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‘His biased badger TB documentary will harm farmers’ mental health’
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Big decisions for James Howard, a hill farmer in West Yorkshire. See p21-23.
ALTHOUGH his views may be more rock star than APHA, Sir Brian May has done more to raise the profile of bovine TB than the industry has achieved over several years.
But like so many celebrities stomping around farming issues in their expensive boots, his ‘expert’ opinion has only served to show how little most people understand.
The primetime BBC2 documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me, set out to tackle bTB head-on and to find a solution to the problem that Government and veterinary scientists have been working on for decades.
Of course there is one quite major problem. The programme, as its title suggests, was a one-sided take on an issue which, for anyone who knows anything about bTB, its spread and its control, is extremely complex and nuanced.
The majority of viewers watching last Friday evening would not have been party to the breadth of information and scientific papers available on the subject – and why would they?
under Labour – and one that has shown to be working. At most, it will further rile up a militant, anti-badger-cull lobby and place another wedge between farming and non-farming communities. Meanwhile, farmers who live with the problem or in fear of the day it arrives, are once again left feeling helpless and isolated.
All too often, celebrity endorsement becomes fact, and that should be challenged.
So, too, should the BBC for crediting its rural editor who had departed before the programme aired, leaving the corporation completely unaccountable.
LISTEN TO THE FG PODCAST
Aired during the channel’s regular Gardners’ World slot, the audience typically watches the BBC to be informed and educated, and while the programme was clearly based on his own opinion – Sir Brian did not attempt at any point to hide his badger bias – you could not blame a viewer for coming away with a muddled view.
What can the industry do? As well as complain to the BBC and call for an accurate programme to be aired which details the scientific evidence and not just the opinion of so-called experts cherry-picked to suit an agenda, it must get better at communicating the gains made by the current bTB strategy and all the time and money spent by farmers and professionals on the ground to bring rates down to their current 20-year low. That story, which is backed by fact and evidence, is hard for anyone to ignore, and people need to hear it.
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At the very least, it will have cast doubt on a strategy the UK has committed to – yes, even
■ More on this story on p4-5 and p96. down to their current which is backed by fact and evidence, is hard for
On this week’s cover: Direct
THE farming industry has expressed ‘deep concern’ following the BBC’s broadcast of Brian May: the Badgers, the Farmers and Me, accusing the rock star of pedalling ‘misinformation’.
Sarah Tomlinson, AHDB lead veterinary science expert, said her first concern was for farmers’ mental health after watching what she described as a television programme with ‘quite biased views’.
She said: “My initial reaction took me back to my farm vet roots and I was concerned some farmers who got a bovine TB test read would watch that programme and think ‘Well, it is not worth it. Nothing is working’.
“A lot of farmers are on their own and the mental health impact [of the show] was my first concern; bTB is really complex and to explain it with quite biased views in just an hour of TV is really hard to do.”
Ms Tomlinson said although Sir Brian made it clear during the film he was sharing his ‘opinion’, in the promotion of the programme, he had wrongly claimed there was no ‘science or evidence’ behind the cull.
She said: “There is plenty of scientific evidence which shows badgers contribute to the spread of bTB. He suggested policy is not working when in fact the statistics from Defra last year showed we were at a 20year low.
“Something is working – it is a
combination of lots of things. It is not just the culling of badgers, but in the high-risk area of the South West, the cull has played a major part in that reduction.”
Ms Tomlinson said there was no question the measures introduced by farmer Robert Reed and vet Dick Sibley at Gatcombe Farm in Devon would help eradicate the disease.
But the programme also showed how hard it was to get on top of bTB as it was revealed, following complaints from AHDB, there had been subsequent reinfections on the farm.
Vets Dr John Gallagher, former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food head of Veterinary Investigation Service, Devon and Cornwall, and Roger Blowey, former senior partner, Woods Veterinary Group, Gloucester, shared Ms Tomlinson’s concerns and said there had been ‘so much misinformation circulating that the real facts of the problem have almost been lost’.
In a joint statement, Dr Gallagher and Mr Blowey said: “We have seen too many farmers whose hearts and minds have been broken by this nonsensical situation. There is no end in sight for farmers, no hope.”
The British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) said the programme was largely based on the results from one farm’s experience and the opinion of one celebrity and one vet.
The BCVA said: “Opinions are not facts. Certainly, any suggestion that there is a new, singular and revolu-
AN extension to TB Isolation Unit (TBIU) filling periods has been welcomed by the NFU following lobbying.
TBIUs provide an outlet for calves or store cattle from TB-restricted holdings which do not have sufficient rearing facilities. Currently, TBIUs can source cattle under licence from a single
TB-restricted holding and a period of up to six weeks (42 days) is allowed to fill the unit.
From August 30, the entry window will be extended to 60 days.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “The NFU has long been calling for an extension to TBIU filling periods, working in collaboration
tionary explanation for the reason TB spreads is a stretch.”
Neil Shand, chief executive of the National Beef Association, said the body was ‘deeply concerned’ about Sir Brian’s refusal to accept ‘some of the factual science’ which did not align with his ‘agenda’.
Mr Shand said: “The programme was biased in the extreme, giving consumers only one view of a vastly complex debate. For this, the BBC bears responsibility for failing to provide a scientifically balanced and alternative view.
“Over the years, many farmers have suffered greatly with their mental health due to the challenges and financial hardship the disease causes on farms. This broadcast has done nothing to improve their situation –perhaps even made them feel more isolated and alone.”
A lot of farmers are on their own and the mental health impact [of the show] was my first concern
SARAH TOMLINSON
with NFU Cymru, Defra, the Welsh Government and APHA. It is great to see this now coming to fruition.
“Not only will the increase help ease the burden on TB-restricted farms, but it will also help boost productivity and efficiency within the supply chain. We will continue to work with Defra as it monitors the situation.”
CONSERVATION officers and volunteers at Bere Marsh Farm in Shillingstone, which is owned by the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT), has been given the go-ahead to plant native wildflowers and meadow grasses to enhance floodplain fields.
The team has reseeded a total area of one hectare with brush-harvested seed from floodplain meadows managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.
The plan is to increase coverage over the rest of the floodplain fields at Bere Marsh in future years, amounting to 13.5ha in total.
CRT head of conservation and land management, Helena Darragh, said: “These magnificent lowland habitats contribute to nature-friendly farm practices through providing a valuable nutritious source of food for livestock. A hay cut is taken in summer, followed by the grazing of regrowth in autumn, until it becomes too wet for livestock to be on the field.”
reported following Chris Packham’s Barclays comments
THE RSPCA and RSPB have been reported to the charity watchdog by an MP, following comments made by TV presenter Chris Packham who told Barclays customers to set themselves on fire.
Giving a speech earlier this month at the Action for Wildlife Day event in Derbyshire, Mr Packham, president of the RSPCA, accused Barclays of trading in
‘fossil fuels, weaponry and poverty’ and urged its customers to ‘stick your head in a bucket of fuel and set fire to it’.
Greg Smith, the Shadow Business Minister, reported the RSPCA, as well as the RSPB, of which Mr Packham is vicepresident, to the Charity Commission, demanding the groups ‘consider’ his position.
Mr Smith, Conservative MP
for Mid-Buckinghamshire, said Mr Packham’s words were a ‘deeply damaging contribution to the degradation of public discourse’, particularly in the context of recent riots and disorder. Mr Smith said both charities should consider whether Mr Packham is a ‘fit and proper person’ to remain in the roles he holds. A spokesperson for the commission said it was looking into the matter.
By Chris Brayford
WELSH farmers have called on the Government to take immediate action to alleviate the burden of livestock worrying attacks on farm businesses.
Clive Jones, a farmer in Brecon with 550 breeding ewes and 50 suckler cows on 113 hectares of land, said he had been the victim of a number of livestock worrying incidents over his near 40 years in farming, with incidents increasing over recent years.
In the spring, Mr Jones was forced to shoot two dogs in an incident which left three sheep dead.
He said: “There is a lack of respect from dog walkers and we desperately need changes in the law to help stop these awful incidents from taking place.”
He added there needed to be a system in place to educate people about keeping animals, and farmers needed to be compensated for the damages.
“People are not aware of their responsibilities in the countryside and what their pet could do when let loose in the countryside off a lead,” he said.
“That is what we are fighting against. Farmers are left with the emotional and financial burden of
GREATER collaboration will be key if Scotland’s red meat producers are to have a sustainable and profitable future, an industry leader has urged.
Speaking ahead of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers conference next week (September 6), president Alan Brown said the ‘strength and profitability’ of red meat production and processing in Scotland would depend on securing improved co-operation between industry and Government.
Mr Brown said: “We have all the core ingredients in place to produce, process and market red meat successfully to both domestic and international customers.”
But he said what was now needed was ‘an increased appreciation of the commercial realities of our industry by both the Scottish and UK Governments’.
Mr Brown outlined several measures that he said would benefit the sector. These included removing
‘unnecessary trade barriers with our EU customers’ and the introduction of a ‘sound and settled skilled worker visa system’.
The president said it was also vital that regulator Food Standards Scotland (FSS) had a more ‘practical understanding’ of meat plant operators and the work of the country’s abattoirs and processing units.
Mr Brown did however acknowledge the positive outcome of the association’s recent discussions with FSS and the Scottish Government over a major increase in Official Veterinarian and Meat Hygiene Inspection changes, and he thanked them for the £500,000 contribution in recognition of the issues being faced by Scotland’s processing industry.
He said the association was now in further talks with FSS to explore options to make its charging system work more fairly in the future.
picking up the pieces of incidents, but it causes even more hurt when I had to kill the dogs.”
Rob Taylor, Wales’ rural and wildlife crime co-ordinator, said the damage from livestock worrying was ‘horrendous’ for farmers and backed measures to improve education for owners.
He said: “The impact of livestock worrying across the UK is still very widely misunderstood. It is happening on a daily basis – the emotional and financial impact for farmers and their livestock, which is extremely upsetting.
“There are no winners here. Education has to be the answer, and we are working with John Moores University on DNA sampling kits, tracing saliva and sheep wool back to the dog and the owner.”
He also called for tougher punishment for culprits, but added awareness was ‘really crucial’.
Welsh Deputy First Minister and
There is a lack of respect from dog walkers and we desperately need changes in the law to help stop these awful incidents from taking place
CLIVE JONES
Rural Affairs Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies said there needed to be further education when offences of livestock worrying took place onfarm, alongside ‘increased fines’.
“We are working with the animal welfare charity Blue Cross, and if an owner is found to have worried livestock, they will be fined alongside undertaking a community order on responsible ownership,” he added.
“Legislation needs to be strengthened in Westminster on livestock worrying, and we would strongly support the new UK Government to bring back the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill 202324, which fell at the final hurdle before the General Election.”
FARMERS for Action (FFA) has warned about the dangers of thumb throttles on quad bikes, and has backed a campaign for rollbars and other safety methods to be introduced.
Following recent deaths, William Taylor, FFA Northern Irish coordinator, criticised the Health and Safety Executive in NI, stating FFA had requested meetings with the
organisation which had not happened. He said: “Furthermore, FFA fully backs the widow of Denis Lynn, top Irish entrepreneur, and calls for a new law to tackle quad bike death traps by fitting rollbars and other safety measures.”
Denis Lynn’s widow, Christine Lynn, called for the UK to follow Australia in making rollbars mandatory on quad bikes.
As the harvest season approaches, leading electricity network provider, SP Energy Networks, is urging agricultural workers to prioritise safety while working during one of the most critical times of the farming calendar.
According to a Health and Safety Executive report, 27 people were killed as a result of farming and other agriculture-related activities in 2022/23.
Farming is full of potential electrical hazards – from overhead power lines to the electrification of fences and machinery. SP Energy Networks is dedicated to ensuring that farmers and agricultural workers are well-informed about these hazards and understand how to stay safe and help avoid serious incidents.
By staying vigilant and following key safety advice from our Health and Safety Director, Derek Bell, you can help prevent accidents and ensure a safe and successful harvest season.
For those working in the industry, these might seem like the obvious or common-sense things to do – but, sadly, our experience tells us that’s not always what happens in real life.
Derek’s top tips are:
l Look out. Look up! When working on farmland near overhead powerlines, be mindful of machinery and its size as it passes underneath – particularly if working with new machinery, extendable machinery, and bigger equipment.
l Map it out: Mark up a farm map with underground cable routes, operating voltages and approximate heights of overhead power lines running across your land, near boundaries and access routes to fields. If you don’t have a map of your farm, contact your network operator for a network plan or visit www.lsbud.co.uk. You can always get in touch with your network operator if you’re unsure about the equipment on or nearby your land.
l Tell others about potential hazards: Ensure you inform staff, contractors, and delivery drivers of potential electrical hazards on the farmland before any work begins.
l Have the national 105 electrical emergency helpline number close to hand in case you need help – it’s available 24/7.
So, please do your bit by following and sharing these vital messages so that – together – we can power a safer harvest and farming future for us all.
spenergynetworks.co.uk/safety
l If anyone is injured, call 999 immediately for medical attention.
l Beware of fallen powerlines: In the event of a powerline falling on your land, take extreme care. Powerlines can remain live, even if they appear unaffected, so it’s essential to keep people and livestock away and contact the electricity network operator via the 105 electrical emergency hotline number. If anyone is injured, or there are lots of people around, call 999.
l Bunny hop: If your vehicle makes contact with an overhead powerline, do not exit the cab until your electricity network operator confirms that it’s safe to do so. If the machine is inoperable and there is a risk of an immediate hazard to you and you need to exit, jump clear, making sure you don’t hold onto any machinery and touch the ground at the same time. Once out of the vehicle, do your best to ‘bunny hop’ or take leaping strides, so that one foot is always off the ground until you are at least 15 metres away.
THE public have been warned to control their pets after a suspected livestock worrying incident in Scotland which led to the death of a sheep at sea.
Tim Eagle, a Highlands and Islands MSP, who runs a sheep farm, said he was deeply concerned after a sheep was found dead in the sea near Fionnphort, on the isle of Mull, on August 11.
Badly injured
Police Scotland said the sheep had been badly injured during a suspected dog attack, which caused it to plunge into the sea.
Mr Eagle said it was the ‘sort of thing which keeps farmers and crofters awake at night’.
“We deeply care for the welfare of our livestock and it is gut-wrenching when something like this happens due to the irresponsibility of a pet owner,” he said.
FREE signs warning dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead near livestock are available through Farmers Guardian’s Take the Lead campaign, in association with the National Sheep Association.
To request yours, send a stamped self-addressed A4 envelope to: FG Take the Lead, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4 Fulwood Business Park, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ
By Chris Brayford
THE first case of bluetongue has been reported at a farm in the UK for the 2024/25 vector period.
APHA said a 20km temporary control zone had been placed around a farm on Monday (August 26) after an incident of bluetongue (BTV-3), a virus primarily transmitted by midge bites which affects cattle, was identified in a sheep near Haddiscoe, Norfolk.
Since November, the Government has confirmed 127 bluetongue incidents on farm in the UK.
The last case of the virus in the UK was identified on a Surrey farm back in February.
Since May, APHA said there had been 4,000 cases of bluetongue
reported across the continent in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Ele Brown said the Government was going to undertake surveillance to determine whether the virus is circulating in the UK.
But Ms Brown said there is a ‘high risk’ the disease could spread in the UK due to current temperatures and midge activity.
Ulster Farmers’ Union deputy president Glenn Cuddy said it was ‘extremely worrying’ that bluetongue has been circulating more rapidly in Europe, with the movement of livestock ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland currently suspended due to previous outbreaks.
“Trade cannot resume for two years from when the last positive case was confirmed,” Mr Cuddy added.
“With bluetongue circulating across Europe, it is vital that livestock is not imported from infected areas and I urge farmers to seriously consider the risk to their farm business before they carry out a purchase in Europe.”
Matt Ford, a dairy farmer from Herstmonceux in Sussex, said: “We have been anticipating an outbreak in the UK since the spring and it has now arrived, thankfully a lot later than we were initially expecting.
“Hopefully we can slow the spread and get through the next crucial weeks until the weather starts to cool down.”
Defra said free testing remains available for animals moving from the highest risk counties to live elsewhere in Great Britain or to be sold at a market within a high-risk county where there will be buyers from outside the high-risk counties.
STRICT new controls suspending personal imports of certain sheep and goat commodities, such as meat, cheese and milk products, have been announced to safeguard Britain’s sheep and goat populations from outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR).
requirements for bringing sheep and goat meat and milk into Great Britain from the European Union, European Free Trade Association states, Greenland and Faroe Islands.
The disease, which affects goats and sheep, is highly contagious. In recent months, there have been outbreaks in mainland Europe. PPR can kill between 80% and 100% of infected animals.
The new controls came into force in England on August 21 and in Wales on August 22, with Scotland soon to follow. They will strengthen the
It will no longer be permitted to bring unpackaged sheep and goat meat and meat products, or sheep and goat milk and milk products, from these areas. Additionally, commercially produced and packaged sheep and goat milk and milk products are not permitted from Greece or Romania.
These measures will remain in place until PPR no longer presents a risk to GB through the import of those products.
By Alex Black
A NEW £38 million UK-wide centre will research into alternatives to animal products, including cultured meat and insect-based proteins, hosted by the University of Leeds and co-led by the James Hutton Institute (JHI), the University of Sheffield and Imperial College London.
The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) has received £15m of funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
Research Council (BBSRC) and Innovate UK to fund the centre dedicated to developing alternatives to animal proteins.
The remainder of the funding has come from the centre’s other partners.
NAPIC said it was looking to drive innovations across the entire alternative proteins supply chain, and in various sources of alternative proteins ‘from plants to microbes, and insects to algae’.
The JHI said supplementing traditional agriculture with alternative protein sources was ‘critical if we are to meet increasing demands sustainably’.
Prof Guy Poppy, UKRI’s Food
The National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre has received £15 million for a centre dedicated to developing alternatives to animal proteins.
Sector Champion and BBSRC deputy executive chair, said with the escalating demands of a growing global population and pressure on traditional food systems, the UK was ‘poised to lead transformative solutions’.
He said: “Our strategic investment in NAPIC not only advances sustainable protein alternatives, it positions the UK as a leader in the global alternative proteins market, ready to meet both current and future challenges.”
Prof Anwesha Sarkar, director of research and Innovation for Leeds’ School of Food Science and Nutrition, and project leader for NAPIC, said:
“There are many challenges to transitioning towards alternative proteins.
“Population-level access to, and acceptance of, alternative proteins is currently hindered by a highly complex marketplace, concerns about taste, nutritional equivalence and cost, as well as health and safety concerns and the fear of diminished livelihoods for farmers.”
Prof Sarkar said the NAPIC would provide a platform for innovation and collaboration with ‘partners from industry, regulators, academic partners and policy-makers which mitigates the risks associated with this emerging sector and addresses the short- and longer-term concerns of consumers and producers’.
By Rachael Brown
DELAYS to processing new Higher -Tier Countryside Stewardship agreements are ‘worrying’, with the environment and the industry missing out on the ‘untapped ambition’ to drive change.
Cumbrian upland farmer dairy farmer James Robinson said he had
been told by a Defra representative at the Oxford Farming Conference it was committed to doubling the number of Higher-Tier agreements processed each year.
But Mr Robinson, who is also an In Your Field columnist for Farmers Guardian, believes there are still ‘thousands of farms in old Higher Level Stewardship agreements’, some of which started more than 15 years ago, which were unable to switch over to a new Higher-Tier scheme. He said being able to switch would
to
Janet
programme director for
Future Farming and Countryside
allow more farmers to access the best payments, options and management to farm sustainably now and in future.
He put his concerns to Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner and Defra’s director of farming and countryside programme, Janet Hughes, while hosting them at his farm last week.
Mr Robinson said: “Apparently, the delay is down to computer software and also due to the complex way that the agreements are processed.
“Whatever the reason, it is likely to be months rather than weeks before it is resolved.”
He said it brings ‘further confusion and uncertainty’.
“At Strickley we have been involved with some sort of stewardship scheme since 1991 and yet I am uncertain as to what to do when a Mid-Tier agreement ends at the end of the year and a Higher-Tier ends in 28 months’ time.
“If I am confused with all my Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) connections to call upon and experience built up over 30 years of scheme applications, then I really feel for those farmers who are having to look at this for the first time.”
Mr Robinson said with the industry ‘at a point of massive change’, many farmers are getting ‘left behind through no fault of their own’.
A Defra spokesperson: “This Government will restore stability and confidence amongst farmers, including upland farmers.
“We will optimise schemes and grants in an orderly way, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, while delivering food security and nature recovery in a just and equitable way.”
Defra said it will confirm plans for Countryside Stewardship Higher-Tier and its approach to Environmental Land Management in ‘due course’.
FARMERS are still waiting on the Farming Recovery Fund, with NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos calling for Defra to release more information as people needed to make decisions.
The cohort of eligible farmers covered by the original offer in January were contacted in April and have been issued a payment in early July.
The NFU has been in contact with the Rural Payments Agency and Defra to seek clarity on payments as well as helping to develop the offer.
But Ms Hallos said there was ‘sheer
frustration’ that many were yet to receive support and people now finishing harvesting were waiting on the funding to make decisions.
A Defra spokesperson said: “We will restore stability and confidence among farmers by optimising our schemes and grants, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, deliver food security and nature recovery in a just and equitable way and better protect farmland from flooding through a new Flood Resilience Taskforce.”
FARMERS from 12 UK sites have ditched single-use plastics in hay bales, in a trial with Innovative Farmers.
The farmers were instead wrapping bales using twine from sisal, a cactus-like plant.
Field lab coordinator Stuart Oates farms cattle at Rosuick Organic Farm on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula.
He said: “Plastic net wrap is a nightmare material. It is almost impossible
to cut off without small pieces falling into the hay, which then spread into the environment and get eaten by our animals.
“This can build up quickly as we process thousands of bales a year.”
The one-year trial will compare 5,000 bales, half using sisal twine and half using plastic net wrap, stored in various barn conditions ranging from dry to exposed.
By Chris Brayford
REMOVING Winter Fuel Payments (WFPs) could leave rural pensioners facing fuel poverty during what could be a harsh winter season.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she had been forced to make the ‘tough decision’ last month to cut the annual tax-free payment for those not on Pension Credit or other meanstested benefits due to having to make ‘in-year savings’.
Ofgem, the Government’s energy regulator, also announced on August 23 that the average annual energy bill will rise to £1,717 a year for gas and electricity, up £149 from £1,568.
With the change to WFPs, which had been designed to help pensioners cover heating costs in winter, coming into effect on September 16, Devon farmer and agri-tech entrepreneur James Wright, who stood as a Conservative Party candidate in 2024, said he was concerned by Labour’s ‘regressive and backward policy’ which could push vulnerable rural pensioners and farmers into fuel poverty.
With rural properties often ‘harder and more expensive to heat’ due to poor insulation and outdated heating systems, Mr Wright added: “This policy change poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of rural pensioners, and it is imperative that action is taken to mitigate its impact.
“The lack of adequate heating in rural areas, coupled with limited ac-
EGG producers and packers will no longer need to change how eggs are labelled during an outbreak of avian influenza under measures announced by the Government this week.
Currently, when mandatory housing measures are introduced to protect birds from the spread of disease, eggs from free-range birds can only continue to be labelled as ‘freerange’ for 16 weeks after the housing order has come into effect. After that period, the eggs must be labelled as barn eggs.
In both 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, the 16-week derogation period was exceeded, which led to significant costs for the industry.
The amends to existing legislation, which are expected to be introduced through a statutory instrument later this year, will mean free-range eggs can continue to be labelled as such throughout mandatory housing measures. It is a move which Defra said will cut ‘unnecessary red tape
cess to healthcare services, significantly heightens the risk of cold-related illnesses and deaths among the elderly.
“All pensioners deserve to live in warm, safe homes, and the removal of support like the WFP could have dire consequences for the elderly population in rural areas.”
Age UK, a registered charity, has created a petition calling on the Government to reverse its decision, which has more than 400,000 signatures.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband claimed the ex-
pected rise in the energy price cap was a consequence of the ‘toxic legacy’ left by the Conservative Government, and proposed the answer to reducing energy bills was to build more solar infrastructure.
The Department for Work and Pensions said it was committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the ‘dignity and security they deserve in retirement’ despite the cuts, by protecting the triple lock which could see state pensions increase by £1,000 over the next five years.
and costs for British producers’, whilst also ‘strengthening the supply chain and maintaining consumer confidence’.
It comes as the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) launched a new £2.3 million project to better understand how avian influenza behaves in wild bird and mammal populations.
Scientists from APHA, alongside the British Trust for Ornithology, RSPB, University of Edinburgh and NatureScot, will collect and analyse samples from a range of bird and mammal populations to further investigate how the virus behaves and fill gaps in understanding about its transmission within wild birds, as well as the wider risks to mammals.
Professor Ashley Banyard, influenza and avian virology workgroup leader at APHA, said having access to a wider range of samples would mean they could study the viruses ‘in much greater detail’.
I THINK Dan Jones hit the nail on the head regarding farm inspections (‘For the first few hours I felt like I was on trial’, In Your Field, FG August 23).
We had a Rural Payments Agency inspector turn up out of the blue at 8.30am one Saturday morning to check that our wood-pasture wasn’t just wood (it wasn’t).
I warned him not to come near the farmhouse door as we’d all been down with norovirus through the night so we had a conversation with him craning his head around the corner of the house.
His attitude was clearly that we were ‘guilty until proven innocent’.
Herbert, Herefordshire.
Social media reactions
FARMERS respond to FG’s Welcome from the Editor on responsible access to the countryside:
■ “It’s the ‘right to responsible access’ here in Scotland. I believe walking your dog off the lead on someone else’s land is not ‘responsible’.”
CAMMY WILSON - THE SHEEP GAME
■ “They have taken that word [responsible] out of the use.”
CHRISTOPHER WALWIN
MY partner and I run a small number of pedigree sheep which we show and sell to other breeders. Recently I received an email from the local animal health inspector. She said she would like to visit our
■ “Unfortunately people aren’t generally responsible, and to suggest they become so labels you a killjoy.”
KEN POOLE
■ “Exactly. During Covid-19 the message being pushed was that people had the right to do and go where they wanted. They said that the Government told them to go out and enjoy themselves. The Government said to be responsible, but the media and the authorities just dropped it.”
ALASDAIR CROOK
premises. This was only the second visit we have had in about 30-plus years.
She wanted to look at our movement records, our recorded eartag details and our medicine records.
Although a pleasant lady, in my opinion her title was a bit of a misnomer because there was no
physical inspection whatsoever of the health of the sheep.
She checked various aspects of paperwork against what had been recorded on the Livestock Information Service (LIS) database.
There were several anomalies regarding movements registered against our holding. However none of them related to our holding or our sheep. So I can only assume that whoever uploads the data from the paper licences was doing so incorrectly.
She recommended that I register to use the LIS so that I would no longer need to send licences by post to ARAMS or Defra (the organisation keeps changing) and as the address to which the licences have to be sent keeps changing as well, without any notification, there must be hundreds sitting in PO Box collection centres. So I thought that would be a good idea.
How wrong I was.
Once I had an account and logged in, I was appalled by the number of errors showing against our holding such as incorrect eartag numbers, incorrect movements bearing no relation to our holding, and duplicated eartags.
in
Tony on the Major, Edward on the Dexta and Laurence Newton on the Super Major. Taken at High Fotherley by Bobby Johnston. Sent in by Mal Johnston.
If you have a classic picture you would like to share, please email it to marcello.garbagnoli@agriconnect.com
Trying to correct the data has been an absolute nightmare, impossible in most cases and has taken up an inordinate amount of time. I hope this is not the case for larger livestock farming operations. Quite clearly whoever inputs this information is not doing an accurate job. So despite the vagaries of the postal service I have resorted to sending movement licences by Royal Mail and I am continuing to keep all my records in a lever arch file because I know that they are correct and under my control. Having asked the LIS to contact me to provide some help with this debacle I am still waiting.
Name and address supplied.
■ IF you would like to send us a letter for consideration, email fgeditorial@agriconnect.com
us. We are a UK company specialising in providing information services including news, analysis, data, pricing, insight and market intelligence to agribusiness professionals across the globe. This policy sets out how we do this and applies the use of your personal data that you disclose to us by entering into our competition to win £200 for the Stockjudging Competition or £20 Love2Shop vouchers for the weekly Crossword Competition, referred to throughout this statement as the “Competitions”. How we collect your information: We collect the personal data you have provided to us by lling in the form on our website www.fginsight.com OR printed form when entering the Competitions. If you have entered the Competitions via our site we may also collect some technical information about how you use our site, for example, the type of device you are using, your operating system, IP address, uniform resource locator (URL), clickstream and length of visit. How we use the information you provide: We will use your personal information: • to administer the Competitions, on the basis that the use of your personal data for this purpose will be necessary to enter you into the competitions and, if you are successful, contact you to notify you of your prize; and, • if you are new to Farmers Guardian and where you have agreed to this, to provide you with news and updates from time to time about our services; and, if at any point in the future you do not wish to receive any news and updates from us or from, you can unsubscribe from our marketing list at any time by following the steps below. To unsubscribe from any communications using the link on the email we send you or by emailing us at dataprotection@farmersguardian.com. We will not use your information for any purposes except those listed in this policy without letting you know and getting your permission, if necessary, rst. Who do we share your information with? We will not disclose your information to any third parties without your consent, except where: • it is necessary to enable any of our sta , employees, agents, contractors, suppliers or commercial partners to provide a service to us or to perform a function on our behalf; • we have a legal obligation to disclose your information (for example, if a court orders us to); or • there is a sale or purchase of any business assets, or where Farmers Guardian or any of its group companies are being acquired by a third party. Where we use third parties as described above to process your personal information, we will ensure that they have adequate security measures in place to safeguard your personal information. For how long do we keep your personal information? We keep your personal information for 36 months for the purposes for which it was collected or for any period for which we are required to keep personal information to comply with our legal and regulatory requirements, or until you ask us to delete your personal information. Your rights: You have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. These include the right to:
The documentary Brian May: The badgers,The farmers and me ’ has highlighted the need to revisit the controversial approach by Welsh Government to eradicating bovine TB.
The programme highlighted and questioned the existing bTB skin test in cattle and consequential stress and mental health issues in the farming communities. This approach has been questioned by farmers for many years and fallen on deaf years.
The fact that cattle, when tested positive with the skin test, are then proved negative after slaughter should be evidence enough for a rethink.
We are grateful to Mr May for giving an alternative perspective and scientific evidence that could provide a solution.
It is now time for the institutions, politicians and unions to consider this new evidence and afford Mr May the respect that he deserves for trying to pull us all together to find a solution.
His findings simply cannot be ignored, the plight of farmers cannot be ignored and his scientific evidence cannot be ignored.
The time is right for a national rethink on bTB and an honest debate.
Name and address supplied.
Angela Calvert Features Editor and Head of Livestock Sales – angela.calvert@agriconnect.com
THE unwelcome news that bluetongue has been detected in sheep on a Norfolk farm was the last thing livestock farmers needed to hear. It was perhaps inevitable, given that the disease has been circulating in Europe and it was only a matter of time before it hopped across the channel.
A temporary control zone has been put in place and surveillance is underway, but Animal and Plant Health Agency is warning that the risk of the disease spreading is high given current temperatures and midge activity. It is a vitally important and busy time of year for livestock farmers, with sheep sales in full swing and the breeding season fast approaching – it could have a big impact.
In spite of disease threats – some compounded by a lack of vaccine availability – and other challenges, not least rising input costs and volatile weather patterns, there does seem to be a certain amount of confidence within the livestock industry. This is undoubtedly being driven by generally high finished prices, with
Background: I am not from a traditional farming background.
Instead, my interest in the land-based sector has developed exponentially during my time at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU).
Growing up in a suburban environment, my exposure to the sector was limited. When I first arrived at the RAU, I described my situation as a ‘blank slate’, as I had no practical experience and little knowledge of farming.
I knew I wanted to learn more about food production and land management, but did not see a place for me within the industry.
Education: Over the last three years, through placement opportunities, vocational training courses and extra-curricular activities, I have found my way.
To complement my two previous terms on the Student Union (SU) while
completing my degree, I facilitated vast connections with fellow students from a traditional farming background.
I continue to be inspired by and learn from those around me. Challenges: Finding opportunities as a new entrant can be challenging. Coming in with no agricultural experience or connections, I felt like I was disadvantaged and had to work double time to leave university fit for industry.
I had never driven a tractor or completed a lambing season.
To overcome these barriers and to ensure I got the most out of my time at university, I made a conscious effort to put myself in at the deep end.
I found that bursaries and scholarships helped me make invaluable industry connections and I quickly gained insight into the experience of different communities across
prime lambs trading well above last year for the whole of 2024.
While the headline prices at some pedigree sales are a long way from reality for most farmers, trade at early commercial sheep breeding sales has been strong. Averages have generally been above those of last year, so it will be interesting to see what prices are like at the first big Mule gimmer lamb sales which start very shortly.
the sector, and where I could fit in. Subsequently, I completed placements across Gloucestershire and the Scottish Highlands to develop my practical skills across different types of agricultural enterprises. Rural skills courses were also vital, and added recognised qualifications to my CV.
Newbury, Berkshire
Alexandra Godfrey, 21, is from Newbury in Berkshire. She has recently completed an degree in agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University and has served as the establishment’s president of the Student Union.
Community: Throughout my term as president of the SU, I have continued to work to reduce education-based barriers at the RAU, to level the playing field for all those looking to enter the industry, regardless of background and prior exposure.
Everyone has a place in the rural sector, and with every new entrant, we secure a vibrant future for the agricultural community.
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
● Calf registrations drop year-on-year
By Rachael Brown
THE future stability of the Welsh beef industry could be in ‘jeopardy’ after new half-yearly data revealed a ‘serious shrinkage’ in cattle supply.
According to figures from the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), there were 213,200 calf birth registrations in Wales during the first six months of 2024, a reduction of over 10,000 calves year on year and a fall of 4% compared to January to June 2023. It marks the lowest number of half-year calf registrations in several years.
Hybu Cig Cymru intelligence, analysis and business insight executive, Glesni Phillips, said: “This decline also mirrors trends across the rest of Britain, with English registrations also 4% down and Scottish 2% down.
“As cattle numbers in key age brackets fall, there are serious concerns around the critical mass needed to promote and maintain industry sta-
bility, which presents an overall concerning outlook for beef production.”
The BCMS data revealed the number of calves that could be available for beef production had fallen to 173,600 head.
“Although some of the beef females will be retained as suckler replacements in the herd, this figure is 4% lower – that is 7,400 head – than the number available during the first half of 2023 and it is likely to have significant implications for the future of beef supply in Wales,” Ms Phillips said.
Short-term cattle supply across Great Britain is expected to remain relatively stable, with the number of
cattle aged 12-30 months down just 0.3% year-on-year. However, looking ahead, Ms Phillips said the number of cattle in the 0- to 12-month age bracket is significantly lower, down by 4%, suggesting that future beef supply across Great Britain could be constrained.
Ms Phillips said both female and male calf registrations have seen similar year-on-year declines of 3%, with gender distribution remaining ‘relatively stable’.
“This shift in the balance between dairy and beef within the Welsh herd could change the future supply of beef if this trend continues,” she added.
There are serious concerns around the critical mass needed to promote and maintain industry stability
GLESNI PHILLIPS
DEADWEIGHT steer prices have gone over the 500p/kg mark for the first time since March, with a 5.2p/kg rise taking prices for R4L steers to 501.9p/kg.
According to AHDB, similar rises were seen for heifers and young bulls, with both categories also at the highest levels since March.
The R4L heifer price, increased by 4.1p/kg from the previous week to sit at 500.7p/kg while the R3 Young Bull price saw growth of 3.2p/kg from the previous week to 488.1p/kg.
Reduced calf numbers could have a long-term impact on the industry.
The GB estimated prime cattle kill puts numbers up 200 head from the previous week to 31,700 head for the week ending August 17. Although this weekly volume still sits low in comparison to weeks prior in 2024.
The overall average cow price saw a minor upward movement of 0.4p/kg to sit at 354.8p/kg. However, the price has been generally trending downwards in recent weeks as the measure has lost 5.5p/kg in the three weeks prior to the August 17.
By Jane Thynne
FEARS farmers could face cashflow problems have been raised following this year’s ‘variable’ harvest.
Alex Green, farm business consultant at GSC Grays, has warned growers particularly in the north east of England could be facing winter wheat yields around an average of eight tonnes per hectare, depending on land type and how that land fared during almost 10 months of rain.
“I would say yields are around 2t/ha less than what people are expecting,” Mr Green said.
“There has been reduced plant counts and there is mixed quality. Even those with heavier land who have fared better are finding bare patches are dragging down figures.”
Following the wet weather experienced across the UK in spring, early predictions from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit warned that farmers could lose up to £889 million on crops harvested between July and September 2024 compared to 2023.
“Things are going to be more difficult this year,” Mr Green said.
“Although farmers will have got something off, a lot of the damage was
done in the spring where the crops were hampered by a lack of sunlight.
“There are obviously going to be cashflow implications for some farmers in covering the cost of drilling
crops if they cannot cover the cost of those the previous year.”
According to AHDB, UK delivered prices saw wheat delivered into East Anglia for September delivery was
PIGMEAT export volumes in the first half of the year were at their lowest level since 2015, with key demand challenges nationally and globally.
Tight domestic supplies in the UK have led to higher product pricing compared with other players on the global market, such as the US and Brazil.
Freya Shuttleworth, AHDB senior analyst, said: “With consumers glo-
bally still wary of their spending amid higher cost of living, affordability is a key market driver in regions, such as China.”
In June, the UK exported just over 25,100 tonnes of pigmeat, an increase of nearly 4% compared with June last year. The bulk of the volume was made up of offal, at 12,300t, with fresh/frozen product accounting for 10,100t.
Although this is the second month to record year-on-year growth, larger declines in January, March and May have resulted in figures easing in the first half of 2024 at 148,200t.
UK pigmeat import volumes for June were up just over 4% year on year to 71,000t.
Overall, imports in the first six months of the year have grown 1.4% compared with 2023.
quoted at £179.50/t, down £10.50/t on the week. Bread wheat to be delivered into the North West in September was £255.50/t, down £14/t on the week.
However, Olivia Bonser, cereals and oilseed senior analyst at AHDB, said the favourable harvest conditions meant there was ‘room for optimism’. “This year has been mixed,” she said. “Farmers will be pleased to have got something out of the ground and, at the moment, although variable, it looks like millers will be able to make [supply] work, with a level of imports.”
