Farmers Guardian Scottish 10th May 2024

‘Agricultural shows will always have a place’

with heat stress and managing parasites

By Chris Brayford

NEW First Minister John Swinney must address key economic and farming issues if he is to win the backing of the nation’s crofters and farmers, rural representatives have warned. Having previously served as leader of the Scottish National Party more than 20 years ago, the Perthshire North MSP was sworn in as the seventh First Minister for Scotland on Wednesday (May 8) after he gained the required threshold from MSPs in Scottish Parliament on Tuesday (May 7) with 64 votes to 57.

His appointment came after former leader Humza Yousaf announced he would be stepping down following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Green Party.

Mr Yousaf said the new leader had demonstrated the ‘most compassionate and caring’ qualities which were vital for the role.

On his appointment, Mr Swinney said he would give ‘everything to build the best future’ for Scotland.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi

Gougeon will continue in her role, in a Cabinet which was mostly unchanged.

NFU Scotland Martin Kennedy congratulated Mr Swinney, adding coming from a rural constituency he was aware that agriculture underpins rural communities across Scotland and called for Scottish Government to work with them on the challenges facing farming.

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land and Estates, said she hoped a change in leadership could enable communities and businesses in rural Scotland to have a greater voice in rural policy-making.

Subsidies

She said: “Between land reform, the Agriculture Bill shaping future farming subsidies, changes to deer management, a new Housing Bill and various other issues, such as natural capital, forestry and peatland restoration, there is substantial change on the horizon.

“We were pleased to hear his stated focus on the economy and jobs – landbased businesses want to work positively with the Scottish Government

and we hope the new First Minister will enable that to happen.”

However, former NFUS president Jim Walker was extremely critical of the new appointment and the current Government as a whole.

He said: “This is all about salvaging the wreckage of a Government and

ALL CHANGE

● John Swinney new First Minister ● Rural voices need to be heard

party which has done nothing to improve the lives of Scottish farmers or otherwise. He helped to broker the deal with the Greens and was one of [Nicola] Sturgeon’s right-hand men.” He added that it was a Government

CONTINUES ON PAGE 2

FARMING: THE BACKBONE OF BRITAIN

Seasonal visas extended until 2029

By Rachael Brown

THE Government has committed to extending the seasonal worker visa route for five years until 2029 ‘to give businesses time to plan effectively’.

It is part of a series of new measures in its response to John Shropshire’s Independent Review into labour shortages in the food supply chain.

investing ‘up to 50 million’ to support ‘fully automated packhouses’, adding there was more support to follow to ‘bring robotic crop pickers on par with human pickers in three to five years’.

The Government said it will start work to fully automate a group of major packhouses in 12 to 18 months.

Agricultural

‘It

But Mr Shropshire, chair of G’s Fresh, said while he welcomed the ‘headline announcement’ from the Government and the confidence it will give to growers to ‘continue to invest in UK production’, he was ‘disappointed’ the visa length had not changed.

“I am disappointed that the visa length remains at six months as the protected cropping industries of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers require a nine month visa to match the length of their season and this is a key sector that ministers are keen to see expand in UK production to replace large amounts of imports,” he said.

The extension will mean 43,000 visas will be available to the horticulture sector in 2025, with another 2,000 visas for poultry.

The Government will also look to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, by funding technology,

From page 1

with‘adifferentface’,butthesame outlook.

ScottishConservativeMSP RachaelHamiltonsaid:“Thenew FirstMinisterhasbeenattheheart ofaGovernmentwhichhasletdown ruralScotlandduringtheSNP’s17 yearsinoffice.Farmershavehad ruralbudgetsslashed.

“Rural Scotland will keenly awaiting to see if the First Minister shifts away from the focus on the central belt and addresses the major issues facing them, including giving full clarity on what future farming support will look like.”

SheaddedMrSwinneywasthe ‘continuitycandidate’,butthiswould ‘simplynotcutit’forruralScotland.

Former Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing said the First Minister’s ultimate priority should be to restore major

This will inform the Government’s plan to ‘make fully automated packhouses universally viable’, with further details to be announced later this year.

Mr Shropshire said the Government ‘must do more to highlight the funding opportunities available to food production sectors such as fisheries, food manufacturing and butchery, to ensure automation funding opportunities are maximised.’

Defra Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Businesses do best when they can plan effectively for the future, which is why we have extended the seasonal worker visa route until 2029 to give farmers and growers the certainty they need to thrive.”

The Government said it wanted to improve the attractiveness of the sector for domestic workers, delivering recruitment strategies to support jobseekers into roles in food and farming and build collaboration with industry and education providers.

funding to show his support for farmers and rural Scotland.

Heaskedwherethesupport wasforproductivefarming.

Hesaid:“Wehavelostalot ofsupportinruralScotland,largely becauseofthedamagingpolicies theGreenshavefoistedonus.

“It is time to restore that trust, but that will only happen with concrete actions, not warm words – they cost nothing and are worthless.”

TheScottishGreenPartysaidit wantedabetterrelationshipbetween farmersandsocietywhichrewarded farmersformanagingtheenvironment andgrowinghealthyfood.

TheSNPsaidScotland’srural economywas‘burstingwithtalent andpotential’,andaddeditwas committedtosupportingfarmingand foodproductionwithdirectpayments.

The FG Live conference at this year’s Young Farmers DIY AGM covers mental health, succession and grants. See p12-13.

SCOTTISH SHEARER GOES FOR STRONG WOOL WORLD RECORD

SCOTTISH sheep shearer Una Cameron will be attempting the women’s nine-hour strong wool world shearing record in August. Now in her 29th year as a professional sheep shearer, Ms Cameron has shorn across the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.

The record attempt will take place at Trefranck Farm, Launceston, Cornwall, on August 7 and she will be shearing strong wool Romney ewes.

Plunge in confidence paints stark picture

rElection

is ‘hanging in the balance’

By Rachael Brown

A RISING number of farms could go out of business if nothing is done to restore confidence in the industry, according to a new study.

The NFU’s annual Farm Confidence Survey showed ‘short- and mid-term confidence’ among farmers in England and Wales was at its lowest since records began in 2010, with farmers citing bad weather and a cut in the Basic Payment

Scheme (BPS) as some of the main causes.

Conducted at the end of 2023, the union said it believed that had farmers been asked the same questions after the disastrous spring floods, the already ‘stark picture’ would have looked ‘even worse’.

Of those questioned, 82 per cent said their farm businesses had suffered fairly negative or very negative impacts because of the weather, while 65 per cent admitted profits had dropped, fearing for the survival of their farm business.

The survey also found 86 per cent of farmers felt the phasing out of the BPS

would have a negative effect on their farm business, prompting NFU president Tom Bradshaw to call on the Government to reconsider its stance on the withdrawal of payments.

Mr Bradshaw said a lot was ‘hanging in the balance’ ahead of the General Election and urged political parties to focus on the importance home-grown food amid ongoing inflation and costof-living issues.

In Scotland, NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy said one ‘stark difference’ with policy north of the border was the recognition of the ‘importance of direct payments’.

He said: “Although the Scottish

English results reflect rural disillusionment

AFTER suffering some of the most disappointing local election results in its history, the Conservative Party has been warned that years of ‘economic neglect’ has led to a breakdown of rural political allegiance.

Following the local elections across England last week (May 2), the Conservatives lost 474 councillors, as well as the overall control of 10 councils, including the rural strongholds of Dorset and Tunbridge Wells, which were both won by the Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrats profited from current Government disillusionment with big gains in Gloucester and Havant, in Hampshire. It was also a successful night for the Green Party which won more than 70 seats.

No surprise

Victoria Vyvyan, CLA president, said while the results showed a shifting allegiance, they should not come as a surprise as rural communities felt ‘unheard’ and politically homeless. She said: “Tory losses demonstrate traditional loyalties no longer apply. The vote is there for the taking for the party willing to match our aspirations.”

Government has committed to retaining them, we know we will have to do more to receive them. That is not a problem, providing the actions we take to help with climate and biodiversity also work in harmony with profitable and sustainable farming and crofting businesses.

“If our new First Minister stands by his commitment to economic growth in Scotland, then long-term support for farmers and crofters will ensure our biggest manufacturing sector, food and drink, has the materials it needs to grow.”

NEWS

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The

Number 10 sets a date for Farm to Fork Summit

THE next Farm to Fork Summit will be held at Downing Street on May 14, with invitations being sent to industry groups.

This will be the second UK Farm to Fork Summit hosted by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, underlining the enhanced importance around issues of food security.

A Defra spokesperson said the summit at Number 10 will recognise the crucial importance of the farming and food sector to our nation and explore further opportunities to turbocharge the sector as an engine for growth.

It will bring together the whole UK food supply chain and focus on how Government and industry can work together to grow an innovative and resilient farming and food sector which realises its economic potential

approved sustainable sources.

rFarmer protest expected next week

By Rachael Brown

WALES’ Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Climate Change Huw Irranca-Davies has announced the creation of a new ‘Ministerial round table’ for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), with the group initially tasked with looking at ‘further and alternative proposals to achieve additional carbon sequestration within SFS’.

Farming unions welcomed its prioritisation, after repeated calls for the Welsh Government to look beyond existing actions, including the controversial 10 per cent tree planting.

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Ian Rickman said: “This development

The second UK Farm to Fork Summit will be held at 10 Downing Street on May 14.

and recruits the next generation of farming and food leaders.

Close eye

Tenant farmers will be keeping a close eye on the day to see whether Defra uses the summit to announce a Tenant Farming Commissioner to oversee tenant-landlord relationships.

Tenant Farmers Association national chair Robert Martin said: “It has been such a difficult year for many producers up and down the country. This follows the exceptionally wet winter

and spring, volatility on international markets and the challenges of pressures within supply chains.

“There is much that the Government can do for the farming industry as a whole and for tenant farmers, specifically, to ensure the resilience of our agricultural sector meets the dual goals of food and environmental security for our country.”

FARMING MATTERS

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has written this week’s Farming Matters – read it on p96.

Ministerial round table announced for SFS

is welcomed given the urgent need to evaluate the science around net zero and carbon sequestration to help develop the SFS,” adding all actions farmers can undertake to move towards net zero should be considered.

NFU Cymru president Aled Jones added: “Mandating 10 per cent tree cover has come across as a clear insurmountable barrier for many to access the SFS.”

World-class

He said with ‘world-class scientists on our doorstop’ it was important to make use of their knowledge of Welsh farming systems, cropping and soils to offer ‘alternatives, while maintaining our productive capacity’.

Mr Irranca-Davies will chair the round table, adding it would work to identify areas of agreement and ‘where

work was required’, to ensure the scheme can be delivered in January 2025. He said: “We have had a seven-year conversation to design a future farming support scheme that works for Wales. I am committed to keep listening to and, working with, farmers and all stakeholders to develop a scheme that will help deliver against our ambition for Wales to be a world leader in sustainable farming.”

Mr Irranca-Davies will update Senedd members next Tuesday on SFS – the same day farmers are expected to march through Cardiff, protesting against Welsh Government farming policies, including SFS, bovine TB and Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations. Mr Irranca-Davies added rural Wales boasted ‘some of the world’s best produce with farmers who care for and sustain landscapes and communities’.

Pork product labelling will add cost and complexity

DEFRA plans to introduce new labels ranking pork products by method of production will add cost and complexity to the supply chain, while failing to deliver on their objectives.

That was the message from the National Pig Association (NPA), in its response to Defra’s consultation on improving food labelling.

Chair Rob Mutimer told the department it would be ‘foolhardy’ to proceed.

The NPA said it was broadly sup-

portive of the country-of-origin labelling proposals, but it opposed the method of production labels.

For pigs, free-range and outdoor bred-pork would be categorised in the highest tiers, with tier three encompassing ‘enhanced indoor’, followed by ‘standard’ indoor representing ‘baseline UK welfare regulations’. The lowest tier would be ‘unclassified, non-UK standard’ for product which does not meet the UK’s legal baseline.

Mr Mutimer said NPA had outlined its concerns in its response to Defra’s 2021 call for evidence on the subject, adding it was therefore ‘very disappointed’ to see it proposed ‘yet again’. He said the primary objection was method of production was not an indicator of welfare and added it would ‘denigrate’ ‘standard’ production, which was Red Tractor Farm Assurance, to the second to lowest tier, despite going beyond the legislated minimum.

Help keep your animals and the railway safe.

We’re working with landowners and farmers to continually improve the safety of the railway by ensuring our boundary fencing is secure. As part of our fencing inspection regime we are keen to work closely with our rural lineside neighbours collaboratively.

To report any concerns please call our 24-hour National Helpline 03457 11 41 41

APHA ‘stands ready’ to face ‘increasing’ bluetongue threat

rLivestock farmers should be ‘on guard’

By Rachael Brown

THE Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has confirmed there is a ‘very high probability’ of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) this summer with infected midges

blown over from northern Europe, adding its field teams ‘stand ready’.

Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss warned with a ‘risk of high incursion’ all livestock farmers ‘should be on guard’, but the first cases would likely be found in the southern and eastern counties.

“If it is a warm summer, do not expect if you are in the west that there is no risk for you.”

Food security will suffer unless vet shortage sorted

THE Government’s inaction regarding rising vet shortages poses a risk not only to animal and human health, but also to the security of the UK’s export trade.

The claim was made in a letter to Defra by Environment and Rural Affairs (Efra) Select Committee chair Sir Robert Goodwill following an inquiry into areas affecting the veterinary industry in March.

The letter reiterated comments made during the evidence sessions that responding to a ‘concurrent or significant exotic notifiable disease outbreak’ would mean public and private sector vets would have to forego daily animal health duties ‘due to an absence of domestic standby surge capacity’.

Mr Goodwill said that while it was acknowledged there were now fewer vets than in 2018, when an 11.8 per cent shortfall in the number of vets required was last recorded, the Government had made no effort to find out what the present number was or how many vets were needed to rectify the situation.

Leaving

He highlighted many were leaving the profession due to high levels of stress, a poor work-life balance and feeling undervalued.

Mr Goodwill added an ‘immediate concern’ was the ‘potential impact’ on the veterinary sector of the reforms to the Skilled Worker visa which came into force on April 4, with concerns over the new minimum salary thresholds.

Dr Middlemiss said the period where biting midges ‘are more active’ has begun, and the likelihood of bluetongue virus entering Great Britain was ‘increasing’.

Peak time

She said the peak time for infection was ‘September and October’, adding farmers needed to look-out now for suspected signs.

Last November, APHA identified the first case of bluetongue and since then there have been 126 cases confirmed in England across 73 premises in four counties.

APHA said the Government was ‘actively monitoring the situation’ and has been working closely with a wide range of stakeholders to review the bluetongue control strategy.

Dr Middlemiss added they were working with industry to reduce the level and spread of disease as far as possible, while not making control measures too onerous.

It is after farmers who had been placed in temporary control zones at

the end of last year shared their frustration over the movement restrictions imposed on them and the difficulties to trade.

Free bluetongue tests will be offered to keepers in high-risk counties once the risk of transmission increases.

But with the ‘emergency authorisation’ of a vaccine in the Netherlands, many farmers were wondering how long they will have to wait for a UK-authorised vaccine.

Dr Middlemiss said talks were ongoing, but it was dependent on the ‘authorisation process’.

She added there was an ‘inevitable tension’ with the emergency authorisation, adding ‘our preference would be to have at least preliminary marketing authorisation’.

“When you have full authorisation you have the safety and efficacy data to-hand, so you can be much more robust in having confidence that there is no implications of the vaccination.”

Wales’ Chief Veterinary Officer Richard Irvine has also urged farmers in Wales to be on ‘alert’.

BPC campaigns for agreement to boost poultrymeat exports

THE British Poultry Council (BPC) has renewed its calls for a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU to enable a greater amount of poultrymeat to be exported to Europe.

Following the implementation of the UK’s post-EU era border controls last week, the council said a 56 per cent drop in poultrymeat exports since 2020 underscored the ‘erosion of British poultry supply chains due to Brexit’.

BPC said certification alone has cost poultry exporters £55 million a year

since January 2021, while importers have enjoyed a competitive advantage, paying nothing since controls have been delayed five times in two years. The organisation said it hoped the new checks would help to ‘level the playing field’ going forward.

BPC chief executive Richard Griffiths said the only real way to ensure more equal trading was for the Government and the EU to agree an SPS agreement, but Government had not yet made any real effort to do so.

CNH Industrial workers to strike

MORE than 500 workers at agricultural machinery firm CNH Industrial are going on strike over a ‘broken pay promise’.

were forecast to stay high for the next three years.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the deal had been agreed in good faith and there was ‘absolutely no reason’ for it to not be adhered to.

“CNH is simply trying to rake in even more profits by short-changing its workers,” she added.

Many vets are leaving the profession due to high levels of stress, according to Sir Robert Goodwill.

Staff at the Essex-based factory, which produces the New Holland Agriculture and Case IH brands, have voted for direction action saying the company reneged on an agreement struck during 2022, stating pay increases would be calculated by the average rate of inflation over the year.

CNH Group reported record profits of £2.4 billion in 2023, and profits

Nine days of strikes were planned which will, according to the union, seriously compromise production of New Holland tractors. More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.

MASSEY FERGUSON’S HAY AND FORAGE COLLECTION IS ALL YOU NEED FOR A STRESS-FREE GRASS SEASON. SPEAK TO YOUR LOCAL DEALER ABOUT OUR MOWERS, TEDDERS, RAKES, ROUND BALERS AND WRAPPERS.

rMounting pressures pose a potential threat

FAMILY farms could either play a key role in the industry’s future or be wiped out, in different scenarios between now and 2040.

Those are among the conclusions of a study of the issue led by Dr Richard Byrne, from Harper Adams University, which he presented to a Rural Policy Group seminar.

The study considered issues including climate change, economic uncertainty, security and geo-political tensions; migration pressures; conflicts such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East and EU domestic issues and policy.

Under two out of three of the scenarios he presented, the family farm remains front and centre of British farming, and only under one –described as agri-industrialisation –did it cease to be important.

He actually presented four different scenarios, but almost immediately ruled out the fourth one (high sustainability agricultural policy).

“That would require a global approach and greater global consensus, at a time when most opinion suggests we will actually have less,” he said.

He suggested ‘agri-industrialisation’ might be ‘on the horizon’, with huge businesses focused solely on food production becoming the norm.

“It could come about if food nationalisation – such as the grain policy that Russia currently has – begins to have an effect on global markets.”

Regional conflicts – like the one currently affecting trade through the Red Sea – could also play a role.

With the future of family farms a growing concern, Harper Adams’ Dr Richard Byrne takes a look at the role that they could have to play. Jonathan Wheeler reports.

Future role of family farms in the spotlight

He added this could lead to a shift in how Britain produces food, with agri-businesses growing due to deregulation and using technology like genetically modified organisms to raise production, or sustain it in the face of climate change.

One consequence of this would be that family farms’ status diminishes.

But under the other two viable systems he sees them playing a central role.

If change needs to be made more quickly, in the next few years, autarky, – an economic system based on self-sufficiency and limited trade –might become the norm.

In this scenario he says the ability of the family farm to react quickly could be a huge asset.

And they remain important if sustainable intensification – a production system including elements such as the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) – became established.

“In this option the world stays much the same, but we need to mitigate climate change. The family farm

is key to this because it can diversify and change how it produces,” Dr Byrne said.

He pointed out that UK farmers were already doing this by continuing to produce food while embracing initiatives like Countryside Stewardship and the SFI.

Ability to adapt

Farming families also tended to ‘stick with it’ and adapt to stay in business, in the way an agri-business unit focused purely on profit might not when business conditions get tough.

Lancashire farmer Olly Harrison pointed out that many aspects of the supply chain above and below the farm are already dominated by huge businesses.

He said SFI gave him the chance to grow two crops a year – human food during the summer and bird food over the winter – and reduced risk levels for the business.

The income buffers the farm against poor years – and he expects this year to be one due to the poor weather:

“We are currently reliant on diversifications for income and if we did not have that we would be struggling. It is important to have an insurance policy to make sure we stay in business.”

But he believed farmers must keep producing food, and that the SFI does not incentivise taking land out of production completely.

“We need to get the policy in the right place so we do not end up with ‘sweet spots’ that can be abused,” he added.

Future trade negotiations could lead to smaller, more workable agreements.

Allie Renison, a former Government trade adviser, said: “There is so much focus on free trade agreements that take years to work out. The future could lie in smaller market access deals,” she said.

And she encouraged UK farmers to be more export minded.

“In Australia and New Zealand exporting is in the DNA of the agricultural community. It is not something to be feared.”

Family farms are at the heart of British agriculture.

HEDGING

Fourth-generation farmer Ben Butler is pursuing a passion for the environment while running a successful business. New hedging has helped him to balance sustainability with profitability, and he’s already delighted with the results.

Ben took over 1000-acre Manor Farm in Avebury, Wiltshire from his father in 2014 and manages a further 1,000-acres across various sites. Alongside raising livestock and growing arable crops, Ben believes nature-friendly farming is crucial.

Striking a balance

“Should we be producing food or giving up farmland to wildlife? That’s a good question,” Ben says. “I think you can do both and I think we’ve been doing it successfully.

“We have – and the data shows it – been producing food on a good scale, but you don’t have to farm right up to the fence line anymore, you can combine conservation and productive commercial land. We’ve been doing it for 22 years. There’s a place for wildlife. It’s good for the image of the industry and it’s good for the environment.”

Ben’s efforts include six-metre field margins, beetle banks and hedgerows. When his Lloyds Bank relationship manager told him about MOREhedges, the Woodland Trust scheme that provides subsidised trees and expert planting advice, he jumped at the chance to add more hedging.

Connecting the landscape

“We planted the maximum 250m of hedges that the scheme allows,” Ben explains, “with 50 common oak trees and a mix of blackthorn, crab apple, dogwood, dog rose, field maple and hazel. I couldn’t fault the stock and we’ve been pleased with how it’s established. It’ll be a great benefit to this farm.”

The new hedge will capture carbon and shelter crops as well as creating much-needed corridors for wildlife. Ben is already seeing a difference.

“Wildlife doesn’t know the boundaries of your farm so you’ve got to do it on a larger landscape scale and work together. We try to link up margins and corridors so local farms are connected and we’ve had an increase in farmland bird numbers, not only on our farm but as a group.

“There has been no detraction by planting up hedges around the edges of fields. I’m only seeing the benefits.”

Ready to start your planting journey?

Trees should be in every farmer’s toolbox. From protecting crops and livestock with a shelterbelt to harvesting your own wood fuel, they help boost productivity, resilience and the health of the environment with no need for trade off with production.

If you’re looking to plant over half a hectare of woodland, the MOREwoods scheme is ideal, or you can plant hedgerows longer than 100 metres with MOREhedges. Whichever you choose, the Trust will provide the trees, tree protection and expert advice to make your project a success – all with generous funding of up to 75%.

Ben is one of thousands of landowners who has benefitted from the schemes, with a combined 4,000 hectares of woodland and almost 600km of hedgerow in the ground since 2009. That’s millions more trees creating a brighter, healthier future for businesses, communities and nature.

“It was an easy process,” Ben concludes. “I wouldn’t have a second thought about going back to the Trust and would absolutely recommend their schemes to other landowners.”

© Philip Formby/WTML

LEADER

Olivia Midgley, Editor – olivia.midgley@agriconnect.com

And finally...

We were proud to join forces with the Cultivate Conference last week. With a theme of ‘rooted in resilience’, its content was both timely and inspiring. Read the full report on page 18.

CONFIDENCE among farmers will always ebb and flow and, after a turbulent few months, the sentiments illustrated by the NFU’s latest survey will shock no-one.

In fact, the only thing that might see confidence sink lower is if Liz Truss returned as Prime Minister. More upheaval in Scotland will also be a cause for concern, with farmers north of the border waiting to see what incoming First Minister John Swinney will bring to the table.

What the survey does reveal is the precarious nature of agricultural businesses right now, with many seeing the next 12-18 months as pivotal for their future.

You only have to look at the dairy market to see lower production supporting prices at a time of year when they usually would be going in the opposite direction.

As our in-depth p15 analysis shows, milk prices have only seen May increases three times in the last 50 years – two of which were related to recent disasters – the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Time is running out for Number 10 to make meaningful change

While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, writing in his exclusive column for Farmers Guardian this week, says food security is on the Government’s radar and something it is taking seriously, time is running out for Number 10 to make meaningful change.

Farmers have been sending out distress flares for months now and the red warning signs are impossible to ignore.

Next week’s Farm to Fork Summit will be a key line in the sand for industry and Government and an opportune moment to put a plan into action.

The distraction of a General Election must be put to the side and leaders must focus on farming.

As FG’s Young Farmers conference in Blackpool (p12-13) showcased last week, our industry is not short of passionate, skilled young people.

They are waiting in the wings to make their mark and if the Prime Minister is serious about not only getting the sector back on an even keel, but growing it, he needs to act now.

YOUNG FARMER FOCUS

‘Farming

has given me a reason to live’

Background: Iwantedtosharemy storyofjusthowincrediblydifficultit hasbeenlivingwithaconditioncalled myalgicencephalomyelitis(ME). IfyouhavenotheardofME,itisalso knownaschronicfatiguesyndrome anditcanaffectanythingfrommemory, tiredness,concentrationandthe abilitytodoeverydaytasks. Iwasfirstdiagnosedwiththe conditionattheageof12yearsold. Itmademefeeldifferent. Forinstance,Istruggledtowalkfora longtimeandneededcrutchesasanaid. Lifewasunbearableatonepoint. LeavingschoolwithoutanyGCSE qualificationsandhavingmydream tofarminplaceslikeNewZealandand Australiaquashedwasshattering. Allthiswhilebeingbed-bound andbeingtoldImightnotwalkagain. Ialmostdidsomethingverystupid. ButIhadthoughtaboutwhowould

lookafterthesheeponthefarm thathadprovidedsomuchjoy tomyexperienceasafarmer. Istillhavegoodandbaddays. Theintensefatigue,musclepain, stomachproblems,memoryand sleepmakethebaddayshorrendous. Butfarminghashelpedsavemylife. Purpose: It has provided me with purpose and belonging.

Wefarm53hectaresofgrassland, running170breedingewescomposed ofpedigreepollDorsetsandDorset cross-bredewes,siredbyour pedigreepollDorset,traditional Suffolks,orTexels.

Accessible: The physicality involved in farming has made the job even more difficult, but I have found ways to make farming more accessible. Being on a quad bike the majority of the time really has helped me tremendously.

Ireallyhopemystoryhashelped demonstratebothawarenessof MEanditsaffects. Mostimportantlythough,Iwant peopletorealisehow,nomatter what,anyhurdlecanbeovercome.

Resilience: The resilience of farmers to conquer any

challenge is truly remarkable. Iamveryproudtoworkinthe industryandhopetocontinue todosofortherestofmylife.

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to be featured, email chris.brayford@agriconnect.com

Jurby, Isle of Man Thomas Cleator, 25, is a sheep farmer from Jurby on the Isle of Man. Thomas Cleator

Erosion of trust in our police

MY husband and I have always abided by the law and yet, like many, when we have encountered trouble we have felt we are not supported.

Some problems are common in rural areas – theft and problems with dogs and, unfortunately like many others, we also have these problems, but the most recent has shocked us to the core.

We came back one afternoon to our agricultural holding to find a dog worrying our sheep (ewes and newly born lambs) we had asked the owner who lives nearby, politely, to stop his dog barking and to control it.

In the past his dogs have worried and killed our livestock and we have been forced to put dogs in our stock trailer for their safety and the safety of our livestock.

This particular dog has threatened us in our own garden and been worrying our sheep before, but this time it would not leave the sheep alone. So my husband was forced to get one of his guns out of the cabinet and shoot to wing rather than kill, to get the dog to leave our sheep and property. It did with a slight wound.

My husband went round to explain what had happened and to ask them, again, to control their dog.

Later that night when we returned from our other agricultural holding, two policemen turned up and asked my husband to hand over his guns and licences even though we (and our sheep) were the victims in this matter.

We will take all necessary steps to get our guns and licences back, but the police should have been

and

Alfred, Harry, Sydney and Daniel. Sydney, 93, is still farming with his son at Wiggonby, near Wigton. Picture sent in by David Bowe.

removing the dangerous dog, not creating more problems for us.

There is no point in contacting the police when sheep are being attacked. By the time they arrive the sheep are dead.

We no longer have any faith in the police. They will ever only take the easy way and pursue the victim rather than the perpetrator.

G.B. and T.J. Perkins Morris, Pulverbatch, Shrewsbury.

Alternate approach

I RECENTLY met members of Ruthin YFC and would like to thank them for their warm welcome and the engaging discussion about the

& Conditions Farmers Guardian is

issues which affect them and about my role scrutinising and challenging the Welsh Government.

The Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) is front of mind for farmers across Wales, especially young farmers.

It is a priority of mine to ensure that the new Rural Affairs Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, changes direction and puts in place a scheme that works for the agricultural community as well as for the environment.

It is Plaid Cymru’s overriding priority to demand fairness and a sustainable future for the Welsh family farm and we are clear that the current proposals do not achieve Wales’ climate change ambitions in a way that does that.

The SFS is one of many issues worrying farmers in Wales.

We have also seen the continued

issue of bovine TB in Wales taking a devastating toll on the mental health of many people.

The regulations around nitrate vulnerable zones is another factor that is having a real impact. The combination of all these issues is putting an enormous amount of strain on the rural community.

The Welsh Government needs to rethink its approach in these areas to ensure the demands it places on farmers are realistic.

