49 shearling rams, £878.14; 3 ram lambs, £553; Texel – 9 shearling ewes, £563.50; 3 ewe lambs, £301; 2 aged rams, £1,165.50; 84 shearling rams, £864.25; 1 ram lamb, £294; Cross-bred –10 shearling rams, £754.95. Auctioneers: Kivells.
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Market Results
Dairies to £3280, Cull Cows 197p/kg - £1477.50, Pigs 231p/kg - £170.94, Calves BB Bull to £438, Lambs 333p/kg - £139.86, Ewes £181
Store Cattle Sales
400 STORE CATTLE
SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST 2024 – Further Entries
Invited
Store Sheep Sales
Sale of Store Lambs & Breeding Sheep
Incl Show of Shearlings Ewes
SATURDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER 2024
Entries close 30th August
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
Thursday 29th August 2024 at 1pm
On Behalf of Mr Paul Slater
Top Quality Texels, Beltex X Texel & Charollais X Beltex females and shearling rams 100 comprising of:
• 30 Shearling Gimmers
• 20 Ewe Lambs
• 50 Shearling Rams
Paul Slater 07522 110683
Catalogues on request from the Auctioneers 01824 705000 Dafydd Parry 07780 924460
Find us on Facebook - Whiteley Hey Flock - Paul Slater The 19th Annual Production Sale From the Whiteley Hey Flock
Telephone: 01824 705000
THURSDAY 29th AUGUST 2024
Exhibition Hall @ 1pm
Annual consignment - from Mr Paul Slater 80 MV Accredited Beltex x Texel Shearling Rams & 70 Females
With excellent conformation & skins
Further information from Dafydd Parry on 07780 924460 In conjunction with weekly Sale of Store Lambs @10am, Calves @10am, Stirks @11.30am, Ewe Lambs @12noon through the New ring Store Cattle @12.30pm followed by Barren Cows Rams @1pm in the Sheep pens 2,000 Breeding Ewes @3pm through the New ring Visit us @ www.ruthinfarmers.co.uk or facebook for much more weekly entries *** *** ***
MONDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER 2024
Sale @ 9.30am 23rd ANNUAL SALE OF – 748 LLEYN SHEEP (Held under the auspices of the Lleyn Sheep Society)
At the Vale of Clwyd Livestock Centre, Parc Glasdir, Ruthin, LL15 1PB *** *** *** *** ***
WEDNESDAY 4th SEPTEMBER 2024
Sale @ 11am prompt 69th ANNUAL SALE OF - 1,293 WELSH HALF BRED SHEEP
(466 Yr Ewes & 527 Ewe Lambs)
For the Welsh Half Bred Breeders Association – Northern Region
At the Vale of Clwyd Livestock Centre, Parc Glasdir, Ruthin, LL15 1PB
Held in conjunction with Jones Peckover *** *** *** *** ***
THURSDAY 5th SEPTEMBER 2024
SHOW & SALE OF - 107 BELTEX SHEEP
(20 Yearling Ewes, 62 Yearling Rams, 6 Ram Lambs & 1 Aged Ram Including 18 Non MV Yearling Rams)
(On behalf of Clwb Beltex Cymru / Welsh Beltex Club)
At the Vale of Clwyd Livestock Centre, Parc Glasdir, Ruthin LL15 1PB
Show @ 10am - Sale @ 12.30pm *** *** *** *** ***
We know farming. Farmers Guardian
ursday 5th September
Opening ‘Bellingham’ Show & Sale of 2500 Mule, Blackface & Continental Ewe Lambs Show at 12 noon, Sale at 2pm.
Also on this day, Early sale of Breeding Sheep, Ewes, Gimmers & Rams. Entries to the O ce by Wednesday 28th August.
Every Friday at Hexham
At 9.00am Sale of 1500 Cast Ewes and 5000 Store Lambs.
At 10.00am Sale of 300-1000 Store Cattle & Suckled Calves. Entries to the O ce or an Auctioneer.
FRIDAY 30 AUGUST (10.30am)
AT MARKET DRAYTON MARKET, TF9 3SW (moved from Belbroughton, Stourbridge, for sale convenience) DISPERSAL SALE OF THE NOTED PEDIGREE HARBORNE HERD OF 190 HOLSTEIN FRIESIANS
★ 171 milking cows and heifers to be sold in calving order ★ 19 in-calf heifers ★ ★ Young herd - 79 first, 49 second, 30 third calvers ★ ★ 7,505L 4.30F 3.31P cc223 ★ Grazed herd ★ Cubicles ★ ★ All year calving to Beef and Holstein ★ ★ Classified 7 EX, 55 VG & 70 GP ★ ★ On Behalf of AR Beckett ★
MARKET DRAYTON MARKET
MONDAY 2 SEPTEMBER (10.30am) AT MARKET DRAYTON MARKET, TF9 3SW REDUCTION SALE OF THE PEDIGREE WHITEOAKS HERD OF 60 JERSEYS
01630 652 926 | marketdraytonmarket.co.uk
Jonty Cliffe 07595 453 306 dairy@barbers-auctions.co.uk
Catalogues by post on application only
★ 30 fresh calved 1st, 2nd & 3rd calvers ★ 20 in-calf heifers ★ 10 maidens ★ 6,229L 5.30F 3.90P ★ Classified herd ★ For Whiteoaks Farming ★ FOLLOWED BY THE MONTHLY SALE OF 130+ DAIRY
★ Dispersal of 70 Holstein Friesian youngstock - in-calf heifers down to heifer calves for A&J Richardson ★ From other farms - 10 HF in-calf heifers, 12 HF yearlings, 8 HF maidens and 31 HF cross Norwegian Red bullers ★
MARKET DRAYTON MARKET
01630 652 926 | marketdraytonmarket.co.uk
Jonty Cliffe 07595 453 306 dairy@barbers-auctions.co.uk
Catalogues by post on application only
NEW SALE ARRANGEMENT
Wednesday 28th August
8am – Sale of Cast Ewes and Rams followed at 10.30am with Prime Lambs (Prime Lamb ballot 10.30am)
Friday 30th August
10am- Sale of 250 Rearing Calves and Weaned Stirks
Tuesday 10th September
Prize Show & Sale of Mule Gimmer Shearlings and The Great Annual Show & Sale of Mule, Suffolk X & Continental X Ewes 2-3 Shear and above. Special Section for Euro Shearlings Entries close Noon Thursday 29th August
Tuesday 17th September
Annual Prize Show and Sale of Suffolk & Continental Rams Entries close noon Thursday 5th September
Sunday 6th October
Show and Show of Crossing Blue faced Leicester Rams and Females Entries close noon Monday 23rd September
WEDNESDAY 28TH AUGUST – 11AM
HOLSWORTHY MARKET, HOLSWORTHY, DEVON
SALE OF 130 DAIRY CATTLE
To include First Dispersal Sale consignment of 60 Mainly Freshly Calved Holstein Friesian & Crossbred Dairy Cattle.
On behalf of Messrs IR & JA Johns, Bude, Cornwall.
• Herringbone Parlour Milked & Cubicles, Johnes screened.
• NMR Herd Average 8741Kgs 4.58%BF 3.52%P Plus
• 23 In Calf Heifers 17 Bulling Heifers from the ‘Newrock’ herd on behalf of RAS Johns & Partners
• 30 Youngstock from the pedigree ‘Willsbro’ herd
FRIDAY 30TH AUGUST – 11.30AM
EXETER LIVESTOCK CENTRE, EXETER, DEVON EX2 8FD
EXETER DAIRY
130 Elite Pedigree Holstein In Calf & Maiden Heifers and Embryo Packages - On behalf of Mr AR Mitchell, Bodmin.
To include Guest consignments from Dulais, Riverdane, TLC & Willsbro.
Laram SD Hana VG86 2yr Daughters by Dynasty sell 3 Global Cows in her pedigree
TUESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER – 10AM EXETER LIVESTOCK CENTRE, EXETER, DEVON EX2 8FD
DISPERSAL SALE OF THE ‘ARDINGLY‘ HERD 453PEDIGREEHOLSTEINFRIESIANS
On behalf of Messrs D Goodwin & Sons of Hill House Farm, Haywards Heath, West Sussex ** TB 4 area (tested July 2024) **
The Sale comprises 419 In Milk and/or In Calf Cows & Heifers & 34 In Calf Heifers
• Herd Average 11,331Kgs
• All year round calving
• Cubicle Housed, Rotary Parlour milked twice daily
• BVD & IBR vaccinated and Lepto & Johnes Monitored A super herd of Cows which are medium sized, well-balanced cow with excellent udders!
A Sale from a TB4 area not to be missed.
Tel: 01228 406200
VALAIS BLACKNOSE SHEEP
Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th August
National Show & Sale of rams and females
On behalf of Valais Blacknose Sheep Society UK
For full details of eventvalaisblacknosesheepsociety.co.uk
COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE
254 EXCEPTIONAL PEDIGREE HOLSTEINS SELLING
Wednesday 28th August - 11.00am
For Richard Lawson & Son, Deerslet, Carnforth, Lancashire
106 Cows & Heifers In Milk, 61 In-Calf Heifers, 30 Bulling Heifers, 57 Heifer Calves
The DEERSLET herd is a modern highly productive herd that ticks all the boxes for forward thinking milk producers. Current production is 8842kgs 4.31% butterfat 3.23% protein (2 x milking) at the most recent milk recording the herd averaged 31.04kgs with an av. cell count of 79, from grazing and semi TMR during the winter. This is a youthful herd with 47 heifers in milk, 27 second calvers, 13 third calvers, 6 forth calvers and 12 fifth calvers selling. The herd calves all year round with 34 Summer Calvers selling. Most of the cows and in calf heifers carry female pregnancies with 33 cows due from now until December. An additional 26 In Calf heifers will calve before Christmas. The milkers are a phenomenal group with 20 Excellent cows selling, this includes 4 Excellent 94 pointed cows and a maximum scored Excellent 93 third lactation cow, Deerslet Applicable Binky EX93; 43 Very Good cows sell, including 3 VG88 cows in their second lactation and 16 Very Good milking heifers sell. There are an additional 28 Good Plus milking heifers. The youngstock that feature in this special dispersal sale are outstanding and are bred by the best sires in the breed including ANIMATION, PEAK ALTAGULLIVER, ALTAPOWERBUCK, CRUSHABULL, ALTAEXEMPLARY and ALTAGETRICH. They are bred from deep cow families with Excellent and Very Good dams backed up by generations of dams that have classified in the top grades. This wonderful group of heifers comprise of 61 In calf heifers (26 due from now until Christmas), 30 bulling heifers (13-17 months old), 57 yearling heifers under 12 months sell (27 born in 2024).
Herd Health
The herd is vaccinated for BVD and Lepto. Testing for Johnes has been ongoing for years and the herd is free of the disease. The herd is in an annual TB testing area and there has never been TB within the herd. The last herd test was on 5th August 2024
Annual Production sale of BELTEX x TEXEL & DUTCH TEXEL BREEDING SHEEP
Friday 30th August – 12.30pm
From the Tercrosset Flock for James & Gill Whiteford
150 shearling rams, 200 shearling gimmers
Friday 30th August
Shows and Sale of MV accredited rams and females
568 BLUE TEXEL
Show - Thursday - 5.00pm
Sale Friday 9.30am
306 rams 4 aged, 140 shearlings, 162 lambs
262 females 8 ewes, 196 shearling, 58 lambs
CHAROLLAIS
Show 8.30am Sale 10.00am
46 Rams 23 aged & shearlings, 23 lamb Females 47 ewes (15 pens)
95 DORSET HORN & POLLED DORSET
Show 9.30am Sale 11.30am
80 Females 23 gimmers, 17 lambs, 40 females (13 pens)
15 Rams 1 aged, 8 shearlings, 6 lambs
43 BERRICHON
Show 10.00am Sale approx. 1.15pm
30 Rams 11 shearlings, 19 lambs
13 Females 1 aged, 3 gimmers, 9 lambs
BELTEX BEAUTIES
Sale 10.30am
90 pedigree Beltex females and recipients from Matts, Logie Durno , Mortons, Artnagullion, Pentland, Woodies, Faughhill, Lakeview, Callacrag, Buckles, Lurg & Woodwick flocks
57 DORPER
Show 9.00am Sale 11.00am
MV 26 Females 2 ewes, 22 gimmers, 2 crossbred gimmers
8 Rams 1 aged ram, 7 shearling rams, Non MV 3 Rams 1 aged, 2 shearling, 20 Females crossbred, 2 lots semen
Saturday 31st August
93 RYELAND & 57 COLOURED RYELAND
Show 10.00am Sale 12.00noon
Ryelands: 64 females 29 males
Coloured Ryelands: 36 females 31 males
6 aged, 65 shearling, 107 lamb,
8 Females 1 gimmer, 7 lambs
123 BADGERFACE TEXEL
Show Friday 6.30pm Sale 10.30am
71 Rams 29 shearling, 42 lamb
42 Females 5 ewes, 34 gimmers, 3 lambs
INNOVIS RAM SALE
Monday 2nd September
Viewing from 11.30am
For more details visit www.innovis.org.uk
BORDERWAY MONTHLY DAIRY DAY
Wednesday 4th September
Entries close Wednesday 28th August
EURO CONTINENTAL EWES & SHEARLING GIMMERS
Friday 6th September
Entries close Monday 26th August
Solway & Tyne show and sale of 669 PEDIGREE TEXEL SHEEP
Thursday 5th September
2.30pm – Show for all classes
5.00pm - 101 females
Friday 6th September
9.30am - 345 ram lambs
10.00am - 194 Shearling rams
Carlisle & Lazonby combined Prize show and sale of MULE GIMMER SHEARLING
Thursday 12th September
Entries close Thursday 5th September
COLLECTIVE SALE OF SMALL TOOLS Within Borderway Mart
Thursday 26th September
Entries close Wednesday 18th September
Thursday 19th September
Latter Fair
Show and sale of MULE GIMMER LAMBS, & RAM FAIR also
EURO CONTINENTAL CROSS LAMBS
Entries close Monday 9th September
PEDIGREE SHEEP FAIR
Shows & Sales of MV accredited rams and females
Friday 27th September
BELTEX
Entries close Friday 23rd August
Saturday 28th September
Entries close Friday 30th August
PEDIGREE BEEF DAY
Wednesday 2nd October
Show and sale of
BRITISH BLUE, CHAROLAIS (non Society), HEREFORD & LINCOLN RED CATTLE
Entries close Friday 30th August
Society sale of EASYCARE
Friday 4th October
Entries close Friday 6th September
Friday 11th October
Entries close Friday 6th September direct with
Show and sale of
Friday 18th & Saturday 19th October
Entries close Friday 23rd August
SALE OF MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & HEAVY PLANT items
Sale bidding starts 10.00am
Wednesday 4th September until 10.00am Thursday 5th September
Entries close Wednesday 28th August or contact David Holliday 07710 189804, or Iain Dick 07713 599791
KIRKBY STEPHEN
Tel: 07835 764535
Prize show and sale of NEMSA GIMMER LAMBS
Friday 13th September
(show Thursday evening 12th September)
Entries close 10am Thursday 29th August
Prize show and sale
BLUEFACED LEICESTER RAMS & FEMALES
Saturday 5th October
Entries close 10am Thursday 5th September
LOCKERBIE MART
Tel: 01576 202332
NC CHEVIOT HILL FEMALES
Tuesday 24th September
Entries close Tuesday 27th August
Tel: 01833 640281
Prize show and sale of STORE LAMBS
Tuesday 3rd September
Entries close 10am Monday 26th August
Prize show and sale of NEMSA GIMMER LAMBS
Wednesday 18th September
Entries close 10am Tuesday 3rd September
Ladies In Red
30 PEDIGREE LIMOUSIN FEMALES
Saturday 24th August
Show 10.00am Sale 1.00pm
30 females including the Mobenis dispersal sale 8 females 16 lots embryos Ballymena Auction Mart, Ballymena BT42 4QJ
Live auction sale with online bidding via Marteye DISPERSAL SALE OF VINTAGE MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT & SMALL TOOLS on behalf of David F Paton At Hydro Garage, Old Edinburgh Road, Moffat, DG10 9RU
Saturday 7th September - 10.30am Full details available on the website
Collective sale of FARM MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & SMALL TOOLS
Thursday 24th October
Within LOCKERBIE MART
Entries close Wednesday 16th October For further details contact C Robertson 07832 233042, Ali Dodd 07394 569382, Michael Stewart 07753 720323
BARNARD CASTLE AUCTION MART
TUESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER
Prize Show & Sale of 1000 Mule & Continental Shearlings & Ewes
Prize Show & Sale of 140 Continental & Suffolk Rams Sale at 11am
PATELEY BRIDGE AUCTION MART
TOMORROW
SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST
Sale of 240 Cattle & 650 Sheep Sale at 11am
BROUGHTON AUCTION MART
TUESDAY 27TH AUGUST
Sale Of 100 Cattle & 870 Sheep
**Please note Sale to commence at 10am with cattle followed by sheep 11.30am** www.barnardcastleauctionmart.co.uk
HAWES, NORTH YORKSHIRE, DL8 3NP
01969 667207 www.hawesmart.co.uk
Tuesday 27th August 10am
1500 Prime Lambs & 500 Cast Ewes & Rams
Friday 30th August 10am
Show & Sale of 3000 Continental & Suffolk Gimmer Lambs & Store Lambs. Judging 9:30am for Pens of 10 Gimmer Lambs and Pens of 20 Store Lambs. Sponsored by O’Reilly’s Accountants.