Both analysts agreed farmers should look at what Sustainable Farming Incentive actions are now available.
Ms Bonser added: “I would say there are still good margins to be made in wheat at least over the coming season.”
How effectively can you apply low nitrogen (N) rates on PRG/white clover swards on inten-sive rotationally grazed platforms using high N fertiliser products like urea and at the same time apply the phosphate (P), potash (K) and sulphur (S) that these swards require? Clover requires very good soil P & K fertility because it hasn’t got the rooting mass of PRG, so is more at risk of transient nutrient deficiencies.
‘Clover is a shallow rooted species with around 15% of the root density of perennial ryegrass making it much less competitive for soil nutrients. Regular applications of a P & K compound fertiliser throughout the growing season are necessary for high levels of clover productivity and biological N fixation.’ - Dr. James Humphrey’s, Teagasc, Solohead Farm.
By applying P, K & S little and often during the growing period you are providing clover with the P, K and S it needs to establish and reach a desirable sward content, fix atmospheric N, and remain persistent in the sward. YaraMila 52 S is an ideal solution to low N application rates on these swards, ensuring maximum nutrient coverage of N, P, K & S throughout the season.
YaraMila 52 S is a homogeneous, uniform-sized, compound fertiliser where all the nutrients are contained in every particle. This eliminates any segregation and allows even applica-tion and distribution of each nutrient across the whole bout width. The product contains nitrate N for that quick and reliable N response even in drier conditions.
By Jane Thynne
ARLA has posted its half-year results attributing its ‘robust’ performance to its investment in and the commitment of its customers.
It revealed a 4.2p per kg increase in milk prices compared to the second half of 2023, a half-year supplementary payment to farmer owners of 0.08p/kg milk and advancing sustainability initiatives through FarmAhead Technology.
In the UK market, the farmer co-operative delivered what it described as a ‘strong performance’ across its branded portfolio with a total volume growth of 11% and branded revenue increasing by 5.4%.
Bas Padberg, managing director of Arla Foods UK, told Farmers Guardian the promising figures reflected three key drivers.
“Investment in our brands – in terms of innovation and our relationships with customers, the ease on consumer spending over the past months and lower inflation are the three reasons we have had such a robust start to the year,” he said.
During the first half of 2024, Arla announced investments totalling £300 million across a number of its UK sites, including its Taw Valley Creamery, where state-of-the-art tech-
WAITROSE has become the first supermarket to introduce free-range cream across some of its own-label range.
The products have been launched to showcase the retailer’s commitment to animal welfare and include single, double, whipping and extra thick cream varieties which will be sold via its Waitrose Essentials and Waitrose own brand.
Rachel Aldridge, dairy buyer for Waitrose, said: “Having successfully launched free-range milk a couple of years ago, we knew that we could, and should, challenge ourselves to expand the offering to free-range cream.
“We are proud to be the first supermarket to make it happen and hope others will follow suit.”
According to Waitrose, the cream is classed as free-range as it reflects its suppliers’ policy of enabling cows to spend at least 183 days per year grazing outside.
Arla has partly attributed its half-year performance success to investment in customer relationships.
nology was introduced to boost the company’s mozzarella export sector.
Despite recent data which showed there were around 7,130 producers in the UK in April 2024 – a 5.8% fall on 2023 – Mr Padberg said he was ‘optimistic’ about the future of the sector.
“We have a strong belief in the strength of dairy in the UK. Our investment has shown we are willing to support our farmers in the UK.
“It is our farmers who are investing in a robust and resilient supply chain. That is a powerful and positive message for the people of the UK. Farmers are investing in the food supply that gives the public great tasting healthy products that are produced to a very high standard,” he added.
We are committed to paying for every single litre a farmer produces LOUIS RUTTER
Arla UK finance director Louis Rutter said Arla remained dedicated to all its producers irrespective of output.
“We are committed to paying for every single litre a farmer produces and paying the highest amount we can.”
Mr Rutter acknowledged there
had been a ‘longer-term consolidation of smaller farms going back decades in the UK’ and also suggested there was a ‘slight hesitancy’ from farmers as individual business owners to make investments on-farm linked to ‘regulatory uncertainties around sustainability’ and recent high input costs.
However, he insisted: “All farmers are welcome to the Arla business regardless of size.”
Arla has adjusted its full-year expectations for revenue from £11.11 billion-£11.53bn to £11.28bn-£11.7bn.
The forecast for the second half of the year remained ‘optimistic’, according to Mr Padberg, despite a volatile market.
FIRST Milk has increased both turnover and profit in the year ending March 31, 2024, with the co-operative saying it has also made ‘significant strategic developments to underpin its future growth’.
Turnover increased to £476 million, from £456m in 2023, with operating profits up to £16.8m compared to £5.1m.
First Milk’s investments include the acquisition of BV Dairy, a manufacturer of specialist chilled dairy products based in Dorset, in Febru-
ary. It also agreed a new partnership with Yeo Valley to create the Naturally Better Dairy Group, supplying a dedicated milk pool produced by regenerative dairy farmers in South West England.
It said it also continued its commitment to regenerative farming, with 96% of members implementing regenerative action plans on-farm.
Shelagh Hancock, First Milk chief executive, said: “Despite the wider economic and geopolitical challenges, I am pleased to say that First Milk has
delivered healthy performance in the last year and I am confident we are well placed for the future.
“Ultimately, our vision for the future is clear: we are working to enrich life every day to secure the future for our members, colleagues, customers and communities.
“We will do that by ensuring First Milk is a distinctive, regenerative farmer co-operative, efficiently producing great tasting, quality dairy products for our customers and consumers.”
●
WITH a clear directional shift to development, growing the economy and preserving the environment from the new Government, there is a need for collaboration between farmers and developers to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).
That was the message from CSX chief executive Andy Howard, who said now was a pivotal time for farmers looking to diversify into offsetting.
He said: “BNG aims to leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before a development takes place.
“This can be difficult to quantify without considering the opportunities of both on-site and off-site options.”
On-site BNG refers to improving habitats within a development’s red line boundary, while off-site BNG involves enhancing biodiversity on land outside of the project’s boundary, often through partnerships with farmers, landowners, or land managers.
Where possible, developers should aim to deliver BNG on-site. But this can be challenging and impact the commercial viability of a site.
“As such, off-site provision becomes a practical tool, involving long-term commitments to improving biodiversity on appropriate land,” Mr Howard added.
“The provision of BNG off-site involves financially rewarding a farmer, landowner, or land manager for improving the biodiversity on their land holding for at least 30 years.”
But there were challenges with long-term management and holistic strategy planning required to make a development sustainable.
“Previous landscaping design processes may for example not be sufficient as a stand-alone practice to reach the mandatory BNG requirements.”
When applied to land that is difficult to productively farm, BNG can provide an opportunity to further diversify.
As Biodiversity Net Gain reaches its six-month milestone, CSX chief executive Andy Howard discusses opportunities available to farmers looking to diversify. Farmers Guardian reports.
Developers must determine and evidence a project’s final BNG value using the government specified Defra biodiversity metric in their applications if they want their plans to move swiftly through the planning process.
“This metric assigns unit values to vegetation habitats based on their type, condition and extent. Once this value is determined for the existing site, the proposed development and any residual off-site unit purchases the local authority can determine whether the BNG 10% uplift requirement has been met,” he said.
“Four steps can be used within the mitigation hierarchy – avoidance, minimisation, on-site restoration, and off-site compensation guiding
developers to achieve the required net gain.”
As farming policy changes and ed expectations for greenbelt development increase, Mr Howard said now was a good time to look at BNG as an alternative income stream.
“Almost all farms have a proportion of land which can be difficult to productively farm. It is these pieces of land which would be more suited to environmental schemes to further biodiversity such as BNG, with a combined focus on sustainable longevity,” he said.
“As the world and the ways that land is managed continue to adapt, there is a genuine opportunity to embrace change. BNG diversifies a
farmer’s income stream, while relying on their knowledge and expertise of sustainable land management practices to better protect and improve the environment.”
He urged the farming community to take hold of new opportunities.
“With a lack of resource and an evident knowledge gap in how to identify suitable offsetting opportunities, developers must recognise that BNG is essential at the beginning of a masterplan, not just when an application comes to halt in the system,” he said.
He added a collaborative effort was needed.
“As worlds collide, both old and new, it is important to remember that BNG is not just a resource, it is a recovery tool to put nature and wildlife back at the centre of development.”
XHannah has been farming at Linkeylaw, Northumberland, for five years, acting as shepherdess for Duncan Ord and his herd of EasyCare ewes.
The farm consists of a 130-head suckler herd, 1,800 EasyCare ewes and 550 replacements, 18,000 laying hens with eggs sold privately across the North East and Scottish Borders.
The farm also has an arable enterprise which grows feed for cattle and hens.
The team consists of Duncan and his three sons, who run different elements of the farm, with Hannah taking responsibility for the flock of sheep.
EasyCare is a revolutionary breed of sheep which requires minimal intervention and offers excellent meat yields and lambing ratios.
Having studied agriculture at Harper Adams University, Hannah went on to New Zealand to learn about their system of paddock grazing.
Upon her return, she wanted to implement this system on-farm. Utilising paddock grazing has enabled her to reduce the amount of fertiliser used, as this system provides fields time to grow between rotations.
This system has also resulted in less wormer being used on ewes and lambs and lessened the risk of wormer resistance.
The grazing system has helped to eradicate lameness within the flock, bringing instances down to less than 1%, boosting animal welfare and reducing labour costs and time.
The system has also aided body condition scoring, increasing tupping success and reducing the percentage of empty ewes from 2.3% to 1.2%.
Since Hannah’s arrival on-farm, she has implemented improved sheep health, lambing percentage and subsequently increasing profits.
Introducing new bloodlines into the flock through performance recorded tups has led to an easier lambing time, enabling the flock to be lambed outside by Hannah.
Her use of blood testing and faecal egg counting of lambs has meant she can treat lambs for coccidiosis and worms before loose any condition and can detect any mineral deficiencies meaning lambs are finishing earlier and prices are increased.
Sponsored by
X Andy Lambert has been assisting Robert and Wendy Phillip at Hellifield Highland Fold for several years.
The farm breeds pedigree Highland cattle and replacement heifers on a grass-fed production system which supplies Waitrose at Christmas.
The farm breeds pedigree bulls which are successfully hired out to Highland folds for breeding, with offspring being brought back onto the farm to ensure a constant supply of beef throughout the year.
Environmentally, the cattle conservation graze moorland to aid the management of different grasses, ensuring the wildlife remains diverse and healthy. His herd of Swaledale ewes also supplies the meat for high-end restaurants around the UK.
Andy has undertaken training courses, such as artificial insemination and foot trimming, giving him a better understanding of breeding
and testing bulls for fertility and treating any animals with lameness or which need a routine trim.
This is all alongside attending veterinary meetings to better understand the health and wellbeing of the animals on-farm.
Andy’s job became increasingly more important when, in 2020, Robert was diagnosed with cancer and subsequently underwent surgery, reducing his on-farm input.
Andy took on the day-to-day decision-making, saying: “My role on the farm became even more important, making daily decisions for his business on my own and looking after the business like it was my own.”
Andy took full control of the farm in 2024 when Robert sadly passed away. He helped the family sort the tenancy agreement, assisted the landlord with the farm sale and continued Robert’s Highland cattle business and legacy in his own right.
To celebrate with the finalists at the British Farming Awards, go to britishfarmingawards.co.uk to buy your tickets
S.R. MORRIS & SONS, POWYS
XErnie Richards has been working for the Morris Family at Wernoog, Clyro, Powys, for eight years.
As a new entrant, Ernie has had the exciting opportunity to work closely with the Morris family.
He says: “Between us, we work closely on a daily basis to ensure smooth operation of the farming enterprise.
“I am very fortunate to be in a position where I can undertake management decisions and also manage my own daily tasks, while having the opportunity to be a new entrant farmer.”
Ernie has always been passionate about farming, working hard to secure a wide range of achievements and qualifications in the industry, including securing an agriculture with animal science degree from Aberystwyth University.
He is a member of various steering groups and initiatives in the industry, including agricultural mental health charity We Are Farming Minds and the Farmer Time initiative, aiming to educate children about farming and bridge the gap between the public and British agriculture.
The farm, a 140-hectare (346-acre) upland farm, is home to a closed flock of 1,000 pedigree Lleyn ewes, producing up to 350 pure-bred
For the full shortlist, scan the QR code or go to agrc.im/finalists-2024
breeding yearlings annually, which are marketed online, and finishing all entire ram lambs via deadweight to Farmers Fresh for maximum return.
Ernie implements a reseeding system over 6-8ha (15-20 acres), and sows a break crop of swedes each year to feed ewes before lambing, assisting the average scanning percentage of 175%.
The farm does not use contractors, except for sheering and scanning sheep, therefore Ernie has learned to undertake all machinery operations on-farm and maintains as much machinery as possible, including all field operations for establishing new leys, forage-making and pasture maintenance, as well as fencing and building repairs.
This year, he has joined the Lleyn Sheep Society Breed Development Committee and has been a speaker at the Royal Three Counties Show in the Future of Farming Theatre.
Ernie ensures the business is sustainable, producing high-quality, healthy sheep. He does this by running pure pedigrees to reduce imported disease burdens.
Breeding replacements and selecting the ewe flock is based on notable traits and performance, meaning hereditary problems are reduced.
XHolme Farm at Summerstone Estate, North Yorkshire, consists of rough grazing, improved pastures and hay meadow restoration areas, alongside heather moorland which covers about half of the land.
Graham Tibbot initially joined the estate as a veterinary surgeon.
However, having seen the vast scope for improvement, Graham undertook a career change and began managing the farm.
The stock on the farm consists of pedigree Belted Galloway cattle and Swaledale sheep.
Graham’s veterinary background has helped him with all routine animal husbandry, including calf tagging, regular weighing, foot trimming and bolusing, with the addition of veterinary procedures, such as pregnancy scanning and minor surgery.
Reviewing the flock health initially led to halving numbers and maintaining a stronger flock. Three years later and he is achieving industry-leading figures for lamb losses without antibiotic intervention.
Initiating a footrot vaccination regime helped control lameness in the flock, and early detection and treatment of lameness quickly reduced cases from about 15% to 3% in three months.
The estate suffers from mineral deficiencies, with both sheep and cows having had low levels of selenium and iodine. After instigating a mineral bolus
programme, home-bred hill sheep reached a scanning percentage of 163% from 115%.
Graham reduced the number of cattle on the estate from 150 to 100 as they were overgrazing the land and damaging the productivity of the soil.
The past poor performance of the cattle led to 20-month-old cows being sold at 360kg; this weight is now achieved at 11 months, with 18-month-old Belted Galloway steers being sold at 480kg.
Graham has improved the fertility of the cows and analysed silage data to increase calf growth with 25% less bought-in feed. Due to the growth increase, the age at first calving is down from 42 months to 29, with an aim to get to two years old.
On average, cows calving younger produce faster-growing calves in their first year. Herd health has improved substantially, with Graham’s worst 10 cows producing calves only 20% lighter than his best 10. Two years ago, that gap was 40%.
A focus on grassland, better winter management of silage and careful stocking of ewes and lambs has brought silaging forward by three weeks.
The thicker sward has seen an increase in wildlife habitat and the success of barn owl chicks has followed – the four nest boxes on the estate produced 20 chicks between them in 2023.
By Rachael Brown
THE African swine fever (ASF) situation in Ukraine is ‘severe’ with the lack of resources and movement of livestock across conflict zones ‘exacerbating’ the spread, making it ‘increasingly difficult to contain.’
That was the message from Dr Jason Aldiss at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), adding the ongoing outbreak of ASF was ‘devastating’ Ukrainian farmers, resulting in ‘significant livestock losses and economic hardship’.
He said: “With resources stretched thin due to the conflict, farmers are struggling to protect their herds, further jeopardising their livelihoods,” adding the war was not only ‘disrupting’ veterinary services, but also biosecurity measures.
Dr Aldiss warned the outbreak in Ukraine posed a ‘serious risk to the UK’, with the potential for the disease to spread through trade.
He said the situation demanded vigilance, adding ‘an outbreak in the UK could have catastrophic consequences for our pig industry.’
Warnings of the ASF threat were not just coming from Ukraine, but Germany too, with ASF detected for the first time in a domestic pig herd in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Until now, ASF infection had been confined to wild boar in Rhineland-Palatinate since its first case
earlier in the summer. The state borders Hesse in western Germany, not too far from the country’s borders with France and Belgium, where ASF struck in wild boar for the first time two months ago.
AIMS is urging the UK Government to tighten biosecurity measures and enhance monitoring.
Dr Aldiss said: “It is crucial to provide support for farmers to implement stronger biosecurity protocols and to ensure that any risks are swiftly identified and managed.
“We have raised our concerns with Defra, but a more robust and coordinated response is needed. While there has been acknowledgment, we are pressing for more proactive measures to mitigate the risk.
“The threat of ASF is recognised, but the level of urgency needs to be higher. Our biggest concern is that a single oversight or breach in biosecurity could lead to an outbreak, which would be disastrous for the UK’s pig farming sector.”
SHEEP and cattle numbers have fallen in New Zealand as carbon forestry, drought and low prices continue to impact the sector.
While the primary driver in previous years has been land-use change as a result of the conversion of sheep and beef farms into forestry, this year’s primary driver was drought in key sheep and beef regions, according to Beef+Lamb NZ.
Sheep numbers were estimated to have decreased by 4.3%, down to 23.31 million, with breeding ewe numbers falling by 2.9% and trading sheep stock numbers fell 7.9%.
The decline in ewes and a lower expected lambing percentage, also caused by drought, means the lamb crop is anticipated to decrease by 4.8% on last year.
For beef, cattle numbers are down 2.8% overall, most significantly in the South Island, where drought led to a 7.1% decrease, while the North Island is relatively steady, down 0.8%.
Kate Acland, B+LNZ chair, said: “This year has been particularly tough for sheep and beef farmers. The combination of drought across
many parts of the country, high costs, and low sheep prices has put immense pressure on farmers.
“Farmers are facing tough decisions on their farms, with many having to sell off capital livestock not only due to drought but for cashflow reasons. This will not only affect their income this year but will also have long-term implications for future profitability.”
Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768 796 492 – angela.calvert@agriconnect.com
Reaching a crossroads as the Basic Payment Scheme is phased out has necessitated big decisions for a hill farmer in West Yorkshire. Chloe Palmer reports.
Choosing whether to opt for the environmental route or increasing productivity from the family farm is the decision currently facing James Howard.
James’s family has been farming at Holme, West Yorkshire, on the northern tip of the Peak District National Park, since the 1600s. Over this time, the farm has seen many changes and has expanded significantly, but the challenge presented by the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme is substantial.
From a distance, the farm might appear like any other traditional hill farm, with the in-bye grassland enclosed by well-maintained stone walls and the higher, unenclosed moorland forming the skyline. But James is not afraid to try new approaches, and his success with EasyCare sheep is testament to his willingness to
seek out new ways to make the farm business stack up.
He says: “We purchased our first EasyCare ewes 20 years ago after I saw them at the National Sheep Association Sheep Event. We were impressed with them from the start.
“They are a hardy sheep, far more so than most people think. We put the yearling ewes and single lambs up on the moor and they do well and it pushes our native breed flocks further up the hill.
“We lamb all the EasyCares outside and they are first tupped at 18 months old. We keep the biggest 50 twin-born rams to sell on for breeding, but later in the summer I will start culling out what I do not like.
“I am looking for a ram which will sire ewes with strong maternal traits, giving plenty of milk and producing
Aberdeen-Angus cross beef cattle graze the in-bye land.
twins which she looks after well. We sell most of the EasyCare rams as yearlings at the breed sales either in Carlisle or Worcester, and sell a few others privately.
“We generally achieve a good average for our EasyCare tup lambs. In 2023, our average across 16 animals was over £1,000 each.”
The choice of breed is no accident as James values the time saving, which is the main reason for the EasyCares’ widespread popularity.
He says: “I have calculated that keeping this breed saves me three weeks of work a year because I do not have to shear them and there is no crutching or dosing for fly strike. I could not keep the number of sheep I do if I had other breeds because of the limited labour we have available on-farm.
“As soon as the spring comes, the EasyCares start to lose their hair; it seems the excess energy intake from the spring grass is the trigger. The hair they shed disappears after a few weeks. I think the worms must take it down into the soil and it seems to be an effective soil improver.
“They suit our system, and although they do not produce as much as the
Part of me is tempted to go for a more extensive system, but I am not sure I would be happy with just doing that – I want to do more
JAMES HOWARD
continental breeds, we do not need to feed concentrate as we can finish most of the lambs off grass at 20kg deadweight.”
All the lambs are sold deadweight, with most going to Dunbia. James will typically take his first draw of lambs towards the end of July, with many of the early lambs going straight from their dams.
The Lonk breed tends to be quiet and steady, therefore less worried about people and dogs on the moor, says James Howard.
He has experimented with various crosses from the EasyCares, but will not be keeping as many cross-bred ewes in the future, choosing instead to serve more of the flock pure or to a terminal sire such as Texel or Suffolk.
The EasyCares now account for almost three quarters of the total number of ewes on the holding, but James still has a significant flock of Lonks and Whitefaced Woodlands.
exclusion period under an Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme. Finding native breeds which are still grazing on moorland is very difficult and many breeders do not want to sell their best animals.
“So now we are rearing all our own replacements, but because we want to increase numbers, this means we have to keep some of our better ewes for longer than we would normally.”
Initially, they were bought in for grazing under the Higher-Level Stewardship scheme [HLS], but James finds they are gradually improving the quality of the higher ground.
“We chose the Lonks and Whitefaced Woodlands because they are native to this area, and the Lonks tend to be quiet and steady so they are not as worried by all the people and dogs up on the moor.
“They are also two of the bigger native breeds and this makes a big difference in terms of what we can sell them for,” he says.
“We found it very difficult to buy good-quality Lonk and Woodland females when we restocked after an
James adopts a minimalist approach to the management of the native flock.
“We do not gather the ewes for lambing, nor do we castrate any of the male lambs, and we find we can get more weight on them compared to the wether lambs. Only a few of the native tup lambs occasionally come in at the end of the autumn and may be fed some creep to finish them,” he says.
“We do not want any lambs on-farm after October, so they will either be sold by then or we will send them away or move them further down the hill.”
Although James tries to keep the need to gather sheep to a minimum, his border collies are still a vital part of his team.
As well as using them for the day job,
EasyCare ewes were first purchased by the Howard family 20 years ago.
sheepdog trials are a favourite pastime.
He says: “I started training my first dog when I was three or four years old and competed in my first trial at the age of eight at Harden Moss. When I finished university, I started to train quite a few dogs and sold them on for good money.
“When I was breaking two or three dogs a year, I would always have quite a few to sell and people like to buy from me because they want a dog which has worked rather than just been trained for competitions. I could not manage my sheep without a dog; they are integral to what we do here.”
Although sheep are the main focus on-farm, cattle have been introduced. This was initially to manage a specific habitat as part of the HLS, but they are now a valuable addition to the farm, according to James.
He says: “We buy in Angus crosses at between 10 and 18 months old from neighbouring farms, usually through Holmfirth market. They graze the in-bye, and in the past we used them to manage an area of very rough purple moor-grass-dominated moorland,
which we rented off Yorkshire Water.
“We currently have about 70 head which are mainly cows and heifers with a few bullocks, but we have kept as many as 110 cows in the past. They are housed over the winter and turned out in the spring.
“I like to grow them to a large enough frame on grass before I start feeding them any corn. We just feed a small amount of a 14% protein, high-starch complete nut to put a bit of finish on them before we send them to Dovecote Park.”
The cattle are housed over the winter and turned out in the spring.
■ Lane Farm is situated in the village of Holme, above the town of Holmfirth. It extends to 1,300 hectares (3,211 acres) including 1,012ha (2,500 acres) of moorland rented from Yorkshire Water
■ James Howard farms with his father, Jimmy, and his wife, Amy,
with their three children, Freddie (seven), Ernie (five) and Sidney (two and a half). The family has farmed in the area for 16 generations
■ The EasyCare flock numbers about 600 ewes and there are approximately 300 Lonks and Whitefaced Woodland ewes at any one time
Managing the land for wildlife is clearly a passion for James. The farm is a haven for wading birds such as curlew, lapwing and snipe, and the rare twite – which is now restricted to just a handful of sites in the Pennines – has been recorded on-farm.
But James acknowledges that farming for wildlife cannot be at the expense of profitability, and so choosing the best way forward for the future is the dilemma he is currently wrestling with.
“At the moment, I am trying to stay in the middle so I can go either way. Our HLS agreement is coming to an end, so we need to decide what to do next, but if we are not in a whole farm
scheme, we will need to keep more stock,” he says.
“We have entered some of our land into the Sustainable Farming Incentive [SFI] scheme, and we are growing herbal leys under the SAM3 herbal ley option. We used to grow swedes prior to reseeding ground to a new grass ley and we could feed 100 ewes on one acre of them for a month.
“We found that although they had phenomenal feed value, they were very expensive to grow, and after two rotations with swedes, the new grass leys came no better. So, we are trying herbal leys as an alternative, and will feed fodder beet to the ewes
in the spring to replace the swedes.
“We have established one field of herbal leys, overseeding into an existing new ryegrass ley, and the other was direct drilled because it was getting so late due to the poor weather. It will be interesting to see how well they perform.
“We are also looking at the moorland options under SFI, as it seems we will find it possible to go into the lower stocking rate option without reducing numbers on the moor.
“Given this farm’s situation, we should be looking to take advantage of the environmental payments. Part of me is tempted to go for a more extensive type of system, but I am not sure I would be happy with just doing that – I want to do more.”
Edited by Jane Thynne – 07882 219 917 – jane.thynne@agriconnect.com
Yields are down across the board, but there are some signs of hope.
Spring
By Jane Thynne
AS harvest 2024 approaches its final stages, the key takeaway remains that it has been variable at best as farmers record mixed results and turn their thoughts to autumn drilling.
“It is probably the worst harvest of my career,” says James Peck, owner of PX Farms in Dry Drayton, Cambridge. “I have been farming since 1999 – so this is my 25th harvest and it has been the worst to date.”
In terms of net results (crops that have already been through the drier), Mr Peck says yields are down across the board with mustard recording 1.2 tonnes/hectare; oilseed rape (OSR) 3.3 t/ha; spring wheat 8.4t/ha; and spring barley 6.3t/ha; and some Crusoe wheat which did 6.8t/ha bringing the averages down further for the farm.
Mr Peck says the poor yields result from a combination of wet and cold conditions from January to July.
“The wet winter has hampered even the early-drilled wheats and the spring barley, which we run as a second cereal, did not enjoy being so wet for a prolonged period. We would generally get a fraction over 9t/ha and we got 6.3t/ha so there is a huge loss of income there.”
Mark Stubbs manages a 700ha arable farm in Louth, Lincolnshire, growing wheat, malting barley, OSR, linseed and cover crops. Harvest is continuing at the family farm, where spring barley
looks to be the highlight of the difficult season.
“Harvest is ongoing here – but yields are down. The OSR was a disaster,” he says. “It edged about 2t/ha. Wheat is doing about 8-10t/ha but it should be around 10-16t/ha.”
Mr Stubbs says the one positive was the spring barley which has made 10t/ha, which he describes as ‘good’.
“We have still got the linseed to do but the weather looks good for the next two weeks so we are just picking off the later bits of wheat and giving
them a chance to dry a little bit as they have two growth stages and I am letting the second stage catch up.”
Mr Stubbs says he has drilled a mix of wheat varieties with Champion coming out on top.
“Spring barley is the only highlight,” Mr Stubbs says, adding, “the only positive really is that harvest is nearly over and we can start again.”
In Field, Staffordshire, Robb Atkin is a third-generation farmer who manages 386ha of combinable crops growing feed wheat, milling oats, feed and malting barley, beans and OSR, as well as 101ha of grassland.
says the decision to skip T3 affected two fields.
“We got more than 2t/ha of straw but it just did not yield and that was a combination of a little bit of disease and a lack of sunshine and warmth in June and July. But bushels are ranging from 72 to 79. We are taking little wins from the malting and spring barley meeting spec.”
Mr Atkin says the team has already made a start on next year’s OSR and it is ‘looking up’.
It is probably one we will be glad to get the back of, but having said that, there have been little wins
ROBB ATKIN
“We are halfway through. We have got just over 180ha left to cut, including nearly 53ha of wheat and spring barley as well as some spring oats and beans.
“The oats are about a week off, but the barley is ready now and has met malting spec which is a bonus. Most of the barley is Planet. In terms of wheat, yields have been a bit down – 0.8t on the farm average.”
Mr Atkin says they had left a lot of headlands unplanted and spot yields had been promising. The farm has escaped most diseases although he
“We have about 28ha in along with some stubble turnips and although the recent rain did stop the combine, it has helped the OSR and turnips. It was a gamble to drill the OSR but touch wood, it is up and running now.
“There are little signs of flea beetle but the windy weather is hopefully pushing them away,” he adds. “We have put quite a bit of slurry on them and invested in seedbeds and paid more attention to emergence just to get the crop in better.
“On the whole [harvest] has not been the best. It is probably one we will be glad to get the back of but having said that, there have been little wins. We knew yields were not going to be there. We just need some prices to come up now to help us out.”
● Presence can incur considerable cost
NOT only has the wet weather been responsible for the variable harvest, but it has also seen a rise in diseases such as ergot.
Although the disease has very little direct effect on yield, ergots contain large amounts of mycotoxins which can pose a threat to human and animal health if fed via contaminated flour or feed grain. If detected, it can also have a negative impact on price.
According to AHDB, this year has seen an ‘increased prevalence’ across the UK and is higher in areas where conditions were cool and wet during flowering, facilitating greater spore production.
There are several strains of the fungus with some infecting grasses and cereals, whereas others are restricted to specific hosts. The disease affects rye, triticale, wheat, barley and oats, although infection of the latter is rare. It also affects a wide range of grasses, particularly black-grass.
Late tillering crops and crops with secondary tillers are more susceptible to infection.
“If you have noticed its presence, then given the zero visible ergot
■ Ergot is not a seed-borne disease, however it is associated with contaminated seed
■ Although tolerances are very low, ergot may be present in certified seed. The regulatory minimum standard allows for up to 3,000 ergot pieces in a half-tonne seed bag, whereas the higher voluntary standard only allows up to 500
■ The first sign of ergot may be the development of honeydew at
This year’s wet weather has contributed to a rise in ergot, adding to the pressures of an already tough harvest
JAMIE BURROWS
tolerance policy in the milling wheat trade, the need to clean ergot from wheat prior to hauling to a buyer should be considered,” says Matt Darragh, cereals and oilseed analyst at AHDB.
“This same advice would hold for feed grains and malting barley. Needless to say, rejection at delivery due to the presence of ergot or if the mycotoxin level exceeds the tolerance limit can incur considerable cost,” he adds.
However, although many may be required to spend more on clean-
Black ergots form in place of grains, which can usually be seen in the field and are often mistaken for rodent droppings in the heap.
ing, squeezing the margin on milling wheat, Mr Darragh says the currently high milling wheat premium upholds the attractiveness of the market for growers.
Last week, UK feed wheat futures (Nov-24) closed at £185.75/ tonne, rising £1/t from Monday’s close. The May-25 contract also gained £1/t over the same period, to close at £197.75/t.
“Generally, if you are not a member of a grain store, it could cost approximately £18/t to clean ergot from wheat, while those who are members are usually subject to a discounted rate; with weight loss considerations,” says Mr Darragh.
“While mobile colour graders can price at approximately £13/t, they process around 15 tonnes per hour in comparison to commercial cleaning stores which are able to process approximately 40t/hour.
“Therefore, the cost of time may also need to be factored into the de-
cision when considering how you wish to clean grain if necessary. In addition, mobile colour graders are also used to dress seed, and therefore demand for these machines is currently very high and could be subject to a waiting time,” he adds.
NFU combinable crops board chair Jamie Burrows says: “This year’s wet weather has contributed to a rise in ergot, adding to the pressures of an already tough harvest.
“We are conscious of the challenge this poses and are focused on raising awareness of the issue with the wider supply chain and promoting measures such as grass-weed management and seed quality.
“However, the extra time and cost associated with cleaning crops for safe consumption remains a significant concern. We are fully aware of these challenges and remain committed to supporting our members through this period.”
SOURCE: NFU SOURCE: NFU
flowering, which is when spores enter the ear
■ Black ergots that are white inside then form in place of grains, which can be clearly seen in the field
■ Ergots are harvested with the grain and may be mistaken for rodent droppings in the heap
■ Ergots only survive for around one year on the soil surface, although they can survive longer than this in storage
THERE are a number of steps that growers can take to reduce the risk of ergot development:
■ Avoid open flowering varieties, or those with a long flowering period
■ Reduce the presence of host species through rotation extension with non-host species and careful management of grass-weeds, particularly black-grass
■ Plough to bury ergots to at least 5cm
■ Carefully manage grass margins, beetle banks and road verges. When sowing grass margins, consider later-flowering species and manage grass species known to spread ergot
■ Where possible, choose seed certified to the higher voluntary standard, or save your own seed on-farm where you can manage the ergot contamination yourself
■ Use a seed treatment that will provide a level of protection
Cercospora leaf spot and beet moth caterpillars could pose a threat to crops this year.
The British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO)’s BeetField24 August field meetings provided growers with the latest updates on pests and disease, plus varieties and cover crops. Martin Rickatson attended the South Norfolk event.
● Significant numbers of moth larvae seen meeting at Morley Farms in Norfolk, Prof Mark Stevens, BBRO head of science, suggested warm, dry weather should help keep canopies upright and impede pest access to foliage hearts, but warned field wheelings and flat patches could leave plants exposed.
WHILE this season’s sugar beet crop has largely avoided significant virus yellows issues thanks to the cool, wet spring that helped suppress aphid activity, the next pest challenge may well come from beet moth caterpillars.
Moths were first identified in some crops in early July and the first significant appearances of larvae in leaf hearts were seen in some crops by mid-August.
Speaking at a BeetField24
“To check for activity, pull apart the leaves and look for caterpillars in the crown,” said Prof Stevens.
“There is no treatment threshold, but where necessary, a pyrethroid insecticide is the only control option, although this must be used with care, particularly bearing in mind its effect on bene-
ficials. BBRO is working on identifying alternative approaches for caterpillar control.
“The other caterpillar issue identified in some places is that of silver Y moth, particularly in the Suffolk coastal region, but with sporadic damage across all four factory areas.”
He said: “They may have moved from overwintering on the south coast up into the eastern coastline.
“Cocoon formation has been noted on leaves, and following
hatching, there is potential for a second generation.
“That said, in the last big silver Y moth year of 2003, there was a big first-generation migration, but the second generation did not really materialise.”
With their distinctive wing pattern, silver Y moth are easier to identify than beet moth adults.
There is a threshold of five caterpillars per plant, but again the only current treatments are pyrethroids, and they should only be used if absolutely necessary. Weather and beneficial predators may aid control.
WITH soil moisture retention remaining high on heavier soils, and warm temperatures during August, disease levels so far have been low, but Prof Stevens anticipates further development of cercospera and the traditional increase in rust into the autumn, peaking in mid-October.
He advised growers to check crops by variety and disease risk and plan control according to intended harvest and delivery dates, selecting fungicides according to the disease(s) present.
Some are effective on all four key diseases, while others, including Twist (trifloxystrobin), a new option, are disease-specific, in this case on rust.
He said: “Remember, strains of cercospera are potentially QoIresistant to strobilurin fungicides. BBRO can help with identification.
“Check the crop, assess the cercospera risk, apply fungicides at the best possible timing and follow label recommendations for the correct growth stage application, maintaining water volumes to ensure good canopy penetration.
“To avoid fire-fighting for the rest of the season, do everything possible to ensure rust – or worse, cercospera – cannot develop a hold.
“Ensure you know the disease profile in your crop and consider alternating products to help prevent possible resistance development, particularly with cercospera.
“Ensure application intervals are no more than 28 days, and do not spray too early – wait for early symptoms to show.
“In addition, do not spray prostrate foliage – wait for recovery.”
Prof Stevens said given the risk presented by current conditions, growers should maintain full rates to maximise disease control and longevity.
Cercospera monitoring across BBRO’s 17 field sites throughout the beet-growing region saw traps capture the first spores from late June, but up to early August, the weather had not favoured widespread development and incidences of leaf lesions were few,
said Dr Alistair Wright, BBRO crop protection scientist.
“In the USA, cercospera is considered a disease of warm conditions, but our endemic strains would appear to have evolved to germinate at lower temperatures,” said Dr Wright.
“It also likes about ten hours of free water on the leaf surface, so heavy rainfall and irrigation can aid establishment.
“Should warmer temperatures and prolonged periods of leaf wetness occur, fast sprayer responses will be required.
“Many growers may have put their first fungicide on by midAugust, which in many cases will have been Revystar (Revysol/ mefentrifluconazole + Xemium/ fluxapyroxad), which has the best efficacy against cercospera.
“For those who used Angle or Priori Gold (azoxystrobin + difenoconazole), data from our spore trapping shows we are selecting for resistant spores, and we can see a shift in QoI resistance from using those products.
“That does not mean they are not
Cercospera likes prolonged leaf wetness, so heavy rainfall and irrigation can aid establishment, Dr Alistair Wright told growers and agronomists at the meeting.
working, but are only eliminating the spores that are not resistant to QoI chemistry. In such circumstances, consider an alternative active in the second spray – Revystar is effective on cercospera, with long-lasting protection.”
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New research project needs samples to test whether plant smells can help with control of this pernicious pest
Wireworms are major pests of cereal crops and root vegetables. Seed treatments and other contact insecticides are used to protect crops from larval feeding damage, but these are being phased out in Europe, and it is very questionable when and if at all a new soil insecticide could be registered for wireworm management.
To address the problem with the management of wireworms at the feeding stage, here at Rothamsted Research, we are investigating the use of root-derived smells (volatile organic compounds) as a novel, environmentally benign approach for larval management. Our work aims to develop improved detection, monitoring and attract-and-kill strategies for wireworm risk assessment and management.
To do this, we need to collect as many wireworms as possible. If you notice wireworm damage on your land, please get in touch either to arrange a time when we can come and take some of them for our research or to send us wireworms.