Failure to do so will not only undermine the viability of our rural communities, but it will also undermine their critical role in achieving a more sustainable future for our environment.

Llyr Gruffydd, MP for North Wales and Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Rural Affairs Minister.

of the Arc network (we, us, our) and we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We are registered under company number 07931451 and have our registered office at Unit 4, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ. For the purposes of this policy, we are the data controller of personal data provided to 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 filling in the form on our website www.fginsight.com OR printed form when entering the Competitions. If you have entered the Competitions via our site we may also collect some technical information about how you use our site, for example, the type of device you are using, your operating system, IP address, uniform resource locator (URL), clickstream and length of visit. How we use the information you provide: We will use your personal information: • to administer the Competitions, on the basis that the use of your personal data for this purpose will be necessary to enter you into the competitions and, if you are successful, contact you to notify you of your prize; and, • if you are new to 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, first. Who do we share your information with? We will not disclose your information to any third parties without your consent, except where: • it is necessary to enable any of our staff, employees, agents, contractors, suppliers or commercial partners to provide a service to us or to perform a function on our behalf; • we have a legal obligation to disclose your information (for example, if a court orders us to); or • there is a sale or purchase of any business assets, or where 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: • find out how we process your personal information; • request that your personal information is corrected if you believe it is incorrect or inaccurate; • obtain restriction on our, or object to, processing of your personal information; • ask us not to process your personal information for our

Pictured standing in front of their milk delivery van are the seven brothers from J.F. Bowe and Sons, who farmed at Calvo Farm and Foulsyke Farm, near Silloth. Left to right: Archie, Stanley, John,

Farmers Guardian held a conference for the next generation at this year’s DIY AGM, in conjunction with Young Farmers Community, at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Emily Ashworth reports.

FG Live conference covers mental health, succession and grants

rYoung delegates descend on Blackpool

IN a bid to put the ‘meeting’ back into the AGM, on May 4 FG Live took place, a three-hour jam-packed seminar programme, where young delegates heard from a variety of industry professionals, farmers and social media influencers.

The first panel of the day focused on mental health and resilience, chaired

by Georgina Lamb, senior partnerships manager at

the Farming Community Network.

Speaking alongside Tom York, Harper Adams agriculture student and ‘Ironman’ triathlete, Benjamin Stubbs, progress coach at Reaseheath College and Amy Hughes, senior engagement manager at AHDB Beef and Lamb and host of Think Outside the Fence podcast, the discussion turned to what the next generation of farmers will face, and that change is coming.

Ember Energy

Ms Hughes said ‘there are real opportunities’ in the future given young people will not be able to farm like ‘their parents or their grandparents’.

Mental health was also discussed, and young farmer Tom, who is currently undertaking intense training ahead of his triathlon in June, spoke of his own battles, offering up some personal advice.

He said: “The brain is the biggest muscle in the body, yet it is the most neglected. Do not feel like you have to protect others when you are having a hard time.”

One audience member asked the question: “How do you get the older generation to open up?”

Mr Stubbs suggested to focus on what the older generation are good at and the qualities they have rather than focus on the negative, while Ms Lamb said conversations were key.

Grants

Heather Whalley, a young beef and sheep farmer from the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, who came back home to the farm with a renewed passion for regenerative farming, also gave her insights.

Working as a senior farm adviser for the River Ribble Trust, she has worked with hundreds of farmers to support them in their grant applications.

She said: “Most farmers are already

doing the environmental stuff, so why not get paid for it?”

Highlighting some of the applications she has worked on, Ms Whalley showcased the financial uplift in various businesses she has worked with and told young farmers to make the Sustainable Farming Incentive work for their business model.

There was, she said, something that can work for everyone.

She also urged the audience to remember that if farmers do not make the most of these Government-funded initiatives, Government ‘will spend that money somewhere else’.

“If you are taking a farm business over in the future, these schemes are important,’’ she added.

Future labour

The motivational speaker of the day was Paul Harris, of REAL Success, who suggested the typical working pattern of farming has to change – the generation coming through want a proper work-life balance, not a 60hour working week.

He implored businesses to invest in staff training too, to ensure a skilled future workforce that will enhance your team and productivity.

He said: “There are many people we need to attract into this industry. We need to think differently; we need to invest in our staff.”

Many said the takeaway point from Mr Harris’ speech was the idea of mak-

Heather Whalley

Paul Harris

The first panel of the day focused on mental health and resilience. From left: Georgina Lamb, Amy Hughes, Benjamin Stubbs and Tom York.

PICTURES: MARCELLO GARBAGNOLI

ing your business a place where everyone can work – even when down to making bathroom facilities accessible.

Social media

The closing panel saw some of the most well-known social media-savvy farmers come together to give a behind-the-scenes insight into how they have made social media work for them – and made it pay.

Tom Pemberton, a Lancashire dairy farmer and YouTuber; Becca

Wilson, Yorkshire farmer and social media influencer; Olly Harrison, arable farmer and YouTuber and Charlotte Ashley, Cumbria farmer and TikTok star, all spoke of the dedication and consistency it takes to create a brand on social media, but all agreed they have found their own audiences. They also agreed that finding your own niche will help you find success on socials. All were passionate about ensuring they made consumer connec-

tions through their content, but they also said creating for farmers was important – sharing the lows could help someone in the industry feel less alone.

The monetary value cannot be ignored either.

Ms Ashley said: “The podcasts and the brand deals are a lot of money.

For me it all goes into the farm [and] our transition into dairy – that pays for cows.”

But Becca Wilson said she thought of her social media as a form of diversification.

“It is about adding value. I probably will not make income purely off the farm,” she added.

The ‘agfluencers’, left to right: Becca Wilson, Ollie Harrison, Charlotte Ashley and Tom Pemberton.

Edited by Alex Black – 01772

rUK crop conditions have improved

By Cedric Porter

GLOBAL weather patterns are impacting grain markets, which could give a little comfort to British growers expecting their smallest harvest in years.

AHDB switched its short-term wheat market barometer dials to bullish, although the six-month dial remains at neutral.

The current market is largely being made in Russia and the Black Sea, with a lack of rain in Russia through March and April plus more attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, and tension in the Middle East also contributing to higher shipping costs.

AHDB senior market analyst Helen Plant said weather events in other areas were having an impact.

“Following adverse weather and damage from leafhoppers, the Buenos Aries Grain Exchange cut its estimate of the Argentinian maize crop by 3 million tonnes to 46.5mt. Meanwhile, heavy rain and hot, dry

World weather woes boost grain market

In March, AHDB estimated the wheat area for 2024 was down 15 per cent on last year.

conditions are causing concern for maize in different parts of Brazil,” she said.

The eyes of grain market watchers will be fixed on the US Department

of Agriculture’s first projections for 2024/25 global supply and demand which are published today (May 10).

There was some improvement in UK crop conditions, according to AHDB, based on data from Andersons and RSK ADAS.

from 38 per cent to 56 per cent in the month, but down from 90 per cent the year before. Winter oilseed rape ratings were at 47 per cent – up from 31 per cent in March, but down from 66 per cent the year before.

At the end of April, 45 per cent of the winter wheat crop was rated in good to excellent condition, which was up from 34 per cent at the end of March but almost half the rate seen in the 2023 wheat crop at the same point in the season.

In March, AHDB estimated the wheat area for 2024 was down 15 per cent on last year, with a 22 per cent drop in winter barley and 29 per cent increase in spring barley.

Winter barley ratings were up

The OSR area was estimated to be 28 per cent lower. Further rain since may have impacted on the area of spring barley in particular.

‘Constricted’ abattoir sector limits farmer processing

THE constricted nature of the private kill abattoir sector is limiting what many farmers can process, according to the findings of the Scottish Small Producer Access to Abattoirs Report.

The research, conducted by Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society on behalf of the Small Producers’ Pilot Fund Steering Group and Food from Fife, showed about 40 per cent of producers said the nature of the network limited what they could process.

Challenges included the distance to the abattoir, seasonal opening, difficulty in finding a butcher and having no local abattoir.

Nearly 80 per cent of producers delivered their own livestock to abattoirs, with particularly long journey times where driving and multiple ferries were required.

For the abattoirs, undertaking private kill was not the main focus

for most of the mainland abattoir facilities, and they often found it challenging to service.

Recommendations

Six recommendations were given: understanding the cost of servicing private kills, trialling a private kill coordinator role within an abattoir business, supporting a supply chain development coordinator to be the national go-to person, signposting to sources of capital funding, considering rates relief for abattoirs and encouraging a culture of innovation and knowledge transfer.

Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie, said they were now analysing the data, acknowledging small producers were a ‘crucial lynchpin’ of the rural economy and improved access to the wider food supply chain would ‘help bolster our food security while improving fairness for our small rural businesses’.

rWeather key reason for subdued spring flush

A SMALLER than usual spring flush and reduced European production is supporting milk prices.

UK production in the first four weeks of the new milk year, beginning on April 1, was running 1.6 per cent lower than last year, according to AHDB. In the week to April 27, output was 2.2 per cent lower at 307.5 million litres. Production was running at more than a million litres a day less than the board’s forecast for the early part of the milk year. In March, it forecasted a 0.6 per cent drop in GB production for the 2024/25 season.

It is normal for milk prices to dip in May as the spring flush of milk peaks. But this year, a number of dairies increased their prices in line with a longer-term firming of values. The Arla manufacturing price rose by 0.45ppl to 40.45ppl, which was the first time it had been above 40ppl since April 2023 – a month when there was a bruising 5.3ppl price drop.

Muller kept its May price at the same level, but announced a 0.5ppl increase for June. Barbers, First Milk and South Caernarfon Creameries also published increased prices, with the only significant decrease coming

There have only been three May milk price rises in the last 50 years.

With dairies announcing unusual milk price rises for May, Cedric Porter takes a look at the milk markets.

Milk prices helped by weaker spring flush

from Tesco’s aligned contract with a drop of 0.6ppl. There have only been three May milk price rises in the last 50 years, according to Defra records. Two of those increases took place very recently – in 2021, when the market was

CHANGE IN MAY MILK PRICE IN PPL

recovering from the effects of Covid-19, and in 2022, when the average May price jumped an unprecedented 2.21ppl in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The largest fall in May prices during the last 50 years was in 2009, when it tumbled 2.64ppl – last year’s drop was 2.58ppl. The average drop in May prices over the last 50 years was almost 0.9ppl.

Kite Consulting partner John Allen said that the UK situation on its own did not make the market, but the drop in production was being mirrored elsewhere.

He said: “Much will depend on conditions in the coming weeks, especially if a good cut of silage can be made, but a 2 per cent drop in production over the milk year is quite possible.

“That might not sound much, but it equates to a few hundred million litres, which can make a significant difference to levels of dairy product stocks.

Down on the Farm

Fertilising 2nd cuts for yield and quality

Considering 1st cuts are not as heavy as we’d like, it’s important to take the right approach to 2nd cut fertilisation to build depleted silage stocks. We thread a fine line with N applications, too much produces grass with lower sugar and higher ammonia and butyric acid levels, which can make silage less palatable. Too little N compromises yield, and protein levels can be lower.

For swards with good yield potential then we would advise 90 – 100 kg/ ha of total N for 2nd cuts. In multi-cut systems, this rate may need to be adjusted where the cutting interval is less than 6 weeks. Calculate the rate by multiplying the rate of N uptake (assume 2.5 kg/ha per day) by the number of days between 1st cut harvest date and the expected 2nd cut harvest date.

Meanwhile, production is very much under pressure in Ireland and has been subdued elsewhere in Europe.”

Mr Allen expected that continued pressure on supply would support milk prices, even if demand also remained subdued.

The weather was the key reason for the subdued spring flush, according to Mike Houghton, partner at Andersons consultants, with little evidence of a conscious effort to reduce production.

“Many producers have run out of last year’s silage and cows that have been given access to grass have had problems with cell counts that mean some milk has had to be disposed of,” he said.

“In the longer-term, there is some anecdotal evidence that there is a move away from spring to autumn or late summer calving. People are wanting to avoid lower spring prices and it is difficult to get a new contract that is based on spring calving.”

Each kg of N applied should return 20-25 kg of grass dry matter (DM). If N is costing £1.00 per kg then each kg of DM is costing 5 pence to grow. In comparison, cake at £320 tonne costs 37 pence per kg DM.

Using the Fertiliser Manual (RB 209) the available N per 11 m3/ha of 6% DM cattle slurry ap-plied during the summer months is 7 kg/ha by splash plate and 9 kg/ha band spread.

Don’t apply N without applying sulphur, even on 2nd cuts. It’s an easy win, from both an economic and environmental perspective. Lastly, apply slurry within a few days of taking your 1st cut and follow on with fertiliser a week later to avoid any unnecessary 2nd cut yield loss.

with Philip Cosgrave Agronomist, Yara UK Ltd.

PICTURE: TIM SCRIVENER

Innovative ag businesses honoured by King Charles

r252 organisations recognised nationally

By Olivia Midgley

THREE agricultural businesses have been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise.

Warrendale Wagyu, S&A Produce and Millbrook Dairy are among 252 organisations nationally to be recognised and will col-

lect their awards from King Charles at Buckingham Palace.

Warrendale Wagyu managing director Tom Richardson said:

“This award recognises the innovation of a beef scheme which is all about bridging the gap between farmers and consumers and working together in a slightly different way to give producers a more stable, fairer price.”

Inspiration for the scheme was taken from the pig and poultry

Ember Energy UK WIDE

sector, with 50 farms from Devon to Aberdeen rearing Wagyu crossbreeds, predominantly from the dairy herd, from two to four weeks, taking them through to finishing.

“The firm slaughters up to 200 cattle a week, hoping to increase to 250/300 this year.”

Export

They are then processed at Dovecote Park before being sold into Waitrose and Aldi, restaurants or direct to consumers on next day delivery. The company also exports its high marbled beef, with shipments going to Hong Kong, Holland and Belgium this month.

genetics to growers across Europe and North America’.

“The unique S&A TLC model of knowledge exchange has been recognised as a key part of our award. It supports and delivers a sustainable and resilient return for independent growers, their colleagues and the communities where they live and work.”

Millbrook Dairy founders Kevin Beer and David Evans said the extraordinary teamwork, deeprooted relationships, and values shared across its whole team have been a major contributor to its success.

Producers make on average 6-8 per cent on the cost of production.

WANTED

TURBINES FOR REPOWERING

Mr Richardson added: “Dairy beef schemes like ours ensure value is given to every calf and a dairybred calf means the cow is dual purpose, producing both milk and beef, and therefore more sustainable, with the beef calf effectively a byproduct.”

S&A group managing director Peter Judge said its award reflected work to ‘bring market changing

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect The King’s desire to continue the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses.

The award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards emblem for the next five years.

Farmers the only losers of compulsory purchase changes

PLANS to allow councils to buy cheaper land to build social and affordable homes have been criticised by the CLA, warning farmers will be the only ones in the supply chain to lose out.

Councils will be able to buy cheaper land to help build social and affordable homes without paying ‘hope value’ costs, under changes which came into force last week.

The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023, allows bodies such as Homes England and councils using Compulsory Purchase Orders and looking to build, to apply to the Secretary of State to remove ‘hope value’.

This is under the condition development is in the public interest and is facilitating affordable or social housing, health or educational uses.

CLA president Victoria Vyvyan said: “More affordable housing is desperately needed, but removing hope value from compulsory purchases is tantamount to asking farmers to bear the cost of fixing a housing crisis they did not cause.

Only part

“I very much doubt the house builders who will be contracted by councils to do the work will be taking a lower profit, so once again farmers will be the only part of the supply chain to lose out.”

She added the changes could ‘harm the viability of many farms’.

“Farmers are already hard-pressed, and compulsory purchase of land at a knock-down price, will undermine their business.”

Warrendale Wagyu was among the businesses honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise.

With contract legislation in focus for the dairy sector and beyond, Jennie Wheildon, of Shakespeare Martineau, looks at what producers need to know. Alex Black reports.

Understanding key to new supplier contract legislation

rConsultation widely welcomed by industry

WEATHER challenges, high input costs and changes to farming support schemes have put the issue of fairness in the supply chain fully in focus across the farming industry.

Contract legislation has been a key part of those discussions, with the dairy sector in the spotlight, with a review launched in December by the Government to look at ensuring fairness in the supply chain and access to quality British produce.

Jennie Wheildon, partner in the agriculture team at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said the

consultation had been widely welcomed by the industry.

“However, as new terms and conditions fall into place, it is essential that all food producers understand and ensure these are applied to their own contracts,” she said.

Criticised

She highlighted that historically contracts had been criticised for being ‘heavily balanced in favour of buyers rather than producers’.

“Things came to a head in the Covid-19 pandemic, with the publicity surrounding farmers seeing their contracts cancelled on short notice, it is difficult to forget the shocking images of milk being poured down the drain following the coffee shop closures,” she said.

“Following the Government review, we are seeing new legislation being brought in to increase transparency and improve negotiation of contract terms and prices.

“The Fair Dealing Obligations [Milk] Regulations 2024 [‘Draft Regulations’] looks to introduce mandatory minimum terms for dairy contracts, including terms that state all buyers must act in good faith with consideration to the producer, and outlines possible penalties in case of breaches,” Ms Wheildon said.

HAMPTON STEEL

“Further requirements will include minimum notice periods to be given by the processor in cases of termination, contractual variations requiring permission of the producer and the right of the producer to refer concerns regarding contracts to the Secretary of State.”

Other sectors will now be watching the dairy sector.

“Everyone involved in agriculture should have a good understanding of the changes and consider how the

Draft Regulations could be applied to their supply contracts,” Ms Wheildon added.

“For example, The draft regulations will introduce a 21-day ‘cooling-off’ period in which food producers will have the time to review their contract terms.

“To ensure this is best utilised, food producers are advised to seek appropriate legal advice to ensure that the minimum terms are incorporated into their own contracts.”

The regulations look to improve contract terms for dairy producers.

Jennie Wheildon

The theme of the 2024 Cultivate conference, held at Heaton House Farm in Cheshire last week, was ‘rooted in resilience’. Katie Jones reports.

Cultivate Conference: Building a resilient leadership style

rSpeakers share their tips for business success

SPEAKERS at the Cultivate Conference, of which Farmers Guardian was media partner, focused on how delegates could build leadership skills to be resilient to change, and ultimately embrace change.

Keynote speaker, Paul McGee, a best-selling author is best known for his shut up and move on (SUMO) – approach to leadership and management.

He said: “The ‘shut up’ part is how we get the best out of ourselves, others and life. The ‘move on’ is the takeaways for business and personal life.”

Mr McGee said resilience was not about always being positive, but instead he said it was important to give yourself permission to feel not okay. This he described as ‘hippo time’.

“Hippo time is okay,” he said. “Allow yourself to wallow, but be careful who you spend your hippo time with.”

He added, it was important not to get into a ‘victim mindset’ during this time and start blaming others.

“This time is a detour, and it is not meant to be the destination,” he said.

Instead, Mr McGee said it was important to focus on what was in your ‘green zone’ which are the areas that are within your control.

“Focus on the things you can do something about. The more you focus on this green zone area, the larger it becomes,” he said.

When facing a challenge, Mr McGee said there were seven questions

Paul McGee’s seven questions to help you ‘shut up and move on’

1 Where is this issue on a scale of one to 10?

2 How important will this be in six months’ time?

3 Is my response appropriate and effective?

4 How can I influence or improve the situation?

5 What can I learn from this?

6 What will I do differently next time?

7 What can I find that is positive in this situation?

you should ask yourself to help you ‘shut up and move on’ (see panel).

Throughout these questions, Mr McGee advised having ‘curiosity and humility’ to listen to others and be open to ideas.

He said: “It is also important to realise what your perspective on these challenges is, and be able to communicate that to other people. It is not just about understanding other people’s perspective in these situations.”

Also speaking at the event, Tom Warner of Warner’s Distillery, a gin producer based in Northamptonshire, explained how his company had forged a transformational path in the spirits industry.

He said: “In our journey to become the world’s leading natural flavour spirits business, we strive to do the right thing.”

He explained this meant doing the right thing by people, the planet, and ‘doing business right’. And he said he had taken numerous learnings since founding the company in 2012. These included self-belief, adaptability and the importance of having the right team.

He said: “Confidence in you will get you through the hard times, but the ability to pivot and adjust to changing circumstances is vital.

“And build a team of mountaineers; attitude is everything, hire radiators not drains. We want people with a cando attitude and resilience.”

Warner’s Distillery has just been

awarded agricultural export champion by the Department for Business and Trade.

In a fireside chat with Farmers Guardian editor, Olivia Midgley, Jim Bloom, the founder of Warrendale Farms described himself as ‘a disrupter’ who saw the value in other people’s skillset.

He said: “I enjoy a challenge. If people tell me I can not do something, I find a way to do it.”

However, he added it was also crucial to seek and take on board good advice.

“I employ people that have better skills than me, and I realised early on that I needed a land agent, a solicitor and people with sales knowledge to help me take the business forward.

“I am someone who sees other people’s attributes and utilizes them in my business.”

The final speaker of the day, Samantha Kinghorn, truly epitomises resilience. Ms Kinghorn, a double paralympic medallist and five-times world championship medallist, described her unwavering determination following a freak accident on her family farm in 2010, which left her with a lifechanging injury.

She said that faced with the prospect of using a wheelchair for the rest of her life, she decided not just to accept it, but embrace it.

She tried wheelchair racing while in the spinal injuries unit in hospital, and

this led to a successful career in the sport, which has seen her compete for Great Britain at the Paralympics and World Para Athletic Championships. Ms Kinghorn said: “Life can be very short or very long, why spend time doing something you do not enjoy.”

Farmers Guardian editor Olivia Midgley with Jim Bloom.

Paul McGee

Samantha Kinghorn

GLOBAL AG VIEW

r

Deal unlikely to threaten UK exports

By Alex Black

IMPROVED access for New Zealand sheepmeat, beef and dairy to the European Union as part of the new NZ–EU free trade agreement (FTA) was unlikely to pose a threat to UK exports.

The FTA came into force on May 1 and will allow increased volumes of New Zealand sheepmeat into the EU.

However, according to AHDB, this was unlikely to displace UK exports.

The UK shipped 79,700 tonnes of fresh and frozen product to the EU in 2023, valued at £524 million. For New Zealand, the EU is its second largest market, with 54,000t exported last year.

Fresh lamb accounts for 84 per cent of total UK sheepmeat exports to the EU.

The main cuts exported from New Zealand include frozen bone-in lamb,

A new free trade agreement will allow increased volumes of New Zealand sheepmeat into the EU.

New Zealand–EU deal comes into force

assumed to be frozen lamb legs, at 47 per cent of total exports.

Concerns

Jess Corsair, AHDB senior economist, said there had been some concerns the deal could pose a threat to the UK export trade.

“However, our analysis has highlighted several factors to allay the concerns of UK sheepmeat exporters.

EU sheepmeat production fell in 2023 and is expected to fall further this year, helping to consolidate the UK’s position as the major supplier to this market,” she said.

“Given the different products and markets of the UK and New Zealand, it would suggest that when the new

FTA is in force, New Zealand product will not displace UK sheepmeat exports to the EU.”

For dairy, the UK’s strong foothold in the EU market should also remain on a sound footing. Similarly, the UK exports much more beef to the EU than New Zealand.

Ms Corsair said: “The UK’s market share in the EU for the main dairy products – milk powder, butter, cheese and dairy processed animal proteins and whey products – is strong at 65 per cent, 70 per cent, 64 per cent and 66 per cent respectively.

“Butter is the only category where New Zealand has had a notable market share and this is falling.”

For beef, about a third of New Zea-

USDA tests beef mince for bird flu

BEEF mince samples collected by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) from stores in states with outbreaks in dairy cattle herds have tested negative for the H5N1 (avian flu) virus.

USDA said on May 1 that all the ground beef samples sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories for PCR testing were negative for the H5N1 virus.

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service collected 30 samples from

retail outlets in the states with dairy cattle herds which had tested positive for H5N1 at the time of sample collection.

Safe supply

The USDA said it reaffirmed meat supply was safe.

Federal authorities have been working to confirm the safety of milk and meat products after the detection of H5N1 in 34 dairy cattle herds across nine states since the end of March.

Additionally, one case has been confirmed in a person in Texas. Farm cats have also been found to have died after drinking infected raw milk.

The affected states were Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas.

The Food and Drug Administration said preliminary results of tests on additional dairy products showed pasteurisation inactivates the bird flu virus.

land beef exports were fresh, boneless cuts but in much smaller amounts than the UK. Ms Corsair added this will be a key area to ‘keep an eye on’.

Serbian farmers blame EU imports for lack of profitability

PIG farmers in Serbia have blamed a surge in pork imports from EU member states for pushing its average profitability back beneath the breakeven point.

A recovery in the industry had not lasted long, according to local news outlet Agropress.

Bora Suljmanac, a pig farmer, said: “Again, we are working without profit; some farmers generate slight losses, and some are financially performing close to zero. Cereals and oilseeds are now significantly cheaper than last year, but feed is still expensive.”

He added feed prices had not dropped by the same levels as the grain markets.

Recent outbreaks of African swine fever also added pressure on the industry. The disease had not yet hit industrial farms, but some operations were still hurt by quarantine restrictions.

Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768

Hannah Hetherington and Tom Martin are 18 months into a Norfolk County Council farm tenancy and learning new things every day. Sara Gregson paid them a visit.

County council farm provides opportunity for new entrants

The 47-hectare (116-acre) Mendhams Farm at Outwell, owned by Norfolk County Council Farms Estate, lies on the border with Cambridgeshire, has a Peterborough postcode and a Wisbech address.

Its previous tenant had worked and lived there for decades, but the tenancy became vacant in spring 2022. Hannah and Tom, now both 24 years old, saw the advert on Facebook and thought this could be a way of securing a home together as well as a farm.

Tom is originally from a farming family, growing up on a mixed farm with 600 ewes and 30 Hereford suckler cows at Hilgay in Norfolk. With three brothers and a fit and active father, Tom could see no immediate future for himself there.

So, he set himself up as a self-employed contract shepherd, investing in a truck, a quad bike, some electric fencing and mobile handling equipment, and started a store lamb enterprise. This involves finishing lambs on cover crops grown mainly on large estates and farms in the north and

I looked after 9,000. I am hoping to break the 10,000 mark this coming winter.”

The lambs arrive on lorries in October and go straight out to grass for the first few weeks before going onto the cover crops. Tom prefers putting the lambs on stubble turnips as they are not frost-sensitive and the lambs finish well on them.

The land where they are grazed is mainly free draining, which minimises any foot disease problems –although, this year’s wet winter has been challenging.

west of Norfolk. The lambs come from Yorkshire and Suffolk, and the host farmers get a weekly headage payment per animal, with Tom carrying out all the day-to-day tasks and receiving a management fee from the lamb owners.

Tom says: “I started this three years ago, making the most of the upsurge in interest from arable growers wanting to put cover crops into their rotations. Sheep are ideal for mowing the cover crops down and fertilising the ground with their manure.

“The first year I had 3,000 store lambs, and this more than doubled to 7,000 in the second year. This year,

In winter, he travels up to 100 miles a day to check on all the sites where the store lambs are, but does have the help of another self-employed contract shepherd, Peter Mackintosh.

Tom also has a contract shearing business with his younger brother Joe. Starting three years ago, they shear up to 12,000 ewes across East Anglia in May and June. Tom then goes on to do harvest jobs on a large estate, which keeps him busy

Continues over the page.

Every day is a school day for us and we are learning new things about the farm and the flock all the time

TOM MARTIN

Hannah and Tom used Aberfield rams on their flock of Romney ewes.

Tom Martin and Hannah Hetherington.

FARM PROFILE NORFOLK

until the next crop of store lambs arrive in autumn.

Hannah was unsure which career path to take when she left college and has since had a couple of different roles, working with agronomists in crop protection and also soil sampling across the country for a regenerative agriculture fertiliser company.

For the past three years, she has been working at McCains in Whittlesey as a regional crop manager, supporting their potato growers full-time.

Hannah says: “Although I am not from a farming family, I always knew I wanted to work outdoors.

“When Easton College came to school and did a talk about the courses they offered, I was excited that this might offer the right opportunities for me. I did a Level 3 Diploma in agriculture with 35 others, including

Farm facts

■ Norfolk County Council farm

■ 47 hectares (116 acres)

■ Previously all arable

■ Now all herbal ley

■ 300 draft Romney ewes lambed this spring

■ Expansion plans to 600 plus ewes

■ Lambs finished off ewes or cover crops over winter

■ Work dovetails with Tom’s contract shepherding services

Tom. We left in the spring of 2019.”

Hannah and Tom visited two county council farms which had their tenancies up for renewal, but they set their heart on Mendhams Farm because of its position set back from the road.

Business plan

Then just 21 years old, they had to write a full business plan to pitch to the councillors in a competitive bid against 10 other hopefuls. After attending a two-day intensive training course, they spent a month’s worth of evenings deciding what they wanted to do and writing it down.

Part of the brief specified some element of diversification. Tom and Hannah devised a plan to plant a pumpkin patch and invite the public onto the farm to pick them, while learning more about farming.

DIVERSIFICATION ENTERPRISE PUMPKIN PATCH

2023 SUMMARY

■ 0.8 hectares (two acres)

■ Plants put in by contractor

■ Facebook marketing and 5,000 leaflets

■ Open for one week in October

■ Free entry

■ Pizza van, craft stalls, ball pit, and toy tractors

■ Rained every day

■ More than 1,000 people came

They both feel this ‘reconnection’ is a really important part of their job.