Mon & Tues 16th & 17th September 9am
Annual Two-Day Show & Sale of 30,000 Mule
Gimmer Lambs on behalf of NEMSA
Catalogue closes Tuesday 27th August
New Sales Fixture- Thursday 26th September 5pm
Show & Sale of Terminal Sire
Breeding Rams & Leicester Rams
Section for MV Accredited Rams, Catalogue close Tues 10th Sept Thursday 3rd October 9am
Annual Show & Sale of Bluefaced Leicester crossing Rams & Females
On behalf of the Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Association
Catalogue closes Thursday 29th August Ian Atkinson 07957 256337 Kenton Foster 07711 469280.
Your one stop shop for all agricultural sales
Tel: 01756 792375 www.ccmauctions.com
Auctioneers: Jeremy Eaton - 07747 780481
Ted Ogden - 07855 958211 Kyle Hawksworth - 07538 539077
Monday 26th August
REARING CALVES - Sale 10.30am
Entries & Enquiries to Kyle PRIME, CAST & FEEDING CATTLE
Sale 11.30am (TB exempt section available)
PRIME LAMBS - Sale 12.30pm followed by CAST EWES, RAMS & GOATS
SPECIAL EARLY RAM SALE
Sale of 26 Suffolk, Charollais & Other Cont Rams
Sale 11.30am Main Ring
36 PEDIGREE KERRY HILL SHEEP
Sale 12noon Main Ring
Wednesday 28th August
60 FEEDING BULLS Sale 10.00am followed by 25 BEEF FEEDING COWS & 250 STORE BULLOCKS & HEIFERS & BREEDING CATTLE
Saturday 31st August
Sale of STIRKS, WEANED & SUCKLED CALVES, BREEDING & CULL GOATS & STORE SHEEP
(Entries close Monday 26th August)
53 PEDIGREE WENSLEYDALE SHEEP
Sale 11.00am Lingfield Ring followed by 104 PEDIGREE JACOB SHEEP
SHOW & SALE OF 127 PEDIGREE & PUREBRED GOATS
Sale 10.00am Main Ring followed by RARE & MINORITY SHEEP
Sunday 1st September
Sale of 110 PEDIGREE VALAIS
BLACKNOSE SHEEP
Sale 12noon Lingfield Ring
Breeding Sheep Sales
Wednesday 4th September
1st Prize Show & Sale of SUFFOLK, CONT X & CHEVIOT MULE
GIMMER LAMBS
(entries close Monday 26th August)
Tuesday 10th September
Opening Show & Sale of NEMSA MULE GIMMER LAMBS
(entries close Wednesday 28th August)
Pedigree Sheep Sales
Friday 6th & Saturday 7th September
300 PEDIGREE BELTEX RAMS & FEMALES
Friday 6th September @ 6.30pm –
60 Shearling Ewes & 4 Ewe Lambs
Saturday 7th September @ 10.00am
201 Shearling Rams,
3 Aged Rams & 32 Ram Lambs
Saturday 7th September
15 PEDIGREE BADGER FACE
TEXEL SHEEP
@ 11.00am followed by 90 PEDIGREE BLUE
TEXEL SHEEP
Thursday 19th & Friday 20th September
427 PEDIGREE TEXEL RAMS & FEMALES
Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders Sale Dairy Cattle
Monday 9th September
SHOW & SALE OF
DAIRY CATTLE
Monday 14th October
SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY CATTLE Inc AUTUMN JERSEY & COLOURED BREEDS SALE
Entries & Enquiries to Sarah 07710 795585 Farm Sale
Saturday 28th September
Complete on farm dispersal of Tractors, Machinery & Equipment on behalf of DG Boothman – Halton East
Details on www.ccmauctions.com
Agricultural Shows
Saturday 24th August
MALHAMDALE SHOW
Tuesday 27th August
KILNSEY SHOW
Please visit our trade stand
Monday 26th August
Alongside our Big Bank Holiday Show & Sale of 200 Store Cattle we have our fortnightly Calf Sale and Junior Handlers “Super Single” Store Lamb Show & Sale
Thursday 29th August
Junior Handlers “Super Single” Prime Lamb Show & Sale
Wednesday 4th September
Full Farm Dispersal Sale on behalf of WB Mitchell & Sons, Howlett Hall, Morpeth
Additional items can be inputted at the discretion of the auctioneer.
Tuesday 10th September
“Tup Tup Chalice” Evening Show & Sale of Breeding Rams & Ram Lambs Entries close
Monday 2nd September
Cattle/OTM, Store & Breeding Stock
LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEERS � VALUERS www.nwauctions.co.uk info@nwauctions.co.uk
LANCASTER AUCTION MART
Tel: 01524 63308
Monday 26th August
10.30am PRIME LAMBS & CAST SHEEP
Friday 30th August
10.15am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS
10.15am 150 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11.15am 300 STORE CATTLE & STIRKS
Wednesday 18th September 10.30am SHOW & SALE OF GIMMER LAMBS
Followed by Second Sale of Breeding Ewes & Rams Catalogue Entries by Friday 23rd August
J36 RURAL AUCTION CENTRE
Tel: 015395 66200
Saturday 24th August
10am SHOW & SALE OF 4000 BREEDING EWES & SHEARLINGS
Tuesday 27th August
10:30am SALE OF ALL CLASSES OF PIGS 1pm PRIME LAMBS & CAST SHEEP
Thursday 29th August 10.30am SHOW & SALE OF CONTINENTAL GIMMER LAMBS
Followed by FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE LAMBS
Thursday 5th September 10am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS
10:30am 100 CAST/OTM CATTLE
11:15am 300 STIRKS & STORE CATTLE
Catalogue Entries by Wednesday 28th August
‘LADS NIGHT OUT’
Evening Show & Sale of Terminal Sire Breeding Rams
Friday 13th September 10am
AMBLESIDE FAIR - Show & Sale of Mule, Masham, Rough Fell Mule & Cheviot Mule Gimmer Lambs Catalogue Entries by Friday 23rd August
Saturday 14th September 10am
GREAT ANNUAL SALE OF NORTH OF ENGLAND MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Catalogue Entries by Friday 23rd August
Saturday 21st September - PEDIGREE SHEEP DAY
Society Sales on Behalf of Northern Beltex Club, Blue Texel, Badger Face & Dutch Spotted. Pedigree Catalogue Entries Now Closed. Followed By Second Sale of Breeding Ewes Catalogue Entries by Wednesday 4th September
Friday 27th September – DRAFT EWE DAY
Great Annual Show & Sale of 6,000 Hill Bred Draft Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings & Gimmer Lambs
To Include the Rough Fell Sheep Breeders Association Annual Prize Show & Sale of Rough Fells Catalogue Entries by Monday 9th September
Delivery: Tuesday 27th & Wednesday 28th (9am-4.30pm)
Sale to Commence: Friday 30th August Viewing: Friday 30th (9am-4:30pm),Saturday 31st (am only) & Monday 2nd September (9am-4:30pm)
Sale Concludes: Tuesday 3rd September Collection: Wednesday 4th & Friday 6th September
PRIMESTOCK SALE WEEKLY STORE LAMB SALE ONLINE MACHINERY SALE Sale of Mule & Continental Ewes & ShearlingsFriday 30th August – Sale 11am & Show 10am Sale of Vintage & Classic Tractors plus Associated
INC 12 Limx Strs, 16-24mth, R Westaby 38 Limx Chx Hfr & Strs, 14-18mth, Foley Bros Store & Breeding Sheep,inc Store lambs & Feeding Ewes Store & Breeding Pigs Pigs 9am Sheep 9.45am Cattle 11am
2,750 Cheviot Mule Gimmer Shearlings 4,500 Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs (Show for the Aynsley Trophy)
Cheviot Mule Gimmer Shearlings
Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs (Show for the Aynsley Trophy)
Cheviot Mule Cross Gimmer Shearlings 1,500 Cheviot Mule Cross Ewe Lambs
750 Cheviot Mule Cross Gimmer Shearlings
2,250 Cheviot Mule Cross Ewe Lambs The highly successful Cheviot Mule, a cross of the Cheviot Ewe with the Traditional Bluefaced Leicester. High return – low depreciation. Buyers’ attendance strongly recommended.
Bakewell Market Results - Monday 19th August
570 Cattle & 1,285 Sheep - Full report available on our website
Store Cattle Special Entries for TUESDAY 27th AUGUST(please note that due to the Bank Holiday the market is closed on Monday 26th August) OTM Cattle to be sold from 12 Noon follwed by Bulls & Clean Cattle
**********************
T HURSDAY LUNCHTIME WEEKLY SHEEP SALE
Entries/Enquiries, contact Ivor Lowe: on 07977 449126 or Peter Oven on 07973 982443 Follow on Facebook for up to date details on Special Entries
BANK TOP FARM, BRADBOURNE, DERBYSHIRE DE6 1JL
THURSDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2014 AT 10.30AM
6 Massey Ferguson and Kubota Tractors
MF 6S.155 Dyna 6 4WD (23’), MF 6470 Dyna 6 4WD (10’) MF 5445 Powershift 2WD (07’), MF 390T 4WD & MF 590 2WD Manitou MLA 628 120 LSU Power Plus Telehandler (08’) Kubota L4240 4WD (12’) and Kubota X900 RTV (17’) JCB 8085 Eco ZTS Excavator (13’), Hi-Spec Vacuum Tanker Kuhn Euromix Diet Feeder, Lely Tigo 50R Profi Twin Axle Forage Wagon Ifor Transport Trailer, Livestock Trailer, Farm Trailers and Machinery Range of Livestock Equipment, Hay, Straw, Clamp Silage Workshop Items and Sundries
LAND AND BUILDINGS AT MOOR FARM, Middleton Moor, Wirksworth For sale by auction - Monday 23rd Sep at the ABC, Bakewell, DE45 1AH
BIRCHWOOD FARM KILMINGTON, AXMINSTER, DEVON, EX13 7ST Thursday 29th August 2024
At 10.45am prompt with Deadstock ahead of the Dairy Cattle The Dispersal Sale of the Classified “Birchwood” Herd of
Comp: 84 Dairy Cows & Heifers Inmilk &/or Incalf; Ped AA Bull; 14 Calved Heifers; 18 Incalf Heifers; 35 Maiden Heifers & 21 A Lot Heifer Calves
✰ NMR HERD AV: 9383 KGS. 4.34%BF 3.36%P SCC=76
✰ HERRINGBONE Parlour; CUBICLE Housed
✰ YOUNG COWS: 76 1st – 3rd Lactation
✰ CALVING: Jun-Sep (32); Oct-Jan (46); Feb-May (37)
Together with Herringbone Parlour, Bulk Tank, Dairy Equipment & Standing Maize For KH & ME Bond & Son (ceasing dairy production)
** Live bidding on MartEye, please register in advance at gth.marteye.ie **
332+ HEAD
10.30am
9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME LAMBS
10.00am BREEDING SHEEP inc 2nd SHOW & SALE OF MULE & CONTINENTAL SHEARLINGS
12.30pm STORE LAMBS entries by Tuesday 27 12noon Tuesday 3 September MACHINERY SALE entries to the office for advertising – yard open 8am Monday 2nd
Thursday 5 September
10.30am PRIME BEEF inc Month End Beef Show followed by CULL CATTLE
10.30am REARING CALVES 11am MASSEY FEED with LELY LONGTOWN show and Sale
Saturday 7 September
9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME LAMBS
10.00am BREEDING, FEEDING & STORE CATTLE 10.30am 1st MULE & CONT GIMMER LAMBS SALE NO Store Lambs or Ewes this sale – additional sale of Gimmers only ANNUAL TWLIGHT TUP SALE – Tues 10th Sept entries close Tue 27th Aug SEASONAL SHEEP SHOW AND SALES Sat 14th Sept - HORNED & HILL GOING inc HERDWICKS Sat 28 Sept – 2nd MULE & CONT GIMMER LAMBS Sat 12 Oct- OCTOBER BREEDING FAIR OF SHEEP
015242 61444 - Sale Days 61246
Stephen 07713 075 661
Greg 07713 075 664
Will 07590 876 849
www.benthamauc on.co.uk
Friday 23rd August at 6pm BENTHAM BELTERS
70 Pedigree & Commercial Elite Breeding Female Sheep
Tuesday 27th August at 10.30am 8203 STORE LAMBS
Wednesday 28th August
10.30am Fortnightly Dairy Sale followed by DISPERSAL SALE OF 60 Pedigree British Friesian Cows In Milk & Dry TB4, Closed Herd, Cubicles, Silage/Grass System On Behalf of JC & DC Marshall & Sons, Dacre Catalogues Online.Contact Fred Spurgeon 07713 075 660 11am 100-150 Rearing Calves 2.30pm 2500 Cast Ewes followed by 3000 Spring Lambs
Friday 30th/ Saturday 31st August
10,856
Two Day Show & Sale of BREEDING EWES & GIMMER SHEARLINGS
Friday at 11am 3321 Breeding Ewes
1101 Mixed Ewes, followed by 2220 Mule Ewes
Saturday at 10am 7535 Gimmer Shearlings
4508 Mule (4283 NofE, 75 Dales Mule, 150 Scotch Mule), 498 Masham, 568 Cheviot Mule, 1961 CTLx/ Suffolk x
Tuesday 3rd September
10am 50 Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle followed by ANNUAL SALE OF 1000 STORE BULLOCKS & HEIFERS
Entries for catalogue close Friday 23rd August
Tuesday 10th September
Fortnightly Sale of Store Lambs inc.