FOR next season, Chyma KWS, with the cercospora tolerance CR+ trait, joins the Recommended List, offering a tolerant varietal choice for the disease, pointed out Dr Wright.
“If you are experiencing
circumstances of high cercospera pressure and making three or four fungicide applications, Chyma may be worth considering next year. It has no yield penalty, at 101% of controls, although is not suited to early sowing.”
Contact details:
Anusha.mohan-kumar@rothamsted.ac.uk
Gareth.thomas@rothamsted.ac.uk
Jozsef.vuts@rothamsted.ac.uk
Funding information: Growing Health Institute Strategic Programme (BBSRC), Impact Accelerator Award (BBSRC), PhD studentship (BBSRC SWBio-DTP)
The demise of the Basic Payment Scheme and rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive marks a big milestone for agriculture that could catalyse significant changes to some crop rotations. Farmers Guardian reports.
● Integrating SFI options must be well planned
WET weather upset many cropping plans in 2023/24, with growers understandably keen to get back on track this autumn. As farm support shifts further towards crop-specific measures within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), now is an ideal time to review rotation planning.
Hutchinsons farm business consultant Will Foyle says: “People often argue the Basic Payment Scheme [BPS] is linked to crop production, but that is not the case.
“Providing land is in good agricultural condition, farmers receive BPS [payments] regardless of crops grown or agronomic decisions made – that never incentivised rotational change or made anybody question whether rotations were correct within the bigger picture.
“In contrast, the SFI is the first scheme this century to incentivise good husbandry and crop production, and drive growers to think more about crops they select. Ignoring this and continuing doing what you have always done without question is wrong.”
His Hutchinsons colleague, technical manager Dick Neale, agrees. Rotational choices are too often dictated by factors beyond growers’ control, notably the weather, or in the case of oilseed rape (OSR), crop failures caused by pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle, he says.
He adds: “People are sometimes ‘led by the tail’, getting forced down an alternative route because they are not in control of rotational
choices. There has been a need to revisit rotations for several years, not just this season.”
Of course, not every farm has to change its rotation just because new schemes are available, and doing so to ‘chase payments’ is wrong.
“Every farm is different, and what works for one might not work for another,” says Mr Foyle.
“The important thing is to look at the numbers carefully to see what is working, what is not, and build a sustainable rotation.”
The important thing is to look at numbers carefully to see what is working, what is not, and build a sustainable rotation WILL FOYLE
Some farms that can grow a good range of commercial crops, including productive, reliable break crops, might not need to change.
But equally, there are others where the standard farm approach might no longer be working, he says.
In particular, these could be farms growing predominantly cereals, where winter wheat is the mainstay but there are no reliable break crops.
unreliability of OSR and the uncertain profitability of legumes such as peas and beans?”
Numerous minority crops are available, including borage, sunflowers, lupins, crambe, linseed, spring rape, soya and grain maize – all of which might work in some situations.
But, in UK conditions, risk and yields are often no more reliable than OSR or pulses, especially for crops harvested later in the season, adds Mr Neale. There can also be issues given the limited chemistry available for minority crops.
It is in these cereal-based rotations with few break crop options where the SFI could help.
Mr Neale says: “Winter wheat remains the highest gross margin crop, so we need to support that, but in a different way to the perceived norm. Often that is based on 12-month cycles of winter wheat, a break, then wheat, and maybe a second wheat if possible.”
As farm support shifts towards crop-specific measures within SFI, now is an ideal time to review rotation planning, says Will Foyle.
Mr Foyle says: “Growing cereals without breaks is not sustainable, so the question is: How do we get breaks into the rotation given the
But SFI options open the door to what he terms the ‘3C Rotation’: integrating catch, cover and companion crops, and utilising the resilience of cereals.
“We might, for example, grow a cover crop from August to mid-January/mid-February, then a spring cereal, then a catch or summer cover crop – depending on how early the commercial crop is harvested – then a winter crop, which may also be grown with a supporting companion plant,” he says.
Another possibility is to grow successive winter, spring and summer cover crops to provide a 12-month break, before going back into first wheat. It might also be possible to retain legume species from the final summer cover mix to provide a companion in the following wheat.
While such an approach might not dramatically increase average gross margin across a typical sixyear rotation, it does provide a lower-risk break than OSR or beans, guaranteed income paid quarterly, and several agronomic benefits, not least for black-grass control, says Mr Neale.
Georgina Wallis, Hutchinsons head of environmental services, warns that integrating SFI options into the rotation is complex, so must be well planned and managed to avoid creating new problems.
She says: “You cannot just put cover or companion crops in and forget about them. They are there to support productive cereals on a rotational level.
“There can be strong financial and environmental benefits, but it requires a change of attitude,
change of agronomy and new approach. The agronomist has to be fully involved, to help guide you through the best options, where to put them and how to manage them to deliver the desired outcomes.
“Be careful with the options you choose and how you manage them.”
Gross margin analysis by Mr Foyle illustrates how different figures can look if the wrong approach is taken.
In one scenario, a legume fallow under the 2023 SFI was used for two years to replace unreliable break crops (note, the revised 2024 SFI only permits a non-rotational legume fallow). This was followed by a first wheat, second wheat, spring barley, winter barley, then back into legume fallow.
Mr Foyle says: “On paper, the payments look great, but you are taking one-third of the farm out of production, which does not work for fixed costs. In this scenario, the average gross margin across the rotation fell by £200/hectare to £825/ha.”
Ms Wallis concludes: “The SFI represents a fundamental change. Consider options carefully to decide what fits your situation long term – understand if they are manageable, and whether payments justify the work required to succeed.
“Remember, you can build agreements up, so maybe try things first and add to it later.”
VARIATION in resistance to verticillium stem stripe in oilseed rape varieties has been relatively consistent across Recommended List (RL) trials, according to the latest disease data.
AHDB released the first RL data for verticillium stem stripe in 2023. New data is now available from three harvest 2024 trials, boosting the total number of verticillium trials to nine, across harvests 2022, 2023 and 2024.
AHDB senior crop protection scientist Catherine Harries says: “With useful variation identified, the resistance data could help farmers manage this soilborne disease.”
The next edition of the RL (available online from November 25, 2024) will include updated disease ratings based on three categories: moderately resistant (MR); intermediate (I); susceptible (S).
Based on a three-year mean, the
most resistant variety had a verticillium disease index rating of 9.7, with the most susceptible variety scoring 43.3 – this variety (Quartz) was included as a susceptible control.
“Many varieties have significantly lower levels of disease than more susceptible varieties, and such varieties may help farmers manage long-term disease pressures as they are associated with fewer fungal microsclerotia that form on stem tissue and plant debris. This can help reduce pathogen pressures in subsequent crops,” says Dr Harries.
However, resistance does not infer tolerance; some susceptible varieties may yield relatively well, even under relatively high disease pressure.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information on verticillium stem stripe, including the latest data, go to ahdb.org
On top of basic hygiene measures, potato growers are being urged to disinfect stores with peroxyacetic acid, applied as a wet fog, to reduce the carry-over of diseases to the 2024 harvest.
Potato stores can be dirty and dusty places, and fungal spores of key pathogens affecting tubers (see box below) can be resting on walls and ledges, and within the roof space. Potato boxes can also be a source of inoculum ahead of receiving the new season’s crop.
Frontier potato storage treatment specialist Darren Wonnacott says basic hygiene practices essential for every store include a thorough sweep and vacuum of all accessible areas.
What he describes as the ‘cherry on the cake’ is a Jet 5 (peroxyacetic acid) treatment applied as a wet fog, but few businesses are taking advantage of its effectiveness at preventing the spread of disease.
“The mist generated by the fogging machine carries that disinfectant into all the nooks and crannies, and once up into the roof space it settles on top of those dirty, hard-to-reach places,” says Mr Wonnacott.
SAC Consulting potato specialist Kyran Maloney carried out some spore viability assays for Frontier after fogging stores with Jet 5 and says that results showed significant reductions.
Mr Maloney says peroxyacetic acid is particularly useful against skin spot, which has smaller spores than other storage diseases and can evade basic measures such as brushing and vacuuming.
“Getting rid of as much dust and dirt as possible is a great start, but particularly where you know you have had
The use of disinfectant can be worthwhile where there has been a particular disease problem in store, or potatoes are being grown to strict market tolerances, says Kyran Maloney, of SAC Consulting.
a particular disease problem within a store, or you are growing for a market with very strict tolerances, using a disinfectant can be a worthwhile investment,” he says.
Leaving empty boxes in the store during application will not impact distribution of a Jet 5 fog around a building and will help disinfect boxes around the outside of the stack.
However, the fog will not penetrate every box, so all boxes should be checked individually for any detritus such as rotten tubers.
“Particularly if you have had a bacterial breakdown, they should be pressure washed and disinfected as a separate operation.
“UV light is also a great disinfectant too, so leaving boxes outside of stores will help,” says Mr Wonnacott.
With the harvest of seed crops just around the corner and the season later than normal in key growing areas such as Scotland, risk of some diseases could be increased this year, adds Mr Maloney.
Where possible, crops should be burned down in a timely fashion, lifted as soon as skins have set, and then loaded swiftly into store for drying and curing, he says.
Harvesters should also be set correctly to avoid crop damage, such
If you decide you need a treatment, focus on getting timing and application right KYRAN MALONEY
as nicks and scuffs, which offer an easy entry point for pathogens.
Fungicide seed treatments such as Gavel (imazalil) have a role to play against specific diseases such as dry rot, gangrene, skin spot and silver scurf on seed, and Mr Maloney advises a risk-based approach to their use.
“Varietal susceptibility, harvest conditions and end market are all factors. If you decide you need a treatment, focus on getting timing and application right,” he says.
Because available fungicides work preventatively, the earlier they are applied to seed, the better.
Some seed growers will be dual-purpose cropping, taking both a ware and seed fraction and, because
seed treatments cannot be used on ware, crops should be split-graded before application.
“The quicker you can do that and the closer you can apply a seed treatment to the point of damage, the better the results. For many, that will be at first grading,” says Mr Wonnacott.
Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768
l Gimmer trade peaked at 5,000gns
AT the Scottish National Sale at Lanark, Donald and Sarah MacPherson, Berwick-upon-Tweed, led the trade at 70,000gns with their ram lamb, Hexel High Voltage. Not shown in the pre-sale show due to Mr MacPherson being on judging duties, this son of Strathbogie Gladiatior is out of a homebred dam by Haymount Crackerjack and from the same family as Hexel Born To Be Wild and Hexel Django.
The buyers were Kenny Pratt, Hilltop; Stuart Barclay, Harestone; and Jim Innes, Strathbogie, all from Aberdeenshire, along with Messrs Harkin from Loughash, Northern Ireland.
Next, at 60,000gns, from Alan Blackwood’s Auldhouseburn flock, Muirkirk, was Auldhouseburn Hercules UK. The son of 16,000gns Scholars Governor, out of a Knap-bred dam by Sportsmans Cannon Ball, sold to Eamonn Vaughan for his Partridge Nest flock, Staffordshire, and Ben Vernon for the Charben flock, also Staffordshire.
Third best of the day, at 45,000gns, was the champion of the pre-sale show from James Porter, Penrith. This was Saltcotes He’s A Belter, which had been reserve male champion at the society’s 50th Anniversary Textravaganza National Show earlier in the summer. It is by Hexel Geronimo II and out of a home-bred dam by Craig Douglas Dancer, and sold to Charlie Boden and family for their Sportsmans and Mellor Vale flocks, Macclesfield.
Making 35,000gns from Danny
Hair, Stranraer, was Drumbreddan Hard Ass, a son of Craig Douglas Gangster out of a Craighead-bred dam by Usk Vale Crackerjack, which was knocked down to four breeders: Kenny Pratt, Hilltop; Jim Innes, Strathbogie; and Stuart Barclay, Harestone, all from Aberdeenshire, plus Mark Priestley, Seaforde, Northern Ireland.
Alan Blackwood then took 20,000gns for Auldhouseburn Hanky Panky by Scholars Governor and out of a Lakeview-bred dam by Castlecairn Doodlebug. It was bought by another three-way consortium: Messrs Arnott, Haymount; Mike Turner, Okehall; and Barney Richardson, Fernyford.
Then came another 20,000gns bid, this time for Mellor Vale Hercules from Charlie Boden and family. By 170,000gns Knap Grumpy and out of a dam by Castlecairn Doodlebug, it was knocked down to Messrs Blackwood.
A Sportsmans Dare Devil daughter from James and Ellie Amphlett, Leominster, led the gimmer trade at 5,000gns. Out of a Clarks-bred dam by Procters Chumba Wumba, it sold to Jed Sharp, Worcestershire.
Next, at 3,600gns, was the female pre-sale show champion from Messrs Boden and Davies’ Sportmans flock. The daughter of 170,000gns Rhaeadr First Choice out of a Procters-bred dam by Fordafourie Balvenie sold to Christopher Cornthwaite for the Stumpscross flock, Clitheroe.
AVERAGES
172 ram lambs £3,841 (-£1,470 on 2023). Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington.
A NEW record price of 4,500gns was set at Shrewsbury’s Highlight Sale of elite dairy cattle. It was achieved by the Seaton family, Audlem, with their heifer, Styche Chief Hilgonda, which recently claimed inter-breed champion at Newport Show.
This VG87 heifer calved in January and is back in-calf to Woodcrest King Doc for January 2025.
The championship went to Phil and Sue Wynn, Ightfield, with their second calver, Brookroad Annette 56 VG86, which sold for £3,000, having
calved a month prior and giving 48kg. Birchan Lucifer Alma 304 from A.C. and D. Drinkall, Wettenhall, which had calved just a couple weeks prior and was giving 40kg, made £2,880. At £2,700 was Millenheath Topshot Darky, a second calver from the Hare family, Millenheath Farms, Prees.
Panda Nutmeg Red, a stylish Blondin Willows Red-sired in-calf heifer which is due in October to Progenesis Ambrose RC, sold for 2,500gns for Panda Holsteins, Chulmleigh, Devon. Auctioneers: Halls.
Hexel High Voltage, from Donald and Sarah MacPherson, Berwick-uponTweed, which sold for the top price of 70,000gns.
Auldhouseburn Hercules UK, from Alan Blackwood’s Auldhouseburn flock, Muirkirk, which sold for 60,000gns.
Pre-sale show champion, Saltcotes He’s A Belter, from James Porter, Penrith, which sold for 45,000gns.
THE reduction of the Westbroad flock of Dutch Spotted sheep at Carlisle on behalf of Ian Johnstone, Fenwick, Ayrshire, topped at 3,200gns for Westbroad Harley, a ewe lamb by Myreside Fearless out of Westbroad Felicia, which sold to Messrs Boyd, Dumfries. Next, at 2,500gns, was the shearling gimmer Westbroad Genevieve, also by Fearless and out of Westbroad Ettie. It was knocked down to Messrs McKerrow, Bo’ness.
Messrs Roberts, Dunfermline, then paid 900gns for Westbroad Grace, another gimmer by Fearless. At the same money was Westbroad Heidi, a ewe lamb by Barquhill Gordy, which sold to Messrs Boyd.
AVERAGES 8 flock ewes, £599.81; 22 shearling gimmers, £763.63. Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
● Heifers average 766p/kg (£3,155.79)
THE sale of exhibition cattle at the Thainstone Spectacular topped at £9,000 for J.S. Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney, with a February 2024-born Limousin cross heifer.
This took the 2024 haltered heifer championship before selling to Susan and Allan Campbell, Lochgoilhead. The champion heifer in the 2023 section went on to sell for the second top price of the day of £6,000.
This was a 10-month-old 440kg Limousin cross heifer from G. and J. Greenlaw, Balgairn Farms, Ballater, which went to an undisclosed telephone bidder.
Graham Sutherland, Lybster, sold his 286kg Limousin cross heifer, Belinda, for £5,600 to Slack and Haugh, Penrith.
Stewart Bett, Stirling, judged the show of exhibition cattle, awarding
THE strong trade for rearing calves continued at Leyburn, where they topped at £670 for a British Blue bull from Mary Dent of J.A. Dent and Sons, Jervaulx, which sold to Richard and Katie Grainger, Bedale.
Limousin bulls peaked at £650 for Andrew Backhouse, Thornton Watlass, with Liz and Sandra Bousfield, Barnard Castle, at £645.
Charolais from Stephen Sowray, Bishop Thornton, sold to £660 for a heifer which went to Michael Radford, Hunton, and to £635 for a bull to Stephen Lofthouse, Grewelthorpe, for a client. A British Blue heifer from the same home made £600.
The 45 Aberdeen-Angus bulls and heifers forward sold to £585 for a bull from Middle Farm, Warsill, and £420 for heifers from Philip Robinson, East Rounton. Auctioneers: Leyburn Auction Mart.
the overall championship to the 2023 champion bullock, a Limousin cross bullock from Balfour Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney. The Limousin cross by Huntershall Rosco went on to sell to John D. Work, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, Ellon for £3,400.
Two Limousin cross heifers, both by Redriver Powerful, and from Balfour Baillie, sold for £4,000 apiece. First was a May 2023-born 450kg calf and the second was a five-month-old 243kg heifer, selling to Sophie Weir, Morayshire.
A March-born Limousin cross bullock won the 2024 section for the Fraser family, Lethen, Nairn, and
A February 2024-born Limousin cross heifer, from J.S. Baillie, Tankerness, Orkney, which sold for the top price of £9,000.
sold for £3,900 to Julie Sedgewick, Aycliffe, Durham.
The Robertson family of Newton of Logierait, Pitlochry, achieved £3,500 for their January 2024-born 302kg Limousin cross Charolais heifer, which took the reserve champion 2024 haltered heifer and sold to A. Ireland, Darvel, Ayrshire.
J. Scott Watson, Carnoustie, bought a May 2023-born 590kg Limousin cross heifer from J.S. Youngson, Echt, for £3,200.
The Robertsons then sold a 495kg
Limousin cross heifer for £2,700 to Wilson Peters, Monzie, Crieff. Just behind, at £2,500, was a six-month-old 306kg Limousin cross heifer, Jojo, from G. Sutherland, Lybster, which sold to Emslies Livestock, Mintlaw, Peterhead.
AVERAGES
Heifers, 766p/kg (£3,155.79); bullocks, £2,301.82; 30 calves overall, £2,842.67 (+£509.34 on the year).
Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts.
THE Denmire herd from the Dennison family, Ulverston, led the way in both the show and sale rings at the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club show and sale at Carlisle.
They took the championship with the heifer, Denmire Ferraro Star, whose first five dams were all Excellent. It sold for 3,800gns to the judge, Scott Forsyth, Baltier Farms, Newton Stewart.
They also had the winning senior
heifer, Demire Swingman Marie by Westcoast Swingman, which sold for the top price of 4,200gns, also to the judge.
The Errolston herd, Gretna, topped at 2,900gns for Errolston Mason Win Ricki, bred from 10 generations of EX or VG dams, which went to Stu Forshaw, Preston.
The youngstock sale of Lismulli-
gan British Friesians from Basil and Adam Lawson, Fife, saw bulling heifers top at 1,500gns for Lismulligan Dawn 60 by Manorpark Google, which was bought by the Moscrop family, Irthington.
AVERAGES
8 cows in-milk, £2,100; 89 heifers in-milk, £2,522.41; Lismulligan British Friesian heifers, £887.25.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
BADGER Face Texel trade peaked at 1,500gns at Welshpool for Jessops Firefox, a ram lamb from Paula Jessop, Leicestershire. This
son of High Ploughlands Ernie out of Woodies Belinda, an imported dam, sold to S. Duggan, Brecon. Next, at 1,200gns, was shear-
Jessops Firefox, a ram lamb from Paul Jessop, Leicestershire, which sold for the top price of 1,500gns.
ling ewe, Llwyn Derw Elizabeth, from Richard Davies, Newtown. By Cleenagh Paddy Power and out of an imported dam, it went to J. and J. Bugden and Sons, Southampton.
At 880gns was a ewe lamb from the same home, Llwyn Derw Foxglove by Banc Emperor. It was bought by Messrs Bugden, who also paid 750gns for Llwyn Derw Ethel, again from Richard Davies and by Cleenagh Paddy Power. AVERAGES
l Males topped at 1,600gns for aged ram
A PAIR of females led the trade at the Dutch Spotted Sheep Society’s Welshpool sale, selling at 3,000gns.
First at this money was the reserve female and reserve overall champion, Glan Y Mor Glitter, from the Jones family, Gwynedd. By Glencoy Chance and out of Coxhill Eider, it found a new home with Harri and Hannah Vaughan for the Preseli View flock, Pembrokeshire.
Reserve female and reserve overall champion, Glan Y Mor Glitter, from the Jones family, Gwynedd, which sold for 3,000gns to Harri and Hannah Vaughan, Pembrokeshire.
Tiptop Hashtag, a ewe lamb from Alastair Jackson, Annan, which sold for 3,000gns to Alistair Dodd for the Tundergarth flock, Lockerbie.
The other at 3,000gns from Alastair Jackson, Annan, was the ewe lamb Tiptop Hashtag, a Craigdoo Gambler daughter out of
A 1,000GNS call for the shearling ewe Dovery Hazel, consigned by Messrs Comer and Simpson, Llandovery, was the highlight of the Blue Texel sale at Welshpool. By Nantyderri Flashy and out of a dam by a Hackney sire, it sold to Paula Jessop, Leicestershire.
Selling for 900gns was the champion from the pre-sale show, Solway View Hitomi, which was from Kevin Watret, Annan. The gimmer, by Sunnybank Exchange Rate and out of an imported dam, was knocked down to the judge, Mike Davies, for the Severn View flock, Caersws.
Making 800gns was ewe lamb Solway View Joule from the same home. The daughter of Caryl’s Blues Hulk and out of a dam by
Dovery Hazel, a shearling ewe from Messrs Comer and Simpson, Llandovery, which sold for 1,000gns to Paula Jessop, Leicestershire.
Matt’s Freedom was bought by W.D. Isaac, Ceredigion.
Top call in the rams was an 800gns bid for a shearling ram from the Ty Gwyn flock of G. and L. Davies, Fishguard. This son of Nantyderri Finest, out of a dam by a Hackney sire, was bought by D. and C. Woodhouse, Anglesey.
At 750gns was the reserve champion, Solway View Jack Daniels, from Messrs Watret. This ram lamb by Caryl’s Blues Hulk and out of a dam by a Corra sire went to Adrian Windsor, Carmarthenshire.
AVERAGES
4 shearling rams, £590.63; 6 ram lambs, £484.75; 3 aged ewes, £420; 29 shearling ewes, £514.14, 4 ewe lambs, £506.63. Auctioneers: Welshpool Livestock Sales.
Tiptop Fine N Dandy, which was the pick of Alistair Dodd for the Tundergarth flock, Lockerbie.
Next, at 2,600gns, was another gimmer, Wedderburn Gigi, from Jonathan and Janet Corbett, Newent. The daughter of Merryboro Fastandfurious, out of the imported dam Candy Floss, was knocked down to Messrs Price and Son, Molton.
Making 2,200gns was another from the Corbetts, the ewe lamb Wedderburn Holly Hock, which is jointly owned with David Roberts’ Boyo flock. By Whatmore Guiness and out of Lochlad Danika, it sold to Henry Jewitt, Barnard Castle.
Topping the rams at 1,600gns
was the aged ram Merryboro Fastandfurious from the Corbetts and David Roberts. This son of Dutch Dominator out of Merryboro Duchess headed home with Messrs Vernon, Minshull Vernon.
Next, at 1,300gns, was Red Wharf Gilbert, a shearling ram from D.W. Williams, Anglesey. By Haughmond Enchanted and out of Blacket House Elena, it sold to G. Jackson, Witchampton.
AVERAGES
19 shearling rams, £685.26; 4 aged rams, £945; 24 ram lambs, £479.06; 31 gimmers, £918.24; 2 aged ewes, £341.25; 48 ewe lambs, £754.69.
Auctioneers: Welshpool Livestock Sales.
THE Boclair Bright Futures sale of 130 Holsteins at Carlisle on behalf of the Brewster family, Glasgow, topped at 6,500gns for Boclair Lambda Moove It, which has a maternal line that goes back to an Excellent Dundee sister to Eastside Lewisdale Gold Missy. The buyers were Messrs Yates, Castle Douglas, and Messrs Lawrie, Maybole.
Excellent cows
Selling for 6,000gns to Andrew and Euan Lawrie of Grangehall Holsteins, Lanark, was Boclair Lambda Rae, which is bred from 11 generations of Excellent cows going back to Roxy EX97.
Boclair Lambda Barbara 12 sold five weeks calved, for 5,000gns to Baltier Farms, Newton Stewart.
The champion heifer from the
Lanarkshire herd competition, two-year-old Boclair Lambda Lilyan 2 VG86, sold for 4,500gns to the Bryson family of the Whiteflat Holstein herd, Mauchline. Six heifers, all tracing back to KHW Regiment Apple Red, averaged over £3,500, with two selling for 4,000gns. Boclair Rubels Apple Red was bought by the Boyd family, Glasgow, and Boclair Ranger Apple Red was bought by Michael Dixon, Wigton.
AVERAGES
30 cows and heifers in-milk, £2,712.50; 18 in-calf heifers due in 2024, £2,350.83; 21 short-bred heifers due in 2025, £2,382.50; 25 bulling heifers, £1,934.10; 25 heifer calves under 12 months old, £1,726.20; 5 embryos, £630.
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
SHEARLING rams led the trade at 24,000gns at the English National Texel sale at Worcester.
The sale topper was Caereinion Gladiator from Cefin Pryce and family, Welshpool, Powys, with a son of £10,000 Loosebeare Chief out of a dam by Blaencar Bandit. It sold with a top 10% index to the Ellis family, Cressage and Scholars flocks, Shropshire.
Second top at 11,000gns was Peacehay Greatest Showman from the Chave family, Somerset. By Clarks Wizard and out of a dam by Peacehay Untouchable, it was knocked down to Llion Jones, Pant flock, Tywyn, Gwynedd.
The same vendors then took 5,000gns for Peacehay Gangnam Style, the champion from the presale show. By Usk Vale Fandabidozi and out of a Clarks Wizard daughter, it sold to the Williams family, Caron flock, Aberystwyth.
Making 4,800gns was Greenarch Good God from Eve Hodge, Kelso. By Fimber Elysium, it carries a top 1% index, and went to the Jones family, Anglesey.
Ram lambs sold to 7,000gns for Cambwell Hulk by Deveronvale Fastrac out of a dam by Waen Deja vu from Robert Laird, Biggar. Having stood second in the pre-sale show, it sold, with a top 1% texelplus index to Tomos Adams, Ty-Medi flock, Cowbridge.
Mr Laird then reinvested some of his earnings in the second best priced lamb of the day, the reserve overall champion, Overburns Highland Spring from Keith and Andrew Campbell, Biggar.
By the 42,000gns Ettrick Grey Goose and out of a dam by Sportsmans Dirty Harry, it has a top 10%
Peacehay Greatest Showman from the Chave family, Somerset, sold at 11,000gns to Llion Jones, Tywyn, Gwynedd.
THE sale of prime lambs at Kirkby Stephen on Tuesday topped at £192/head for a Dutch Texel cross lamb from Messrs Fell, Keswick.
Top price per kilo at 462.5p (£185/head) were a pair of 40kg Beltex cross lambs from Charlotte and Georgia Davies, Gaddesby, who also sold 47kg lambs to make £190 with their consignment of 47 lambs averaging 397.7p/kg (£166.47/head).
Messrs Pickard, Queniborough sold four 44kg Beltex cross lambs at £180/head (409.1p/kg).
Texel cross lambs sold to £180 from Messrs Barker, Appleby.
Mule lambs topped at £141 from Messrs Pedley, Little Musgrave, and 295.6p/kg for 45kg lambs from Messrs Deighton, Bleatarn.
Cast sheep topped at £265 for a Beltex cross ewe from Messrs Robson, Consett, who also sold another pair of Beltex cross ewes at £255/ head.
Texel cross ewes sold to £240/ head for Messrs Brogden, Brough.
AVERAGES
SQQ, 317.57p/kg; overall, 312.5p/kg (£140.56/head).
Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
texelplus index. Next at 4,500gns was Midlock Hardman by Midlock Fury out of a dam by Hexel Django from the Wight family, Biggar.
The buyers were Peter and James Vaughan, Leominster.
A Mossknowe Focus-sired gimmer from Archie and John MacGregor’s Allanfauld flock, Kilsyth, topped the gimmer trade 4,500gns.
Out of a Procters Chumba Wumba-sired dam, it sold with a top 25% texelplus index to Tom Ayrton, Lancaster.
Next at 4,200gns was the female champion from the pre-sale show, a gimmer from David Dunlop and family’s Holtridge flock, Whitchurch. This was as Auld -
Caereinion Gladiator from Cefin Pryce and family, Welshpool, Powys, sold for 24,000gns to the Ellis family, Shropshire.
houseburn Freaky Friday daughter out of a dam by Garngour Craftsman, which was knocked down to Dave and Helen Smith, Bristol. Making 3,500gns was the reserve female champion from Gordon Gray’s Ettrick flock, Selkirk. Also by Mossknowe Focus and out of a dam by Clinterty You Cracker, it sold with a top 1% texelplus index to Jordon Green, Aberdeenshire.
AVERAGES
81 shearling rams £2463.74 (89% clearance); 98 ram lambs, £1,315.18 (88% clearance; 36 gimmers, £1,257.08.
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
AT the show and sale of feeding bulls and store cattle at Pateley Bridge, the overall championship went to a British Blue heifer from E. and M. Townley and Son, Clapham, which later sold for the top heifer price of £1,800.
The day’s top price was £1,920 for the winning steer, a Limousin from N.C. and L. Wilson, Ripon, who also had the second prize steer, another Limousin, which sold for £1,905.
The top price feeding bull at £1,625 was the first prize winner, a
Limousin, consigned by J.H. and S.M. Mason, Clapham, who also had the second and third prize winners which made £1,355 and £1,425 respectively.
In the breeding cattle section, M. Crabtree, Harrogate, sold a heifer and calf for £2,500 and two cows and calves for £2,350 and £2,200.
AVERAGES
Steers, £1,419; heifers, £1,322.69; bulls, £1,194. Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart Co.
● Nine rams sold to an average of £7,921
A NEW breed record of 30,000gns was set at the Blacknose Beauties national show and sale of Valais Blacknose sheep at Carlisle for the female champion, Ayrshire Ingrid.
The ewe, in-lamb to Highland Glen and consigned by Tom Blackwood, Stewarton, is the first Valais Blacknose sheep to score maximum points at grading three times.
The buyer was new breeder,
Female champion, Ayrshire Ingrid, an in-lamb ewe from Tom Blackwood, Stewarton, which sold for the top price and a breed record of 30,000gns.
Reserve male and reserve supreme champion, Deepdale Luca, a ram lamb from Heather Adams, Buxton, which sold for 22,000gns.
Anthony Barney, Bala, to start the new Pale Valais Blacknose flock.
The same buyer paid 22,000gns for the reserve male and reserve supreme champion, the ram lamb, Deepdale
AT the Beef Shorthorn Society show and sale at Longtown, first prize heifer was an unserved roan poll from Thomson, Roddick and Laurie’s Shawhill Shorthorns, Annan.
By Glenisla Keystone out of a Burnside Elite/Fieldhouse Florence Anita dam, it sold for 3,300gns to T. and R. Harper, Biggar.
Cow and calf
First prize in the cow and calf section went to A. and C. Ivinson, Penrith, with Sandwick Blythesome Klassylass, a 2016-born EX90 dark roan by Engineer of Upsall out of a Podehole Atlas dam with a registered heifer calf at foot which sold for 2,500gns.
The buyer was R.A. Nelson, Cockermouth, who also paid 2,400gns for Sandwick Kinda Marita by Podehole
Gatsby, also with a heifer calf, from the same home.
In the dispersal of the Featherstone herd for Alan and Dorothy Whitehead, Haltwhistle, cows with calves at foot sold to 2,300gns for Featherston Pesky Ysabel with a heifer calf which went to Middlemoor Farm, Hudswell, North Yorkshire.
In-calf heifers sold to 2,600gns again to Middlemoor Farm, for Featherstone Skylark Heather, a roan Newton of Skaillhouse daughter, with other Featherston in-calf heifers at 2,400gns and 2,200gns to the same buyer.
Cows with calves at foot £2,258; in-calf heifers £2,415; unserved heifers £1,773.
Auctioneers: C. and D. Auction Marts.
First prize heifer, an unserved roan poll from Thomson, Roddick and Laurie’s Shawhill Shorthorns, Annan, which sold for 3,300gns.
Luca from Heather Adams, Buxton. He also paid 20,000gns for Lack Karter, a shearling ram from Peter Self, Chippenham, and 19,000gns for Deepdale Lookout, a ram lamb from Ms Adams.
Making 13,000gns was Snowdonia Kala, a shearling ewe from Messrs Gerallt and Jones, Caernarfon.
It sold to Jane Lauber, Credition, who also paid 7,000gns for Whiterigg Kiltie Cauld Burn, a shearling ewe
from Messrs Taylor, Falkirk, and 6,500gns for Whiterigg Juniper, a ewe from the same vendors.
Wildheart King, a shearling ram from R. Wildman and K. McQuattie, Newport, made 4,000gns in a twoway split to B.C. Weir, Galashiels, and D. MacGregor, Glasgow.
AVERAGES
Females, £3,467; 9 rams, £7,921. Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.
AN increase in selling averages across all the main breeds produced an overall breed average of £213 for 3,409 sheep, almost £50 per head up on the previous year’s £164.95 for 5,271 head at Skipton’s first major breeding sale.
Texel shearlings averaged £245.81, up £72.34 on the year.
Section champions were Ryan and Arthur Sharp, Oswaldtwistle, with a pen of near pure Texels which sold for the top price of £340/head to Richard Crabtree, Otley.
North of England Mules averaged £202.87, a rise of £39.55. Top-end sheep made from £230 to £280, with two vendors taking this joint top call.
First was the champion pen, consigned for the third year running by James Towler and Sammy Fawcett, Grindleton, which sold to Tom Walmsley, D. and A. Livestock, Harrogate.
Also at £280 were Thomas and Sheila Binns, Downham, with these selling to the Coates family, Coniston Cold.
David and Michelle Buck, Barnard Castle, won the annual Masham Sheep Breeders Association
show, their victors topping at £260 to C.L. Parker, Market Harborough.
The non-association Masham show class winners were V. Verity and Son, Summerbridge, represented by Mark Harrison and daughter Holly. They made £240, also to Messrs Parker, with a third pen from the same home heading the section prices at £245.
Masham shearlings averaged £222.02, up £54.08 on the year. Cheviot Mules averaged £227.86, an increase of £58.93 on the year.
In the Suffolk class, Mick Mitchell and grandson Robert, Knutsford, claimed top honours with their home-bred shearlings. They made a section-topping £260 again to Emma Wright. This section average was up £73.43 at £233.80.
Beltex shearlings averaged £264.79, with M.J. Beckwith and W.G. Beckwith, both Gargrave, selling pens to £285 and £270, respectively.
Dutch Spotted averaged £226.43, selling to £250 for C. Thornber, Clitheroe, and Dales Mules levelled at £195.
Auctioneers: CCM.
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eld •
elds • Leek • Sta ordshire • ST13 5PY • www.leekmarket.co.uk
Market Results
Dairies to £3500 (5 over £3000) Entry Av £2545, Cull Cows 220p/kg - £1477.50, Pigs 231p/kg - £198.44, Calves BB Bull to £534, Lambs 352p/kg - £183.04, Ewes £208
Forthcoming Dairy Sale
TUESDAY 24TH SEPTMBER 2024
Sale of the Entire Milking Herd of 145 Cows & Heifers In-milk & In-Calf on behalf of R & H Bates & Sons, Cocksmoss Farm, Marton, Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Store Cattle Sales
534 STORE CATTLE
THIS SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST 2024
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
LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS Find
LONGTOWN MART Tel (01228) 791215
Tuesday 3rd September at 10.30am
8,000 Store Lambs
Wednesday 4th September at 10.30am
Annual Special Sale of 2,500 Lowland Breeding Sheep North of England & Scotch Mule Shearlings & Ewes
Dispersal of 300 N. of E. Mule Ewes, reg. ages, ex Raggithwaite Texel, Suffolk & Other Shearlings & Ewes
Tuesday 10th September at 10.30am
September Sale of Store & Breeding Cattle
9,000 Store Lambs
First Sale of Cheviot and Blackface Lambs
01630 652926
enquiries@barbers-auctions.co.uk
www.marketdraytonmarket.co.uk
FARM DISPERSAL SALE
At Dig Lane Farm, Acton, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8PB
Saturday 7th September 2024 – 10:30am Sale catalogue available online.
Lots include – Massey Ferguson 4270 & Massey Ferguson 4255 with Loader, John Deere 678 Combi Baler, Bunning Low Lander 75 RD Spreader, Various Livestock Equip & Misc.
MDM COLLECTIVE MACHINERY SALE
At Market Drayton Market, TF9 3SW
Friday 13th September 2024 – 10:30am
Agricultural Machinery, Tractors & Trailers, Equipment & Sundries
ENTRIES WANTED – Please call/email Market Office
FARM DISPERSAL SALE
At Bradley Hall, Bradley, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 4RA
Saturday 21st September 2024 – 10:30am Sale catalogue available online.
Lots include – Case CS105 Pro Tractor c/w MXU8 Loader, JCB 2CX Street
Master Backhoe Loader, Polaris Ranger, Krone AM203S Easy Cut Mower, Pottinger 265 HED Mower Conditioner, Various Livestock Equip & Misc.