The business plan was accepted and the couple then attended an interview with a panel of nine people.

“The questions were not too hard,” says Hannah.

“We had been living and breathing our business plan for so long that we knew it inside out, so none of their questions caught us out. It was a nerve-wracking two or three days waiting to hear though. I was out rolling up fleeces with Tom who was shearing when we got the call – it was all very exciting.”

Hannah and Tom got the keys in May 2022 and moved onto the farm the following October, living initially in a caravan while the county council renovated the house, before moving in last year.

The land at Mendhams Farm is

■ 700 pumpkins sold

■ Great feedback received LESSONS LEARNED

■ Need to get pumpkin plants in earlier to fight weeds

■ Could grow a greater variety of pumpkins and other plants, such as sunflowers

■ Introduce more livestock, such as rabbits, goats, cows and calves

flat and the soil is heavy clay – it had been in arable crops for years. Tom and Hannah put the whole farm into the Countryside Stewardship scheme and drilled a GS4 legume and herb-rich ley in autumn 2023, after growing a final spring barley crop before it.

Tom says: “The grass was a bit slow to establish. We had a very hot, dry patch when it went in and then it became very wet in the winter with lakes and ponds appearing everywhere, but it was ready for our new ewe flock by the end of March.”

Three-hundred Romney draft ewes had been bought from Ashford market for an average price of £90 per ewe and were tupped by three Aberfield rams. The draft ewes are four years old or more, and were one of the most economical ways for Hannah and Tom to start a flock from scratch.

PICTURES: KEITH MINDHAM

Hannah and Tom got the keys to Mendhams Farm in May 2022.

The farm’s pumpkin patch welcomed more than 1,000 visitors last year.

“The ewes did not pregnancy scan very well, but that is to be expected for their age. We have taken our chances with them and the empty ewes have sold for slightly above their purchase price, so they have not made a loss,” says Hannah.

“The ewes that have given birth are excellent mothers and we have hardly seen any of them lamb. They are milking really well and we have had very few lamb losses.”

The couple plan to sell as many lambs as possible off the ewes in August and September deadweight through Anglia Quality Meats. Any lambs not reaching target market weights will join the store lambs on the cover crops for the winter.

In the future, Tom and Hannah want to run a closed flock, breeding their own replacement females. They hope to breed out lameness and the need to offer supplementary feed to the ewes or the lambs, finishing just on pasture or cover crops.

Grazing

When they moved in the land was poorly fenced, so Tom is now putting in permanent fencing and 1,600 metres of mixed hedges which grants have helped to pay for.

The ewes are set-stocked for now, as the farm does not have enough sheep on it, but eventually the idea is to rotationally graze the sheep around in cells, moving to a fresh

The ewes that have given birth are excellent mothers, says Hannah.

paddock every three days. Tom is also putting in pipes and tanks to make water accessible in every field.

“Our aim is to reach a flock of 600 ewes or more,” says Tom.

“Every day is a school day for us and we are learning new things about the farm and the flock all the time. For example: How much grass can this land grow if managed correctly? At the moment we do not know, but we are getting an idea.

“Our rolling 10-year tenancy, which could take us up to our retirement, gives us security to make longterm decisions and investments.”

The couple’s enthusiasm and dedication to their farming businesses is already being rewarded,

with Tom winning £8,000 from the Chris Lewis Award in 2023 for his shepherding skills. Presented by the Norfolk Farmers Trust and the Clan Trust, the award is named after a respected stockman and pedigree sheep breeder who is known for supporting young people.

With his prize money, Tom bought an electronic mobile sheep weigh crate, complete with equipment that will record data to increase stock performance and management efficiency.

Tom and Hannah have also been nominated in the Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Rural Business Awards for the best emerging talent. The winners will be announced in June.

The ewes are set-stocked for now, but eventually the idea is to rotationally graze the sheep around in cells, moving to a fresh paddock every three days.

Combining her photography skills with her love of farming has proved a recipe for success for Cumbrian farmer Amy Bateman. Alex Black reports.

With her background firmly in agriculture, photographer Amy Bateman has been able to successfully showcase every aspect of Cumbrian farming to the world.

Amy became a freelance photographer in 2019, specialising in the agricultural and commercial sector.

She has been capturing the history and tradition of agriculture in the county through her images and bringing them to the public through her book and exhibitions, plus offering photography tours and classes on-farm.

Last year was a spectacular year for Amy, which culminated in winning the Diversification of the Year (Small to Medium) category at the British Farming Awards.

She says: “It was just the culmination of a fantastic year. It gives us the validation that what we are doing is paying off.”

On-farm, Amy runs photography workshops, allowing the public to experience and capture the beauty of Cumbria for themselves.

There are also two glamping pods on-farm, which people can book to stay in during their photography trips.

The unique selling point of the farm stays is the ecological

WORD FROM THE SPONSOR

XSet up by farmers for farmers, NFU Mutual is the UK’s leading rural insurer. With more than 280 offices located in rural towns and villages, it remains committed to serving its customers. With expertise, products and services for all types of farms, NFU Mutual is there to protect what matters most. As

DIVERSIFICATION OF THE YEAR (SMALL TO MEDIUM)

aspect, as they have recently installed solar panels on the sheep sheds to provide power for the pods. Amy is also passionate about supporting other local businesses.

Forty Farms

Amy’s Forty Farms project tells the story of 40 farms in Cumbria, from Lake District hill farms to the Solway marches, capturing each aspect of Cumbrian farming.

Forty Farms is now on tour, with tens of thousands of visitors having already attended.

The exhibition is being curated for the Food Museum, Stowmarket, East Anglia, to open in May 2024 until February 2025, with Amy looking to showcase this story of Cumbrian farming to the rest of the UK.

The hardback book contains more than 340 pages of images and conversations; each conversation exploring aspects of change in the working landscape of Cumbria and each image capturing something of life on the land today.

Amy says the aim is to reach and engage with those who are not so familiar with the farming way of life.

She is determined to get her Forty Farms exhibition to London ‘one way or another’ and is exploring options with city

well as insurance, NFU Mutual offers risk management advice, financial planning services and machinery inspection, and supports initiatives and charities which help rural communities.

Thursday, October 17, 2024

farms and Waterloo Station. Winning the British Farming Award has helped open up doors and conversations about the farm.

She says: “Having those awards backs up what you

FARM FACTS

X Based in Kendal, Cumbria X 364 hectares (900 acres) of mixed permanent grassland X 40 cross Hereford sucklers and 1,300 composite breed sheep

are doing. It has certainly helped, having that status.”

Another book is also in the pipeline for Amy.

Valuable

She urges people to consider applying for the awards, saying: ‘you have to be in it to win it’.

She adds it is a ‘very valuable’ thing to have, particularly in the diversification category.

“You get to be able to say: ‘we are an award-winning business’,” she adds.

Sponsored by

Amy Bateman

DIVERSIFICATION OF THE YEAR (LARGE)

Over the years a number of successful diversi cation enterprises have been added to the core arable farming business at Priory Farm. Olivia Midgley reports.

Leading the team at Priory Farm is David Rawlings, who, through innovation and strategic adaption to market conditions, has successfully diversified into multiple enterprises.

The introduction of a wedding venue, glamping pods and a vodka production business have all added to the core arable farming business and boosted profitability, while also supporting its future longevity.

Opening in 2010, the Priory Barn and cottages have proved a huge success, offering a unique location for weddings and events with a converted barn, a marquee and seven cottages around a private courtyard.

Six years later, work began on the production of vodka from the potatoes grown on-farm and distilled on-site. As a potato supplier to some large retailers and restaurants, David was keen to utilise the surplus produce and sought inspiration from one of his employees who had moved from Poland to work and live on the farm with his family.

Winning a British Farming Award has meant a huge amount to the whole team, says David, who runs the business in partnership with his sister Shirley, his daughter Serena, and Shirley’s daughter Charlotte.

“Winning a British Farming Award was the best feeling

WORD FROM THE SPONSOR

XAs one of the UK`s leading independent holiday let rental agencies, Sykes Holiday Cottages can offer holiday homeowners first-rate advice, combining trusted experience with invaluable local expertise.

We understand the issues affecting

to get recognition of what we have spent the last 10-15 years doing,” he says.

“There was a tremendous feel-good factor, with neighbours ringing me up with their congratulations, and I am still dining out on that.”

David encourages other farmers to enter the awards.

He adds: “Documenting everything you have done is a good feeling in itself. My advice to anyone thinking about it would be to just go for it.”

For those who are thinking about diversifying their business, he advises them to do their research.

He says: “You have to have an objective as to why you are diversifying. You must have a reason to diversify –either financial or personal satisfaction – but there has to be a good reason. You then have to see it through to the end and do not give up, no matter what challenges you face.”

Enthusiasm

David says that maintaining this enthusiasm and drive is key, as is remaining in the ‘correct state of mind’ when things get tough.

He says accessing finance is one of the biggest challenges farm businesses can face.

“Our most expensive

farmers and can help maximise your income and fulfil your farm’s potential through diversification into holiday letting.

Sykes Holiday Cottages has won the British Travel Award for Best Large Holiday Cottage Booking Company for 10 consecutive years.

diversification was the wedding venue and the cottages,” he adds. “We obtained finance for that in the old days through the Agricultural Mortgage

Corporation, who were very supportive. The glamping business we managed off our own backs with a bit of bank overdraft.”

accommodation on-site

X Priory self-catering holiday cottages named after nearby Syningthwaite Priory

X Wedding venue and seven cottages around a private courtyard, plus glamping

X Priory Vodka launched in 2017 and uses potatoes to form its base spirit

X Based in Syningthwaite, North Yorkshire, which is central in the golden triangle: Leeds, York and Harrogate

FARM FACTS

Sponsored by

David Rawlings

ARABLE

Edited by Ash Ellwood – 07786 190

Back in 1338, the Kingsfleet waterway at Felixstowe Ferry in Suffolk was rather busier than it is today.

It was in this natural river basin that King Edward III is said to have assembled his ships before setting sail to do battle with the French in the Hundred Years’ War.

‘Fleet’ is derived from the old English ‘fleot’ for creek or inlet.

Nowadays, the scene is a little more tranquil. Situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Kingsfleet, which once opened directly into the River Deben and thence to the North Sea, has silted up and the lagoon is now a fishing lake.

Most recently it has become home to Felixstowe Hydrocycle.

An unassuming green pumphouse nestling behind the sea wall and twin pumps in the adjacent lagoon, are the only outward signs of this pioneering water management project, which will safeguard the irrigation water supply for a forward-thinking group of farmers in the area for years to come.

Water resources in East Anglia are under pressure from climate change, demand for irrigation and population growth.

The wet winter of 2023-24 may bely the region’s status as the driest in the UK – it receives on average 630mm of rainfall per year – but the long-term trend is predicted to be one of even lower rainfall as a result of climate change.

Licence cuts

Farmers and growers in eastern England have already seen abstraction licence cuts and many more are expecting annual licence

Forward-thinking farmers in east Suffolk have teamed up with a range of stakeholders to create a water management project that will protect both access to irrigation water and the environment. Teresa Rush reports.

Recycling scheme safeguards irrigation supplies in Suffolk

Felixstowe Hydrocycle pumps

600,000cu.m of recycled drainage water inland from the Kingsfleet waterway to a series of 13 farm reservoirs.

reductions of between 20 and 40 per cent, and even as much as 80 per cent in some catchments, as planned abstraction reforms are implemented in 2028.

The situation is particularly pronounced on the Felixstowe Peninsula in east Suffolk, an area of intensive arable and highvalue field vegetable production, where farmers estimate they need an additional one million cu.m of water to meet irrigation demand.

This is against a backdrop of a predicted shortfall of supply within five years unless additional water can be brought into the area.

Further internal drainage board discharge of drainage water could also risk damaging important wetland habitats at Kingsfleet.

Water resources in East Anglia

are also under increasing pressure from a growing population.

In recent years, the East of England has topped the table for population growth, with an increase of 8.3 per cent between 2011-2021, according to the Office for National Statistics.

In response to this situation, in

2018, six farm businesses (see panel), initially supported by the East Suffolk Water Abstractors Group, came together with a number of partners to form Felixstowe Hydrocycle, a water management project designed to bring sustainably sourced fresh water to the Felixstowe Peninsula.

MANAGED AQUIFER RECHARGE (MAR) TRIAL

MAR is an innovative method of water storage, which makes use of the water-holding capacity of natural underground aquifers.

It is being trialled as part of the Felixstowe Hydrocycle scheme as it offers the potential for water storage in the region’s red crag deposits without the need for costly reservoirs.

Surplus water is pumped into shallow lagoons where it will soak into the ground, helping to recharge groundwater stores. The aim is to demonstrate a fully operational system that the Environment Agency will license, together with a road map to help develop further commercial MAR schemes in the future.

John Patrick

Technical details

PUMPING

■ Twoeelfriendlyriverscreen pumps

■ Two45kWboosterpumps operatingat12bar

■ Flowratesof236cu.m/hour

■ Remotecontrol

PIPELINE

■ Avoidssensitivearchaeological andenvironmentalsites

■ Two200mmpvcpipelinesina commontrench

■ Supplying13differentreservoirs upto14kminland

■ Crossing10differentlandholdings

The project combines drainage water capture and transfer along with a managed aquifer recharge trial.

Felixstowe Hydrocycle sources its water from the Kingsfleet, where drainage water from Felixstowe, Ipswich and surrounding areas collects in a natural basin.

The East Suffolk Internal Drainage Board (IDB) has historically pumped more than 1m tonnes of ‘surplus’ water from the Kingsfleet out into the estuary of the tidal River Deben each year and it is this water that is being re-used.

Pumping

“Why, when we were short of water, were we pumping drainage water coming out of Ipswich, Felixstowe and agricultural land out to sea; it seemed mad,” says John Patrick, who after more than 30 years working as a farm manager and farms director in the field vegetable sector, is now an independent consultant with Sustainable Water Solutions and a director of Felixstowe Hydrocycle.

Not only was this water ‘lost’ to sea, but the action of the highvolume land drainage pumps was believed to be contributing to erosion of the saltmarsh, he adds.

The scheme will help to minimise this erosion, while leaving sufficient flow to support wading birds and maintain the integrity of the mudflats and saltmarsh.

Local conservation groups are working alongside the IDB to restore the mudflats with the

Felixstowe Hydrocycle company members (founding members)

■ Home Farm (Nacton)

■ J. Hollingsworth and Sons

■ Michael Paul

■ Nat Le Roux

■ William Kerr (Farms)

■ W.O. and P.O. Jolly (Ipswich)

growers involved in

project

support of a Defra Water Environment Grant.

Some 600,000cu.m of recycled drainage water is pumped inland from the Kingsfleet to a series of 13 farm reservoirs, via twin abstraction floating transfer pumps sited in the lagoon and 14km of 200mm PVC pipeline.

There is capacity to pump a further 300,000cu.m a year subject to Environment Agency approval and sufficient water must always be left to ensure an agreed minimum flow in the catchment.

Although simple in design, the scheme is believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

Construction started in autumn 2019 and Felixstowe Hydrocycle pumped its first water to growers’ reservoirs in January 2020.

Most of the farm reservoirs now connected to the pipeline were already in existence, with growers investing ahead of the curve, in readiness for forthcoming abstraction licence clawbacks, says Mr Patrick.

However, three new reservoirs have been constructed in the past three years linked directly to the project and another is coming onstream this year.

Growers are charged 30p/cu.m of water, which covers delivery

Partners and supporters

■ Fresh4C UK partners: Environment Agency; Suffolk County Council; University of East Anglia

■ Observer partners and supporters: East Suffolk Water Abstraction Group; NFU, Natural England, UK Irrigation Association

charges and will also repay their original loan to the scheme, adds Mr Patrick.

The pumps, pumping station and pipeline were supplied and installed by Suffolk-based Prime Irrigation, following an open tendering process.

Telemetry

System monitoring, remote alarm and meter reading functions are operated via mobile phone, with telemetry to share live data on water flow and allow remote management of reservoir fill requests installed this year.

There is a European dimension to the project, with approximately 50 per cent of Felixstowe Hydrocycle’s £1.6m cost secured through funding €969,000 (£831,791) from the European Union under FRESH4Cs; a €6 million (£515,035), three-year initiative, supported by

the 2 Seas European Regional Development Fund.

The remainder was provided by the six farm businesses.

The Felixstowe Hydrocycle founding growers were forward-thinking, says Mr Patrick.

He says: “They probably did not need that water immediately.

“But in the drought of 2022 they did and, with the proposed licence cutbacks, they definitely will have future-proofed their supply of irrigation water for the next 25 years.

“If we need to irrigate a crop of potatoes here eight times in a standard summer, by 2050 we will be doing it 10 or 11 times.”

With two further hydrocycle schemes already underway in the region, Felixstowe Hydrocycle is helping to demonstrate how collaboration can help secure vital supplies of irrigation water as competition for water increases.

The

the

have future-proofed their supply of irrigation water for the next 25 years, says director John Patrick.

The pumphouse and twin floating transfer pumps in the lagoon which pumped the project’s first water in January 2020.

ARABLE

Crop production specialist Hutchinsons has launched a major upgrade of its Omnia Digital Farming system, which extends to both functionality and ease of use. Jamie Day reports.

EasyPlan upgrade for Omnia digital agronomy platform

rSystem used by more than 4,000 users

WITH recent consolidation in the digital farm management sector, the company emphasises that the Omnia platform is designed in Britain for use by British farmers. Hutchinsons says its data-driven precision management system will help the arable industry become more productive and sustainable and quantify the impact of operations on the environment – assisting in waste reduction and improving soil health, water and air management and biodiversity.

The Omnia platform was first established in 2016, initially as a precision planning and nutrient management tool. It has evolved over the subsequent years to include more crop management features in response to user demand. Omnia is now used by more than 4,000 users covering 1.5 million hectares across the UK.

Upgrade

The latest EasyPlan upgrade follows an 18-month development programme. Omnia is now a fully cloud-based system that performs all crop management tasks. The combination of new and heavily upgraded modules allows users to easily create field plans and records, manage stocks and choose who to share the data with – for example agronomists and spray operators.

Hutchinsons’ head of Omnia Oliver Wood says: “Omnia’s EasyPlan upgrade represents a major digital leap forward in crop production.

“It is the most advanced, easy-to-use farm management solution for growers – a British system for British agri-

A new module added to Omnia enables users to create audited spray plans to ensure they comply with pesticide regulations, Voluntary Initiative guidelines, labels and usage conditions.

■ Fullycloud-basedsystem performingallcropmanagementtasks

■ Createfieldplans,records,manage stockandliveoperationrecording

■ Newsprayplanmodulethatcan beauditedbyHALOcropprotection databasetoensurecompliance withlegislation,VoluntaryInitiative guidelines,labelsandusageconditions ■ OmniaScoutappupgrade includinginteractivetankmixingtool

culture – that combines data and agronomic expertise and is not currently offered by any other precision software provider.”

As with previous Omnia functionality, the EasyPlan upgrade is compatible with the most popular machines and platforms and can be accessed online from any device – although users still have the option of a paperbased system if they prefer.

The upgrade includes an extension of the existing Field Diary module into a fully comprehensive farm management system. Live field operations can

be recorded as they happen through new task management functionality. A calendar view for task planning allows multiple plans to be combined into a single task and logged in a specific area for operators to access. Field records are then automatically shown within the existing Production module, to allow a complete gross margin analysis.

A new module that enables users to create spray plans has been added to the update. The plans will be audited by Hutchinsons’ bespoke HALO crop protection database to ensure they comply with pesticide legislation, Voluntary Initiative guidelines, labels and usage conditions. HALO is checked and enhanced daily by Hutchinsons’ in-house technical experts to ensure regulatory compliance.

The company says the new Spray Plan module – the most requested addition from consultations with its growers – will give agronomists and BASISregistered farmers the ability to write their own spray recommendations.

COSTINGS

The Omnia Scout app will be upgraded this summer, allowing operators to view and complete tasks in the field, along with providing an interactive tank mix tool for spray plans to help operators with product and water requirements. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Mr Wood adds: “The EasyPlan upgrade offers a set of exciting developments allowing for complete paperless record-keeping and work management, setting a new standard for farm management technology in the UK.

Following an 18-month development programme, Omnia is now a fully cloud-based system.

OMNIAwiththeEasyPlanupgrade willbeavailablewithinthecurrent FieldManager(£3.15/hectare) andBusinessManager(£6/ha) subscriptionlevels,withBusiness Managerbeingrequiredforthe HALOauditingfunctionality. Fornewusers,theOmnia freeAccessaccountofferssome limitedfunctionality,including annualcroppingplans,farm mapsandvisualisingyielddata.

“Since its launch as a precision mapping system eight years ago, the platform has evolved into a broader digital farming system offering a range of valuable and user-friendly business modules, such as cost of production, yield mapping, rotational planning and carbon mapping tools.

“With its user-friendly interface and unparallelled functionality, the EasyPlan upgrade takes this one step further and underlines Hutchinsons’ focus on innovation and excellence and unwavering commitment and vision for Omnia,” he says.

Omnia EasyPlan in brief

Oliver Wood

PICTURE: TIM SCRIVENER

As conditions finally dry out, maize crops are beginning to be drilled with a heightened interest in incorporating grain maize into the arable rotation. Ash Ellwood reports.

Opportunities of grain maize

rProvides increased gross margins

MAIZE drilling is finally underway with growers aiming to finish within the optimum window – before the end of May. Many growers might be looking towards grain maize as an alternative break crop as the crop increases in popularity. Grain maize also has the ability to provide increased gross margins and less vulnerability to weather.

Technical lead at the Maize Growers Association Jon Myhill says: “With drilling happening later this year, grain maize is an option which can withstand more drought than other traditional spring crops, so the consistency will be there for October harvest yields.”

Establishment

Establishment is often similar for grain maize as forage maize, but the varieties have been tailored to focus on grain yield rather than overall yield. Growers should select varieties that mature early enough to fit in with the wider arable rotation and workload.

When drilling maize, ground conditions are very important with soil temperature recommended to be between eight to 10degC, three consecutive mornings at 9am.

“Growers are better off assessing soil temperatures first thing in the morning, in a non-shaded area and at

the same points each day to prevent variations in field or soil types,” he says.

To create optimum drilling conditions growers could be on the lookout for excess soil moisture with maize preferring light, free-draining soils.

“Soil conditions are the main factor to watch this year as growers try to avoid compaction from cultivations or the drill,” says Mr Myhill.

Although patience in waiting for the soil to dry out is one option for growers with wet soils, where soils are capped on top but wet underneath, deep cultivations might be beneficial.

“I have heard of growers not planning on ploughing, who have this year turned to the plough because the fields are still so wet and they just need to get some air in to dry the soils out.

“I would say it is better to be patient and wait for conditions rather than try and force a seedbed at the moment.

Rising demand for grain maize from feed producers

MAIZE Growers Association

council member Will Oliver says when it comes to grain maize, several opportunities exist commercially, with rising demand for it as a component of livestock and poultry feed.

Having produced grain maize himself for the last five years, Will Oliver says he receives regular requests from the trade looking to buy the product with most recent approaches coming from both livestock and poultry feed producers as well as from operators of shoots.

“We have still got time on our hands,” he adds.

“I would say the returns match that of a first wheat,” he adds.

“Last year, we produced 9.6 tonnes per hectare and were paid £196/tonne. With drying costs to take it down from 30 per cent to 15 per cent moisture content at around £30/t and variable costs of around £300/ha, we still achieved a gross margin of around £1,200/ha.

“Plus, you can now add to this significantly through the Sustainable Farming Incentive with actions around use of cover crops, growing companion crops and reducing insecticide use.”

When growing maize specifically for a grain yield, Mr Myhill says much of the management is the same apart from a reduced nitrogen application at the beginning of the growing season, to enable an October harvest.

“Another consideration for grain maize is if you are following it with a cereal crop – to make sure you have a robust cereal fungicide program as the crop is at risk of fusarium head blight carryover,” he adds.

With the ability to provide increased gross margins and less vulnerability to weather, grain maize is an attractive break crop alternative.

Jon Myhill

Edited by Angela Calvert –

Limousins to 38,000gns top at Carlisle

THE sale of 80 pedigree Limousin bulls at Carlisle topped at 38,000gns to average £8,214 with a 73 per cent clearance rate.

Sale leader was September 2022born Cowin Tequin from Dyfan, Carol and Rheon James, Caerfyrddin Sir Gaerfyrdd, Camarthenshire. The son of Ampertaine Jeronimo bred out of a Dinmore Jonesy cow has growth traits in the top 1 per cent of the breed and is a F94L carrier. The buyer was Messrs McNee, Over Finlarg.

Next, at 28,000gns, was the junior and reserve supreme champion

from Craig Ridley, Wigton. This was 15-month-old Haltcliffe Umpire by Haltcliffe Iceman out of Haltcliffe Romance. With a F94L/Q204X myostatin pairing and in the top 1 per cent of the breed for growth, carcase weight and beef value with a score of LM57, it sold to Messrs Jenkinson, Penrith.

Senior champion

The senior champion, Ampertaine Tornado by Ampertaine Majestic out of Ampertaine Miranda from James McKay, Maghera, sold for 22,000gns to H. Annett and Son, Morpeth. Messrs Jenkinson also paid 20,000gns for Sarkley Tyndall, a December 2022-born bull by Foxhillfarm Ourbest out of Sarkley r

Sale leader, Cowin Tequin, from Dyfan, Carol and Rheon James, Caerfyrddin Sir Gaerfyrdd, Camarthenshire, which sold for 38,000gns. Leanne consigned by E.H. Pennie and Son, Llandyssil.

A trio followed at 16,000gns. The first was reserve senior champion, Loosebeare Tesla, a son of Ampertaine Jeronimo from E.H. Quick and Sons, Crediton, which was knocked down to Mark Meldrum, Shanval Farms, Ballindalloch.

Another for Messrs Jenkinson at 16,000gns was first prize winner, September 2022-born Brontemoor Theoutsider by Haltcliffe Doctor

Red roan heifer leads Hexham at £2,550

THE May show and sale of 869 store cattle at Hexham averaged £1,480.11 overall, with steers averaging £1,540.76 and heifers £1,439.60.

Leading the sale at £2,550 was a red roan heifer from Messrs Rochester and Murray, Butsfield, who also sold steers to £1,900 and averaged £1,632.35 for their run of yearling cattle.

Next, at £2,500, was the reserve champion, a Limousin cross heifer from P. and E.B. Robson, Middle Horsleyhope.

Two lots made £2,400. Firstly, a

pair of black Limousin cross heifers from J.E. Woodman and Son, Great Chesters, followed by the show champion, a Limousin cross heifer from G.W. and C. Athey and Son, High Lovelady Shield.

Messrs Woodman topped the steers at £2,200 with Limousin crosses and £2,160 for Charolais crosses, with their 29 steers and heifers averaging £2,072.41.

Aberdeen-Angus sold to £2,080 for a steer from H.D. Hutchinson, Hollins Close.

Weanlings topped at £1,680 for a 10-month-old Limousin steer from Messrs Thornton, Morley Hill, with steers averaging £1,419.05. Heifers topped at £1,360 for a 10-month-old Limousin heifer from J. Lee and Sons, Morley Hill, to average £1,166.88.

Bulls

Young bulls sold to £1,870 for 13month-old Limousin crosses from H. Annett and Son, Widdrington. Auctioneers: Hexham and Northern Marts.

Shrewsbury dairy sees high of £2,500 for winning heifer

T HE best trade of the year at Shrewsbury’s dairy sale topped at £2,500 for the winning heifer, Aliann Rager Peach, backed by 14 generations of VG/EX cows from B. and L. Whitfield, Wolverley. Next, at £2,480, was Whitgreave Summerfest Rapture, which had 17 generations VG/EX from Stubbs Partners, Stafford.

Champion and winner of the Robin Maund Cup was P. and M. Timmis, Stafford, with their third calver, Westvalley Bright Olive 213 VG87. Calved a month ago and giv-

ing 54kg daily, after having produced more than 12,000kg with its second calf, it sold for £2,350. Cows topped at £2,420 for a freshly- calved Holstein giving 35kg from Alistair Drinkall, Wettenhall.

Heifers

Selling for £2,420 each were Styche Aladdin August from Tony Scott, Nantwich, and Springlee Drafter Pimms from Paul and Becky Fenton, Tarporley, whose seven heifers averaged £2,168.

A group of 15 dry cows sold to £1,500 for a Friesian cross cow from Dairy Farm Services, Malpas. In-calf heifers topped at £1,720 for R. Fowler and Sons, Hanbury, and bulling heifers peaked at £740 for E.V. and B. Boughey, Clotton.

AVERAGES 17 cows, £1,752.35; 39 heifers, £2,035.26; 15 dry cows, £1,032.67; in-calf heifers, £608.33; 14 bulling heifers, £582.86; 33 maiden heifers, £631.52; 6 dairy calves, £221.67. Auctioneers: Halls.

from J.M. and S.M. Priestly, Brampton.

The final bull at 16,000gns was the intermediate and overall champion, Bernish Toplad from Kieran McCrory, Omagh, Co Tyrone. The November 2022-born bull by Foxhillfarm Ourbest was knocked down to R. and C. Greenwood, North Yorkshire.

Females peaked at 6,000gns for Frogmore Ursula consigned by Clive Knox, Kelso, and bred by Chris White, Morton-in-the-Marsh. By Loosebeare Master out of Frogmore Ruby, the January 2023-born heifer was bought by Mary Cormack, Chepstow.