Premier Show & Sale of CTL & Suffolk x Gimmer Lambs
Entries for catalogue close Friday 30th August
Friday 13th & Saturday 14th September TWO DAY SHOW & SALE OF 15,000 GIMMER LAMBS
NofE Mule, Chev Mule, Dales Mule & Masham
Entries for catalogue close Wednesday 28th August
Friday 20th/ Saturday 21st September Two Day Ram Sale
Friday- Texel, Beltex, Suffolk, X Bred & Others
Saturday- Blue Faced Leicester & Teeswater
Entries for catalogue close Wednesday 4th September
Usual sale of 200 store cattle. Special entries include: 20 conti x, native steers, 16-18mo from Holkham Estate.
50 conti x steers and heifers, 7-15 mo from Margaretting Hall Farm. Note: the above cattle are sucker bred and genuine. The auctioneers have no hesitation in recommending them to prospective buyers.
Also please note the special sale of breeding sheep on Saturday September 7th. Please see the website for further details.
Saturday 24th August at 10.30am
Monthly Machinery & Sundries Sale
Monday 26th August
Usual Sale of Fatstock
Inc Annual Bank Holiday Young Handlers Show
Fur & Feather Sale at approx. 12noon
Following sale of Fatstock
Friday 30th August @11am
Fortnightly Sale of Store & Breeding Stock Calves at 11.30am
Thursday 5th September
Annual Show & Sale of Gimmer Lambs Store Lambs, Ewes & Rams Entries for catalogue please
Saturday 7th September at 10am Farm Dispersal Sale on Behalf of J R Sayer, Carr House Farm, Askwith Comp 14 Tractors, Telehandler, Drott & JCB Grassland & Livestock Equipment
See website for Handbill & Facebook for pictures
YORK MACHINERY SALE TIMED ONLINE AUCTIONS
STARTS: FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER CLOSES: 9 TO 11 SEPTEMBER
Entries close - Thursday 29th August
TRACTORS; LOADERS; MACHINERY; TRAILER; GROUNDCARE; LIVESTOCK EQUIP. See website for further details
National Online Auction of Machinery, Straw and Forage Bidding now open Bidding closes 9th September 2024 at 12 Noon
Including: Combine: Claas Dominator 218 Mega (95); Tractors: McCormick CX105 (04), Track Marshall 135, Solis H26 Compact Tractor, Manitou MLT 629 (02); Vehicles: Landrover Defender (23), Kubota RTV900 (08), Unimog 404 (67); Cultivation & Drilling: Reco/Maschio 4M Combi Drill (11), Kongskilde Goliath 6M Rolls, Sumo Forma 2; Grounds Maintenance: Shibaura CM364 with Muthing Flail Topper, Tecnoma 6M Sprayer, Qty. Garden Machinery; Livestock Equipment: Deleval Barn Climate Controller, 150 Place Intershape So bed Cubicle Mattresses, Greencrop Sepcom 045 Slurry Separator, Jacksta Sheep Turnover Crate; Misc: Spearhead Q2800 HD, Reekie Haulm Topper, Grimme GT170 Potato Harvester (07), New Holland 654 Round Baler (98), Spearhead Trident 4000 (04). Qty. Row Crop Wheels, Hydrovane Compressor; Forage: Large Qty. Haylage & Hay; Simulated Clay Shoot Equipment: Complete dispersal of simulated game clay shoot to include multiple Bowman Traps, Cherry Pickers, Scissor Li s & Trailers.
For further details contact Simon Wearmouth or Victoria Walters from our Norwich Office
On Instructions from Spridlington Manor Farm Ltd At Manor Farm, Cliff Road, Spridlington, Lincolnshire LN8 2DN On Tuesday 10th September 2024 at 10:30am Viewing from 10am until 4pm on Monday 9th September 2024
Including: Combine Harvester: Massey Ferguson Activa 7347-S with 20 header (17); Tractors: Massey Ferguson 8S.265 (21), Massey Ferguson 7720 (16), Massey Ferguson 6475 (03), Massey Ferguson 185 (76), Massey Ferguson 35 (61); Vehicle & ATV: Land Rover Defender 90 (99), John Deere Gator 855D (16); Sprayer: Househam Sprint 24m (98); Trailers: Bailey 14t grain (17), Herbst 14t dump (15), Gri iths 8m bale (07), Ifor Williams 16 3.5t flat bed; Cultivation Equipment & Implements: Sumo Strake 8 (16), Simba Cultipress 4.6m, Lemken Jewel 8 MOF 6f plough (18), Sumo Trio 3 (22), Lemken Heliodor 9 6m discs (21), Sumo DTS 4m drill (16), Cousins Sidewinder 12.4m Cambridge rolls (16), McConnel PA6065 hedgecutter (16), Maschio Bisonte 300 flail (13); Misc Equipment: Qty potato boxes, irrigation spares and workshop equipment etc.
For further details contact George Watchorn or Jon Clampin from our St Neots Office On Instructions from Richard Kerby At Whitehill Farm, Alderminster, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 8BW
On Thursday 12th September 2024 at 10:30am
Viewing from 10am until 3pm on Wednesday 11th June 2024
Including: Combine: Claas Lexion 570c Combine with C750 24 Header (10); Tractors: Case IH Puma 175 CVX (19), Case IH Puma 210 (10), Case IH MXM130 Pro (05), Massey Ferguson 8737 Dyna VT (16), Massey Ferguson 5445 Dyna 4 (08), JCB 536-60 Loadall (06), JCB 527-58 Farm Special Plus Loadall; Trailers: Cherry Products 14t Grain Trailer (02), Cherry Products 14t Grain Trailer (01); Implements: Weaving 6m Sabre Tine Drill (22), Vaderstad Rapid A600S 6m Disc Seed Drill (17), Horsch Terrana Cultivator (17), Kverneland TL Geospread Fertiliser Spreader, Simba Double Press, Berthoud Tenor 45-46 Trailed Sprayer (09); Irrigation Equipment: Bancilhon Irrigation Reel with Rain Gun (93), Irrifrance Javelin Irrigation Reel with Rain Gun, Idrofoglia Turbo pump (21); Vehicles: Ford Ranger Wildtrack (23), Workshop Equipment and Spares etc.
For further details contact Tom Birks or Lucy Elcock from our Banbury Office
George Watchorn
On Instructions from T Crawford & Co Ltd At Chimneys Farm, Topcroft, Bungay, Norfolk NR35 2BA On Tuesday 17th September 2024 at 10:30am Viewing from 10am until 4pm on Monday 16th September 2024
Including Combine: John Deere T660i (18); Tractors: John Deere 6215R (21) & (18), John Deere 6155R (20), John Deere 7530 (07), Claas Arion 530 (22), New Holland TL100A (07); Trailers: Marshall 28 Flat (18), Wootton 14T (07), Western 18T (04), Ifor Williams LM146G (22); Cultivation: Vaderstad Carrier 500 (18), Vaderstad NZA 6M (18), Lemken Juwel 8 5F (17), Amazone 3M Combi Drill
For further details contact Simon Wearmouth or Victoria Walters from our Norwich Office
Tom Birks
Lucy Elcock
SCAN THE CODE TO VIEW OUR AUCTION CALENDAR
44th BI-ANNUAL COLLECTIVE SALESATURDAY 24TH AUGUST 20249.30AM
WESTBROOK HEAD FARM, THORNCLIFFE, NR LEEK, STAFFORDSHIRE, ST13 8UP
To Inc Usual Range of Tractors, Machinery, Vehicles, Trailers & Implements
Building & Livestock Equipment
Usual Sundry Effects ENQUIRIES TO 07375 105985 OR AUCTIONS@GRAHAMWATKINS.CO.UK
Saturday 31st August 2024, 9.00am Viewing: Friday 30th August, 9am – 4pm Hangar 2, Prees Airfield, A41, Prees, Shropshire, SY13 2JL
We invite the entry of your Fleets, Parcels and Single Items of Equipment to include Trucks / Trailers / Plant / Recycling & Agricultural Equipment / Skips & Bins.
Ring 1 – Skips & Bins, Buckets Followed by Construction Plant, Agricultural, Vintage Equipment, Cars & Vans Ring 2 – Trailers, Tractor Units, Skip Loaders, Hook Loaders, Tippers & Other Rigids
HYBRID ONLINE AUCTION – Monday 2nd September 2024 - 10am Misc Garage / Yard Equipment & Small Tools
FURTHER ITEMS BEING ADDED DAILY
Visit our website for details or contact Charlie Foyle, Chris Hanmer or Debbie Ormerod. Onsite, Online, Phone & Left Bidding Available
01948 667700 www.malcolmharrison.co.uk auctions@malcolmharrison.co.uk
All overseas buyers & buyers not known to the auctioneer must lodge a refundable deposit of 10% of expected spend, £1000 minimum, on registration by cash/credit/debit card.
RANBY GRANGE
RANBY, MARKET RASEN, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN8 5LN
14 SEPTEMBER 2024
TRACTORS, TELEHANDLERS, RANGE OF TRAILERS, MOTOR VEHICLES, CULTIVATION EQUIPMENT & LIVESTOCK REQUISITES & MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Email: tom.norman@ddmagriculture.co.uk Mobile: 07920 232135
Tel: 01652 653669 www.ddmagriculture.co.uk
To be held at Cropredy Lawn, Cropredy, Nr Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX17 1DR.
To include:
1980 Massey Ferguson 2640 Tractor, c. 1970 Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor and a range of equestrian machinery & equipment.
To be sold on the premises on Thursday 5th September 2022 at 12pm.
PARK FARM, BURNED HOUSE LANE, PREESALL, POULTON LE FYLDE, LANCASHIRE FY6 0PQ SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2024 @ 10.30AM PROMPT
To include: 3 John Deere Tractors, JCB Loadall, Qty of Machinery and Equipment
South Lancashire
burscough@abarnett.co.uk
For full information and catalogues please see www.abarnett.co.uk
North Lancashire
Market Place, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1ZA T 01995 603 180 E garstang@abarnett.co.uk
Cumbria Lane Farm, Crooklands, LA7 7NH T 01539 751 993 E cumbria@abarnett.co.uk
Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2DD T 01200 411 155 E clitheroe@abarnett.co.uk
South Lancashire 59 Liverpool Road, Burscough, L40 0SA T 01704 895 995 E burscough@abarnett.co.uk
Ribble Valley 5 Church Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2DD T 01200 411 155 E clitheroe@abarnett.co.uk
Builth Wells – Monday 23rd September
2nd Sale – Saturday 28th September
Ruthin: Thursday 5th Sept Worcester: Friday 6th Sept
Skipton: Saturday 7th Sept
21st Aug
Melton Mowbray: Saturday 7th Sept
Fri 6th Sept
Dunhannon NI: Monday 26th Aug (export sale) Welshpool: Weds 28th Aug
Ballymena: Monday 16th Sept Lanark: Thursday 19th Sept Kendal: Saturday 21st Sept Stirling: Saturday 21st Sept Carlisle: Friday 27th Sept
Skipton: Sat 7th Sept Melton Mowbray: Sat 7th Sept
We currently have a wide range of positions available nationwide to include:-
• Herdsperson, Oxon/Wilts Border, 400 cows
• Herdsperson, North Yorkshire, 350 cows
• Assistant Manager, East Devon, 1100 cows
Relief Herdspersons Nationwide
LKL provides the perfect solution for finding the very best herd carers and managers. Visit our website for a full list of our current vacancies.
TQA - Ornamental Horticulture & Landscaping
Would you like to be involved with supporting the delivery of T-Levels which City & Guilds has been successful in winning for this industry area?
We are looking for competent T Level Technical Qualification Associates (TQA) to join us for this qualification area for the next academic year, to support Providers through the approval process. Your application will be considered for training and recruitment December-January
Location: Nationwide
Closing date: 9 Sep 2024
Sector: Academic & Educationg
Contract Type: Permanent
Role: Teacher
TQA - Land Based Engineering
T-Levels are new qualifications to the sector, and this is an interesting time to get involved as we develop things and roll out to centres.