KELSALL COLLECTIVE MACHINERY SALE
At Churches View Farm, Kelsall, Chester CH3 8BH
Friday 4th October 2024 – 10:30am
Agricultural Machinery, Tractors & Trailers, Equipment & Sundries ENTRIES WANTED Please call Jonty Cliffe/email kelsallsale@barbers-auctions.co.uk
‘SELL LIVE & THRIVE AT MARKET DRAYTON MARKET’
Market Drayton Agriculture Centre 01630 652926
Bernie Hutchinson 07778 164274, Mark Jones 07813 625787
Ben Baggott 07791 791356 & Jonty Cliffe 07595 453306
Buttington Cross, Buttington, Welshpool, Powys SY21 8SR T: 01938 553438 F: 01938 554607
www.welshpoolsmithfield.co.uk
SATURDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER 2024
SALE OF 750 COMMERCIAL PURE & CROSSBRED RAMS Sale to commence at 10am
WELSH MULE SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION SALE
Wednesday 11th September - 4407 Yearling Ewes
Thursday 12th September - 7018 Ewe Lambs Sale to commence at 10am
SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER 2024
Lleyn Society Sale, Native Breed Rams & Females, Zwartbles, Native Cattle
Friday 6th September
10.15am 100 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS 10.15am 150 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11.15am 300 STORE CATTLE & STIRKS
Wednesday 18th September SHOW & SALE OF GIMMER LAMBS Plus Second Sale of Breeding Ewes & Rams
Monday 28th October - CLAIMING DATE
Dairy Dispersal Sale on behalf of DJ A & L Sutcliffe, Throstle Nest Farm, Winmarleigh
Tel: 015395 66200
Tuesday 3rd September
1pm PRIME LAMBS & CAST SHEEP
Thursday 5th September
10am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS
10:30am 100 CAST/OTM CATTLE
11:15am 300 STIRKS & STORE CATTLE
‘LADS NIGHT OUT’
Show & Sale of 630 Terminal Sire Breeding Rams 4pm Texel Rams followed by Beltex & Cross Breds 6pm Charollais Rams followed by Dutch Spotted, Any Other Breed & Suffolk Rams
Quality ca le, most 14-22 months www.exmoorfarmers.co.uk Telephone: 01643 841841 Email: exmoorfarmers@exmoorfarmers.co.uk
SALE AT 11 am
Thursday 12th September 10.30am Fortnightly Sale of STORE LAMBS
Friday 13th September 10am
AMBLESIDE FAIR - Show & Sale of Mule, Masham, Rough Fell Mule & Cheviot Mule Gimmer Lambs
Saturday 14th September 10am ANNUAL SALE OF NORTH OF ENGLAND MULE GIMMER LAMBS
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
Monday 7th October
Show & Sale of Registered & Unregistered Bluefaced Leicester Rams & Females Catalogue Entries by Monday 9th September
Viewing: Saturday 31st (am only) & Monday 2nd September
Sale Concludes: Tuesday 3rd September Collection: Wednesday 4th & Friday 6th September
Friday 6th September
Annual Special Show & Sale for 1,600 Mule & Continental Gimmer Shearlings. Catalogue online. Judging 9.30am. Sale 10.30am with Mules followed by Continentals.
Monthly Dairy Sale at 12.30/1.00pm. 120 Rearing Calves & Stirks at 11.00am. 2 Mart Shares in Dairy Ring at 11.00am. Fri 13th Sep: Rearing Calf Show. Store Cattle & Lambs. Fri 20th Sep: Show & Sale of Mule & Cont Gimmer Lambs. Contact: 01969 623167
PRIME SHEEP
Every Thursday at Thrapston
STORE & BREEDING SHEEP & CATTLE, CALVES, PIGS & GOATS
Every Saturday at Thrapston
ALL CLASSES OF SHEEP & PRODUCE, POULTRY, PLANTS & SUNDRIES
Every Tuesday at Stratford
Saturday 7th September
Smallholders Sale
To include: Poultry, Goats, Pigs & Sundries
All Poultry must be pre-booked prior to the Sale. No late entries will be accepted. No pets can be sold, due to our local Councils instructions.
Saturday 14th September
Sale of Breeding Sheep & Rams
Entries close Wednesday 4th September
Saturday 21st September
Bedford Michaelmas Show & Sale
Wednesday 11th September
Field Sale of Breeding Sheep & Rams
Pedigree Hampshire Down Club Sale
Further information available online
Friday 27th September
Entries close Tuesday 17th September
For further information contact:
Alastair Brown: 07885 804450
Jake Wagstaff: 07487 526803 01832 732241 or visit the website for weekly listings of sale entries
Last week we marked Harrison and Hetherington’s 50 years at Borderway Mart and what a week of celebrations we had.
This included prize shows and sales of prime and store cattle, young calves and prime and store lambs.
For me, one of the most poignant moments of the week was last Friday, 50 years to the day since the opening of Borderway Auction Centre, when the first animal offered in the ring was sold by Michael Dickie.
Michael joined Harrison & Hetherington in 1960 and was an auctioneer when the company moved from Botchergate and Earl Street, Carlisle, to the new premises at Rosehill.
Under his hammer went a Suffolk ewe from Glynis and Taylor Soulsby from Williamsgill Farm, Temple Sowerby, Penrith, which sold for £440.
This summer has been disappointing, with very few fine days and certainly up here in the North of England there has never been what you could call a warm dry spell.
As a result, all livestock has suffered. After what was an exceptionally wet and challenging lambing, lambs have not enjoyed the sun on their backs for any length of time.
Consequently, the general consensus is that this year’s lambs are at least
three to four weeks behind where they should be.
Lamb numbers through our prime sheep centres here have in general been slow to come forward.
However, against this trend, as more deadweight sellers return to the live market to achieve the true value of their stock, Borderway has enjoyed increased throughput.
The lamb trade looks set to remain buoyant as stories of poor lambings and schmallenberg disease in the South mean fewer numbers on the ground, creating a shortage of supply.
The early breeding sheep sales have probably been even better than anticipated, although we should not really be surprised, as huge numbers of ewe hoggs were brought to market during the height of the spring
For any enquiries contact
Dafydd Davies - 07506 083590 dafydd@farmersmarts.co.uk
Dylan Davies - 07979 156650 dylan@farmersmarts.co.uk
hogg market when heavy hoggs were trading at more than £250 regularly.
As we head into the main autumn sales, we expect breeding sheep numbers to be tight and trade to be strong.
Early sales in the South have reported Mule shearlings at more than £200. This is bound to reflect on the Mule ewe lamb sales when they begin, firstly with Scotch Mules at St Boswells on the September 5, then on to North of England Mules at Kirkby Stephen on September 13.
These will be followed by Middleton-in-Teesdale on September 18, Carlisle on September 19 and the Alston Moor Sale at Lazonby on the September 25.
And on September 13, we can look forward to an outstanding entry of nearly 3,800 tups going under the hammer in the Border Union Kelso ram sales.
H&H has a total of 1,532 rams forward and we are expecting an impressive line-up of premium quality stock.
In the cattle rings, trade across all departments from prime to rearing calves and stirks, stores and dairy heifers has been very strong all summer, and across the board, August is bringing with it even more demand. Confidence is high and values have followed this rising demand.
The effects of the weather on arable crops and silage mean feed and bedding will undoubtedly prove to be a problem this winter, as stories of poor yielding crops and very little straw filter through the farming community. Livestock farmers are expecting there to be higher input costs for these.
Looking forward, we have no shortage of entries of the finest cattle and sheep from across the country for our Agri Expo autumn livestock showcase on November 1, despite there still being some time until entries close.
This year, we will be marking the 18th time we have hosted this Autumn event at Borderway and it is always such a pleasure to see all sectors of our livestock industry so well represented.
Scott Donaldson is the managing director at Harrison and Hetherington. Call 07801 377 626, or email scott. donaldson@borderway.com
Thursday 5th September
Annual Show & Sale of Gimmer Lambs Store Lambs, Ewes & Rams Inc 100 Shearlings
Large entry in all sections
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 Ian Smith - Mart Manager 07738043771 Office 01943 462172 wfam @auctionmarts.com
BANK TOP FARM, KNIVETON, DERBYSHIRE DE6 1JL
THURSDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2024 AT 10.30AM
5 Massey Ferguson & Kubota Tractors - MF 6S.155 Dyna 6 4WD (23’), MF 6470 Dyna 6 4WD (10’), MF 5445 Powershift 2WD (07’) & MF 590 2WD Manitou MLA 628 120 LSU Power Plus Telehandler (08’), Kubota L4240 4WD (12’)
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
The Darlington Farmers Auction Mart Humbleton Park I Darlington I DL2 2XX WEDNESDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER
Full Farm Dispersal Sale on behalf of WB Mitchell & Sons, Howlett Hall, Whalton, NE61 3TS Sale to Commence at 12noon 3% Buyers Premium will be Charged.
Ifor Transport Trailer, Livestock Trailer Farm Trailers & Machinery Range of Livestock Equipment Hay & Workshop Items & Sundries
GRINDLEY COLLECTIVE SALEAPPROX ??? LOTS
THE BLYTHE INN PADDOCK, GRINDLEY, STAFFORD ST18 0LS SATURDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER AT 10.15AM
TUESDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER 8500 SHEEP At 11.00am 2nd Special Sale of 4700 YEARLING EWES
1950 Texel x Mules - 1100 Suffolk x Mules
750 NCM/Scotch Mules - 650 Welsh Mules 200 Aberfield x - 130 Pure Texel/Suffolk & Beltex Catalogues available
300 BREEDING EWES - 1.30pm
3500 STORE LAMBS - 2.00pm
20 REARING/WEANED CALVES - 10.30am
Greg Christopher - 07770 972815
Matthew Nicholls - 07811 521267
Rory Matthews - 07983 465226
HMA Ltd, The Livestock Centre, Roman Road, Hereford HR4 7AN 01432 761882 www.herefordmarket.co. uk
Inventory
Merlo Forklift TF 3.5 Ton Lift, 7M Boom, Pickup Hitch 70 Reg 902 Hours
Massey Ferguson 7490 Dyna-VT 06 Reg 8930 Hours, John Deere 3350 Plus Loader H Reg 11451 Hours, Honda 420 2wd Quad Bike, Honda 420 4wd Quad Bike, Kidd 450 Bedding Machine, Kuhn Euro Mix Feeder, Fleming 14ft Field Roller with Transport Wheels 2018, Portequip 25ft Bale Trailer, 8 Ton Marsden Corn Trailer 2004, 14 Ton Muck Trailer, 8 Ft Pasture Topper, Flexi Coil Front Press, X Form Muck Grab; Grain Bucket; Foster Bale Spike; 2x Loigc Bike Trailers; 2x Sheep Snackers; Workshop Equipment.
Livestock Equipment
Ritchie Combi Clamp Plus Scales
Ritchie Cattle Crush Plus Scales
Cattle Handling System; 9Ton Feed Bin; 2x 6.5 Ton Bildabin Feed Bins; Cattle Crush; Quantity of Pig Feeders; Quaintly of Cattle Feeders; 4x Heston Bale Feeders; Sheep Ring Feeders; Lambing Gates; Cattle Gates;
TUESDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER
‘Tup Tup Challice’ Evening Show and Sale of 300 breeding ram and ram lambs
Both MV and Non MV Sections
Show to commence at 4pm Sale to commence at 5pm
Contact for details
Rebecca Wilson 07593 975163 (Machinery)
Scott Ferrie 07557 260653 (Auctioneer)
John Wharton 07912 946549 (Auctioneer)
Oliver Chapman 07887 653442 (Auctioneer)
Megan Dowson 07471 823606 (Trainee Auctioneer)
Stephen Dodsworth 07946 514154 (Fieldsperson)
Tracey Gilhespy 07867 974688 (Fieldsperson)
Show and sale of PEDIGREE HOLSTEIN CATTLE
Wednesday 18th September
On behalf of Border & Lakeland Holstein Club
BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE
Tel: 01228 406200
Saturday 31st August 93 RYELAND & 67 COLOURED RYELAND Show 10.00am Sale 12.00noon
421 DUTCH SPOTTED
Show Friday 3.00pm Sale 10.00am
123 BADGERFACE TEXEL
Show Friday 6.30pm Sale 10.30am
INNOVIS RAM SALE
Monday 2nd September – 1.00pm
Viewing from 11.30am
For more details visit www.innovis.org.uk
365 DAIRY CATTLE SELLING AT BORDERWAY
BORDERWAY MONTHLY DAIRY DAY
Wednesday 4th September - 10.30am
PLEASE FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK TO VIEW ANIMALS PRIOR TO THE SALE
Comprising: 182 freshly calved cows/heifers –10 dry cows - 72 In-calf heifers – 76 bulling/ yearling heifers – 25 heifer calves
Breeds represented include Holstein Friesian, British Friesian, Jersey & Ayrshire
FRESHLY CALVED ANIMALS The sale includes an outstanding consignment of freshly calved cows and heifers all producing large volumes of milk from many of the top dairy farms in the North. IN CALF HEIFERS A special group of 25 In Calf heifers from GUILLYHILL Farm in Dumfries sell.
YOUNGSTOCK A well bred group of 25 heifers aged 6 – 10 month old sell from KILHILT Farm many with high PLI. 25 heifers sell from the ESK herd and 25 heifer calves sell from the MARKS Farm
Followed by The CLWCH YOUNGSTOCK SALE
For Mr WJ & H Williams, Llanddeusant, Anglesey
Comprising: 27 in calf heifers –30 bulling/yearling heifers
The CLWCH herd is one the best Holstein herds in North Wales winning many of the herd competitions and regional shows in recent years. Due to the successful use of sexed semen this special sale has been arranged to sell their very BEST youngstock. The management system is predominantly autumn calving and all the young stock are genomic tested. Currently the herd is averaging 9404kg 5.01% butterfat 3.24% protein produced mainly from grass and grass silage. In total 57 heifers sell, comprising 27 In Calf and recently served heifers and 30 bulling and heifer calves. 30 of these heifers are bred from Excellent or Very Good dams with four heifers having an EXCELLENT 94 dam! They are sired by the BEST sires the breed, with daughters of Lambda, Pepper, Davinci, Doc, Soundsystem & Rager Red all selling.
PLEASE ORDER YOUR CATALOGUE TODAY or connect with someone from the sale staff.
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
2000 EURO CONTINENTAL EWES & SHEARLING GIMMERS
Friday 6th September – 10.30am
Border & Lakeland Autumn Bull Sale 39 HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN BULLS
Monday 9th September
Show 10.30am Sale 12.00noon
The largest show and sale of pedigree Holstein Friesian bulls in the UK
The sale comprises 22 Holstein and 17 British Friesian Prefixes: Annandale, Boclair, Gerrard, Nerewater, Northshields, Warnelview, Whinnow, Winnoch, Winton, Wormanby,
Show and sale of 94 PEDIGREE DUTCH TEXEL
Monday 9th September
Show 11.30am Sale 1.00pm
Comprising 14 shearling gimmers, 9 flock ewes Rams -1 aged, 66 shearling, 4 lambs
Main September sale of CONTINENTAL CROSS STORE CATTLE
Wednesday 11th September
Special prize for the highest priced pen of 4 or more Entries close Thursday 5th September
Carlisle & Lazonby combined Prize show and sale of MULE GIMMER SHEARLINGS
Thursday 12th September
Entries close Thursday 5th September
NORBROOK KELSO RAM SALES
Friday 13th September 10.00am
Harrison and Hetherington are privileged to be offering 1532 Rams in 7 rings
Ring 1: 70 Border Leicester; 28 Blue Texel; 15 Berrichon; 16 Hampshire Down; 22 Lleyn Ring 2: 4 Dutch Texel 266 Beltex; Ring 3: 181 Crosses; Ring 8: 279 Suffolk; Ring 14: 435 Suffolk; Ring 16: 27 North Country Cheviot; 63 non MV Crosses
Ring 19: 126 non MV Texel
Special show for STORE LAMBS also BREEDING SHEEP
Monday 16th September
Catalogue entries close Friday 6th September
Entries close Wednesday 4th September
Prize show and sale of CONTINENTAL CROSS SUCKLED CALVES
Wednesday 18th September
Entries close Monday 9th September
Latter Fair
Show and sale of MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Also other breeds of ewe lambs EURO CONTINENTAL CROSS EWE LAMBS
Thursday 19th September
Entries close Monday 9th September
Latter Fair RAM SALE
Thursday 19th September
Entries close Monday 9th September
COLLECTIVE SALE OF SMALL TOOLS
Within Borderway Mart
Thursday 26th September
Entries close Wednesday 18th September
PEDIGREE SHEEP FAIR
Shows & Sales of MV accredited rams and females
Saturday 28th September
ROUSSIN, BLUE TEXEL, HAMPSHIRE DOWN,, BADGERFACE TEXEL
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 SHEEP
Friday 4th October
Entries close Friday 6th September
BLUEFACED LEICESTER SHEEP
Friday 11th October
Entries close Friday 6th September direct with Society
SALE OF MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & HEAVY PLANT items
Sale bidding starts 10.00am
Wednesday 4th September until 10.00am Thursday 5th September
ST BOSWELLS MART
Tel: 01835 822214
STORE & BREEDING SHEEP
Thursday 5th September – 11.00am
Principal Sale for Half Bred, Scotch Mule, Suffolk x and Continental x Gimmer Shearlings and Stock Ewes.
Principal Sale for ‘Top’ Suffolk Cross, Scotch Half Bred, Scotch Mule, North Country Cheviot, Cheviot Mule and Continental Cross Ewe Lambs. This sale will be preceded by a show for each section with the first prize winners receiving a cash prize
Fortnightly Sale for all classes of FEEDING LAMBS incl.top draws of Suffolk x, Texel x and Cheviot Lambs.
KIRKBY STEPHEN
Tel: 01768 371385
Prize show and sale of NEMSA GIMMER LAMBS
Friday 13th September
(show Thursday evening 12th September)
Prize show and sale of CONTINENTAL CROSS STORE CATTLE
Also Cast/Feeding cows & OTM cattle
Monday 16th September
Entries close 10am Monday 9th September
BREEDING SHEEP
Saturday 21st September
Sale of Mule and Cont x ewes and shearlings and Cont x gimmer lambs
Annual show and sale of TEXEL & CONTINENTAL RAMS
Also other breed rams
Entries close 10am Thursday 12th September
Prize show and sale of BLUEFACED LEICESTER RAMS & FEMALES
Saturday 5th October
Entries close 10am Thursday 5th September
LAZONBY MART
Tel: 01768 898313
2000 STORE LAMBS & FEEDING EWES
Thursday 5th September – 12.30pm
Alston Moor sale of MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Wednesday 25th September
Show for NEMSA members Tues evening 24th Sept
Entries close 10am Wednesday 11th September
Tel: 01576 202332
SOUTH COUNTRY CHEVIOT RAMS
Monday 14th October
On behalf of Cheviot Sheep Society
Ballot drawn Tuesday 17th September
Entries close Friday 13th September
Tel: 01833 640281
Prize show and sale of 1000 STORE LAMBS
Tuesday 3rd September
Show 10.30am Sale 11.00am
Prize show and sale of NEMSA GIMMER LAMBS
Wednesday 18th September
Entries close 10am Tuesday 3rd September
Live auction sale with online bidding via Marteye DISPERSAL SALE OF VINTAGE MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT & SMALL TOOLS
Please note: On line bidding will commence Monday 2nd September at 10am finishing at 10am at Friday 6th September - the top bids on each lot will then be used as the opening bid at the sale on Saturday both live and online from 9.30am At Hydro Garage, Old Edinburgh Road, Moffat, DG10 9RU on behalf of David F Paton Saturday 7th September – 9.30am
Including Landrover Discovery HS3E-(08), JCB 3CX (07), Massey Ferguson 135 F Reg, Massey Ferguson 148 L Reg, Ford 4000 M Reg., Massey Ferguson 390T P Reg, Massey Ferguson 135 K Reg. David Brown Cropmaster Diesel, Ferguson TEF20 Fordson Major 1958, David Brown 30D, Ferguson TEF20, Massey Ferguson 35X, Massey Ferguson 65 MK11, Landrover 90. 300 TDI, Marshall 4 Ton Trailer c/w Grain Sides, Marshall 3 Ton Trailer, 4 Ton All Steel High Lift Grain Trailer, Wooden 3 Ton Trailer, 16ft Twin Axle Beaver Tail Plant Trailer, Ransones TS 59 2 Furrow Match Plough
Large Selection of small tools. Full details and description available on the website and through MartEye.
SKIPTON AUCTION MART
Tel: 01756 792375 www.ccmauctions.com
Auctioneers:
Auctioneers: Jeremy Eaton - 07747 780481 Ted Ogden - 07855 958211 Kyle Hawksworth - 07538 539077
Saturday 31st August
Sale of 243 STIRKS, WEANED & SUCKLED CALVES, BREEDING & CULL GOATS & STORE SHEEP - Sale 10.00am 53 PEDIGREE WENSLEYDALE SHEEP
Sale 11.00am Lingfield Ring followed by 112 PEDIGREE JACOB SHEEP
SHOW & SALE OF 127 PEDIGREE & PUREBRED GOATS
Sale 10.00am Main Ring followed by 108 RARE & MINORITY SHEEP
Sunday 1st September
Sale of 130 PEDIGREE VALAIS BLACKNOSE SHEEP
Sale 12noon Lingfield Ring
Monday 2nd September
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 Show of Prime Lambs Contx/Downx 5’s Hill 10’s followed by CAST EWES, RAMS & GOATS
Wednesday 4th September
11,650 STORE & GIMMER LAMBS 6400 Store Lambs (Prize Show of Masham Wethers) Prize Show & Sale of 5250 Cont x, Suff x & Cheviot Gimmers
Sale 10.00am Main Ring
Wednesday 11th September
FEEDING BULLS, BEEF FEEDING COWS, STORE & BREEDING CATTLE (entries close Wednesday 4th September) Breeding Sheep Sales
Tuesday 10th September
Opening Show & Sale of 4,000 NEMSA MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Tuesday 17th September
Sale of al Classes of BREEDING SHEEP + 2nd Show & Sale of SHEARLING GIMMERS Pedigree Sheep Sales
Friday 6th & Saturday 7th September
300 PEDIGREE BELTEX
Friday 6pm 64 Females – Saturday 10am 236 Rams Saturday 7th September
90 PEDIGREE BLUE TEXEL SHEEP 15 PEDIGREE BADGER FACE TEXEL SHEEP
Thursday 19th & Friday 20th September
427 PEDIGREE TEXEL RAMS & FEMALES Northern Area Texel Sheep Breeders Club Members Only Dairy Cattle
Monday 9th September
SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY CATTLE
Monday 14th October
SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY CATTLE
Inc AUTUMN JERSEY & COLOURED BREEDS 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
Thursday 10th October – Claiming Date
Farm Sale on behalf of W, J & E Harker & Son, Pateley Bridge
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.
Friday 13th September
At Hexham
At 9.00am Sale of 1500 Cast Ewes and 5000 Store Lambs.
Please note on this day there will be no sale of Store Cattle.
At Kelso
Ring 5-208 Reg. Texel Rams- On behalf of the Border Texel Group
Ring 16-8 Dorper & 26 Cross Bred Rams
Ring 17-197 Reg. Bluefaced Leicester RamsAssociation Sale
Ring 19-112 Non Acc. Texel Rams
Kindly Sponsored by Norbrook Laboratories.
Entries to the Mart O ce or an Auctioneer.
01434 605444 www.hexhammart.co.uk info@hexhammart.co.uk
Prize Show & Sale of 1000 Mule & Continental Shearlings & Ewes Prize Show & Sale of
We take a farmer-centric approach to media. Our job is to help farmers run their farms more e ciently and make better purchasing decisions
A complete dispersal sale of a National Hunt racing yard on behalf of Paul Webber Racing.
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 2024 at 12pm.
A complete former dairy farm dispersal sale on behalf of John & Janet Glover.
To be held at Misterton Fields Farm, Misterton, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4LQ.
To include: Manitou MLT629 Telehandler, Claas Arion 620 4WD Tractor, John Deere 1640 Tractor,
Malone hydraulic mounted log splitter, Teagle Tomahawk 8080 bale shredder.
Together with: Bailey 12 tonne bale trailer, Shelbourne Parmiter grass harrows, AS Marston GVT-1100 slurry tanker, IAE 2.8m portable foot trimming cattle crush.
Plus: Grassland & arable machinery, Livestock and general farm machinery, Livestock equipment, Agricultural requisites.
Also included: The sale of six General Purpose Farm Buildings extending to 1,925m2 including fixtures and fittings.
To be sold on the premises on Saturday 14th September 2024 at 10am.
Catalogues & Information Tel: 01788 564749
7 – 11 Albert Street, Rugby, CV21 2RX www.howkinsandharrison.co.uk/auctions
Hor culture Machinery Produce Furniture Site closed 2-6th September except for furniture deliveries
info@ashleywaller.co.uk
www.ashleywaller.co.uk
www.easyliveauc on.com
Beltex Sheep Show & Sale, on
Badger Face Texel Sheep Show & Sale Show @ 11.00am, Sale @ 12 noon
British Rouge Sheep Show & Sale, on
Show @ 11.30am, Sale @ 12.30pm
Blue Texel Sheep Show & Sale Show @ 10.00am, Sale @ 12 noon
Online bidding available via Marteye For more
and
and Central Region Clubs. Show @ 9.00am, Sale @ 10.30am
AT LOUTH LIVESTOCK MARKET LOUTH, LINCOLNSHIRE, LN11 9HF
FRIDAY 6th SEPTEMBER
2nd SPECIAL SALE OF MV & NON-MV ACCREDITED BREEDING SHEEP & STORE LAMBS INCLUDING THE SALE OF LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT
800 – 1000 HEAD EXPECTED CATALOGUES AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE
FRIDAY 27th SEPTEMBER
ON FARM & ONLINE DISPERSAL SALE OF FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
11AM MANOR FARM, LOUTH, LN11 8QN
FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER
1st AUTUMN SPECIAL SHOW & SALE OF SUCKLED CALVES & STORE CATTLE Kindly sponsored by Norfolk Farm Vets
FRIDAY 11th OCTOBER
DISPERSAL SALE OF THE HEMINGBY HERD OF PEDIGREE LINCOLN RED CATTLE ON BEHALF OF MR M READ ENTRIES STILL BEING TAKEN FOR SHEEP & CATTLE SALES CALL ED 07395 570303 AUCTIONEER CATALOGUES & ENTRY FORMS AT www.louthmarket.co.uk
• T:01200 423325
Sale of Mule & Continental Ewes & ShearlingsToday Friday 30th August – Sale 11am & Show 10am
Sale of Vintage & Classic Tractors plus Associated Parts & Machinery
Saturday 31st August Intake Today Friday 30th 9am-4pm and Tomorrow Sat 31st 7am-9am
STORE LAMB SALE Monday 2nd September 11am. Further entries accepted on the sale day.
Tuesday 3rd September 12.30pm - Prime Lambs & Cull Ewes
STORE CATTLE SALE + CALVES/ STIRKS
Thursday 5th September 12.30pm Sale of Young Bulls, Store Heifers & Steers. Rearing calves 12 noon
Sale of Mule & Continental Gimmer Lambs + 2nd Sale of Ewes & Shearlings Friday 13th September- Entries close Tues 3rd September
Sale of Su olk & Euro Rams (Inc MV Section) Saturday 21st September – Entries close Tues 10th September
HAWES, NORTH YORKSHIRE, DL8 3NP 01969 667207 www.hawesmart.co.uk
Friday 30th August 10:30am
Show & Sale of 2956 Store Lambs.
Judging 9:30am for Pens of 10 Gimmer Lambs and 20 Store Lambs.
Sponsored by O’Reillys Accountants.
Tuesday 3rd September 10am
1500 Prime Lambs & 500 Cast Ewes & Rams Sale of 30 Calves 10:30am
Friday 13th September 10.30am Sale of 3000 Store Lambs
Catalogue closes Thursday 5th September 12noon
Mon & Tues 16th & 17th September 9am
Annual Two-Day Show & Sale of 30,000 Mule
Gimmer Lambs on behalf of NEMSA
Judging 8am, Sale 9am
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 Ian Atkinson 07957 256337 Kenton Foster 07711 469280.
Greg 07713 075 664
Will 07590 876 849
www.benthamauc on.co.uk
Today, Friday 30th August at 11am 3321 BREEDING EWES
1101 Mixed Ewes, followed by 2220 Mule Ewes Tomorrow, Saturday 31st August 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 at 10am
50 Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle followed by 956 STORE BULLOCKS & HEIFERS
Excellent entry of cattle for short & long term keep Wednesday 4th September 11am 100-150 Rearing Calves 2.30pm 2500 Cast Ewes followed by 3000 Spring Lambs
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
Friday 13th September at 1pm
2000 Masham for Masham Sheep Breeders Association followed by 1200 Dales Mule & 2000 Cheviot Mule
Saturday 14th September at 9.30am
12000 North of England Mule
Tuesday 17th September
Farmers Stirks, Young Stores & Feeding Bulls
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
Richard Turner & Son
AUCTIONEERS VALUERS & ESTATE AGENTS Est 1803
Cattle
Thursday 12th September, 2024
Show & Sale of Breeding Ewes & Gimmer Lambs Tuesday 17th September, 2024
6.00 p.m. Monthly Show & Sale of Store Lambs Thursday 19th September, 2024
6.00 p.m. “Brock Boys”
Special Sale of STORE & BREEDING SHEEP Together with sale of Store & Breeding Cattle & Pigs Entries Welcome
MART OFFICE: 01757 703347
RICHARD HAIGH 07768 594535 www.selbymart.co.uk
SATURDAY 7th SEPTEMBER (10.30am)
at Llwyn-Y-Celyn Farm, Penrhos, Raglan, Monmouthshire, NP15 2DE (Off the old A40 Abergavenny Road, 4 miles Raglan, 8 miles Abergavenny) For RGSR Farms (Stephen & Robert Jones)
A VIRTUALLY COMPLETE FORMER DAIRY FARM END OF TENANCY SALE OF TRACTORS, KRAMER TELEHANDLER, GATOR, FARM MACHINERY, DAIRY EQUIPMENT & GENERAL PURPOSE BUILDINGS
TRACTORS – John Deere 5075E 4wd (72), John Deere 6130 4wd (17), various attachments to fit, KRAMER KT356 TELEHANDLER (22), John Deere XUV865M GATOR (18), Hi-Spec Super 10 Feeder Wagon, 12T RW Silage Trailer, Bale Trailer, Artic Trailer, Grassland & Arable Machinery, Livestock & General Farm Machinery & Livestock Equipment, Agricultural Requisites, DAIRY EQUIPMENT – 22/44 PARLOUR Dairy Master Swing Over (upgraded 2022), 44 ATL Auger Parlour Feed System, 20 Ton Collinson FEED BIN (2018), 20,000L Mueller SILO MILK TANK (refurbished 2023), Fabdec Footwash Plus Auto Footbath (2022). BOBMAN Sawdust Dispenser & Scraper (2023), CUBICLES – 130 IAE, 96 De Boer, 66 Wilson – and MATTRESSES, etc. GENERAL PURPOSE BUILDINGS (to be dismantled) – Approx. 100ft x 50ft Steel Portal Frame, 100ft x 20ft Lean to, 80ft x 30ft Lean to Roof, 80ft x 60ft Steel Portal Frame, 80ft x 40ft Lean to, 75ft x 50/64ft Steel Portal Frame. INCLUDED LOTS – McCormick 276 International Tractor (H reg), Kubota 5 Ton Excavator, IW Horse Box, Tipping Trailer, 15ft Cattle Barriers, etc. FURTHER QUALITY ENTRIES INVITED. In all about 300 lots. Full listing on website and Facebook.
DISPERSAL SALE OF TRACTORS, VEHICLES AND MACHINERY
PARK FARM, BURNED HOUSE LANE, PREESALL, POULTON LE FYLDE, LANCASHIRE FY6 0PQ SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2024 @ 10.30AM PROMPT
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
To include: 3 John Deere Tractors, JCB Loadall, Qty of Machinery and Equipment
South Lancashire 59 Liverpool Road, Burscough, L40 0SA T 01704 895 995 E burscough@abarnett.co.uk
For full information and catalogues please see www.abarnett.co.uk
Cumbria Lane Farm, Crooklands, LA7 7NH T 01539 751 993 E cumbria@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
Ribble Valley 5 Church Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2DD T 01200 411 155 E clitheroe@abarnett.co.uk
Catalogue online now. Enquiries to Rachel
Tuesday 3 September
MONTHLY MACHINERY SALE – 10am
All entries to the yard Monday 2nd 8-2pm PROMPT Catalogue online Monday 5pm
Thursday 5 September
10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE
10.30am REARING CALVES
11.00am MASSEY FEEDS with LELY LONGTOWN SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY entries to Eleanor by Mon 4pm
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 Entries for both sales close on Tuesday 3rd 12noon
Tuesday 10 September
ANNUAL TWILIGHT TUP SALE
Annual Multibreed sale of rams - Catalogue online
Thursday 12 September
10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE
10.30am REARING CALVES
11.00am WEEKLY DAIRY entries to Eleanor
12.30pm STIRKS entries by Tues 10th
Saturday 14 September
9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME LAMBS
10.00am BREEDING SHEEP with HORNED & HILL GOING SHOW & SALE inc HERDWICKS
12.30pm STORE LAMBS entries by Tuesday 10th 12noon
SEASONAL SHOW AND SALES
Sat 28 Sept – 2nd MULE & CONT GIMMER LAMBS
Sat 5 Oct – 1st SUCKLED CALF SHOW & SALE
Sat 12 Oct- OCTOBER BREEDING FAIR OF SHEEP
Sat 2 Nov – 2nd SUCKLED CALF SHOW & SALE
YORK MACHINERY SALE TIMED ONLINE AUCTIONS
STARTS: FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER
CLOSES: 9 TO 11 SEPTEMBER
Entries include -
JD 7270R tractor (64); Ford 7840; Case Maxxum 5140; JCB 536-60 (08); Case 24m 3000ltr self propelled (02); Kuhn Combiliner; Great Plains 3.3m culti; Watkins 3m Tri-Till; Kv 3m Qualidisc; Bailey 16T (16)
See website for further details
Murton, York, YO19 5GF Tel: 01904 489731 www.ylc.co.uk
HARDWICKS HAY FARM, ELDERSFIELD, GLOUCESTER. GL19 4NN Sale for Tony Stiling at short notice due to ill health TRACTORS, BALERS, HAYMAKING AND ARABLE MACHINERY. SQUARE AND ROUND BALES OF HAY THURSDAY 12th SEPTEMBER 10am
Two day monthly collective sale TRACTORS, PLANT, MACHINERY, WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT, SAWN TIMBER.
FRIDAY 13th and SATURDAY 14th SEPTEMBER
EDENBRIDGE, KENT
CLASSIC TRACTORS, TIMBER EQUIPMENT, LOADALL, TOOLS
WEDNESDAY
Ruthin: Thursday 5th September Worcester: Friday 6th September
Thurs 15 – Fri 16 Aug
Pedigree Registered & MV Accredited 978 Registered Beltex Sheep Comprising: 769 Rams - 6 Aged, 609 Shearlings, 154 Lambs & 209 Shearling Gimmers Thursday 15: 10.00am: Pre-Sale Show 2.00pm: Sale of Ram Lambs 5.00pm: Sale of Gimmers Friday 16: 10.00am: Ring 3 Aged Rams & Shearling Rams 10.30am: Ring 2 Shearling Rams Catalogues: Harrison & Hetherington T 01228 406230
NSA Exeter: Wed 14th Aug
Omagh NI: Sat 9th Aug (export sale)
Leek: Wed 21st Aug
Dunhannon NI: Monday 26th Aug (export sale)
Welshpool: Weds 28th Aug Worcester: Fri 6th Sept Skipton: Sat 7th Sept Melton Mowbray: Sat 7th Sept
Friday 27th Sept
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 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 St Neots 07919 015675 george.watchorn@brown-co.com
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 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 (07), Vaderstad Rapid A 400S (07); Livestock:
For further details contact Simon Wearmouth or Victoria Walters from our Norwich Office
Simon Wearmouth Norwich 07768 465744 simon.wearmouth@brown-co.com
Tom Birks Banbury 07919 015677 tom.birks@brown-co.com
Jon Clampin St Neots 07717 512498 jon.clampin@brown-co.com Victoria Walters Norwich 07990 418021
Lucy Elcock Banbury 07500 124758 lucy.elcock@brown-co.com
SCAN THE CODE TO VIEW OUR AUCTION CALENDAR
LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEER – LIVESTOCK MARKET
JOB POST – LOCATION - Craig Wilson Limited – Ayr
WEBSITE: craigwilsonltd.co.uk
JOB DESCRIPTION
We are currently looking for a Livestock Auctioneer to join our team in Ayr. The successful candidate would assist with all aspects of the market including procurement of stock and weekly auction sales of prime/store stock. Experience is preferred but we would also consider any Trainee Auctioneers who want to move their career forward.
The successful candidate must have the following skills:
Positive attitude and hard work ethic
Confident Communication Skills
Ambition to progress
Agricultural knowledge and experience
Applications can be made by emailing a covering letter and CV to: Michael Craig (Director)
mike.craig@craigwilsonltd.co.uk
Closing Date for Applications is Friday 20th September 2024
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
Position available to join our Agricultural Spray Team based in West Lancashire
Position available to join our Agricultural Spray Team based in West Lancashire
Procam/County Crops provides a high standard of application of agrochemical and liquid fertiliser, operating modern 24m and 36m self-propelled sprayers across a range of crops in the arable, grassland and vegetable sectors. Hardworking and self-motivated individual required.
Relevant qualifications (PA1/PA2) preferred, but training will be given to the right applicant.
Procam/County Crops provides a high standard of application of agrochemical and liquid fertiliser, operating modern 24m and 36m self-propelled sprayers across a range of crops in the arable, grassland and vegetable sectors. Hardworking and self-motivated individual required.
Relevant qualifications (PA1/PA2) preferred, but training will be given to the right applicant.
• 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.
Our Brands
To register your interest, please forward your CV to lesleyhalton@procam.co.uk Current Opportunities
To register your interest, please forward your CV to lesleyhalton@procam.co.uk Current Opportunities
Holly Tree Farm, Lower Withington Macclesfield, SK11 9DT Wednesday 25th September 2024
ADMISSION £20 • FREE PARKING For Further Enquiries Susan Ball 01270
DATING FOR CHRISTIANS Do you have fertile land but a BARREN HEART? Find companionship and true love through ‘Friends1st’ – the long established, very personal and successful Christian dating agency that works for farmers up and down the UK and Ireland. Be reassured by what member Geoff said: “’Friends1st’ does what it says on the tin. You feel special as soon as you join.” Let us find you your soul mate. Call 0121 405 0941 today. www.friends1st.co.uk/ christian-farmers-dating
We take a farmer-centric approach to media.
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.