AVERAGES

80 bulls, £8,213.63; 19 heifers, £3,547.89. Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Store cattle sell to £2,500 at Barnard Castle

BARNARD Castle’s centenary show and sale of store cattle topped at £2,500 for a 10-month-old Limousin heifer from N.G. Beveridge and Son, Tow Law.

The same vendor also topped the steers at £1,805 with the pre-sale show reserve champion, and the feeding bulls at £1,715 with a Limousin.

The championship went to an 11-month-old British Blue heifer from J.W. Dent and Sons, Lartington, which sold for £1,950.

The winning bull, a Limousin from C.A. and J. Kipling, Scargill, made £1,615.

AVERAGES

Steers, £1,373.63; heifers, £1,330.34; bulls, £1,403.04.

Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart Co.

Champion tops Ruswarp suckled calves at £2,400

rBritish Blue cross named reserve champion

THE Farmers Guardian-supported May Day show and sale of suckled calves at Ruswarp saw the judge, Matthew Brown, Driffield, award the championship to Glenn and Myles Mortimer, Glaisdale, with an nine-month-old Limousin-sired heifer. It went on to sell for the day’s top price of £2,400 to Sean Marsh, Dover.

The Mortimers, who run 120 suckler cows – which are all served by artificial insemination to make use of the best genetics – also sold their third prize winning heifer for £2,000 to Paul Blacker, Goole.

The reserve champion was the winning steer, an 11-month-old British Blue cross from Colin Hutton, Fylingdales, which sold for £1,260 to D. Stevenson, Loftus.

Steers topped at £1,420 for a 12-month-old Charolais cross from A. Hollings, Goathland.

The bulls were judge by Stuart Mason, Weaverthorpe, who chose as champion a seven-month-old Limousin cross from Pete Hill, Ugthorpe. It sold for £1,100 to P. Beal, Setteringham, who also paid £1,280 for the reserve bull

champion, a six-month-old British Blonde consigned by John Dunwell, Fylingthorpe.

Bulls sold to £1,500 for a Limousin cross from J.C. and P. Harrison, Fryup.

According to the auctioneers,

the best quality younger cattle sold very well, with the mid-range turnout cattle looking best value, with some buyers hesitant to commit to grass cattle given the weather and ground conditions.

AVERAGES

Limousin – bulls, £1,278; steers, £1,228; heifers, £1,317. Charolais – bulls, £1,090; steers, £1,167; heifers, £981. British Blue – bulls, £1,116; steers, £1,091; heifers, £1,095. British Blonde – bulls, £1,380; heifers, £861. Aberdeen-Angus – bulls, £860; steers, £825; heifers, £690. Simmental – steers, £980; heifers, £982. Beef Shorthorn – steers, £869; heifers, £753. Hereford – steers, £850; heifers, £633. Auctioneers: Richardson and Smith.

PICTURES: ADRIAN LEGGE

Judge Matthew Brown with Myles Mortimer and the show champion, from Glenn and Myles Mortimer, Glaisdale, which sold for £2,400.

Crowds gather for the Farmers Guardian-supported Ruswarp May Day show and sale.

According to the auctioneers, the best quality younger cattle sold very well.

Auctioneers

Ian Halley and Robert Smith.

Simmentals lead Stirling bull trade at 22,000gns

lows’ 80-cow herd, which they are set to cut back at a reduction sale in October. The buyer was Allan Wright, Argaty, Doune.

AT 22,000gns, a Simmental bull led the trade at Stirling’s multi-breed show and sale, where a strong demand for all the breeds on offer resulted in nine bulls hitting the five-figure mark.

Leading the way with a record price for the May sale, was Denizes New Orleans, a first prize winner from Michael and John Barlow, Leyland, Lancashire. Achieving a fifth sale-topping price at a Stirling sale for the family, this 19-monthold bull is by Denizes Hamish, which also bred the 37,000gns Denizes Nugget, sold in February. New Orleans is the first calf out of Denizes Melody, from the Bar-

Overall, 22 Simmental bulls sold to average £6,720, an increase of £892 on the year. Second top at 8,500gns was the reserve champion, Braidwood Nero, from Louise Moffat, Innerwick, Dunbar. A son of Wolfstar Jimmy Choo, it went to Douganhill Farms, Castle Douglas.

The Charolais breed also enjoyed a boost in averages, with 26 bulls selling to level at £6,789, an increase of £786 on the year.

Top at 12,000gns was Goldies Timmy, from Hamish Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries. Sired by the 14,000gns Caylers Rocky, whose first sons sold to 10,000gns in February, and out of the Gretnahouse

Heman daughter, Goldies Olivette, this one sold to James Brown, Broughton.

The Charolais champion, Loganbar Topgun, from Murray Lyle’s Dunblane-based herd, sold at 11,000gns, to S. and L. Robertson, Roebank, Keith. It was the first son to be sold by the privately-bought Thrunton Nike, while the dam is the home-bred Loganbar Nutmeg.

Another from the same herd, Loganbar Topdollar, by Maerdy Poke, sold at 8,500gns to Q. Limond, Barskelly, Ayrshire.

Popular

Limousins proved popular on the day, with 42 bulls selling to average £6,700 and a trio of bulls hitting 12,000gns, resulting in a 91 per cent clearance. Making the joint

top of 12,000gns, from Jimmy and Donald MacGregor, Milton of Campsie, was Dyke Tornado by Goldies Lordoftherings, a past Stirling champion which has bred several five-figure priced bulls for the Dyke herd. Out of Dyke Nora, it sold to Huntlyhill Farms, Lanark. Others from Dyke sold at 11,000gns and 10,000gns. The dearer of the two, another son of the Goldies bull, was Dyke Tenor, which sold to the Patersons, Dunruchan, Crieff. The senior champion, Dyke Tango, by the 7,500gns Whinfellpark Ohagan, sold at 10,000gns to N.A. McCulloch, Kenmuir, Ardwell.

Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, had a successful day, selling two Limousins at 12,000gns apiece – Goldies Toshiba, by Wilodge LJ,

Simmental Denizes New Orleans, from Michael and John Barlow, Leyland, Lancashire, which sold for 22,000gns to Allan Wright, Argaty, Doune.

Charolais Goldies Timmy, from Hamish Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries, which sold for 12,000gns to James Brown, Broughton.

Limousin Dyke Tornado, from Jimmy and Donald MacGregor, Milton of Campsie, which sold for 12,000gns to Huntlyhill Farms, Lanark.

Limousin Goldies Toshiba, from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, which sold for 12,000gns to E. McLeod, Blackhole, Finzean.

rNine bulls hit the five-figure mark

Browse, sell, buy at FGBuyandSell.com

Stirling, which sold for 11,000gns to Rannagulzion Farms, Perthshire.

which sold to E. McLeod, Blackhole, Finzean, and Goldies Trafalgar, by Ampertaine Opportunity, which went to A.N. McArthur, Lossit, Islay.

Andrew Burnett’s Spittalton consignment peaked at 9,000gns for Spittalton Trampus, a Dyke Papa son which sold to A. and H. Sim and Son, Monymusk.

Nant-y-Moel (D. Meek) (62 dogs ran) 1, Matthew Evans, Faenor Jock, 6; 2, Bleddyn Charles Lester, Jill, 7; 3, Misena Oaksheepdogs, Kemi Kurt, 9.5; 2; 4, Rob Ellis, Pip, 10; 5, Iwan Rees, Pentre Meg, 11; 6, Misena Dubenova, Oak Mo, 12.5. Erwood, 1, Gary Davies, Josie, 15; 2, Bryan Pugh, Sweep, 18; 3, Gary Davies, Nel, 21. TOP

A strong demand for the small entry of Salers resulted in averages increasing by £2,800 on the year, to level at £7,228 for six bulls. Gill and Malcolm Pye, Stirling, achieved a herd best for their Rednock bulls, when the breed champion, Rednock Shaggy, sold at 11,000gns to Rannagulzion Farms, Perthshire. By the home-

bred Rednock Oswald, this polled bull is out of Rigel Dahlia.

Steady trade

Aberdeen-Angus bulls also met a steady trade, with 21 averaging out at £5,295, up by £765 on the year. Top call was 8,000gns for the champion, Stephick Elvis, from Stephanie Dick, Stirling. Sired by Weeton Diamond Mine, its full brother stood champion at Black Beauty Bonanza and Stars of the Future. Elvis was knocked down to J.T. Fleming and Son, Teviothead.

Five Beef Shorthorn bulls peaked at 7,800gns and averaged £6,038,

another huge increase on the year, of £2,223 per head. Making the top price of 7,800gns was the champion, Coxhill Sterling, a son of the record price Meonside Nidavellir, from Cindy Townsend, Moffat, which sold to R. and E. Chapman, West Cockmuir, Strichen.

AVERAGES

22 Simmental, £6,720 (+£892 on 2023); 26 Charolais, £6,789 (+£786); 42 Limousins, £6,700; 6 Salers, £7,228 (+£2,800); 21 Aberdeen-Angus, £5,295 (+£765); 5 Beef Shorthorn, £6,038 (+£2,223).

Auctioneers: United Auctions.

WORKING DOGS

English results

The John Thomas Open memorial trial (Judge, Richard Smith) 1, Tim Thewissen, Finn, 91; 2, Lisa, Ben, 87; 3, Tim Thewissen, Kate, 85; 4, Bob Powell, Blake, 84 OLFD; 5, Jed Watson, Jock, 84; 6, Rupert Cure, Non, 83. Butterton Moor, Open, 1, Richard Saxon, Don, 92; 2, Dewi Jenkins, Jock, 90vOLF; 3, Steve Allen, Tanhill Max, 90; 4, Dewi Jenkins, Meg, 89; 5, Colin Pickford, Peg, 87; 6, Adam Ledgar, Rolo, 85.

Trials diary ENGLAND

May 10. WENNINGSIDE, Norber,Austwick,LA28DJ, opentrial,30dogs(followedbydoublegather),two dogsperhandler,£10perdog,topfivedogsplaced eachdayontheMay6,8and10tobeenteredintoa doublegatherintheafternoon,pre-entry,contact HannahTaylor,tel:07375057621.

May 11 and 12. AVON VALLEY FARM, bykind permissionofFrankandDeeHodgkin,limitoffourdogs perhandlerpersession,thesamedogscanrunineach session,What3words,Foster.Vanish.Originals,LE176DH, costperentry,£8perrun. TRETHERN, Delabole,offthe B3314nearDelabolebythewindfarm,PL339DA,eight trialsovertheweekendwithtwodifferenttrialfields,both withmorningandafternoontrials,entriesnowclosed, handlerscanonlybookinonedogpertrial,8amstart.

May 11. YORKSHIRE, annualOpentrialwith championship,ParkHouseFarm,Elslack,nearSkipton, Yorkshire,BD233AT,limittwodogs,limit75dogs.

ESCRICK PARK ESTATE TRIALS,EstateOffice,Escrick ParkEstate,ontheA19,Escrick,York,YO196EA,enteron field,9.30amstart,nolimittothenumberofdogsyoumay enter,butweaskifyouenterthreeormorethatyouenter themthroughouttheday,cateringandtoiletfacilities available.

May 13. LITTLEDALE MEADOW, AMandPMtrial, entriesarefullandclosed.

May 16. LITTLEDALE MOSS, AMandPMtrial, contactMeg,tel:07824644099toenter,please

Welsh results

specifywhichsessionsyouwouldprefertorunin.

May 17. AVON VALLEY FARM, AMandPMsessions,by thekindpermissionofFrankandDeeHodgkin,limitoffour dogsperhandlerpersession,hesamedogscanrunin eachsession. LITTLEDALE TOP PITS,AMandPMtrial, 35runsineachsession,ofthesixtrialstakingplacethat weekoverthreedays,ahandlercanruninthreeofthe sixavailablesessions,twodogsmaxperhandler,the coursesgettrickierastheweekprogresses.

WALES

May 12. BALA, NorthWalesSheepDogSociety affiliated,opentrials,8amstart.

IRELAND

May 10 and 11. NI SHEEPDOG HANDLERS ASSOCIATION,LurgangooseRoad,Knockloughrim,8am start,willbesignpostedfromvillage,pre-bookedtwo dogsperhandler,ifalargeentrytherewillbeonetrialper dayandifasmallerentry,therewillbeanAMandaPM trial,Intermediateclassesintheevening,timepermitting, entriesopen,contactAdamPorter,tel:07709714171, statingname,numberofdogs,daytorun.

SCOTLAND

May 12. SPRING HILL, Opentrial,first60entriestoJohn Robinson,tel:07903936799.

Aberdeen-Angus Stephick Elvis, from Stephanie Dick, Stirling, which sold for 8,000gns to J.T. Fleming and Son, Teviothead.

Limousin Goldies Trafalgar, from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, which sold for 12,000gns to A.N. McArthur, Lossit, Islay.

Salers Rednock Shaggy, from Gill and Malcolm Pye,

Beef Shorthorn Coxhill Sterling, from Cindy Townsend, Moffat, which sold for 7,800gns to E. Chapman, West Cockmuir, Strichen.

Carlisle sees dairies reach peak of £3,000

THE May sale of 262 dairy cattle at Carlisle topped at £3,000 for David and Jim Gray, Glasgow, with Willsbro Deejay Ashlyn with a Profitable Lifetime Index of +£424. It sold to Messrs Baillie, Lanarkshire.

Heifers from the Wilson family, Thursby, topped at £2,700 for Evening Chief Beatexus bred from an EX93 dam which went to Willies Farms, Devon.

Alan Reid, Lockerbie, sold 38 freshly-calved, late lactation cows and dry cows to average almost £2,100, peaking at £2,650 for a daughter of Winston Oracle, which sold to Messrs Green, Lach Dennis.

Second calver

Also selling for £2,650 was Ashberry Delta Lambda Lynee, a second calver from J.B. and S.M. Mounsey, Laversdale, which went to Messrs Holliday, Wigton.

The Hourie family, Orkney, dispersed their Fleckvieh herd, topping at £2,050 for a recently calved cow by Oban.

Cumrue Farming Partners and North Corbelly Dairy Farm, Dumfries, sold 30 dry Irish Friesian cross cows mainly due in June to the Aberdeen-Angus topping at £1,320.

AVERAGES

106 Holstein heifers in-milk, £2,178.48; 11 Holstein cows in-milk, £2,054.54; 7 British Friesian cows/heifers in-milk, £1,497.14; 5 Jersey heifers in-milk, £1,800; 4 Brown Swiss in-milk, £1,625; 4 Montbeliardes in-milk, £1,292.80; 7 faulted cows/three-quartered cows, £945.71; Fleckvieh dispersal – 94 cows and heifers in-milk or dry, £1,237.65; 15 Holsteins due June/July, £1,963.33; 30 Irish Friesian crossbred dry cows, £942.33.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Whitecarr milkers sell to high of 4,000gns

rStantons Adorable heifer leads prices

THE Cowell family have been milking cattle at White Carr Farm at Treales, Preston, for more than a century and Tom Cowell, still active on the farm in his 90th year, decided to downsize the milking operation and to sell the adult portion. For the past 45 years he has been assisted by herdsman David Noblet, who will continue to

rear the followers and sell them as they calve.

David Coulthurst, of the Edenfield herd, Goosnargh, paid the top price of 4,000gns for a freshly-calved Stantons Adorable heifer bred from eight generations of EX or VG cows from the Nanette family. He also bought another Adorable for 3,000gns and a further 10 of the best young cows and heifers.

David Wannop, Wannop Farms, Morecambe, gave 2,950gns for a Peak Altaindigo daughter.

There were a number of volume buyers, including Phil McDowell, Market Drayton, who bought 25-head, while C.G. and K.D. Briggs, Taunton, bought 20 head.

More than 50 per cent of the cattle made in excess of 2,000gns.

AVERAGES

197 cows and down calving heifers, £2,092.16.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank with Fred Spurgeon.

Limousin bull tops £7,000 at Leyburn

THE Amsden family, Hawes, once again dominated the May Fair at Leyburn when selling the 17-month-old-month old pedigree Limousin bull, East Shaw Tidy, for £7,000 to Messrs Dowson and Sartin, Barnard Castle.

David Amsden and his mother, Alice, who have created quite a following in recent years, also sold a pedigree Limousin second calver with a heifer calf for £2,700 to John Huck, Hubberholme.

Stores to £2,850 at Bishops Castle

HEIFERS sold to £2,850 at the Bishops Castle and District Quality Cattle Association sale of 450 store cattle at Bishops Castle.

Heifers averaged 307p/kg and £1,260/head, selling to a high of 548.1p/kg and £2,850 for a 520kg British Blue from E.H. Pennie and Son, Llandyssil.

Steers averaged 311p/kg and £1,363/ head, topping at 386.9p/kg for a 305kg Limousin from Bowen and Bowen, Penthryn, and £2,020 for a British Blue from E.H. Pennie and Son.

The championship went to the winning steer from Messrs Pennie, which sold for £2,000.

Heifer

The reserve champion, a heifer consigned by J.A. Wood and Son, Kinnerton, made £2,200.

Feeding bulls averaged 260p/kg and £1,010/head, with top prices of £1,276 from M. and A. Powell, Drefor, and £1,260 from F.R. Williams, Newtown. Auctioneers: Halls.

Store cattle judge, Andrew Spink, Ripon, chose a 21-month-old British Blue heifer as his champion. Consigned by Lawrence and Stephen Allison, Arkengarthdale, it sold for £1,920 to David Gawthorpe, Huddersfield.

Reserve champion

The reserve champion was a pure Limousin heifer from the Amsdens which made £1,800 to Radford and Robinson, Bedale.

The Castlebank Trophy for best home-bred under 475kg was won for the second year running by the Dixon family, Stainton, with a British Blue steer which sold for £1,340 to Adrian and William Wright, Scarborough.

Steven and Derek Hills, Bardsey, judged the feeding bulls and chose a pedigree Limousin from Messrs Amsden as the winner. It sold to Stephen Lambert, Braidley, for £2,200. Auctioneers: Leyburn Auction Mart.

Ewes and lambs see a flying trade

AT the show and sale of ewes and lambs at Carlisle on Monday the champion pen of Texel hoggs with single lambs from D.J. Livestone, Kirtlevale, sold to £238/life.

Reserve champion went to the winning pen of Mule hoggs from James Harrision, Low House, whose run of 10 sold to £140/life.

Hoggs with lambs averaged £152.27 and topped at £260/life for Texel hoggs with single lambs from Messrs Livestone.

Ewes and lambs averaged

£114.99 peaking at £270/life, again from Messrs Livingstone with a Beltex with a single lamb.

Three-crop

Mule ewes sold to £113/life for a three-crop ewe with twins from J. Bell, Briniehall. Suffolk ewes topped at £172 for David Mattinson, Cockermouth, and Texel ewes with lambs sold to £220/life for G. McGregor, Longrigg.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

The adult portion of the Whitecarr herd was dispersed for the Cowell family.

WHO’S GOT YOUR BID?

Back again for 2024, the Mart’s the Heart Awards are open for entries. Could you be one of this year’s winners?

Auctions are essential to the success and well-being of any livestock farm and auctioneers are, in many ways, at the forefront of the livestock industry. Their purpose is to bring farmers together to achieve the best price for whatever they are selling.

Supported by

This year, the Mart’s the Heart Awards are back, with the aim of celebrating this vital sector of British agriculture. This is your opportunity to shout about those within the industry who you feel deserve special recognition.

cast for the shortlisted finalists. The closing date for entries is Friday, June 28, 2024.

We cannot wait to celebrate the winners for the following awards: Auction Mart of the Year, Auction Cafe of the Year and New Auctioneer of the Year.

The Mart’s the Heart Awards were launched in 2015 and the campaign proved to be an outstanding success and was incredibly well received.

In 2023, the awards generated 450 nominations and 19,700 votes were

Winners of all three awards will be presented at the British Farming Awards. We hope you will help us identify and reward marts and cafes which are doing a great job for the industry.

A WORD FROM THE SPONSORS

THELivestockAuctioneers’ Associationisdelightedtosponsorthe awards,whichacknowledgetherole auctioneersandtheirbusinessesplay inthelivestockindustryandthewider agriculturalandruralcommunity,akey partofwhichisensuringfarmersgeta fairandtruepricefortheirstock.

SHEARWELL Data is delighted to be continuing its support of the Mart’s the Heart Awards.

Livestock markets are an integral part of the livestock farming community.

Thelastyearhasdemonstratedthe importanceofthelivemarketwhen demandoutstripssupply,driving pricesandcreatingtrends. Thisisagreatopportunityto recognisetheroleauctions playwithintheindustry.

2023 WINNERS

2023 winners were Eleanor O’Neill (New Auctioneer of the Year), Auction Eats (Cafe of the Year), and Sedgemoor (Auction Mart of the Year).

Not only are livestock markets a place of business, but also a space where farmers can seek advice and see friends.

Livestock markets and the live sale rings are key to a buoyant and competitive livestock farming sector and the future of the UK red meat sector.

CHRIS DODDS Executive secretary, Livestock Auctioneers’ Association.

RICHARD WEBBER Director, Shearwell Data.

ABOUT THE AWARDS

HOW TO NOMINATE

For

THISawardaimstoidentifyand acknowledgethedrivenand progressiveauctionmartswhich continuetoprovideanexemplary servicetoboththeirvendorsand buyersduringchallengingtimes,going aboveandbeyondtohelpcustomers getthemostfromtheirbusinesses.

Nominationscanbemadeby themartsthemselves,farmersor othercustomers.Ajudgingpanel willselectthefinalists,and Farmers Guardian readerswillbeaskedto vote(inpaperandonline)based onasummaryabouteachofthem.

Thefinalwinnerwillbeselected byacombinationofpublicvotes, thestrengthofnominations,overall summaryandtheopinionofthe panelofjudges.

Finalists will be asked to produce a summary, including:

● Examplesofhowtheyimpactthe ruralcommunitypositively,bygoing aboveandbeyondexpectations (support/advice/representation).

● Examplesofhowtheyaretrusted andrespectedintheindustry(backed upbytestimonialsfromfarmers andotherrelevantpeople).

● Evidenceofdriveandprogression, basedonwhattheyareputtingback intotheagriculturalmarketplace.

● Evidenceofhowhavebeen innovative–howtheyhavebuilt upamarket,mergedmarkets, raisedprofilesofbreedsthrough newsalesorovercomeadversity.

● Ashortoverviewvideoanda hi-resphotoisrequired–taken fromaphonewillsu ce.

● A120-wordsummarywhichwill appearintheshortlistannouncement whichappearsinprintandonline.

WE welcome as many nominations as possible. Whether you are a regular, new or occasional visitor to the mart, we want to know which mart or mart cafe has made a difference to you. We also invite auction marts and cafes to get involved and nominate themselves. Make sure to let us know as much as possible, as this gives us a compelling case for making sure the most deserving nominees make the shortlist of finalists. You can nominate by post, using the form opposite or online at britishfarmingawards.co.uk/MartsTheHeart

WEarelookingfortheUK’spremier auctioncafe–thecentreofmartlife.

Itdoesnotmatterwhetheritis smallorlarge,wearelookingfora cafewhichisahubforthemartand producesqualityfood,usingBritish productsatareasonableprice.

Whetheritisatopcuppaor agreatlunch,weareseeking nominationstoidentifyandreward theUK’sbestmarketcafe.

Thewinnerwillbeselectedby acombinationofpublicvotesand

thefeedbackfromamysteryjudge, whowillremainannoymousuntilthe awardsevening.

Themainaimistorewarda cafewhichisdoingafantastic jobservingitscustomerswithhigh qualityfoodanddrinksandcreating arealmartcommunityhub.

Ahi-resphotowillneedtobe provided,plusa120-wordsummary whichwillappearintheshortlist announcementpublishedinprint andonline.

NEW AUCTIONEER OF THE YEAR

THISawardwillidentifyandreward traineesandauctioneerswhohave qualifiedwithinfiveyears,based onskills,attitudeandcontribution totheagriculturalcommunity.

Theaimistorewardsomeonewho epitomisesaninnovative,progressive newentrantauctioneerwhohas apositiveimpactandisputting somethingbackintothemarket.

Finalists will be asked to produce a personal summary, including:

● Examplesofhowtheyimpactthe ruralcommunitypositively,bygoing aboveandbeyondexpectations.

● Examplesofhowtheyarebeing seenastrustedandrespected intheindustry,backedupby

testimonialsfromfarmersand otherrelevantpeople.

● Evidenceoftheirdrive,based onwhattheyareputtingbackinto theagriculturalmarketplace.

● Evidenceofhowtheyhave developedtheirskillsandprofile inthemarketandindustry.

● Keyauctioneeringskillsare expected,alongwithbeingdriven, approachable,knowledgeable andfriendly;ashortvideoofthem inactionisrequired.

● Ahi-resphotowillneedtobe provided,plusa120-wordsummary whichwillappearintheshortlist announcementpublishedinprint andonline.

AUCTION CAFE OF THE YEAR

AUCTION MART OF THE YEAR

HOW TO ENTER

THIS YEAR’S JUDGING PANEL

CHRIS DODDS

Executive secretary for the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association which represents livestock markets in England and Wales.

RICHARD WEBBER

DirectorofShearwell Data,theUK’s largestanimaltag manufacturer,based atWhedmoorCross, Exmoor.Healsofarms 405hectares.

MYSTERY JUDGE

This year’s mystery judge of the Auction Cafe category will remain anonymous until the awards evening.

THE PROCESS

Friday,May10 NOMINATIONS OPEN

Friday,July26 VOTING OPENS

Friday,June28 NOMINATIONS CLOSE

Wednesday,August28 VOTING CLOSES

Thursday, October 17 AWARDS NIGHT

WHAT WILL THE FINALISTS RECEIVE?

ALLfinalistswillhavetheirstatus raised,withaprofileinprintand onlineduringpublicvoting.Winners ofallthreeawardswillbeguestsat theBritishFarmingAwards,with theirawardspresentedby Farmers Guardian, theLivestockAuctioneers’ AssociationandShearwellData.

Photographsofthepresentation willbemadeavailabletowinnersand theircompaniesfortheirownuseand willappearin FG. Eachwinnerwillfeatureinan in-depthprofileinprintandonline, andwillreceiveaprestigious,cast ironcommemorativeplaque.

MART’S THE HEART AWARDS 2024 NOMINATION FORM Go to britishfarmingawards.co.uk/MartsTheHeart, or fill in and return this form

Title: First name: Surname:

Address:

Landline number: Mobile number:

Email:

Tick box to sign up to the Auction Finder email newsletter

Tick box to receive email updates of the Mart’s the Heart Awards

Tick box if you are a current Farmers Guardian subscriber

Please return by Friday, June 28, to: Mart’s the Heart Awards 2024, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ. YOUR DETAILS

Postcode:

AUCTION MART OF THE YEAR

Name of auction mart you are nominating:

Reasons for nomination: (Continue on separate sheet - up to 400 words)

AUCTION CAFE OF THE YEAR

Name of auction cafe you are nominating:

Reasons for nomination: (Continue

NEW AUCTIONEER OF THE YEAR

Name of new auctioneer you are nominating:

Reasons

11, or alternatively at farmersguardian.com/privacy-policy. From time to time Agriconnect would like to use the personal data that you have provided in this form to contact you via email, post, phone and text about Agriconnect goods and services that we think will be of interest

Future-proof your farm business, gain insight and exchange knowledge with a FG Farm Futures membership

a year

Farmers Guardian delivered directly to your door every week including full digital access. Plus, check out our brand-new features exclusive to FG Farm Futures members. Included in your membership:

Insight – Quarterly, in-depth, analytical reports into the latest agricultural trends, from diversification, to climate-friendly farming and understanding the latest grants available.

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For any enquiries contact

Dafydd Davies - 07506 083590 dafydd@farmersmarts.co.uk

Dylan Davies - 07979 156650 dylan@farmersmarts.co.uk

15th of May

Timed Internet Auction of 152 Working Sheepdogs

To include a Special Entry of Semen off ‘Jock’ (R Hutchinson)*

- Online Catalogue available from 3rd of May at farmersmarts.auctionmarts.com

- Bidding starts on Monday 13th of May 2024

- Bidding closes 15th of May 2024

SSEDGEMOOR

Market Results

Comprising of:

57 Fully Trained Sheepdogs.

53 Partly Trained Sheepdogs.

42 Sheepdog Pups.

1 Breeding dose of semen.

Thursday 16th May 10.45am with the Deadstock The May Collective Dairy Sale of

Dairies to £1900, Cull Cows 205p/kg - £1373, Fat Cattle

Pigs 234p/kg - £171.68, Calves BB Bull to £480, Lambs 508p/kg - £227.50, Hoggs 450p/kg - £178.02, Spring Lambs 508p/kg - £227.50, Ewes £190

THIS

Meg Elliott 07967 007049 Stores: Mark Elliott 07973 673092 Sheep: Robert Watkins 07929 946652 Visit us at www.leekauctions.co.uk

410250 | livestock@gth.net,

DAIRY CATTLE

✰ 80 FRESHLY CALVED COWS & HEIFERS from Beaconhill, Beneknowle, PD & JL Biss (Dispersal), Clevian, Clenchers, Haydon (Dispersal), Kingspool, Moorshard, Otterwyn, Peacehay & Pegasus.