Location: Nationwide
Closing date: 9 Sep 2024
Sector: Academic & Educationg
Contract Type: Permanent
Role: Teacher
For more informa on on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com
Marketing Account Manager | Employer: Hillsgreen Marketing
Location: Cheshire Salary: £28,000 - £35,000 DOE
Hillsgreen is a marketing agency that works with some of the biggest brands and most innovative companies in the agricultural sector. Are you passionate about the Agricultural industry, exceptional at building relationships? Do have a knowledge of digital marketing and a curiosity to learn?
At Hillsgreen, you’ll be joining a friendly team at a fast-growing agency, working on award-winning campaigns and have huge opportunities to progress thanks to our ambitious growth plans.
Hillsgreen has a clear purpose – to make agriculture click through outstanding marketing campaigns. Our ethos is to stand together with the sector and drive change whilst getting commercial results.
Clients include industry associations such as NFU, Datamars, Ashbrook, Warrendale Wagyu Farmers. No two days are the same!
Launched in April 2018, we now employ 12 people and this is growing fast. As an integrated agency, we work across all channels with experts in PPC, SEO, web development, design, social media and much more.
For more informa on on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com
Content
Digital Media Producer
Marketing
Commercial Marketing Executive
Membership Development Marketing Executive
Sales
Event Business Development Manager
Business Development Executive
Agriconnect is the largest multi-platform agricultural information business in the UK. Our brands reach deeply into all the major agricultural sectorsarable, dairy, livestock, agricultural machinery, finance, and equipment.
We offer an excellent package including:
• 25 days holiday increasing to 27 after two years
• Hybrid Working (minimum 2 days in the office each week)
• Flexible working hours available
• An extra day off on your birthday
• Matched pension contribution up to 6%
• Employee assistance programme
• Long service awards and employee of the month
• Employee discount scheme
• Employee referral scheme
• Exceptional career progression. We are ever-evolving, if you work hard and do well - with our help and support there are no limits to your speed of progress
For more details on any of our vacanies, or to apply, please scan the QR code or call on 01772 799500.
Do
you are looking for new friends in a relaxed and informal environment, then try Country Link – the social network for the countryside. Open to anyone, and with a national network of local groups, Country Link offers a variety of pre-arranged meetings, events, and activities to suit all
Take a look on our website, call 07932 537183, or email contact@country-link.co.uk for more information and to find out what is happening in your area.
A Refreshingly Traditional Way to Meet a Christian to Share Your Life With. An easy, safe and personalised way to meet Christians singles in the UK. Connect with other like-minded rural and farming interested Christian members, and access the support, coaching and resources you need for success from a team of world-class dating professionals. Call 0121 405 0941today. www. friends1st.co.uk/christian-farmers-dating
Orders for Insertion of advertisements in Farmers Guardian are accepted subject to the following conditions:
1. Advertisement copy shall be legal, decent, honest and truthful, and shall comply with the British Code of Advertising Practise and all other codes under the general supervision of the Advertising Standards Authority: and shall comply with the requirements of current legislation.
2. While every endeavour will be made to meet the wishes of advertisers, the publisher does not guarantee insertion of any particular advertisement.
24 hours a
BAMBER BRIDGE Lancs, Cumbria, Cheshire. Yorkshire. WILLIAM TAYLOR & SON (PS) LTD
7 days
for emergencies TEXT OR TELEPHONE STEPHEN: 07860 636 605 OFFICE: 01772 626 951
Grace Dobson- 07743 628405 or 07754 702187 or Southern England and South Wales- John Wood 07980 655637
3. In the event of any error, misprint or omission in the printing of an advertisement or part of an advertisement the publisher will either reinsert the advertisement or relevant part of the advertisement as the case may be, or make a reasonable adjustment to the cost. No reinsertion, or adjustment will be made where the error, misprint or omission does not materially detract from the advertisement. In no circumstances shall the total liability of the publisher for any error, misprint or omission exceed
a) The amount of a full refund of any price paid to the publisher for the advertisement in connection with which liability arose. OR
b) The cost of a further corrective advertisement of a type and standard reasonably comparable to that in connection with which liability arose.
4. The publisher reserves the right to withdraw, amend or alter any advertisement it considers necessary.
5. Cancellations or advertisements are accepted providing they comply with the cancellation deadlines which are published at regular intervals.
6. Advertisement orders are issued by an advertising agency as a principal and must be on the agencies official form (when copy insutructions not constituting an official order are issued they must be clearly marked at the head “Copy Instructions – not an order”.
7. Advertising Agency commission will only be granted to those Agencies who are currently recognised by the Newspaper Society at the time of placing an advertisement order and copy. The rate of commission is determined by the publisher.
8. When credit is allowed payment is due within 7 days. Monthly accounts are due in full each month. “We reserve the right to charge additional costs and interest for non payment within our credit terms”.
9. Only standard abbreviations are permitted by the publisher. List available on request.
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11. Every endeavour will be made in order to forward replies to box numbers to the advertisers, as soon as possible after receipt by the publisher, but the publisher accepts no liability in respect of any loss, or damage alleged to have arisen through delay in forwarding or omitting to forward such replies, however caused.
Circulars and the like should not be distributed through publisher’s box number facility.
12. The placing of an order for the insertion of an advertisement, is an acceptance of these conditions and any other conditions stated on any type of order form by an agency or advertisers are not applicable if they conflict with any of the above.
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. Ashley: 07831 887531 Office: 01829 260328 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
“WITH
• GRANT FUNDED
• ESTIMATED PAYBACK OFTEN WITHIN 12 MONTHS
• 60% – 70% REDUCTION TO WATER HEATER RUNNING TIMES
• IMPROVEMENT TO THE COOLING UNITS PERFORMANCE
• HOT WATER AVAILABLE ALL DAY
• DOMESTIC OR OFFICE HEATING
• ALMOST ZERO MAINTENANCE
• HUGE REDUCTION IN YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT POWERED BY YOUR MOO POWER
For further details please call S.W Refrigeration specialising in “On Farm cooling Equipment” 01392 210344 or Paul on 07974 140949
motor. This unit is ready for work and can be delivered anywhere in the UK. Livestock Supplies LTD Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
50 Outdoor reared, grass fed, pedigree and commercial Suffolk shearling rams for sale
Vigorous modern type, with some New Zealand genetics, selected for low birth weight, high growth and muscling, and balanced terminal and maternal characteristics. MV accredited. Shearling ewes also available.
Excellent conformation, tight skins, ready for work. Heptavac P.
Naturally Reared, no corn
Contact Mr Brocklehurst on 07764 196462 or 01260 223338
skins, shape, style and Power One of the largest selection of continental rams in the UK to choose from.
Please contact Paul Slater on 07522 110683
www.whiteleyheyflock.co.uk
Whiteley Hey Flock - Paul Slater Top Quality Beltex X Texel, Beltex X Charollais & Texel Shearling Rams
A weekly selection of freshly calved & in-calf dairy cattle sourced from the UK. All guaranteed and delivered anywhere in the UK Finance can be arranged.
Livestock Supplies Ltd
Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
temperament, good blood lines, proteins & bu er fats. PLEASE CONTACT SCOTT 07961 320555
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
www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
R.F FIELDING
Hay & Straw for Sale in all types of Bales. Good
Come and see us at UK Dairy Day on 11th September, stand H164
ED&F Man Molasses in partnership with Adisseo, can now offer Metasmart as an additional blend option in molasses
Generate more milk, more protein and more fat in the most cost-effective way
Improve fertility and overall cow health
Targeted amino acid nutrition
Reduce conventional feed protein within the diet
Improve sustainability by increasing nitrogen use efficiency
More information: Ashley J Latham • Livestock Supplies Ltd O ce: 01829 260 328 • Ashley: 07831 887 531 • Will: 07769 974 476 • Email: ashley@livestocksupplies.co.uk BEESTON GATE FARM, BEESTON, NR. TARPORLEY, CHESHIRE CW6 9NN www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
More information: Ashley J Latham • Livestock Supplies Ltd Office: 01829 260 328 • Ashley: 07831 887 531 • Will: 07769 974 476 • Email: ashley@livestocksupplies.co.uk BEESTON GATE FARM, BEESTON, NR. TARPORLEY, CHESHIRE CW6 9NN www.livestocksupplies.co.uk
KINGSPAN insulated composite panels. £16psm, for further details see Ebay item number 56363559343 Tel: 07836 687220 Derbys (P)
CRASH BARRIERS telegraph poles, Sleepers, Astroturf for Cow Tracks etc, Security fencing. Henmans Tel07768 533741 Nationwide Delivery (T) priced accordingly Tel 07976 103807 jim@beaverfit.com
HARDCORE AVAILABLE FREE. Can be collected from our yard. Must have U1 Exemption. Ring Martlands01704 893161
PaynettsFarm,CranbrookRoad, Goudhurst,Kent,TN171DY
Tel:01580212141
Mob:07710480259
Email:info@timberspecs.com
mes holida your quire ywhere, w
bespok p ke
co cted an thick. Houses ntrol regula
Mobilehomes,holidaychalets,loghomes. Allbuilttoyourrequirements,deliveredand erectedanywhere,weofferbuildsinround, 360mm to up log random and cavity square thick.Housessuppliedtomeetbuilding controlregulations.
As of April 2024, almost all full planning applications for development sites require a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 10%.
FinanceOptions
Tospreadthecostofyourinvestment, wehavepartneredwithiDeal4Finance andTownandCountryFinancetooffera rangeoffinanceoptionstosuityourneeds, includingmortgagesandshorttermloans.
Formoreinformationonallthebuildingspleasevisitourwebsite.
Goostrey: Dairy farm to let, available from a date to be agreed after 29th September 2024, for a period of up to 15 years on a Farm Business Tenancy. The holding comprises of a 5-bedroom detached farmhouse, a range of traditional and modern farm buildings including a 16 x 16 Westfalia parlour, cubicles for 92, youngstock housing, slurry lagoon and land extending to approx. 200 acres.
Tender applications are invited from applicants who want to start farming on their own account. You must have a minimum qualification of 5 years full time agricultural experience, which may include 3 years formal training.
View Day – Wednesday 11th September 2024 (10am-4pm) Viewings by Appointment Only
Please email cheshirefarms@cheshirewest.gov.uk to book an appointment. Tenders to be submitted by noon on Friday 11th October 2024. Hard copy particulars are available at a cost of £10.00/each or free via email: cheshirefarms@cheshirewest.gov.uk or Tel: 01244 972566. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/farms
This policy, like all Government strategy, sounds fantastic in principle. However, in practice, it is more red tape for farmers wanting to build new buildings or infrastructure.
Over the last 12 months, there has been an increase in ‘opportunities’ for landowners to create BNG units on their land or enter into 30-year agreements where companies will take on the land to adhere to BNG rules and sell the units.
Any agricultural development of more than 25sq.m, which in most cases equates to any type of building, lagoon or silage clamp, now has to adhere to BNG requirements.
The benefit of applying for planning permission under Permitted Development Rights is that these applications are exempt and, with the recent increase in floor areas, it would be advisable to use these to your advantage.
Equally, retrospective planning permission is exempt from BNG requirements. However, this is not advisable.
Another exemption available is where the site has a biodiversity value of zero. An example of this would be the covering of a silage clamp or muck midden. This would have to be a sealed surface, not cracked with vegetation growing through.
The advantage to farmers is that, in most cases, unlike housing or
Tom Selby
commercial developers, you will have agricultural land at your disposal that you can utilise for additional biodiversity elsewhere on a farm, except if you are a tenant with a term of less than 30 years.
This is where a positive landlord and tenant relationship will be advantageous.
Under the terms of the tenancy, the landlord may be obligated to undertake the works, but may only provide infrastructure based on the size of the original holding, as opposed to additional land rented and increased stock numbers. Likewise, they may only want to provide BNG for their proportion of works.
In effect, those tenants on shortterm tenancies should engage early with the landlord to determine if the landlord is willing to come to an agreement to ensure the farm can meet the BNG requirement. Unfortunately, it could be seen by some as an opportunity to negotiate on other matters.
If all else fails, tenants may have to look at off-site options or buying BNG units.