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WATER WELL DRILLING
• Borehole Drilling
• Treatment & Filtration
• Water testing
WHITTER (WATER WELL ENGINEERS) LTD
• BOREHOLE DRILLING FOR DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES
• WORK CARRIED OUT TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD
• WATER SYSTEMS INSTALLED
• BOREHOLE PUMPING INSTALLATIONS
• 24HR BREAKDOWN SERVICE
• FREE QUOTATIONS AND SITE VISITS THE POTTERIES GARAGE
job is to help farmers run their farms more e ciently and make better purchasing decisions
& Used Bulk Milk Tanks
Second hand tanks currently available: Mueller 8000ltr, 9000 & 12,000 ltr Fabdec 4000ltr & 6000ltr
Packo RMIB 3800ltr & RMIB 6000 ltr
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SMALLBROOK LANE, LEIGH, WIGAN, LANCS, WN7 5PZ. TEL: 01942 871900. FAX: 01942 896843. Out of office: 01942 893660 Visit our Website www.waterwellengineers.co.uk Email: sally@waterwellengineers.co.uk
New Heat Recovery units in stock 01772 780806 www.ddcooling.co.uk
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.
New Roka Silos and Tanks available from 500 Ltrs to 50,000 Ltrs!
16,000 Ltr Delaval
16,000 Ltr Fabdec (holds 17,000)
15,000 Ltr Serap
14,000 Ltr Fabdec
12,000 Ltr Roka DX
12,000 Ltr Roka + new cleaner
12,000 Ltr Fullwood Packo Instant Cooling
10,000 Roka RKC *NEW – Special O er*
10,000 Ltr Fabdec
8,000 Ltr Roka Silo
8,000 Ltr Roka
7,200 Ltr Delaval
6,750 Ltr Delaval (holds 7,000 Ltrs)
6,500 Ltr Mueller
6,000 Ltr Roka
6,000 Ltr Fabdec
5,000 Ltr Packo
5,000 Ltr Mueller Model “O”,
5,000 Ltr Roka
4,000 Ltr Mueller
Refurbished 2T Ice Builder suitable for 20 / 25,000 Ltrs every other day
2 x Refurbished 1T Ice Builder suitable for 10/12,000 Ltrs every other day
Refurbished 1.3T Ice Builder suitable for 16,000 Ltrs every other day
Refurbished 1.5T Ice Builder suitable for 18/19,000 Ltrs every other day
Smaller bulk tanks available, emergency open & enclosed, loan tanks available to rent, main dealer for new Ro-ka milk cooling systems. For further details please call S.W Refrigeration specialising in “On Farm cooling Equipment” 01392 210344 or Paul on 07974 140949
• Daily collections of all classes of cattle direct to our own local UK abattoir - No middle man involved.
• On-farm emergency slaughter catered for, supported with a valid veterinary certificate.
• Same day response guaranteed by fully licensed slaughter men.
• All weekends and bank holidays covered.
• Out of hours, round the clock service, promised at no extra cost to all our customers.
• Private cutting service available with our in-house skilled butchers.
• Highly competitive cutting prices.
• Payment 30 days from collection with detailed BACS remittance, including weight, grade and PPK.
• Out of hours emergency number - Mobile: 07860 636605
FOR PRIVATE SALE
280 NC Mule -Oxfordshire
200 NC Mule-Warwickshire
100 Texel x-Shropshire
Below all Northumberland
250 Mule ex Blackface
Collinson Sapphire 4 Station out of parlour feeder 15ton bin. Fully overhauled by specialist, comes with 100 new ear tags and computer.
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
60+60+75 Suffolk x Mule 40 Texel x Cheviot Mule
80 NC Mules 150 Texel x Mule shearlings 100 Suffolk x ewes-lambed Feb Wanted
£7500 ono Gardiner 07850 282873 Oxon.
Fibreglass CALF -O-TEL
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
120 x 2M LONG SUPER EUROPEAN COW CUBICLES
Loops & all attachments included. Mattresses available - willing to split. Very good condition, dismantled. Telephone: 07773 046620 Northamptonshire (P)
100 lambed NC shearlings www.sklivestock.co.uk 07703 115013 Stephen Kirkup
For all our sheep adverts, don’t miss our sheep supplement - free inside this week’s Farmers Guardian
Thissheepsupplementincludesfeaturesonpedigreeand commercialproducers,aswellasadviceonflockhealth.
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Offered for sale in six lots, an increasingly rare and exciting opportunity to purchase property and land, in the sought after rural locality of Astbury. Lot 1 presents a chance to purchase the farm steading, with a sizable two storey four bedroom brick farmhouse in need of selective renovation and modernisation, two ranges of traditional brick barns with potential for residential or commercial conversion (subject to obtaining planning consent), a modern farm building, yard areas and grassland extending to 12.50 acres in total. Lots 2 to 6 present the opportunity to purchase blocks of sound grassland ranging from 1.94 acres to 30.01 acres, which are suitable for mowing and grazing. Expected to be of strong interest to a wide variety of purchasers ranging from lifestyle purchasers, local and neighbouring landowners looking to add to their existing holdings, equestrian parties, developers and investors.
Lot 1 - Farmhouse, Buildings, Yard and Surrounding Grassland (12.50 acres)
Lot 2 –Grassland (17.77 acres) Lot 3 - Grassland (30.01 acres)
Lot 4 –Grassland (1.94 acres) Lot 5 – Grassland (10.76 acres)
Lot 6 – Grassland (7.16 acres)
In all about 80.14 Acres (32.44 hectares)
To be sold by Public Auction on Wednesday 9th October 2024 at 7:30pm
Venue: - Congleton Golf Club, Biddulph Road, Moseley, Congleton, CW12 3LZ
For more information please contact Peter Kirton-Darling Whittaker & Biggs Leek Office 01538 372006 www.whittakerandbiggs.co.uk
In my experience, this year’s farmland market has been one of the most intense in terms of new launches, particularly for commercial and investment farms and estates over 1,000 acres. In January, we forecast that the supply of farmland would continue its upward trajectory, with the market returning to historic average levels of supply.
So far this has played out, and the extremely poor weather early on compressed the spring marketing window. According to our research, this meant that of the total 118,232 acres publicly marketed during the first six months of this year, 93,435 came onto the market from April onwards.
Looking at the size of farms marketed at a regional level in all parts of the country except from the West Midlands, there was an increase in the number of larger holdings (over 500 acres) marketed compared to 2023.
investment estates and commercial farms, potential buyers are particularly focused on the income returns that can be achieved and the opportunity for capital growth and reduction in costs through investment and alternative uses.
Looking ahead, following the busy late spring market, our view is there will be fewer autumn launches. The harvest has undoubtedly provided a mixed bag in terms of yields, but the weather has been better than many predicted, meaning crops have at least left the field.
Applying the simple economic principal of supply and demand, we might have expected the increase in supply to have a knock-on effect on average farmland values. However, this was not the case – overall farmland values for Great Britain showed a modest increase of 1.7% in the 12 months to the end of June, averaging £8,242 per acre.
There is some uncertainty around what might be announced in the new Government’s first Budget, and for anyone undecided on whether to go to the market or not, there is a sense of sitting and waiting to see what the Budget delivers.
However, behind this there are significant price variances based on location and land quality. Our farmland value survey shows that at the same point in time, average prime arable land values were £10,140 per acre and average livestock land values were at £7,121 per acre.
During economically pressured times, farmland remains a popular investment choice, as it is a safe haven and provides a stable return over a long holding period. However, it is not completely insulated from economic and political pressures; current interest rates and uncertainty over future potential capital taxation changes are influencing decision-making for some sellers and buyers.
Following the marketing of several farms and estates, ranging from prime residential estates to substantial farming portfolios, it is clear there is strong buyer appetite for best-inclass properties across all sectors. However, they are more selective, so presentation of a property and pragmatic pricing is paramount. Increasingly, in the case of rural
Judging from past experience, further cuts to the interest rate and clarity on the outcome of the Budget will boost market sentiment as the cost of borrowing falls.
Charlie Paton is a director at Savills Farms and Estates. Call 07870 999 199, or email cpaton@savills.com
kitchen, utility room, four double bedrooms and family bathroom. Farmyard sits across from the house with a range of modern and traditional buildings. Scale and location of holding make it well suited to a new or expanding commercial enterprise. 15 year FBT.
Home Farm, Halton East, Skipton Skipton: 3.7 miles, Harrogate: 20 miles
Council Tax Band = F | EPC = G.
About 206 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £35,000 - £40,000
village of Halton East. Semi-detached farmhouse with three good size reception rooms, and family bathroom. Farmyard sits across from the house with a range of modern and holding make it well suited to a new or expanding commercial enterprise. 15 year FBT.
Council Tax Band = F | EPC = G. acres | Guide to rent per annum of £35,000 - £40,000
Gamsworth Farm, Barden, Skipton
Skipton: 6.9 miles, Harrogate: 21 miles
Gamsworth Farm, Barden, Skipton
Detached 3-4 bedroom farmhouse in idyllic location, perfect for a new entrant or lifestyle farming with opportunities to diversify. Attractive range of stone buildings surround the house which would lend themselves to conversion. Further modern and traditional buildings, 58 acres of grazing and mowing land.
Skipton: 6.9 miles, Harrogate: 21 miles
Detached 3-4 bedroom farmhouse in idyllic location, perfect new entrant or lifestyle farming with opportunities to Attractive range of stone buildings surround the house would lend themselves to conversion. Further modern traditional buildings, 58 acres of grazing and mowing land. 15 year FBT.
Skipton: 6.9 miles, Harrogate: 21 miles
Gamsworth Farm, Barden, Skipton
Skipton: 6.9 miles, Harrogate: 21 miles
Council Tax Band = E | EPC = E. About 58 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £27,500
About 58 acres |
Skipton miles
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
Skipton: 7.6 miles, Harrogate: 16 miles
Gamsworth Farm, Barden, Skipton
Detached 3-4 bedroom farmhouse in idyllic location, perfect for a new entrant or lifestyle farming with opportunities to diversify. Attractive range of stone buildings surround the house which would lend themselves to conversion. Further modern and traditional buildings, 58 acres of grazing and mowing land. 15 year FBT.
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
Skipton: 7.6 miles, Harrogate:
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1: Farmhouse requires comprehensive refurbishment, currently bare shell, outbuildings would suit agricultural purposes or conversion to an alternative use subject to estate consent. Estate investment available subject to terms. Lot 2: Land.
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
Skipton: 7.6 miles, Harrogate: 16 miles
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available in two lots. Farmhouse requires comprehensive currently bare shell, outbuildings would purposes or conversion to an alternative use consent. Estate investment available subject In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole
Skipton: 7.6 miles, Harrogate: 16 miles
In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole Farm: 20 year FBT.
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
Council Tax Band = E | EPC = E.
Detached 3-4 bedroom farmhouse in idyllic location, perfect for a new entrant or lifestyle farming with opportunities to diversify. Attractive range of stone buildings surround the house which would lend themselves to conversion. Further modern and traditional buildings, 58 acres of grazing and mowing land. 15 year FBT.
location, perfect opportunities to surround the house Further modern and mowing land.
Council Tax Band = D | EPC = G.
About 64.5 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £20,000, available as whole or in two lots
Skipton: 7.6 miles, Harrogate: 16 miles
About 58 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £27,500
Council Tax Band = E | EPC = E.
About 58 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £27,500
sarah.hartley@savills.com Matthew Watson Savills York 07812 965312 mwatson@savills.com
Sarah Hartley
E. annum of £27,500
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1: Farmhouse requires comprehensive refurbishment, currently bare shell, outbuildings would suit agricultural purposes or conversion to an alternative use subject to estate consent. Estate investment available subject to terms. Lot 2: Land. In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole Farm: 20 year FBT.
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1: Farmhouse requires comprehensive refurbishment, currently bare shell, outbuildings would suit agricultural purposes or conversion to an alternative use subject to estate consent. Estate investment available subject to terms. Lot 2: Land. In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole Farm: 20 year FBT.
Council Tax Band = D | EPC Guide to rent per
£20,000, available as whole or in
Council Tax Band = D | EPC = G.
miles
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial tenancy depending on the nature and extent of any diversification. Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
About 64.5 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £20,000, available as whole or in two lots
Council Tax Band = D | EPC = G.
South-facing beef and sheep unit in the village of Halton East. Semi-detached farmhouse with three good size reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, four double bedrooms and family bathroom. Farmyard sits across from the house with a range of modern and traditional buildings. Scale and location of holding make it well suited to a new or expanding commercial enterprise. 15 year FBT.
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1: Farmhouse requires comprehensive refurbishment, currently bare shell, outbuildings would suit agricultural purposes or conversion to an alternative use subject to estate consent. Estate investment available subject to terms. Lot 2: Land. In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole Farm: 20 year FBT.
Matthew Watson
Sarah Hartley
Savills York 07815 032120 sarah.hartley@savills.com
Sarah Hartley
Savills York 07815 032120 sarah.hartley@savills.com
Discover more
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial depending on the nature and extent of any
About 64.5 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £20,000, available as whole or in two lots
Council Tax Band = F | EPC = G.
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial tenancy depending on the nature and extent of any diversification. Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
About 206 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £35,000 - £40,000
Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
Discover more
Discover more
Matthew Watson
Council Tax Band = D | EPC = G.
About 64.5 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £20,000, available as whole or in two lots
Savills York 07815 032120 sarah.hartley@savills.com
Matthew Watson
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial tenancy depending on the nature and extent of any diversification. Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
Savills York 07812 965312 mwatson@savills.com
Savills York 07812 965312 mwatson@savills.com
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial tenancy depending on the nature and extent of any diversification. Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
Savills York 07812 965312 mwatson@savills.com
Gamsworth Farm, Barden, Skipton
Skipton: 6.9 miles, Harrogate: 21 miles
Detached 3-4 bedroom farmhouse in idyllic location, perfect for a new entrant or lifestyle farming with opportunities to diversify. Attractive range of stone buildings surround the house which would lend themselves to conversion. Further modern and traditional buildings, 58 acres of grazing and mowing land. 15 year FBT.
Council Tax Band = E | EPC = E.
About 58 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £27,500
Sites of 1- 1000 acres required for residential development. If you think that your land has potential for development, or you have been approached by a developer, then you will need expert advice that is not available at traditional sources. Michael Rutherford is a specialist agent acting and negotiating for landowners. Contact me for a confidential and expert consultation at no cost. All areas of the UK covered.
Noska Farm, Storiths, Skipton
09/08/2024 16:08
Farmhouse, outbuildings, paddock and land. Available as a whole or in two lots. Lot 1: Farmhouse requires comprehensive refurbishment, currently bare shell, outbuildings would suit agricultural purposes or conversion to an alternative use subject to estate consent. Estate investment available subject to terms. Lot 2: Land.
In all c 62.5 acres of upland grazing. Whole Farm: 20 year FBT.
Council Tax Band = D | EPC = G.
About 64.5 acres | Guide to rent per annum of £20,000, available as whole or in two lots
09/08/2024 16:08
Lot 1: About 2 acres, 20 year common law or commercial tenancy depending on the nature and extent of any diversification. Lot 2: 62.5 acres, 5 year FBT.
1.6 Ton, £21995+vat 2.5 Ton, 2 speed, £28000+vat
2.5 Ton, 4 speed, Cummins engine
SEPTEMBER NEW TRACTOR SPECIAL OFFERS
Deutz 5100D GS Keyline c/w 3820P loader, 3 year 0% finance
£44,750.00
Deutz 5095G GS c/w 3820P loader, 3 year 0% finance £51,500.00
Deutz 5090D GS Keyline, p/shuttle, full spec c/w 3820P loader, 3 year 0% finance
Kioti DK5020C, 50hp cabbed, air con, ag tyres, 5 year warranty
£25,950.00
NEW MACHINE OFFERS
Kioti K9 2410 ( new model ) UTV, 50k, full cab & heater ..........
£19,500.00
Kioti K9 2410 c/w deluxe factory cab, air con, 50k, new styling
Alo buckets, silage grabs, shear grabs
Ritchie heavy duty yard scraper
S/H TRACTORS & MACHINES
2019 Deutz 6130 c/w Quicke Q4 loader, very tidy
2022 Deutz 5090D keyline c/w new Quicke X3 loader
2008 Kubota M6040 rops, ag tyres, tidy
£44,000.00
£30,750.00
£11,950.00
2018 Polaris Ranger XP UTV, 480 hours c/w alloy top, very tidy £11,500.00
2014 Polaris Ranger UTV, full cab, 2210 hours, tidy ...................
2012 Kubota RTV900 UTV, roof & screen, 1840 hours ..............
Weaving 2.7m flail mower, as new
Krone AM243CV mow/co tidy
Perfect 2.8m, flail mower c/w hyd side shift
Dragone 2.0mtr flail topper hyd side shift
KV 346 mow/co very tidy
£7,000.00
£4,750.00
£2,800.00
£2,750.00
£2,750.00
£2,350.00
£2,000.00
Port Agric Cutless 2.4mtr grass topper......................................... £1,595.00
2022 McKee multi purpose trailer, 12 tonne, sprung drawbar, o/s wheels, as new
Millcreek 6 ton manure spreader
Amazone ZAM3000 fert spinner, very tidy
Vicon haybob, very tidy
£10,750.00
£3,750.00
£1,750.00
£1,195.00
Kioti CX2510H rops tractor, 25hp, hydro, turfs, 5 year warranty POA
Kioti CS2520H sub compact rops tractor, 25hp, turfs, 48” mulch deck, 5 yr warranty ........................................................................................... POA
2019 Kubota G23 mk2, ride on, very tidy.....................................
£8,700.00
Kubota G21HD, 21 hp, 48” cut, collection, tidy ............................
Longdog GP Quad trailer as new
£3,950.00
£1,195.00
Bateman RB35 Self Propelled Sprayer
John Deere 8370RT 2019, 5090 hours, AutoPowr 50kph, Cab Suspension, 30’’ Tracks, Wide Wheel Drive, £130,000 +VAT
John Deere 195 2022, AutoQuad 50kph, F/Links + PTO
John Deere T670i 2018, ProDrive 40kph, 630X Header, Tracks, 4WD,
£240,000 +VAT
John Deere 150 + 643R Loader 1050 hours, Command Pro 50kph, PowerGard
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 6R 140 2022, 1780 hours, AutoQuad 50kph, Full Suspension,
£88,750 +VAT
Conor Single axle 3000 Gallon Slurry Tanker 2021
£16,750 +VAT
JCB Fastrac ICON 4220 2023, 753 hours, Vario, ProLine Spec, Fast Start,
£POA
John Deere 6155R, 2021, 3598 hours, AutoQuad 50kph, F/Links + PTO, 710/600’s
John Deere 6155R 2022, 884 hours, AutoPowr 50kph, AutoTrac Ready, F/Links + PTO
£115,000 +VAT
Edited by Toby Whatley – 07583
054 831 – toby.whatley@agriconnect.com
For more machinery content, go to farmersguardian.com/machinery-news-hub
Spreading the post-harvest workload, reducing the diesel bill and improving soil health were essential factors when Rob and John Clough decided to invest in a six-metre Kuhn Prolander. Farmers Guardian reports.
Nottinghamshire farmers Rob and John Clough knew their four- or more-pass deep cultivation system needed to change.
In addition to consuming a large amount of diesel, it also took up considerable time – a valuable commodity on the farm’s clay soils, and in short supply once the younger generation of the family had returned to university by October.
They were looking for a cultivator that offered more versatility and one that could operate directly into stubbles or as a secondary machine. With more than 400 hectares and a big proportion of spring crops, the farm needed more options.
Rob Clough says: “We like to drill after October 15 to allow a flush of black-grass, which means it is a very small window if the weather turns.
“Our Keuper clay soils can go from boulders to a pudding in a matter of days and our previous system of deep tillage and multiple passes was expensive and left very few options.”
Spring crops are a large part of the rotation due to historical black-grass issues that were not kept under control by growing winter crops.
A winter cover crop is now sown to overwinter particularly bad fields and allow soils a rest, and improve structure and nutrient availability, before establishing a spring crop.
The farm’s existing Horsch Terrano was cultivating too deep and leaving a crust when it came to drilling. Using a shallower cultivator, to incorporate the top at a faster speed, was an option they were keen to explore.
Mr Clough explains: “I still like the Terrano and it has its place.
However, after a pass with the Terrano, a Flatliner
The six-metre Prolander was purchased to streamline the farm’s cultivation process.
subsoiler, and a third pass to level with a Simba Cultipress, the clay would develop a crust that we then needed to break with the Cultipress again in front of the Horsch Pronto drill.
“It did not allow us much flexibility if we wanted to try something different,” says Mr Clough.
The answer was to invest in a wider, shallower stubble cultivator that had the versatility to go directly into stubbles, but also pull down as a secondary cultivator or incorporate organic manures.
After assessing the options on the market, they took a Kuhn Prolander and Bednar Swifterdisc on demonstration.
Mr Clough says: “The Bednar and Kuhn demos showed what we were missing.
“The Bednar felt more complicated than it needed to be with its tine and disc system, whereas the Kuhn Prolander was a simpler
setup and offered us a tine cultivator that could move the top two or three inches of soil to achieve the soil and stubble mix we required.”
The farm took delivery of the machine in 2023 and the Prolander has now completed its second season. The Cloughs also purchased a
considering both options, the decision came down to reducing the weight they were carrying across the field at drilling.
Mr Clough says: “The Avatar weighed 10 tonnes empty and we
knew this would cause us a problem with compaction, but also pulling power. Our land is hilly and, in slightly poor weather conditions, our largest John Deere 6250R would not have coped with the Avatar’s weight.”
Despite the new drill, the predominantly clay land still required moving to incorporate stubble and straw to breakdown and reduce slug pressure on following crops, while creating a chit for a pre-drilling glyphosate application.
The Prolander has allowed the farm operate a new cultivation regime, but also be flexible should the season require it.
The unit uses five rows of tines with a front levelling board and a double U-ring roller at the rear to consolidate.
Operating at six metres wide, it is 2m wider than the farm’s previous Terrano and 3m wider than the Sumo Trio, allowing them to cover more ground with each pass, but the finish and depth control have offered more benefits.
We tend to do two passes with the Prolander, and the levelling board allows us to create an even seedbed ready for drilling on the second pass
“We could never cultivate a full 3m width with the Sumo Trio as the outside discs were not on the edge of the machine, whereas the Prolander is set at 5.9m to account for a small amount of overlap.
“We tend to do two passes with the Prolander, and the levelling board allows us to create an even seedbed ready for drilling on the second pass,” says Mr Clough.
Operating with 200mm duckfoot shares on the tines to break up the soil at a 12kph forward speed, it provides a mixing effect to leave plenty of tilth for weed seedlings to chit. However, the most noticeable benefit has been a reduced fuel bill and an increased output of 40ha/day.
“With the Sumo Trio, we could not do a full day cultivating and would regularly be back in the yard by 4pm to refuel. Admittedly we were going much deeper with the
Trio than we are with the Prolander, but as a comparison, we can do two days on a single tank now,” Mr Clough says.
“The tines have enough flex to avoid damage, but move all the soil. It also has a big distance between the frame and the ground, so we have no problem cultivating long stubbles such as winter beans or oilseed rape (OSR). It has changed our system completely, as the Prolander now cultivates every field, covering around 800ha/year.”
A bearing failure on one of the two front land wheels, which are fitted to provide depth control across the field, put the Prolander out of action for 24 hours.
“One of the things we like with Kuhn was the parts backup from our dealer Ripon Farm Services and Kuhn in the UK,” he says.
“Most parts are available, and if they are not, we can get them shipped from France usually within
24 hours, so downtime should be kept to a minimum.”
The option of fitting a seed hopper has been considered to either establish an overwinter cover crop to fulfil the Sustainable Farming Incentive options the farm has undertaken, or to potentially sow OSR in the right year.
Mr Clough explains: “It occurred to us we could be sowing our winter cover crops on the second pass of the Prolander, rather than drilling with the 750A.
“There is no need to use a drill for these crops and the seedbed created by the Prolander is ideal to sow straight into, so it would save us a pass when we still have areas of the farm to combine.”
Although the Prolander covers a lot of ground, the brothers view it as a long-term investment and the additional versatility and reduced diesel use has allowed them more options across the farm rather than treating everything with a blanket approach.
Operating at 12kph, the business’ machine achieves daily outputs of 40ha.
Designed to improve weight distribution and manoeuvrability, the front tank, rear toolbar direct drill or strip tillage combination is having a resurgence, with several manufacturers offering new machines. Toby Whatley looks at the range for 2025.
Once a common sight with combination drills in the 1980s and 1990s, the front tank, rear toolbar combination fell out of favour as tractor lift capacities and overall machine weight increased.
However, several direct-drill manufacturers, many of which design and develop machines in the UK, have recently launched or refined machines which integrate a mounted direct drill with a front tank or can be supplied as a complete system.
EVESHAM-based Weaving
Machinery offers its Sabre Tine mounted toolbar in four working widths from 4.8 to eight metres.
All machines use the same layout of 12mm-wide tungsten tipped tines operating on a 172 or 166mm row spacing, arranged in four rows across the chassis.
Weaving says a forward speed of up to 14kph is possible.
Machines are operated with hydraulic working depth control,
ADDED into Claydon’s established Opti-till strip-tillage tine drill range, the Evolution toolbar and front tank are offered in six working widths from three to six metres and can be specified with single or dual distribution heads to supply fertiliser to either the front leading tine or rear seeding coulters.
One size of split front tank is currently available with a total capacity of 2,750 litres with a 45/55%
flotation tyres and use a double covering harrow.
The FT Sabre front tank is offered as a 2,200-litre unit with a single metering system for the 4.8m-wide toolbar, with all other wider versions using the larger 2,400-litre tank with twin Weaving volumetric metering units.
Machine control is managed through an RDS-sourced IsoBus controller, with machines supplied as standard with road lighting and a camera system.
division. The pressurised tank operates with twin metering units to deliver either mixed or separated seed and fertiliser to the rear-mounted drill. The IsoBus integrated tank includes a hydraulically driven fan and weighs 730kg empty.
It incorporates two hopper-level sensors, work lights, and road vision cameras. Options include 550kg of ballast and packer wheels with passive steering.
DALE Drills Eco S mounted drill is offered with three different drill toolbars.
These include the Eco S with working widths of three, four and five metres, the MTD with widths from 3m to 8m and the MTD +, which includes similar design principles to the MTD but is offered with more direct drilling capabilities.
The Eco S uses Dale’s low-draft
tine coulter which it says can be operated as a direct, min-till and convention drill working in preprepared ground.
Depending on the crop type, the tine spacing can be changed to work at 125mm, 250mm and 500mm with each of the tungsten-tipped coulters fitted to an individual parallel linkage, which the manufacturer says provides consistent depth control and ground following.
1,850-litre or 2,150-litre capacity with the option to add a seed and fertiliser distribution system, which evenly divides the tank with a 50/50 split.
Control of the system is managed
through an RDS controller and provides IsoBus-ready operation and includes the option to integrate with field mapping to provide variable rate applications.
The MTD toolbars use the manufacturer’s 12mm-wide tungsten carbide-tipped, low-disturbance tines.
Tines are mounted over four rows from front to back, spaced at 400mm centres.
Buyers can choose a row spacing from 125mm, 166mm, 187mm, 200mm and 250mm.
MTD + toolbars are manufactured with an increase between the four rows of tines to 600mm, which Dale claims aids residue flow through the drill.
The non-pressurised, frontmounted tank is offered with a
ai17230193779_Farmers guide copy.pdf 1 07/08/2024 09:29:39
GERMAN cultivation, planting and sprayer manufacturer Horsch can integrate its PartnerFT tank with either an Avatar SL disc or Sprinter SL tine toolbar.
The Avatar version is offered in working widths of four or six metres with angled single disc coulters fitted at 250 to 300mm centres.
The depth of each coulter is managed by a control wheel behind each unit and ground following is achieved through the use of flexible rubber packers between the coulter arm and toolbar chassis.
A maximum coulter pressure of 240kg is offered.
Operating with a working width of six metres, the Sprinter SL tine
PROVIDED with a 2,200-litre capacity, Horizon Agriculture’s FT2200 front tank is designed to operate with its MDSX direct disc drill, PPX precision planter or SPX strip-till cultivator rear toolbars.
The pressurised tank can be specified with a 60/40 split between seed and fertiliser, with metering provided through the same systems which it
drill uses 24 tine coulters arranged in three rows to provide clearance for trash to flow through the machine.
Following each tine, a 330mm diameter press wheel is used to provide reconsolidation and seedto-soil contact.
Horsch says the Sprinter SL can be used for direct drilling into stubbles or across pre-worked ground.
Two tank sizes are offered with the PartnerFT front tank of either a 1,600-litre single or 2,200-litre double tank.
Both versions incorporate a pressurised tank and are supplied with the firm’s Rotors IsoBus controlled metering system.
Options for the system include quick-release connectors between the tank and rigid pipes on the tractor, lighting and camera kits and either a pneumatic tyre or a steel ring roll packer to consolidate and support some of the tank weight when in work.
operates on its larger trailed DSX drills.
Control of the tank is fully IsoBus integrated and can be supplied with an optional weight pack, toolbox and a road and work lighting system.
The MDSX no-till direct drill was introduced in 2023 and is offered in five working widths from three to six metres.
The design uses the firm’s single disc coulter assembly spaced at 220 or 250mm.
Each angled coulter and press wheel operates from the toolbar frame using a parallel linkage which provides a claimed 300mm of travel and a maximum downforce of 300kg each.
Buyers can operate the unit with seed and fertiliser or a twin distribution system which allows two different crops to be established on alternating rows.
YORKSHIRE manufacturer Sumo provides a single, 1,900-litre front tank with the manufacturer’s auger metering system.
The system can be used to provide variable rate application with seed rates from 1.0 to 350kg/ ha, and can be IsoBus controlled.
Options for the front tank include work lighting and additional ballast.
The manufacturer can provide the tank with either its DTS strip tillage or DD direct drill toolbar, with both models offered in working widths of three or four metres.
The DTS system uses an opening disc, deep working leg
and tine coulter to establish crops at a fixed row spacing of 333mm.
Row closure and consolidation are provided by a pair of covering discs and press wheels at the rear of the unit.
Operating on a narrower spacing of 187mm or 208mm, the DD direct drill toolbar uses a serrated single disc coulter and press wheel to allow zero-tillage establishment in open stubbles and within cover crops.
Soil coverage of the seed is achieved with a scalloped covering disc which is designed to pull soil over the row and collapse any side wall of the seeding channel.
UNVEILED at Cereals 2024, Grange Machinery’s Tine Drill Toolbar is supplied in six working widths from three to six metres and uses Bourgault tungsten-tipped coulters spaced at 250mm.
The design is Grange’s first move into offering a dedicated drill toolbar and has been developed to work with a range of third-party front tanks, including versions from Horsch, Amazone and Kverneland.
Depth control for the machine is achieved using hydraulically
adjusted land wheels, with a maximum claimed working depth of 177mm.
To provide ground following, each wing of the larger machines can float up to five degrees up and down from the centre, independent of the overall machine position.
Following the coulters, a double rear harrow frame is fitted with further depth and rake adjustment.
To apply companion cropping or slug pellets, a Stocks iCon seeder unit can be installed on the toolbar.
A cultivator drill so advanced it avoids any overlapping
The New
Grand features a newly developed distributor head with its unique combination of individual row shut-off and instant seed delivery.
Over its 9 m width, you can achieve spotaccurate shut-off, perfect for short work. The newly-developed V-Compensation gives uniform seed delivery at every coulter regardless of differing pipe lengths - so inch-perfect seed cut-off at every headland angle to reduce seed use and restrict any overlapping to below 1%.
Along with the option to place fertiliser with the seed and our unique strip-wise reconsolidation, it’s yet another clever idea that works for you.
Edited by Katie Jones –
07786 856 439 – katie.jones@agriconnect.com
By investigating all abortions and stillbirths, farmers and vets will achieve better herd health planning outcomes.
● Informing national disease status
WITH autumn block calving around the corner, experts are urging farmers to report and investigate all abortions and stillbirths to understand disease
Farmers and vets alike will achieve better herd health planning outcomes by gaining insights into what is causing abortions
COLIN MASON
status and identify how to protect their herds in future.
Colin Mason, a veterinary investigation officer and centre manager based at SRUC’s disease surveillance centre in Dumfries, says investigating causes of abortion can help improve herd efficiencies and protect staff, while contributing to better industry insights.
He says: “By asking farmers to investigate all abortions and stillbirths by sending abortion tissues and blood samples to be tested, farmers and vets alike will achieve better herd health planning outcomes by gaining insights into what is causing abortions.”
“Once a pregnancy is established and particularly in the latter stages, the expectation is that a viable calf will be born at term.
“When this does not happen, this is an ‘unforeseen event’ which should be investigated as part of the health planning process with your vet.
“This includes finding out the status of infectious diseases and identifying the risk levels of zoonotic disease for your farm.”
He also explains why understanding disease risk is currently
important for the wider industry, too.
“Pertinent at the moment is the current strain of bluetongue, BTV-3, as well as Schmallenberg, both of which can cause late-term abortion, stillbirth or deformities in calves, so there is a genuine notifiable disease reason why we need to investigate all abortions.
“Collective data showing what is causing abortion and stillbirth on-farm also helps inform the national disease status, plus identifies any virus changes or emerging threats,” he adds.
Mr Mason explains why understanding prevalence of zoonotic disease is also a vital reason to submit abortion samples and protect farm staff.
He says: “Increasingly coming to the fore are the disease risks of Q fever and salmonella Dublin.
“Testing for them will help understand whether some of these diseases are active on-farm or passive onfarm,” he says.
“From a worker, farmer or vet point of view, knowing a little bit more about the risks on-farm and being able to
manage that risk for anyone coming into contact with the herd is a positive action farmers can take.
“Submitting all abortion cases to be investigated is also going to find out the prevalence of brucellosis and improve brucella surveillance.
“This will increase the confidence in the UK being free of brucella.
“Ultimately, the more you can find out about your animals by investigating these unexplained abortion losses, the better for your farm, your animals and the industry.”
To help build reporting on all abortions into farmers’ calving routines, the Ruminant Health and Welfare group has published a flyer, which can be printed off for farm notice boards or saved onto phones, along with an online hub with frequently asked questions to help reduce the barriers of reporting abortions and submitting abortion samples for investigation.
MORE INFORMATION
View the resources and download the flyer at ruminanthw.org.uk/ reporting-all-cattle-abortions-andstillbirths
A COMPREHENSIVE dataset of first and second cut grass silages from Trouw Nutrition GB confirms the impact of the growing season on feed values. However, the company emphasises that with regular analysis and careful balancing it will still be possible to devise cost-effective rations.
Interpreting the results of over 1,000 first cuts and 500 second cuts analysed at the company’s laboratory in Ashbourne, ruminant adviser Nacia Bonnick says the data gives a clear insight into what will be needed to exploit grass silages.
Second cuts are drier than first cuts, reflecting better growing and harvesting conditions compared to the wet spring which affected first cuts. While second cuts will be palatable, increased lignin and reduced rapidly fermentable carbohydrates mean these silages will need careful balancing.
Ms Bonnick says: “Compared to the earlier samples received, the main first cuts have slightly lower dry matter [DM] with lower D-values and energy content. However, lower lactic acid and volatile fatty acid contents indicate that silages are well-preserved.
“The results show lower levels of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, but total carbohydrates are increased due to increased neutral detergent fibre content. Combined with a high fibre index, this will reduce nutrient supply in the rumen.”
Ms Bonnick says that with some positive movement in milk prices, combined with the easing of some commodity prices, it will be crucial to
It will be important to keep a close check on silage dry matters this year as fluctuations can significantly affect ration potential.
ensure silages are regularly analysed and then supplemented with purchased feeds that supply what the cow needs to fully utilise forages.
She says: “This might mean more regular fine-tuning of diets throughout the winter and challenging all supplementary feeds – buying [based on] effective nutrition rather than price.”
Looking at average first cuts, Ms Bonnick says that due to lower total fermentable carbohydrate (TFC) and higher total fermentable protein (TFP) levels they will need careful balancing with supplemental carbohydrates to balance the higher TFP and ensure optimal microbial protein production and protein efficiency.
Conversely, second cut is higher in TFC and lower in TFP, meaning they are better balanced. Consequently, balancing should be slightly easier.
“Acid load and fibre index values mean both first and second cut silages look safe to feed and should promote reasonable levels of butterfat without the need for huge amounts of additional buffer,” she says.
“Given the higher fibre index in both cuts, especially first, it will be
vitally important to ensure rapidly fermentable carbohydrates are added into the diet to optimise rumen function, alongside rapidly fermentable protein to maximise microbial protein production.”
She advises keeping a close check on DM, as fluctuations can significantly affect ration potential.
“If the DM of the clamp differs from the DM used to calculate the diet, the nutrients supplied will differ significantly.
“For a cow targeted to receive 12kg silage DM, a 3% reduction in silage DM will reduce energy supply by the equivalent of one litre of milk, meaning the ration will need rebalancing,” says Ms Bonnick.
“The better picture you have of silages this year, the more effectively you will be able to formulate cost-effective diets to meet your objectives.
“Central to this will be regular analysis of all opened clamps – at least monthly – combined with detailed assessment of the most effective supplements.”
The last remaining prison-run dairy farm in Britain, based near Usk in Wales, has installed two milking robots, a move that has significantly increased milk yield from its herd of 120 pedigree Holsteins. Farmers Guardian reports.
Farm manager Richard Gough, with help from farm consultant John Powrie and herdsman
Peter Ruck, presides over Cilwrgi Farm, near Usk in
Wales. The prison service bought the farm for H.M.P Usk and Prescoed and it was first manned by Italian prisoners of war.
Mr Gough says: “It was bought in 1939 and, after the war, was one
of 28 farms owned and run by the prison service to help provide skills and a break from typical prison life.
“Sadly, many of the prison farms were sold off towards the end of the 20th century and now we are the only dairy farm left.”
The farm has a Tesco contract, 162 hectares (400 acres) of land, of which 105ha (260 acres) is grass and maize. The closed pedigree Holstein herd of 100 milkers is now being milked by two DeLaval VMS V300 robots.
“We started milking with robots on November 27, 2023,” says Mr Gough. “The effect on milk production has been astounding. We went from 23kg per cow to 27kg in just a week and we are now a little above 30kg.”
The old herringbone parlour has been removed, taking with
it the need for prisoners to milk the herd.
“It took two prisoners 90 minutes to milk 100 cows through the old parlour.
“We did not install robots to save on labour, we have plenty of that. We did it to boost yield, improve cow health, and provide the prisoners with equipment and technology that could improve their employability,” he says.
He also explains that Welsh slurry regulations left the farm in a tricky situation.