✰ To inc: The Dispersal Sale of 111 NMR Holstein & Fleckvieh X Dairy Cows & Pedigree Charolais Bull for PD & JL Biss (Removed from Middle Farm, Somerton, Somerset) together with Telehandler, Dairy Equipment & Effects (Full List at gth.net)

✰ To inc: The Sale of the Organic Classified “Pegasus Family Select Sale” Comp: 42 Dairy Cows & Heifers & 21 Bulling & Younger Heifers for Angell Farming Ltd (Removed from Jolliffes Farm, Shaftesbury, Dorset)

✰ 8 INCALF HEIFERS from FH Arscott & Son

✰ 55 BULLING & YEARLING HEIFERS from Chiselborough, Clenchers (Brown Swiss X), Edge & Pegasus

✰ 5 HEIFER CALVES from Beaconhill (A Lots)

** Live bidding on MartEye, please register in advance at gth.marteye.ie **

TUESDAY 14TH MAY – 11AM EXETER LIVESTOCK CENTRE, EXETER, DEVON EX2 8FD SHORT NOTICE DISPERSAL SALE OF 329 ORGANIC CROSSBRED DAIRY CATTLE

The Sale comprises 329 FRESHLY CALVED Crossbred Cows & Heifers.

Fully Organic, once a day milked grazing system. All ages including many Heifers and young Cows. Mainly Jersey x. Kiwi x, Fleckiveh x, & HF x Joint auctioneers with ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE FOR ALL DAIRY SALES VIA Full details & Catalogues available on www.kivells.com For Catalogues please contact: 01392 251261

Kivells: Mark Davis 07773371774 N & B: Mark Lee 07980924179

Leek Smithfield • Barnfields

NATIONAL CLASSIFIEDS

NORTH WEST AUCTIONS

LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEERS � VALUERS www.nwauctions.co.uk info@nwauctions.co.uk

LANCASTER AUCTION MART

Tel: 01524 63308

Monday 13th May

10.30am SPRING LAMBS, PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP 11.30am SALE OF SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT

Friday 17th May

10.15am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS 10.15am 150 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11am DAIRY CATTLE 11.15am 300 STORE CATTLE

J36 RURAL AUCTION CENTRE

Tel: 015395 66200

Tuesday 14th May

10.30am ALL CLASSES OF PIGS 11am SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT 1pm SPRING LAMBS, PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP

HAWES, NORTH YORKSHIRE, DL8 3NP

Tuesday 14th May

1000 Prime Lambs & Hoggs at 9:30am

300 Cast Ewes & Rams

200 Ewes with Lambs at Foot at 11.30am

2 Auction Mart Shares at 11am

Saturday 18th May

Show & Sale of 150 Store Cattle, Beef Breeding Cattle & Cull Cows.

Tuesday 21st May

Sale of Tractors, Implements, Tools etc (Please Enter)

Consignment of 55 Ewes with Lambs at foot from S & A Bland, including 35 Mule Hoggs & Cont x lambs & 20 Swaledales & Mule lambs.

Telephone: 01969 667207, 015396 20895, 07974 126397. 07711 469280

Thursday 16th May

10am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS 10.30am 100 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11am PEDIGREE BEEF BULLS & FEMALES

To Inc: Charolais, Limousin, Dexter, Whitebred Shorthorn, Beef Shorthorn & Hereford. 11.15am 300 STIRKS & STORE CATTLE

Tuesday 28th May 11am 2ND SHOW & SALE OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT

MACHINERY SALES

Special Online Sale of Vintage & Classic Tractors, Vehicles, Farm Machinery, Equipment & Rural Bygones Delivery: Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st May Sale to Commence: Thursday 23rd & Conclude: Tuesday 28th Collection: Wednesday 29th May

Pedigree North East Limousin Breeders Club Show and Sale of 50 Pedigree Limousin Bulls & Heifers Pedigree cattle viewing and social evening Friday 17th May

Also this day… A selection of halter trained Limousin crossed calves (under 12m) with show potential and already entered 10 commercial Limousin crossed cows with quality calves at foot Other entries are expected

Your one stop shop for all

Strong barren cow trade VIEW FROM THE ROSTRUM

Andrew Clements on dispersals and dairy

Across the south of England, the first quarter of 2024 started very quiet on the dispersal sale front. However, even with a mediocre milk price, the good barren cow trade and lack of supply resulted in a strong dairy cow trade.

As we are heading through the second quarter, we have seen a few more dispersal sales. But, with the exceptionally wet spring having created increased fodder costs for many and several cheese producers being affected by seasonality, the trade for fresh spring milk has been

selective. By comparison, the autumn calving trade was strong.

At Sedgemoor Auction Centre, we have seen a record first quarter

for both turnover and numbers, with the average price per head only down £100 on 2023.

The large weekly entries of fresh milk have been absorbed by the regular market purchasers, with these weekly markets complimented by our monthly collective sales.

Replacements

These sales provide replacements for pedigree and commercial producers, from fresh milk down to heifer calves.

The theme of all these sales has been a demand for strength and milk, with frailer types harder to place.

Going forward, there are more dispersals in the pipeline – many of which are small in number – with a common theme being that the

investment needed to continue is not justifiable with the current returns.

The dairy types that we have available over the next two months include pedigree, commercial, organic and cross-bred grazing cows – we truly do have something to suit all dairy producers.

As mentioned, the strong barren cow trade has certainly kept the base up for the dairy replacement trade, so let us hope the milk price returns to a more favourable level as soon as possible to enable continued good trade for those selling this year.

Andrew Clements is a partner at Greenslade Taylor Hunt. Call 01278 410 250, or email andrew.clements@gth.net

Andrew Clements

Tuesday 14th May

Show at 12pm of Ewes & Hoggs with Lambs at foot, followed by sale at 1pm

Wednesday 15th May

Show & Sale of Pedigree Bulls, Show at 9am, Sale at 10.30am

Bull Entries include

Store

Please call the Bakewell Office on 10th May before 12 Noon Call 01629 812777

Watch the livestreamed cattle sales on www.streaming.auctionmarts.com

Please Note: Monday 27th May - CLOSED Tuesday 28th May - Market

Entries/Enquiries, contact

Peter Oven: peter.oven@bagshaws.com or 07973 982443

Or Ivor Lowe: ivor.lowe@bagshaws.com or 07977 449126

Limousin: Brontemoor, Deneway, Elderberry, Longhirst, Ringway, Saunders, Telfers, Tweeddale & Widdrington Charolais: Thrunton

Aberdeen Angus: Berwick Hill, Crook Hill, Kirkley Hall & Thrunton

Hereford: Auckvale

Breeding Cattle Show at 10am, Sale commencing after conclusion of Bulls.

Early heifer and calf entries include, Paradise 12, Newlands Haugh 8, Flotterton 8, West End 3, West Wharmley 30

Entries to the Office 01434 605 444 www.hexhammart.co.uk info@hexhammart.co.uk

BENTHAM AUCTION MART

015242 61444 - Sale Days 61246 Stephen 07713 075 661 Greg 07713 075 664 Will 07590 876 849 www.benthamauction.co.uk

Wednesday 15th May 11am 100-150 Rearing Calves 11.30am 300-400 SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT inc.

Special Sale of Hillbred Ewes with Lambs Entries inc. 60 Swales with Twin Swales (JH Harrison), 40 Swales with Twin Mules (SJ & CJ Handley), 30 Swales with Twin Mules (NA Allen), 40 Cheviots with CTL Twins

2.30pm 1500 Cast Ewes followed by 400-600 Spring Lambs & 3000-4000 Prime Hoggs

Tuesday 21st May

Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle

MONTHLY SALE OF FARMERS STIRKS & YOUNG STORES

Entries for catalogue close Friday 10th May

Wednesday 22nd May

Fortnightly Sale of Dairy Cattle

Saturday 25th May

WHITSUNTIDE SHOW & SALE OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT & GELD GIMMER HOGGS

Tuesday 4th June

Monthly Sale of Store Cattle

June Fair of Suckler Breeding Cattle inc.

Annual Consignment from A & ED Booth of 35 Hereford x Friesian Hfrs with Hereford Calves (BVD Tag Tested & Vac.)

Richard Turner & Son

12.30pm

FARMSTOCK AUCTIONEERS, BROKERS & VALUERS

BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE

Tel: 01228 406200

156 PEDIGREE BRITISH BLUE CATTLE

Friday 10th May - Show 10.30am

Saturday 11th May Sale 10.30am

88 PEDIGREE CHAROLAIS CATTLE

Friday 10th May - Show 4.00pm

Saturday 11th May – Sale 10.30am

Saturday 11th May

Show 9.00am Sale 12.00noon (Blondes followed by Simmental)

18 PEDIGREE BLONDE CATTLE

96 PEDIGREE & COMMERCIAL SIMMENTAL CATTLE

Spring show and sale of YOUNG CALVES

Wednesday 15th May

Show 9.30am Sale 10.00am For calves up to 12 weeks old

PEDIGREE DAIRY DAY

168 DAIRY CATTLE SELLING

Wednesday 15th May

Show 10.00am Sale 11.00am

Follow us on Facebook to view lots prior to sale

46 COWS - 124 HEIFERS IN MILK

No.1 source for quality milkers in the UK QUALITY MILKERS

Quality milkers producing oceans of milk sell in this sale all bred from herds with excellent health status. Prefixes include: Bankview, Berryholme Boclair, Colvend, Drumtall, Espland Feizor, Heathersgill, Hillhead, Kingcaird, Lesmay, Newtonmoss, Parkend, Ploughlands, Potstown, Soulseat, Nethervalley, Stowbeck, Tillbank, Woodcatt, Woodclose, Wormanby BREEDERS CHOICE Several top end animals sell including BOCLAIR RUBLES APPLE RED a great granddaughter of Apple EX96 & PARKEND GRAYRIDGE APPLE SAUCE a granddaughter of Director Starlet Red EX93 plus heifers from the FLO, BAMBI, ERLE, LILA Z, ELEGANT, ARNHILDA families. LARGE GROUPS include 10 from STOWBECK 7 from ESPLAND 7 from PARKEND

Continued...

DENMIRE DIAMONDS SALE

32 COWS IN MILK - 38 HEIFERS IN MILK

This special group of 70 cows and heifers are the BEST from this phenomenal herd. They are what all Holstein breeders and milk producers aspire to milk. This outstanding group is currently averaging 35kgs and comprises 38 heifers in milk, 22 second calvers and 10 cows in their third and are all recently calved. 23 of the animals selling are bred from Excellent dams with a further 39 bred from Very Goods classified dams. In total 54 of the animals selling are bred from pedigrees with at least six generations of Excellent or Very Good! Diamonds are Forever and just like Diamonds the cattle from Denmire have amazing longevity and stability. To date Denmire have bred 89 cows that have achieved the 100 ton milestone! There are too many super individuals to mention but the first cow in the ring will be DENMIRE SIDEKICK MARIE

565 VG88 3YR (one of the BEST to ever sell from Denmire) Herd Health The herd is vaccinated for IBR, BVD & Lepto and is BVD accredited free. The herd is Johnes monitored and the farm is in a four year TB testing area.

PEDIGREE BEEF DAY - Traditional Breeds

75 PEDIGREE BEEF SHORTHORN CATTLE

Show Friday 17th May

Show 8.30am

Sale 12.00noon

Comprising 31 bulls and 44 females

6 PEDIGREE HEREFORD BULLS

Friday 17th May

Sale approx. 1.15pm

91 PEDIGREE ABERDEEN ANGUS

Show Friday 17th May

Show 10.30am Sale 1.30pm

Comprising 71 bulls and 20 females

MAY FAIR SOCIETY SALES

of PEDIGREE EWES with LAMBS

Friday 24th May

11.00am

VALAIS BLACKNOSE

Reduction Sale of the Westmorland Flock11 Ewes & Shearling gimmers

Reduction Sale of the Horsemill Flock12 Ewes & Shearling Gimmers

Dispersal of the Kinneff Flock15 Ewes & shearling Gimmers, 5 Ewe Lambs, 5 Rams, 2 wether lambs

Continued..

Zwartbles - 6 Ewes & lambs

Beltex - 1 Ewe & lamb, 4 pedigree lambs, 6 shearling gimmers

Badger Face Texel - 4 Ewes & lambs, 4 pedigree Lambs, 5 shearling Gimmers

Blue Texel - 12 Ewes & lambs, 3 Pedigree Lambs & 5 shearling gimmers

Dutch Spotted - 6 Ewes & lambs, 32 Pedigree Lambs, 52 shearlings gimmers, 6 Graded Ewes & Lambs

Dorpers - 6 Ewe lambs

BEEF BREEDING CATTLE

Friday 24th May

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

Entries close Wednesday 15th May

POULTRY, WATERFOWL & CAGED BIRDS HATCHING EGGS & EQUIPMENT

Saturday 15th June

Entries close 12 noon Monday 13th May –no late entries will be accepted

PEDIGREE LIMOUSIN CATTLE

Wednesday 26th June

Sale of bulls and unhaltered females

Entries close Monday 20th May

ONLINE SALE

GENETIC BEEF SELECTION SALE

45 lots of Frozen Embryos and 300 lots of Semen

Bidding starts 12noon Wednesday 15th May finishing from 12noon Thursday 16th May

KIRKBY STEPHEN MART

Tel: 01768 371385

New Fair show and sale of 1500 BREEDING SHEEP

Saturday 11th May

Judging 10.00am Sale 11.00am

Show for 10 Mule hoggs and lambs, 5 Swaledale ewes & lambs and 5 Continental ewes & lambs

May sale of

100 BEEF BREEDING CATTLE

Also cast/feeding cows and OTM cattle - 9.30am

Monday 13th May

Show for breeding cattle 10.00am

Sale 10.45am

ON FARM SALE

Tel: 01768 371385

ON FARM SALE of MODERN & VINTAGE VEHICLES, MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & SMALL TOOLS

Friday 17th May at 10.00am

At Whitehill Foot Farm, Kelso TD5 8LB Full list available on the website Online bidding available

H&H Group plc (H&H)

SALE OF 1762 SHARES OF £1 EACH IN H&H GROUP PLC BY AUCTION

Monday 13th May 2024 – 10.30 am in the ring at KIRKBY STEPHEN AUCTION MART ALSO

SALE OF 5201 SHARES OF £1 EACH IN H&H GROUP PLC BY AUCTION

Wednesday 22nd May - 12.00 noon In Ring 1 at BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE

If you are unable to attend the auction or would prefer not to, you can make alternative arrangements to purchase shares either by phone or by leaving commission bids with Margaret Irving on 01228 406334, 07912 485326 or margaret.irving@hhgroupplc.co.uk

Please note that copies of the Annual Report for th e period to 30th June 2023 and Interim Report to 31st December 2023 are available on our website at http://hhgroupplc.co.uk/share-news/

Please note that only existing shareholders or restricted investors will be permitted to bid for these shares. If you are Interested in purchasing shares you should contact Margaret Irving to establish whether you meet the eligibility criteria as a relevant investor under relevant legislation. Investments in shares are for the long term. The value of your investment and the income derived from it can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you originally invested. You should not invest unless you are prepared to lose the money you invest. Investment is high risk and you may not be protected if something goes wrong. If you are in any doubt about purchasing shares, you should consult an independent financial advisor authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

This financial promotion has been approved by SPARK Advisory Partners Limited (“SAPL”) under s21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act. SAPL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. SAPL makes no recommendation as to the suitability of shares in H&H Group plc as an investment.

PLEASE SCAN TO VIEW OUR ONLINE CATALOGUES

Wednesday 15th May

8am Cast Ewes and Rams followed at 10am with Prime Hoggs (Ballot 10am)

Monday 20th May

Sale of Store Cattle and Feeding Bulls of all classes Entries close noon Monday 13th May

Tuesday 21st May

Second “Troutbeck” Sale of Ewes and Lambs, also “Latter Fair” Sale of Mule, Continental Hoggs & Ewes with Lambs at foot and Geld Gimmer Hoggs Entries close noon Tuesday 14th May Friday 24th May

Sale of Pedigree Dairy Shorthorn Cattle, together with other commercial Dairy breeds Entries close noon Monday 13th May Friday 17th May 2024

Small Tools 9.00am Large Machinery 9.30am

Collective Sale of over 1500 lots of Tractors, Plant, Implements, Livestock Equipment & Small Tools

Tractors and Vehicles – Manitou MLT629 with pallet forks-noV5 (2003); Merlo TF 30.9-115 telehandler (67 plate/5350hrs); Weidemann 2070CX wheeled loader (2011); Deutz Fahr Agrovector 35-7 telehandler (2011); NH TL100A Deluxe (2007); MF 7718S & power loader (66 plate); MF 6713 4WD (68 plate/3059hrs); MF 6716S (2019); MF 6713S (2017); MF 6480 (2008); MF 5712S (flat cab) & loader (2018); MF 5710M & loader (2018); MF 5613 & loader (2016); MF 5610 & loader; MF 5465 (2007); MF 5455 & loader (2007); MF 3095 (L reg.); MF 1747; MF 240 X 2; MF 4WD & loader (X reg.); MF 390 4WD & loader (P reg.); MF 390T 12-12 shuttle (1996); MF 290 2WD & loader (A reg./7850hrs); MF 135 & loader; JD 6400 & loader (1995); JD 6230 Premium & 653 loader (2012); JD 2650 2WD; McCormick X6-420 (2017/4495); McCormick C80 2WD with loader (2010/3314hrs); Claas Axion 810 (2010); International B414; Case 1050 4WD with loader (63 reg.); Case 685L 2WD; Case 385 2WD low profile cab (F reg.); Case Puma 165 (2014); Case JX95 (2008/3300hrs); Valtra T203 with front pto & linkage; Valmet 6000 4WD with Hitrol, weights (M reg.); Zetor 5341 with loader; Zetor Forterra 140 HSX & loader (2013/4390hrs); Kubota B2650; Kubota B2530; Kubota B2100 & loader; Kubota MGX 125 4WD (2020/1,368hrs); Fiat 88-94 (1995/4389hrs); Fiat 80-90 4WD with Grays 425 loader (J reg.); Nuffield 465 (1968); David Brown 900; Fordson Major (1955); TYM T290 compact tractor; Daewoo 430 skid steer; JD Gator X 2; Can Am Traxter HD8 UTV (2011-2019) X 3; Can Am 570 ATV (2016-2020) X 4; Can Am 42 ATV (2014); Kawasaki 4WD quad; Honda Foreman 450cc quad (reg. 2002); Bobcat 641 (1990/app. 4500hrs); Transit pickup truck (Reg. 2012); Suzuki Vitra (2008) Plant – JCB 526 S (53 plate); Graham Edwards drop side trailer; Ifor Williams trailer with drop sides X 2; Ifor Williams 12ft tipping trailer; Ifor Williams 10ft tipping trailer; plant trailer; Votex tipper; Quantity of mini digger buckets; Quantity of 8T digger buckets; loader mounted road brush; LEMAC demolition grab to suit 14T machine; Sutton yard brush; 3 X single axle car trailers

Implements – Major 1700 slurry tanker with 6.5m dribble bar (2016); NC slurry pump; Ktwo duo rear discharge spreader; West 10t rear discharge spreader; WFD 700 muck spreader; Abbey 1600 tanker; Hi-Spec 3500 slurry tanker; Hi-Spec 2300g slurry tanker (2007); Hi-Spec 2600g SA-R c/w 8” turbo fill, 8” auto fill arm; Major 15ft lagoon mixer; Grays HD 11ft land roller; Field roller; Blue paddock roller; Green paddock roller; Vicon RF3325 round baler; MF 185 big square baler (1996); JD 582 baler; McHale 991 bale wrapper; Round bale squeezer on JCB tool carrier brackets; Pottinger 620A twin rota rake; Lely 320 splendimo mounted plain mower; Krone CV320 mounted mower conditioner; Lely 320C 10ft mow/cond (2018); Krone easycut 28CV; Kverneland TA338C 10ft mow/cond trailed (1998); Ransomes mounted hyd 5 gang mower; Claas 3100 10ft mower conditioner; Kuhn FBB mower; Kuhn FC243 mower conditioner (2001); Claas 3050 trailed mower; JD 328 9ft mower conditioner; orange 2 drum mower; McConnel PA34 hedge cutter; KRM fert spreader; KRM fert spreader 1250kg; 3 X Vicon Wagtail fert spreader; Amazone fert spreader X 3; Teagle fert spreader; Teagle centre liner fert drill; Teagle 5X3 fert drill; Sulky DX20 fert drill; Moore Unidrill (2009); Kidd topper; Agri Euro topper; McConnel 190 flail topper; Kuhn 9ft flail topper; Wessex flail topper X 2; Major 840 topper; Kuhn 4 rota tedder; Claas 1050 tedder (2013); SIP tedder; Amazone 1200lte 24m sprayer; Lemken Sirius 10/1600 sprayer; Allman 12m sprayer; Hardi 12m 1000ltr crop sprayer; Berthoud sprayer; Gem 2.2 sprayer; Hardi RTV sprayer; Twose aerator 2.4m (2010); Kuhn 300 3m power harrow; Chain harrows; Joskin tined grass harrow; Kverneland 52500 I Plough 5 furrow reversable (2016); Ransome TS90 2 furrow plough; 30ft tri-axel flat trailer with air brakes; Tandem axle 18ft bale trailer; Marshall BC28 14t trailer (2024); Smyth 12T silage trailer; Henton 10t grain trailer; Dragon tipping trailer c/w silage sides; Herron 6T trailer; Ifor Williams livestock trailer with decks 14ft X 4; Ifor Williams livestock trailer with decks 12ft X 3; Ifor Williams cattle trailer 14ft X 3; Ifor Williams horse trailer (2014); Bateson 16ft cattle trailer; Hudson 16ft cattle trailer (2020); Graham Edwards cattle trailer 14ft (2022); 2 x 12ft Ifor Williams flat trailer; Moulton scraper; Logic 56 bale carrier; Flat 8 bale grab X 4; Strimech 7’6” HD grab on JCB Qfit brackets; end stack bale grab; McHale RS4 bale slicer; MF Quicke 873 loader; Quicke Q49 loader c/w JD6330 brackets; Albutt buck rake X 2; 6ft bucket; Auger root bucket; Manitou bucket; Manitou spike; NH front tractor fan weights; 2 X tractor link boxes; Nugent double bale lifter; Heavy duty double bale spike; 2 X single bale spikes; Manitou pallet forks (2006); Pallet forks and double bale spike on bobcat bracket; 1000ltr water bowser with troughs; Portimer post knocker Livestock Equipment – Ifor Willaims P6 single axel trailer; QTY Rearing calf front gates; 2 X dosing races; Paxton footbath; Cattle ad-lib feeder; QTY cattle feed barriers; New Manitou hyd locking headstock; Q fit headstock X 2; CAT headstock (2020); IAE 15ft locking head yoke; sheep turnover crate; lamb shelter creep feeder; Swaledale manual snacker, canvas top; Pipe dropper

Miscellaneous – saw bench; electric Benford Terex mixer; diesel paddle mixer; crate of Westmorland slate

Viewing available on Thursday 16th May

Pictures can be viewed on our website or our Facebook page.

Auctioneers:

SKIPTON AUCTION MART

Saturday 11th May

SKIPTON MACHINERY SALE

FARM MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS, LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT & all classes of STONE, TIMBER, VINTAGE & RECLAIM, MISC ITEMS & TOOLS RECLAMATION: Sale 10.00am 300+ Lots Inside MACHINERY LINES: Sale 10.30am 350+ Lots Outside. Livestock Equipment, Implements, Grassland/Muck Equipment, Trailers, ATVs Etc, Plant Equipment

STONE & WOOD: Sale Approx 12.00noon 150-200 Lots of Stone, Wood & Builders/ Landscaping Supplies

FULL LIST OF ITEMS CAN BE FOUND ON THE CCM WEBSITE & FACEBOOK PAGE.

Pre-Sale Commission Bidding Available Annual Early Sale of 486 BORDER FINE ARTS, BESWICK & CHINA

Viewing 9.00am Sale 10.00am

Online Bidding Available

2nd Grass Day Sale of 275 STIRKS, WEANED/SUCKLED CALVES, BREEDING & CULL GOATS, STORE & BREEDING SHEEP

Sale 10.00am

Monday 13th May

SHOW & SALE OF REARING CALVES

Show 10.30am Sale 10.45am

Entries & Enquiries to Kyle PRIME, CAST & FEEDING CATTLE

Sale 11.30am (TB exempt section available)

SALE OF SPRING LAMBS & PRIME HOGGS

Sale 12.30pm followed by CAST EWES

Sale of EWES WITH LAMBS at FOOT Sale 11.00am Followed by INLAMB EWES & STORE SHEEP

(Entries to the office by Friday for Online Catalogue)

Tuesday 21st May

ON FARM SALE

On Farm Dispersal of Telehandler, Discovery & a range of Livestock Equipment on behalf of Messrs Phillip, Green Farm, Hellifield List of Entries Online Sale 1.00pm

Dairy Cattle

Monday 20th May

Show & Sale of DAIRY CATTLE

Monday 3rd June

Show & Sale of DAIRY CATTLE

For more details on either sale contact Sarah Liddle on 07710 795585

Friday 17th May

Spring Sale of 31 WORKING SHEEP DOGS LIVE FIELD SALE Sale 10.30am

Wednesday 22nd May

Sale of FEEDING BULLS, PRIME CATTLE, BEEF

FEEDING COWS, STORE & BREEDING CATTLE

Inc Special Sale of Bulling Heifers, In Calf Cattle & Cows/Heifers with Calves at Foot (Entries close Wednesday 15th May)

LINGFIELDS BEEF CATTLE FAIR

Multi Breed sale of Pedigree Beef Breeding Cattle

Saturday 25th May

SHOW & SALE OF 17 PEDIGREE BELTED GALLOWAY CATTLE

Comprising 11 Belted Females, 3 Belted Bulls, 2 White Galloway Females, 1 White Galloway Bull SALE OF POULTRY & HATCHING EGGS

Entry forms available now (Entries close Friday 10th May)

Monday 27th May

BANK HOLIDAY BLUES

Annual Sale of Pedigree Blue Texel, Badger Face Texel & Other Pedigree Ewes with Lambs at Foot & Empty Gimmer Hoggs (Entries close Friday 17th May)

Saturday 1st June

AIREDALE ANGUS ON FARM SALE

Draft Sale of 80 head of Cows with Calves or In Calf, Young Bulls & Embryo’s For D & J Isherwood

Claiming Dates

ON FARM SALES

TUESDAY 21st MAY – NORTH CRAVEN

THURSDAY 6th JUNE - SILSDEN SATURDAY 28th SEPTEMBER - SKIPTON

TOMORROW SATURDAY 11th May Sale 10am Intake of items today Friday 10th May 9am-4pm & Sat 11th May 7am-9am

TOMORROW SATURDAY 11th May 10am Listing of entries online

Tuesday 14th May 12.30pmPrime Lambs, Prime Hoggs & Cull Ewes

Wednesday 15th May 5.30pm Sale of Hatching eggs, Poultry, Cage & Aviary Birds, Timber & deadstock

FORTNIGHTLY STORE CATTLE SALE + CALVES/ STIRKS

Thursday 16th May 12.30pm Sale of young Bulls, Store Heifers & Steers. Rearing calves 12 noon.

Timed Online Sale Thurs 16th – Sat 18th May Genuine retirement sale on behalf of G Braithwaite of workshop tools, Equipment and miscellaneous antique items.

OF SHEEP WITH LAMBS, GELD HOGGS & GOATS ONLINE MACHINERY SALE

PURE BRED POULTRY & WATERFOWL

Thurs 23rd - Sat 25th May Intake of items until Thurs 16th May

Saturday 8th June 10am, Entries close Wednesday 29th May

...Yorkshire’s Friendly Mart

SATURDAY 11TH MAY

200 Breeding & Store Cattle inc 80 ContX Bulls, 12/15mth, TB4, FABBL from W Gibson & Son

23 Limx Strs/Hfrs, 12-18mths, CA Douglas

7 AAX/ BBX Hfrs, 20mths, J L Cooling

3 BS/Horn Strs, 12mth, R Gillam

4 Lim Hfr & Bull, 10mth AS Green

7 S/Hornx Hfrs, 12mth, M Newby

4 Salerx Hfr/Str 16mth, D Pickford Store & Breeding Sheep Store & Breeding Pigs

Pigs 9am Sheep 9.45am Cattle 10.45am

WEDNESDAY 15TH MAY

Dedicated Slaughter Market 395 Prime Cattle 410 Prime Sheep 175 Prime Pigs Pigs 9am

Contact Office for Details

MART OFFICE: 01757 703347

Contact Office for Details MART OFFICE: 01757 703347

RICHARD HAIGH: 07768 594535

www.selbymart.co.uk

RICHARD HAIGH 07768 594535

www.selbymart.co.uk

Brockholes Arms

Auction Mart

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

Tom Greenow - Market Manager

Capstick 07713075659

Auctioneer: Ian Atkinson 07944 237516

Tuesday 14th May, 2024

9.00 a.m Prime Hoggs & Cast Sheep

SPECIAL SALE OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT at 10.30am

10.30 a.m. Sale of 100 Store Cattle

11.30 a.m. 60/80 Rearing Calves, Weanlings & Stirks

Wednesday 15th May, 2024

10.30 a.m. Weekly Sale of Cast Cows & OTM Cattle HERD DISPERSAL OF HOLSTEIN FRIESIANS

At 11.30 a.m. from K & B Lupton

incl 154 In Milk Holstein Friesian Dairy Cows, Heifers & Summer Calving Heifers

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Monthly Show & Sale of Dairy Cattle Entries Close Thursday 16th May 10.00 a.m.