Tom Selby is the founder of Selby Rural. Call 01829 423 183, or email tom@selbyrural.co.uk
No’ 3 Ring, New Market Street, Castle Douglas, DG7 1HY
Tel. 01556 453453| www.threaverural.co.uk | enquiries@threaverural.co.uk
Barrhill, Girvan, South Ayrshire, KA26 0QX
A PRODUCTIVE STOCKREARING FARM SITUATED ON AN ELEVATED SITE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE VILLAGE OF BARRHILL IN SOUTH AYRSHIRE
- TRADITIONAL FOUR BEDROOM FARMHOUSE
- RECENTLY INSTALLED AIR SOURCED HEAT PUMP AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
- RANGE OF MODERN & TRADITIONAL FARM BUILDINGS
- RING FENCED FARM
- PRODUCTIVE GRASSLAND FARM
- BASIC PAYMENT ENTITLEMENTS
IN ALL ABOUT 330.61 ACRES (133.80 HECTARES) OFFERS FOR LOCHEND FARM ARE SOUGHT IN EXCESS OF: £1,800,000
TWO EXCEPTIONAL HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE STOCK REARING FARMS LOCATED ON A FABULOUS ELEVATED COASTAL SITE NOT FAR FROM THE VILLAGE OF GATEHOUSE OF FLEET
- BRIGHT AND SPACIOUS FOUR BEDROOM FARMHOUSE SET ON A STUNNING ELEVATED SITE
- RANGE OF TRADITIONAL & MODERN FARM BUILDINGS
- PRODUCTIVE GRAZING AND MOWING LAND
- BASIC PAYMENT ENTITLEMENTS
- LOT 1: HIGH AUCHENLARIE FARM (95.55 ACRES)
- LOT 2: LAND AT HOLECROFT FARM (91.25 ACRES)
IN ALL ABOUT 186.80 ACRES (75.60 HA) OFFERS FOR HIGH AUCHENLARIE & HOLECROFT FARMS ARE SOUGHT IN EXCESS OF:
LOT
Corsock, Castle Douglas, DG7 3ED
A DESIRABLE SMALL STOCK REARING FARM LOCATED ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE VILLAGE OF CORSOCK WITHIN THE STEWARTRY AREA OF DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY
- TRADITIONAL STEWARTRY TWO STOREY FARMHOUSE
- MAINLY TRADITIONAL FARM BUILDINGS
- RING FENCED FARM
- PRODUCTIVE GRAZING LAND
- BASIC PAYMENT (REGION 1 23.13 UNITS)
IN ALL ABOUT 58.66 ACRES (23.74 HECTARES) OFFERS FOR AUCHENVEY FARM ARE SOUGHT IN EXCESS OF: £520,000
Pinmore, Girvan, Ayrshire, KA26 0TH
AN EXTREMELY DESIRABLE RESIDENTIAL SMALLHOLDING SET ON AN ENVIABLE ELEVATED SITE WITH STUNNING FAR REACHING VIEWS ACROSS THE VALLEY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE
- RECENTLY SYMPATHETICALLY MODERNISED FOUR BEDROOM FARMHOUS
- WELL-MAINTAINED TRADITIONAL COURTYARD STEADING (DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL)
- GRAZING LAND & OUTDOOR MENAGE
- HUGE POTENTIAL FOR EQUESTRIAN OR SMALLSCALE GRICULTURAL PURPOSES
- PEACEFUL LOCATION WITH NO IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURS
- WITHIN AN EASY DRIVING DISTANCE TO MAJOR COMMUTING NETWORKS
IN TOTAL ABOUT 19.02 ACRES (7.7 HA) OFFERS FOR TRABOYACK FARM ARE SOUGHT IN EXCESS OF: £590,000
view this gobsmacking home visit the link below; www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150463694 All enquiries through Lucy Thomas 07789 733034
Immediate
John Deere 6155R 2022, 884 hours, AutoPowr 50kph, AutoTrac Ready, F/Links + PTO
£115,000 +VAT
John Deere 8370RT 2019, 5090 hours, AutoPowr 50kph, Cab Suspension, 30’’ Tracks, Wide Wheel Drive
£130,000 +VAT
JCB Fastrac ICON 4220 2023, 753 hours, Vario, ProLine Spec, Fast Start
John Deere 7R330 2020, CommandPro 50kph, 3592 hours, RTK Ready
£POA
John Deere 6195R 5857 hours, 2018, AutoPowr 50kph, F/Links + PTO, AutoTrac Ready
£78,500 +VAT
Kramer KT356 2022, 2922 hours, Pin and Cone Headstock
£53,500 +VAT
John Deere 6R 140 2022, 1780 hours, AutoQuad 50kph, Full Suspension
£88,750 +VAT
John Deere 6155R 2021, 3598 hours, AutoQuad 50kph, F/Links + PTO, 710/600’s
£POA
Massey Ferguson 8S.225 2021, 3830 hours, Dyna7, Front + Cab Suspension, F/Links + PTO, Guidance £POA
John Deere 6135R 2021, AutoPowr 50kph, F/Links + PTO, 710/600’s
£85,000 +VAT
John Deere T670i, 2018, ProDrive 40kph, 630X Header, Tracks, 4WD
£240,000 +VAT
Air conditioned cab, driver air seat, passenger seat, hydraulic trailer brakes, 2 double acting hydraulic valves. Trailer hitch.
Tractor from £42,000 + VAT
CaseIH Warranty.
* Case Finance 6 + 30 @ 0%
*Subject to Terms & Conditions
Farmall 55A
two wheel drive, folding roll bar, Mechanical Shuttle, Rear hydraulics, 340/85 x 28 tyres.
£22,000 + VAT
Loader ready. Air conditioned cab, driver air seat, passenger seat, hydraulic trailer brakes, 2 double acting hydraulic valves, rear wheel weights. Trailer hitch. Ready to fit a new loader boom. Loader ready tractor from £44,500 + VAT
Add a new loader boom for a total price from £49,000 + VAT
CaseIH Warranty. *Case Finance 6 + 30 @ 0%
*Subject to Terms & Conditions
Farmall 55c
2 wheel drive, full cab, PowerShuttle, Rear hydraulics, 380/85 x 28 tyres.
£29,250 + VAT
Edited by Toby Whatley – 07583 054 831 – toby.whatley@agriconnect.com
New machines for 2024 and onwards can be purchased as either a Vicon FastBale Premium or a Kubota FB1000.
Launched as an upgrade to the non-stop FastBale round baler for the 2023 season, the Premium version of the FastBale adds further options for chopping and film binding. Toby Whatley reports.
Originally released in 2016, the Vicon FastBale has remained unique as the only non-stop round baler on the market.
The UK-developed machine uses two bale chambers, which creates a partial bale before transferring to the second chamber to reach the final size and then transferring to the wrapping table if producing haylage or silage.
The overall design using two roller chambers, with the smaller, primary chamber operating above the second full-size position, has not changed from the machine’s original launch.
In operation, the first chamber produces a bale about twothirds smaller than the final 1.3-metre-diameter bale. This is transferred down the machine to the larger, second chamber, where the final size is reached before applying film or net, before transfer to the wrapper.
Vicon says the whole machine is assembled with each chamber operating lower than the previous, which improves transfer times between the segments of the machine as the sections of bale typically fall downhill to each stage.
The introduction of the Premium model has brought changes to the original design, which include less obvious upgrades to the machine’s drawbar to increase the tractor’s turning angle, changes to the wrapping cycle to reduce film waste, upgrades to the 2.2m-wide pickup and the introduction of optional 710/50 R26.5 tyres.
More major changes extend to the complete redesign of the cutting unit. Originally, the knife cassette was rigidly mounted under-
neath the machine, which limited access for service and sharpening. This has been changed to an assembly which operates with a two-stage hydraulic lock to lower the deck before it can be manually pulled out from underneath.
Once withdrawn from the machine, the 25-knife system is manually adjusted to change the chop length, with an engagement of six, 12, 13 or 25 knives.
For sharpening or cleaning, the complete knife assembly can be lifted from the spring break back before being removed.
Aligning with an increasing customer requirement to reduce the types of on-farm plastic waste and improve overall bale forming, Vicon has introduced film-on-film binding with the Premium version. The system uses the same lowlevel roll-loading system as the net wrap, which provides users the ability to place rolls of packaging
Vicon says the nonstop function saves 18-20 seconds per bale produced.
The new Premium version of the FastBale includes several design and function upgrades.
onto a spindle which is hydraulically lifted up and over to the top of the machine.
When working with film-on-film, an additional tension roller is used to feed the material into the chamber, with the operator specifying the number of binding layers through the control terminal. The system operates using two roll widths, with the machine carrying sufficient storage capacity
for eight rolls of wrap for the rear system and one roll of material for film-on-film binding or net wrap, in addition to the working rolls at the top of the chamber and in use at the rear.
Vicon says that the output of the machine is typically 85-90 bales per hour, with the non-stop function saving 18-20 seconds per bale produced.
The machine used for demonstration purposes featured a black wrap with decals to illustrate the
A new knife cassette can be pulled out for sharpening and service, with several cut length options offered.
Netwrap or binding flim is loaded at ground level before being lifted onto the machine.
The output of the machine is typically 85-90 bales per hour, according to Vicon.
twin-chamber system. However, new machines for 2024 and onwards can be purchased as either a Vicon FastBale Premium or a Kubota FB1000.
Both machines are provided with identical levels of specifica-
tion, with the overall branding dependant on the supplying dealer. Prices for the machine start at £115,000 for a net wrap machine, which increases to £120,000 for units capable of offering film-onfilm binding.
XO3T provides, develops and manufactures uniquely innovative engineering and nanotech solutions for agriculture, horticulture and water processing.
Orchestrated by research and development director Piran Bassett, O3T aims to bring revolutionary technology to the market with five key goals.
The goals are to eliminate chemicals, reduce or eliminate antibiotics, improve animal health and welfare, reduce the carbon footprint of the industry and improve production and food security.
The product, called O2X, uses a combination of air, water, electricity and a lot of clever physics to increase oxygen levels in water.
Originally targeted at the poultry industry, the aim was to reduce bugs and bacteria from water without using pesticides and chemicals, improving the health of birds and providing a ‘cleaner’ end product for human consumption.
To date, five million birds are benefiting from the O2X system, with trials for pigs and cattle due to start later this year.
Since its creation, O2X has been approached by one of the UK’s biggest salad growers to eliminate the use of chemicals in its irrigation lines.
Involvement of one of the UK’s top agricultural universities and one of the UK’s top physical
science universities, coupled with leading poultry vets, helps the team monitor its progress, with university experts estimating that full adoption of O2X could yield an annual national carbon saving of 1.8m tonnes in the poultry sector alone.
O2X controls biofilms without chemicals, improves fine coal refuse, lowers mortality, increases thermal tolerance, provides more consistent crop yield, reduces/ eliminates antibiotic use and lowers carbon footprints.
It does this by hyperoxygenating water, stripping oxygen from atmospheric air and introducing it into the water in a nanoscale gas bubble, providing an unsuitable environment for bugs and bacterial organisms to live in.
XLactalign is a device designed to minimise the cases of mastitis in a dairy herd, balancing the weight of a milking cluster on a cow by supporting the milk and pulsation pipes.
The idea was born when agricultural engineer James Hudson was contacted by a local dairy farmer who needed a solution for his rotary milking parlour, as he had identified a bias in the number of mastitis cases in his herd.
Investigation and experimentation were needed to create the design, but 2020 saw the first full rotary parlour fitted with Lactalign.
The product is used manually. Once the milker has attached the cluster to the cow as normal, they place the Lactalign cord, milk pipes and pulsation tubes in one of the three slots depending on the udder height of each cow.
Once milking is complete, the automatic cluster remover cord is used to reset the device for the next cow.
Independent studies by milking consultant Ian Ohnstad have shown a significant reduction in liner slip, kick-off and reattachments. Over time, the bias in mastitis is reduced, resulting in an undeniable return on investment.
There have also been some unexpected benefits, such as a
nonmilk-producing quarters. Since its creation as a rotary parlour device, Lactalign has been adapted to suit rapid-exit and herringbone parlours. This development is expected to continue as more farmers require new brackets to suit their milking parlours, including unexpected markets which have purchased the product, such as Taiwan.
XImmunIGY Bovine IgG is a pen-side blood test which can reliably determine the antibody (IgG1) status of calves up to six weeks of age.
It is well known that when calves suffer failure of passive transfer (FPT), which occurs when antibodies are not transferred from the colostrum at birth for early life protection, they suffer
from both long-term and short-term implications.
FPT impacts calf welfare, supply chain sustainability and the environment. Sufferers will be more disease prone, they will have decreased productivity, suffer increased mortality and reduced welfare, all of which present higher costs for the producer.
The ImmunIGY test includes
blood collection using a novel lancet which punctures the calf’s nose like a pin prick. A few drops of blood are collected and tested using a lateral flow device.
The electronic reader expresses the IgG level within the blood as mg/ml within four seconds of being placed onto the device.
This test can benefit any type of calf rearer, as well as dairy farmers
and vets. The new technology can be used to audit suppliers, predict performance and proactively reduce disease outbreaks. Although the results from the tests cannot be changed, farmers can house poorer calves elsewhere to minimise herd contamination and herd replacements, or breeding changes can be made if results are found throughout the herd.
ANTHONY MARSH HOOFCOUNT, LANCASHIRE
XDeveloped using machine learning and vision technology, the Hoofcount Pedivue, launched in 2024, detects early signs of digital dermatitis (mortellaro).
Located on the exit of the footbath, the vision system monitors each hoof daily, and using machine learning and artificial intelligence, notifies the farmer or herdsperson of any early signs of lameness which may not be visible to the human eye.
Early detection of any disease, including lameness, is essential to improve animal welfare.
Pedivue was created to tackle this before a disease has a negative or costly impact on cow or herd health, and subsequently on milk production and fertility.
The average cost of a single case of lameness is about £300
per cow, making it crucial for a farm’s fiscal success to find and treat lesions early.
Accounts manager Philippa Briggs says: “This has been an expensive project and funding a new development is always tough. However, we hope the cost saved to farmers is now worth the cost of development for such an important product.”
After securing Government funding to develop and bring this product to market, the team at Hoofcount enlisted experts such as Agri-EPI Centre, Bristol University laboratory and Innovate UK to create and bring the project to fruition.
The product is currently in use on select farms in the UK. However, following its launch at Dairy-Tech, the team hopes to roll the product out to herds across the UK.
XSoil health innovator PES Technologies has developed what it says is a market-leading product designed to analyse soil health instantaneously.
This new product is the brainchild of Andrej Porovic, chief executive of PES, who discovered a gap in the market following a meeting with experts of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany.
Andrej created a handheld device which provides in-field data on more than 12 indicators of biological, chemical and physical soil health in five minutes.
Understanding soil biology is critical to understanding soil health, and the lack of good-quality, affordable testing has hampered the profitable implementation of environmentally sustainable farming practices.
The test uses a soil sample from a depth of 5-15cm, which is inserted into the device and connected to a mobile phone. The user hits ‘go’ and results are delivered in five minutes.
Results given cover microbial biomass, respiration, soil organic matter percentage, water holding capacity, field water content, soil texture, extractable ammonium, extractable nitrate, available phosphorus and available potassium.
PES allows farmers to make informed decisions when time is a critical factor. Historically, lab results can take weeks to complete, by which time soil conditions could have drastically changed.
Private and public funding from the Government and investors has allowed the development of the world’s first technology to ‘smell’ soil to get these results.
Switching from a front- and rearmounted mower set-up to a trailed allows A. and J. Shacklady to run the mower across the whole tractor fleet.
Kuhn is no newcomer to the trailed mower market, but recent years have seen sales fall in favour of front-mounted, rear-mounted and butterfly units. James Huyton looks at one business which has moved away from mounted and is back to a trailed unit.
The once favoured trailed mower seems to have fallen by the wayside for many grass growers in favour of front- and rear-mounted machines and contractor favourite, the butterfly combination.
Why then has one Merseysidebased mixed farmer and contractor chosen the unusual Kuhn GMD 5251 TC?
Operating with a 5.2-metre-wide working width and a 2.9m transport length, the GMD 5251 TC is certainly not short of capacity and
The Kuhn GMD 5251 TC can be set up to operate left-hand offset, right-hand offset, and in line with the tractor, all with spool adjustment.
is something of a hidden gem in the Kuhn portfolio, according to George Pritchard, foreman and machinery operator at A. and J. Shacklady.
Having previously operated a mounted set-up, Mr Pritchard highlights some of the reasons why
the business made the switch to a trailed machine.