“We need to have five months slurry storage, but we are in a wet area and rainwater is a big contributor to our overall volume. We could not find a cost-effective way to cover the yards so it made more sense to house the cows
in a new shed and bring in robots,” he says.
As a Government organisation, the prison is not able to borrow money and so Mr Gough and his team had to put forward a business case for the robot investment.
“The choice was to install robots or cut cow numbers. Both reduced the opportunity for the prisoners to work on the farm, but the robots presented a new skill set for them to learn.
“The farm offers hands-on work but also supports prisoners with numeracy and literacy, and the robots provide data that is helping diversify the educational opportunities,” he says.
The installation included the two milking robots, a robotic slurry scraper and a body condition score scanner. Together this has had a remarkable impact on how the herd is managed and the farm’s productivity says Mr Gough.
“We used to be herd-focused and now we are cow-focused. We had no way to accurately record what each cow was eating, but the robots can tell us the exact quantity and relate it to milk yield, so we know which cows are performing well and poorly,” he says.
At the farm, prisoners are encouraged to work while learning new transferrable skills that will
help them gain employment when they are released.
“We had a prisoner who was a car engine diagnostic specialist. He could put our old parlour together in no time and was able to take that transferable knowledge away with him. Now we have the robots, the prisoners are learning data analysis and even robotics,” says Mr Gough.
He goes on to describe how the prisoners also benefit emotionally from spending time with the cows.
“I have seen prisoners be emotional at calving and some have spent prolonged periods among the cows because its calming and improves their mental health,” he adds.
Installing robots has had herdwide health benefits. Foot and
mastitis cases have reduced, and milk yields have increased as the cows have learned to milk themselves.
“Since we put the robots in, the cows are calmer, they lie down for longer and have begun to act more like a herd.
“Milkings have increased to more than three, on average, across the herd, which has driven yield up, too.
“We also have prisoners showing a flair for data analysis and operating the DelPro system to identify problem cows faster,” he says.
A combination of the hot autumn weather in 2023 and the construction of the sheds to house the robots, led to a drop in productivity.
“Fertility was an issue during last summer when we were building the new shed. The cows were out longer and, in hindsight,
■ 162 hectares (400 acres)
■ 100 in milk, 120 in the herd
■ All-year-round calving
■ Averaging 9,400 litres per cow per year at 3.45% protein and 4.2% butterfat
■ Somatic cell count of 188
■ Selling milk to Tesco
■ Pedigree closed herd since 2016
Since we put the robots in, the cows are calmer, they lie down longer and act more like a herd
RICHARD GOUGH
we have to say that we let them down. When they first came into the new shed the body condition scans were a shock, there was nothing we could do about it, but using the data enabled us to react faster,” he says.
The farm is also trying to breed a red Holstein and heifers are bred from cows classified very good (VG) or excellent (EX) to help improve the overall genetic merit of the herd which has 46 milkers classified as VG or EX.
“With healthier cows that are milking well through the robots we have seen SCCs drop to 188 on average, mastitis cases are few and far between and antibiotic use has almost stopped because herd health has improved,” says Mr Gough.
Historically the farm has suf-
Data from the DelPro system allows Richard Gough to act quickly when problems are identified.
fered with TB, the last major case being in 2020 when 38 cows were lost. Despite these losses there was a determination to remain a closed herd and breed replacements.
And despite the operational overhead, the dairy provides an income.
“I think we are one of the few government establishments that actually makes money,” says Mr Gough.
And Mr Gough says the concept
of a prison farm has a multifaceted value; the prisoners benefit immeasurably from their time and the operation makes a profit while also supplying Tesco with milk.
“Having the robots has reminded us how important and valuable the farm is, and how having a dairy herd here is so important to the staff and prisoners. It is just a shame that other farms like this could not have been kept going using the same technology.”
Grass growth Soil moisture (cb)
Soil temperature (degC) Rainfall (mm per week)
Region Seven-day forecast 14-day forecast
North England 41.8kg DM/ha (16.9kg DM/acre) 30.8kg DM/ha (12.5kg DM/acre) South England 51.9kg DM/ha (21kg DM/acre) 51.1kg DM/ha (20.7kg DM/acre) Scotland 52kg DM/ha (21kg DM/acre) 42.9kg DM/ha (17.4kg DM/acre)
57.5kg DM/ha (23.3kg DM/acre) 60.2kg DM/ha (24.4kg DM/acre)
■ Grass growth is hovering just below the five-year seasonal average
■ Grass DM percentage and quality remains good for this time of year for sustaining intakes, milk and daily liveweight gain
■ Be prepared to be flexible with grazing management as we move into autumn; herd/flock demand
is in your control, but growth and conditions will fluctuate
■ Keep on measuring weekly and maintain clean graze-outs (4-5cm) to stimulate growth with minimal dead material
■ For fields identified for clover seeding next year, take opportunity now to deal with difficult weeds, such as docks and thistles, with herbicides
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.
By Ellie Layton
MERIONETH show saw livestock farmers from across North Wales gather, where a Limousin heifer topped the entry of nearly 40 cattle.
Claiming supreme inter-breed title after being tapped out by the judge, Dion Hughes, Corwen, was the Limousin champion, Garyvaughan Taine, bred and exhibited by Colin Vaughan and family who made the trip from Welshpool.
In-calf to Maraiscote Reagan, which the Lewis family bought from Carlisle in October 2021 for 28,000gns, the January 2022-born heifer is a daughter of 24,000gns Gorrycam Phantom bought in 2021, and is out of Garyvaughan Ilane.
Taine has reaped many red rosettes this season, including breed champion at Anglesey, Denbeigh and Flint, and reserve inter-breed at Burwarton.
Mr Hughes said: “My champion was correct throughout and provided power, she was also well presented, while my reserve was well meated and had excellent conformation.”
Reserve beef inter-breed went to the commercial champion, Twighlight from Tecwyn Jones, Anglesey.
By the home-bred bull, Sesiog Rio, which he sold in Carlisle last autumn for 14,000gns, the heifer is out of a British Blue cross Limousin cow which is part of his 50-head continental herd.
Twighlight has had a busy show season, including a first place at the Royal Welsh Show. Mr Jones also took the reserve champion with another Limousin-sired heifer, Little Beauty, which also won at the Royal Welsh Show.
Welsh Black and native champion went to a heifer, Hafodesgob Branwen, from G. Jones, Bala, which was reserve female champion the Royal Welsh Show and overall champion and reserve inter-breed champion at Llanwrst, and is part of their 60-head herd which run alongside their 1,000 South Country Cheviot ewe flock.
The Charolais championship went to R. O. Williams, Barmouth, with Caerddaniel Unique, a February 2023born home-bred Goldies Gentleman daughter out of Tillside Isabele.
After taking the reserve junior breed champion title at the Royal Welsh Show, it has been breed champion at every show, including reserve inter-breed at Anglesey.
In the sheep ring, it was the Welsh Hill Speckle that came out on top, impressing the inter-breed judge, Carwyn Harries, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire.
The ram from Hywel Watkins, Camen, Llanfihangel, Llanfyllin, will be retained in the flock for breeding. Mr Watkins has a passion for the breed and has been keeping them since the 1980s and crosses some of his flock with Bluefaced Leicesters.
He has claimed five Royal Welsh breed champion titles in his time, but this is his first inter-breed win at Merioneth, however, he has won the breed section for three years running.
Judge Mr Harries said: “I was not
Beef
Inter-breed (Judge, D. Jones, Corwen) Supreme, C. Lewis, Garyvaughan Taine (Limousin); reserve, T. Jones, Twilight (Commercial) Welsh Black (A. Jones, Bala) Sup., G. Jones, Hafodesgob Branwen; Charolais (I. Jones, Bala) Sup., R. Williams, Caerddaniel Unique; res., R. Williams, Caerddaniel Ubeauty. Any Other Pure Breed (A. Jones) Sup. And res., G. Griffiths (Shorthorn). Limousin (I. Jones) Sup., C. Lewis, Garyvaughan Taine; res., C. Lewis, Garyvaughan Usain.
Sheep
Inter-breed (C. Harries, Llandovery) Sup., H. Watkins (Welsh Hill Speckle); res., M. Roberts (Charolais)
Lowland champion (C. Harries) Sup., M. Roberts (Charollais); res., H. P. Jones (Texel) Hill champion (C. Harries) Sup., H. Watkins (Welsh Hill Speckle) ;res, A. Jones (Hill Welsh) Pedigree Welsh (M. Williams, Lansannan) Sup. and res., E. Evans. Hill Welsh (T. Jones and A. Jones, Trawsfynyff) Sup., A. I . Jones; res., H. P. Roberts Pen of Ten (R. Roberts, Bala) Sup. and res., E. Jones
Butchers lambs (D. Davies, Bala) Sup. and res., D. Roberts Suffolk (C. Jones, Llanuwchllyn) Sup. and res., M. Roberts
Black Welsh Mountain (P. Moyle, Powys) Sup., D. R.
expecting this result, but I have never handled a hill sheep like this, he has a super body which was matched with breed type. My reserve was another outstanding ram, which again had excellent conformation and power.”
Reserve champion went to the
Charollais from the Roberts family, Llanwrst, with their home-bred yearling ram.
The December 2023-born ram is part of the 25-head flock which Mr Roberts has kept alongside his fulltime job since 2005. The ram was also champion at Denbigh and Flint and Bethesda shows.
Texel champion went to young breeder Hari Prys Jones who keeps the Llangwm flock near Bala. His home-bred yearling went on to be reserve champion lowland.
Reserve hill champion went to the Hill Welsh with a ram from the Jones family, Cwmtirmynach.
The inter-breed group of three saw the lowland champions claim the title, with a trio of Charollais from the Roberts family, followed by the Black Welsh Mountain group in reserve from the Hughes family, Bala.
Inter-breed sheep champion, a Welsh Hill Speckle from Hywel Watkins, Llanfihangel, Llanfyllin.
l British Blue named inter-breed beef reserve
EARLY on Friday morning, there were fears the cattle section at Hope Show would have to be abandoned after Storm Lilian destroyed the cattle marquee. But by Saturday, the decision had been taken to go ahead without a tent, as the forecast for the Monday was set to be fair.
The risk paid off as cattle numbers at the show surpassed 70 and the weather stayed dry. The Clark family, Ringinglow, Sheffield, secured the beef supreme with their home-bred fouryear-old Limousin cow, Mayfields Rose by Fieldson Nugget. It won breed and overall reserve champion at Ashover Show, and breed champion and reserve continental at Emley Show.
The reserve championship went to Steve and Ashley Mills, Sheffield, with their British Blue cow, Redmires Sapphire. The home-bred cow by Tenace De La Praule repeated its performance from 2023, when it was also breed champion and overall reserve champion.
In the sheep section, a home-bred Suffolk ram lamb from Steve Buckley’s Sitlow flock, Buxton, secured the
A Suffolk takes the overall sheep championship, while a Limousin reigns supreme in the beef section. Chloe Palmer reports.
overall supreme sheep championship. By Sportsmans Black Label and out of a dam by Sitlow Clean Bandit, the ram was having its first showring outing and will now go to Kelso Ram Sales.
The Suffolk judge, Keith Thomas, Crewe, said: “He is very correct and
the right type for a modern Suffolk, with size and scale.”
The supreme hill sheep championship went to Josh and Megan Redfearn, Stockport, with a home-bred Derbyshire Gritstone ewe lamb out of a home-bred ewe, which was overall
reserve supreme sheep champion. It also won the Derbyshire Gritstone champion of champions award after qualifying when it was champion Gritstone and reserve champion overall at Mottram Show the previous week. It was also reserve supreme champion at Halifax Show.
Mr Refearn said: “We have been showing for 12 years, but this is the first time we have won the champion interbreed. This ewe lamb is one of the best we have bred, she is a good stamp of her breed and clean through her wool.”
Reserve supreme hill sheep champion went to a Swaledale two-shear tup from Rebecca Spooner, Chinley, which she bought from Ruswarp as a shearling, where it topped the sale.
The Whitefaced Woodland champion of champions title went to John William Thorp, Ripponden, with his home-bred age tup, High Moss Belter. He also took reserve with his homebred aged ewe, which stood reserve champion Whitefaced Woodland, with the championship going to George Lees, Shawforth, with an aged tup bred by Phil and Joe Pennington.
Inter-breed (All breed judges) Supreme, A. Clark, Mayfields Rose (Limousin); reserve, A. Mills, Redmires Sapphire (British Blue).
Commercial (J. Dowie, Settle) Sup., A. Dickinson, Cover Girl (Limousin cross); res., T. and J. Gratton, Cruella (British Blue cross).
Any other native beef (C. Hollingsworth, Sheffield) Sup., M. Hallam, Yarn Hill Hannah (Lincoln Red); res., M. Hallam, Starlite Hannah 2 (Lincoln Red).
British Blue (M.H. Taylor, Lincoln) Sup., S. and A. Mills, Redmires Sapphire; res., K. Simpson, Solway View Tesha.
Highland (R. Mumford, Much Wenlock) Sup., R. Wain, Melody of the Rose; res., M. Burgess, Ebony of Nortwelle.
Limousin (A. Grisedale, Milnthorpe) Sup., A. Clark, Mayfields Rose; res., L. White, Ladybowers Unique.
Longhorn (D. Hartshorn, Telford) Sup., J. Mycock, Bollin Wylma; res., T. Mills, Wheatlands Wendy. British Blonde (N. Barrett, York) Sup., S. Mycock, White Peak Usain; res., S. Marsden, Lowercroft Tulip.
Sheep
Inter-breed (S. Wainwright, Edale) Sup., S. Buckley (Suffolk); res. and sup., hill, J. and M. Redfearn (Derbyshire Gritstone); res. hill sup., R. Spooner (Swaledale). Derbyshire Gritstone (J. Kempson,
Rossendale) Sup., J. and M. Redfearn; res., J. Eggleton.
Derbyshire Gritstone champion of champions (R. Greenwood, Sowerby Bridge) Sup., J. and M. Redfearn; res., E. and P. Howard. Lonk (R. Kempson, Rossendale) Sup., C. Mitchell; res., E. and P. Howard. North Country Cheviot (S. Anderson, Galashiels) Sup. and res., J. Webster. Swaledale (B. Cowperthwaite, Malham) Sup., R. Spooner; res., S. Hallam. Whitefaced Woodland (J. Gill, Barnsley) Sup., G. Lees; res., J.W. Thorp. Whitefaced Woodland champion of champions (K. Lucas, Penistone) Sup. and res., J.W. Thorp. Mule and Masham (J. Wade, Jedburgh) Sup., W. Allen; res., Mycock and Bright. Jacob (J. Dixon, Leicester) Sup., R. Chapman; res., Ridout and Higginson. Rare breeds (R. Helliwell, Bamford) Sup. and res., A. Boothby (Llanwengo).
Any other native breed (G. Wainwright, Edale) Sup., Messrs Plant (Scottish Blackface); res., M. Carter (Kerry Hill).
Suffolk (K. Thomas, Crewe) Sup., S. Buckley; res., H. Lyons. Texel (R. Wright, Doncaster) Sup., F. Rushton; res., Z. Watson. Bluefaced Leicester (J. Thorp, Ripponden) Sup., H. Critchlow; res., I. Gregory. Any other continental breed (T. Hill, Doncaster) Sup. and res., Brown and Mason (Charollais). Commercial lamb (T. Hill) Sup., L. Bradshaw.
Inter-breed beef and Hereford champion, Rempstone 1 Alpha, a bull from James Ludgate, Thame, Oxfordshire.
and Holstein
With glorious weather and record entries across all sections, the Edenbridge and Oxted Show remains the biggest livestock show in the South East. Jane Howard reports.
l Female champion takes reserve
A YEARLING Hereford bull, Rempstone 1 Alpha, owned and bred by James Ludgate, Thame, Oxfordshire, was judged supreme beef champion by Andy Ryder, Cumbria. The Ludgate family already owned its sire, Dendor Nairobi, and in 2018 – the same year it was the British National poll champion – the Ludgates judged and went on to purchase its dam, Rosenkaer Miss World, which was the Danish National Champion.
Rempstone 1 Alpha was reserve inter-breed champion at the Shropshire Show and reserve breed champion at Royal Three Counties. The bull will now go on to Bucks County Show and the Hereford Polled Show at Moreton in Marsh, and it is also entered for the Hereford Autumn show and sale in Shrewsbury in October.
Reserve went to the female champion from W.J. and M. Mash, Chesham. This was Brockhurst Tranquility, a two-year-old Limousin heifer by Proctors Mitsubishi and out of Brockhurst Heavenly. It was inter-breed champion at Herts County, reserve
Beef
Inter-breed (A. Ryder, Cumbria) Supreme and sup. male, J. Ludgate, Rempstone 1 Alpha (Hereford); reserve and sup. female, W.J. and M. Mash, Brockhurst Tranquility (Limousin); res. male, H.G. Perkins and Sons, Shaws Tiger (Limousin); res. fem., S. Tedbury, Dosan Bheag 2 of Hardham (Highland).
Any other continental beef (M. Severn, West Yorkshire) Sup., S. Marsh, Updown Unlikely (Parthenaise); res., S. Marsh, Updown Uptown Girl (Parthenaise).
Any other native beef (M. Severn) Sup., G. Sell, Selstead Jade (South Devon); res., D. Maughan, Wessex Lottie (Lowline).
Aberdeen-Angus (T. Jones, Powys) Sup., A. Bishop, Warrenho Event; res., A. Bishop, Warrenho Evora. Beef Shorthorn (M. Severn) Sup., E. Wood, Oldewood Lovely Rosette; res., T. Russell, Blackbrook Taro. British Blue (A. Mummery, Kent) Sup., J. Jack, Solway View Spice; res., P. Tippetts, Maes TikTok.
British Charolais (R. Wright, South Yorkshire) Sup., R. Tremain, Wissington Trixie; res., W. Glover, Caylers Umbrella.
breed champion at the Royal Highland Show, and will now be going on to Bucks County Show.
In the dairy section, the supreme champion, judged by Jessica Miller, Dumfries, went to John Smith, Clacton, Essex, with his Holstein, Wigboro Outlay Beechnut. The judge, commenting on her champion, which was a second calver with a max score VG89 and producing 50 litres a day, said she had not seen such a good-bodied cow in the showring in a long time.
Wigboro Outlook Beechnut was supreme dairy champion at Suffolk Show and South of England Show, and now goes on to Dairy Day in Telford. Reserve went to Peter Prior, Essex, with a Holstein cow in its third lacta-
British Limousin (K. Donaldson, Cumbria) Sup., W.J. and M. Mash, Brockhurst Tranquility; res., H.G. Perkins and Sons, Shaws Tiger.
British Simmental (R. Wright) Sup., R. Grenham, Boars Head Karina 12; res., R. Grenham, Boars Head Nelly 16.
Dexter (A. Spicer, Leicestershire) Sup., C. King, Northbrook Lily; res., C. King, Northbrook Thor. Hereford (T. Jones, Powys) Sup., J. Ludgate, Rempstone 1 Alpha; res., J. Ludgate, Rempstone 1 Lily. Highland (D. Maughan, Dorset) Sup., S. Tedbury, Dosan Bheag 2 of Hardham; res., J. Whitehouse, Davina 4 of Janes Fold.
Sussex (A. Mummery, Kent) Sup., Buchanan family, Black Ven Koskimo 80; res., J. Howard, Coopers Poll Regent 3.
Commercial beef (K. Donaldson) Sup., K. Ludgate, Thor; res., K. Ludgate, Sweet Pea.
Dairy
Inter-breed (J. Miller, Dumfries) Sup., J. Smith, Wigboro Outlay Beechnut (Holstein); res., P. Prior, Crushabull Adrienne (Holstein).
Ayrshire (J. McLean, Northern Ireland) Sup., J. Smith,
tion, Designer Crushabull Adrienne. Supreme sheep champion, judged by Jim Cresswell, Norfolk, was Bowbridge Zappy, a Bleu du Maine ewe lamb from Stephen Stamp, Somerset. A North Country Cheviot was reserve from Harry Hawkins, Horsham.
Wigboro Wick Magic Easled; res., M. Howie, Ridley Hill Far Fairy. Holstein (I. Morgan, Carmarthenshire) Sup., J. Smith, Wigboro Outlay Beechnut; res., P. Prior, Designer Crushabull Adrienne.
Jersey (B. Etteridge, Suffolk) Sup., A. Fagg, Rosette Vip Lockdown Veronica; res., J. Edgar, Cottage Plans 34 Bangle.
Inter-breed (J. Creswell, Norfolk) Sup., S. Stamp (Bleu du Maine); res., H. Hawkins (North Country Cheviot).
Any other continental (A. Coombes, Somerset) Sup., S. Stamp (Texel); res., J. Heathcote (Badger Faced Texel).
Any other native longwool (B. Lugsden, Suffolk) Sup., E. Van der Meer (Border Leicester); res., L. Coleman (Grey Faced Dartmoor).
Any other native shortwool (B. Lugsden) Sup., H. Hawkins (North Country Cheviot); res., E. Olde (Devon Closewool).
Badger Face Torddu and Torwen (H. Williams, Carmarthenshire) Sup., G. Gribble (Torwen); res., S. Shrubsall (Torddu).
Beltex (T. Hill, South Yorkshire) Sup., J. and
Inter-breed sheep champion, a Bleu du Maine ewe lamb from Stephen Stamp, Somerset.
The supreme champion pig, judged by Martin Snell, Somerset, was from Oliver Giles, West Sussex. This was a senior Middle White gilt, Tedfold Captain 400. A Welsh gilt, Offham Elenora 2, from Sargent, Wakeham-Dawson and Harmer, Lewes, stood reserve.
S. Wareham; res., M. Friend. Blue Texel (A. Coombes) Sup., E. Carr; res., H. Jackson. British down breeds (J. Maynard, Devon) Sup., K. and S.A. Hasemore (Suffolk); res., C. Clark (Oxford Down). Coloured down breeds (B. Cooper, Buckinghamshire) Sup. and res., Sargent, Wakeham-Dawson, Harmer. Coloured Ryeland (A. Rundle, Cornwall) Sup., K. Mitchell; res., H. Hunt.
Hampshire Down (A. Rundle) Sup. and res., J. Dilibero. Jacob (S. Jones, Hampshire) Sup., P. Gorrigne; res., W. Sharp. Kerry Hill (A.R. Bostock, Warwickshire) Sup., H. Edmonds; res., Fresh Meadow Farms. Southdown (G. Sprake, Suffolk) Sup., J. Heathcote; res., Sargent, Wakeham-Dawson and
This
THE competition at the Welsh National was fierce from the outset. Running first was Aled Owen, who has won many times at these prestigious trials. Running Jim, he posted a score of 188. This was beaten 12 runs later by 2023 National Champions, Rob Ellis and Tod, on 196.
At run 36, Kevin Evans stepped to the post with his home-bred blue dog, four-year-old Kemi Jack. They only dropped 14 points from judges Arwel Staples and Rob Lewis they finished on 206 and led the day for the singles. Misena Dubenova, the understudy at Kevin Evans’ kennel, came to the post with her dog Kemi Kurt and put up a good run for a score of 181. She dropped down to second a few runs later after Bleddyn Lester and Jill, posted a run of 184.
When Aled Owen and Llangwm Tom strode to the post three runs from the end, they had an excellent single that lost no points, one of only three
awarded all day, securing his place at the international. Nigel Watkins and his home-bred, fiery bitch Jazz lost 10 off their fetch and 16 points of their drive, but their shed, pen and single were the lowest pointed of the day, going into first place. Last to run was Bryn Davies and Eglwys Troy who gained the cap for the international.
Tim Thewissen and his three-yearold bitch, Kate, set the pace with a score of 194. Tim qualified on day one with his consistent dog, Fellside Finn, but was hungry for a second spot.
He hung on to the top spot until Jack Howells bumped him down with a super run from Cydros Boss. Jack showed not only his pedigree, being son of well-known triallist, David Howells, but he also gave a glimpse of what was to come. Keeping his cool he communicated well to Boss, who responded beautifully, securing them a deserved team spot.
Also qualifying with a run that attained the first 200 score of the day, one of only a handful awarded over the
August 31. LONGSHAW, S11 7TZ. Longshaw Pasture in front of Longshaw Lodge. Trial field entry from the B6521, what3words: bath.plank.tube. 7.30am start. For information or entry form, contact Sheila Humphreys by e-mail lsdta@talktalk.net or tel: 01433 651 852 or www.longshawsheepdog.co.uk August 31 and September 1. DORSET, Cricket Field, Manor Farm, Cheselbourne, Dorset, DT2 7NR. 9am start, contact, Merrill Fox, tel: 01409 261 740. WAITE, NE47 6ED, 9am start, contact Mr Telfer, tel: 07759 732 363. DUFTON, CA16 6D A, what3words location: tribes.dustbin.snug, 8:30am start, booking in closes at 2:30pm. Enter on field, £5, winner to judge next year. Contact, Steven Brown, tel: 07597 765 693. BRAMPTON, CA4 9RR, 8am start. For more information, contact Mark, tel: 07899 950 287. September 1. ROMNEY MARSH, Lydden, 9am start. Classes for open/novice. MID SHIRES, Madresfield, Malvern, Worcester, WR13 6PB. Pre-entry and details from Gill Burbidge, tel: 07950 738 732. LOWESWATER, New House Farm, Lorton, Cockermouth, CA13 9UU, what3words: convey. skews.lodge. 9am start, £5 per entry. September 7. CHALLACOMBE, White Field, Challacombe. 10am start, contact, Brian Duke, tel: 01643 831 375 or Barbara Thomas, tel: 01598 763 502 or 07729 328 440. WOLSINGHAM, Scotch Isle Park, Durham Road, Wolsingham, Bishop Auckland, DL13 3JG. 9am start, £5 per dog. Pre-entry to Margaret Suddes, tel: 07484 3 102 144. September 8. SOMERSET, Rains Batch, Charterhouse, BA40 7XX, what3words: hovered. rejoined.mile. 9.30am start. Entries on the day by 11am. £5 per dog. Drive class only. Limited to two dogs per handler. Enquiries to somersetsheepdogs@ gmail.com. WHITLEY CHAPEL, Whitley Chapel, Embley, NE47 0HW. Pre entry only. Contact, P. Telfer, tel: 07759 732 363. September 8. SOMERSET SHEEPDOG TRAINING AND TRIALLING CLUB, Rains Batch, Charterhouse,
week, was Dewi Jenkins and Jock. Angie Driscoll and Dylan Davies gained rightful places on the team with their home-bred dogs – Angie with six-year-old Kinloch Taz and Dylan with Treflys Ben.
In the run-off for captain, the highest placed handlers of their day contested. The fresh Kemi Jack and Kevin took top honours, the first time a Kemi bred dog has won the Welsh National.
In the run-off for team reserve, Ceredigion based Elin Hope put in a
Somerset, BA40 7XX, 9.30 start. What3words, hovered.rejoined.mile. Entries on the day by 11am. £5 per dog, drive class only. Two dogs per handler. Enquiries to somersetsheepdogs@gmail.com.
August 31. CEIRIOG VALLEY, LL20 7AB, 8am start, tel: 07904 304 336. GLADESTRY, Contact, tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451 or anna_prothero@hotmail. com. HUNDRED HOUSE, Contact, tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451.
September 4. TRAWSFYNYDD, LL41 4UY, 8am start, tel: 07936 746 487.
September 5. ARDUDWY A’R CYLCH, LL46 2UT, 9am start, tel: 07590 533 937.
September 6. ST HARMON, Contact, tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451.
September 6 and 7. CWMDAUDDWR, Contact, tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451. September 7. BETWS GARMON, LL54 4YY, 7.30am start, tel: 07771 284 112.
LLANARMON, LL20 7LB, 8am start, tel: 01691 600 244. NANT PERIS, LL55 4EU, 8am start, tel: 01286 872 331. PANDY, National and South Wales style. Tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451. LLANWARNE, Contact, tel: Anna Prothero, 07795 178 451.
September 7. ATHOLL AND WEEM, Aberfeldy, between A827 and River Tay, PE15 2EX. 7.30 start. LOCKERBIE, Trailtrow Farm, Hoddom, DG11 2QL. Contact, Allan Common, tel: 07751 692 643. September 8. UDNY, Meikle Tillyeve, Udny, AB41 6SJ, signposted, what3words: shepherds.compiler. hope. Entry £6 per dog. Contact, Gary Bruce, tel: 07902 656 434. GATEHOUSE OF FLEET, Boreland of Anwoth, DG7 2EJ. 8am start. Enter on field, all double dogs on 11.30am. Prize for highest placed nursery dog. Contact Judith, tel: 078803 826 118 or Chris, tel: 07815 457 280.
great performance with Trefynor Lass that equalled her National run.
Finishing the Welsh singles line-up, was young handler Andrew Davies, Ceredigion. In the brace competition, Kevin Evans ran Knockma Bec paired with new boy, Hendre Sam. Flying the flag for the ladies in trialling and taking the second international spot, was Angie Driscoll running her home-bred dogs, Kinloch Carlos and Kinloch Taz.
Source: LAA/MartEye
Source: LAA/MartEye
1/725.0 10/1005.4 14/107.9 50/271.3 24/214.1 43/173.7 40/93.7 8/477.5 10/764.5 6/1141.7 6/105.8 27/393.7 31/320.9 16/302.8 8/228.5
4/1130.0
-/- 1/1160.0 45/71.2 79/298.8 78/231.3 63/221.5 73/125.8
-/- 5/1288.0 1/135.0 1/250.0 2/207.5 1/190.0 -/-
Source: IAAS/ScotEID
Source: LAA/MartEye
Week ending August 27, 2024.
PRIME cattle prices saw a boost at auction marts in England and Wales this week.
Steer prices saw the biggest increase, up 6.6p/kg at 282.2p/kg, while heifer prices were up 2.2p/kg at 291.90p/kg. Young bull prices were unchanged, standing at 272.10p/kg.
In the sheep rings, lamb prices were back 3.8p/kg at 298.10p/kg.
Pig prices also saw a rise, with baconers up 27.6p/kg at 206.10p/kg, plus increases for porkers and cutters.
As Farmers Guardian went to press on Wednesday (August 28), UK LIFFE wheat prices for November 2024 were trading at £179.95/tonne, a fall of £4.45/t on the week.
N/S
August 28, 2024
Mon, hay, square bale to £116/tonne; barley straw, square bale to £118/t.
SOURCE: LAA/MartEye
SOURCE: LAA/MartEye
SOURCE:
** Estimates. ENGLISH DELINKAGE REF DATA: average of 2020/21/22 claims. Seller’s 2023 claim not needed. Estimated return £1.20/£1 ref amount with buyer’s delink payment less than £30,000 post-transfer. Subject 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
The latter part of Reuben Owen’s teenage life was spent on the TV screen, appearing in one of the most watched farming shows in recent years. Now, the young farming star has started out on his own career journey. Emily Ashworth finds out more.
IN 2018, the nation was captivated by one of Yorkshire’s most famous farming families, the Owen family of Swaledale.
The iconic TV programme, Our Yorkshire Farm, featuring Amanda and Clive Owen and their brood of nine children, first hit our screens in November 2018, and it immediately catapulted them all into the limelight.
Viewers were hooked on watching the family live out their daily farming life at Ravenseat, a traditional hill farm in the Yorkshire Dales.
One of the stars of the show though, was son Reuben Owen, who has gone on to build his own social media following and start his own groundwork and plant hire business, all of which was documented in his own TV show, Life in the Dales, which aired earlier in the year.
At just 20 years old, he has, for the past six years, lived life in the public eye on and off screen – one of the country’s most iconic walks, the Coast to Coast path, runs through the family farm and, given their TV
success, there was always someone passing by.
“I always enjoyed it on camera with my parents,” he says.
“You get to meet an amazing mix of people – just yesterday I was in the yard, and someone recognised me. You can learn all sorts.
“But up here, it is a different way of farming.
“There are smaller farms and the land is different to that further down the country.”
In the programmes, Reuben could often be seen with his overalls on, tinkering with some sort of machine and he further pursued this passion, going on to Myerscough College to study a landbased engineering course.
He also did an apprenticeship with Taylor and Braithwaite and, after finishing, he was encouraged by his father, Clive, who told him to buy his own machine.
Although he still farms at home, before and after work, he has managed to build his business and find his own niche.
“I enjoy the mechanical side,” he says.
“I get asked a lot by young people who are wanting to get into [the industry]. If you are keen, there are places for you.
He says: “We have not been going very long, but it is about the number of people you know.
“We are doing what people have always done – we are just doing it with something bigger.
“For years, people have taken rough land and made it better to produce food. Instead of using horses and shovels, we have a big digger.”
Home is still, it seems, where the heart is, and being able to balance his business with helping on the farm at Ravenseat is something he enjoys.
It is in his blood, after all, as he jokes that his ‘Dad still drags me back home’.
Like Reuben says, it is a beautiful part of the world – Ravenseat spans 2,000 acres at the top of Whitsun Dale in Swaledale and is one of the most remote and highest hill farms in the country.
He says: “I like going up on the fell gathering.
“My two jobs work well together and, by the time you have spent a week sitting on a digger, it is lovely to go home and chase some stock around.
“There are still a lot of sheep.
You get to meet an amazing mix of people – just yesterday I was in the yard, and someone recognised me. You can learn all sorts
REUBEN OWEN
“It is a different way of life in this neck of the woods and people do not see it,” he says.
“I am sure if I was put in their world, I would find that very different.”
Reuben is quite happy out in the middle of nowhere, taking opportunities as they come – plans, he says, are never stuck to.
“There is a lot of interest at the moment and you should get on and have a go.”
One of his current jobs is helping to level a field on ground higher up before it gets reseeded.
“I would not go anywhere else. I love it here.”
TO listen to this week’s Farmers Guardian podcast with Reuben Owen, plus the latest news and features, scan the QR code or go to farmersguardian. com/podcasts
He is grateful that his work allows him to be part of the community he grew up in.
He also employs local ‘farm lads’ while, he says, also roping in his family.
But the business’s success is partly down to networking and making connections.
He found further stardom earlier in the year, after his Channel 5 programme, Life in the Dales, was received well by the public, showcasing the start-up of his business and life as a youngster in the area.
There are rumours series two is coming, but Reuben says people will just have to keep an eye out.
With continued interest in what he is up to, what exactly is it that people want to know about rural life?
Growing the business is, of course, key, but farming always makes its way back into the conversation.
“My ultimate goal, once I have enough diggers going, is to have my own farm around here,” he says.
“I definitely want to carry on farming and I appreciate it more since I have not been around the farm as much. It is lovely; it is the place I want to be.”
In this community update, we share news from the heart of British rural life.
A group of eight farmers living at the foot of the Brecon Beacons were brought together by their diagnoses of prostate cancer.
They became close friends, offering each other support, laughter and resilience during their individual journeys through treatment and recovery.
Before being diagnosed, three of the group members did not experience any cancer symptoms, and a problem was only detected after requesting a simple PSA blood test while visiting their GP for other reasons.
Early diagnosis of this all-toocommon disease is important, and a PSA blood test can quickly flag any abnormalities within the prostate. During their treatment, they decided they wanted to support others going through the same experience, give back to the charity Prostate Cymru and
to the Velindre Cancer Centre which provided their treatment, plus raise awareness in the local area.
They did this by bringing together more than 200 friends and family members in the Brecon Beacons for afternoon ‘Tea on the Lawn’.
The event included music, a panel discussion on the topic of race horses and an auction which raised £1,500.
It proved to be a roaring success both socially and financially, raising £11,000 through the event and online via their Just Giving page.
The amount raised has been shared equally between Prostate Cymru and Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff.
Group member Gerwyn Rees said: “The group have been humbled by the acts of goodwill and
● Difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder
● Weak flow when you urinate
● Feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
● Dribbling urine after you finish urinating
● Needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night
overwhelmed by the generous support of so many businesses, groups and individuals who made the event possible.
● A sudden need to urinate –you might sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet
Locally advanced symptoms:
● Back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain
● Problems getting or keeping an erection
● Blood in the urine or semen
● Unexplained weight loss symptoms:
“It was a thoroughly rewarding event in many ways, but most of all by providing the opportunity to raise awareness of an alltoo-common disease, prostate cancer, which if caught in time, is very treatable.”
Keep up to date with our community news with the hashtag ‘#HaveEweHerd’. If you have any news you would like to share, please email ellie.layton@agriconnect.com or call 07814 997 407.
Abergavenny-based Huw Bevan decided to celebrate his 60th birthday by picking up his handpiece and going out for a day’s shearing. Along with his sons Gareth and Dan, he started shearing Sunday morning with a goal to shear 400 ewes. By late afternoon, Huw had exceeded his goal and finished the day having shorn 416 ewes, with his son Gareth shearing 402 and Dan at 522.
The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society has announced young shearer Will Bevan, Crickhowell, as the recipient of the Louise Owen Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was first introduced in 2014 in memory of the talented and accomplished woolhandler Sarah Louise Owen. It offers £1,000 to a promising junior shearer. Will was presented with the award at the Royal Welsh Show.
August.
Hosted by Troedrhiwdalar Young Farmers’ Club, the Welsh international speed shear was a resounding success at the Royal Welsh Show. There were 155 shearers taking part and £10,000 was raised, which will be split between two chosen charities.
Cameron McGregor from the Scotland Holstein Young Breeders (HYB) Club has been chosen as the recipient of the 2024 Sue Cope Bursary.
Kyle Scott of Crossroads Young Farmers’ Club has been announced as the first ever Scottish Federation of Young Farmers’ Junior Young Farmer of the Year.
The 14-year-old was awarded the title at the Royal Highland Show after impressing judges with his well-presented farm plan and essay entitled ‘If You Do a Job You Love…’, in which he talked about his dream of becoming a vet and his plans to achieve this.
Kyle said: “I could not believe I had won when I first saw the results and it still has not really sunk in yet. To be the first ever winner is really special. I am definitely going to get involved in more Young Farmers’ competitions in the future.”
Cameron, who is in his final year of HYB, currently farms the Glenvalley herd alongside his father and brother. He applied for the bursary so that he could purchase a clipping chute to help him work towards achieving his ambition of promoting the Glenvalley prefix to showcase their bloodlines and genetic potential.
This new competition, open to members between 14 and 18 years old, aims to engage with junior members, recognise their effort and achievements, and get them to start thinking about their future.
Age 17-18 years:
Age 17-18
Age 17-18 years: 1. Jamie Boyd, East Kilbride; 2. Molly Poyser, Strichen; 3. Meg Christie, Lesmahagow.