Tuesday 28th May 2024

Marts the Heart Early Summer Show of Prime Lambs & Young Handlers Show

Saturday 1st June 2024

Early Summer Sale of Machinery & Implements

Wednesday 5th June 2024

On farm Dispersal sale of 100 In Milk Pedigree Ayrshire & Holstein Friesian Dairy Cows & Heifers from Cowell & Moore

Pickup 07710708326 Eleanor O’Neill 07706347505 Matthew Middleton 07860659803

Saturday 11 May

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP followed by PRIME LAMBS & PRIME HOGGS Please call Matthew Middleton

10.30am 2 SHEEPDOGS, 11 GOATS 401+ OUTFITS SHEEP & LAMBS, 19 GELD GIMMERS & STORES catalogue now online. Enquiries to Rachel Thursday 16 May

10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE

10.30am REARING CALVES

11.00am SEMEX & JAMESON FEEDS SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY entries please by Monday 13th Saturday 18 May

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME HOGGS

10.00am BREEDING & STORE CATTLE SALE with MARTS’ THE HEART SPRING STORE CATTLE SHOW and Dispersal of Limousin & Blue Cows & Calves on behalf of EA & H HANSON

10.30am SHEEP WITH LAMBS & IN LAMB SHEEP inc ANNUAL SHOW & SALE OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT classes: Mule/ Cont/ Any Other Thursday 23 May

10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE

10.30am REARING CALVES

11.00am WEEKLY DAIRY

12.30pm STIRKS entries by Tuesday 21st 12noon Saturday 25 May

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME HOGGS

10.30am OUTFITS OF SHEEP WITH LAMBS

Saturday 1 June

Claiming date for On Farm Machinery Sale in the Bury Area to inc a comprehensive set of grassland kit: ‘19 Deutz 5125 cw Stoll loader, ‘20 MF 5712s, Ford 3600, McHale F5400, McHale991 Wrapper, Kverneland 2324m Mower, West 1600 Dual Spreader, Vicon Andex 394 Rake, Vicon Fanex 524 Tedder, Teagle xT24 Fert Spreader, Twose 9ft Roller and much much more

PATELEY BRIDGE AUCTION MART

TOMORROW SATURDAY 11TH MAY

SALE OF

TUESDAY 14TH MAY SALE OF 265 CATTLE Sale at 10am WEDNESDAY 15TH MAY

Prize Show & Sale of Hoggs & Lambs Sale at 12.30pm BROUGHTON

ASHLEY WALLER AUCTIONEERS

Ashley Waller now established 7 YearsFirst sale 10th May 2017

Monthly machinery sale - Tuesday 14th May 9am - approx 1500 lots to include; Various vans and van trailers, Mitsubishi Cantar flat, Bateson small trailers, Ifor Horse trailer, Equi-trek horse trailer, 57 Vivaro, transit welfare unit, 60 focus, Merc Luton, 3 caravans, 59 Picaso, Fiat 500, 09 Range Rover, 16 transit truck cab, 56 Volvo estate, 54 BMW X5, 15 VW Amaro. IAE Sheep Race, 2 telephone boxes, 5 Buggies, 22 T Log Splitter, Toppers, Fert Spinners, Pallet Forks, Timber, Tiles, Netting, Howard rotavator, Lely Optimo, Wrapper, Krone Mowers, Kuhn FC 283 TG & FC 303 YGL Mowers, Talex Mower, Disc Mower, 2 JF 900 foragers, Hardy Master Sprayer, Portacabin Office (needs repair), 33 ride on mowers, 88 stihl saws/blowers etc..... photos available on easylive bidding platform

info@ashleywaller.co.uk www.ashleywaller.co.uk www.easyliveauction.com

LE12 8HX.

Collective Machinery Sales to be held on

Collective Machinery Sales to be held on

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Collective Machinery Sales to be held on

Wednesday 22nd May 2024 to be held on

Estate OX7 6SR

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Gawcombe Estate OX7 6SR

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Gawcombe Estate OX7 6SR

Gawcombe Estate OX7 6SR

Wednesday 29th May 2024

Wednesday 29th May 2024

Wednesday 29th May 2024

Former Point to Point, Andoversford GL54 4LQ what3words: jets.random.blanking what3words: machine.fatigued.thirsty

Wednesday 29th May 2024

Former Point to Point, Andoversford GL54 4LQ what3words: jets.random.blanking what3words: machine.fatigued.thirsty

Entries invited until 8th May

To include: 1978 Massey Ferguson 590 Tractor, Massey Ferguson 135 Industrial Tractor, 1947 Fordson Major E27N Tractor, Ferguson T20 Petrol TVO Tractor. Together with: 1985 JCB 3CX-4 Sitemaster Digger, 1983 Sambron J24T Telescopic Handler, 1998 BMW Z3 soft top sports car, 2006 Vauxhall Tigra convertible

Former Point to Point, Andoversford GL54 4LQ what3words: jets.random.blanking what3words: machine.fatigued.thirsty

Entries invited until 8th May

Former Point to Point, Andoversford GL54 4LQ what3words: jets.random.blanking what3words: machine.fatigued.thirsty

Entries invited until 8th May

01451 820913 farmsales@taylerandfletcher co uk

Entries invited until 8th May Tayler & Fletcher 01451 820913

Trailers, Grassland Machinery, Agricultural Requisites, Workshop Equipment, Rural Bygones, Garden Equipment, Recreational Equipment, Household Furniture. To be sold by auction on the premises on Saturday 25th May 2024 at 10.30am.

farmsales@taylerandfletcher co uk

01451 820913

01451 820913

farmsales@taylerandfletcher co uk

farmsales@taylerandfletcher co uk

www taylerandfletcher co uk

www taylerandfletcher co uk

www taylerandfletcher co uk

www taylerandfletcher co uk

SUNDERLANDS

LIVE & ONLINE COLLECTIVE MACHINERY SALE

AT WOOFFERTON GRANGE, BRIMFIELD, NR LUDLOW, SY8 4NP

On SATURDAY 18TH MAY 2024 AT 10.30AM

A dispersal from M/s E L & M M Everall: John Deere 6320 Premium 2004 2514 hours, Kuhn Primar 3570 2016 Straw Chopper, Kuhn Tedder GF502 2019, SIP 430/12 Rake 2010, Watson 4T 15’ Roll 2013 Malga 1300 Gallon Tanker, Western 14T trailer, Ifor Williams High Roof Stock Trailer Ritchie 3m Grass Spike Harrow & 9T Collinson Feed Bin (To be viewed on Farm and sold on the sale ground) From the Estate of the Late Richard Strachan: Matbro TR200 Turbo ’94 2348hrs, JD 655 Compact, Suire Stargreen SGI20 & Abbey 6ft Semi Offset Toppers, Twose 8’, McHale 2 Spike Handler, E&R 1.2T Grain Bucket, Browns Log Splitter, Atco GT30H ROM, 6’ Transport Box, ATV Sprayer & Trailer 700 Lots www.sunderlands.co.uk

FARM DISPERSAL SALE

Thursday 23rd May At 11:00 am Wolf dale, Ruston Spencer, Macclesfield SK11 0RA

To include Case IH 4230 4wd tractor c/w Quickie 340 loader, Ifor Williams 12ft flat bed trailer, Ferguson trailer in very good order, MDL Power 3PL PTO chipper, Screw PTO log splitter, Fleming transport box, loader attachments, Sundry Farming Effects, large collection of workshop tools inc. welders, spanners, anvil, tool chests & stores, various garden tools and machinery including Viking ride on lawnmower, Honda rotovator, Chainsaws and generator Enquiries contact John Wilson or George Pullin Tel: 01782-522117

Email: george.pullin@whittakerandbiggs.co.uk

Catalogue available by request

FARM DISPERSAL SALES

10.30AM—SATURDAY 11TH MAY 2024

COTTON EDMUNDS FARM, CHRISTLETON, CH3 7PZ

1987 FORD 5610, 1967 MF135, 1987 CASE 956XL, Livestock Trailer, Imps, Sheep Equipment. Sale Day No. 07719 527238

5.30PM — THURSDAY 23RD MAY 2024

FIELDS FARM, BURTON, ROSSETT, LL12 0LD

DEUTZ FAHR D10265, Grass And Arable Implements, Livestock Sundries & Farm Misc.

On behalf of The Executors of the Late Mrs D M Lister Entries invited. Catalogues online.

F G B uy and Sell 0 17 72 799 5 00

AND GRASSLAND IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY

To include: Tractors; 2017 New Holland T7.260 (7,308hrs), 2014 John Deere 6125M with H340 loader (8,212hrs), 2011 New Holland 7050 (7,386hrs), 2009 John Deere 6630 (12,664hrs), Combine Harvester; 1992 New Holland TF46 24ft cut (4,846hrs), Implements and Machinery; 2022 Razorback Auto-level 680, 2020 Razorback Auto-level 550, 2007 Spearhead XL645T hedge cutters, 2020 Mzuri Pro-Til 4T drill, 2018 Kuhn FC314D, 2014 Kuhn FC 313F mower conditioners, 2013 Kverneland 8076 6 rotor tedder, 2008 Fella 6 rotor tedder, 2008 Fella single rotor rake, 2017 New Holland Roll-Belt 150 Superfeed, 2006 New Holland BB950A balers, Dowdeswell DP7D 5 furrow plough, 2007 Kuhn HR403 power harrow 4m, Sicma power harrow 3m, Sumo Trio3 subsoiler cultivator, Simba double press, Kverneland Accord DA-S drill 4m, Twose Cambridge rolls 6m, 2003 KRM Bogballe fertiliser spreader, Weaving stubble rake seeder 6m, 2007 Agrimaster KA2800 topper, 2003 AW 12 tonne silage trailers (3), MHF hook loader trailer. Also; cultivators, trailers, swath prep (2), weights and spares

COMMENCES: TUESDAY 14TH MAY 2024 FROM 9.00AM FINISHES: WEDNESDAY 22ND MAY 2024 FROM 10.00AM

2 DAY ONLINE AUCTION

MAJOR 2 DAY AUCTION OF FARM MACHINERY, RETAIL STOCK, PANEL VANS, GARAGE WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT, PARTS STOCK AND MACHINE PARTS By Order of the Liquidators of Collings Brothers of Abbotsley Limited

(5) Deutz-Fahr Tractors (2022-2023)

Deutz-Fahr C9206 TSB Combine Harvester (2015)

Kuhn SB1290 iD Square Baler (2021) and VB 3165 OC Round Baler (2022)

(4) Merlo Telehandlers (1997 - 2023) (2) Kioti CX2510 HST Compact Tractors (2022)

Kuhn, Bomford, Zeigler, Wessex, Eastern Attachments Equipment

TUESDAY 4 & WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE 2024 View: 23 & 30

Iveco and Vauxhall Panel Vans (2007 - 2018), Ifor Williams Trailer and Blackburn Trailers Show Trailer Large Quantity of Unused Husqvarna / Hayter / Honda /

TRACTORS: MF 8480 Dyna VT (07); MF 7499 Dyna VT (10); Case Puma 195 (58); Claas Arion 640 (09) LOADERS & WAGON: Claas Scorpion 6030CP (12); CAT TH407 (59); Scania R440 24ft (11) BALERS: NH1290 (19); Claas 3200 (12); Claas 2200 (06); MF 1839 In line (09); NH 940 MACHINERY: McHale 998 Wrapper; Claas Disco 3200 mo/co (15); Walton Eclipse 5668 big bale chaser; Ritchie sledge; K Two 225 wilter TRAILERS: IW DP120; Houghton 28ft c/w decks STOCK EQUIPMENT: Caravaggi mill mix; Kuhn Primor bedder; feeders. MISCELLANEOUS:

View the catalogue and register to bid on

Tuesday 21st May 2024

Spring Shorthorn Society Show and Sale held at Leek Auctions

PEDIGREE LIVESTOCK

SE R V ICES LIMITE D

We specialise working in partnership with Livestock Societies providing a bespoke support service.

SUPPORT – we can support recognised Livestock Societies with their day to day administrative work and support.

DELIVER – we can deliver and assist with your requirements as we o er over 150 years combined experience in the livestock and agricultural industry.

We specialise working in partnership with Livestock Societies providing a bespoke support service.

MANAGE – we can manage everything from administrative support, registrations, annual publications, catalogue work, promotions, equine passports, meeting and event support.

SUPPORT – we can support recognised Livestock Societies with their day to day administrative work and support.

DELIVER – we can deliver and assist with your requirements as we o er over 150 years combined experience in the livestock and agricultural industry.

Holme House, Dale, Ainstable, Carlisle CA4 9RH t: 07801 868856 e: info@pedigreelivestockservices co.uk www.pedigreelivestockservices.co.uk

MANAGE – we can manage everything from administrative support, registrations, annual publications, catalogue work, promotions, equine passports, meeting and event support.

Business Development Executive - Publications Business Development Manager - Digital

Agriconnect is the largest multi-platform agricultural information business in the UK. Our brands reach deeply into all the major agricultural sectorsarable, dairy, livestock, agricultural machinery, finance, and equipment.

We offer an excellent package including:

• 25 days holiday increasing to 27 after two years

• Hybrid Working (minimum 2 days in the office each week)

• Flexible working hours available

• An extra day off on your birthday

• Matched pension contribution up to 6%

• Employee assistance programme

• Long service awards and employee of the month

• Employee discount scheme

• Employee referral scheme

• Exceptional career progression. We are ever-evolving, if you work hard and do well - with our help and support there are no limits to your speed of progress

For more details on any of our vacanies, or to apply, please scan the QR code or call on 01772 799500.

Holme House, Dale, Ainstable, Carlisle CA4 9RH

We are a leading land based College with a 300 hectare mixed farm including arable, sheep, beef and pig enterprises. As an educational institution specialising in supporting the land based industries, the Farm is at the core of our activities.

Farm Director

Annual Salary

£60,712 | 37 hours Per Week

We seek a highly professional business manager to take on the role of Farm Director accountable to the Principal and Board. The role with lead and support the work of the Working Farm Manager and their team. The postholder will have proven people skills and will be able to demonstrate the achievement of high standards in all aspects of business performance and administration. A background of strong financial management and control, allied to technical knowledge and experience, will be essential. The role with lead and support the work of the Working Farm Manager and their team.

Graduate Trainee Lecturer in Land-Based Studies

Salary Per Annum £26,367- £27,748 | 37 Hours Per Week

We are looking to employ a graduate with a range of skills and knowledge in agriculture to become a lecturer at Bishop Burton College. You will work in a department with excellent facilities, developing teaching and training skills while studying for a teaching qualification which will be funded and supported by the College.

Working Farm Manager

Annual Salary £46,076 | Full-Time

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking manager for its 300 hectare mixed farm, supporting students to develop their higher level technical skills. The new post-holder will be well-supported and this opportunity would suit someone who wishes to fast-track their farm management career.

If you are interested in this role please visit bishopburton.ac.uk, scroll to the bottom and select ‘Work for Us’. If you have any queries please contact the HR Team at human.resources@bishopburton.ac.uk or telephone 01964 553167

ORGANIC DAIRY CONTRACT FARMING OPPORTUNITY

Location: South Gloucestershire

Role: Herdsperson, Lead, Manager, Specialist

Closing date: 3 Jun 2024

Sector: Dairy, Farm Work, Livestock

350 cow pedigree British Friesian herd calving in two blocks, the herd supplied by the Estate owners (part ownership considered). Muller organic milk contract.

Forage based system with approximately 570 acres of organic land available to the dairy, additional organic forage or cereal crops may be available on an annual license.

Comprehensive facilities including new 24:48 herringbone parlour and single rate cake feeders, cubicles, silage pits and slurry storage

The contract will operate for a term of 5-10 years by agreement.

The successful applicant to supply all labour and non-fixed equipment for the day to day operation of the dairy

Substantial, five bedroom farmhouse and three bedroom annex are available for the use of the successful applicant

For more information on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com

Herd Manager/ Trainee Herd Manager

Location: Wiltshire

Salary: AAE

An exciting opportunity has become available for a Manager/Auctioneer at Gisburn

Auction Mart

Gisburn is one of the leading Livestock Auction Centres in the North of England, with twice weekly sales of all classes of stock. The successful candidate will be responsible for the day to day running of the market and will be expected to have:

• Experience managing a large and diverse team of staff.

• An excellent knowledge of Health and Safety and experience in managing compliance

• The ability to communicate effectively and report to the Board of Directors

• Experience in credit control

Auction and Rostrum experience, although beneficial, is not essential and a lack of this experience should not deter applicants

Remuneration Package will be dependant upon experience

Interested applicants should contact the Chairman Geoff Eccles on 07966 201345 All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

RABI Trustees

If you want to use your skills and experience to make a real difference to the lives of farming people, consider becoming a RABI Trustee. Please apply via https://rabi.org.uk/about/job-vacancies/

Closing date: 23 May 2024

Sector: Dairy, Livestock

Exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and driven herd manager/trainee at Starveall Dairy, a 400 cow herd milked once-a-day through a modern 24/48 Waikato parlour on the Wiltshire/Oxfordshire border. Starveall is part of our 1500 acre organic family farm, which also includes a second dairy unit, some strip-till arable, a small breed to finish pig herd and a sheep enterprise.

Starveall has approx 700 acres of accessible grazing; a mixture of herbal leys, grass/clover leys and chalk downland. A big part of this role is grassland management, and you will be encouraged to develop your skills in this area. We use deferred grazing, mob stocking and bale grazing to manage cows outside year-round.

The role/about you

Milking 400 cows once-a-day through a new and efficient 24/48 swing over parlour Managing the grazing, measuring grass and allocating paddocks Herd fertility, including heat detection and AI Identification and treatment of foot problems Outwintering on a bale grazing system – this is a role for someone who loves being outside! Involvement with calf and heifer rearing Basic tractor skills required, quad and telehandler certificates advantageous Full driving licence required

For more information on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com

helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk

Tortworth Estate Company, Estate Office, Tortworth, Wotton under Edge, Glos, GL12 8HF

Recruiter Spotlight

Latest Jobs From Belmont Estate

ESTATE & NATURE RECOVERY MANAGER at Belmont Estate, Bristol

An exciting opportunity to help manage a beautiful and diverse country estate and to be part of a genuinely progressive business attempting to address the challenges of biodiversity decline, climate change, and nature disconnection.

JOB DESCRIPTION

To oversee the delivery of estate objectives, through effective management of the Estate and Garden teams and practical delivery of wide-ranging estate projects.

Location: Bristol

Closes: 30 May 2024

Job Sector: Farm Work, Forestry & Woodland, Livestock, Management, Property, Land & Estates Management Contract Type: Permanent Salary: Competitive salary. Accommodation available.

ESTATE AND LIVESTOCK ASSISTANT

Belmont Estate & Watercress Farm, Bristol

An exciting opportunity to work on a beautiful and diverse country estate and to be part of a genuinely progressive business attempting to address the challenges of biodiversity decline, climate change, and nature disconnection.

JOB DESCRIPTION

A genuinely varied, wide ranging and important role on a beautiful estate. You will be responsible for the upkeep, care and presentation of the wider estate and regenerative farm.

You will be involved in all aspects of work including livestock care, woodland work, and nature recovery work within our flagship rewilding and rewetting project. And be key to maintaining and promoting the estate’s profile within the local community and for guests and visitors.

Location: Bristol

Closes: 30 May 2024

Job Sector: Farm Work, Forestry & Woodland, Livestock Contract Type: Permanent Salary: Competitive salary

For more information on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com

PRINCIPLE FARM AND ESTATE WORKER

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and conscientious operator to join our small team in North Hampshire. The estate covers around 550ha, of which around 360ha is cropped. We have just started a Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement and also have forestry operations and a shoot.

We are looking for someone who can carry out all the major arable operations. In addition, they will be a key member of the wider estate team, assisting with machinery maintenance and work in the woodland.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE:

· A high level of attention to detail.

· An ability to work autonomously

· A strong awareness of health and safety.

· PA1 and PA2. Telehandler, Chainsaw and PA4s are also desirable, but training will be given.

The ability to keep complete, accurate, records.

In return, we offer a competitive remuneration package with accommodation, opportunities for further training and continuing professional development. The role is available from June 2024.

Your voice matters: Represent your sector at AHDB

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is recruiting for sector council members in:

• Beef & Lamb

• Cereals & Oilseeds

• Dairy

• Pork

Working with AHDB, you won’t just be helping our farmers produce the food we eat and looking after our environment, you’ll be shaping the future of food production and leaving a legacy for the next generation.

Appointments are for three-year terms, starting in November 2024. The role requires a commitment of up to two days per month, including attendance at sector council meetings.

To find out more and to apply for a role, visit the AHDB Careers site: careers.ahdb.org.uk

Boost your agriculture career

Whether you’re an experienced hand or just starting out, our training will help steer you through all you’ll need to operate machines safely and expertly.

Along with a comprehensive range of tractor and attachment courses and refreshers, we also offer training in all terrain vehicles, 4x4s, trailer handling and towing and rough terrain telescopic lift-trucks.

Plus, our industry-leading training and refreshers are recognised by the HSE/HSA/HSENI and delivered by a network of industry professionals.

Scan the QR code to find out more!

Portable Milking Machine

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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

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FRESH REARING CALVES

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Breed Directory

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Breed Secretary: Marguerite Cowley Telephone / Fax: (01305) 262126 dorsetsheep10@outlook.com dorsetsheep.org.uk

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at H&H, Carlisle for more information please contact email: whitebredshorthorn@gmail.com

Royal Highland Show Preview

As the Royal Highland Show approaches,

Farmers Guardian will run an exclusive preview for readers to find out what’s in store at this year’s show.

This will be with readers from Friday June 14, 2024

From getting up close to the top quality livestock, to tasting local food and supporting local producers, the Royal Highland Show is an iconic event which draws national interest.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS

Although every advertisement is carefully checked,occasionally mistakes do occur.We therefore ask advertisers to assist by checking their advertisements carefully and advise us immediately should an error occur. We regret that we cannot accept responsibility for more than ONE INCORRECT insertion and that no re-publication will be granted in the case of typographical or minor changes which do not affect the value of the advertisement.

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CAUTION

We are currently aware of a number of fraudulent advertisers attempting to sell items within the classified section. Whilst we endeavour to protect our readers and pull these adverts before going to press, sometimes they may unfortunately appear in print.

Please be mindful before entering into any deals you PROCEED WITH CAUTION with the seller and do not part with money until goods are received.

Farmers Guardian are NOT responsible for any part of the transaction that takes place with the seller and the buyer.

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At this time of the year, the crops should have been sown but with the wet weather conditions this has not been possible and it is only now possible for spring work to proceed.

When on the tractor cultivating against boundaries, sometimes you may spot a discrepancy whether it be a boundary gate, grass cuttings thrown on the land, or maybe an opportunist has taken liberty to extend their boundary on to the land.

We are assisting a number of farming clients where they have experienced all of these matters and, in all these cases, it is important to note and take prompt action.

With garden gates that lead on to private farmland, some residents will take liberty to then walk around the perimeter of the privately-owned farmland, with or without their dogs.

If an individual continues to do this for a period of 20 years uninterrupted, without force, secrecy or permission, then they can potentially acquire what are known as prescriptive rights.

Experience

We have live experience of this, where we are assisting a client with land that has been earmarked for residential development.

The risk in the situation concerned is that if it can be proved that the neighbours benefit from prescriptive rights, then this could result in part of the land being sterilised and the proposed residential development having to be adapted – a risk that with pro-active property management could have been avoided.

Potential solutions to the issue could either be to prevent its use at an early stage, or to grant a lease or a licence agreement.

The other item is where fence posts and associated fencing are re-positioned which result in some farmland then being encompassed

within the residential property owner’s garden.

We have previous experience of this, where four residential properties acted covertly in order to all move their fences into the farmland at the same time, in an attempt to avoid obvious identification by the landowner.

These actions can potentially lead to what is known as adverse possession.

One step a land owner can take is to ensure that their ownership (freehold or leasehold) of the property is registered with HM Land Registry.

Where there is registered and unregistered land, there are differing legal stances, in particular for time requirements.

For an adverse possession application to be made, the time period for registered land is 10 years and 12 years where it is unregistered.

Where the ownership is registered with HM Land Registry, it is important that your address details are kept up to date in case a legal notice is served and you do not receive it due to an administrative error.

While you are undertaking your spring cultivations, take the opportunity to make a boundary inspection and where necessary note any discrepancies and look to iron them out before they escalate into a future headache.

Jack Sharpe is director of T. Fazakerley and Son, Chartered Surveyors Land and Estate Agents. Call 07787 576 258, or email jack@tfazakerleyandson.co.uk

Jack Sharpe

07710 843445

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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

We have a fantastic selection of pick-ups and 4x4 vehicles in stock from all leading Manufacturers, including: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Nissan, Ford and Volkswagen

Edited by Toby Whatley

–

Subaru’s Forester may not be the first car that springs to mind when considering a farm vehicle, but is its off-road rally pedigree still lurking beneath some unassuming body styling? James Huyton takes a look at the current SUV.

On test: Subaru Forester Sport – pedigree to perform

Some readers may remember Subaru’s racing heritage, with McRae and Burns both fighting for World Rally Championship titles in opposing Impreza models.

The manufacturer’s dust trail may have long settled on the dirt tracks of the World Rally stages, but the four-wheel drive engineering and the four-cylinder engine remain.

Although the Impreza WRX was discontinued several years ago, the Subaru brand has remained in the UK. Four models now make up the range of this all-wheel drive manufacturer.

The Forester e-boxer, Outback and Crosstrek are all self-charging hybrid vehicles, while the Solterra provides an all-electric option in the range.

For our test, we will be focusing on the Forester e-boxer, one of the brand’s longest running SUV’s with its debut made back in 1997.

Since then, the Forester has seen several facelifts, new model launches and some refreshed looks, with the latest occurring in 2022.

Looking beyond UK shores, eagle-eyed Subaru supporters may have noticed the launch of a 2025 variant in the USA, but as of yet there are no plans for a UK arrival.

Rear privacy glass comes as standard on the Sport and XE premium variants.

of the current Subaru Forester follows a similar formula to its predecessor with the 2.0i Sport tested here priced at £40,195 on the road.

EXTERIOR

THE Forester’s boxy styling can leave it somewhat lagging behind on exterior looks compared to many of its more mainstream rivals.

Nevertheless, it remains a functional and practical all wheel drive vehicle for rural users.

The vehicle’s overall height, width and length of 1,730 x 2,065 and 4,640mm respectively, make the Forester a well-proportioned

and manoeuvrable vehicle.

The Sport variant, as tested here, incorporates external bumper trim highlights in orange, however, prospective buyers looking for a more toned-down look may wish to consider the XE and XE Premium specifications instead.

The Sport variant also included the wider 18-inch alloy wheels with black colouring.

Styling

MACHINERY & TRACTOR SUPPLEMENT

For more machinery, see your free Machinery & Tractor supplement in the centre of this week’s FG Buy & Sell.

INTERIOR

THE orange accents continue inside the Forester Sport, with the colour denoted on the seat stitching, steering wheel, gear stick and a few instrument controls.

Interior fit and finish are as expected from a Japanese brand, with a well-fitted, consistent quality of trim.

The fabric choice for the cloth seats may not be to everyone’s taste, but shape, padding and lumbar support created a comfortable driving position.

Creature comforts also include heated front seats and a heated

steering wheel. Although the interior may feel a little dated to some, it still delivered a good level of spec and tech for its price point.

Some prospective buyers may also appreciate the manufacturer’s retention of the analogue display for the speedometer, fuel gauge and engine rpm.

The eight-inch multi-function colour touchscreen is intuitive and easy to use and comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity.

Internal styling was well-balanced between functionality, technology and fit and finish.

Seating comfort and leg room were ample both front and rear.

Folded down, the back seats gave a clear load bed with 1,071 litres of space.

A split-screen display gives clear around camera viability when reversing.

Continues over the page. The central glove box lacked in size for storage.

MACHINERY

ENGINE

THE Forester e-boxer uses a hybrid system with a two-litre, four-cylinder horizontally opposed petrol engine combined with an electric motor.

Mounted within the boot floor, a lithium-ion battery allows for pure-electric driving at speeds of up to 25mph. When operating in full electric mode, a range of about a mile is possible.

Rural users may not see the full potential of the hybrid system, as it mainly only offers benefits in stop-

For more machinery, see your free

SAFETY

EVEN with a five-star Euro N-cap safety, the Forester has more than a few little tricks up its sleeve to aid driver safety.

Eyesight driver assist technology uses two stereo cameras which are mounted on either side of the rear-view mirror.

If there is a high possibility of collision, the system applies the brakes to help avoid or reduce the severity of a collision.

The vehicle is also equipped with a driver monitoring system which effectively operates through a camera installed on the visor.

A two-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is combined with an electric motor on the hybrid system.

go traffic covering short distances. However, the hybrid system gives rural users the benefits of battery motoring alongside the ease and convenience of filling up a combustion engine.

The two-litre petrol engine did not feel lacking both driving on and off-road, but the claimed 34.72mpg could have been better.

Potentially, this could have been low due to the higher revving gear changes when driving in fully automatic mode.

TOWING, TRACTION AND TRANSMISSION

ALL Foresters are fitted with an automatic Lineartronic continuously variable transmission as standard, capable of fully automatic and manual paddle shift gear changes.

Gear changes were smooth throughout the range although the urgency of gear change seemed a little lazy, leaving the vehicle to rev hard before the next gear.

With 220mm of ground clearance, the Forester is suited for off-road

work while the dual-function X-MODE, is capable of adapting to a variety of road and off-road conditions. The hill descent function automatically maintains a constant speed when travelling down hills.