He says: “We only have one tractor in the fleet which is fitted with front pto that can handle a front and rear set-up, so running a trailed mach-
The drum mower’s overall working width of 5.2 metres places two 2.4m equal swaths.
ine means we have much greater flexibility when picking tractors.
“It can go on the Fastrac right down to the Valtra G115 loader tractor if needed.”
Offering contracting services and establishing game crops alongside the farm’s own arable and livestock unit makes for a busy work pattern.
Mr Pritchard says: “We might only be mowing for a few hours at a time then dropping the mower off and on to other jobs.
“It is important we have a quick turnaround when it comes to attaching and detaching; in 10 minutes the mower can be off and on to another machine.
“The old Kuhn front and rear set-up always took far longer than that to drop off, as you had two units to play with. Granted, we have compromised some working width, switching from a 3.1m rear unit and 3m front machine.
“The trailed machine’s working width is just under 1m less than our previous set-up, but the reduction in working fatigue and not having to concentrate on both a front and rear unit is immeasurable.”
Alongside the mower’s acrobatic opening and closing routine, the GMD 5251 TC can operate in line, and offset both left and right.
Mr Pritchard says that even though he can open up a field mowing in line, he still cuts offset, which then allows him to mow against his wheeling on the return run.
He says: “Turning on headlands is like having a steering axle trailer, with the machine following really well. When running on the Fastrac and linked with the four-wheel steer, I can turn tight and cut the return run without cutting flats.
“Just a quick flick of the spool and you can switch from left to right and work back on yourself.
“I did wonder what the machine was going to be like when the business bought the machine, having not seen one first hand.
Turning on headlands is like having a steering axle trailer, with the machine following really well
GEORGE PRITCHARD
“Over the years, we have built up a good relationship with our local dealer, Malpas Tractors, which delivers back-up when we need it, so we trusted their judgment when doing the deal.”
Productivity and reduction in soil damage are key focuses on the farm, says Mr Pritchard.
Extra large 400/60-15.5 flotation tyres help reduce ground pressure while in operation, yet their positioning stops tyres from running on the cut forage.
Mr Pritchard says: “Folded in transport, the mower is just like towing a trailer and you do not get the overhang at junctions you get with a front mower.
“We make a mix of hay, haylage
and silage, depending on weather, to feed our flock of 1,000 breeding ewes over winter, with any spare sold and delivered to other farms in the surrounding area.
“It would be the first time I have just gone out at the end of the day and dropped 35 acres of grass without thinking about it. We really can cut some grass with this mower.
“Placed in two equal 2.4m-wide swaths, the grass seems to dry more evenly than the old mounted set-up.
“It certainly makes a difference when it comes to tedding out and you do not get those annoying misses
Asked if he would ever go back to a front- and rear-mounted set-up, Mr Pritchard says: “I would never say never, but the GMD has the capacity and flexibility the business needs at the moment. And with a 75hp minimum power requirement, there is not much you cannot operate it with, crop conditions dependant.” 1 2 3 4
when cutting curves with a front and rear set-up.
“The even swath placement and a cutting height range of 35-85mm opens up the door for cutting and bailing wholecrop if we wanted to in the future.”
Edited by Katie Jones
In the next 10 years, the livestock industry must accelerate the development of sustainable, resilient systems that support global food security and one health, says new report.
A new report by UK Agri-Tech Centre has identified 11 new research and innovation priorities for the livestock and aquaculture sectors. Ellie Layton finds out more.
● Farmer feedback used to create new insight
THE UK Agri-Tech Centre has recently published a report, Livestock and Aquaculture Innovation: The next 10 years, which includes input from more than 150 stakeholders across the dairy, beef, sheep, pig, poultry and aquaculture sectors.
The report explores areas such as changes in land use, changes in weather patterns and livestock breed evolution.
Split into four strategic themes, the report concentrates on animal health and welfare, sustainable production, resilient food systems and intelligent agriculture which focuses on data and technology.
The four themes were chosen following feedback from farmers, who said they are at the top of their priority list and correlate with current Government schemes, and available grants and financial aids.
Dr Grace O’Gorman, UK Agri-Tech Centre head of external relations, says: “The mission of the report is to aid the sustainability of farms, both environmentally, but also economically.
“Farm economics must stack up for them to thrive, and that is front and centre for us. Farms are at the core of
what we do, and we want our research and product tests to resonate with all farming systems. The technology we test is not all state-of-the-art data collection, and we do not want farmers to overlook that. Products can be as simple as a piece of equipment that is used daily on commercial farms, such as a handling system.
“Farmers are part of the whole product cycle, they are the target market, the product testers and the endof-line purchasers, so we want to ensure we are working for what they want, which in part is why we created this report.”
Dr O’Gorman says she hopes the report will encourage farmers to be more curious about what is available on the market and even to get involved with the process of developing the products.
She adds: “In the next 10 years, we must accelerate the development of sustainable, resilient systems that support global food security. The livestock and aquaculture sectors face multiple challenges from the increasing demand for food and pressure to reduce and reverse environmental impact.
“The wide-ranging priorities described in this report highlight the need for research to create a better
Farmers are part of the whole product cycle, they are the target market, the product testers and the end-of-line purchasers
DR GRACE O’GORMAN
evidence base to support the development of the sector.
“We believe this approach will aid in tackling innovation over the next 10 years and beyond, driving innovation, research, development and adoption.”
The report has been supported by the UK Agri-Tech Centre’s Farm Network, which plays a crucial role in developing and testing new technologies that are reflected in the report.
Robert Morrison, head of farms at UK Agri-Tech Centre, says: “Comprising of a diverse range of farms across
the UK, the Farm Network is uniquely positioned to support technology development at every stage of the technology readiness level, from initial research to market-ready products.
“The Farm Network is divided into three key sections, each serving a distinct purpose. University farms are hubs for low-level research and concept development, which provide a controlled environment where early-stage technologies are nurtured. Development farms serve as a breeding ground for innovation, where proof-of-concept ideas are refined into working products.
“These farms monitor the environmental impact of new technologies, providing valuable data that informs further development. And commercial farms, which independently assess the final stages of technology development.
“They test pre-release technologies in real-world conditions, helping to ensure that new products are both practical and beneficial for farmers before they reach the broader market.”
The Farm Network includes 24 primary farms, geographically spread across the country, representing a diverse range of farming ecosystems, reflecting the full spectrum of UK agriculture.
Building projects and long-term planning have seen brother and sister Alex and Jo Gidlow pushing things forward at Springwood Farm, Derbyshire.
Running at 500 cows, the milking herd is yielding 11,400kg at 4.52% butterfat and 3.34% protein, with the siblings recently taking on an Asda-aligned Arla contract, which rewards these high milk solids.
With cow numbers on the rise, support from Kite’s Chris Flint over the last seven years has been invaluable, says Mr Gidlow.
He says: “We have been growing the herd and have been breeding more and more heifers to get numbers up. Chris has pushed yields and the whole farm forward and is helping to guide us towards a profitable and sustainable future.”
Owned by the Staunton Harold Estate, the farm spans 202 hectares (500 acres), with the
Farm facts
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fed a total mixed ration of
rapemeal, sweet mix and caustic wheat
■ Test British Blue semen for Cogent
With the aim of a profitable and sustainable future, brother and sister Alex and Jo Gidlow are keen to push their family farm on by increasing cow numbers and future-proofing the system. Farmers Guardian finds out more.
brother and sister duo being the last generation in a three-generation tenancy.
The farm also buys about 162ha (400 acres) of standing maize on a per tonnage basis, with muck going the other way. With their own umbilical system and muck separator, exporting and handling muck is easy and efficient.
A compact feeding programme has also been adopted, involving the addition of water to diets. Milkers receive a total mixed ration of grass, maize, rapemeal, sweet mix and caustic wheat, and nothing is fed in the parlour.
Breeding decisions are now
based on the Profitable Lifetime Index, while Cogent’s Ecofeed index plays a key part in making breeding decisions. All females are genomically tested and matched to appropriate bulls digitally, with the computer left to make the decisions.
Mr Gidlow says: “Through testing and serving the right cow and in following this system, the herd’s genetic potential has been pushed forward.
“Our cows are pretty typey. I am interested in genetics and am happy to follow the computer in matching bulls to cows based on genomic results. I am more con-
cerned about ensuring we are running as commercially as possible.”
About 45 straws of sexed black and white semen is purchased every month to breed replacement heifers. Sexed Angus straws are used on the rest of the herd, as well as an Angus sweeper bull.
In order to concentrate on dry cow management, a contract heifer rearer forms an integral part of the family’s operation. Dry cows now occupy a separate building, are bedded on sand and are put in socially stable groups.
At 15 weeks of age, calves go to
Mark and Tom Spalton, who rear heifers solely for the Gidlows. On their return to the main farm at 12 months of age they are served, which Mr Gidlow says is achievable due to the good nutritional start they receive as calves.
Holstein calves all have milk powder, feeding eight litres at 150g/litre at peak consumption at about three weeks old via a teat feeder. The first four feeds are colostrum to make the most of animals’ epigenetics, says Mr Gidlow.
All beef calves are sold at two to three weeks of age to Livestock Link to be reared on.
Calves are weaned at 10 weeks of age, with milk intakes reduced at eight weeks. Calves also have access to chopped straw and a rearer pellet from two days old, consuming about 3kg at the time of weaning.
Five years ago, the family put up a new 112-cubicle shed for early lactation cows and the improvement in performance was seen almost immediately.
Mr Gidlow says: “Cow numbers had been climbing up and space was at a premium in our old building. The new barn was designed for cow comfort, with wide passageways, lots of feed space and the high pitch roof, which brings in fresh air and light.”
Cows and heifers are all bedded on sand, which is increasingly cost-competitive when compared with the current price of sawdust. Through advice from Mr Flint, they have started reusing sand, letting it rest in a heap in the field and letting the rain wash the muck out before reusing.
Mr Flint says: “We have seen great improvements in cow comfort and flow. We also took the opportunity to alter some of our existing older sheds by ripping out some cubicles to make them better for the bigger, high- yielding cows, which also now enjoy big passageways and plenty of loafing space. We also have plans to put up another dry shed for calving.”
Mr Gidlow says they are lucky to have a helpful and supportive landlord. With their assistance, two years ago, an old brick barn was converted into a functional staff room for their nine members of staff, with kitchen and washing facilities.
He says: “Creating the staff room has given the staff their own space for lunch and allows them to shower before they leave work.”
It is clear the Gidlows’ approach to managing staff pays dividends, as the newest member of staff has been at the farm for two years.
More recently, work has been carried out to build the farm’s suc-
Through testing and serving the right cow and in following this [digital] system, the herd’s genetic potential has been pushed forward
ALEX GIDLOW
cession plan, with father Paul transferring part of the farm to his son and daughter.
Mr Gidlow says: “Succession is obviously very important and Chris has been very helpful in guiding us through the process. It has also been hugely time-consuming.”
With the siblings in the driving seats, opportunities for personal development are taken hold of.
Through their milk buyer, Arla, Alex has been involved in Best Practice Groups, sponsored by Asda, since 2007.
They then joined the Asda Challengers Group in 2013, the Asda Innovators Group in 2014 and, more recently, Ms Gidlow has become involved with their local Arla R500 Group.
Alex says: “These groups give us opportunity to get off-farm, see other businesses, be exposed to new ideas and discuss key topics with other farmers. They challenge what we are doing.
“Being the last generation with any certainty on the farm, all we can do is keep pushing forward the business in the way we see fit.”
ANALYSIS by ForFarmers of more than 800 of this year’s first cut silage samples shows a huge difference in the quality of silages harvested early in March to May, and those harvested from June onwards.
Bruce Forshaw, ForFarmers product manager, says: “Early first cuts are struggling for energy levels compared to silages from 2022 and 2023, and have lower rapidly fermentable carbohydrates.
“Acid loads are also lower, reflecting a high fibre content, which means you might not need to be
feeding your usual levels of straw in the diet.”
Analysis for early first cuts shows ‘more energy for the lactating cow’ (MELK) values, which is the energy actually available for milk production, are not as high as in the last few years.
Mr Forshaw says: “The really poor weather we had in spring meant some farmers were unable to take their first cut of silage until June, or even later, and this is reflected in the analysis of this silage.
“Energy levels are low and fibre levels are high, reflecting the older, stemmier plants which were harvested. At 941, 2024 first cut MELK values are considerably lower than
A PILOT study on sub-clinical mastitis and its dynamics between lactations in meat-producing sheep is being conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the CVS Group farm veterinary practice.
The main aims of this research are to investigate whether ewes without gross lesions on the udder are sub-clinically infected at weaning and whether such sub-clinical infections are self-cleared during the dry period.
The study will also look at whether new infections are acquired during the dry period and whether ewes with sub-clinical mastitis at weaning and/or at lambing are likely to develop signs of clinical mastitis during lactation.
The project is being carried out on a single flock of 300 Cheviot cross breeding ewes with a historically high reported incidence of mastitis. The data and milk sam-
ples were collected at two time points – weaning (summer 2023) and lambing (spring 2024).
Follow-up data on clinical mastitis (acute and chronic) will be collected throughout the lactation and at the next weaning. Milk samples from each udder half will be submitted for somatic cell counts (SCC).
Bacteriology will be performed only in the samples with SCCs above the established threshold.
Preliminary results showed that the incidence of chronic mastitis (ewes with lumps) at weaning was almost 7% (15/226).
However, 40% (80/205) of the sampled ewes had at least one udder half with a SCC result above the cut-off of 500,000 cells/ml, suggestive of intramammary infection.
Further analysis of the data is being carried out and final results will be obtained later in 2024.
Analysis for early first cuts shows MELK values are not as high as in the last few years.
the average in 2022 [956] and 2023 [966]. This drop will convert to real loss of milk across winter.
“Farmers need to think carefully about the right supplementation to
support this poor quality first cut silage. Second cut silage analysis is returning similar to those in 2022, but is still not going to replace what has been lost from first cuts.”
A NEW pilot project which aims to help beef producers save money is now searching for suitable farmers from Gwynedd and Anglesey to take part.
The project – Decarbonising Protected Geographical Indication Welsh Beef – will consider the impact of finishing beef cattle within a reduced rearing period on a business’ financial return, as well as its positive effect on the production of greenhouse gas emissions.
Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) is leading this work and is currently recruiting a total of 50 farmers to participate. The farms must be located within Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire as originally advertised, with the opportunity now opened up to include beef businesses in Gwynedd and Anglesey too.
Benefits for those involved include free carbon audits and free financial analysis, which could lead to increased profits for farm businesses.
In order to comply with the funding provided by the ARFOR Challenge Fund, participants must be Welsh speakers.
The ARFOR Challenge Fund aims to strengthen the relationship between the economy and the Welsh
language in North and West Wales by awarding grants for pioneering solutions to community challenges. A combination of historic and current market intelligence will be analysed as part of the project, along with the participating farmers’ individual performance data, to map out ‘what if’ scenarios for each business.
HCC’s policy development lead Russ Thomas says: “We are already working with farmers from Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire on this project and are pleased to offer the same opportunity to beef producers in North West Wales now too.
“The purpose of this work is to develop efficiency within beef production systems in Wales and to ultimately help the producers make more money.”
It is also hoped that the project will have a positive impact further along the supply chain.
Mr Thomas says: “Retailers and abattoirs are looking for livestock of consistent size and standardisation between cuts. Retail sales and buying patterns will always be the key influences which determine the target grade specifications set by the abattoir and processor, and acceptable lighter weights can range from 225kg to 400kg deadweight.”
Scotland 44.1kg
The South 24.5kg DM/ha/day (9.9kg DM/acre/day) 16.7 16.9 4.3
Grass growth Soil moisture (cb)
Soil temperature (degC) Rainfall (mm per week)
Region Seven-day forecast 14-day forecast
North England 36.9kg DM/ha (14.9kg DM/acre) 45kg DM/ha (18.2kg DM/acre)
South England 42.5kg DM/ha (17.2kg DM/acre) 53.9kg DM/ha (21.8kg DM/acre)
Scotland 47.1kg DM/ha (19.1kg DM/acre) 35.7kg DM/ha (14.4kg DM/acre)
Wales 59.1kg DM/ha (23.9kg DM/acre) 48kg DM/ha (19.4kg DM/acre)
■ Growth was close to the five-year average for this time of year where sufficient rainfall has occurred, with continued good soil temperatures
■ Predicted growth rates of 40-50kg of dry matter/hectare/day (16.2-20.2kg DM/acre/day), along with good DM percentage, should help to sustain intakes and allow build-up of average cover and rotation length
■ Check grazing infrastructure and make any necessary adjustment to access points/lanes ahead of autumn rotations
■ Grass-based reseeds should now be well underway to allow sufficient time for plants to fully establish this season; select grass varieties based on their intended use and match to local field situations
GrassCheckGB is a collaboration between The UK Agri-Tech Centre, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Rothamsted Research, AHDB, Hybu Cig Cymru, Germinal, Handley Enterprises, Sciantec Analytical, Yara, Pilgrim’s UK and Quality Meat Scotland. Regular updates will appear in Farmers Guardian.
•
l Charolais breed takes top spots in beef rings
By Ellie Layton
THE seven-hour journey was worthwhile for Scottish sheep judge John Barclay, Ayrshire, who told those around the ringside that his champion was the best sheep he had ever handled.
His inter-breed and lowland champion, a two-year-old Blue Texel ewe, Hunters Golden Girl, came from young shepherd Rhys Francis, who farms in Abergorlech, Carmarthen, alongside his father, Aneirin.
The ewe joined their TopBank flock after being purchased in Carlisle in August 2023 and is a Lyles Eagle daughter. At this year’s Royal Welsh Show, the ewe was reserve female champion and following this win will hang up its halter until next year.
Sheep
Inter-breed (Judge, J. Barclay, Ayrshire)
Supreme, R. Francis (Blue Texel); reserve, Harries family (North Country Cheviot).
Inter-breed group of three (J. Barclay) Sup., Harries family (North Country Cheviot); res., A. Davies (Charollais).
Inter-breed ewe lamb (J. Barclay) Sup., Davies family (Blue Texel); C. and M. Richards (Blue Faced Leicester).
Hampshire Down (D. Jones, Aberystwyth) Sup. and res., E.B and J.A. James. Blue Texel (G. Morgan, Llanfynydd) Sup., R. Francis; res., Davies family.
North Country Cheviot (J. Stevens, Llanehidian) Sup., Harries family; res., H. and S. Griffiths. Charollais (G. Davies, Brecon) Sup., and res., A. Davies.
Balwen (H.L. Jones, Abergele) Sup., PaewaiJones; res., Williams family.
Bluefaced Leicester (L. Nash, Narbeth) Sup. and res., C. and M. Richards. Kerry Hill (E. Williams, Usk) Sup. and res., John family. Herdwick (S. Richardson, Cumbria) Sup., T.E. Wilcock; res., D. and M. Jones. Rare, minority and Longwool (H.L. Jones) Sup. and res., A. Harries.
Southdown (J. Harmer, Lewes) Sup., G.L. Richards; res., T. Russell-Davies.
Jacob (H. Jones, Erwood) Sup., Harries family; res., G. Evans.
Suffolk (G. Morgan) Sup. and res., G. Rees. Dutch Spotted (L. Nash) Sup., Williams family; res., R. Jones.
Badger Face Welsh Mountain Torwen (A. Edwards, Aberystwyth) Sup., S. Jeffreys; res., H.S. Griffiths.
Badger Face Welsh Mountain Torddu (A. Edwards) Sup., G. Jones; res., S. Jeffreys. Texel (M. Davies, Brecon) Sup., J.E. and L. Davies; J. and G. Davies. Beltex (J. Harmer) Sup. and res., S. Morgan.
Any other hill breed (G. Davies) Sup., I. and I. Dillion; res., E. Hughes.
Any other native lowland (G. Morgan) Sup., L. and G. Richards; res., N. and C. Williams. Welsh Mountain (J. Stevens) Sup., T. RussellDavies; res., T. James. Black Welsh Mountain (E. Williams) Sup., Williams family; res., G. Davies. Lleyn (W. Davies, Neven) Sup. and res., R.G. and H.M. Wells.
Any other continental (G. Morgan) Sup., Harries family (Badger Face Texel); res., R. Francis.
Beef
Inter-breed (A. Owen, Welshpool) Sup., S.L. Davies, Breos Tiara (Charolais); res., S.L. Davies, Breos Ubeauty (Charolais). Commercial (A. Owen) Sup., S.L. Davies, Breos Ubeauty. Pure beef (A. Owen) Sup., S.L. Davies, Breos Tiara (Charolais); res., D. Thomas (British Blue).
Dairy
Inter-breed (O. Harries, Cwmgwili) Sup., G. Strudwick, Dulais Sidekick Trifolium (Holstein); res., T.L.D.A. and R. Thomas, Paith Hawaiian Eclipse 2 (Ayrshire). Holstein (O. Harries) Sup., G. Strudwick, Dulais Sidekick Trifolium; res., Evan Hammett. Any other pure breed, Sup., T.L.D.A. and R. Thomas, Paith Hawaiian Eclipse 2; res., T.L.D.A. and R. Thomas.
Mr Barclay said: “The high standard of sheep made the journey worthwhile. My champion was an out-andout winner, with style and character and full throughout, the best sheep I believe to have ever handled.”
His reserve inter-breed and hill champion was a North Country Cheviot Park ram lamb that came from the Harris family’s Hope flock based near Llandeilo. The February-born ram lamb is part of their 39-head flock and is sired by a Sebay-bred ram and out of a homebred ewe. This topped off a successful day for the family, where they also claimed breed champion in the Jacob and any other continental sections.
Reserve champion lowland went to the Suffolk champion at the Dyfed Suffolk Sheep Breeders club show. The yearling ewe was from Gavin Rees, Carmarthen, who swept the board, winning every breed class.
A Kerry Hill from the John family, Pontarsais, Carmarthenshire, was awarded the reserve inter-breed hill title. The yearling ewe is part of their fourth-generation OldSchool flock and is a daughter of the well-known Kerry Hill ram, Big Bad Barry.
The inter-breed group of three went to the Cheviots, with the champion trio coming from the Harris family, while the reserve went to a group of Charollais from Aidrian Davies, Llandeilo.
In the ewe lamb inter-breed championship, a Blue Texel from the Davies family, Carmarthen, took the top prize, followed by a crossing type Bluefaced Leicester from Carwyn and Maria Richards, Kidwelly, in reserve.
In the beef ring, the Charolais breed took both the champion and reserve spots under judge Arwel Owen, Welshpool.
Both came from Stuart and Linda Evans, Gower, who keep the Breos herd of a dozen pedigree Charolais cows.
Inter-breed champion was Breos Tiara, a Goldstar Echo daughter out of home-bred cow, Breos Nell. The April 2022-born heifer had been placed fourth at the Royal Welsh Show.
Reserve went to their 15-month-old heifer, Breos Ubeauty, which won the commercial champion title before taking the reserve inter-breed spot. Home-bred on both sides, this Breos Perfectstorm daughter also placed fourth at the Royal Welsh Show.
In the dairy ring, young breeder Gwen Strudwick, Llanfynydd, took the Holstein and inter-breed title home with her second calver, Dulais Side-
dairy, Holstein and best udder of the
kick Trifolium. This cow is part of Miss Strudwick’s 13-head herd. The December 2020-born daughter of Walnutlawn Sidekick also won best udder at the show.
Reserve went to the any other breed
champion, an Ayrshire heifer from T.L.D.A. and R. Thomas, Lanelli. The December 2021-born heifer, Paith Hawaiian Eclipse 2, was also awarded champion heifer and is a daughter of Pam Ayrs Hawaiian.
Source: LAA/MartEye
3/690.0 6/628.3 1/735.0 53/43.8 71/294.5 59/233.2 36/215.6
4/1192.5 -/- 1/400.0 5/254.0 -/- -/1/350.0 3/683.3 10/711.0 13/30.5 47/281.8
4/393.7 1/1065.0 6/1080.0 57/82.1 150/301.8 126/266.8 87/214.8
Source: IAAS/ScotEID Figures show livestock numbers first, then average price per head.
CATTLE prices increased at auction marts in England and Wales this week, while sheep prices remained over 300p/kg.
In the cattle rings, heifers were up the most in price by 6.6p/kg to 289.7p/kg, while steers had risen by 2.4p/kg to 275.6p/kg.
Young bulls increased by 1.7p/kg to 272.1p/kg, and dairy-sired cull cows had grown by 1.1p/kg to 156.3p/kg in value.
There was no change in sheep prices from last week, with prices remaining at 302.2p/kg.
Baconers, cutters and porkers all increased in value as well.
As Farmers Guardian went to press on Wednesday (August 21), UK LIFFE wheat prices for November 2024 were trading at £184.40/tonne, down in price by £3.90/t on the week.
Source: LAA/MartEye
Primestock throughput, price and price change (p/kg). Week ending August 20, 2024.
N/S
SOURCE: LAA/MartEye
SOURCE:
SOURCE:
Source:
to Delinkage values 2025-27. BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN: English: Defra estimates £20,000-£200,000/unit excluding VAT and associated fees, subject to lot size. Last tender July 15, 2024, next September 9, 2024. NUTRIENT NEUTRALITY: Long-term sales all types agric man excluding specialist habitat creation. Nitrates £3,000-£4,000/unit (£18,000£206,000/ha); phosphates £50,000-£65,000/ unit (£2,000-£169,000/ha). CARBON: Woodland Carbon >£35/WCU >£25/PIU. May 2023 WCG reverse auction average £19.76. WATER: English abstraction licences less than £3-£15/cu.m.
Source: Townsend Chartered Surveyors
A lot has changed in the last half century, but even after 50 years, Borderway Mart is still at the heart of the rural community. Barbara Huddart finds out more.
Nationally and internationally respected agricultural auctioneering company Harrison and Hetherington (H&H) is about to mark the 50th anniversary of its hugely successful Borderway Mart complex in Carlisle.
From its opening sale on Friday, August 23, 1974, H&H at Borderway has grown into the cornerstone of the H&H Group’s network of seven marts across the North West and the Scottish Borders, and one of the most successful livestock trading hubs in the UK.
Its auctioneers today sell 820,000 or £240 million-worth of animals every year through the Carlisle-based centre, attracting buyers and sellers to its international showcase sales from across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
This hugely progressive business leads the way in livestock trading, and it was the first company in the UK to offer online livestreaming and real-time bidding of sales, which today attract buyers and audiences as far away as Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Looking back at the extraordinary changes of the past 50 years gives me an inspiring perspective as to what we can achieve
SCOTT DONALDSON
Forced to move from its original city centre mart in Botchergate to make way for a new road development in the early 1970s, H&H identified the old Durranhill army camp (now known as Rosehill), on the southern edge of Carlisle, as the
ideal site for its brand-new, architect-designed mart.
Positioned a pitchfork toss from the M6, the new Borderway complex offered state-of-the art, fully covered mart facilities capable of handling major-volume sales of livestock and poultry, agricultural equipment, cars and commercial vehicles, together with the social spaces that continue to make Borderway the foremost rural community hub in the region.
Borderway mart was officially opened for business by Westmorland MP William Whitelaw, and the sale made the headlines in The Cumberland News: “On the first day of their opening week, Friday, at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, Harrison and Hetherington presented 353 head of accredited dairy cattle comprising 144 calved cows and heifers, 72 calving cows and heifers and 137 bulling heifers and heifer stirks. This attracted buyers from a wide area and the estimated attendance was in excess of 3,000.”
The local MP and future Home Secretary also officiated as auctioneer
in the sale of the Championship Cup-winning in-calf Friesian heifer shown by Mr G.A. Bellas, Bedlandsgate, Penrith, bringing the hammer down on a successful bid of £1,180 from Mr A. Swales, Overthwaite, Holme, Carnforth.
On Friday, August 23, 2024, exactly 50 years to the day since Borderway opened, H&H will mark the milestone by recreating that first sale with some special guests who were involved in the mart’s earliest days.
Former auctioneers Michael Dickie and Robert Harrison will take to the rostrum to auction the first lots, and several original members of staff have been invited as guests of honour to the Anniversary Sale Day Breakfast, including John Carruthers, Howard Matthews, Isobel McVittie, Cyril Hogg, John Clark and Micky Thompson.
Landmark moments
In the last 50 years, the numbers sold and the values realised at Borderway have risen to levels that could not have been imagined, and some of the long-serving members of today’s
Borderway team remember the landmark moments in the development of the ‘new’ mart to its present best-in-class operation.
Michael Armstrong, senior IT and administration manager, joined H&H at Borderway as an office junior 40 years ago at the age of 17.
He says: “I worked on the front desk, basically doing customer service before it was known as ‘customer service’, helping out with prices realised in the sales. The working
days were longer then – we started booking cattle in at 6am on a Monday morning and some days we were still doing this at 4pm in the afternoon.
“In those days, H&H Estates was also based at Borderway and there was a huge motor auction. Nearly everything was completed manually, and I remember Wendy Dean, the group’s telephonist, using an old-fashioned switchboard to manage the hundreds of calls we
received. One of the most significant changes to have impacted the industry is computerisation, but when I started one chore was writing every cheque by hand from a blank cheque book – and sometimes there could have been 1,000 cheques to write.
“The group introduced the first computer a year before I joined. It was the size of a desk and the disc, which was changed every evening, was at least two feet wide.”
Auctioneer Andrew Templeton began his working life at Borderway as a trainee auctioneer 43 years ago, employed by the then managing director Dick Harrison.
He says: “One of the biggest changes at Borderway has been regulation –it is like every industry; you are far more accountable today.
“Back then, technology and procedures were very simple. Sales were clerked manually in the ring and we had an air tube system [where] we sent all the papers into the main office and the main office processed them to produce the bills. There were no passports – you only took the ear numbers of female cattle. When the passports were introduced, it created a lot more bureaucracy.
“The other big change of course is in the level of throughput of animals. When I started, we would have 50 head of store cattle coming through the ring, and a milestone day was when we put 2,000 under
a junior in financial control 45 years ago and continues to be a core member of the financial administration team.
I have enjoyed every day I [have] worked here. I like the people, the staff and the farmers. It is a way of life
MARK JEFFERSON
the hammer. Volumes and values have obviously changed over the years, and a truly significant day was in the late 1980s: our first £1 million sales day.
“It was the September three-day store cattle sale; the excitement was phenomenal, and when we finished the sale Dick Harrison got the whisky out. Now, some weeks we can have up to three or four £1 million sale days.
“Change has been continuous, and we have gone from strength to strength to become the premier company in terms of livestock trading. As Dick Harrison said: ‘There is nothing wrong with competition as long as it is weaker than you’.”
Lorne Dixon began working as
He remembers the terrible impact of BSE and the devastation of footand-mouth, but his main impression is of growth and continuity and the fact that, as Borderway has changed and grown, so has the trade. But ‘a lot of the same farming families are still selling and buying’, he says, and it is ‘nice to see it passing on to different generations’.
He also notes that more and more farmers are happy to drop off their stock and leave the auctioneers in charge, which began during Covid-19.
Mark Jefferson is responsible for co-ordinating private sales, and having come from a farming family, all he ever wanted to be was a farmer – until he was offered an opportunity at the mart after completing work experience there. Fast-forward 46 years, and he is still proud to work there.
He says: “I learned the ropes for the first few years and then started to book in cattle. We started at 6am, and some nights we finished at 9pm or 10pm at night, and we were paid weekly in cash.
“BSE and foot-and-mouth were major milestones, and during foot-and-mouth I was the only office person here.
Defra, and I was left to look after the vehicle auctions. I have enjoyed every day I [have] worked here. I like the people, the staff and the farmers. It is a way of life, and working at Borderway has kept me within an industry I love.”
And that is what Borderway’s 50th anniversary will celebrate: the continuity those memories represent.
H&H chief executive Scott Donaldson says it is the people who make it tick; they are at the heart of its success.
“Everyone else was seconded to
“We have come so far from that first sale because we have been able to offer a quality of service and a value that buyers and sellers can trust,” he says.
“We could not have dreamed Borderway would achieve the scale and quality of today’s trade or the kind of sophisticated technology that makes our online sales and livestreaming possible.
“But we have always been committed to offering our customers and clients the highest level of service and the widest reach.
“Looking back at the extraordinary changes of the past 50 years gives me an inspiring perspective as to what we can achieve as a company based from here at Borderway in the next half century.”
Since it first opened in 1974, the numbers sold and the values realised at Borderway have risen to levels that could not have been imagined.
Devon James and Isobel, with their two young children, recently bought their first farm, and plan to run beef and sheep over 13.8 hectares (34 acres), renting a further 44.5ha (110 acres). James works for tech firm Breedr as UK country manager. You can follow them on Twitter @jpbwfarm.
We have moved to Devon from Sussex where we had been farming at the bottom of the Downs and, towards the end of June, grass would start to go brown and growth rates would drop.
You’d have to defer enough grass to get you through the summer.
Now that we live in the land of milk where further down the valley grass grows almost all year round, I thought we’d enjoy a lovely summer of short showers and sunny days, but I’ve discovered that stories of the North Devon rain belt are actually true.
This summer has been dreadfully wet and cold, which means it hasn’t been until this week that I feel we have an excess of grass.
Flowing
It does mean though that the borehole has barely run as the spring has kept flowing all summer.
One of the best parts about my job as UK & EU country manager at Breedr is I get to meet incredible and innovative farmers from across the continent.
Every country has it owns chal-
‘I’ve discovered that stories about the North Devon rain belt are true’
lenges, whether in places such as Ireland where prices are relatively low, or Holland where farms are a fraction of the size of what they are in the UK due to high land prices (land in Holland regularly trades for £24,000-40,000 an acre).
One thing though is clear, whether they are intensive indoors, or extensively grazing a moor, efficiency is the key to success.
That means maximising produc-
tion from your system and relentlessly controlling costs.
Across the EU and the UK, we’ve had 25 years of increasing regulation – everything from paperwork about nitrogen usage to stricter requirements on employment.
It is the businesses that have managed that transition well that have thrived. The tragedy in all this, however, is what’s that got to do with producing food?
IT has been a wet week in central and southern Europe, with flash flooding being caused by thunderstorms and tornadoes and an impact on agriculture on the continent.
The reason for the wet weather (despite claims of it being caused by climate change) is a perfectly usual combination of late summer heat with colder air aloft.
The cooler air high in the atmosphere is associated with what we call a trough at high levels.
This destabilises the atmosphere which means that if the surface temperatures are hot, convection can readily take place. This in turn triggers
large cumulonimbus clouds which hold massive amounts of moisture and which eventually rain that out.
Being showers, the heavy rain is actually fairly localised, but if it were to hit your farm, you would certainly know about it.
I mentioned that these events are not uncommon in late summer and that is because we reach the peak of landheating in the northern hemisphere.
The sea is also at its warmest, hence the reason for hurricanes developing in the Atlantic.
It is these, which I have noticed after observing them for more years than I care to remember, that often bring
about a change in weather patterns in the British Isles and Europe.
It is as if the atmosphere gets a metaphorical ‘kick’ when the remnants of the first hurricanes arrive close to our shores.
And by the time you are reading this, that is what is likely to have happened.
The remnants of hurricanes will have affected us during the week and the impact they have may well allow a change of pressure regime next week.
That could mean a few days of drier, warmer weather; perhaps not for all of us, but for some.
We will keep you updated in our daily videos at weatherweb.net
In other news, we sold our first lambs this week and made a £10/ head profit.
Having bought them as couples I was happy to have made a bit given that the trade has gone back since then.
We’ve hopefully lined up some outdoor lambing Lleyns to collect later this month and we’re looking forward to setting them up how we want, as we have the cows this year.
For location specific forecasts visit farmersweather.co.uk and for video updates go to weatherweb.net or call the number below. Call Farmers WeatherLIVE
Cornwall Alan Carter
Kent Dan Hawes
North Wales
Dan Jones farms 650 ewes at the National Trust-owned Parc Farm, which sits on the Great Orme, a limestone headland which rises up 208 metres (682 feet) on the North Wales coast near Llandudno. His Farm Business Tenancy covers the 58 hectares (143 acres) at Parc Farm, plus 364ha (900 acres) of grazing rights on the hill.
Last month, my wife embarked on her first, and perhaps only, ultra-endurance bike race.
Spanning 1,100 miles, she bravely tackled a route that began with a lap of the Isle of Man, continued through the breathtaking landscapes of the Lake District and ventured into the heart of Scotland, ultimately con-
cluding in Inverness via the isles of Mull and Skye. Through sheer determination, she not only completed the arduous journey in just over a week, but also persevered through the final leg of her race without the use of gears, relying solely on a single-speed mechanism.
As I stood at the finish line in Inverness, I could not help but feel an immense sense of pride and admiration for my wife’s incredible achievement.
We had planned to stay for a couple of days, celebrating her success.
However, our joy was unexpectedly cut short when I received a phone call from a representative of the Welsh Government, who informed me they would be conducting a compulsory inspection for the Integrated Administration and Control Systems, Organic and Habitat Cymru schemes next day.
I explained that I was away, but was met with the response, “Don’t worry, we can do the inspection without you.”
There was no way I could possibly relax in the North of Scotland knowing that someone would be inspecting my farm in my absence.
Fortunately, my wife understood the gravity of the situation, and we immediately made our way back home.
For the first few hours of the inspection I felt as though I was on trial and couldn’t shake the feeling that I had done something wrong, a sentiment hugely influenced by my previous experiences with local authorities.
The process took nearly two days, but despite the thoroughness, I was relieved to find the inspector exercised fairness and common sense in his evaluation. Ultimately, there were no serious issues, only minor adjustments,
such as boundary modifications and a bit more bracken management.
It is important to address the stress and emotional impact that these visits have on farmers. I’ve heard disheartening stories of the lasting effects that these inspections can have, where innocent mistakes are sometimes erroneously treated as criminal offences.
I count myself fortunate to have the unwavering support of my family, as well as the Farmers Union of Wales, whose local county officer has been nothing short of exceptional. While it’s crucial for farmers to adhere to regulations and standards, we must also acknowledge the emotional toll these processes can have on individuals and their families.
Send in your correct entries to be in with a chance of winning £20 worth of Love2shop vouchers every month. Send to: Crossword No. 1259, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9NZ.
1 Itinerant and disturbingly precipitate (11)
7 Seed to pile into heaps for showy bird (7)
8 Madder, we hear - it’s more mild and soothing (7)
10 Swindles men (5)
11 A new word ‘gloominess’, somehow with one son gone (9)
12 One grand peer? On the contrary, mean and worthless (7)
14 Pin angler’s bait - easily caught small carp (7)
15 Above exposed part of cliff, level top (7)
17 Old mare wandering in lands of a noble (7)
19 Person half asleep pursuing massive heavy tractor (9)
21 First class oil mixture in garlic mayonnaise (5)
22 Send on railway journey hospital department shower (7)
23 Open country with bit of fine mature foliage (7)
24 Roadside device that provides fine evidence (5,6)
1 Army unit also included in scheme (7)
2 Rummages for underground organs (5)
3 Is this small pug-dog a native of China? (9)
4 Forbidden to utter disapproving sounds following thanks (5)
5 Rolled tar imperfectly, it’s a difficult assignment (4,5)
6 Prompt about one error in cooking style (7)
7 Allowed for projectile crossing centre of Dubai (11)
9 Old military domain, Hadrian’s realm (5,6)
13 Made weary it’s said, but full of fighting spirit for Monopoly maybe (5,4)
14 Irregular fighter sick after malaria circles both sides of river (9)
16 Tells stories concerning deceased saint (7)
18 Three-dimensional scene; French fashion designer with a mother (7)
20 Dozen surprisingly spaced out (5)
21 Belittle a place from which operations are conducted (5)
Answers to crossword 1257: Across: 7 Thresh, 8 Hawthorn, 9 Rattletrap, 10 Lamb, 11 Feta, 12 Dead nettle, 13 Ingredients, 18 Directions, 21 Acne, 22 Okra, 23 Innovation, 24 Paleness, 25 Rarity. Down: 1 Shearer, 2 Restrain, 3 Shrewd, 4 Twopence, 5 Chalet, 6 Bramble, 8 Hare and hounds, 14 Ratlines, 15 Tractors, 16 Sick pay, 17 Uncouth, 19 Eraser, 20 Severe.
There was a lot to think about as I drove home from the Royal Welsh Show earlier this year. Road signs in fields underlined the unease I felt around the future of agriculture.
Anger is visible. There are changes which are going to impoverish communities and weaken sustainability.
At the NFU Cymru stand, rows of empty wellingtons symbolised this fear.
Each pair removed from the countryside represented the despair and failure to sustain a family and extended family in a rural community. It was such a clever way to convey this message; I only hope the dignitaries and politicians were thoughtful enough to question their presence.
Our country has made a commitment to reduce carbon and increase biodiversity. It is not something we can ignore.
Wales is essentially at the vanguard of this commitment.
The Government has already worked through the easy environmental wins – coal, carbon offsetting, renewables – and now farming looks to
be next in the firing line. To continue along this path will sacrifice our communities and the food we need.
We can find easy wins outside of agriculture. It is a choice.
I am confident that whoever reads this will have their own examples.
The way the Government funds our organisations and services, seemingly on a boom-or-bust basis, is immensely wasteful and increases the bills we all have to meet – a financial cost adding to the sustainability burden, especially for rural communities.
We can, and should, challenge those who serve us when we recognise wasteful practices.
To turn a blind eye to this allows the elephant to remain in the room for these organisations who, in turn, detract attention by using emotive sound bites.
So, bang on cue, comes the statement, ‘nature is dying’.
This too is just demoralising. I can see a noticeable increase in nature on and around my farm and I am sure I am not alone.
I have witnessed huge progress in how our industry manages our soils, trees, hedgerows and livestock over 40 years. It is progress which is con-
tinuing. The need to demonstrate what has been achieved is now. It is vital because we run the risk of losing control over our own natural assets.
Those wellies at the show are no longer on farms; they make a serious point about our rural communities and the challenges faced today.
Was I the only one to notice the growing number of environmental bodies at the Royal Welsh this year?
All there to forward sustainability; all with similar messages.
There appears to be an attempt to deliver a sustainability strategy from multiple silos, incrementally removing enablement from farmers and landowners.
Are we witnessing a power struggle to control nature and access to future funding?
The growth of organisations giving a little back, but taking more away via farm assurance schemes, wildlife or water quality initiatives, continues to increase. It concerns me that so many white knights are riding in to right
wrongs, with the inference that farming created the problem and cannot be trusted to offer a solution.
Are large businesses and organisations set to capitalise on this to maintain their processes without the responsibility of change?
We need full control of our assets to adapt to our changing world and a free market. If the countryside is not careful, environmental gains will become a commodity from which farmers will not gain.
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