Age 14-16 Years:
Age Years:
Age 14-16 Years: 1. Kyle Scott, Crossroads; 2. Hannah Hunter, Peeblesshire; 3. Katie McCall, Kilmaurs.
Every week we follow the ups and downs of farmers around the UK
Cornwall
Alan Carter farms in partnership with his parents, Paul and Christine, on a 162 hectare (400-acre), 400-cow dairy unit at Constantine, Cornwall, with 130 milking cows, supplying Saputo. Alan, also a Parish Councillor, and his wife Sarah, have two children, Ross and Dana.
We had a very enjoyable 10 nights away, with a week in Mid Wales, and a weekend at Cardiff Bay.
The weather was very warm, and this was the first time we had stayed with the children in a hotel in a city.
The buffet breakfast is always fun, with unlimited trips to the cereal and fried breakfast.
I like to make the most of it with a large selection of sausages, bacon and hash browns on the plate – I don’t think many people there were used to seeing the portions a farmer could eat.
Congratulations
I also visited Brecon County Show on the way down to Cardiff. I really enjoyed it, congratulations to the organising committee for putting on a great rural show.
I’m sure you’ve already read and listened to plenty of analysis of Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me.
I don’t usually watch programmes about livestock farming on TV, as they rarely help me to relax or switch off in the evening. But I felt this programme would be rele-
‘I don’t think people there were used to seeing the portions a farmer could eat’
vant, so we decided to watch it, instead of the second half of Notting Hill on Netflix that we were watching the night before.
I went into it with very low expectations, as I had seen the promotional pieces and had little belief that it would be anything but badger propaganda. And I was right.
You might as well have put the badgers in a jacket and hat walking next to Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle – a world where the predator never eats the prey, they just play happily together in the woods.
I could fill a lot of pages with the situations we have been through over the years, the conversations we have had with actual hard-working professionals that would put holes in all of the opinions portrayed as facts in that programme.
But do I really need to be doing that here? I hope I would be preaching to the converted.
During the years I have been reading this magazine, I feel that no matter what sector we are in, we are all dealing with the same problems. The themes are the same that run
through most articles and letters. The stresses and strains of the job, loneliness, bad weather, financial issues, inspections, low morale, feeling blamed for everything.
The public broadcaster of this country was able to put a programme like that on prime time on a Friday night, without any concern for fact or accuracy, talking about an issue that has torn the centre out of our pedigree herd, like so many others throughout the country.
It’s a sad thing.
AND so, just like that, summer is over (meteorologically speaking, at least).
“What summer?” I hear you ask. Well, it was certainly one characterised by perceptions of more spring-like conditions rather than summer weather, although over this weekend it seems that summer has decided to give it another go. Perfect for hay and more harvesting (for some, at least).
I have been taking a look at the temperatures and rainfall around the world from June 1, revealing that, over the three months as a whole in the UK, most areas had a closer-to-average, to drier-than-average summer.
Temperatures across Scotland, northern England and Ireland were cooler, but closer to normal in England and Wales (using data averaged from 1991 to 2000).
In Europe, most of the continent was wet, especially from Scandinavia through Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, northern Italy and eastern France. Most areas were warm with heat centred around the Balkans, Greece and Turkey. France was colder, though. Eastern Russia was cool and wet, although most of the country had a warmer- and drier-than-average summer. China was warm and dry in the east, but wetter in the west.
In the USA and Canada, many areas have been dry, although the north east of the USA has been a little wetter. Temperatures were around or just above average overall, although parts of eastern Canada and western USA have been significantly warmer.
Australia saw near-average rainfall and a warm winter. New Zealand was drier in the north, but around average in the south and was warm throughout.
South America has been drier than average overall, but notably colder in the southern half of Argentina while being warm in Brazil. And that is your round-up of the season.
For location specific forecasts visit farmersweather.co.uk and for video updates go to weatherweb.net or call the number below.
Farmers WeatherLIVE
Scottish Borders Kate Rowell
Lancashire Amy Wilkinson
Kent
Dan Hawes grew up on an arable farm in Suffolk and now produces strawberry and raspberry plants for the UK fruit market with Blaise Plants, sister company to Hugh Lowe Farms, Kent. The business grows outside, under tunnels and in glasshouses and produces more than four million plants a year. The arable side includes environmental schemes, with a mix of wheat, oilseed rape, beans and barley crops.
Bish bash bosh, that’s the first part of the job done. I am happy to report everything is in and planted – that is more than three million strawberry plants in the field nursery, plus another million or so in
the glasshouse, plus the raspberry and blackberry pots we’ve got growing.
It all seems so simple looking back now, but I’d be lying if I said this was the case. By the end of it I was tired, both mentally and physically.
That said, I’m happy with what we’ve achieved. A much-needed day away from the farm was due and, after a day visiting some top fruit farms with a fruit group I’m part of, it was nice to come back refreshed and inspired!
I’m sure it’s only farmers who visit other farms on their day off – busman’s holiday and all that.
As the attention turns toward plant maintenance, the main tasks are de-blooming and runner-cutting the strawberries.
We want to produce a big plant that will produce lots of flowers and fruits next year and we’ve only got a relatively short growing window from July to October when things slow a little.
So, while the plant naturally tries to
reproduce, we need all the plant’s energy going into growth.
In only four months, most of them will have been graded and packed, and be chilling in a cold store ready for planting the 2025 fruit crop.
To help this we’ve cracked out the new rig. What started out life as a Vegcraft box carrier now has 10 custom-made beds positioned on the forks to allow the guys to lay down and carry out tasks by hand.
With the adaptation of the running wheels and the addition of a canopy on the top, it’s been pretty successful.
Ergonomically, it’s much easier on the team and is at least three times faster than bending down all the time.
My latest project was a rear mount-
ed toilet. I jazzed up one of our older portable loos, gave it a good clean and replaced the damaged seat with the classic fish-design one from B&Q –none of those boring black plastic seats for my team.
Alongside a hand washing station there’s a cabinet for bags and lunches, so it’s now a fully contained, weatherproof system. This might all sound a bit silly, but we work in the field not a fancy modern office, so anything that makes it easier, or dare I say more enjoyable for the team, is a win-win.
Elsewhere on the farm, the arable guys will have finished harvest by the time you read this, if the weather plays ball, with the exception of some Aprildrilled Skyfall, which is still a bit milky.
Send in your correct entries to be in with a chance of winning £20 worth of Love2shop vouchers every month. Send to: Crossword No. 1260, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park,
1 Virile fellow inherently sanctimonious, not very bright (6)
5 Upset some of semi-German system of government (6)
10 Part of significant oration, section of a longer poem (5)
11 Bond creator smashing rickety luge (9)
12 Disguised mixed gin tonic, stirred up with hint of orange (9)
13 Former high priest backing person expelled from land (5)
14 Deriving advantage from what you sow? (7)
16 Rivers, maybe? Ones that bloom (7)
18 Administrator, fellow with maturity and right (7)
20 Type of light, mostly land bird (7)
22 Mother and offspring, a stone worker (5)
24 Naval officer guarding British with energy, deserving esteem (9)
26 Italian favourite type of junction, maybe (9)
27 Lift with effort bundles of corn with outsides trimmed (5)
28 One that springs out of convoluted fissure, lacking force (6)
29 Wide open breach in front of garden (6)
2 Incorrect cut in loose garment (5)
9NZ.
3 Preparing for sowing soft meadow round Irish loch (9)
4 Stylish gratuity in end of trading (7)
5 Expression of criticism: make a fresh copy of page (7)
6 Pierce with spiky thing including tip of spiny shrub (5)
7 Madly impel idle crawler (9)
8 Nastier - more gluey, but not second time (6)
9 Collapsed screes in secluded place (6)
15 These forgetful people are unlikely to produce memoirs (9)
17 To have old royal yacht, for example, in possession (9)
18 Flowering shrub - Buck’s fizz in Las Vegas (6)
19 Clergyman taking in a nuclear device (7)
20 Ambling around attending to sheep giving birth (7)
21 First of new coins papa left for family members (6)
23 Stylish jacket of India’s first prime minister (5)
25 British downpour hit hard over the head (5)
Answers to crossword 1258: Across: 1 Scrawl, 5 Rouble, 10 Largo, 11 Gift horse, 12 Woodlands, 13 Least, 14 Roamers, 16 Loyalty, 18 Ostrich, 20 Dragged, 22 Toper, 24 Lancaster, 26 Untenable, 27 Alien, 28 Dorset, 29 Sledge. Down: 2 Cormorant, 3 Atoll, 4 Legends, 5 Refusal, 6 Up-Helly-Aa, 7 Larva, 8 Flower, 9 Neatly, 15 Emigrants, 17 Lightning, 18 Outrun, 19 Halibut, 20 Dinners, 21 Daring, 23 Patio, 25 Awake.
Forthright opinions from throughout the world of agriculture
Agricultural land is one of the most valuable natural assets in the UK. The demand is high because it has the potential for multiple uses other than agricultural production.
Every year valuable agricultural land is being lost either permanently or for a long time period.
An example of land loss in Lancashire is through housebuilding.
Many houses have recently been built in the Fylde and Lancaster areas on good-quality farmland.
Housebuilding results in a permanent loss of future food production potential, together with a loss of soil life.
Soils also store carbon and a handful of soil can harbour up to several billion forms of soil life.
As of February 2024 (April for small sites), developers must now deliver a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 10% for a particular site. In certain instances, developers will purchase off-site BNG units which may result in the use (and loss of) further agricultural land for a 30-year period. Ten years ago, these BNG land losses would have been difficult to imagine.
In 2014, Andrew Montague-Fuller from Cambridge University produced a report entitled, The Best Use of Agricultural Land , which warned the UK may be running out of land for food production and could face a potential shortfall of two million hectares by 2030.
He argued that we needed to put more land aside for the food needs of a growing population and that the balance, if we did not face up to this potential shortfall, would be wrong. It is possible to monitor the losses of agricultural land by looking at the utilised agricultural area (UAA) which is found in the annual UK Government publication: Agriculture in the United Kingdom.
According to the report, 17.3mha (42.7m acres) of UAA in 2020 (71% of UK land) became 17mha (42m acres) in 2022 (70% of UK land) – a loss of 300,000 ha (741,000 acres) in a three-year period.
If these losses of UAA continue, the UK could potentially lose well over 10% of the UAA in the UK by 2030 (compared to 2020).
It could be argued that the loss of UAA is likely to accelerate in the next decade as climate change mitigation schemes are expanded under the Environmental Land Management scheme (such as growing trees for carbon sequestration, BNG and possibly Nutrient
Neutrality). The previous Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, Claire Coutinho, told Parliament the best agricultural land must be protected for food security, however the new Secretary, Ed Miliband, has already approved three new solar farms, covering an area of 2,837 ha (7,010 acres).
It is time that policymakers grasped the nettle and admitted that all permanent or long-term losses of good-quality agricultural land will have a negative impact on future strategic food supplies.
Land grades 1, 2 and 3a, plus some of 3b, should be protected from such developments.
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With bloodlines dating back to the 1950s, the Dalesbred breed is at the heart of the Dawson family’s farming heritage. Katie Fallon finds out more.
Situated in the Lancashire valley of Littledale, looking over to Morecambe Bay, is Field Head Farm, home to John and Linda Dawson and their children, Katie, eight, and Emma, 10.
Farmed together with John’s parents, Michael and Carolyn, the farm spans from 229 metres (750 feet) to more than 549m (1,800ft) above sea level, comprising 162 hectares (400 acres) of tenanted grassland and inbye land, a 36ha (90-acre) allotment owned by the family, along with grazing rights on Littledale Common.
Before taking on the tenancy at Field Head Farm in 1983, Michael farmed with his father next door.
It was in these early days that the foundations of the family’s Dalesbred flock were laid, with Michael’s father first starting with the breed in 1952. John was added to the tenancy at Field Head Farm in 2014, after working part-time on local farms and at home.
“After my granddad and uncle retired, I ended up with the best 20 ewes and 10 gimmer hoggs, which started my own flock of Dalesbreds,” says John.
Within John and Michael’s flocks, marked separately, but run as one, the bloodlines from John’s grandfather’s flock remain today, with records to prove it.
John says: “We can go right back to Granddad’s flock; every sheep is recorded and their offspring.
“We still do it today with everything recorded in lambing time.”
Emma and Katie also have their own flock of Dalesbred ewes, which started with an in-lamb shearling that Linda’s mum bought for the girls from Bentham auction market in 2016, after it was champion in the pre-sale show.
This makes Emma and Katie the
The Dawson family first started with Dalesbreds in 1952.
fourth generation of the Dawson family to keep the Dalesbred breed.
Linda says the girls now have five Dalesbred ewes and have taken over their great-grandfather’s flock number.
She says: “They have had two tup shearlings out of them and had a day off school to go and sell them at the auction. The headmaster authorised it and he came to watch the sale.”
Today the family runs a combined flock of 150 pure Dalesbred ewes, 600 Swaledale ewes and 10 Bluefaced Leicester ewes.
While the majority of the Dalesbred flock is bred pure, 50 ewes are put to the Bluefaced Leicester tup each year to produce Dales Mules.
A similar system is run with the Swaledale ewes, with 250 ewes tupped by the Bluefaced Leicester each year to produce North of England Mules and the remainder bred pure.
The family will sell around 40 Dales Mule gimmers and 190 North of England Mule gimmers each year through Bentham auction market in September.
A total of 50 Dalesbred ewes are put to the Bluefaced Leicester tup to produce Dales Mules.
John believes the following for the Dalesbred is growing, with a ‘buzz’ around the breed.
He says: “The Dales Mules are also getting a lot more popular. They make a good, thick-set sheep that is easy fleshing.
The family also sells 30 pure Dalesbred ewes annually at the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association draft ewe sale at Bentham, as well as 120 threecrop Swaledale ewes.
John says: “We will sell two or three of the best Dalesbred ewes at the society’s in-lamb ewe sale at Bentham.
“We try to sell two or three every year to support and promote the breed.”
Michael adds: “There are quite a few young people looking to start Dalesbred flocks.”
Wether lambs are grazed off farm for a couple of months, before being sold through Bentham or Lancaster auction market.
John says: “We sell them straight off
■ 162 hectares (400 acres) of tenanted grassland and in-bye land and grazing rights on Littledale Common
■ 36ha (90-acre) allotment owned by the family
■ Flock comprises 150 pure Dalesbred ewes and 600 Swaledale ewes
■ John and Michael are committee members for the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association
■ The farm is run between John, Linda and Michael, with help from Alan Taylor who works part-time and David Kelsal at lambing time
■ Herd of 35 Limousin cross and pedigree Limousin suckler cows
grass with any horned wether lambs going liveweight.
“We try to get rid of most of them before the start of February, but will sell some as stores.”
A selection of home-bred and boughtin tups are used, with 10 Bluefaced Leicester tups, five Dalesbred tups and nine Swaledale tups currently in the flock. Everything is lambed outside.
The ewes bred to the Bluefaced Leicester start lambing at the end of March, with the pure Dalesbred and Swaledale ewes lambing in the first week in April.
“After lambing, the ewes with singles, mainly those with gimmer lambs will go up to the common so they can get hefted to their area of the fell,” says John.
All gimmer hoggs then go up onto the common at the start of April once they return from winter grazing.
Preventative health is a priority at Field Head Farm and the family works closely with the local vet practice to ensure they are proactive with flock health.
The flock is vaccinated annually against clostridial diseases, orf, footrot, campylobacter, and
A total of 250 Swaledale ewes are crossed with the Bluefaced Leicester each year to produce North of England Mules.
toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion.
Alongside the sheep enterprise, the family runs a herd of 35 Limousin cross and pedigree Limousin suckler cows.
Calving takes place between January and April, with calves sold between six to eight months old at the suckler sale at Bentham in October.
As well as selling breeding females, the family also sells a handful of Dalesbred tups each year, and in 2004 Michael broke the breed record price with a shearling ram which sold for 8,000gns.
That record was upheld until 2017, when the Taylor brothers, Tosside, sold a tup for 10,000gns, which John and Michael bought in partnership with Frank Brennand, Chapel-le-Dale.
The record now stands at 12,000gns for a tup bred by Mick Car, says John.
Other tups that have performed well in the flock include one bought from the Bainbridge family, Marrick, and more recently a Wallbank-bred tup.
John says: “We have been lucky with the flock, probably because of the
back breeding, but we have done well, and the tups have clicked.”
The family has also seen success in the showring, exhibiting at Westmorland County Show and Hornby Show most years.
Michael says: “We have won the Dalesbred championship two years on the trot at Westmorland.”
Both Michael and John have also won the championship at the Dalesbred tup show and sale at Bentham, with Michael winning it five times and John three times since 2003.
The Dawson family has rarely veered away from Dalesbreds since starting with the breed in the 1950s.
Michael says: “I had a spell with Bleu du Maines, crossing them with the Dalesbred and Swaledales. They were good lambs with good shape and conformation, but did not really catch on.”
And with the breed well suited to the height and extremity of Littledale, the family has chosen to stick with the breed.
“They can cope with the wind and
They can cope with the wind and rain and are easy fleshing and easy to keep; they also have a good mothering ability
MICHAEL DAWSON
rain and are easy fleshing and easy to keep; they also have a good mothering ability and milk well,” says John. Michael adds: “They thrive as well at 700ft as they do at 1,800ft. They have a bit more shoulder than other breeds so have a good conformation and fatten well.”
John and Michael say they are always aiming to improve and produce a better example of the breed each year.
“We try to stick with the type we have always had: good conformation and quality, with a good black-andwhite face, hard hair and a white nose,” says John.
Michael adds: “That good white then comes out in the Dales Mules.
“Our Wallbank tup has a good white nose which comes out in his offspring, and he has done tremendously well for us.”
With no plans for expansion, John says producing quality breeding stock and the best example of the breed will remain a priority, alongside encouraging the fourth generation of Dalesbred breeders, Katie and Emma, to follow in the family’s footsteps and succeed with the breed.
- Pre-tupping to improve conception rates
- Pre-lambing to improve lamb vigour
- Early lambs for quick weight gain
“Split flock trials showed a 10-15%
“The results obtained with ProVitaMin were nothing short of remarkable. Of the two ewes flushed that year, one produced 25 embryos which the other produced 19. Subsequent to this 23 of the embryos produced were implanted into commercial recipients leading to 18 lambs scanned. Also used on all the flock, fertility has dramatically improved.”
“ProVitaMin drench is used pre-tupping and on all lambs before weaning to boost weight gain and overall condition for show and sales. It is a versatile drench and with the small volume application a bottle goes a long way.”
“The first round of ProVitaMin drench helps boost ewe fertility levels while the second acts to increase lamb vitality. I also ensure that the ewes selected for AI receive the mineral and vitamin boost. All the lambs get ProVitaMin prior to weaning. This ensures that growth rates are not reduced, once they are taken off their mothers.”
“The flock was split into two groups - the ewes drenched with ProVitaMin tupped several days before those tupped with the competitor product. The ProVitaMin drench was much easier to use as it was a smaller amount given.”
“Using ProVitaMin has boosted ewe and lamb performance in terms of fertility and growth rate. This has resulted in an extra ½ lamb per ewe sold for us this year.”
Breeding top-quality Scotch Mules has been the cornerstone of the Thornborrow family’s sheep enterprise since the beginning and continues to be an important part of the business.
Run by father and son duo Malcom and Gary Thornborrow, together with Gary’s fiance Marian Porter, the family’s sheep enterprise is based at Easter Dawyck near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Malcom’s older son Craig shepherds at Nunnerie Farm, Biggar, but is also involved in the enterprise and helps out where he can.
A Dawyck Estate farm, owned by
the Balfour family, Malcom took on the tenancy at Easter Dawyck 16 years ago after working and contract shepherding on local hill farms.
Easter Dawyck comprises 101 hectares (250 acres) of mainly in-bye land with some hill ground, and the family runs a mixed flock of 700 ewes, including 400 Lanark type Scottish Blackface ewes, 200 Scotch Mule ewes and 50 pedigree crossing Bluefaced Leicester ewes. Additional summer grazing is taken annually.
As well as Easter Dawyck, the family has recently taken on part of the neighbouring estate farm, Dawyck Mill, and they also manage 500 Scotch
Mule and 200 Scottish Blackface ewes for Dawyck Estates.
Gary also runs a contract farming business which spans several thousand hectares throughout the Tweed Valley, overseeing 2,800 Scottish Blackface ewes across 3,440ha (8,500 acres) on several local hill farms.
One of the main farms which Gary contract shepherds is Fruid Farm, which the family has been involved with for over 50 years.
Gary says: “Dad and Granddad shepherded there, then I was a self-employed shepherd there for 10 years and have now contract farmed there for 15 years.”
Scottish Blackface ewes
The Fruid hills span 2,246ha (5,500 acres) from 335 metres (1,100 feet) above sea level to 808m (2,650ft). Here, Gary runs a flock of 1,800 Scottish Blackface ewes and a small flock of 40 South Country Cheviot ewes with help from Gordon Maclntyre, who works full-time at Fruid Farm.
All ewes are bred pure, with 1,500 male lambs sold deadweight straight off their mothers each year.
Gary says: “They are all sold entire, with only one worm dose administered. We aim for 35-36kg and feel this is the best way to market them currently.”
The majority of ewe lambs are kept as replacements, with any surplus sold for breeding. Approximately 20 Scottish Blackface tups are retained for breeding, with between eight and 10 tups bought in each year.
Between the farms on Dawyck
[Scotch] Mule ewe lambs is extremely important MARIAN PORTER
Estate and the contract farming enterprises, lambing starts at the beginning of March with the Bluefaced Leicester ewes lambed inside, followed by the family’s own Blackface and Scotch Mule flocks in late March and the estate’s flock, which lambs outside, in early April.
Marian says: “We aim to have these finished lambing before the hill ewes start in April, then we will lamb about 900 pairs of Blackface twins from Fruid and the other hill farms at Easter Dawyck.”
The rest of the Blackface ewes that are scanned for singles will lamb outside on the hill or in hill parks, with lambing usually coming to an end in early June, just in time for the Royal Highland Show.
Teaser tups are used on all the in-bye ewes to create a tighter lambing period.
Gary says: “We have done this for four to five years now and it works
It can also be used proactively to support calves and lambs that are potentially at risk of stress or infection e.g.
• if slow to suckle
• weaning or feed change
• from handling and transportation
• when in contact with other scouring animals.
What farmers tell us:
“We have used Rehydion successfully for many years. It is easy to administer as it can be diluted in milk, which means there is no interruption to milk feeding.”
About 300 Scotch Mule ewe lambs are sold annually, with the top pen of 50 sold at St Boswells.
Rehydion is an oral rehydration therapy gel that provides su cient essential electrolytes to correct acidosis and still allows continued milk feeding (when given at the recommended levels), as it does not disturb milk clot formation or delay abomasal emptying1
REFERENCE: 1. Constable 2009. Comparative e ects of two oral rehydration solutions on milk clotting, abomasal luminal pH and abomasal emptying rate in suckling calves. J. Dairy Sci 92:296-312.
For further information visit ruminants.ceva.co.uk
well as long as you get your timing right with the ewes.”
At Easter Dawyck, all 400 of the family’s Scottish Blackface ewes are tupped with the crossing Bluefaced Leicester to produce Scotch Mules.
Gary says: “The Blackies are mainly bred with home-bred tup lambs to try them out before selling them as tup shearlings.”
About 300 Scotch Mule ewe lambs are sold annually, with the top pen of 50 ewe lambs sold at St Boswells in September, and the next 60 lambs sold at United Auctions in Stirling.
The remainder are sold privately on farm, with any surplus kept as replacements.
Marian says: “Breeding the Scotch Mules is the bit we enjoy the most out of all the breeds, and producing quality Mule ewe lambs is extremely important.”
This passion has undoubtedly been reflected in the sale ring, with the family holding the breed record price for a pen of 51 Scotch Mule ewe lambs at St Boswells, which sold for £295 per life in 2022 to Jimmy and Graeme Sinclair, Heriot.
Malcom says: “With a Scotch Mule you always want your conformation and good skin to start with, then that extra something special comes with a clean, sharp look.”
He says having a Mule with good colours, flashy white hair and clean legs is key to producing the best example of the breed.
The family has also reaped rewards in the showring, claiming reserve inter-breed champion at Biggar Show this year with a Scotch Mule gimmer lamb, and champion Scotch Mule and champion pen of three Scotch Mules at Peebles Show just a few weeks ago.
The Scotch Mule is an essential part of the family’s sheep enterprise, and alongside selling ewe lambs, 200 Scotch Mule ewes are crossed with a Suffolk tup each year, with the ewe lambs sold privately for breeding.
Gary says: “All wether lambs are fattened off grass by the end of November and sold to Woodhead Brothers, Turriff, averaging 21.4kg deadweight.”
All Scotch Mule gimmer shearlings are crossed with the Texel tup each year, with ewe lambs sold privately and all wethers sold off grass to Woodhead Brothers.
“We have tried a few other cross breeds but found there was too much variation in the prime lambs so went back to the Suffolk and the Texel,” says Gary.
The same system applies to the
estate ewes, which they also manage.
A crucial part of the Scotch Mules’ success is the family’s crossing Bluefaced Leicester flock. Originally started by Malcom, Craig was gifted the full Nunnerie flock by Alistair MacArthur, which provided a great foundation to build on.
The flock has continued to grow over the years and is a passion of Craig, Gary and Marian’s.
The family aims to sell about 30 crossing Bluefaced Leicester tup lambs each year and 30 tup shearlings, as well as 50 breeding females, including ewe lambs and gimmer shearlings.
Gary says: “We have sold females to a high of 6,000gns twice through Harrison and Hetherington’s online sale, and 5,500gns at Carlisle’s female sale in January.”
About 12 ewes are flushed annually, with a large selection of embryos and semen also sold throughout the year.
Tups are sold through Hawes, Carlisle, Stirling, Kirkby Stephen, Bentham, North West Auctions, and Kelso tup sale. Gary says they achieved their best price to date last year, with a tup lamb sold through Hawes for 28,000gns.
He adds: “The year before was probably our best year, when we sold tups for 17,000gns, 16,000gns, two tups at 10,000gns, one at 7,500gns
and one at 8,000gns. Numerous sale champions and top prices that year were all bred by tups we sold the previous year.”
Both Marian and Gary say they are trying to breed ‘top-end’ crossing Bluefaced Leicester tups which appeal to the majority of Leicester breeders. Bloodlines which have helped them along the way include the 30,000gns M1 Hewgill and the record-breaking 65,000gns P1 Riddings.
Malcom says: “There are three main points we try and keep when breeding our tups: good conformation, good Mules and desirable. We feel we need to have all three to be successful. We try to keep the Leicesters and Scotch Mules as our main focus, to breed them to the best of our ability.”
Again, this passion for producing the best example of the breed has seen the family achieve one of their biggest highlights to date, winning the crossing Bluefaced Leicester championship at the Royal Highland Show in 2017, and overall inter-breed sheep pairs. They have also been placed reserve Leicester champion at the Royal Marian Porter and Gary Thornborrow say they are aiming to breed ‘top-end’ crossing Bluefaced Leicester tups.
Highland Show for the last two years.
A high health status is maintained at Easter Dawyck, with a proportion of the flock maedi visna (MV) accredited. A scrapie monitoring scheme is also operated, and vaccination for footrot has been introduced this year to try and eliminate any foot health issues.
The Bluefaced Leicester flock is vaccinated for enzootic and toxoplasma abortion, with all other ewes also vaccinated for enzootic abortions and clostridial diseases.
“We scratch lambs for orf and have scanned all sheep for ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma for the last 10 years, following a trial with Moredun Research Institute,” says Gary.
High-quality
With the aim to breed only the best, the family remains dedicated to producing the highest quality of each breed across their various flocks. Looking to the future, a focus on breeding high-quality Scotch Mules and Bluefaced Leicester progeny will continue to be a priority.
And with Gary and Marian’s pending nuptials, the couple are also aspiring to purchase their own farm, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.
■ Lambing percentages for the flocks include 206% for Scotch Mule ewes, 172% for in-bye Scottish Blackface ewes and 120% for hill Scottish Blackface ewes
■ The family also runs a herd of 20 Limousin cross suckler cows
■ Calves sold as stores at 12 months old through St Boswells auction market
■ 14 hectares (35 acres) of pasture is reseeded each year into a longterm grazing ley or silage mix
■ All silage is baled in-house together with the neighbouring estate farms
an essential part of the sheep enterprise at
l Helps enhance fertility in ewes and rams.
l Supports overall vitality and readiness for the tupping season.
l Helps improve conception rates and lambing percentages.
l Aids tighter lambing.
“I used the pre tupping drench before tupping and before lambing on all of my ewes. The lambs were excellent quality and the ewes’ milk was rocket fuel.
Aids in the healing of Digital Dermatitis and Footrot in cattle and Granuloma (strawberry foot), foot abscess, Whiteline & Shelly Hoof, Footrot (Dichelobacter Nodosus) & CODD (Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis in sheep.
Farms with a 2% abortion rate should investigate enzootic abortion in ewes this lambing season, said David Longbottom, of Moredun.
Ahead of tupping season, sheep farmers are being reminded of the economic and welfare risks that abortion poses to the flock. Ellie Layton finds out more.
Acontains
bortion in sheep is estimated to cost UK sheep farmers up to £128 per ewe and is responsible for 30% of lambing losses and stillbirths.
&
Reseal tub after use Do not discharge into drains or the environment
Seek medical advise if needed
At a webinar held by the National Sheep Association, the Animal Plant and Health Agency and Moredun warned farmers not to overlook abortion, despite the symptoms not always being clear.
There have been issues with the availability of vaccines this year
If swallowed, rise mouth with water
which might present challenges in some flocks, and farmers were advised to speak to their vets if they
then bandage, leave for 2-3 days, remove, clean & repeat for a further 2-3 days, remove again and only re-apply if necessary. Wear gloves If contact with skin, wash off immediately with soap & water, If contact with eyes, wash out immediately with water for 15 minutes
had major concerns about abortion.
David Longbottom, of Moredun, said farms with a 2% abortion rate should investigate enzootic abortion in ewes (EAE) this lambing season.
Also known as chlamydial abortion, enzootic abortion is caused by infection with the bacteria chlamydophila abortus. The bacteria damage the placenta, reduce the transfer of nutrients to the growing lamb and inhibit the production of the hormones that regulate pregnancy, with the potential to damage the lamb directly.
the time of lambing can result in naive animals contacting infected or aborted materials. In unvaccinated flocks, the infection can quickly spread through the flock, leading to abortion storms and large-scale losses.”
For these reasons, he said it was essential for aborted materials such as dead lambs and placental material to be removed, pens disinfected thoroughly between ewes and bedding changed.
Beware of Inferior Imitations!
Aids in the healing of Digital Dermatitis & Slurry Heel in cattle. Granuloma (strawberry foot) foot abscess, Whiteline & Shelly Hoof Footrot (Dichelobacter Nodosus) & CODD (Contagious Ovine Digital Dermatitis) in sheep.
Actively seeking
CZF & CZ hoof products do
contain
With it being a later developing disease, Mr Longbottom said the first signs of EAE in a flock would usually be late-term abortions, stillbirths, or births of weak, illthrift lambs.
Abortions usually occur in the last three weeks of gestation. Aborting ewes often display a redbrown discharge that might only be seen in the fleece around the perineum, with typically no accompanying symptoms.
Mr Longbottom said: “EAE is a contagious disease that is amplified when flocks are housed for lambing. The proximity of animals at
£128
Estimated cost of abortion per ewe.
30%
Percentage of lambing losses and stillbirths which are due to abortion.
“Enzootic abortion is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can pass from animals to humans. The main at-risk groups are pregnant women and immune-compromised people, who should not encounter ewes during lambing time,” he said.
To confirm a diagnosis, fresh samples of the aborted placenta can be tested. But the major issue with the disease is that animals exposed to infectious materials at lambing might not show signs of infection until the subsequent lambing.
Mr Longbottom said: “Ewes that have EAE and have aborted or lambed within the past three months will produce an immune response to the infection. Therefore, blood samples should be taken from aborted or barren ewes up to three months after lambing, costing about £10 per ewe. However, bought-in sheep can only be tested if they have lambed in the previous three months.”
After a ewe is infected, it will not typically abort or show other signs
A vaccination policy is a cheap insurance policy compared with the potential [lamb] losses
of EAE until the following pregnancy, and once it has aborted it is less likely to abort in subsequent years.
However, Mr Longbottom recommended that aborting ewes should ideally be culled from the flock, as they could act as carriers of the disease and pass it on to other animals.
The timing of vaccination depends on the product used. All vaccines are required to be given before breeding, so farmers should
ensure they act promptly and do not leave it too late.
Mr Longbottom added: “Farmers should discuss vaccination options with their vets, implementing it in their flock health plan. Weigh up the cost of lamb losses against the cost of vaccination; a vaccination policy is a cheap insurance policy compared with the potential losses.
“Because of cost considerations, some farmers will just implement the vaccination in incoming or replacement ewes.
“This is not a robust vaccination protocol, but it will ensure the most naive animals are protected and over time the flock should become fully covered, depending on the replacement rate.”
Also speaking from Moredun, Lee Innes focused on toxoplasmosis, which, unlike EAE, is exclusively an environmental disease challenge.
She said: “Unlike EAE, toxoplasmosis cannot spread from sheep to sheep, but its availability to ewes around the farm means that a ewe
can easily pick up the disease, and normal biosecurity measures are not enough to control it.”
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the toxoplasma gondii parasite.
“It has been estimated that up to 90% of sheep flocks in the UK come into contact with the disease. It is most commonly spread by cats, which host the parasite and shed parasite eggs, known as oocysts, into the environment via faeces.
“Seen in earlier stages of pregnancy than EAE, infection of a ewe can be reflected in foetal absorption, stillbirth, a mummified foetus or the birth of a weak lamb,” added Ms Innes.
With there being no practical medications available that could cure sheep infected with toxoplasma or prevent the disease, Ms Innes insisted on the importance of vaccinating young breeding ewes.
Vaccination costs stand at about £5 per dose, with the application protecting ewes for at least two lambing seasons. Due to the nature of the disease, it would only be required for the youngest members of the flock each year, therefore spreading the cost.
Ms Innes said this was equivalent to less than 1% of the value of a single lamb.
Ewes must be vaccinated at least three weeks before going to the ram, and Ms Innes advised to view the disease as a certain risk as it was so widely seen in UK flocks.
She added: “Infection during pregnancy can see serious consequences, so it is well worth making sure all breeding ewes are vaccinated before they go to the ram for the first time.”
For those selling breeding stock, the vaccination status sees a premium at autumn sheep sales, and if farmers are buying breeding replacements close to tupping time they might not have to vaccinate incoming ewes against infectious abortion causes.
This is a big plus at a time when there is a high density of other health treatments to consider, or when it might be too late to schedule the vaccination for any young bought-in ewes that have not been vaccinated previously, putting the current flock at risk.
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A young farmer is breathing a new lease of life into the family farm following a change of breed to North Country Cheviots. Ellie Layton reports.
For the last 24 years, Brynowen in Trefeglwys, near Newtown, has been run by Christine Lewis. She was first offered the hill land by her father on a farm business tenancy as she had already built a house on the land back in 1987, which is now their family home.
Together with her husband Bernie, who is a plumber by day, and their two children – India and Ffloyd – whose keen interest in farming has seen several changes to the farm business to secure a firm future in the industry.
From the tenancy, the system has been built up on the hill ground, and has seen building added to establish their current farm.
She had already built a house on the land in 1987, which was used as a holiday cottage to generate income.
Her passion for sheep saw her set up a flock of Lleyn sheep, which
We were very impressed with their mothering abilities, milkiness and lambing percentage [...] We knew they were the right choice
FFLOYD LEWIS
were kept until recently, when the mother and son team decided to shift the sheep system to North Country Cheviots, following an investment to set up a small pedigree flock, which Ffloyd says was ‘just for fun’.
He says: “My mother established
the Lleyns over 20 years ago and had developed a very successful flock. Moving away from years of bloodlines was not an easy decision, but is one we hope will benefit the business in uncertain times within the industry.”
But it is a choice that Christine was keen to make to ensure her son was given the same opportunities as a young farmer that she was at the start of her farming career.
The home farm and part of their locally rented ground is mainly hill and upland ground, but they also rent land in Caersws, which is lower lying, and in 2018 they saw the installation of a 32,000-bird free-range hen unit to allow Ffloyd to return home after studying agriculture at Newtown College.
Caersws is where their flock of North Country Cheviots started in 2019 with a handful of Park types.
Christine says: “The original Lleyn flock was an obvious choice for me, as they were growing in popularity. They are good mothers and very prolific, so
we were able to build up the flock in a fairly short period of time, which peaked at 350 MV-accredited ewes.”
The family had a great deal of breeding success with the Lleyn breed, in show and sale rings, having champion ram at the breed’s official sale in Carlisle on two occasions and claiming the breed champion title at the Royal Welsh Show five times.
But peaking at 1,200ft, Brynowen is an open farm which is fairly late growing and wet, so they found that through the spring they were feeding more concentrates than they desired.
Something Ffloyd found most restricting with the flock was complying with MV rules, meaning their flock needed to be MV-accredited, so they were limited when grazing part of the farm which neighbours non-MV farms.
During this time, Ffloyd’s fondness for the Cheviot breed had grown for his Park flock.
He says: “We had always loved the look of the North Country Cheviot with their bold stance, sharp head and character. So we went up to Lockerbie and bought ewes from the Carruthers and Hownam Grange flocks which ran with a Humbleheugh ram, with a view of keeping a small flock for showing and breeding elite females, which has now grown to 50 ewes.”
The deciding factor that this was the right breed has been their ability to halve the amount of concentrates they had been using.
With this in mind, they made the choice to buy some Hill type Cheviots to utilise their hill land and bought 100 six-year-old ewes in Lockerbie from the Woodside, Hethpool and Buchtrig flocks alongside a ram from the Benger flock.
They chose well-rounded, midsized ewes, with good feet and mouths, as well as tight skins, and
tried to buy from the best flocks where possible.
They chose to buy their sheep from the North, which is their preferred type and has given them more choice.
Ffloyd says: “We were very impressed with their mothering abilities, milkiness and lambing percentage of 160%. We knew they were the right choice in changing our breed, without completely changing our system, and we made the decision to retain all of the ewe lambs.
“This summer saw the last of the Lleyn ewes leave Brynowen before we will head up north to Lockerbie in autumn to regain flock numbers.”
They plan to continue lambing inside, but have hopes of transitioning to an outside lambing flock after not assisting one Cheviot lambing this year.
The Park ewes lamb towards the end of March, while the Hill ewes lamb at the start of April.
Some of the farm’s Cheviot Park rams.
■ Mother and son team, Christine and Ffloyd Lewis, run Brynowen
■ The last few years have seen them transition from a Lleyn to a North Country Cheviot flock
■ Both Hill and Park type ewes are kept in the flock
■ Laying hens and Aberdeen-Angus cows are also part of the system
The Cheviot breed has breathed a fresh enthusiasm into the farm, allowing the family various options for the flock.
Ffloyd says: “We are currently breeding the Cheviots pure to help build up flock numbers, most recently with three rams bought locally from the Bennett family’s Plasucha flock, which have done well.
“We want to keep a closed flock in future to keep the high health the Lleyns gave us, but we also have the versatility of cross-breeding if we want to.”
Their early breeding has had quick success for them in the showring too, as they decided to make their Brynowen flock debut at the Royal Welsh Show last year.
They were pleasantly surprised to claim reserve female champion with their home-bred Park aged ewe on their first time out.
They returned this year with home-bred stock to take a second prize with a yearling ram and aged ewe as well as a fifth with another aged ewe.
Traditionally, they have sold 95% of stock liveweight, which they also would like to continue. Last year, they kept the ram lambs entire and they were sold through their local market, Welshpool, and averaged 40-45kg and made £125/head in autumn off grass, which helped to cement that this was the right move for the business.
antly surprised with the breed. They are weighty lambs from birth, despite lambing easily from their mid-sized ewes.”
Ffloyd says: “We have been pleas-
The aged ewes are showing longevity, but have also delivered a higher cull price than the Lewis family has previously seen.
Along with the sheep, changes have also been made by introducing cattle to the system.
Last year saw 10 pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows brought to Brynowen, and their first crop of calves are on the ground.
The family plans to sell the offspring as stores in Welshpool next year and looks forward to them helping to improve the grassland, which Ffloyd is slowly reseeding for the first time in 45 years.
The implementation of a five-point sheep lameness plan can improve flock health and welfare. Farmers Guardian reports.
Acollaborative sheep lameness disease management project, which is driven by GB lamb procurer Pilgrim’s UK with support from MSD Animal Health, has enabled farmer participants to reduce flock disease incidence by two-thirds and slash antibiotic usage for treating foot bacterial infections by 64%.
Eleven sheep units holding more than 13,000 ewes were involved in the two-year project, with a cohort of flocks in South West England and another in Wales. The objective was to reduce lameness prevalence on each of the farms to the 2% target set by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, as well as reduce antimicrobial usage associated with the disease.
Pilgrim’s UK lamb supply chain manager Liz Rees says: “Our producers always focus on achieving high welfare and productivity standards, as well as driving environmental sustainability.
“Managing lameness is such a challenge for so many flocks and can be soul-destroying for farmers, but this project has shown all involved that you do not have to accept a high disease incidence simply because you have sheep.”
At the start of the project in 2020, the combined lameness prevalence figure across all 11 farms was 5.5%. By the end of the project, average lameness prevalence had been reduced to 1.8%.
The lameness prevalence improvement came from rigorous implementation of the FAI Farms five-point sheep lameness reduction protocol on all the farms.
Project co-ordinator Sonja van Dijk, of MSD Animal Health, says: “The five-point plan gives a clear strategy for managing any foot problems. Implemented correctly over the longer term, it builds natural disease resilience within a flock, reduces the disease challenge and spread on farm, and improves flock immunity through vaccination.
“It involves treating affected animals promptly, culling persistent offenders, avoiding the propagation of infection when sheep are gathered, quarantining any bought-in stock, and routine whole-flock vaccination against footrot.”
At the start of the project, each of the 11 participating farms undertook a lameness control assessment by a trained adviser using the MSD Animal Health lameness control
The five-point plan provides a ‘clear strategy’ for managing foot problems, says Sonja van Dijk of MSD Animal Health.
planner. This assessment was then repeated every six months to monitor progress and ascertain the need for six- or 12-monthly vaccination boosters.
of the project, the total cost of lameness to the 11 farms involved in the project was significant.
By the end of the sheep lameness and disease management project, average lameness prevalence had been reduced to 1.8%.
GETTY
“Rigorous implementation of all areas of the five-point plan undoubtedly led to the significant lameness prevalence improvement on all the farms. As a result of the actions taken, the lameness control assessment scores improved dramatically from a combined 14.5 out of 25 at the start of the project to 22.1 out of 25 after two years,” says Ms van Dijk.
In addition to the welfare benefits, all producers saw a reduction in antibiotic usage, with PCU values decreasing from 7 to 2.5 over the twoyear project. This equates to a 64% reduction in antimicrobial usage for the treatment of lame sheep.
Ms van Dijk estimates that in 2020, immediately before the start
She says: “Based on industry estimates, in lost productivity and medicine usage alone the 11 units were looking at a collective cost of £187,800 per year.
“And that does not include the time involved in catching and treating lame sheep. But by 2022, after two years’ work, the estimated cost of disease had been reduced to £53,680 per year, representing a substantial saving of £134,200.”
Ms van Dijk also calculates a significant cost benefit from using a footrot vaccine.
“Based on the experience with this core group of more than 13,000 ewes, vaccination against footrot over a five-year period would only cost £2.58 per ewe per year, yet save £11.42 per ewe per year. That is more than a four times return on investment each year,” she says.
A DRAMATIC reduction in antibiotic use for lame sheep and a significant decrease in the time he and his two sons spend treating affected animals are the main benefits that Powys sheep and suckler producer Robert Jenkins says he has gained from the lameness reduction project.
Managing 2,100 breeding ewes plus 600 replacement ewe lambs on his 526 upland hectares (1,300 acres) near Caersws, he is delighted with the results.
“Having to constantly turn lame sheep over really gets farmers down. I always say that if you let the sheep get on top of you, then you will be really stressed,” he says.
Targeting a lambing percentage of 180%, Mr Jenkins is progressively moving away from Welsh ewes towards a more productive Aberfield cross Romney flock, which lambs between March 20 and May 15. Historically, footrot has been
the main infectious lameness disease issue on farm, and although whole flock vaccination was implemented previously, Mr Jenkins had stopped using the vaccine in recent years. Unfortunately, footrot problems slowly started to creep back.
We now vaccinate all ewe lambs with their primary course and boost the older ewes annually in December or January
ROBERT JENKINS
“We always seemed to be treating sheep with antibiotics –too much so, in fact – so when the opportunity to participate in this project came along, I jumped at the chance to get involved to gain a better understanding of lameness disease management,” he says. Running what is now a closed
flock and rigorously implementing the five-point plan has made a massive difference to foot health.
“Alongside a strict culling policy, and rapid and appropriate treatment of any sheep we do see lame, we now vaccinate all ewe lambs with their primary course and boost the older ewes annually in December or January.
“The only sheep we buy in are new tups, and these get vaccinated too,” says Mr Jenkins.
“We are also heavy lime users in our sheds, as well as outside in the field. This limits the spread of any foot infection from sheep to sheep.
“And we are meticulous with our biosecurity protocols.
“Having sheep farming contractors coming onto the farm is always a risk, so we now shear our own sheep. And when the scanner visits, we make sure the sheep handling equipment has been fully disinfected.”
Whether or not to tup hoggs can be a tricky decision, especially when the focus is on growing your flock. SAC sheep specialist Poppy Frater offers some advice.
Richard McCornick farms Barnbackle, a 200-hectare (500-acre) beef and sheep farm, which he runs alongside his partner, Hayley Currie, and his parents, Andrew and Janice.
The farm, which is a Quality Meat Scotland Monitor Farm, runs 700 Texel cross Mules, 150 Sim-Luing sucklers and 20 stores.
Ewes winter on kale and swedes, and lamb indoors, with lambs sold off grass. With a focus on growing the flock to 900 ewes, productivity is key.
So, while there may be an initial reluctance to tup hoggs, often, when they have had a good summer and have grown and are looking well, Mr McCornick will put them to the tup. However, while this
Richard McCornick runs 700 Texel cross Mules at Barnbackle.
appears to work well, the hoggs often have a high scanning rate, which can be an issue.
Poppy Frater, SAC sheep spe-
cialist, says: “This can put too much stress on the hoggs when they are still growing and seems to increase mastitis issues over the long term.”
So while tupping hoggs can boost productivity, it also increases culling rates, which can mean the flock makes no, or very little, progress towards expansion.
Ms Frater says: “There are two options for hoggs. The first is not to put them to the tup at all, leaving them to grow and tup them the following autumn.
“The second is to tup them this year, but with a breed which will give a lower scan and smaller lambs.
“This means there will be much less need to intervene at lambing, reducing stress, and they can be out at grass for lambing. Using something like a Shetland tup would be a good option.
“Tupping the hoggs now is a bit like ‘training’ them for lambing and
■ Ensure ewe hoggs are 60% or more of mature ewe weight
■ Aim for small single lambs
■ Opt for smaller breed of tup Hogg tupping tips
means you will have a ewe lamb which is well grown and more experienced for the following pregnancy.”
Making sure hoggs meet target weights before tupping is critical.
Ms Frater says: “Ewe lambs should be at least 60% of mature ewe weight, and gimmers 85%.
“This is really influential on their performance, including scanning rate. Not many people will weigh, but weigh if you can.
“This group can often be forgotten, but where, say, 20% of your flock are young ewes, making sure they are target weight or more can be really influential to your lambing percentage.
“Even if you have decided against tupping them as hoggs, it is important to focus on getting as many of them as possible to that 60% target this autumn.
“Weight affects the onset of pu-
Ensuring ewe hoggs are at least 60% of mature ewe weight before tupping is critical, says Poppy Frater.
berty, and you want female sheep to be as fertile as possible. They are your future breeding flock and it is crucial to look after them.”
Ms Frater says: “Tupping after the main flock would work best and also gives them longer to grow before tupping.
“It also means that they are lambing outside in potentially better weather, are not putting any strain on already over-stretched
housing at lambing and are almost always better mothers as a result.
“First-time lambers are very sensitive and there is less disturbance when they lamb outside. This means there is less mismothering and the hoggs lamb naturally themselves.”
Where farms decide to lamb hoggs inside, space is essential, particularly for younger ewes. If there is a lack of space, they will hold onto
their lambs for longer and so produce more dopey lambs. It will also affect ewe-lamb bonding.
“Think about increasing shed space now or putting up polytunnels like they are planning to do at Barnbackle,” she says.
For more on Monitor Farm Scotland’s farms, meeting reports and technical information, go to monitorfarms.co.uk
To find your nearest depot or drop off site visit britishwool.org.uk/depot-network
A Welsh sheep farmer says it is important to choose quality products with proven efficacy when it comes to parasite prevention. Farmers Guardian finds out more.
Daniel Pritchard is the third generation farming at Weobley Castle Farm, Llanrhidian, near Swansea.
Alongside his father, Roland, he runs 1,000 EasyCare and Welsh Mule ewes across 101 hectares (250 acres) of coastal lowland.
The Pritchards’ Gower Salt Marsh flock is the largest to graze the salt marshes in the UK.
With growing popularity in recent years, most of the produce is sold online directly to consumers, with any lambs remaining after Christmas sold via an abattoir or the local market.
Mr Pritchard explains his sheep graze on the tidal marsh, with these pastures providing the flock’s main source of forage in the summer months.
He says: “The sheep spend most of their time on the salt marshes, but they come in for lambing, shearing and other treatments, as well as during high tide.
“Apart from that, they are out on the marshes and, while there are a few different flocks down there, they know which parts are home for them.
“Our unique type of grazing gives the lamb a much sweeter and slightly stronger flavour because of their unique diet.”
He explains the forage on the salt marshes is rich and diverse, consisting of salt marsh grass, sea lavender and samphire.
“This provides the flock with plenty
of key nutrients that contribute to good growth rates. We benefit from being able to run a fairly low-input system, because we do not touch the salt marshes with any artificial inputs.”
With the added complexity of grazing logistics, Mr Pritchard’s focus on animal health ensures he is producing top-quality, high-welfare animals.
One way in which he protects flock health is to focus on limiting worm resistance. He explains that incorporating a Group 4 wormer has become an integral part of his routine to tackle this.
“We have got confirmed resistance
to Group 1 and 2 wormers, so we administer a late-season break dose of Group 4 Zolvix to remove any worms that have been left behind from previous treatments.”
In addition to this, he uses the Group 4 wormer as a quarantine dose for when replacements arrive on the farm, to prevent any resistant worms being brought in, even though he uses trusted suppliers.
The marsh’s salty conditions create an environment less favourable for parasites, including blowflies. Nonetheless, Mr Pritchard explains strike prevention remains a key part of his health and welfare strategy.
“It can be hard to know exactly when fly populations arise and how long strike risk will last, as the weather conditions vary year on year. But it is important lambs are protected for the season,” he says.
To assess the risk of blowfly strike, he uses Elanco’s Blowfly Watch Service which provides localised alerts as and when strike risk changes.
Mr Pritchard says: “I look at the Blowfly Risk Forecast to see when the fly pressures are rising, combined with the local weather conditions. Then I can take a preventative ap-
proach rather than a corrective one.” He has had the most success preventing strike cases by administering an insect growth regulator that offers up to 19 weeks of protection.
“We apply this at the start of the season, before sheep are turned out in May. This gives us peace of mind that we are covered for the whole summer as we do not really see the flock while they are away on the marsh.
“As a result, we have seen very little fly strike, and when we do, it is only because we have missed a sheep.”
To ensure the fly protection works as effectively as possible, Mr Pritchard points out he uses the four-stroke application method.
This method ensures a consistent four-inch band of product is applied to the fleece for maximum protection.
He adds: “Preventing fly strike has always been important to our business; I do not want to consider the financial and welfare implications of not managing it correctly in the first place.”
Mr Pritchard’s method certainly is not without reason, as research has shown that mortalities caused by blowfly strike can cost farmers in the UK up to £209 per lamb and £184 per breeding ewe.
WELSHPOOL (01938) 553438
Wednesday 11th September (Ewes)
Thursday 12th September (Ewe Lambs)
Thursday 10th October (Ewes & Ewe Lambs)
HEREFORD (01982) 553228
Friday 13th September (Ewes & Ewe Lambs)
Tuesday 15th October (Ewes & Ewe Lambs) RUTHIN
(01824) 702025 & (01745) 583260
Saturday 14th September (Ewes & Ewe Lambs)
August
Bentham Friday 30th August
Bentham Saturday 31st August
September
Barnard Castle Tuesday 3rd September
Longtown Wednesday 4th September
Leyburn Friday 6th September
Cockermouth Friday 6th September
Wigton Saturday 7th September
Penrith Tuesday 10th September
Carlisle Thursday 12th September
Longtown Tuesday 17th September
Skipton Tuesday 17th September
Hexham Wednesday 18th September
Kendal (NWA J36) Saturday 21st September
Kirkby Stephen Saturday 21st September
Bentham Friday 27th September
Leyburn Friday 27th September
October
Skipton Tuesday 1st October
Bentham Saturday 19th October
nemsa@btinternet.com www.nemsa.co.uk 0789 699 2598
September
*Hexham Thursday 5th September
Skipton Tuesday 10th September
Kirkby Stephen Friday 13th September
Kendal (NWA J36) Saturday 14th September
Bentham Saturday 14th September
Hawes Monday 16th September
Hawes Tuesday 17th September
Longtown Tuesday 17th September
Middleton-in-Teesdale Wednesday 18th September
Lancaster Wednesday 18th September
Wigton Wednesday 18th September
Pateley Bridge Wednesday 18th September
Barnard Castle Thursday 19th September
Carlisle Thursday 19th September
*Hexham Thursday 19th September
Cockermouth Friday 20th September
Leyburn Friday 20th September
Penrith Tuesday 24th September
Skipton Tuesday 24th September
Lazonby Alston Moor Wednesday 25th September
Tow Law (at Hexham) Thursday 26th September
St John’s Chapel Friday 27th September
Bentham Saturday 28th September
* Denotes the Marts will be selling Mules out of both Northumberland type Blackface and Swaledale dams.
October and November dates are available on the website : www.nemsa.co.uk
Friday 6th & Saturday
of PEDIGREE BELTEX SHEEP 7th September Sale of PEDIGREE BLUE TEXEL & BADGER FACE TEXEL SHEEP
Tuesday 10th September Sale of 6,000 NORTH OF ENGLAND MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Tuesday 17th September 2nd Sale of SHEARLING GIMMERS & Sale of all classes of BREEDING SHEEP + CHAROLLAIS RAMS
Thursday 19th & Friday 43rd Annual Sale of 20th September 600 PEDIGREE TEXEL RAMS & FEMALES
Tuesday 24th September 2nd Sale of 8,000 MULE GIMMER LAMBS
Tuesday 1st October
Sale of all classes of BREEDING SHEEP Inc PENNINES SALE of CHEVIOT, LONK, GRITSTONE, WHITE FACED WOODLAND EWES & SHEARLINGS Evening sale of BLUE FACED LEICESTER SHEEP
Thursday 3rd October Sale of REGISTERED LLEYN BREEDING SHEEP
Friday 4th October 1200 TERMINAL & NON TERMINAL SIRES MVA & Non MVA TEXEL, SUFFOLK, BELTEX, CHAROLLAIS, BLUE TEXEL, ZWARTBLES, DUTCH TEXEL + TERMINAL SIRES & CROSS BRED
Saturday 5th October Sale of 3,500 SWALEDALE EWES & SHEARLINGS For catalogues and more information please call 01756 792375 or visit our website www.ccmauctions.com
SHOW & SALE OF BALWEN WELSH MOUNTAIN SHEEP Saturday 21st September 2024 Show at 10am - Sale at 1pm Entries close - 23 August
The Only Livestock Market in Staffordshire Autumn 2024 Store & Breeding Sheep Sales Over 65,000 Head
Sale of Store Lambs, Ewe Lambs and Breeding Sheep Alternate Saturdays Throughout The Season *
17th August - Early Sale of Breeding Sheep (MV & Non-MV Sections) 7th September - Including Prize Show & Sale of Shearlings 21st September – Including Prize Show & Sale of Breeding Ewe Lambs 5th& 19th October 2nd, 16th & 30th November 14th December * Sales of Breeding Rams MV & Non-MV Sections
Saturday 28th September Saturday 26th October *
Two Special Breed Sales Include; Wednesday 21st August - 6pm
Beltex Society Evening Show & Sale To Include Beltex Males & Females & Friday 13th September - 6pm Derbyshire Texel Club Show & Sale ‘Derbyshire Dazzlers’ To Include Texel Males & Females *
All Sheep Sold Through a Sale Ring With Buyers Attending From a Wide Area Catalogued Entries Only - Entry Forms Now Available Enquiries: 01538 372749 Email: leek@auctionmarts.com
Southdown Sheep Society official sales provide the best opportunity to purchase veterinary inspected, high quality sheep from leading Southdown flocks. Both MV and non-MV accredited stock available at this official Society Sale, giving buyers an unrivalled selection of quality stock.
Livestock Centre Croesbychan, Bryngwyn, Usk, NP15 2BH 01873 852624 www.balwensheepsociety.com
13th & 14th September (pre-sale show on September 13th) The Traditional Native Breeds Sale www.meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk sales@meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk
Catalogues available online www.meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk Telephone: 01986 782251 www.southdownsheepsociety.co.uk email: secretary@southdownsheepsociety.co.uk
SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER AT 10AM
SHOW & SALE OF BREEDING SHEEP & STORE LAMBS
Show & Sale of Shearlings, Ewes & Gimmer Lambs & Store Lambs Show at 9am, Sale at 10am
Entries Close 2nd September at 12 noon
TUESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER AT 4.30PM
EVENING SHOW & SALE OF RAMS Show to commence at 3pm, Sale at 4.30pm Schedule available.
Entries close 3rd September at 12 noon
SATURDAY 12TH OCTOBER AT 10AM
SALE OF BREEDING SHEEP & STORE LAMBS
The breed helping to tackle climate change; Climate change is adapted and mitigated by lowering co2, less methane.
THE BRAMAIN FLOCK IS THE LARGEST FLOCK, 300+ EWES IS SIGNET RECORDED AND IS CONSISTENTLY USING NEW BLOOD LINES DIRECT FROM FRANCE
Has a good selection of sheep for sale at Welshpool 26th September
Also always available on farm Shearling Ewes, Ewe Lambs, Ram Lambs & In Lamb Breeding Ewes For more information please contact: David Eglin, Bramcote Mains, Bulkington CV12 9JX Web link to sale brochure: bramcotemain.wordpress.com/2022/8/ email: bramcotemains@outlook.com
Sale of Shearlings, Ewes, Rams, Gimmer Lambs & Store Lambs Entries Close 30th September at 12 noon
SENNYBRIDGE MARKET, POWYS 01874 622 488
Every Saturday – 2000 + Store Lambs and 1000 + Cull/Grazing Ewes. All Store Lambs Sorted and Weighed. 20kg to 40kg available.
GIMMER LAMBS - Wednesday 18th September 10.30am
Thursday 19th September - Annual On Farm Sale of 800 Draft Cheviot Ewes and 2000 Store Lambs for CNEWR ESTATE LTD.
Wednesday 25th September - 1000 Brecknock Hill Cheviot Ewes and Ewe Lambs with Lowland Breeding Ewes.
Saturday 28th September - Society Sale of 350 Brecknock Hill Cheviot Rams.
LLANDOVERY MARKET, CARMS 01550 720 440
Sunday 1st September - Native, Rare, Primitive & Longwool Sale to include Suffolk, Hampshire Down, Border Leicester, Valais Blacknose, Leicester Longwool, Llanwenog, Easycare, Shetland, Hebridean, Scotch Blackface, Blue Faced Leicester, Kerry Hill, Herdwick, North Country Cheviot, Jacob, Dorset Down, Poll Dorset, Ryeland, Coloured Ryeland, Southdown, Cotswold, Shropshire & Other Native Breeds.
Sunday 8th September - South Wales Texel Breeders Club Sale to include Dispersal of the Towy Texel Flock together with Continental Sunday Ewe & Ram Sale to include Blue Texel, Dassenkop, Dutch Spotted, Black Texel, Black Beltex, Zwartbles, Continental Coloured Crossbred Females, Berrichon, Charmoise, Charollais, Beltex, Texel etc - MV & Non MV together with Inaugural Mid & South Wales Dutch Spotted Club Sale.
Tuesday 17th September - Society Sale of 4000 Llandovery Whiteface Ewes & Ewe Lambs.
Wednesday 18th September - Society Sale of 1500 Beulah Speckle Face Ewes.
Wednesday 25th September - Society Sale of 100 Speckle Face Rams together with 500 Speckle Face Ewe Lambs.
Friday 27th September - Lowland Breeding Ewes, Ewe Lambs & Rams.
Sunday 29th September - 20th Anniversary Coloured Breeds Sale to include Badgerface – Torwen & Torddu, Black Welsh Mountain, Balwen, Herdwick, Coloured Crossbreds & Coloured Mules.
Monday 30th September - Society Sale of 200 Llandovery White Faced Rams.
TALYBONT-ON-USK MARKET, POWYS 01874 622 488
Sunday 8th September – Show & Sale for the Hill Radnor Flock Book Society.
Thursday 26th September – Store Lambs together with 500 Talybont Welsh Ewes & Ewe Lambs together with Lowland Breeds.
Saturday 5th October - 400 Rams for the Talybont Welsh Sheep Society.
NSA BUILTH WELLS
Monday 23rd September - 1350 Texel Rams & Ram Lambs, 140 Texel Females, 170 Cheviot and White Face Rams.
Livestock Auctioneers & Chartered Surveyors 13 Lion Street, Becon, Powys, LD3 7HY www.ctf-uk.com
27th Annual Sale of
292 Texel Sheep
On behalf of the Ruthin Texel Club
1 Ewe Lambs @ 10.30am followed by 26 Shearling Ewes 4 Aged Rams, 129 Shearling Rams and 132 Ram Lambs
At The Vale of Clwyd Livestock Centre, Parc Glasdir, Ruthin, LL15 1PB Show @ 3.30pm - Sunday 8th September 2024
Sale @ 10.30am - Monday 9th September 2024 Catalogues available from the Auc oneers on 01824 705000 for further details visit www.ruthinfarmers.co.uk
Annual Show & Sale of Gimmer Lambs
To include lambs on behalf of NEMSA members.
Second Sale of Breeding Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings & Rams.
HILL FAIR DAY - Saturday 5th October 10.30am
Sale of all classes of Breeding Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings, Breeding Rams & Gimmer Lambs. Plus special sale of Store Lambs
J36 TWO DAY SALE OF GIMMER LAMBS
AMBLESIDE FAIR - Friday 13th September at 10am
Show & Sale of Mule, Masham, Rough Fell Mule & Cheviot Mules. NEMSA SALE - Saturday 14th September at 10am
Annual Show & Sale of 8000 North of England Mule Gimmer Lambs On behalf of the Kendal Branch of NEMSA.
PEDIGREE SHEEP DAY - Saturday 21st September
Shows & Sales of Pedigree Rams & Females on behalf of the Northern Beltex Club, Dutch Spotted, Badger Face Texel & Blue Texel Breed Society's . Sale of any other pedigree sheep.
Second Sale of 2500 Breeding Ewes & Gimmer Shearlings
DRAFT EWES - Friday 27th September 10am
Show & Sale of Swaledale Draft Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings & Gimmer Lambs. Show & Sale of Rough Fell Draft Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings & Gimmer Lambs, on behalf of the RFSBA. Followed by any other hill breeds.
‘BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN’ - Tuesday 1st October
Evening Sale of Terminal Sired Breeding Rams
BLUEFACED LEICESTER RAMS & FEMALES - Monday 7th October Evening Show & Sale of 350 Bluefaced Leicester Rams & Females.
Thursday 10th October 10.30am - Second Sale of Gimmer Lambs.
Saturday 12th October 10am
ROUGH FELL RAMS - Show & Sale of Rams, On behalf of the RFSBA
Carlisle Saturday 31 August
Exeter Friday 6 September
Melton Mowbray Saturday 7 September
Lanark Thursday 19 September
Junction 36 Saturday 21 September
Thainstone Tuesday 24 September
STORE LAMBS
Tuesday September 10th & Fortnightly 5000-8000 Lambs GIMMER LAMBS
Tues 10th Sept 2500 Suff x, Texel x & CTL x
Fri 13th Sept 2000 Masham,1250 Dales Mule & 2000 Chev Mule
Sat 14th Sept 12000 North of England Mules
Sat 28th Sept 5500 Mule & Cheviot Mule & 500 Masham BREEDING SHEEP
Fri 27th Sept 3000 Mule & Continental x Ewes & Shlgs
Tues 1st Oct 5000 Swaledale, Cheviot & Hill Ewes & Shlgs
Sat 19th Oct 4000 Breeding Ewes, Shlgs & Gimmer Lambs (Lowland & Hillbred Sheep- all breeds) RAMS
Fri 20th Sept 400 Terminal Sire Rams
Sat 21st Sept 400 BF Leicester & Teeswater (inc. Females)
Thurs 10th Oct 500 Swaledale, BFL & Other Crossing Breeds FARM TO FARM SALES- BREEDING/ STORE SHEEP
Available from N of England & Scottish Border Farms
For Catalogues and Sales List contact: S J Dennis of RICHARD TURNER & SON Main Street, Bentham, Lancaster LA2 7HF Tel: (015242) 61444 Mobile: 07713 075661 www.benthamauction.co.uk
Telephone: 01824 705000
MONDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER 2024
Sale @ 9.30am
23rd ANNUAL SALE OF – 736 LLEYN SHEEP
(680 Ewes & 56 Rams)
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 & 827 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 - 55 BELTEX SHEEP
(22 Yearling Ewes, 16 Yearling Rams & 1 Ram Lamb) (Including 16 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 *** *** *** *** ***
Visit us @ www.ruthinfarmers.co.uk for much more weekly entries and the on line Catalogues of Sheep Breed Sales or contact the Auctioneers on 01824 705000 for a copy by post
Maternal Instinct Abundance of Quality Milk Up to 180% Production Several Crops of Lambs Easy Adaption to Lowland Pasture Good Feed Conversion
Join our buyers who return on 3-4 year cycle to benefit from ewes that are smaller in stature, easily handled with a lower grass consumption than larger breeds.Lamb beyond 5 years and maintain their price at cull. DRAFT EWE SALES 2024: Cockermouth (Mitchells) 4th October, 2024 Broughton (BCA) 7th October. Sept & Oct Sales at Penrith (P&DF), Kendal J36 (North West), Skipton (CCM) Contact Auction Companies for further details. www.herdwick-sheep.com secretary@herdwicks.org.uk
at SENNYBRIDGE MARKET, POWYS
Wed 25th Sept at 3pm - Annual Show & Sale of 1500 CHEVIOT BREEDING EWES & EWE LAMBS
Sat 28th Sept - Annual Show & Sale of 300 BRECKNOCK HILL CHEVIOT RAMS
Show at 9 am Sale at 10.30 am CLEE TOMPKINSON & FRANCIS Tel: 01874 622488
please view our website www.welshmountainsheep.cymru WELSH MOUNTAIN
Contact: Amanda Denver Telephone: 0788 997 6058 Email: rfsba@outlook.com www.roughfellsheep.com
Wednesday 18th September
Annual Prize Show & Sale of Mule, Texel, Suffolk & Other Continental Gimmers
Thursday 19th September
Annual ‘Hexham’ Prize Show & Sale of Mule Ewe Lambs. Prize Show & Sale of Cheviot Mule Ewes Lambs. Also, on this day Second Sale of Hill & Other Lambs.
Monday 23rd September
Builth Wells Ram Sale
Wednesday 25th September
Annual Prize Show & Sale of Texel, Suffolk & Other Continental Shearlings & Ram Lambs. Also Bluefaced Leicester Show & Sale of Shearling Rams & Ram Lambs.
Thursday 26th September
‘Tow Law’ Prize Show & Sale of Mule Gimmer Lambs (Bluefaced Leicester x Swaledale)
Friday 27th September Show of Hill Bred Store Lambs.
Monday 30th September
Evening Show & Sale of Crossing Type Bluefaced Leicester Rams & Ram Lambs.
Thursday 3rd October
Sale of Mule, Cheviot, Swaledale & Other Ewes, Gimmers & Ewe Lambs Prize Show & Sale of Blackface & Swaledale Draft Ewes & Gimmers
Wednesday 9th October
Second Sale of Bluefaced Leicester, Texel, Suffolk & Other Continental Rams & Ram Lambs
Monday 14th October
Prize Show & Sale of Blackface Aged Rams, Shearlings & Ram Lambs
Thursday 17th October
Sale of Ewe Lambs of all breeds. Second Sale of Blackface & Swaledale Draft Ewes & Gimmers
Monday 28th October
Prize Show & Sale of Cheviot, Blackface & Swaledale Shearling Rams, Sale of Bluefaced Leicester, Texel, Suffolk & Other Continental Rams & Ram Lambs.
Phone: 01434 605444
Website: www.hexhammart.co.uk
Email: info@hexhammart.co.uk
NORBROOK KELSO RAM SALES (within Border Union Showground) Comprising: 980 RAMS
Ring 3 - 45 MV-Acc Crosses
Ring 6 - 153 Charollais
Ring 7 - 214 Texels
Ring 9 - 250 Texels
Ring 15 - 226 Bluefaced Leicesters
Ring 16 - 42 Non-MV Acc Crosses
Ring 19 - 50 Unregistered Texels
SEPTEMBER PEDIGREE SHEEP SALE WEEK
SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER
SHOW & SALE OF 59 VALAIS BLACKNOSE SHEEP
(On behalf of Scottish Valais Blacknose Club) Show: 12noon Sale: 2pm
WEDNESDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER
SHOW & SALE OF 147 BORDER LEICESTER SHEEP
(On behalf of Society of Border Leicester Sheep Breeders) Show: 9:30am Sale: In Ring 1 at 12:00pm
THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER
SALE OF SUFFOLK SHEEP
Show: 9:30am Sale: In Ring 1 at 11:00am
Hampshire Down Pedigree Sheep
Tel: 07518
SAVERNAKE SUFFOLKS
40 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.
Immediately followed by
SHOW & SALE OF 235 TEXEL SHEEP
(On behalf of Scottish Texel Sheep Breeders Club)
Followed by: Reduction of the RUSHA flock (On behalf of Messrs J Gibb & Son)
Part Dispersal of the CARLINSIDE flock (On behalf of The Firm of Carlinside Farm) Show: 9:30am Sale: In Ring 1 at 11:00am
SHOW & SALE OF 251 BELTEX SHEEP
(On behalf of Beltex Scotland) (Arrival/Inspection/Judging – Wednesday 18th)
Part Dispersal of the COCHRANE’S flock (On behalf of Messrs J & JM Cochrane)
Inspection: 4pm-5pm Show: 5.30pm Sale:In Ring 2 at 10:30am
Immediately followed by
SHOW & SALE OF 40 DUTCH SPOTTED SHEEP
(On behalf of Dutch Spotted Sheep Society) Show: 9:00am Sale: In Ring 2 at approx 1.30pm
Miles Wise, North Yorkshire T: 07890 135183 | E: info@suffolkrams.co.uk
WORKING GENES
WORKING GENES
Bull & Ram Sale
60 texel and 60 lleyn shearlings
45 Texel, 45 Lleyn Shearlings
Bull & Ram Sale 45 Texel, 45 Lleyn Shearlings
Hardy active rams, grass fed only, Performance recorded 20 bulls (Sim, Luing, AA)
Hardy active rams, grass fed only, performance recorded 18 Bulls (Sim, Luing, AA) 38 Heifers (Sim x Luing)
Catalogue at www.incheochfarm.co.uk
Hardy active rams, grass fed only, performance recorded 18 Bulls (Sim, Luing, AA) 38 Heifers (Sim x Luing)
Catalogue at www.uagroup.co.uk
Catalogue at www.uagroup.co.uk
Neil McGowan 07788 100010
Neil McGowan 07788 100010 10th September
Neil McGowan 07788 100010
Online and on -farm Incheoch, Perth
On-farm Auction Incheoch, Perthshire Thurs 6th September
On-farm Auction Incheoch, Perthshire Thurs 6th September
Heifers 2pm, Bulls 3pm, Rams 6pm
Heifers 2pm, Bulls 3pm, Rams 6pm
Excellent conformation, tight skins, ready for work. Heptavac P. Naturally Reared, no corn
Contact Mr Brocklehurst on 07764 196462 or 01260 223338
BELTEX x TEXEL, BELTEX x CHAROLLAIS & CHARMOISE x BELTEX shearling rams.
Carefully bred for over 20 years, over 40 available, grass produced, no corn. The rams need to be seen. Heptavac P. No silly price.
Please contact Phillip Langton: 07815 123783 - Derbys
Lleyn - MV Signet Flock 1448
Enhancing profitability through Performance Recording.
Top 1-10% Index shearling tups, breeding for worm resistance and low-methane.
Grass-fed only. Registered and commercial. Culland Hall Farm, Derbyshire 07802 887814 www.culland-farm.co.uk
NO FIREARMS PERMIT REQUIRED SUITABLE FOR FARM ANIMALS OF ALL SIZES
Adler Captive Bolt Stunner just £215 + VAT
Adler Captive Bolt Stunner Package - Stunner, 100 Blanks, Carriage... just £249 + VAT
Please email your order to sales@raytradeuk.co.uk and we’ll contact you for payment. Further information on Humane Slaughter products can be found at www.raytradeuk.co.uk/humane-slaughter If you have any other questions or wish to make a payment over the telephone please call us on 01635 253344
Call 01772 799500 and place your advert today
We believe there is a simpler and fairer way to work together with wool farmers, and that’s why we are challenging the traditional UK wool sourcing systems.
WOOL TAKEN FROM ANYWHERE IN THE UK
MAIN DEPOTS:PERTH MUIRKIRK GALASHIELS WARMINSTER
Please phone to book your wool in to each depot.
If you would like to supply Brannach Olann with your wool, please contact: Alan: 07836 547987 (Scotland) Steve: 07957 988181 (Wales)
Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area
Richard Toon
team has over 100 years experience working with British Wool, ensuring that your wool is expertly graded to industry standards guaranteeing a true market value.
Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie
North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area
Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area
Rowbotham
Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area
Richard Toon
South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie
Richard Toon Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie
Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie
Cumbria & surrounding area
Pete Rowbotham South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock DE4 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie
Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie
Cumbria & surrounding area
Pete Rowbotham South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie
Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie
Cumbria & surrounding area
Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie
Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie
North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area
North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area
Lancashire and surrounding area
Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie
Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie
Lancashire and surrounding area
Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie
Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie
David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie
David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie
Lancashire and surrounding area
Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie
North Yorkshire and surrounding area
Becky Burniston South View Farm
Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie
Yorkshire and surrounding area
Becky Burniston South View Farm Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie
Mid-Wales
North Yorkshire and surrounding area
Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie
Becky Burniston
Mid-Wales
South View Farm
North East Wales
Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie
North East Wales
Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie
Geraint Jones 07887 772804 Geraint@dbwools.ie
Geraint Jones 07887 772804 Geraint@dbwools.ie
Southern and Central Scotland
Mid-Wales
Southern and Central Scotland
Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie
Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie
Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie
North East Wales
Geraint Jones 07887 772804 Geraint@dbwools.ie
Part of the Standard Wool group of companies
David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie
Part of the Standard Wool group of companies
Southern and Central Scotland
Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie
At Premier Polytunnels we know lambing season is the most important time of a sheep farmer’s year, not to mention the ewe’s, so it is no surprise that having quality lambing facilities is at the top of the farmer’s list.
Key benefits of our sheep housing:
• More than 35 years of experience
• Improves animal welfare
• Reduces stress in the flock
• Pregnant ewes and housed sheep are cheaper to feed
• Supplied as a complete unit ready for assembly
• Sizes from 16ft to 30ft wide, and lengths from 30ft to 90ft
• 50mm and 60mm diameter steel hoops for strength and rigidity
Raise
Competitive
Quick
CCJ’s
Older Equipment Considered
Quick Decisions Deal Sizes £20K Upwards
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CCJ’s, Current Trading Difficulties, All Considered Tenant Farmers Welcome England & Wales Only