Although the test vehicle was not fitted with a tow bar, the vehicle’s rated 1,870kg braked towing capacity was seen as ample for the majority of towing tasks it is likely to be presented with.

It monitors for hazards up to 110 metres ahead and works in conjunction with the vehicle’s adaptive cruise control, precollision braking, departure warning and lane assist.

Subaru’s rear vehicle detection identifies vehicles approaching from the rear, with blind spot monitoring to assist lane changes.

Reverse automatic braking uses conventional sensors mounted in the rear bumper to detect obstructions when reversing.

The driver is alerted to any identified obstructions with audible warnings and an image from the reversing camera on the touchscreen.

This system uses facial recognition technology to detect if the driver’s gaze has wandered or if the driver is dozing off and then alerts occupants if this occurs.

If the driver looks out of the window or across at a passenger for an extended period, the system will recognise that the face direction is not forward and a warning will sound to alert the driver to focus on the road ahead.

This system can also be programmed for facial recognition of five individual drivers and synced to their preferred, seat position, door mirror angle, display screen content and air conditioning settings.

USERS looking for a practical, yet relatively compact, farm vehicle would not go far wrong to consider the Subaru Forester.

With an on-road price of £40,195 the Forester offers a good level of spec for its price point, although styling may not be to every prospective buyer’s taste.

Subaru has retained its rally pedigree when it comes to setting up this vehicle for off-road making light work of a taxing off-road course even with its 220mm ground clearance.

The Forester permanent all-wheeldrive demonstrated its abilities in tricky off-road conditions and

additions of hill descent control plus two other off-road modes also aid the vehicle’s ability, even when booted with some standard road tyres.

Spacious and comfortable to drive, the Subaru Forester may not take the place of the farm trusty pick-up, but for a general all-round vehicle for a farming family it is worth a look.

Its capacity as an able off-road vehicle with 509 litres of boot space (increasing to 1,071 litres with the seats flat) and ground clearance could make it well suited to allied agricultural industries such as farm vets and agronomists.

FG verdict

Cameras mounted behind the rear-view mirror track the road and aid with adaptive braking.

Even fitted with 225/55R18 road tyres, the Forester proved itself a worthy off-road vehicle.

Edited by Katie Jones – 07786

The impact of bluetongue on this year’s summer shows is as yet unknown.

rGatherings must follow requirements

By Ellie Layton

UNCERTAINTY around the threat of bluetongue has left farmers questioning the safety of showing their livestock this summer.

However, Amy Smith, of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), has said that showing livestock any year carries a certain element of disease risk.

Speaking at the recent Agricultural Shows Conference of Wales, held at the Royal Welsh Showground, Ms Smith said: “This year is no different, but with the threat of bluetongue, risk could be higher.”

However, she added the exact risks in terms of bluetongue were as yet unknown.

Midges

“It is unlikely that cattle travelling to shows will spread the disease as it is transmitted by midges. However, the risk will never be zero.”

Also speaking at the conference, Paul Hooper, secretary of the Association of Show and Agricultural

Bluetongue: How to deal with it this show season

Organisations said gatherings of all poultry and other captive birds, including ducks, geese and swans, were now permitted.

He added that these gatherings must follow the requirements of the poultry gathering general licence, and organisers should notify the APHA at least seven days before the event, which would be done through a show applying for an AGO01,

which enables livestock and poultry on a temporary show holding.

The role of agricultural shows and the expectations of visitors to these events was changing, according to speakers at the conference.

Mr Hooper said shows had bounced back following mass cancellations of events across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Rural shows across

the country represent agriculture and the farming community in our circles, but we are also required to give the wider public an accurate insight to our industry.”

Dr Greg Langridge-Thomas, of Powys County Council, is involved in the planning of the Royal Welsh Show and explained the research he has carried out into the role the show plays in contemporary Wales.

He said his research had found that 39 per cent of attendees at the Royal Welsh Show have no connection to agriculture.

He added: “With the public willing to enter the gates of these events, this is a prime example of how we can keep shows close to what farmers want, while providing a shop window for the public.

“My findings show that agricultural shows thrive when they provide a platform to connect, a showcase of the rural way of life and a learning for attendees, both farmer to farmer and to wider society, such as school trips.”

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS

For more on the value of agricultural shows, see pages 92-93.

LIVESTOCK

Making the best use of manure is key for mixed farmers James and Anna King, who are turning pig muck into bokashi. Jonathan Wheeler finds out more.

Bokashi boosts manure management on mixed farm

Bokashi, combined with digestate from a local anaerobic digester, is the main source of nutrition for the arable crops grown by mixed farmers James and Anna King.

The couple farm 170 hectares (420 acres) in partnership with James’ mother Ann at Cowley Farm, near Buckingham, and take on another 22ha (55 acres) of summer grazing.

Half the farm is in a wheat and maize arable rotation, with cover crops of stubble turnips being grown over winter ahead of maize planting.

The other half is grassland, on which they contract rear dairy cross Aberdeen-Angus beef cattle, for which they are paid on the liveweight gain achieved, and run a small flock of sheep.

Bokashi translates from its native Japanese as ‘well-fermented organic matter’, says James.

It is made by adding beneficial bacteria to manure and then sealing it, so it ferments like silage rather than decomposing like compost.

James says doing this ensures it retains virtually all the nutrients it contains, whereas in a standard composting operation as much as 75 per cent of that value can be lost as gas or leachate.

Another advantage is that the

BOKASHI

WHILEJamesusesaknapsack sprayer,AndrewSincock,ofAgriton, saysotherapplicationmethodscan beused.

“Wehaveonecustomerwhoapplies thetreatmentviasprinklersmounted inhisbuildings’roofs,”hesays.

“Anotherhasfittedthemisting systemtothemachineheuses tospreadthestrawbedding,soit inoculatesthestrawandsuppresses thedustcreatedatthesametime.”

Headdsthetreatmentactsas aprobiotic,aidingthefunctionof theanimals’gutandhelpingthem usenutrientsmoreefficiently,which hesuggestscouldhelpimprove dailyliveweightgainsandoffer otherrelatedbenefitssuchaslower antibioticuseormortalityrisk.

finished product can be spread straight onto the field, while compost generally takes longer to prepare and needs to be turned, which incurs additional costs.

Clay

Clay can also be incorporated to help soak up any leachates and retain their nutrients, rather than risk them being lost. This has the added benefit of minimising environmental emissions, both in the form of gases and liquid leachates.

For James and Anna, making best use of manure is paying multiple dividends, and it is very much a throwback to the farm’s past.

James says: “This was always a traditional mixed farm with a dairy

MrSincocksays:“Bokashiis mucheasierandquickertomakethan traditionalcompostbecauseitdoes notneedtobeturnedwhichavoids muchofthelabour,machineryand othercosts,whilealsolosingfarless carbondioxidetotheatmosphere.”

Straw seems much more efficiently broken down [in bokashi] than in normal manure

JAMES KING

herd and other livestock, with the land greatly benefiting from applications of muck and because livestock grazed the land every year.”

As a result, they need to buy very little bagged nitrogen – what they buy is more as insurance than out of necessity.

Applying the bacteria to their pigs’ straw bedding also helps minimise odours emitted. This in turn benefits their other major business – seven holiday lets and an 18-pitch caravan site adjoin the sheds where the pigs are kept.

“Reducing the smell is a big plus for us,” says Anna.

“Our visitors know they are coming to stay on a working farm, so they accept that there will be some smell, but minimising it avoids complaints.”

Pigs

They rear five or six batches of pigs for a meat business, taking in weaned piglets at three weeks old and keeping them for between eight and 10 weeks before they are moved to a finishing unit.

Pigs are kept on deep straw beds in a set of three open fronted sheds, split into eight pens.

The liquid treatment, which contains 80 different microbes, is applied to the pigs’ bedding by James using a knapsack sprayer.

He spreads the liquid treatment across the pens once a week, covering the whole pen but concentrating on the dunging area and those near the drinking and feed troughs.

“They get their noses into it and move it around, which helps complete the spread,” says James.

When each group of pigs has departed, the bedding is heaped and sheeted and is ready for use very quickly.

James says: “It is similar to compost in some ways but different in others. It is very black and you can see surviving straw fibres in it, but the straw seems much more efficiently broken down than in normal manure.

“It looks like it has been rotting down for a year even when it has only been in the heap for a few weeks.”

Arable crops

The bokashi is used alongside digestate from an anaerobic digester and forms the main nutrient source for their 80ha (200 acres) of arable crops.

Bokashi is normally applied ahead of maize drilling and worked in. James says he has considered applying it ahead of wheat as well, but feels the working window between maize harvest and autumn wheat sowing is too tight and cannot not be relied on.

“We incorporate the bokashi before the maize and then apply about 30cu.m/ha of digestate once the crop is growing,” he says.

“With both maize and wheat, that usually supplies enough nutrients. It is good stuff and the crops grow well – it is a low-cost way of growing crops.”

Last year, maize yielded 50 tonnes/ ha (20t/acre) with no other fertiliser. Even in the drought conditions of 2022 they still got 33t/ha (13t/acre), with the crops going to a local anaerobic digester to generate electricity. Wheat yields were around 10t/ha (4t/acre) in 2023 and 9t/ha (3t/acre) in 2022.

As well as feeding the crops, James feels the product is helping feed and build their clay and loam soils’ productivity, and is also feeding for future years as some of the nutrients take time to break down.

Andrew Sincock

The pigs stay in the pen during that operation, just as they do when he refreshes their bedding.

The couple are aiming to run a ‘lowinput’ system and carry out soil sampling to check the status of their soils, with only a little bit of DAP (diammonium phosphate) being applied before maize crops and agchem applications minimised as far as possible.

Future-proof your farm business, gain insight and exchange knowledge with a Farmers Guardian Farm Futures membership.

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Insight – Quarterly, in-depth, analytical reports into the latest agricultural trends. Recent topics include, diversification and low carbon agriculture

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Liquid treatment, which contains 80 different microbes, is applied to the pigs’ bedding by James using a knapsack sprayer.

Reseeding a vast amount of rented grassland is helping one beef new entrant improve forage quality. Farmers Guardian reports.

In a bid to improve forage quality and reduce bought-in feed requirements, a new entrant beef farmer has fast-tracked reseeding on the ground he rents.

Paul Thomas joined Warrendale Wagyu as a finisher just nine months ago, having rented some farmland alongside running his contracting and groundwork business.

Since then, he has amassed more grassland to rent over three holdings near Cwmbran, South Wales, and has aspirations to lift cattle numbers to 250 head.

In the past two years, supported by his landlords, he has rejuvenated poor pasture by reseeding some 49 hectares (120 acres), with more to be done.

Taking soil samples was a key starting point in helping to restore depleted nutrients, says Mr Thomas.

He adds: “We applied straights in phosphate, potash and lime to correct the imbalances; indices were low and soil pH was 5.5 or below.

“[To raise the pH] we applied calcium limestone because magnesium was high in the soil.”

Reseeding policy

Mr Thomas ploughed 24ha (60 acres) in 2022, power-harrowed and planted peas, beans and oats using a combination drill. He then reseeded with grass in the autumn following harvest.

He says: “Peas, beans, and oats are a more complete feed [for cattle]. It gives us protein and the peas fix nitrogen.”

New entrant ploughs on with reseeding programme

Docks were an issue and using the cereal crop gave them the opportunity to spray weeds before reseeding.

He says: “We left it two weeks after harvest to encourage weed regrowth and then went in, with Roundup before we reseeded in August. To establish the grass, we subsoiled using a Sumo and raked a disc over it before combination drilling.”

Currently, cattle muck is spread on wholecrop and maize ground before establishment with grassland fed with nutrient-rich compost. This is applied at 24.7 tonnes/ha (10t/acre) before establishment.

Mr Thomas says: “It provides phosphorus and potassium and is high in organic matter and it meant we

did not use any nitrogen during grassland establishment. Every other year we will analyse soil and top up with straights where needed.”

Varieties

In the first year, he chose Germinal’s Aber HSG2 and red clover, but stubborn weeds led him to change his tack last year.

Instead, he reseeded another 24ha (60 acres) with Germinal’s HSG4 (a mix of tetraploids and diploids) and plans to oversow some of the cutting leys with red clover in spring once the weeds have been treated.

However, he concedes that oversowing will present a different challenge.

Thomas joined

Wagyu as a finisher just nine months ago.

He says: “Clover does not like competition, so we are going to graze the grass with sheep in spring and overseed straight away with clover while the grass is short.”

On average, three cuts of chopped silage were taken with a self-propelled forager last year.

Last summer, 0:20:30 was applied in March before first cut of grass silage in May, and then 185kg/ha of 20:10:10 was spread after first and second cuts, which was 370kg/ha of nitrogen in total.

Last year, second cut was taken on July 21 and averaged 11.1 per cent metabolisable energy and 15.6 per cent crude protein at 30 per cent dry matter.

Benefits

He says: “Since reseeding, we have seen a production and quality benefit. We cut fields which had not been reseeded twice, but the new leys were cut three times and we had more from each cut.”

He has tailored his cropping policy to produce home-grown forage capable of achieving good marbling to reduce bought-in feed requirements.

Mr Thomas says: “Both maize and crimped wholecrop peas and beans are high in starch, which is required to aid the marbling process.”

These two crops have become mainstays of the arable rotation, with

Farm facts

■ Renting 101 hectares (250 acres) on various agreements, with more than half down to grass and the remainder down to triticale, peas and beans and maize

■ Finishing 40 cattle on contract for Warrendale Wagyu

■ Selling 800 tonnes of silage to local dairy farmers

The farm finishes 40 cattle on contract for Warrendale Wagyu.

Paul

Warrendale

40ha (100 acres) of triticale, peas, beans and oats, and maize currently being grown under arable rotation. After the triticale is harvested in August, fields will be sown with mustard before being ploughed and sown with maize the following spring. Instead of triticale, winter wheat will then be grown after maize.

Mr Thomas says: “We can cut it shorter and get better starch from the wheat grain.”

He plans to plant mustard to act as a ‘green manure’ to avoid bare soils over winter.

Paul Morgan, Germinal GB area sales manager, who has been advising Mr Thomas alongside his

GRASSCHECK

GRASS GROWTH ACROSS THE UK

Scotland

48.9kgdrymatterperhectareperday (19.8kgDM/acre/day)

The North

64.8kgDM/ha/day (26.2kgDM/acre/day)

Wales

41.2kgDM/ha/day (16.7kgDM/acre/day)

The South 50.8kgDM/ha/day (20.6kgDM/acre/day)

Grass growth Soil moisture (cb)

Soil temperature (degC) Rainfall (mm per week)

DAILY GROWTH FORECASTS

Region Seven-day forecast 14-day forecast

NorthEngland 73.5kgDM/ha(29.7kgDM/acre) 34.7kgDM/ha(14.0kgDM/acre) SouthEngland 76.4kgDM/ha(30.9kgDM/acre) 47.9kgDM/ha(19.4kgDM/acre)

Scotland 72.1kgDM/ha(29.1kgDM/acre) 45.8kgDM/ha(18.5kgDM/acre)

Wales 70.4kgDM/ha(28.4kgDM/acre) 50.6kgDM/ha(20.4kgDM/acre)

GRASS QUALITY

Both maize and crimped wholecrop peas and beans are high in starch, which is required to aid the marbling process

PAUL THOMAS

agronomist, says using mustard as a cover crop also helps control soil-borne pests, such as the frit fly, because it acts as a biofumigant, producing high amounts of glucosinolates, which are released into the soil during composition.

The mustard will be ploughed in to ‘feed the soil’.

Persistency

Mr Thomas says he hopes to get four years of persistency from grass and will alternate the arable and grass-

land blocks in four-year rotations. The wholecrop, maize and grass silage are proving the perfect prescription for the 40-head of Wagyu beef cattle Mr Thomas is finishing on contract for Warrendale Wagyu.

He takes yearling animals and finishes them aged 22-24 months.

Mr Thomas bought the animals on a fixed price per kilogram, based on weight. Alongside this, he is responsible for feed, vet and medicine, bedding and labour.

Finished animals will be sold at a minimum base rate of £5.20/kg deadweight, with additional premiums paid for animals which secure enhanced marbling scores that influence overall meat quality.

In the future, he hopes to expand cattle numbers to 250 and take them as calves so he has control of the whole process from weaning to finishing.

n 12kg of wholecrop and grass silage

n 0.25kg of wheat straw

n 6kg barley, peas and beans mix

n 2kg of a 15.1 per cent concentrate blend

GROWTH RATES

MANAGEMENT NOTES

n Field soils are now beginning to dry out as evidenced by lower soil moisture levels, with less rainfall and rising soil temperatures

n Growth rates have responded in all regions over the past week and a consistent growth rate is predicted (70kg DM/ha+) in the next seven days n As the growth prediction is above the long-term average, it is

Week beginning May 6

essential to assess the grazing demand and supply on your own farm platform, which make regular grass walks vital n To maintain future grass quality, identify and cut out surplus grass to get any heavy covers back into the rotation as soon as possible — this may coincide with first cut silage harvests in some areas

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.

DAIRY SPECIAL

As we move through the year, attention for the dairy sector turns to preventing problems with heat stress and managing parasites at grazing.

78 HEAT STRESS

80 ORGANIC DAIRY

‘Milk is the absence of stress’

By Katie Fallon

At a recent Dugdale Nutrition event in Carlisle, independent dairy consultant Dr Gordie Jones shared his advice on how to find lost litres in dairy management and cow comfort.

With the top 10 cows in the world currently producing 93 litres per day and more than 34,000 litres of milk in a year, Dr Jones said in years to come entire herds will be producing this figure, rather than just a few individual animals.

He said: “The best cow in the world at the moment is a cow called SelzPralle Aftershock 3918, which is giving 97.3 litres per day and gave 35,532 in her last lactation.”

However, while Dr Jones said he believed the Holstein genetics were now capable of achieving this level of production, he said herd management and cow comfort would play an extremely influential role in realising this.

Dr Jones said there were only three things a dairy cow should do on-farm: stand to milk; stand to eat or drink; and lie down.

He added: “If your cows are not doing those three things, they are not making you money.”

To ensure cows are doing those three things effectively, Dr Jones told attendees to think of ‘A, B and C’, which is air quality, bunk management and cow comfort.

He said: “Every time I increase the amount of fresh air into a dairy barn

the cows go up in milk, because they eat more.”

Dr Jones said that in a study conducted by Dr Alex Bach, where 47 herds with similar genetics were fed the same ration, milk yields varied by 14 litres, with non-diet factors accounting for 56 per cent of the variation in production.

Non-diet factors

Dr Jones said the non-diet factors included cubicle design, number of cubicles per cow and feed push-up.

He said: “All of the things you do in a dairy is a symphony, and when it is done right you are the conductor of a wonderful symphony.

“Get it right and you are in the sweet spot, but get it wrong and cows will not give any milk.”

Stop making it so hard; cows just need great beds, great air, easy access to beds and easy access to feed

DR GORDIE JONES

He added there were three things required to create this ‘symphony’ in a dairy herd.

Firstly, the physical facility. Dr Jones advised farmers to think about the dairy building as the tool to implement their plans for the business.

The second element was chemical, which Dr Jones said was the feed ration.

He said: “The ration formulated by the nutritionist, mixed by you and consumed by the cow must be the same.”

And the third element was social and how cows behave. Dr Jones said that cows can only remember 100 faces, therefore in a herd of up to 100 cows, there is one social order, but in a herd of 100-200 cows, the cows subdivide into two social groups. He said: “Most cows will drop two to three litres when entering a new group, because when they are establishing a social order they will not be eating, drinking or lying down.”

Therefore, Dr Jones advised getting fresh cows settled into their main group as quickly as possible to minimise time spent establishing social order.

The last bite

When looking at the chemical aspect of achieving symphony in a dairy, Dr Jones told attendees they were in ‘the last bite business’.

He said: “The last bite is the most important bite a cow can take every day. The single biggest emergency on my dairy is to not have feed in front of my cows.”

Within all herds, Dr Jones said there should be a cow producing twice the average production at any given time.

He said: “If you have a cow giving 25 litres, you should also have a cow giving 50 litres, if not you are missing out on that last bite.”

Dr Jones said in the last bite a cow will take from a ration, they will consume 1kg of dry matter, which will yield 2.5 litres of milk.

For every extra hour spent in their beds, cows will produce 1.7 litres more milk, said Dr Gordie Jones.

He said: “The average intake of feed in a total mixed ration is 26kg a day and, in the case where a farm is feeding 13kg twice-a-day, with the average cow producing 40 litres of milk, that cow is missing out on an extra 16kg of dry matter intake. Therefore, a cow producing 80 litres needs to be eating 42kg of dry matter per day.

“Cows will eat 35 per cent of their daily intake in the first meal, so you need to deliver 60 per cent of the dry matter at first feeding.”

He added that 35 per cent of 42kg equalled 14.7kg, therefore a farm feeding 13kg at first feeding is already under-feeding the cow by 1.7kg and losing out on 4.25 litres of milk.

Dr Jones said that cows are crepuscular, which means they will get up and want their first meal at dawn. Consequently, he advised feed enough in the evening so 60 per cent of the feed is available to them in the morning. He also advised farmers to carry out the semi-circle test and look for semi-circles in feed troughs.

He said: “Every semi-circle in the feed is a last bite not taken and you are missing out on milk production. If you deliver feed to cows at midday and they get up, then they are hungry. I hate to have cows stimulated by the truck.”

When looking at the effects of cow comfort on production, Dr Jones said cows must be lying down, drinking or sleeping for 20 hours per day and the feed trough should never be empty. He said there was a key relationship

between resting and milk yield and for every extra hour spent in their beds, cows will produce 1.7 litres more milk and up to 2.7 litres more milk in the fresh group.

Walkways

Dr Jones also encouraged farmers to think about the size and layout of walkways.

He said: “If the way to the food is small and narrow, the cow cannot get to the feed and so will not feed, and if she cannot get to bed then she will not lie down.”

Dr Jones added cow sheds should have a four-metre (13ft) feed lane and 10cm (3.9in) of water space per cow, equalling two water troughs per 100 cows and four water troughs for more than 100 cows.

He said: “Cows will drink 30 per cent of their daily water intake in the first hour after milking, so putting troughs on the way back from milking is a good idea.”

Ultimately, Dr Jones advised farmers to focus on doing the cheapest things first when looking to increase production.

He said: “Stop making it so hard; cows just need great beds, great air, easy access to beds and easy access to feed.”

He concluded with the phrase ‘milk is the absence of stress’ and explained that where cows were producing high milk yields, the stress had been removed, therefore, allowing the cow to realise its true potential.

Heat stress occurs when cows generate and absorb more heat than they can expel. When the temperature humidity index (THI) exceeds 72, cows suffer from heat stress – often as a result of high ambient temperatures, humidity and poor airflow in production conditions.

Dr Derek McIlmoyle, of AB Vista, says the impact of heat stress is wide ranging and includes animal discomfort, reduced feed intake, poorer productivity and impaired fertility, all of which has an economic cost.

With higher temperatures on the horizon, Dr McIlmoyle adds it is an issue which shows no sign of abating.

In the UK alone, average ambient temperatures are forecast to increase by 3.5-4degC by the end of the century and Met Office data suggests the number of days where the THI is more than 70 is set to reach 30 a year within the same timeframe.

Dr McIlmoyle says there are effective management and nutritional strategies which can help to mitigate the problems caused by heat stress.

1 Environmental changes:

“One of the first recommendations to help dairy cows cope with heat stress is to provide them with adequate shade,” says Dr McIlmoyle.

“By decreasing exposure to solar radiation, you can keep cows 2degC cooler.”

Shade can be artificial or natural (trees, for example), says Dr McIlmoyle, and production spaces should feature suitable air ventilation, whether built into the building or with exhaust fans and properly sized and placed inlets.

Supplemental cooling – using sprinklers or soakers – can lower air temperatures through misting or by soaking the cow’s skin.

2 Food and water routine:

Dr McIlmoyle says feeding cows during the day when environmental temperature is highest should be avoided. It causes poor dry matter intake and increases the rate of feed heating and spoilage.

Heat stress is one of the most challenging stressors on dairy cow production, compromising milk yield, quality and profitability. Farmers Guardian looks at some preventative advice.

Mitigating heat stress in dairy cows

He says: “For appetite stimulation, 60-70 per cent of the ration should be fed overnight when the ambient temperature is lower.”

He adds that it is recommended to feed smaller portions more frequently

By decreasing exposure to solar radiation, you can keep cows 2degC cooler

DR DEREK McILMOYLE

to reduce the overall heat produced by the rumen after ingestion and limit the risk of feed spoilage.

Hot weather increases a cow’s respiration rate and urination frequency, resulting in greater water intake by the animal, with research showing this could be between 3050 per cent higher.

Fresh, clean and easily accessible water is crucial – ideally within 15 metres (50 feet) of the animal and located in a space out of direct sunlight.

3

Dietary ingredients:

Dr McIlmoyle says that using high quality dietary ingredients can improve the nutrient content of feed to better support milk yield and health status of dairy cows.

He says: “The forage content in typical high production dairy diets is usually 45-60 per cent of total dry

matter intake. Animals produce more heat and acetate when fermenting more fibrous diets.”

Highly digestible roughages, such as brewer’s grains, cotton seeds and beet pulp, are recommended ingredients, he adds, as they stimulate total dry matter intake while reducing heat increment, which aids thermoregulation.

Another element to consider is the increase of fat addition in diets; less heat is released during the metabolism of fats in comparison to carbohydrates and proteins. Whole oil seeds (for example, sunflower or cotton) or ruminally protected fats can be used.

4 Supplementation and additives:

Dr McIlmoyle says: “Live yeast has successfully been used in dairy cow diets during periods of heat stress. It helps to counteract the negative effects heat stress has on ruminal efficiency and metabolism, as well as maintain health status, fertility and performance.”

He adds that supplementing a diet with live yeast converts lactic acid to propionic acid, a major energy source for ruminants.

Live yeast also assists with the prevention of accumulated lactic acid in the rumen, helping regulate the rumen pH and limit the risk of both clinical and subclinical acidosis.

Dr McIlmoyle says: “When looking at Europe’s 2019 summer heatwave, herds treated with a double dose of live yeast saw no significant drop in milk yield and no strong daily fluctuations.”

Cows should have access to adequate shade whether they are outside grazing or housed in cubicles.

Provita Protect POM-VPS and the use of an electrolyte

Calf scour is still the most common disease in young unweaned calves accounting for 50% of all calf deaths*. Prevention of calf scour outbreaks requires implementation of good farm management practices. These would include supply of high quality colostrum, be that maternal or substitute replacer, timely vaccination of the mother against known scouring causing agents and administration of a medicinally licensed probiotic, Provita Protect POM-VPS. Despite best practices and management, calf scour can still occur, therefore it is imperative to monitor calves daily to make swift interventions if required.

Re-establishment of gut health after scour

At times of stress e.g. scouring, the calf gut is very susceptible to an imbalance in gut bacteria composition.

During this stress the trend is that the beneficial bacteria (like that contained in Provita’s Protect POMVPS) will decrease, whereas disease-causing bacteria like E. coli, has the opportunity to proliferate and cause further problems. Therefore administration of beneficial bacteria to scouring/stressed calves seeks to re-establish the natural protective gut bacteria and return the animal to its normal nutritional, growth and health status as quickly as possible. Provita has completed work to evidence the effectiveness of an electrolyte solution along with a probiotic in scour recovery. In the published clinical report results* demonstrated that Protect POM-VPS and Prolyte Extra oral rehydration solution:

1. Demonstrated a quicker recovery time in scouring calves;

2. Accelerated the recovery of body condition to a normal healthy state in scouring calves;

3. Treated scouring calves and proved to be as effective as the use of antibiotics

Rehydration and scour recovery

Calves can lose 5 to 10% of their body weight in water within 1 day of scouring. Early signs of dehydration include dullness, lack of appetite, watery stools that may be brown, grey, green or yellow in colour and development of sunken-eyed appearance as they become more dehydrated. Electrolytes are the single most important therapy when correcting rehydration and electrolyte imbalance in scouring calves. Giving Prolyte Extra to scouring dairy and beef calves helps to prevent issues associated

with scour. Dairy calves suffering from scour result in higher rearing costs and reduced milk yields. Beef calves’ daily liveweight gains can reduce therefore affecting their profitability. Prolyte Extra has been specifically formulated to contain, at the correct levels, readily available sources and electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride to replace lost electrolytes. Gut contents are bound by gelling agents to help give more time for nutrient absorption; also added are vitamins and minerals to help correct any deficiencies due to scouring.

Written by George Shaw, MPharm MPSNI, Technical Adviser, george.shaw@ provita.co.uk, 07841 926219.

*References available on request

Contact Provita to find your nearest stockist or to discuss your farm requirements. 0800 328 4982 or info@provita.co.uk

MINIMISE LASTING EFFECTS OF SCOUR & HELP SPEED RECOVERY OF YOUR CALVES

Prolyte Extra provides optimally balanced glucose and glycine levels to maximise the absorption of sodium and thereby maximise the rehydration of the calf.

It also counteracts common deficiencies, reduces acidosis and re-establishes beneficial bacteria in the gut to restore digestion, appetite and food intake swiftly.

DAIRY

Maintaining forage stocks in winter and managing summer grazing are the challenges at Commonwork, an organic dairy farm in Kent. Wendy Short finds out more.

Changes planned for Kent organic dairy farm

The mixed breed dairy herd farmed at Commonwork in Chiddingstone, Kent, is managed on a contract farming arrangement and has been operated since 2019 by Burdett Farming. The farm, which has been organic for more than two decades, is part of the Bore Place Estate, a registered charity, and the 240cow herd there is managed by Luke Williamson.

Mr Williamson explains, originally the herd comprised pedigree Holsteins, but new breeds have been introduced over the years.

“There have been a couple of management changes, with each person having an influence on the breeding policy,” he says. “The overall result has benefited the herd, in terms of hybrid vigour. Montbeliarde and Norwegian Red bloodlines were part of the initial cross-breeding programme, but the last seven years have seen a focus on British and Irish Friesians.

“The most recent addition is the Jersey and the first Jersey cross calves are due to be born this autumn. They have been introduced in the hope that their genetics will improve milk constituents, as some of the milk is sold to

a cheesemaker on the estate. The remainder is sold to Arla on a constituents contract.”

Cows are yielding an average of 6,000kg at 4.2 per cent butterfat and 3.37 per cent protein, and herd achieves a figure of 2,120kg milk from forage.

Area

The estate itself has 141 hectares (350 acres) available for forage production and grazing. A further 109ha (270 acres) of neighbouring land is rented and this includes a 48ha (120-acre) block which has been added to the holding this year.

“The extra acreage will provide the opportunity to step up the reseeding programme and improve productivity in the longterm,” says Mr Williamson. “In the meantime, it is being converted to organic standards so there will be a waiting period.”

Several improvements have been made since the contract organic farming arrangement was signed. These include a new parlour, mains water troughs, fencing for the grazing platform and some cow track upgrades, with the silage clamps having been renovated during 2021/2022.

Luke Williamson manages the organic dairy herd at Bore Place Estate.

Irish Friesian and Jersey bulls are selected for their grazing suitability, as well as for high solids figures and good fertility scores

LUKE WILLIAMSON

The herd has been switched from spring and autumn calving to autumn block calving for ease of management, and the total mixed ration has been replaced with self-feed silage and a home-grown, wholecrop mix of barley, vetch and peas.

Concentrate feed

Concentrate feed is offered at a flat rate in the 24:48 swing over parlour, maintained at 18 per cent protein in the winter and reduced to 14 per cent over the grazing period. It is an expensive input, with organic prices at £600/tonne last year and currently standing at £520/t, says Mr Williamson. Over the winter, the cows are kept in cubicles on mattresses topped with sawdust.

The eight-week calving period starts in the last week of August. Heifers are calved at two years and receive conventional semen in the first instance, while sexed semen is used via DIY AI to produce replacements.

“Heat detection eartags have made life easier for the team,” says Mr Williamson. “They confirm the behaviour that we are seeing through visual observation and the latest results show an overall 64 per cent holding to first service and 24 per cent to second service, with a 10 per cent empty rate at 10 weeks.

“Irish Friesian and Jersey bulls are selected for their grazing suitability, as well as for high solids figures and good fertility scores. Our own Sussex sweeper bull follows up with any heifers which do not take to the initial insemination.”

With no option for improving grass productivity through the use of chemical fertilisers, forage stocks are under pressure despite the recent expansion of the rented land, and there are plans to cut herd numbers to 200 head. The possible uses of fishmeal, composted tea and molasses and milk are being explored as an alternative

Milk from the herd is supplied to a local cheesemaker, with the rest sold to Arla on a constituents contract.

DAIRY

fertiliser and with the aim of enhancing soil biology.

Grass growth is monitored via a plate meter combined with management software. The soil type in general is fairly heavy.

Mr Williamson says: “The past few years have seen prolonged periods of low summer rainfall. Chicory, plaintain, red and white clover and cocksfoot have been introduced, to improve drought resilience and the aim is to switch to 100 per cent herbal leys over the next few years.

“The main challenge lies in maintaining forage stocks through the winter. They will often have run out by February and that means increasing the concentrate allowance and buying in organic silage from a neighbour, which is not an ideal situation.

“The herd number reduction should alleviate this issue and we may try growing lucerne, which is not an option while the stocking rates are so tight.”

The paddock grazing regime is highly flexible, says Mr Williamson.

“This year, the cows went out during the day for a week in January and they continued to graze on and off throughout the late winter and early spring. As a general rule, they will be on full turnout from mid-April until mid-November.

“The herd is moved on to fresh pasture after every milking, so each paddock will be grazed for 12 hours. In effect, one paddock will be utilised between eight and 10 times over the season, depending on the weather, with a rotation length of between 24 and 35 days.”

The dry cows and youngstock are

mob-grazed, with the dry cows turned out on to standing hay in the herbal leys.

He says: “The standing hay helps to improve soil fertility and is beneficial to the insect population.

“Roughly one-third of the grassland is shut up for the hay and it is rotated around the farm. The idea is for the cattle to eat one-third, trample one-third and leave onethird. This concentrates the cow manure and the left over residuals contribute to the soil biology.

Herbal leys

“At some points in the season, the herbal leys can grow up to 2m high and it can be quite difficult to spot the cattle. These fields need a long resting period of about 40-50 days, before they can be grazed again.”

Cows are treated with a homemade insect deterrent for fly control.

“The solution contains cider vinegar, cloves, eucalyptus and citronella. It is cheaper and, in my opinion, just as effective as a standard product, although it has to be applied to the cows and youngstock daily.

“It is easy to administer to a line of cows as they move forward when the electric fences are being rolled up. It has no harmful effect on dung beetles, whose numbers we are trying to encourage.”

Dry cow therapy is permitted in organic production, although it was not used in 2022 and only 6 per cent of the cows were treated in 2023. They are all given a teat sealant and this year has seen a recorded mastitis incidence of 4.9 per cent.

Calves receive lungworm protec-

tion, while the cows are monitored for leptospirosis, BVD and IBR through six-monthly bulk milk sample testing.

A key element of the dairy farm management plan is the commitment to working in partnership with education and nature, says Mr Williamson, who fully embraces the principles.

“In my opinion, organic production is the way forward and I support the idea of farming in harmony with the environment. We need to produce high quality food while minimising our environmental impact, and this can be done by building soil health and reducing our reliance on chemical inputs.

“There has been a fairly recent rise in the premium we receive for our organic milk, but I would not say that the market is buoyant and a further price rise would be very welcome.

“The farm has been under TB restrictions, which has limited the opportunity to downsize the herd, but the cows have recently been de-

The cross-breeding policy over the years has led to a high degree of hybrid vigour, says farm manager Luke Williamson.

clared TB-clear after a year of the herd being shut down.

“Once numbers have been reduced to the 200-head target, it will be easier to manage the grazing and forage land and restore the feed demand balance,” he says.

Farm facts

■ The dairy unit employs two staff (including Mr Williamson), plus a part-time student, who will be full-time in August ready for calving

■ The Bore Place Estate also houses two cheesemaking businesses, hosts weddings and conferences and offers glamping

■ The site has an education centre, with about 100 schoolchildren visiting each week and the dairy unit forming part of the tour; there is a viewing platform for watching the cows being milked and it is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week

The site’s education centre has a viewing platform where schoolchildren can watch the cows being milked.

Parasite survey for grazed cattle

The University of Liverpool, in collaboration with National Milk Records (NMR) is preparing to carry out a study into the presence of lungworm, liver fluke and roundworm infections in adult dairy cows that are grazed, using samples from farm bulk tanks.

Dr John Graham-Brown from the University of Liverpool and a member of the Control of Worms Sustainably group says it is estimated that the UK dairy industry loses £147 million annually to these three internal parasites.

He says: “The development of tools to inform and promote sustainable parasite control in grazing dairy cattle is, therefore, a priority.

“We will be developing tools to promote diagnostic monitoring and climate-based risk forecasting, which can reduce the overall reliance on anti-parasiticides and the associated concerns of anthel-

mintic resistance, public health and environmental impacts.

“We are looking to measure parasite prevalence by assessing the antibodies in milk from 300 farms across England, Scotland and Wales. This testing will require no action from the farmers who sign up, as the testing will be done on routine milk samples. There will also be no charge.”

Farmers do not have to be clients of NMR as the researchers will access the bulk milk samples through National Milk Laboratories.

To register interest in joining the study, farmers need to answer a short eligibility form and to give their consent. After that, testing will take place every month during the grazing seasons of 2024 and 2025.

All participants will receive free periodic updates of the results of their tests, as well as collective feedback at the end of the season.

TAKE PART IN THE SURVEY

Applications for dairy entrepreneurs

APPLICATIONS are now open for the 2024 Entrepreneurs in Dairying for anyone involved in, or looking to be involved in, the dairy industry.

The course starts in October and provides aspiring dairy producers with commercial experience and learnings in people development, financial skills, business management, taxation and business structures including partnerships, joint ventures and tenancies.

Now in its 12th year, the course has seen more than 450 applicants

complete it, all from varying backgrounds within or related to the industry.

Applications must be submitted by August 30 2024. There are a limited number of subsidised spaces available.

Entrepreneurs in Dairying is organised by the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers in collaboration with The Andersons Centre, AHDB Dairy and the NFU.

MORE INFORMATION rabdf.co.uk/entrepreneurs-in-dairying

Brand new to the market, CoolCalver™ has been developed as part of Cargill’s CoolCow® concept to mitigate the effects of heat stress on cows during the dry period and subsequent negative consequences on the unborn calf.

The research aims to inform and promote sustainable parasite control.

MARKET PRICES PRIMESTOCK

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND

Source: LAA/MartEye

Source: LAA/MartEye

MARKET PRICES STORE CATTLE

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND

Figures show livestock numbers first, then average price per head.

Source: LAA/MartEye

WALES

MARKET COMMENT

PRICES increased for sheep and cattle at auction marts in England and Wales this week, but there was a drop in pig prices.

In the cattle rings, heifers increased the most by 5.6p/kg to 274.8p/kg, while steers rose in value by 4.9p/kg to 271.7p/kg.

Dairy-sired cows gained 2.4p/kg in price to 160.8p/kg and young bulls went up by 0.9p/kg to 266.1p/kg.

Sheep increased by 10.4p/kg to 393.1p/kg.

However, porkers decreased in price by 1.6p/kg to 173.3p/kg.

As Farmers Guardian went to press on Wednesday (May 8) UK LIFFE wheat prices for May 2024 were trading at £190/tonne, an increase of £10.65/t on the week.

LIVESTOCK AVERAGES

MARKET PRICES

DEADWEIGHT CATTLE

STORE SHEEP ENGLAND

DEADWEIGHT SHEEP

O/SdeadweightpricesfortheweekendingMay4,2024.

DeadweightsheeppricesarecollectedfromasampleofGBabattoirs.Thesampleaccountsforabout one-thirdofdeadweightsales;pricesquotedp/kgareaveragesforallqualities12-21.5kg.

DEADWEIGHT PIGS

PIGS

WALES SCOTLAND

LIVESTOCK AVERAGES

SOURCE: LAA/MartEye

LIVEWEIGHT HEIFERS (ENGLAND/WALES)

CULL COWS (ENGLAND/WALES)

SOURCE: LAA/MartEye

MARKET PRICES

UK DELIVERED PRICES – SUMMARY

UK DELIVERED OILSEED RAPE PRICES

FUTURES MARKETS (WHEAT)

*FortradingDelinkagerefamounts;20p-27pper£1 ofDelinkagereferenceamount.**Estimates. ENGLISH DELINKAGE REF DATA: averageof 2020/21/22claims.Seller’s2023claimnotneeded. Estimatedreturn£1.20/£1refamountwithbuyer’s delinkpaymentlessthan£30,000post-transfer. SubjecttoDelinkagevalues2025-27.

BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN: English:Defra estimates£25,000-£200,000/unitexcluding VATandassociatedfees,subjecttolotsize. LasttenderApril19,2024,nextMay31,2024. NUTRIENT NEUTRALITY: Long-termsales alltypesagricmanexcludingspecialisthabitat 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.May2023WCG reverseauctionaverage£19.76. WATER: English abstractionlicenceslessthan£3-£15/cu.m. Source: Townsend Chartered Surveyors

FIELD PEAS/BEANS

UK DELIVERED WHEAT PRICES

Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

2.

HAY AND STRAW: REGIONS

WeekendingMay12,2024

NATIONAL STRAIGHTS PRICES

Last updated May 7, 2024

Source: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE

March 2024

Source: AHDB

1.Thiscontractwillreceivea1.33pplguaranteedminimumpayment.

2.Thiscontractwillreceivea0.50pplmemberpremiumpayment.

2.Thiscontractwillreceivea1.64pplTescocheesegrouppayment.

3.Thiscontractwillreceivea1.00ppldirectpremiumpayment.

4.Thiscontractwillreceivea0.40pplactual13thpayment. Retailerpricesupplementsareincludedwhereapplicable.Supplementslistedareinadditiontolistedmilkprices.

FARMING: THE BACKBONE

Agricultural shows have cast their spells over generations of farming families. Sarah Todd talks to some show stalwarts to find out what makes them magic.

‘Agricultural shows will always have a place’

This June, as Edinburgh gears up for the Royal Highland Show, representatives of countries from Australia to Zambia will be arriving in the city for the 30th Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC) Conference.

The event was founded in 1957 by the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip, who served as president for half a century before handing over the reins to his daughter Princess Anne.

Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the last conference in 2020, and what all delegates will be looking forward to is once again sharing their united love for agricultural shows and the hardworking societies that make them happen.

So, with show season starting imminently, how important are rural shows in a modern society? And what is it, exactly, that makes them stand the test of time?

It was 68 years ago, while he was still in a pram, that farmer Charles Mills first visited the Great Yorkshire Show (GYS).

He says: “I have been pretty much every year since – when I was sat in the grandstand as a young boy in short corduroy trousers, I never could have imagined I would one day serve as show director.”

Charles farms near York and says the wet year of 2012, when the last two days of the GYS were cancelled, remains a moment when the ‘real meaning’ of the show became clearer than ever before.

He says: “Back then, I was joint chief cattle steward. We got approval for the cattle competitions to still go ahead and be run on the concrete – the showground was a complete mud bath. When we announced this people hugged, kissed and cried.

“It was so moving to see what being able to show meant to exhibitors; they really do spend years getting their animals to perfection for these classes. The poignancy of

I will always remember being in awe of the scale, buzz and atmosphere of the Royal Welsh ALED RHYS JONES

the moment, of what it meant when those classes went ahead, will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

Charles, who will tip his bowler hat for the last time this year as he steps down after nine years at the helm, says those from outside the farming community possibly do not realise what a tonic the summer shows can be for farmers.

“So many people plan a visit to the show as their annual holiday,” he says.

“It is something they have been looking forward to in the dark days of winter or during this awful wet spring. That social element of meeting up with old friends is priceless.”

Machinery

Geoff Brown, co-founder and managing director of agricultural machinery business Ripon Farm Services, is president elect of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

He has been attending the show since he was a schoolboy, and selling tractors and machinery there for as long as he can remember. There are 1,100 trade stands at GYS, with a waiting list of more than 300 and an average trade stand transaction of £121.26.

“There is no substitute for seeing something like a tractor close up,” says Geoff.

“But more than that, despite all

the business that is now done online and over the phone, there is still something about shaking hands with a salesperson and having a chat with them.

“The deal might not be done there and then on show day, but there will often be an appointment made to go out on farm and see what they have got to part exchange. It is the personal element of making new contacts, or thanking existing customers with maybe a drink and something to eat, that goes a long way.”

Chris Riddle is only the ninth person since the formation of the Cornwall Agricultural Society in 1793 to hold the position of secretary. He took over from his father, Albert, who had held the role since 1957.

There is also a third generation involved with the society (now named the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association) in the form of Chris’ daughter Emma, who is pavilion centre manager.

Chris says: “Back in the old days, the ladies would go off to look at the fashion and the men would be walking the machinery lines. Now it is much more a show for everybody.

“With the demise of livestock markets and on-farm visits by sales reps, vets and suchlike, shows have in many ways a more important role than ever to play. It is a balancing act; keeping that core agricultural audience happy while bringing the money in and providing something for everybody.”

Chris has toured abroad to visit other shows through the RASC, of which he is a trustee.

“The scale of some of these overseas shows is just incredible,” he says.

“But it is interesting to note that those which have retained their English roots – things that can be recognised from any quintessential country show – are, in my mind, the best.”

One of the youngest show directors in the country, 37-year-old Aled Rhys Jones, who heads up the

Royal Welsh Show as chief executive, has also travelled extensively looking at shows around the world including Belgium, China, France, Northern Ireland, Papua New Guinea, and the USA. He also undertook a Nuffield Scholarship project entitled: Agricultural societies and shows: Where do we go from here?

Aled grew up on his family’s 283-hectare (700-acre) hill farm in North Carmarthenshire, and got his love of agricultural shows from his parents and grandparents. He says: “Like so many other farming families, we made an annual pilgrimage to the Royal Welsh.

Atmosphere

“Jobs on the farm were spoken about as either needing doing before or after the show, and I will always remember being completely in awe of the scale, buzz and atmosphere of the Royal Welsh.”

Encouraging the next generation of show volunteers is something Aled feels particularly passionate about, and he finds time to commentate on the tractors at Trap Show, where his late grandfather was main steward of the vintage section for many years.

Another local Carmarthenshire show Aled has tremendous fondness for and announces at is Cwrt-y-Cadno.

“I am no expert on vintage tractors, but they were short of someone at Trap and I gave it a go,” says Aled.

“People bring me cups of tea, and maybe cake if I am lucky, and I love it. Both these shows are in August, after the Royal Welsh, and I always look forward to them and feel that although life is so busy it is important to try and give something back.”

Aled says post-Covid-19 was a challenging time for shows, with some trade exhibitors deciding to tighten their belts and not attend.

“It is interesting how they came back,” says Aled, adding that customers expect to see certain companies

OF BRITAIN

at a show and put real value on the traditional hospitality of a warm welcome and some refreshment.

“It is re-investing in those personal contacts and relationships; the way business has been done for generations. While anybody thinking about buying a new tractor, for example, will have watched endless YouTube videos, there

is nothing like seeing it close up.”

Aled and his team are constantly benchmarking the Royal Welsh against other family days out and events, such as watching a show or a rugby match, to make sure it remains good value for money.

He says: “When it comes to attracting new visitors, it is worth saying that the general public are

interested in farming and its story; it is wrong to think we have to change our core values to attract them.

Innovative

We have found we just need to think of more innovative ways of marketing, such as pre-show videos, to reach a wider audience.

“Just because those of us from

farming backgrounds know about the shows, it can be easy to forget that there are people out there who do not know anything about them. Shows are not just about bringing the public to the farmers; they are also about bringing farmers to the public.”

Charles Mills has been show director of the Great Yorkshire Show for nine years.

IN YOUR FIELD

Every week we follow the ups and downs of farmers around the UK

DAN

North Wales

Dan Jones farms 650 ewes at the National Trust-owned Parc Farm, which sits on the Great Orme, a limestone headland which rises up 208 metres (682 feet) on the North Wales coast near Llandudno. His Farm Business Tenancy covers the 58 hectares (143 acres) at Parc Farm, plus 364ha (900 acres) of grazing rights on the hill.

It has been quite the lambing season this year, with the weather gods playing a rather cruel joke. I dare say this has been the wettest and coldest April I have ever experienced.

At one point, as I stood there drenched to the bone, I seriously questioned: ‘Why am I doing this?’

Our lambing aligns with the arrival of tourists to the Great Orme, bringing with them new and unpredictable challenges.

While gathering the last of the pregnant ewes from the hillside, a dog came hurtling towards the flock.

Panic

In panic they scattered in every direction, with one poor ewe being the dog’s eventual focus.

She was chased for 2km, from the summit to the shore line. The ordeal had taken its toll on the ewe and she succumbed to the stress of the chase.

Eventually I managed to catch the canine culprit and return it to its mortified owner, who had no idea their beloved pet would engage in such a frenzied pursuit.

The ewes were in top form going into lambing, having had a brilliant

‘I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have a way of life I love’

pregnancy scanning result. However, Mother Nature had other plans.

The lambing system quickly turned from an outdoor one to an indoor one – aka a disorganised chaos system.

Each year brings its own set of challenges – from last year’s foxy problems, to watery mouth woes in 2022, and toxo abortions in 2021 – and this year was no exception.

Just when I think I have seen it all, this season I found myself doing hand acrobatics to assist lambs presenting themselves in all sorts of unconventional ways.

Along with the usual leg back, head

back and breech, I also had quite a few backbone first and navel first.

But the cherry on top was when I was home alone one evening and fancied a take-away. As I sat down to order, my phone alerted ‘water ingress’ rendering it useless. Jam on toast with proper butter saved the day.

Through it all, one thing remained clear – the traditional hill breeds showed their mettle, making me question crossbreeding for a few extra pounds per lamb. Their resilience in the face of adversity is a testament to the old ways.

The Mule ewe lambs need to be a decent trade this coming autumn.

Unsettled weather likely in coming week

IT is a relief to finally bring some good weather news as the weather settled this week for many of us, thanks to high pressure building across the country.

Of course, this does not detract from the toll that the wet winter weather has had, although many of you are reporting to me that fields are drying and the longer days are enabling work to be done.

It is not the same picture for everyone, but more widely it has improved.

Unfortunately, the dry weather is not likely to last and we are probably going to be returning to something

more mixed or unsettled in the coming week or so. This could bode well for summer though, as weather patterns do tend to improve from mid-June onwards once more.

I do think that even though things are more mixed, we should see some drier days, along with rain.

The situation should be much more manageable than it was through winter and spring.

It does seem that our weather has become somewhat more ‘stuck’ into patterns of several weeks of wet weather, followed by prolonged spells of dry weather. Naturally, the question that then

follows is: could this be the new normal? It is a question posed by reader, Stephen Ramsden who asked if extreme weather is becoming more common.

Well, I will try my best to address this question in future columns.

But the quick answer is, firstly, to define an extreme weather event.

It is something scientists struggle with, as an extreme event in one country is not extreme in another.

So, we first need to strip away the layers to find out if and how humans are impacting climate, and discover if extremes are, as Stephen asks, getting more frequent.

As the storms cleared, the magic of lambing season returned.

Working with my dogs, watching the sun dip below the horizon and glimpsing the Isle of Man on the clearest of evenings, it is a reminder that truly I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have a way of life I love. It really has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, but one that I would not trade for anything.

So here’s to another lambing season on the Great Orme, a truly unforgettable experience. I am already joking and laughing about it with friends, so it could not have been that bad.

For location specific forecasts visit farmersweather.co.uk and for video updates go to weatherweb.net or call the number below. Call Farmers WeatherLIVE

Farmers Weather by Dr Simon Keeling

JONES

NEXT WEEK

Cornwall Alan Carter

Kent Dan Hawes

‘The cost of straw and diesel kills the job’

JAMES AND ISOBEL WRIGHT

Devon

James and Isobel, with their two young children, recently bought their first farm, and plan to run beef and sheep over 13.8 hectares (34 acres), renting a further 44.5ha (110 acres). James works for tech firm Breedr as a product manager. You can follow them on Twitter @jpbwfarm.

Iasked one of my neighbours if this is a normal spring; the response was that we are always three weeks later than the rest of Devon.

I hope that means autumn comes three weeks later, but I have a feeling it will be the opposite.

True to form, the cold wind a fortnight ago turned the grass blue and we are only just about now

getting warm enough for it to shift.

We soil-tested the whole farm last week to see if next year we can get a couple of fields to go a bit earlier, because while the sheds here are fantastic, the cost of straw and diesel kills the job.

This Bank Holiday Monday, we sorted sheep in the morning, went to the beach about 15 minutes away and then came back after lunch to move the cows.

While at the beach I met another farming family who had come away for their first holiday in a year – we are very lucky to live within a short drive of some of the world’s best beaches and scenery.

Exmoor is the country’s least visited National Park and while I know many would like to keep it that way, it really is one of the country’s best kept secrets.

It has been five years since we launched Breedr in the UK; we now support thousands of farmers to make their farms more productive

and profitable, by helping them record and understand information about their livestock.

There is no food security without profitable farms.

Breedr now operates across Europe, Australia and the US with technology designed and built in the UK.

Just like with the future of British agriculture, we at Breedr need to compete globally and that will

CROSSWORD 1244

mean improving our productivity, while at the same time maintaining those high standards that Breedr is known for.

To take the kids out on the farm most evenings and weekends, driving around a place which is our own, is truly the dream.

It has not quite sunk in, but we had an unexpected bill on the house which is starting to bring us back down to reality.

Sendinyourcorrectentriestobeinwithachanceofwinning£20worthof Love2shopvoucherseverymonth.Sendto:CrosswordNo.1244,Farmers Guardian,Unit4,FulwoodBusinessPark,CaxtonRoad,Fulwood,Preston,PR29NZ.

ACROSS

1 Beastly noise and odour hob developed in the vicinity (13)

8 Means of access involving essentially magnanimous benefactors (6)

9 Metal sliver left moving nearer to heart (6)

12 Boxer on day of victory alert and active (5)

13 Complicated to fill with optimism about strong wind (9)

14 Desirous of suspended railway (6)

15 Search for outline of plan America dropped (8)

18 With fatal consequences holding court without deviation (8)

20 Author’s one who redresses wrong, we’re told (6)

23 Ample sufficiency of a rabbit mating display? (9)

25 Person of high rank, the French aristocrat (5)

26 After bit of trouble supply delicate, gauzy material (6)

27 Oily matter spoken of, in Mediterranean country (6)

28 Display of eccentric monetarist don (13)

DOWN

2 Wearing down of Greek love god is principally taking place (7)

3 Good, surprisingly meteoric; composed of simple forms, triangles, circles etc. (9)

4 Wager including request for container made of cane (6)

5 Where you might find yourself at the end of a flight? (8)

6 Greeting weekly celebrity news magazine (5)

7 Conduct part of opera technology (7)

10 See here stirred dark chocolate cook stupidly rejected (9)

11 Potentially insure etc. for long periods (9)

16 Frisky songster with time becomes the most vigorous (9)

17 Covers bare extra-terrestrials (8)

19 Overwhelming defeat in Spainstandard! (7)

21 Italian explorer turns up, company leaves (7)

22 Urge to enter pub for a pauper (6)

24 Dance club harshly criticise company (5)

Answers to crossword 1242 : Across: Across: 8 Flamingo, 9 Roadie, 10 Pomelo, 11 Songbird, 12 Sago, 13 Persian cat, 15 Deep-sea, 16 Go for it, 19 Sponge cake, 21 Trek, 22 Rebuttal, 24 Airily, 25 Sarnie, 26 Colonist. Down: 1 Allocate, 2 Emperor penguins, 3 Incomplete, 4 Mousers, 5 Wren, 6 Carbon footprint, 7 Sierra, 14 Inoperable, 17 Idealist, 18 Padlock, 20 Prepay, 23 Tree.

FARMING MATTERS

Forthright opinions from throughout the

world

‘It’s a chance to say a big thank you to British farmers’

Farming is the lifeblood of our rural communities, feeding the nation and stewarding our green and beautiful countryside.

Our food and farming sectors bring in billions to the UK economy every year and play a vital role in our food security.

That’s why next week’s Farm to Fork Summit in Downing Street is so important. It’s the second such event, and it will bring together farmers and the wider food and drink industry to discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead.

It’s also a chance for me to say a big thank you to British farmers for the incredible work you do in getting food onto people’s plates.

That job, I know, has been made extremely difficult in recent months as you’ve battled unprecedented conditions and endured the wettest 18 months in our nation’s history. And it comes on top of the enormous challenges caused first by Covid-19 and then the war in Ukraine.

Importantly, these challenges have been yet another reminder of just how crucial our food security is. I know farmers want to focus on growing the nation’s food. I’ve pledged to back you in doing that. That’s why we’re sticking to our plan to back Britain’s farmers, build resilience and grow our farming industry. We’ve been clear that your primary role is to grow the nation’s food. That is why we’ve set a target to at

of agriculture

least maintain production at current levels, as set out in our Food Strategy.

We’ve introduced a three-yearly UK Food Security Report through our Agriculture Act and, next week, as promised at this year’s NFU Conference, we will publish a draft of the annual UK Food Security Index that will underpin that.

This is an important moment, and the first time we will have ever done anything like this.

And we’re backing the farming industry more widely. We’re investing £2.4 billion in farming in England every year, with nearly half of English farmers now enrolled in our schemes.

Grant

At the NFU conference, I announced the largest ever grant offer for farmers, totalling more than £427 million this year, aimed at increasing food production. For example, the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund can support you with up to £125,000 towards the purchase of new farm equipment, helping you to grow more food.

We’re changing the culture to ensure an approach that is more supportive, based on trust and advice – and which cuts unnecessary bureaucracy.

Already we’ve slashed reams of red tape, such as the EU three-crop rule which asked whether a cabbage and a cauliflower were the same crop.

And we’re enhancing fairness in

supply chains to make sure that farmers get paid a fair price for their produce. Using powers created by the Agricultural Act, we’re conducting reviews into the egg, fresh produce and pig supply chains, with new dairy regulations coming into effect later this year.

Next week, will be a chance for us to go further. The focus of the Farm to Fork Summit will be squarely on food production.

We will set out more details of our plan to boost British farming and ensure you can grow your businesses as we grow the economy.

And it will be a chance for us to convene and listen to you and hear what more we can do to support you.

Backing British farmers is important to me personally. As the MP of a farming constituency, I see the firstrate job you do day in and day out.

You work incredibly hard, in all weathers, with skill and dedication to deliver the best quality food there is.

My job is to make sure you can continue doing that, by sticking to the plan and doing everything we can to back Britain’s farmers.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says the Conservative Party is enhancing fairness in supply chains to aid farmers.

RISHI SUNAK

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom