Farmers Guardian Scottish 31st May 2024

BREEDS IN FOCUS HERDS

THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE SCOTTISH EDITION

UNCERTAIN FUTURE

● Rural vote should be top priority ● Effective plan for farmers needed

By Chris Brayford

SCOTTISH farmers and crofters face an ‘uncertain future’ if political parties do not value the rural vote in the upcoming General Election.

And farmers across the UK are facing weeks of ‘uncertainty’ and ‘chaos’ following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a General Election on July 4, industry leaders have warned.

John Swinney, leader of the Scottish National Party, told voters the General Election was the opportune moment for Scotland to make its case to become an independent country and could be a key ‘turning point’ in the future of the country.

Beef and sheep farmer Paul Ross, who farms in Sandwick on the Orkney mainland, has called on the Westminster Government and Scottish Government to signal their support for farmers and rural businesses as a top priority.

He said: “Scottish farmers and crofters have been let down by food imports which undercut farm businesses. We need a Government in Westminster and Scotland which supports food security and food

and set on a multi-year basis to provide some reassurance to the sector – remained the top priority with no agreement in place beyond this year for the Scottish devolved administration.

NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader said this ongoing disruption ‘was not healthy for farming’.

She said: “Considering we have come through a very difficult winter and spring, and there is so much uncertainty out there, the last thing we need is an election which is effectively going to be drawn out until autumn.

“That will potentially mean farmers across the UK have faced utter chaos for 12 months.”

production as one of the most valuable assets to the country.

“There also needs to be an increase in the agricultural budget beyond what it currently is because the past 12 months, particularly the impacts of flooding and the climate, have proved an insurmountable challenge.

“All political parties must demonstrate how they can deliver an effective

plan for farmers through their manifesto commitments as the General Election moves forward at pace.”

David McKay, co-director at Soil Association Scotland, said uncertainty over future support to rural businesses had ‘damaged confidence’.

However, Mr McKay said addressing the gap in funding for agriculture – which needed to be ring-fenced

Judith Dryden, a mixed farmer from Durham, said one of the main issues was food security.

“My biggest concern at the moment is the weather. Wherever you go in the country you can see the state of the crops – and many did not manage to get things in.

“I do not think politicians really realise what the harvest could be like and the problems we could be facing in a few months.”

PICTURE: GETTY

NFU Cymru deputy president Abi Reader said the ongoing disruption ‘was not healthy for farming’.

As the General Election looms on July 4, Chris Brayford takes a look at the reaction from politicians, industry representatives and farmers.

Farming set to be key battleground

r‘Most important vote in a generation’

THE General Election could be the ‘most important in a generation for British food and farming’, according to political and farming leaders, with the countryside expected to be a key battleground in the coming vote.

As he announced the election, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Britain had a choice to build on economic growth and stability under the Conservatives, or a Labour Government with ‘no plan and no certainty’.

Following the announcement, Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the news of a General Election as a ‘moment the country needs’ with a chance to change ‘for the better’.

The Labour leader has called his family ties to gamekeeping and his first job working on a farm along the Kent-Surrey border integral to his understanding of rural communities and the problems they face.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey launched his party’s General Election campaign to ‘champion’ British farming.

Mr Davey said the Liberal Democrats would set out a ‘rescue plan’ for

farmers, including £1 billion in extra funding for the agriculture budget, re-negotiating botched overseas trade deals and addressing worker shortages blighting the sector.

He added: “British farmers are the best in the business, but Conservative neglect has left too many farmers on their knees.”

Defra Secretary Steve Barclay said on X that rural voters faced a ‘clear choice’ and the Conservatives would always back British farmers.

He pointed to policies including grant offerings, the expansion of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and was keen to highlight Labour policies in Wales.

Let down

Scottish Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, from a farming background at Foyers near Loch Ness, said farmers and crofters faced ‘uncertainty’ due to a myriad of issues including Brexit food export constraints.

“Farmers and crofters face an uncertain future,” she added.

“Tourism is facing an uphill battle and the small businesses that are the backbone of rural communities feel left behind by Westminster.

“Scotland’s rural communities

FARMING MINISTER TO FIGHT FOR RE-ELECTION AS RAFT OF EX-DEFRA SECRETARIES STEP DOWN

FARMING Minister Sir Mark Spencer has confirmed his intention to stand for re-election as MP for Sherwood, a seat he has held since 2010.

However, Andrea Leadsom, Michael Gove and George Eustice, former Defra Secretaries, have told voters they will not be standing as candidates.

Mr Gove said during his time as Defra Secretary he had put in place ‘progressive farming

policies’ to raise animal welfare standards while delivering a ‘Green Brexit’.

In January 2023, Mr Eustice said he would leave his role as MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle to seek the opportunity to ‘do something different in life’.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs chair Sir Robert Goodwill has also confirmed he will be stepping down as MP for Scarborough and Whitby.

END OF AN ERA

AFTER 38 years as an auctioneer at Hawes Farmers Auction Mart, Raymond Lund has retired. He sold for the final time at the weekly sale on Tuesday (May 28), although he has not ruled out making a brief return at some of the mart’s famous autumn sheep sales.

have been let down by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories.”

Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative leader, said his party was ready to take the fight to the Scottish National Party (SNP) and beat them in crucial seats up and down Scotland.

Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour Party leader, said his party could bring hope back to every part of Scotland and deliver ‘positive change’ for the next generation and deliver a belief that Scotland’s best days lie ahead.

“This General Election will be the most important in a generation,” Mr Sarwar added.

“After 14 years of the Tories, and 17 years of the SNP, it is an opportunity to reject the politics of division and despair.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Liberal Democrats leader, said the party was excited with confirmation of a General Election.

“It is an opportunity for change ultimately at Westminster and to tell the SNP their time is up,” he said.

“We want to devolve power to our local communities.”

Last chance

Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said the election presented the ‘last chance to save nature and climate’ and vote for ‘urgent climate action’.

Political parties needed to provide farmers with confidence to invest with polices which can help growers produce sustainable and affordable food. That was the message from

NFU president Tom Bradshaw after the General Election announcement.

He said: “This General Election may well be the most important in a generation for British food and farming.

“The stakes are very high. If the next Government gets it right, then this huge sector can grow, contributing even more to the UK economy, to the health and welfare of Britons and to the environment.

“What farmers, growers and the public need to see are practical policies which invest in a future where Britain’s farmers and growers can continue producing sustainable, affordable food, driving forward economic growth, providing jobs and delivering on the nation’s environmental ambitions.”

To be honest, I have no opinion on any of them [politicians]. I am sick to the back teeth of everything being rubbish

RORY CRAIG

Tim Bonner, chief executive at the Countryside Alliance, said farming and the countryside could be a key electoral battleground.

He said: “The party that can convince the rural electorate that it shares their values, and most importantly their priorities, will go a long way to winning what looks like being an epoch-defining election.”

CLA president Victoria Vyvyan said political parties needed to match the ambition of farmers and rural communities with a rural budget which can deliver ‘robust and ambitious’ growth.

Rory Craig, an arable farmer from St Albans in Hertfordshire, said: “To be honest, I have no opinion on any of them. I am sick to the back teeth of everything being rubbish, so now I just try to focus on what I can control.

“Yes, I think there should be higher prices and British farmers should have more control.

“But I am at a loss with it all and now just try to make the best from the cards I am dealt.

“I am a big fan of SFI, but I never thought I would make more money out of taking land out of production. I want to grow crops, farming is about feeding people and that is what I want to do.”

THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE

Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ

Editor

Olivia Midgley, 07787 240 750 olivia.midgley@agriconnect.com

Head of News and Business

Alex Black, 01772 799 409 alex.black@agriconnect.com

Chief Reporter

Rachael Brown, 07974 039 778 rachael.brown@agriconnect.com

News and Business Reporters

Jane Thynne jane.thynne@agriconnect.com

Chris Brayford, 07773 110 733 chris.brayford@agriconnect.com

Business Reporter

Cedric Porter cedric.porter@agriconnect.com

Arable Technical Specialist

Ash Ellwood, 07786 190 188 ashleigh.ellwood@agriconnect.com

Head of Machinery and Farm Technology

Toby Whatley, 07583 054 831 toby.whatley@agriconnect.com

Machinery Reporter

James Huyton, 07787 242 185 james.huyton@agriconnect.com

Head of Livestock

Katie Jones, 07786 856 439 katie.jones@agriconnect.com

Features Editor and Head of Livestock Sales

Angela Calvert, 07768 796 492 angela.calvert@agriconnect.com

Livestock Specialists

Ellie Layton, 07814 997 407 ellie.layton@agriconnect.com

Katie Fallon, 07815 003 227 katie.fallon@agriconnect.com

Online Editor

Emily Ashworth, 01772 799 446 emily.ashworth@agriconnect.com

Creative Services

Mike Begley, 01772 799 405 mike.begley@agriconnect.com

Katie Haydock, 01772 799 561 katie.haydock@agriconnect.com

Picture Editor

Marcello Garbagnoli, 01772 799 445 marcello.garbagnoli@agriconnect.com

Sales 01772 799 500 gemma.thorpe@agriconnect.com

Circulation

Subscription hotline 0330 333 0056 help@subscribe.farmers-guardian.com

Newstrade enquiries 01772 799 434

UK print subscriptions £189; Europe: £226.80; RoW: £283.50. FG digital subscriptions: £109

News trade distribution

Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT. Tel 0207 429 4000, Fax 0207 429 4001

Published by Agriconnect

NEWS

rLand Reform Bill a ‘disaster in the making’

By Chris Brayford

SCOTTISH Government has been told not to gamble with rural communities regarding changes to a Bill which aims to reform the law around leasing land and large landholdings.

In evidence provided to the Government’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on Wednesday (May 28), Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) said the Government’s Land Reform Bill could create a ‘grievous blow for generations’ in the tenant farming sector, while changing the landscape by ‘breaking up’ large estates.

Introduced in March, the Bill could reform land legislation and change how land is owned and managed in rural and island communities.

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive at SLE, said the Government was wagering with the future viability of land estates and tenant farms.

“Some of the measures proposed present serious concerns, not only for the owners of land but also for people, jobs and nature,” she said.

“This is gambling with the future of rural communities.”

Stephen Young, director of policy at SLE, said provisions in

New wave of GPS thefts

FARMERS have been warned about a new wave of global positioning system (GPS) thefts in recent weeks.

Intel shared with NFU Mutual and the National Rural Crime Unit (NRCU) has shown farms in Lincolnshire, Essex, Newport, North Yorkshire and Thames Valley have been targeted by criminals looking to steal GPS systems.

NFU Mutual said it was ‘incredibly alarming’ especially as farmers approach harvest, adding that farms who have previously had their GPS stolen were being targeted.

Farmers are being urged to remove GPS equipment from tractors, combines and other machines where safe to do so.

Superintendent Andrew Huddleston, who leads the NRCU, said: “While there have been several recent successful arrests of those responsible, the new spate of GPS thefts shows how determined the organised criminal groups are, so we are urging all farmers to be vigilant and take security steps.”

PICTURE:

Scottish Land and Estates said the Government’s Land Reform Bill could create a ‘grievous blow for generations’ in the tenant farming sector.

Warning not to ‘gamble’ with Scottish rural communities

the Land Reform Bill could inflict a ‘grievous blow for generations’ and was a ‘disaster in the making that will crush already damaged confidence in letting land’.

Patrick Colquhoun, assistant chief executive at Luss Estates –which is owned by the Colquhoun family – said he was concerned by the introduction of a legal obligation for estates to consult on activities which any other business sector would consider to be within the ‘realms of commercial business’, often requiring a degree of confidentiality and discretion.

Crawford Mackay, partner at

rural property consultancy Galbraith, said proposals in the Bill could have the potential to bring an ‘array of legal, financial and technical implications, and unintended negative consequences to the Scottish land market’.

Power

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the Land Reform Bill could give rural communities the power to stop land from being sold without prior warning, enabling opportunities to take on ownership before sales from landholdings over 1,000 hectares.

Government urged to halt Universal Credit transition

A SCOTTISH MP has called on the Government to halt the transition of a contentious payment support scheme until the end of the General Election to give farmers clarity during one of its busiest seasons.

Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, has written to Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride urging him to reverse, or at least halt, the movement away from Tax Credits to the Universal Credit scheme over the next six weeks.

In the letter written on Monday (May 27), Ms Chamberlain said the move had posed administrative obstacles for farmers who felt unable to apply for support under the scheme

and she said postponing the scheme could provide farmers with clarity during peak months of the farming calendar.

Ms Chamberlain said: “Universal Credit in its current form simply does not work for the farming industry. Farmers have variable incomes and can experience periods of low income or loss which last for months or even years. This does not demonstrate that a business is failing.

“It is unthinkable that those who put food on our tables, might not be able to put food on their own.”

The Department for Work and Pensions has been approached for comment.

All your farming needs under one roof.

To find out how we can protect what matters most to you, search ‘NFU Mutual Farming’ or contact your local agency

Farm insurance

Covering small farms, large farms and everything in between.

Provided by NFU Mutual Agents, located in rural towns and villages throughout the UK.

Risk Management Services

Expert advice to identify the health and safety dangers facing your farm and provide personalised solutions for everyone’s safety.

Financial planning

From pensions to investments, life cover to business protection, we’ve been helping customers with their financial planning needs for 95 years.

Hidden import costs will fuel food price rise

THE British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has accused Defra of shying away from the true cost of its new Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

BMPA said the Government had downplayed the costs, estimating a ‘minimal’ effect on food price inflation, and projecting an increase of less than 0.2 per cent over three years. However, the trade body said importers were already facing substantial charges.

It said while the Common User Charge for medium-risk products like fresh meat, was capped at £145 per truckload, there were a number of hidden costs, such as Sanitary and Phytosanitary documentation and inspection charges which cost £66 and applies to loads up to six tonnes, plus £11 for each additional tonne.

BMPA also said the ‘cap’ was per consignment utilising one Common Health Entry Document (CHED),

The Government has been accused of downplaying the true costs of its new Border Target Operating Model.

not per truckload and it was conceivable a groupage load of five consignments with five CHEDs, each with five product lines, could be charged £725 for a single truckload.

The organisation called on the Government to urgently review the charges which it said were ‘poised to significantly increase consumer prices’.

Peter Hardwick, trade policy adviser at BMPA, said the Government now admitted this fee was applied to every medium- and highrisk consignment of animal products, regardless of whether it undergoes physical checks, despite only 2 per cent being physically checked.

In response, the Government pointed to its original statement from April 30 which said the BTOM had been designed to minimise costs for traders and consumers. It said analysis estimated traders would save around £520 million per annum compared to its original proposals post-Brexit.

Farm assurance review to take ‘until end of the year’

rReal opportunity ‘must not be wasted’

By Rachael Brown

THE review into the UK’s farm assurance schemes ‘will go on until the end of the year’, with three of the four commissioners heading it up announced.

There will be ‘periodic updates on progress’ shared with industry stakeholders throughout the process.

Dr David Llewellyn, the lead com-

missioner and former vice-chancellor of Harper Adams University, will be working with three other independent commissioners including James Withers, the former chief executive of Scotland Food and Drink, Mark Suthern, the chair of Trustees of the Farming Community Network, and a fourth commissioner, who is yet to be appointed.

The chief executive of the National Sheep Association Phil Stocker said this review was a ‘real opportunity that must not be wasted.’

He said: “The sheep sector is without doubt one of the sectors that has not been served well by farm assurance to date, with little returned in earned recognition and only a small percentage of our end market place being for assured products.”

Mr Stocker added sheep farmers were constantly being told that the future export growth would be ‘helped by assurance’, adding there was ‘a lot of discussion’ and ‘future-proofing’ to consider.

Mona Dairy fails to source sufficient funding

ANGLESEY cheese producer Mona Dairy has confirmed it has failed to source sufficient short-term funding from its key stakeholders to ‘keep functioning in its current form’. It said it remained hopeful it could secure a new outcome and Mona Dairy would be able to continue its journey, even under new ownership.

Main individual shareholders David Wynne-Finch and Ronald

Akkerman said their main priority was to secure a safe home for the processor’s 31 farmers and its staff.

It will keep its staff on for ‘as long as we can’.

An interim milk buyer has been secured for farmers in the shortterm, with farmers to be paid for any milk supplied by the buyer.

Mr Akkerman said: “We have tried our hardest to deliver the best

and most modern, environmentally sustainable cheese processing plant for our farmers and for Wales and are devastated that we could not get it over the line.”

He thanked the people who had supported the business and apologised that it had ‘come up short’, adding the shareholders would be ‘working tirelessly’ to secure the best outcome.

“In terms of processes, co-design is becoming a more commonly understood concept and we definitely need to see more of that approach in the future rather than what has ended up being a somewhat confrontational situation,” he added.

Evaluation

The commissioners said the review will assess best practice, consider how method of assurance can bring value to primary producers, as well as offering an evaluation of the relationship between assurance and regulation.

Dr Llewellyn said the review was aimed at giving everyone the opportunity to share their views, adding evidence would be gathered from interviews, focus groups and online surveys.

He said: “We want to ensure that we understand what works, and what does not work, with assurance systems, so as to recommend ways in which the operating environment for the farming industry can be improved.”

SEE WHAT’S NEW AT JOHN DEERE

Heads up: there’s a lot more John Deere innovation coming your way. Featuring the very best of our latest technological advancements, each of our new products is designed to boost your productivity and profitability while delivering exceptionally reliable performance. Stay tuned for exciting updates, and talk to your dealer about our unrivalled product pipeline.

Government’s bluetongue action plan without vaccine

rMovement zones to help manage outbreaks

By Rachael Brown

MOVEMENT control zones will play a part in plans to manage an outbreak of bluetongue virus (BTV-3) in England this summer, with a vaccine now not expected to be here ‘before next year’, the Government has said.

The BTV-3 disease framework will focus on the movement control of susceptible animals and their germinal products as a precautionary tool to stem the spread of bluetongue until a ‘safe and effective vaccine’ becomes widely available.

Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer Ele Brown said while the ‘ambition’ was to have a vaccine, in practice that was still some way off. She added that the Ani-

mal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was working closely with manufacturers, farming representatives and vets to get a better picture of datasets, which took time.

She said: “Farmers have to be confident in a vaccine. It has to be safe for animals and also for human health. It is a balancing act.”

Limited culling

Under the new framework, once BTV-3 is first detected, a 20km movement control zone will most likely be set up to prevent the movement of potentially infected animals and germinal products transporting the disease to new locations.

If there appears to be limited local spread, bluetongue control zones will be put in place alongside limited culling of infected animals to contain and eradicate disease.

The Government confirmed keep-

Ember Energy

A vaccine to prevent bluetongue in cattle remains a Government ‘ambition’.

ers would be compensated the market value for any animals culled.

Ms Brown said culling would be ‘limited in scope’ following an increase in testing and surveillance. However, she said it remained an option that would be further assessed should there be an incursion.

“We do not believe culling is an effective way of controlling disease and would look more to zoning and restriction of movement.”

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the Government’s control plan helped to bring ‘clarity’, but said the impact of

proposed movement restrictions and testing on affected farms was a concern, particularly in high-risk counties.

APHA chief executive David Holdsworth said there were teams standing ready and agency resources would ‘be adapted to ensure the approach remained appropriate and proportionate’.

Ms Brown added: “It is still very much ‘watch this space’ in terms of when we might see a peak. But the later the arrival, the later the spike. At the moment it looks like July, which would make the peak September. But we are following this very carefully.”

Hedgerow regulations add buffer strip to law

PARLIAMENT has brought new hedgerow regulations into law for England.

The Management of Hedgerows Regulations 2024, introduces a baseline for hedgerow management practices into law, bringing a consistent approach for hedgerow protection across the country.

The regulations include a twometre buffer strip, measured from the centre of a hedgerow, where a green cover must be established and maintained – no cultivation or the application of pesticides or fertilisers is permitted within this buffer strip.

It also includes a hedgerow cutting ban between March 1 and August 31.

Defra said many farmers and land managers were already going much

further than the rules contained in the new regulations, as shown through the uptake of hedgerow management actions through its Environmental Land Management schemes, adding that over 20,000 agreements were already contributing to the management of more than 60,000 miles of hedgerows in England.

Defra said these new regulations are subject to exceptions, which can be found in the legislation, adding regulations will be enforced by the Rural Payment Agency (RPA), in a ‘fair and proportionate way’, and it has been talking to farmers and others about the best approaches.

The RPA has said it will take an advice-led approach, with stronger actions in only the worst cases.

Campaigners had accused the Environment Agency of failing to protect the UK’s fourth-longest river.

Judge backs farmers in River Wye pollution case

rNo fault found with enforcement approach

By Jane Thynne

THE High Court has rejected all claims the Environment Agency (EA) has failed to effectively enforce its Farming Rules for Water (FRfW) following a legal challenge by an environmental group.

River Action had accused the EA of failing to protect the River Wye from the effects of agricultural pollution. However, in his ruling, Justice Dove found no fault with the agency’s approach to enforcing the FRfW, noting that it had been ‘grounded in the correct interpretation of the 2018 regulations’.

According to the EA, the judgment reflects the important work being done by the regulator with farmers to reduce diffuse pollution and ensure compliance with regulatory obligations in the FRfW in order to protect England’s watercourses.

An EA spokesperson said: “We remain committed to protecting watercourses and working with farmers to meet their regulatory requirements and reduce diffuse pollution and we are working to implement a more preventative, advice-led approach to monitoring and enforcement.”

The agency revealed it had under-

taken more than 10,000 farm inspections and required farmers to carry out over 17,000 improvement actions, including around the River Wye.

However, River Action also claimed the outcome as a victory and said the ruling showed farming practices have to change and that the EA had stepped up its efforts following the campaign’s launch.

Pleased

River Action’s chair and founder Charles Weston said: “We clearly have a number of reasons to be pleased: River Action was deemed to have done the right thing in bringing this case to court; River Action’s interpretation of the law was considered by the judge to be correct; the judge has said farming practices must change; and, most significantly, the environmental damage perpetrated by intensive farming practices has been acknowledged.”

The FRfW were drawn up in 2018 with input from agricultural and environmental stakeholders to build on the good progress that many farmers are making to tackle pollution as a result of their activities.

The rules set out that farmers are responsible for always taking reasonable precautions to minimise the risk of pollution from applications of nutrients to land and livestock management.

LEADER

Alex Black, Head of News and Business

And finally...

Connecting the public to its food is an important focus for Gazegill Farm. Read all about it in the latest #FarmingCAN on pages 116-117.

MONTHS of guessing games to determine when the UK would go to the polls were brought to an end last week as the Prime Minister revealed there would be a General Election on July 4.

And even though the news was delivered amid a Downing Street downpour, it has certainly fired some heat into the political policy firmament.

But after a flurry of announcements from the Government in recent weeks, with wheels in motion for other significant changes, the election adds even more questions for the farming sector as Parliament dissolved yesterday (May 30).

Rishi Sunak is the UK’s third PM since 2022 – not forgetting Liz Truss’ brief tenure, of course. But the last time the electorate went to the polls was actually in December 2019, which feels almost a lifetime ago.

That vote pitted Boris Johnson versus Jeremy Corbyn. The UK had not yet officially left the European Union and no-one knew that within just a few months, the world would be locked down amid a global pandemic, the shock of which would be followed by the first war on European soil since 1945 as Russia invaded Ukraine.

The average Defra milk price for December 2019 was 29.41ppl. New season lamb prices for the

Politicians must offer stability

week ending December 10, 2019, were trading at 193.31p/kg at marts. In the cattle rings, the prime price was at 189.73p/kg in England and Wales. The standard pig price (EU spec) was 159.54p/kg.

Today, those prices are considerably higher, but the intervening years have proved turbulent as inflation hit 11 per cent and interest rates topped 5 per cent.

Mr Johnson campaigned on a platform to ‘Get Brexit Done’ and it eventually was. But the action of exiting the EU has proved more complex than was thought and issues around Northern Ireland’s trade routes and the UK’s borders remain undone.

In the devolved nations, some eight years since the EU vote, future agricultural policies have yet to be settled upon which has led to unrest among farming communities. The political background in those nations too has proved even more problematic with recent multiple changes in leadership – as I write, Wales’ current First Minister Vaughan Gething is facing a vote of no confidence on June 5.

As all the farmers we spoke to this week told us, the industry needs stability. Farmers need an end to the constant uncertainty and chaos. All they ask is for a government to give them the confidence to keep feeding the nation.

YOUNG FARMER FOCUS

‘It was the opportunity

to achieve my dream’

Passion: Ihavealwaysdreamed ofbecomingapigfarmer.Improving thelivesandwell-beingofanimals hasalwaysfilledmewithpassion.

When it came to choosing an agriculture course at Barnsley College, it was the opportunity to achieve my dream.

After finding out I got a place on the course, I was over the moon.

Despite living in Sheffield, I was determined to pursue my passion for farming.

I have committed to travelling over an hour three days a week to enrol on the level two agriculture course at the College’s Wigfield Farm campus. I hope this demonstrates my determination to succeed in this industry.

I enrolled in a course which was perfectly aligned with my goals. Opportunities: Itprovidedmewith

anopportunitytogainexperience workingwithsixdifferenttypesof pigs–LargeBlack,Saddleback, MiddleWhite,Tamworth,Kunekune andGloucestershireOldSpot–which willhelpmeinachievingmydream ofbecomingapigfarmer.

By undertaking a farming course at a working farm, not only do I gain the necessary skills, but I also fully immerse myself in the practical aspects of farming.

With hands-on experience caring for a range of animals, such as sheep, goats, cows, chickens, ducks and geese, I am well on my way to becoming a skilled farmer.

Career: Iadoreworkingwiththe largerfarmanimals.ItiswhereIfeel mostatease,andIgettolearnso manyvaluableskillswhichwillcome inhandyinmyfuturefarmingcareer.

I get to actively participate in tasks,

such as trimming their feet, checking their coats and making sure they are healthy, which is so rewarding. Not only am I learning animal care skills, but I am also gaining estate skills, such as building fences and gates,

Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Kyle Annable, 18, is from Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He is an agricultural student at Barnsley College’s Wigfield Farm campus.

plus enriching animal paddocks and outdoor areas.

This experience is preparing me well for real-life farm work by emphasising welfare, which is a crucial aspect of farming.

When I think about the challenges in the farming industry, I believe the environmental changes and the cost of goods and services pose significant threats.

I do, however, believe that the farming industry uses social media as a way to highlight the issues they face and petitions the Government to help change these important issues.

MORE INFORMATION

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

Kyle Annable

Kyle Annable

Farmers on track to pay

I SEE in the recent editions of Farmers Guardian, that Network Rail has included a full page advert highlighting the dangers to the railway from escaping livestock.

Obviously it is correct to bring any such risk to the attention of those who can prevent it from happening.

However, it seems rather odd that during the recent construction of the new railway between Bicester and Bletchley, in which many miles of new stock fencing has been erected to replace removed or moved boundaries from farmers and landowners along the route, they have only used pressure-treated wooden stakes.

The fences will inevitably start collapsing in the next four to six years as these fence posts rot.

I highlighted this problem to the project team while construction was going on and suggested that metal stakes should be used, thereby totally removing the likelihood of stock escaping due to collapsed fences caused by rotting posts.

I was told that metal posts had not been approved by Network Rail, although they have been used many times on other projects.

I later learned that, as they are metal, a permit would be required for each post knocked into the ground.

This last point is obviously incorrect as metal posts have been used extensively elsewhere on the rail network.

I suspect the real reason was the couple of pounds extra per post

which would be the cost of doing the job properly and, although a significant sum bearing in mind the number of posts used, it is pretty irrelevant when you consider the potential costs to farmers and Network Rail of escaped stock, plus that associated with refencing due to the posts rotting.

The real injustice of this situation, apart from the obvious one concerning safety of passengers, is that it will most probably fall on the farmers and the landowners to assume responsibility, and therefore the cost, of rectifying this situation when it happens – a cost which could so easily have been avoided if the correct action had been taken when the work was undertaken initially.

Charles Hurst, via email.

Robot research

WE are recruiting participants for a project investigating robot acceptance in UK agriculture.

We feel that your opinions on agri-robotics are vitally important, and we want to give you the platform to help shape future policy.

This is your chance to make sure that your area and farming sector are represented in our sample.

Participation should take about 10 minutes and is voluntary.

Participants must work in UK agriculture and be fluent in English.

To take part, visit unioflincoln. questionpro.eu/robotacceptanceukagri, or email me on JGrant@ lincoln.ac.uk.

Jack Grant, University of Lincoln.

THE Prime Minister’s announcement of a General Election was a major point of discussion on Farmers Guardian’s social media channels this week. Here is a selection of responses on social media:

■ “If they don’t support British farmers I will not vote for a party who doesn’t support British people first.”

MARK POLAND

■ “I thought he was going to explain why his new raincoat hadn’t arrived. Couldn’t hear much of what he was saying as the chosen background music was too loud.”

PAUL EVANS

■ “Oh boy, here we go...” KYLE SMITH

part 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

Herbert Sutton, of Burford Lane Farm, Lymm, Cheshire, ploughing in 1941. Photograph sent in by Lorraine Morris.

Edited by Alex Black – 01772

With the UK expecting another small potato crop in 2024, Cedric Porter takes a look at the factors impacting European production.

Potato production pressure

rUK likely to have another sub-5mt crop

THE UK and European potato crop is being hit by another late planting season, with the prospect of the third small crop in a row.

The last year has been ‘one of the most challenging’ for potato farmers who have been in the industry for decades and ‘we are not out of the woods yet’.

That was the message from Tigran Richter, managing director of German potato seed company Norika and chair of European potato association Europatat, speaking at its annual conference in Brussels, Belgium, last week.

Planting of the British crop is edging towards completion, earlier than last year but two or three weeks later than previous years.

Conditions have been difficult throughout the planting season, with planted crops hit by more heavy rain at the beginning of this week.

The forecast is for more showers and day temperatures of about 20degC, which increases the risk of blight.

Planting progress in France and Germany was more than 80 per cent complete, with about three-quarters of the Dutch crop in the ground.

However, Belgian growers still have half the crop to plant. Belgium has the largest potato processing industry in Europe and is the largest exporter of frozen chips or fries in the world, shipping more than three million

tonnes last year, with 15 per cent of them going to the UK.

The UK is the world’s second largest frozen fry market in the world after the US, importing 830,000t, worth more than £1 billion, in 2023.

The UK was likely to have another sub-5mt potato crop this year, according to projections from newsletter World Potato Markets.

It expected the planted area to be similar to last year at 100,000 hectares. A five-year average yield would deliver a crop of 4.757mt, 3.3 per cent larger than the estimated 2023 crop, which was the smallest on record.

The EU potato crop could be a little smaller this year than last, at 47.5mt, according to World Potato Markets’ projections.

Brexit

The congress heard progress was being made on reinstating seed potato trade between the UK and EU, which was largely halted after Brexit.

Defra has agreed to let EU officials check UK seed facilities, although the lifting of the ban could still be some way off.

There was hope that greater co-operation between the UK and EU would be possible after the General Election and the EU’s elections, which begin next week.

Thursday (May 30) this week saw the first UN International Day of Potato, highlighting nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural value of the potato.

In the UK, the James Hutton Insti-

FREE LEGAL ADVICE

* BOUNDARY & TITLE

* ACCESS PROBLEMS

* EASEMENTS

* LAND REGISTRY

* PARTNERSHIP& INHERITANCE

PROBLEMS

* DIVORCE & SEPARATION

Yes that’s right! FREE LEGAL ADVICE on all matters involving land and business disputes. Whether it’s a new matter or a second opinion on an existing case call now and find out what we think and where you stand.

For a FREE down to earth opinion on any land or commercial dispute please contact Specialist, Ian Procter (Solicitor) direct at 01254 822330 Green Solicitors

07970 404 536 supporting the Farming Community. 79 King Street, Whalley, Clitheroe, BB7 9SW. ! !

The EU potato crop could be a little smaller this year than last, at 47.5mt, according to World Potato Markets.

tute hosted a webinar to celebrate the potato and discuss its future.

Prof Ian Toth, director of the newly established National Potato Innovation Centre, based at the institute’s Dundee headquarters, said: “The potato is the world’s third most important food crop and is the UK’s second major staple food crop after wheat.”

UK industry

He added that the UK industry was worth more than £4.3bn, but was under pressure from issues including pests and diseases, climate change, the desire for sustainable production and the increased cost of inputs.

He said: “The UK potato industry is resilient, but science can help it to become even more so. We have a

strong UK science base, with more than 10 organisations directly involved in potato research.”

He added that the new centre had been established to ‘foster greater collaboration and co-ordinate research’. That research features the use of new breeding technology, including speed breeding using vertical farms to help deliver more resilient varieties which can better withstand climate, pest and disease pressure in less than five years.

The institute houses the Commonwealth Potato Collection, offering new genetic sources for trait discovery.

Work is also taking place to reduce inputs using artificial intelligence and precision agriculture and to develop new potato cosmetics, medical products and plant-based plastics.

UK POTATO PRODUCTION

Dairy supplies not guaranteed

rPositive movements seen on UK prices

By Alex Black

PROCESSORS and buyers must not take farmers and milk supply for granted following bad weather this spring.

That was the message from dairy analyst Chris Walkland at the RABDF Gold Cup open day at Bisterne Farms, Hampshire, who highlighted some positive movements on milk prices. It follows a subdued spring flush.

Mr Walkland said the amount of current investment from processors highlights the confidence in UK dairy.

But he warned processors and end buyers not to take farmers and milk supply for granted.

With no surplus of milk on the market, commodity prices will not be falling as previously predicted but instead increasing, and quickly, he added.

He said: “Latest market reports show butter prices trading higher as a result of a firm GDT, with liquids going further. Prices will only trade up from here and they all point in the same direction.

“There are much better times ahead, and while a few weeks ago I would not have, now I can see 40ppl in the making.”

Right cow

Also speaking at the event, Piers Badnell, from LIC, outlined the importance of the right cow for the right system, highlighting how the host farm prioritised cows which can maximise grazing.

“There is no point trying to imp-

lement a cow whose features do not suit your system as you are at a disadvantage from the off.

“The correct cow, alongside cost of production, utilisation of grass and grazing properly, provides quality regrowth.”

Chris Walkland said the amount of current investment from processors highlights the confidence in UK dairy.

Mr Badnell added there was no actual correlation between litres and profit, with cost of production actually the key to profitability.

“We should be looking at how much each hectare can provide and utilising every possible bit,” he said.

M&S milk pool celebrates 25 years

THE M&S Select Farm milk pool has celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Created in 1999, the milk pool was an ‘industry first’ with a milk pledge payment model introduced in 2004, designed to pay farmers above the cost of production to boost resilience in dairy businesses.

There are 40 suppliers contributing to the pool, delivering 100 million litres of milk annually.

John Downing, milk pool chair, said the pool was ‘something to be celebrated and gives us a connection with our retailer that few others in the industry experience’.

While long hours can cause difficulties with pay and attracting staff, REAL Success chief executive Paul Harris says there are solutions for farms. Alex Black reports.

Unpredictable working patterns can cause legal headaches for farmers when trying to pay staff.

Striking the balance with a modern workforce

rApps, novices and part-timers welcomed

THINKING outside the box could help farmers who have found issues with paying below minimum wage due to staff working longer hours.

According to agricultural recruitment specialist REAL Success, ‘a lot of farmers’ have realised they were breaking the law, but chief executive Paul Harris said there were solutions.

the year they had an extra payment, but it is down to me to keep things fair for everyone – so I introduced an app which records everyone’s hours,” he said.

He said he had a spreadsheet recording hours and salaries, giving workers’ average hours and the impact, as well as ensuring they were not working too much.

He would also rather have too much staffing than not enough.

WANTED

“The answer is not to ignore the problem and hope it will go away –the long hours are also putting off people from joining the industry.”

One option was to consider parttime local staff, who could cover one or two shifts a week, allowing full-time staff to work five days.

“By getting local people to potentially come and work the odd shift, maybe from outside of farming, then all you have to do is train them on the basics – they do not have to be as trained as everyone else.

“This can work well with dairy farming and training people how to milk.”

Employers should also speak to full-time staff to find out if they would alter their shift patterns.

“The balance between not enough staff and too many staff is not much, I have a young family and I am willing to sacrifice having more money, rather than jeopardise my own work-life balance.”

Non-farming backgrounds

But he said he was finding it hard to recruit from within the agricultural industry, so he had widened his search and now all his staff are from non-farming backgrounds.

“I give opportunities to the people I feel have the right reasons behind wanting to have a go at farming. None of them had ever touched a cow before they came to work for me.”

“Some people might value more time off, so ask them whether they would like to work fewer hours for less money,” said Mr Harris.

Jack Elliot, a dairy farmer at Hunshaw Farm, near Little Torrington in North Devon, has adopted this approach. With 450 Holstein cows, he runs an intensive system, milking three times a day and calving all year.

Most of his employees are on a salary, but to ensure he was paying the correct amount he instigated a clocking in and out system.

“Last year I had three people doing too many hours, so at the end of

He added he would always speak to anyone local who wants an opportunity, as well as advertising on recruitment website Indeed. Those interested were offered a trial day, adding ‘the worst case scenario is that they have some work experience and in the best case I offer them a job’.

“You must train people either way – whether they have experience or not. Often, people who have experience already have their way of doing things, but I want people to do it my way.”

He added the process had allowed him to build a ‘solid and effective team’.

rPoultry farmers told to ramp up checks

THE US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it is working ‘swiftly and diligently’ to contain the spread of H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has so far killed in excess of 72 million chickens, turkeys and other birds, and has spread to more than 45 dairy herds across nine states.

The current outbreak of highly pathogenic avian flu was first detected in a turkey flock in the state of Indiana in February 2022.

By October of that year, more than 47m birds had been either killed by the disease, or culled in what was termed as the nation’s worst outbreak since 2015, when a record 50m birds died.

According to United Egg Producers, there have been 1,012 total poultry detections, including 426 commercial premises and 586 backyard flocks.

The total layer detections in this outbreak have reached 40 layer premises, affecting 53.78m layers.

Egg prices

Consumers have seen prices jump 16 per cent between January and April of this year, with a dozen eggs now costing US$2.99 (£2.35).

Economists in the US have said the outbreak has cost the industry US$2.5 billion to US$3bn (£1.97bn-£2.4bn).

After a lull, 31,600 breeder pullets were found to be infected on a com-

With more than 72 million poultry killed and over 45 dairy herds affected, Jane Thynne looks at the impact of avian flu on the US.

US working to contain bird flu outbreak

mercial poultry farm in Arkansas in November 2023.

But in March of this year, USDA said milk from cattle which had fallen ill in the states of Kansas and Texas had tested positive for H5N1. Two farmworkers have now also been confirmed to have the disease.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has insisted the risk to members of the public remains low.

According to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, as of January 2024, the US Government had spent more than US$1bn (£785.5m) on compensation for poultry farmers who had lost flocks alongside measures to suppress the spread of the viral disease.

It has now been announced that USDA also plans to provide disaster assistance for dairy farmers for the loss of milk production, as well as costs associated with additional testing.

It will also pay farmers to develop biosecurity plans on their farms, provide personal protective equipment for workers and to safely dispose of contaminated milk over the next 120 days, with a maximum value of US$28,000 (£22,000) per farm.

A statement from USDA said the US Government was ‘addressing this situation with urgency and through a whole-of-government approach’ and working with multiple

health and farming agencies to ensure the safety of dairy products and human health.

The move to compensate farmers has been welcomed by the industry.

Gregg Doud, president and chief executive of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), said: “USDA funding for continued enhancement of biosecurity on dairy farms arrives at a time when the dairy industry is already using USDA-funded resources to address the challenges of H5N1.

“This ongoing collaboration between USDA and NMPF is building resiliency for the US dairy industry now and for the future.”

Poultry farmers are also being urged to ramp up checks as warm weather approaches, prompting fear migrating birds could lead to fresh outbreaks.

A spokesperson for United Egg Producers said: “The recent detection was of neonatal goat kids on a farm in Stevens County, Minnesota. The goats showed unusual neurological signs.

“That same farm was the site of a backyard poultry flock infection.

“According to reports, the goats shared a pasture and water source with chicken and ducks on an infected farm and began to kid immediately following the depopulation of the birds on-farm.”

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has been detected on 40 layer premises in the US.

SHEEP FARMER OF THE YEAR

Robert and Becca Rennie, who contract farm at Mowhaugh and Attonburn on the Roxburgh Estate, aim to maximise the value of every animal leaving the farm. Angela Calvert reports.

Robert and Becca Rennie run 2,200 hill type North Country Cheviots, predominantly for breeding, and sell 700 ewe lambs, 200 draft ewes and 30 two-shear rams every year, along with 1,500 store lambs.

They currently hold the breed record of £28,000 for a Cheviot ram sold in 2022, and have had the top price ram for three out of the last four years at the Lairg Cheviot ram sale.

They have also bought a lowland farm near Kelso, which had been tenanted by the Rennie family for more than 90 years, where they run 400 Romney ewes lambing outdoors with minimal interference.

The couple also has a flock of 100 pure Texel and Texel cross Beltex ewes, which breed 30-40 shearling rams to sell at Kelso ram sale every year. Before being sold, they are used on the Romneys to produce fat lambs to sell, with some finishing off-grass in 12 weeks.

In addition to the sheep enterprise, they have a small herd of Limousin and Limousin cross British Blue cows to breed show-potential calves, and have also recently added a herd of 50 Luing hill cows.

Since taking over Mowhaugh and Attonburn, the Rennies have implemented a new tag management system which enables them monitor the performance of not only the

rams, but also groups of females.

From this, they can track the breeding of their sheep right back to when they took them on.

This monitoring process is also used to cull out traits or issues which are not wanted in the flock.

Ewes’ feet are monitored closely and a big improvement has been seen in instances of lameness, resulting in a saving

of time and expense, as well as helping to keep ewes in the best condition at all times.

In the short-term, since taking on the additional enterprises, Robert and Becca have increased their profits and broadened their customer base.

Diversification plans

Future plans include opening a farm shop to sell their own meat and produce.

On winning the award, Becca says: “It was a huge surprise to be nominated and then go on to win the award for Sheep Farmer of the Year – a great privilege.

“We were particularly proud to win this award with our traditional sheep farming methods, and feel we represented a lot of our fellow peers in the way they farm too.

X 400 Romney ewes and 100 pure Texel ewes

50 Luing hill cows

They believe this will be an opportunity to grow the farm business while diversifying into a different sector, helping them realise their dream of producing food with very low food miles and selling it to their local community.

“Winning the award has certainly brought us some new contacts and increased our social media following, which in turn has led to new sales and customers.

“The award ceremony was a great night, well planned and organised with great food, great entertainment and a good mixture of people,” she adds.

X Hold breed record of £28,000 for Cheviot ram sold at auction

X 2,200 North Country Cheviot hill type ewes

XProgeny mainly sold for breeding X North Country Cheviots run over seven different hills

X Small herd of Limousin and Limousin cross British Blue cows, plus

Becca and Robert Rennie with their children.

DAIRY FARMER OF THE YEAR

Since coming back to the family farm in 2012 Patrick Morris-Eyton has taken his family’s dairy business on a journey of expansion, and this journey is far from over. Katie Jones nds out more.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Patrick Morris-Eyton, last year’s Dairy Farmer of the Year, is planning to double cow numbers.

This summer will see Patrick and his team at Beckside Farm, near Millom, Cumbria, busy putting in new infrastructure, including a 400-space cubicle shed to take numbers from the current 400 cows to 800.

The farm’s 54-point rotary parlour has capacity to cope with the increase in herd size, and Patrick says they have also been able to take on more land, which means the next logical step is expansion.

The high-input high-output system will remain unchanged, with Patrick focusing on cow health, welfare and performance.

This is not the first time Patrick has taken the business forward. After coming back to the family farm in 2012 following time spent in New Zealand and working as a shepherd in Crieff, he began looking at next steps.

It was decided that expansion was the best option, and following significant investment, milking in a new set-up on a greenfield site began in 2019.

As well as the new parlour, key to this expansion was new cow housing, which allowed Patrick – who farms with his parents Robert and Rowena – to take numbers from 240 to 400.

In 2021, this was followed by the building of an environment-

controlled calf rearing building, with youngstock being a key focus for the team as herd numbers have grown.

The new calf building was based on principles used in poultry units, with ventilation working via three roof fans which extract the air from the building to allow regulated

amounts of air in through louvers.

To maintain optimum humidity and temperature, the incoming air is warmed using heat recovered from the nearby milking parlour milk cooling system.

The latest herd expansion will see cows bought in to supplement the herd’s own replacement heifers.

and the bottom 20 per cent to Aberdeen-Angus. Any Holstein Montbeliarde cross heifers in the herd are put to Swedish Red or Angus.

Patrick, who is also a district representative for Arla and an AHDB dairy sector council member, says winning a British Farming Award has helped open doors – particularly when it comes to recruiting farm staff.

Breeding

X Milking 400 cows with plans to double numbers

FARM FACTS and therefore both its efficiency and environmental impact

X Milk sold to Arla

X Relationship with vet is key to the herd’s health performance

X Focus on growing more homegrown concentrates to increase sustainability

Patrick is following a crossbreeding programme and uses the ProCROSS system, where the top 20 per cent of the herd is put to pedigree Holstein, mid 40 per cent to Montbeliarde

“Recruitment is where we have seen the biggest benefit of winning the award; potential staff are interested in learning more about what we do here, and how they can be part of the team,” he says.

Patrick Morris-Eyton

Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768

Courteenhall Estate has been in the Wake family for more than 350 years and their aim is to ensure it remains sustainable for the future. Ruth Wills reports.

Sustainability is key for Northamptonshire estate

There are currently four generations of the Wake family living on the 809-hectare (2,000acre) Courteenhall Estate in South Northamptonshire, with Johnny Wake, the managing partner, taking an active role in the estate management.

The predominantly arable farm has been moving into more regenerative practices in recent years. Estate manager Rosie Davis

says: “We are in a Higher-Tier Countryside Stewardship scheme, which we started in 2022, and as part of that we reintroduced cattle.

Grazier

“We had cattle here two generations ago. When they left, we had a grazier who grazed sheep, but we thought that extensively grazing cattle would be better for biodiversity and give us more control.”

The estate worked with the Rare

Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) to decide which cattle breed would be best to reintroduce to the estate.

Rosie says: “The RBST team came out to look at the parkland and the fields which we were planning to put the cattle in, and they came up with a list of breeds they thought would be most suitable.

“On the list were traditional Herefords, which tied in nicely with the fact that Johnny’s grandmother, who still lives on the estate,

remembers having traditional Herefords on there before, so it is really nice to make that link between the generations.”

Parkland

The team introduced 45 Herefords into the parkland.

Rosie says: “We like that the cattle leave the grass a bit more varied, so swards can grow at different heights, rather than grazing it right down. They are rotationally grazed

PICTURES:

Johnny Wake and Rosie Davis.

so the parkland can have a rest and, since introducing them, we have seen an increase in orchids in the park, the return of dung beetles and increased bird species, such as barn owls.

“They are a hardy breed, so they are out all year, and we are Pasture for Life-accredited, so they only eat grass from the farm. We have a variety of ground we can put them on –from parkland to permanent pasture.

“We also have two big fields which were originally parkland, which were put into the arable rotation during the war, and we have converted them back into grassland.”

The team runs a traditional Hereford bull with the herd, then finishes the calves.

Rosie says: “We finish the calves for The Ethical Butcher, an online butchery specialising in meat from livestock farmed in a regenerative way.

“Because traditional Herefords are quite small, we cannot really push them too much, particularly as they are Pasture for Life, so they tend to be finished at between

Courteenhall has 20 employees across the

two and three years old when they reach about 550-600kg.”

There is also a poultry enterprise, which helps to form part of a circular economy.

“We have eight sheds of broilers,

Johnny’s grandmother, who still lives on the estate, remembers having traditional Herefords on there before, so it is really nice to make that link between the generations ROSIE DAVIS

so 340,000 birds at a time. The sheds are heated by ground source heat pumps, have solar panels on the roofs and we do rainwater harvesting. We use the poultry muck on the fields, which reduces our reliance on artificial nitrogen.”

The estate has been on a regenerative journey for 10 years.

Rosie says: “We cannot quit cultivation cold turkey because we are on heavy land, but we make sure all cultivation is done for a reason. We assess the soil health and do what is right for the soil.”

The estate has adopted Countryside Stewardship in a big way.

Rosie adds: “We class our involvement in Countryside Stewardship as one of our farming arms. We have half of the farm in AB15, which is a leguminous fallow.

“That is supposed to increase the organic matter in the soil and fix nitrogen. Also, we were in discussion with our agronomist at Indigro about using it to control blackgrass, and it was promising in the

trials they had done, so we thought we would give it a go.

“Being in quite a black-grassheavy area means we can top it and control the black-grass more naturally; otherwise we were roguing every year.

“The mix is in the ground for two years and we are just about to put the first AB15 fields back into the rotation, so we will be able to see whether we have had any success.”

The introduction of AB15 has also changed the arable rotation.

She says: “It used to be a very traditional arable rotation – wheat, beans, wheat, oilseed rape – but because the leguminous fallow goes into a field for two years on half of the estate, we are then doing two wheats – a first and a second –and then back to AB15 again.”

The estate is involved with several environmental projects.

Climate neutral

Rosie says: “We work with Leaf and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and we have recently started an EU project called ClieNFarms which is about climate neutral farming.

“There are 10 farms in the project. Each of us is doing something different and we are using carbon calculators to see the impact the different methods have.

“We are using our AB15, and others can then see what works and

■ 20 employees across the estate

■ Pasture for Life-accredited

■ 45 traditional Hereford cows and one bull

■ 809 hectares (2,000 acres) split between AB15, wheat, parkland and permanent pasture

Farm facts

estate.

Areas of land are rotationally grazed so the parkland can have a rest.

The estate takes sustainability very seriously and is in a Higher-Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement.

FARM PROFILE

what does not. We are also looking into how this is helping to lower our carbon inputs and improve our soil carbon sequestration.”

And when it comes to measuring the estate’s sequestration, they have worked with Ecometric to measure it.

Rosie says: “We have a baseline which was taken at the start of the Higher-Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement, so it will be interesting to see how this changes over the coming years.”

And something which goes handin-hand with nature is biodiversity net gain. Johnny chairs the steering group for the Central England region of the Environmental Farmers Group (EFG).

Rosie says: “The EFG, backed by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, began in the south west

of England and has grown from there.

“The farmer co-operative works with scale and credibility to trade natural capital with big companies and get a fair return for farmers.

“They currently have 443 land managers, covering 226,000ha of farmland, which is nearly 3 per cent of England’s farmed area.”

Future plans

In terms of future plans, the estate team is applying for planning permission for a farm shop and hoping to increase the number of traditional Herefords on-farm to provide beef for it.

Rosie says: “We hope that most of the produce sold through the farm shop will come from the local area, therefore promoting local producers and businesses.”

COURTEENHALL Estate takes part in Open Farm Sunday.

Rosie says: “We do farm tours and engage with the local community around what we are doing and why. It helps to build better connections.

“We have more than 8km of footpaths, so it is good from an educational point of view, as we can explain why we need them to stick to the footpaths. We are not just being grumpy landowners.

“We have several schools, from primary through to secondary, which visit the estate. They tie their visits in with the syllabus, which works well because the teachers are leading it.

“This was driven by us reaching out to local schools – we are very lucky to work here, so if we can share it with other people who can benefit then that is great.

“We do not want to be detached from the local community. We want to be a part of it.”

Off the back of this, New Leaf Learning was developed.

Rosie says: “New Leaf Learning is a charity based here. It was started by Alex Preston, a special educational needs co-ordinator at a school who came to the estate.

“It is for children who are finding school difficult, or are on the verge of getting excluded, so they are taken out of school one-day-a-week for five weeks and come here.

Activities

“They do activities like stick whittling and pond dipping; things which are all based around the estate. They also involve the teachers and the parents, so it is not just the children. What they learn is also taken home.

“We have had some amazing feedback from it – it is fantastic to see the difference in the children between the first and the last week.”

Open Farm Sunday and education

Some of the estate’s buildings are used as an education centre.

There are

traditional Hereford cows and one bull on Courteenhall Estate.

Edited by Ash Ellwood – 07786

Latest findings from a field-scale farm strip trial indicate that a prolonged spell of wet but mild weather does not affect oilseed rape nearly as badly as when the weather is wet and cold. Farmers Guardian finds out more.

OSR better able to tolerate wet feet in milder conditions

rPests and weather mean more sites lost

DESPITE a persistently wet autumn and winter season, which has seen rainfall records broken by some margin in many regions, average oilseed rape plant losses over winter in Bayer’s strip-trial programme are significantly lower year on year, at 8 per cent compared to 21 per cent in 2022/23.

Bayer technical manager Ellie Borthwick-North says: “In overall establishment terms, this season has proved much better for crops which survived autumn, with 69 per cent of seeds planted leading to plants in the spring, compared to 59 per cent in 2022/23. It seems that wet weather in itself over winter is not necessarily a bad thing, it is when oilseed rape sits in both cold and wet that it struggles.”

The trials see seven mainstream Ex hybrids – DK Exstar, DK Excited,

DK Extremus, DK Expose, DK Excentric and coded varieties DMH470 and CWH515 – clubroot hybrid DK Pledge and a HOLL variety, either V367OL or MDS77, grown alongside a ‘control’ of Aurelia under commercial farm regimes at sites nationwide.

A combination of pest pressure and wet weather has resulted in more sites being lost this season than last.

This was almost entirely as a result of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), with infestations hitting as crops struggled to establish in very wet conditions.

Initial crop establishment was also less good than in autumn 2022.

Ms Borthwick-North says: “Initial plant establishment, at 71 per cent, was slightly less good than the 74 per

cent we saw in 2022, but crop development before winter was a little faster, reflecting the much milder conditions.”

The milder winter has also resulted in noticeably faster rates of development after winter, which this season averaged 5.6 on a scale of one to nine, against 2.6 in 2023.

Rapid rate

This very rapid rate of spring development, coupled with the ongoing wet weather, has made spring agronomy decisions around crop nutrition and crop protection challenging for many growers.

And while the mild conditions have enabled crops to grow away well and come into flowering in good condition

OVERALL PERFORMANCE COMPARED TO A SIMILAR MIX OF VARIETIES AND SITES IN 2022/23

in many cases, the prospect of an extended flowering period means particular care will be needed with desiccation timing this season.

Ms Borthwick-North says: “If we end up having an extended flowering period, it is going to be so important that crops are not desiccated too early.

“There is still a lot of growing to be done and many crops clearly have reasonable potential, provided CSFB larval levels are not too bad and they are well enough rooted to deal with any summer dryness.

“We must aim to leave as much time as we possibly can before applying a desiccant in order to maximise pod fill and oil content.”

Forming one pillar of the rigorous Dekalb National Hybrid Proving Programme, which also includes small plot trials and specific character testing, the farm strip trials are providing an unrivalled insight into individual variety performance across regions, seasons and, importantly, at field-scale within commercial rotations.

Ms Borthwick-North says: “We can see, for example, that in terms of development, DK Excited, DK Exstar and DK Extremus continue to show the most rapid autumn growth, with DK Extremus and DK Exstar also proving the most rapid developers in spring.

“Meanwhile, DK Excentric is proving very similar to Aurelia in its establishment and autumn development and is slightly faster in its spring development.”

About the trials

THE Bayer strip trial programme comprises a series of 12 or more field-scale trials which run in parallel with growers from the Scottish Borders to Hampshire and from Herefordshire across to Norfolk. Typically, these involve the same eight to 10 varieties grown side by side, to strictly commercial growing regimes, and with a leading AHDB Recommended List hybrid variety benchmark each season.

Source: Bayer

A marginal difference between Aurelia (left) and DK Excentric (right).

Ellie Borthwick-North

As maize continues to be drilled around the country, Ash Ellwood chats to experts about the benefits of establishing an under-sown grass crop, suitable varieties and the payments available.

What are the benefits of under-sowing your maize?

Even among repeated rain disruptions, there are reports of ‘unusually strong’ demand for maize seed at this time of year, according to Andrew Cook, maize product and technical manager at KWS.

This increase could be associated with growers planting maize in fields that were originally planned for traditional arable crops which were not able to be drilled on time.

The decision of whether to undersow a maize crop is often decided depending on what the following crop is going to be and the risk factors from a given field.

Jon Myhill, technical lead of the Maize Growers Association, says: “It is an attractive option if the

maize is established in a high-risk field that could suffer from water or soil erosion run-off issues, or in particularly wet areas to aid machinery during harvest.”

Mr Cook adds the aim is to end up with a crop of established grass under the maize crop which will increase the travel ability at harvest if it is wet.

He says: “This will also help the post-harvest soil structure and soil retention, particularly on fields with sloping soils that would be at risk from erosion during heavy rainfall if left bare.”

Growers also have the option to use the leftover grass crop to provide winter grazing for livestock once the maize has been harvested. However, the timing of the grass crop is crucial to ensure the maize crop does not compete with the newly-germinated grass.

Mr Myhill adds: “Maize needs to be at a minimum of the 4-leaf stage up to the 8-leaf stage to be within the under-sowing window, which is usually from the third week in June.”

Behind

Due to the weather, some maize crops are roughly two weeks behind, which could mean under-sowing will continue into early July depending on conditions.

Grass can be under-sown using either an inter-row drill or broadcasted into the crop – however, Mr Myhill believes an inter-row drill is much more likely to achieve high establishment rates.

“Trials completed at the Maize

LG TYPHOON WINTER WHEAT

• Recommended for all farming systems

• Desirable agronomics for early drilling

• Excellent disease & OWBM resistance

lgseeds.co.uk/lg-typhoon

Andrew Cook

ARABLE DIRECT DRILLING

I have seen growers that apply slurry to the grass with a dribble bar at the same time as planting, but growers need to be careful on the analysis of the slurry

CHARLIE DOLPHIN

Growers Association have shown that if grass seed is broadcasted into the maize crop, 30 per cent of the crop will establish as it is not able to achieve good seed to soil contact,” Mr Myhill says.

Broadcasting the seed can provide a benefit as the grower can apply fertiliser at the same time, says Charlie Dolphin, business manager at Bright Maize, but it can be very wasteful as the seed is being released into a canopy of maize which can hold the seed up and prevent soil to seed contact.

“I have seen growers that apply slurry to the grass with a dribble bar at the same time as planting, but growers need to be careful on the analysis of the slurry as it can be too nutritionally rich, which would kill the grass off as soon as it germinates,” he says.

Inter-row drill

Mr Dolphin’s preferred method of under-sowing grass is with an inter-row drill as he believes it is the most efficient with the least amount of grass seed wasted. However, a competent operator is required due to the need to drive through a standing maize crop.

Mr Myhill agrees: “If we are using an inter-row drill and planting the seeds into moist soils or if it rains after planting, trials have shown that seeds can germinate at an 85-90 per cent establishment rate.”

Grass can be under-sown using an inter-row drill, which Jon Myhill believes is likely to achieve a higher establishment than broadcasting.

Where grass-weeds have previously been treated, growers should ensure that enough time has passed so the chemistry does not interfere with the grass establishment.

“Where growers have used a postemergent herbicide, growers should allow at least two weeks before drilling the grass and if growers have applied a pre-emergent they really want to be waiting six weeks before sowing,” says Mr Cook.

Westerwold and Italian ryegrass varieties are the two main options suited to under-sowing.

If fast-growing grass is required, a Westerwold mixture would work in situations where maize is at the 7- to 8-leaf stage, according to Mr Myhill.

Mr Dolphin adds: “Westerwold is incredibly vigorous and has a large root structure to hold the soil together, however it is not that nutritionally complete if looking for a grazing platform.

“If growers are looking to spend a little more money and look for a ley that is more nutritionally balanced to graze livestock, Italian ryegrass at a mixture of 50 per cent diploids and 50 per cent tetraploid would work well.”

If growers are thinking of taking cuts of grass for silage rather than grazing, growers must think of the challenges if the ground is soft at harvest and the potential for rutting the ground.

“This comes down to a farm decision if the grower is able to take a cut or if they can take a higher cut because if the ground is very rutted there can be a large risk of soil contamination,” says Mr Dolphin.

There is little data to suggest that under-sowing maize with grass will affect the maize yield, according to Mr Dolphin, however, there are stud-

ies which suggest a well-established standing grass crop will take up to 55kg nitrogen per hectare.

“The way to counteract this is to apply foliar nitrogen to the maize and time this as late as you would dare travel through the crop. A foliar nitrogen is more selective and you are just giving the nitrogen to the maize rather than letting the grass have it.”

SFI funding

Previous to May 21, 2024, the two key funding options offered by the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for growers under-sowing maize were IPM3: Companion cropping on arable land, now re-named CIPM3, offering £55/ha, and SAM2: Multi-

INCLUDED in the 2024 Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), inter-row drills are eligible for grant support. Provided under option FETF210, six-metre inter-row companion drills can be purchased, with an expected cost of £22,225 and an associated grant value of £13,335.

Machines purchased with grant support must be new and cannot be used, ex-demonstration or machines already owned by the farm. The specification of machines can include tines or discs for intercrop establishment with an overall drilling width of at least 5.9m.

Broadcast units are not eligible under FETF210 and suitable machines must place the seed within a slot with the additional capacity to vary the width between coulters with a minimum width of 450mm. Specifically, machines

species cover crop, now renamed CSAM2, paying £129/ha.

Since the new SFI ‘expanded offer’ was released on May 21, additional actions have been added, with three new offers potentially becoming attractive to maize growers. These actions include SOH4: Winter cover following maize crops, offering £203/ha; PRFT1: Variable rate application of nutrients at £27/ha, and PRFT2: Camera or remote sensors guiding herbicide spraying at £43/ha.

With the technology required for both PRFT and PFRT1 being readily used by maize growers already, there is an opportunity to stack all three options which will provide

which are designed with equipment to cultivate the soil surface ahead of the seeding coulters are excluded from the grant.

Funding for the 2024 FETF scheme has been divided into three rounds. The initial round has now closed, with the two remaining funding application periods yet to be announced.

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) recommends interested parties register for the support to receive updates on when the rounds will open and close throughout 2024.

MORE INFORMATION Applications to all sections of the FETF scheme are made online through the RPA website, visit: gov.uk/government/ publications/farming-equipmentand-technology-fund-2024

Inter-row drill funding

Tom Turner

£273/ha, provided the winter cover crop can be left untouched through to the next year to qualify for SOH4, says Tom Turner, maize national sales manager at KWS.

Unfortunately, the current offering of CIPM3 and the new SOH4 offering are not stackable actions and for winter cover to qualify for SOH4, growers must have the cover drilled by mid-October at the latest, with the cover remaining untouched through to the following year.

“There is no set date to when you can destroy the cover crop, the action states ‘until it can reasonably meet the expectations of the action’, so this would not be taking it off in January but I think a reasonable period would be mid-February time,” says Mr Turner.

He believes the CIPM3 is still the most attractive offer for arable rather than forage growers, due to it being the only action that allows the cover to be followed by a winter crop.

“If you are planning on having a winter crop following your maize, I think CIPM3 [was IPM3] makes a lot of sense, but if you are not planning on following with a winter crop and looking to provide a break, SOH4 is a very good option,” he adds.

Grass established under the maize crop will increase the travel ability at harvest in wet weather.

Jon Myhill

r98 new exhibitors will be in attendance

EXPECTED to attract more than 20,000 visitors, Cereals 2024 will see a number of developments unveiled by key arable industry suppliers, from new varieties and crop protection products to niche crop types that could enable growers to broaden rotations.

To be held at Bygrave Woods in Hertfordshire on June 11-12, 2024, the event’s catalogue of new and returning exhibitors already exceeds 450 arable-focused companies offering a range of technology, machinery, and expertise.

With some 98 new exhibitors this year, key topics and interests are well-covered, from regenerative agriculture to cutting-edge precision techniques.

Combinable crops

Among the exhibits on the KWS stand will be previews of several

What to see at this year’s Cereals Event

new combinable crop varieties, including the firm’s first hybrid barley.

The company says that although recent breeding efforts have targeted increased disease resistance, as well as physical resilience and lower input requirements, high yields and profit potential remain a core focus.

Across all wheat groups, the firm has 10 new varieties on the AHDB candidate list for possible recommendation at the end of 2024, with plots of each on display. In addition, the company will show some new winter barleys on the current AHDB candidate list, plus a new spring barley.

Hybrid winter barley

The variety is also said to have high resistance to lodging and 10 per cent lower brackling than the current market-leading variety.

There will also be two new oat additions currently on the AHDB candidate list. Beyond combinable crops, KWS also plans to showcase its new sugar beet CR+ genetics for improved cercospora control and potential fungicide savings.

The first hybrid winter barley from KWS is Inys, with yield of 109 per cent of controls and untreated yield of 93 per cent.

KWS will also show its first hybrid winter barleys, which the firm says offer significant yield and resilience advantages. The first commercial launch is Inys, with a yield of 109 per cent of controls and untreated yield of 93 per cent attributed to its strong disease resistance profile.

■ When: June 11-12, 2024

■ Opening times: Tuesday, June 11 – 8am–5pm and Wednesday, June 12 – 8am–4pm

■ Where: Bygrave Woods, Hertfordshire

■ Booking: Register online prior to the event to secure tickets

FIND OUT MORE

Visit: cerealsevent.co.uk/

RAGT’s stand will include the chance for visitors to learn about RGT Goldfinch, the company’s new Recommended List (RL) candidate winter wheat, which has bread-making potential and is both orange wheat blossom midge- and barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)- resistant.

The variety is believed to have been the cleanest contender in National List trials, scoring 7 for septoria tritici, 8 for mildew and 9s for both yellow and brown rust.

Lee Bennett, of RAGT, says: “We already have a Group 4 hard variety, RGT Grouse, with similar characteristics, and given the positive quality feedback we have received so far, we are hoping this will represent the first human consumption wheat with no insecticide requirements, matching

For more information on this year’s Cereals Event, see pages 93-96.

Cereals 2024 is set to be the launchpad for a number of new varieties, crop protection products and other developments.

increasing farmer and buyer demand for such characteristics.

“The BYDV resistance comes from our Genserus [Genetic Security Virus] development programme and provides full-season protection against BYDV courtesy of the Bdv2 resistance gene, derived from a wild grass. A sector of our stand

will be devoted to Genserus varieties alongside parent material without resistance.

“None of the plots have received insecticide, giving visitors a chance to observe the difference first-hand.

“Beyond BYDV protection itself, benefits include no need

to interrupt drilling to go spraying and zero effect on beneficials.”

Oilseed rape

LS Plant Breeding (LSPB) will be exhibiting for the first time under its new name, NPZ UK – a move the company says is a natural evolution that aligns its business here with its

global parent company, German breeder NPZ (Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht Hans-Georg Lembke).

The firm says the move’s timing matches the progressive introduction of its next generation of hybrid oilseed rape varieties, the most recent of which is Maverick. To underline its new name and

2024 sees AMAZONE celebrating 75 years of seed drill production, not a bad track record and meaning that you know you can always trust an AMAZONE drill to get your crops established well.

No matter whether it is a 3m drill combination or a 15m trailed disc drill, it qualifies for our £75/ROW FOR 75 YEARS special offer.

Buy an AMAZONE drill between now and 05.10.24 and take delivery before 31.12.24 and benefit from an additional £75/row saving.

ARABLE CEREALS PREVIEW

illustrate its breeding pipeline, NPZ UK has a 50 per cent larger stand than that of LSPB at last year’s Cereals, with plots featuring the firm’s winter OSR, spring and winter bean, spring and winter combining pea and spring wheat varieties.

Bayer’s exhibit at Cereals 2024 will include a new hybrid OSR and a digital decision support tool that enables remote monitoring of migration and distribution of key OSR pests.

Outperforming every other Dekalb hybrid bar one in both 2022 and 2023, the new hybrid, DK Excentric, topped gross output tables on the four most demanding sites across those years; a trait Bayer claims underlines its environmental stress tolerance.

Average gross output in two years of NIAB and Scottish Agronomy trials was 5.11 tonnes per hectare, with average oil content of 45.4 per cent. A growth habit that matches early planting requirements combines with flexibility to make it suited to sowing into September should soil, pest or weather conditions dictate, says Bayer.

Agronomic scores include an 8 for stem stiffness and 9 for lodging resistance, plus disease scores of 6 for light leaf spot and 7 for stem canker.

Clover-safe

Marking five years since its formation from the merger of Dow AgroSciences, Pioneer and DuPont, Corteva Agriscience plans to display the efficacy of a number of new products.

Among them is new clover-safe herbicide ProClova,launched last year onto the Irish market and currently going through the registration process in the UK.

Clover has an important potential role in matching growing interest in expanding and diversifying rotations plus reducing purchased fertiliser use, suggests the com-

pany. Initially developed for weed control in rice, the product’s active ingredient is florpyrauxifen-benzyl, branded as Rinskor.

ProClova is said to have a much wider weed spectrum than other clover-safe herbicides when treating newly-sown leys including docks, dandelions, fat hen and, in particular, provides more consistency and reliability of control than the current standard on established docks. It can also be used in established grass.

Of more immediate interest is likely to be the company’s new biologicals business development, stemming from its recent acquisitions of specialists Stoller and Symborg.

John Sellars, of Corteva, says: “We have had a good response to this business area to date, and are keen to show Cereals visitors the results of what BlueN, a biostimulant containing bacteria that enables plants to fix nitrogen from the air and make it available to the plant, and Kinsidro Grow+, a lowrate humic substance that mitigates stress, can do.”

Alternative cropping

For those seeking ideas and advice on alternative cropping, Premium Crops will have plots of alternative autumn- and spring-sown break crops – including HOLL OSRs –and cereals, alongside cover crop displays.

In addition, the firm will have displays of chickpeas, a crop which is the subject of a two-year feasibility study led by NIAB, looking at the crop’s potential to reduce on-farm fertiliser use and the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fertiliser production. The UK currently imports 60,000t of chickpeas annually.

Elsoms returns to Cereals for the first time since 2019 with a focus on

its new soft-milling/distilling winter wheat Bamford, the highest-yielding Group 3 on the RL, with a rate of 106 for treated yield.

Grant Hawkins, of Elsoms, says: “Many growers may be seeing Bamford for the first time, and we will have a team on-hand to help them find the best way of extracting its full potential should they choose to grow it next season.

“With a 7 rating for septoria, plus high yellow rust and mildew scores, we have found a lot of interest in its combination of strong yield potential and high disease resistance.”

Regenerative Outcome’s programme offers one-to-one soil health training with the aim of helping farmers to reduce input costs and improve soil health.

Bayer’s new DK Excentric hybrid oilseed rape outperformed every other Dekalb hybrid bar one in both 2022 and 2023.

New from Senova will be three candidate Group 4 hard feed wheats: Rufus, Riley and Memphis. These are said to be very high-yielding types that currently sit at the top of the RL candidate list. Three candidate two-row winter barley varieties will also make their debut: Organa, a BYDV-tolerant two-row; Kitty, a high-yielding feed with resistance to both strain 1 and strain 2 of barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and the highest specific weight of any barley variety; and Nos Olena, said to possess good grain quality,

John Sellars

Home n’ Dry is the original alkaline feeding solution for ruminants and helps to support rumen function, animal health and performance. With a simple, one-step application, Home n’ Dry pellets enable farmers to maximise the potential of their crops, feeds and diets.

Alkalinity buffers the rumen

Air-stable cereal forage

Enables better use of homegrown cereal crops

Alkalinity buffers the rumen Protein enhanced grain Can produce at harvest or all year round

Alkalinity buffers the rumen Protein enhanced straw Improve ration structure in modern dry cow diets

+44(0)1200 613118

ARABLE CEREALS PREVIEW

all-round performance and standing ability.

Also present will be Valentine, a new husked winter oat candidate, and Nova, a new spring oat.

Regenerative farming is a focused concept but broad in application. New exhibitor Regenerate Outcomes is helping farmers and landowners pursue an education-based approach to regenerative farming, to generate both ecological and economic gains for their businesses.

With expertise in farming, soil science and project finance, Regenerate Outcomes works alongside world-renowned soil health consultancy Understanding Ag. It has also partnered with Agricarbon to effectively monitor soil organic carbon stocks under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

Combined, it provides a robust one-to-one mentorship programme which not only improves the ecological condition of land, but also generates new revenue streams.

Director Tom Dillon says: “The programme offers one-to-one soil health training, led by Understanding Ag, with the aim to help farmers reduce input costs and improve plant health.

“As soil health improves, it is ex-

pected that soil organic carbon stocks increase and the need for greenhouse gas-emitting inputs also reduces. This data is collected according to the VCS, so that the farm may qualify to earn third-party verified carbon credits.”

The programme is not prescriptive – it is adaptive – and works alongside a farm’s changing plans, Government schemes, stewardships and other projects or partnerships. Farmers who join the programme will also become part of a network of regenerative farms, enabling them to have a sound knowledge-board made up of likeminded farmers.

Latest fungicide

Returning to the Cereals Event, Syngenta will focus on Miravis Plus + Era (pydiflumetofen/Adepidyn), the company’s latest SDHI foliar fungicide, showcased as a T2 treatment.

Last year the firm launched SY Buzzard, its first Hyvido hybrid barley with BYDV tolerance. At Cereals it will show SY Kestrel, its first BYDVresistant Hyvido hybrid, plus a second new Hyvido hybrid, SY Quantock, said to combine high yield with high specific weight. Both are on the AHDB winter barley candidate list, and both have exhibited good rhynchosporium resistance and early maturity.

Summer Edition

DON’T MISS OUT

We’re at Cereals 2024Stand 208b.

Don’t miss your chance to pick up a copy of our summer edition of Arable Farming*

Senova is showcasing new feed barley RL candidate ‘Kitty’, featuring high specific weight and BaYMV strain 1 and 2 resistance.

Visitors can also view spring malting barley SY Tennyson, which is undergoing Malting Barley Committee (MBC) approval for brewing and malt distilling, and SY Vessel, a non-GN winter malting barley recently added to the MBC Special quality category as Provisional for malt distilling.

New winter wheats will include SY Cheer, a new potential UKFM group 1 breadmaking variety, added to the 2024/25 AHDB RL. Elsewhere will be new high-yielding, potential hard feed winter wheat varieties SY Monza and Roma.

New candidates

New from Senova will be three candidate Group 4 hard feed wheats: Rufus, Riley and Memphis. These are said to be very high-yielding types that currently sit at the top of the RL candidate list.

Three candidate two-row winter barley varieties will also make their debut: Organa, a BYDV-tolerant two-row; Kitty, a high-yielding feed with resistance to both strain 1 and strain 2 of BaYMV and the highest specific weight of any barley variety; and Nos Olena, said to possess good grain quality, all-round performance and standing ability. Also present will be Valentine, a

new husked winter oat candidate, and Nova, a new spring oat.

Organa is one of the first two-row feed varieties to have the two genes associated with BYDV tolerance, making it an exciting development for growers looking to reduce inputs and adopt Sustainable Farming Incentive actions which reward integrated pest management approaches and eliminating insecticides.

With positive implications for managing risk, simplifying workloads and controlling costs, the presence of the added value trait gives Organa a unique position in the two-row feed category.

Organa has a treated yield of 102 and an untreated yield of 90. The variety combines this with a high specific weight of 70kg/hl, stiff straw and early ripening, along with good all-round disease resistance. Senova’s managing director Tom Yewbrey says Organa has both the YD2 and YD3 genes that give BYDV tolerance, which minimise the risk of BYDV infection.

“There is some impact of BYDV in tolerant varieties, but the yield loss is much less than that of susceptible varieties. As such, Organa is a really positive development for growers who prefer two-row varieties,” he adds.

SALES

Edited by Angela Calvert –

rChampion in pre-sale show sells to 2,300gns

AT the Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders Association premier sale at Shrewsbury, prices peaked at 4,500gns for Whitby, Yorkshirebased, Louis Stainthorpe’s ram lamb from his Whitby flock.

Out of a home-bred ewe and by Whitby Dracula, which was champion at the Carlisle sale last year, it found a new home with G. and J. Galbraith for their Graylen flock, Kendal.

The next top price ram lamb at 3,600gns was from the same home.

By Treworthal Poldark and out of a Thorbeck-bred ewe, it was knocked down to I. Steel, Stirling.

Also from Messrs Stainthorpe and selling for 3,000gns was a ram lamb, again by Whitby Dracula and out of a Wilstrop Legend daughter. The buyer was D.J. Taylor, Taunton.

Next, at 2,300gns, was the overall champion in the pre-sale show from Henry Derryman and family, Yarcombe.

By Millfields Sergeant and out of a home-bred Ballycreelly Duke daughter, it had been breed and interbreed ram lamb champion at Devon County Show the previous week and sold to R. Reddaway, Crediton.

A shearling ram from Sophie Man-

Pinhal Sal, from Dewi Jenkins, Ceredigion, which sold for £16,200.

Hampshire Downs reach 4,500gns peak

ners and Joe Dilibero’s Seawell flock, Towcester, topped a small entry of shearling rams at 1,200gns.

Out of a Yarcombe ewe and by Wilstrop Legend, it sold to Lucy Heywood for her Thornfalcon flock, Watchet, Somerset.

Also from the Seawell pen was another Wilstrop Legend son, this time out of a Treworthal Jethro and Stourfield-bred daughter, which made 1,000gns to K.T.H. Phillips, Brecon.

Females

Females hit a high of 1,900gns for a shearling ewe from Austyn Chapman and Nikki Wadkin’s Eppleby flock, Richmond, North Yorkshire.

By Chaddlehanger King Eric and out of a Kelsey Fantastic daughter from the Lecropt flock, it now heads north to C. Hadwin, Broughton-in-Furness.

Next, at 1,600gns, was the reserve female champion from Messrs

Sheepdogs sell to

THE online sale of working sheepdogs hosted by Farmers Marts (R.G. Jones), Dolgellau, topped at £16,200 for Pinhal Sal, a fully trained farm or trials bitch from Dewi Jenkins, Ceredigion, which went to a Spanish buyer.

Next, at £9,400, was Nell, a twoyear-old daughter of Red Spot from Kevin Evans, Brecon, which will head to Norway.

Nap, a fully trained dog from F. Shennan, Ayrshire, sold for £8,600 to a Cumbrian buyer. Mainstay Dina, from M. Edwards, Morriston, sold for £6,800 and will be going to Co Armagh.

Topping the partly trained pen at £6,500 was Rocky, a 27-month-old Huntaway dog from E. Rees, Rhayad-

£16,200

er, which went to a buyer from Clackmannanshire.

Pups sold to £8,200 for Betty by Midderry Frank from Kevin Evans, which sold to a Denbighshire buyer.

The sale saw the first ever entry of sheepdog semen offered for sale through an online auction ,with semen from Jock, an international champion from R. Hutchinson, Pott Yeats, selling for £4,300 to the US.

AVERAGES

Trained, £4,281; partly trained, £1,744; pups, £1,154; overall, £2,472, with a 76 per cent clearance rate.

Auctioneers: Farmers Marts (R.G. Jones).

Stainthorpe. By Whitby Storm, it was the pick of Harry Elsden, Welwyn. Ewe lambs met a top call of 1,400gns twice. The first, from the Derryman family, was by Millfields Sergeant and sold to Messrs Elsden.

At the same money, was a daughter of Treworthal Poldark from Messrs

Top price, a ram lamb from Louis Stainthorpe, Whitby, Yorkshire, which sold for 4,500gns to G. and J. Galbraith, Kendal.

Stainthorpe, which sold to David and Denise Middleditch, Sudbury.

AVERAGES

34 ram lambs, £1,110.22; 5 shearling rams, £875.70; 14 shearling ewes, £656.25; 15 ewe lambs, £828.80.

Auctioneers: Halls.

Heifer with calf makes £7,200

THE entry of 355 cows and heifers with calves at Carlisle topped at £7,200 for a Limousin cross heifer with a heifer calf and £5,500 for a Limousin heifer and bull calf from Messrs Malone, Pitcairn, whose seven outfits averaged £4,842.

Messrs Livingstone, Kirtlevale, sold a large run of heifers and calves, topping at £5,200 for a Limousin cross heifer and calf.

The run of heifers and calves from Messrs McAlister, Wester Thomaston, topped at £5,000 and £4,900 for Limousin cross heifers and calves.

The dispersal of cows and calves from Crowhall Farms, Northumberland, topped at £4,800 for a five-year-old Limousin cow and bull calf and £5,800 for a Limousin stock bull.

Messrs Renton, Highlaws, sold the top priced British Blue cross cow and bull calf for £4,500.

AVERAGES

Heifers and calves, £2,984; cows and calves, £2,611; Crowhall Farms – 85 stock cows, £2,600.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Dairies in demand at Shrewsbury

HEIFERS sold to £2,480 at Shrewsbury’s dairy sale for Wolston Manana Lavender 62 from A.D. and R.M. Thomas, Lutterworth, which was three weeks calved and giving 33kg daily.

The champion was Dawnstar Generate Empress 249, giving 32kg daily from Rob Pritchard, of G., J.L. and R.W. Pritchard, Berriew. It sold for £2,450 to a mid-Wales buyer.

Also selling for £2,450 from M. and J.C. Gould, Bomere Heath, was Whinchat Milano Shula, from the Picston Shottle family.

The cow section topped at £2,400

for Cernant Grazie Regina 2 GP83, a second calver giving 49kg, which had yielded more than 9,000kg as a heifer, from G.E. Jones and Co, Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

Dry cows

Dry cows from W.J. Jones, Farlow, Ludlow, in-calf to a Limousin, peaked at £2,000.

In-calf heifers sold to £1,650 for the second week running for R. Fowler and Sons, Hanbury, with Hillsummer Ardour Dierdre, due to sexed Altaizza or Angus for mid-July.

Auctioneers: Halls.

PICTURE: COUNTRY

GIRL MEDIA

Dutch Spotted ram lamb sells for 4,000gns

rValais Blacknose realise 2,500gns

THE May Fair sale of pedigree sheep at Carlisle topped at 4,000gns for Milltown Hulk, a Dutch Spotted April-born ram lamb from T. Jackson, Co Down.

One of the first lambs to be offered for sale by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society 2023 male champion, 20,000gns Milltown Golden Balls, out of Sunnybank Fergie, it sold to Messrs Whitham, Bingley.

Milltown Helen Go East, a Dutch Spotted ewe lamb from the same home and by the same sire but out of Glencoy Cherry, made 2,500gns to Messrs Budgen, Southampton.

Also selling for 2,500gns was Hazelberry Honey, a Dutch Spotted ewe lamb by Diamond Freaky Freddie, out of Turbo Bont, consigned by Callum Dodd, Lockerbie. It sold with its recipient dam to Messrs Kilroe, Alderley Edge.

Valais Blacknose topped at 2,500gns for Kenneff Lanky Longlegs, a ewe lamb by Deepdale Impact out of Kinffeff Jo Jo from S. Jacobsen, Montrose, which sold to Messrs Irvine and Co, Tomintoul.

Ewe lamb

Kinneff Lunan, a ewe lamb also by Impact and out of Kinneff Good Two Show from the same vendor, made 1,600gns to Messrs Gitsham, Killen.

Topping the Badger Face Texels at

Top price, Dutch Spotted ram lamb Milltown Hulk, from T. Jackson, Co Down, which sold for 4,000gns to Messrs Whitham, Bingley.

Belted Galloways top 5,800gns

FOR the second year running at the show and sale on behalf of the Belted Galloway Cattle Society at Skipton, the championship and top price went to Chris and Christine Ryder, Blubberhouses.

This was with their home-bred May 2022-born bull, Scaifehall Lorenzo, by Mochrum Lachlan out of Scaifehall Ivana. It went on to sell for the top price of 5,800gns in a twoway split to Helen Ryman’s North Kildarroch herd and George and Isabel Milroy’s Mains of Machermore herd, both Newton Stewart.

Second top price

Second top call of 4,000gns was for Barwise Herdmaker, an April 2021-born bull by Barwise Jeorge out of a Whitepool Kite Mark-sired dam from Carolyn Fletcher, Appleby. The buyer was J. and Z. Kirk, Dumfries. Making 2,200gns from A. and S.

Pearson, Kirkmahoe, was the June 2022-born Shelsleys Buffalo Bill son, Harley Rigg Furgus, which sold to M.E. Jeffrey, Eldwick.

The female champion and overall reserve Summerstone Diana from Steve and Karen Halsall, Lofthouse, headed the section prices at 2,500gns.

Presented by farm manager Graham Tibbot, the May 2022-born daughter of Auchengassel Origin out of Mochrum Gillian 2, sold scanned in-calf for December to the 9,000gns Mochrum Finnegan, to J. Taylor, Golcar.

White Galloways also made their Skipton debut with a trio from J.T. and T.A. Wigham, Irthington, selling to a top of 1,500gns for Riggshield Majestic, a June 2021-born male by Troloss Kingfisher, out of a Heritage Casper-sired home-bred dam. The buyer was P. Thompson, Wolsingham. Auctioneers: CCM.

1,500gns was Woodies Elegant, a shearling gimmer by the imported sire, Geert, out of 11,000gns Duhonw 12260, from Stuart Wood, Skene. It was knocked down to Messrs Roper, Cleator Moor.

Blue Texels also sold to 1,500gns for Solway View Huxley, a shearling gimmer by Sunnybank Exchange Rate from Kevin Watret, Annan, which sold to Messrs Cannon, Newton Stewart.

AVERAGES

Dutch Spotted – 16 embryo lambs with recipients, £1,062.50; 33 shearling gimmers, £689.39; 7 weaned lambs, £692.85; 4 graded females, £765; Valais Blacknose – 13 aged ewes, £405.38; 10 shearling gimmers, £455; 7 ewe lambs, £1,021.42; 4 ram lambs, £537.50; Badger Face Texel – 1 embryo lamb with recipient, £500; 1 weaned lamb, £500; 6 shearling gimmers, £658.33; Blue Texel – 1 pedigree ewe with lambs, £400; 3 shearling gimmers, £766.66; Zwartbles – 5 embryo lambs with recipients, £470; Beltex – 4 shearling gimmers, £637.50; Dorpers – 4 ewe lambs, £412.50.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

THE show and sale of breeding and store cattle at Broughton topped at £2,400 for a pedigree Limousin bulling heifer from D.J. and M.J. Hoggarth, Ulpha. Their run of nine averaged £2,172 and included the first prize-winner, which sold for £2,250 to Messrs Telfer, Whitehaven.

First prize

The first prize-winning cow and calf was for Charolais from C. and S. Dickinson, Bandrake Head, which later sold for £1,800.

Store cattle were judged by Graham Cornforth, Tadcaster, who awarded the championship to a British Blue heifer from N.A. and J. Temple, Ulpha, which he later bought for £1,455.

Top priced heifer at £1,785 was a British Blue from Messrs Turner, Ulpha, and top priced steer at £1,605 was a Limousin from Messrs Hoggarth.

AVERAGES

Steers, £1,234.68; heifers, £1,186.94. Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart Co.

BEEF SHORTHORNS AT CARLISLE

AT the Beef Shorthorn sale at Carlisle, females topped at 4,200gns for the champion, Sandwick Scrumptious Margo (pictured above), the first daughter of Fearn Night Watchman to be sold out of Sandwick Mistletoe Margo from A. and C. Ivinson, Ousby. It sold having run with Sandwick Prefer-a-Bull to Messrs Page, Newport, North Humberside. The reserve male and reserve overall champion was Llwynhywel Sidekick and February 2022-born son of Diamond Captain Mark 27C out of Crawfdown Miss Lea 5P from Messrs Evans and Price, Llanilar. It sold for 5,500gns to Messrs Hagon, Ulverston, not as previously stated.

r

Mules sell to £440 in Whitsuntide sale

THERE was a tremendous selection of hoggs with lambs at the Farmers Guardian- supported Whitsuntide show and sale at Bentham, where trade was strong after a hesitant start.

First prize honours in the Mule section went to Winter Bros, Clickham, Appleby, with the pen later selling for £440/outfit to the judge, James Robinson, Carnforth, with the same home also taking second prize and realising £390.

Mules

The top pens of Mules were £300/ outfit plus, with a run from A.R. Edmundson, Ulverston, topping at £320/outfit.

The overall average for the section was £268, up £51 on 2023. Commercial types were £250-£280, with a few lesser pens at £220 plus.

Cheviot Mules averaged £303/ outfit (up £54 on the year), topping at £360 for a run from R. and E. Butterfield, Bentham.

Continentals sold to £410/outfit for N.L. and C.J. Brown, Claughton, with the first prize Texels from K.G. Stapleton and Sons, Skipton, at £360/

Hoggs with lambs in demand at Bentham

To find out where we will be next, go to farmersguardian.com/mth-roadshow

outfit and the second prize winners from the same home at £375.

According to the auctioneers, buyers were keen for good quality continentals, with plenty of the better pens selling at £320£390, with improving types £220-£280/outfit.

A small selection of Mashams topped at £272/outfit for J.K. Gorst and Son, Tatham, with Suffolks from Winter Bros to £330.

Local young farmer Frank Caton, Otterburn, Skipton, sold Dutch Spotted cross hoggs with Dutch Spotted lambs to £395.

Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.

K.G. Stapleton and Sons, Skipton, took home first prize for Texels, which sold for £360/outfit, and went on to pick up the second prize too.

Hoggs with lambs took centre stage at the Whitsuntide Bentham show and sale.

First prize in the Mules section went to Winter Bros, Clickham, Appleby, with the pen selling for £440/outfit to the judge James Robinson.

R. and E. Butterfield, Bentham, took the first prize for Cheviot Mules, topping at £360.

Auctioneer Will Alexander.

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.

Exchange – A series of digital events focused on learning from real case studies and exchanging knowledge with agricultural thought leaders

Weekly Digest email – From the desk of FG’s editor every Sunday morning, gain insights into how the week’s news impacts your business.

Members’ Lounge – Enjoy an exclusive space for members to network at leading events, such as LAMMA, CropTec and Farm Business Innovation.

T HURSDAY LUNCHTIME WEEKLY SHEEP SALE Entries/Enquiries, contact Peter Oven: peter.oven@bagshaws.com or 07973 982443 Or Ivor Lowe: ivor.lowe@bagshaws.com or 07977 449126

Follow on Facebook for up to date details on Special Entries

POPLARS FARM, BARTON IN THE BEANS CV13 0DJ

SATURDAY 8TH JUNE 2024 AT 10.30AM

Deutz Agrofarm 100, JCB 4CX & MF 4255 Sanderson Teleporter, Trailers, Machinery County 1124 and 3 Classic Tractors Collectables, Anvil, Non-Vat Items Together with Over 120 Lots From Local Vendors Including 12 Tractors Inc MF 35, 135, Nuffield 154 Mini, Ford 3610, 5000, Leyland 245 Fordson Super Major, Fordson Dexta and many more BRUMLEA FARM, BONSALL, MATLOCK, DE4 2AW

FRIDAY 14TH JUNE 2024 AT 10.30AM

John Deere 6155 R Ultimate Edition c/w 643R Power Loader (21’-1,600 hrs)

JCB 526-56 Agriplus Telehandler (19’-5,030 hrs) Q Fit Headstock

Wednesday 5th June 8am Cast Ewes and Rams followed at 10am with Prime Lambs & Prime Hoggs (Ballot 10am) Friday 7th

10am - Sale of 250 Rearing Calves and Weaned Stirks 12noon - Sale of 300 Ewes and Hoggs with Lambs at foot

JD C441R Twin Axle Round Bale Combi Wrapper (19’) Bailey, Griffiths & AW Twin Axle Trailers, Krone Front & Rear Mounted Mower Conditioners Ifor Williams Tri Axle Livestock Trailer JD 359 Conventional Baler General Machinery, Bulk Feed Hoppers Sundries and Effects

Catalogues are available to download at www.bagshaws.com Email: olivia.fernihough@bagshaws.com

NATIONAL CLASSIFIEDS

James Morrish - Market Manager 01200445376 Rachel Capstick 07713075659 Jack Pickup 07710708326 Eleanor O’Neill 07706347505 Matthew Middleton 07860659803

BB8 3PH on behalf of A

Catalogue online now. Noted entries: McHale F5400 Round Baler (4700bales), McHale 991 High Speed Wrapper (2600 bales,) Massey Ferguson 571S 2020 Dyna4 890hrs, Deutz-Fahr 5125 2019 cw Stoll Loader 1850hrs, Clough 24ft Bale Trailer, Clough 14ft Tipping Trailer, Major 1300g Slurry Tanker, Major 6ft Grass Slasher, Bateman Crush, 30ft Race, Sliding door, 16ft Slurry Stirrer, McHale Bale Handler, Smart Crop Sprayer Kverneland 2324m Mower, Vicon Fanex 524 Tedder, Vicon Andex 394 Rake, West 1600 Dual Spreader, Ford 3600 scraper tractor, Hackett folding Harrows, Twose 9ft Roller, Ring Feeders, Wood, Telegraph poles, Cattle equipment Enquiries welcomed to Tom 07572249983 or Eleanor 07706347505

Saturday 1 June

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP followed by PRIME LAMBS & PRIME HOGGS Please call Matthew Middleton 10.00am 3 BREEDING BULLS, 40 IN CALF & OUTFITS, 61 YOUNG BULLS, 346 STORE STEERS & HEIFERS online. Enquiries to Rachel this week please Tuesday 4 June MONTHLY MACHINERY SALE

To include strong selection of trailers. All entries will be welcomed to the yard Monday 3rd June 8am-2pm Loadall onsite

Thursday 6 June

10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE

10.30am REARING CALVES

11.00am DUGDALE NUTRITION with LELY SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY to include 35 in calf Friesian Cows entries please to Eleanor 07706347505

Saturday 8 June

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME HOGGS

10.30am OUTFITS OF SHEEP WITH LAMBS entries to the office by Tuesday 4th 12noon

Thursday 13 June

10.30am PRIME BEEF followed by CULL CATTLE

10.30am REARING CALVES

11.00am WEEKLY DAIRY

12.30pm STIRKS entries by 12noon Tues 11th June

Saturday 15 June

9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME HOGGS

10.30am FORTNIGHTLY BREEDING & STORE CATTLE to include 80 head Suckler Dispersal

NORTH WEST AUCTIONS

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

Friday 7th June

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

MACHINERY SALES

June Online Machinery Sale

Delivery: Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th June

Sale Live: Friday 7th June Sale Concludes: Tuesday 11th June

Vintage & Collectibles Auction In association with The Midsummer Vintage Festival Entries are called for: Vintage Tractors, Vehicles, Vintage Farm Machinery, Engines, Farm Equipment, Rural Bygones and Small Tools & Effects are welcomed. There will also be a marquee on site for smaller collectibles to be sold from. To download an entry form please visit the website or contact Gilly on 07921 511852.

Holt Lane, Ashby Magna, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 5NJ on Saturday 15th June 2024 at 10.30am

Tuesday 4th June 11am SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT 1pm SPRING LAMBS, PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP

Tuesday 11th June 10.30am ALL CLASSES

SALE

& HEIFERS WITH CALVES AT FOOT Plus In-Calf, Bulling Heifers & Breeding Bulls

www.selbymart.co.uk ...Yorkshire’s

Contact Office for Details MART OFFICE: 01757 703347 RICHARD HAIGH: 07768 594535

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.

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.

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

We cannot wait to celebrate the winners of Auction Mart of the Year, Auction Cafe of the Year and New Auctioneer of the Year at the British Farming Awards. We hope you will help us to reward marts and cafes which are doing a great job for the industry.

For more information and to make your nominations, scan the QR code or visit: britishfarmingawards.co.uk/ MartsTheHeart

A WORD FROM THE SPONSORS

THE Livestock Auctioneers Association is delighted to sponsor the awards, which acknowledge the role auctioneers and their businesses play in the livestock industry and the wider agricultural and rural community, a key part of which is ensuring farmers get a fair and true price for their stock.

The last year has demonstrated the importance of the live market when demand outstrips supply, driving prices and creating trends. This is a great opportunity to recognise the role

auctions play within the industry.

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

Livestock markets are an integral part of the livestock farming community. Not only are livestock markets a place of business, but also a space where farmers can seek advice and see friends.

CHRIS DODDS

Livestock Auctioneers Association.

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

RICHARD WEBBER Director, Shearwell Data.

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).

THIS YEAR’S JUDGING PANEL

HOW TO ENTER

THE PROCESS

CHRIS DODDS

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

RICHARD WEBBER

Director of Shearwell Data, the UK’s largest animal tag manufacturer, based at Whedmoor Cross, Exmoor. He also farms 405 hectares.

MYSTERY JUDGE

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

Friday, May 10 NOMINATIONS OPEN

Friday, July 26 VOTING OPENS

Friday, June 28 NOMINATIONS

Wednesday, August 28 VOTING

Thursday, October 17 AWARDS NIGHT

WHAT WILL THE FINALISTS RECEIVE?

ALL finalists will have their status raised, with a profile in print and online during public voting. Winners of all three awards will be guests at the British Farming Awards, with their awards presented by Farmers Guardian, the Livestock Auctioneers Association and Shearwell Data.

Photographs of the presentation will be made available to winners and their companies for their own use and will appear in FG.

Each winner will feature in an in-depth profile in print and online, and will receive a prestigious, cast iron commemorative plaque.

g g g

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

YOUR DETAILS

Title: First name:

Surname:

Address:

Postcode:

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.

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 on separate sheet - up to 400 words)

NEW AUCTIONEER OF THE YEAR

Name of new auctioneer you are nominating:

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

form to contact you via email, post, phone and text about Agriconnect goods and services that we think will be of interest to you. If you would not like to receive these communications, please email us at dataprotection@farmersguardian.com. If you have any queries or concerns

Buoyant spring trading despite rain VIEW FROM THE ROSTRUM

Ian Atkinson on taking opportunities in life

The beef and sheep industries have enjoyed a buoyant spring, with prices being high and demand strong for the quality product we produce.

Despite the tough winter we have endured, dreadful lambing time and the fact we have not had a spring – going straight from winter to summer – spirits remain high, as many grassland farms are now being blessed with too much grass.

The market system has once again played a vital role sociably for people within agriculture to share all their trials and tribulations.

One thing which always makes you feel better following the hard work involved in rearing your livestock is seeing your stock sell through the ring and to a strong trade and a busy ring of buyers.

Ian Atkinson

This week, the trade in many markets has seen the spring lambs slightly reduce, but still

averaging in excess of the 400p/ kg mark.

The cull sheep trade continues to hold firm, with many firms now buying in preparation for the upcoming festival in the middle of June.

Breeding sheep continue to be in strong demand, as grass continues to grow and looks set for a good grass growing season.

The cattle trade has seen prime beef come slightly back, but demand for store cattle remains very strong for short keep and long keep cattle.

Demand

Even though clean cattle have slightly reduced, cull cows and processing meat is in big demand as the barbecue season is upon us.

One thing that is key in agriculture and life in general, is taking your opportunities as they arrive.

I have enjoyed a wonderful 12 months as auctioneer and manager at Brockholes Arms Auction

Mart and would like to thank the directors, staff and customers for their support.

It has been great to be involved in the growth of this market and I am sure it will continue to grow and develop further. I wish Tom Greenow all the best.

The opportunity for me to take on the lifelong dream of auctioneer at Hawes Farmers Auction Mart was one, that after long consideration, I could not say no to. It is like any opportunity in life, you should always be encouraged to take the opportunities which arise.

I would also like to wish Raymond Lund a happy retirement from Hawes mart.

I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the summer months as the agricultural show season is now upon us.

Ian Atkinson, auction manager and auctioneer at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart. Call 07944 237 516, or email ian@brockauction.co.uk

A New Route to Market

& VALUERS

BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE

Tel: 01228 406200

180 DAIRY CATTLE SELLING AT BORDERWAY BORDERWAY MONTHLY DAIRY DAY

Wednesday 5th June - 10.30am

Please Follow Us On Facebook To View Animals Prior To The Sale

Comprising: 180 freshly calved cows/heifers Breeds represented include Holstein Friesian, Fleckvieh, Jersey, British Friesian, & Ayrshire FRESHLY CALVED ANIMALS

The sale includes: Another outstanding consignment of freshly calved cows and heifers all producing large volumes of milk from many of the top dairy farms in the North.

LARGE CONSIGNMENTS Other consignments of freshly calved animals include CLACKMAE (6) ERROLSTON (6) NEITHER PRATIS (8) BROUGHTON (8)

JERSEYS the Kerricks pedigree Jersey herd have consigned 5 freshly calved heifers PLEASE ORDER YOUR CATALOGUE TODAY or connect with someone from the sale staff.

176 PEDIGREE BRITISH FRIESIAN HEIFERS SELL SHORNE YOUNGSTOCK DISPERSAL SALE

Wednesday 12th June - 11.00am For NW & RW Boyd, Middle Morrey Farm, Burleydam, Whitchurch 79 BULLING HEIFERS (12 – 18mths) –106 YEARLING HEIFERS (10 – 15 mths)

This will be one of the BEST sales of British Friesian heifers in the UK in 2024. The Shorne milking herd is relocating to south west Scotland near Stranraer in July and to make the transition easier they have decided to disperse all their youngstock. The herd is currently averaging 7256kgs 4.4% 3.53% and is grazed extensively from early spring.

The heifers are all sired by proven sires including Beaufort Milkman, Lakemead Jingle, Inch Dungannon, Wyevalley Veritas, Dungormley Chad Jacob, Bradash Contender, Inch Land, Inch Jake & Goonhilly Isaac. Many of these heifers come with high PLI indexs such as Shorne Faith 206, with a PLI of +£257 September born daughter of Goonhilly Cornelly bred from a VG85 Catlane Chad dam Herd Health

The heifers are all BVD tag tested and their dams were vaccinated for BVD. All the dams are tested free of Johnes. The farm is in a one year TB testing area the last herd test was in May 2024. Followed by BORDERWAY’S JUNE YOUNGSTOCK SALE

282 DAIRY YOUNGSTOCK SELL (full details next week)

POULTRY & WATERFOWL

Saturday 15th June – 10.00am

(Number of lots entered in brackets)

10.00am Ring 2 – Hatching Eggs (125), Equipment (75), Caged Birds (6) , Peafowl (15), Turkeys (3), Geese (10), Pheasants (10), Guinea Fowl (5), Pigeons (10) and True Bantams (100)

10.00am – Ring 3 – Large Ducks (63), Call Ducks (102), Miniature Ducks (23), Bantams (107), Large Fowl (139)

Show and sale of PEDIGREE HOLSTEIN CATTLE

Wednesday 19th June

On behalf of B&L Holstein Club Entries close Wednesday 5th June

CHAROLLAIS SUPREME SALE

Saturday 29th June

On behalf of Charollais Sheep Society Within Borderway Mart & Online Entries close Friday 31st May

ONLINE SALE

SALE OF MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & HEAVY PLANT items

Sale bidding starts 10.00am Wednesday 5th June until 10.00am Thursday 6th June

KIRKBY STEPHEN

01768 371385

SWALEDALE GIMMER HOGGS

31st May – 5.00pm

Evening sale of 105 Swaledale Gimmer Hoggs Being part of the dispersal on behalf of PE&KA Sowerby, Oakbank Farm, Barras.

ON FARM & ON LINE SALE

JALEX SELECT 24

Saturday 8th June – 1.00pm

At 88 Gloverstown Road, Randalstown BT41 3HY

Sale of 60 top quality heifers with calves at foot followed by 150 show stopping in calf heifers, 5 young breeding bulls

SKIPTON AUCTION MART

Tel: 01756 792375

www.ccmauctions.com

Auctioneers:

Jeremy Eaton - 07747 780481

Ted Ogden - 07855 958211

Kyle Hawksworth - 07538 539077 Rob

Saturday 1st June

AIREDALE ANGUS ON FARM SALE

Production Sale of 74 head of Cows with Calves or In Calf, Young Bulls, Embryo’s & Semen For D & J Isherwood

Sale 1.00pm

Online & Telephone bidders to be registered & verified by 5.00pm Friday

Dairy Cattle

Monday 3rd June

Weekly Show & Sale of Fresh Heifers & Cows to inc 35 served Crossbred Heifers from Crathorne Farms, Yarm

Monday 17th June

Show & Sale of DAIRY CATTLE For more details on either sale contact Sarah Liddle on 07710 795585 Monday 3rd

SALE OF REARING CALVES Sale 10.30am Entries & Enquiries to Kyle PRIME, CAST & FEEDING CATTLE Sale 11.30am (TB

Summer Collective Machinery Sale Saturday 8th June 2024 at 9.30am

Viewing and online bidding available on marteye.ie Pre sale on-site viewing on Fri. 7th June 10am to 4.30pm & until 11am on the day of sale.

Exhibition Hall Items – Selling at 9.30am

JD 7270R, 50K (64); JD 6155R, 50K (17); JD 6150R, 50K

JX90; Ford 7600, 6640 & 6600 20 LOADERS: JCB 535 -95 Ag pro (17); -56 (12); Manitou MLT 526 (53); Manitou MLA 628 (52); JCB 3CX Sitemaster (S); Doosan DX140 digger (14); Kubota K008 mini digger; JCB 806C mini digger Thwaites, Pel Job dumpers 23 QUADS: Can (20); JD 855D Gator (15); Yamaha Grizzly 700EPS (18); MF Arctic Cat (58) 29 VEHICLES: Ford Ranger Wildtrac (67); Mitsubishi L200 (18); MAN & Iveco 7.5T horseboxes 43 GRAIN TRAILERS: Stewart PS16 16T & 14T; Bailey 14T (14); Triffitt 12T & 10T 16 BALE TRAILERS:

20 STOCK TRAILERS: JPM 30ft (13); 24ft c/w sheep decks; 84 GP Herbst Tri axle low load; Clayton & Whale 28,000L; Triaxle despension 3.5T; 2 IW LM126 25 BALERS: Claas Variant 360; 2 NH 945 101 MOWERS & TOPPERS: JD 331 mo/co; Pottinger Nova 260T;S 222 Verger (18); Kuhn BP280 unused (20); McConnel Merlin 2m Extreme (20); Kuhn VKM305 40 BALE HANDLERS: 69 RAKES & TEDDERS:

7 BALE WRAPPERS: McHale 991

120 CULTIVATORS: NRH front press; HeVa subsoilers; Greg. Besson 5F 196 HEDGERS, BUCKETS: Spearhead Excel 550; 7’6 grab (11); X Form 8’ bucket (16) 420 STOCK Kuhn Primor blower (23); P Allen Rota Field dispenser; 865 205 GROUNDCARE: Ransome HR6010 Batwing; turn; Yardman Beetle DX70; Stiga Park Compact 16 700 SMALL PLANT, 52 generators & compressors; JCB hyd. breaker; Edward 620 BUILDING MATERIALS:

1000 Lots to include; The usual selection of new & used power & hand tools; workshop items; joiners tools; gardening tools; Lawnmowers, Strimmers, Chainsaws & Stone Saws; Cement Mixers; cast iron memorabilia; garden machinery, furniture & ornaments, bygones; bicycles & many other miscellaneous lots too numerous to mention. Please Note – Hall Entries now Closed.

Implements etc. – Located in the Mart Field - Selling at 10am Entries to date include; Heron 16ton Low Loader Trailer; Fraser 8ton & Marshall 6ton Grain Trailers; Kverneland 4 Furr. Plough & One Other; Mole Plough; KRM, Lely & Other Fert. Spreaders; Abbey 1080 Slurry Tanker; Einbock 3m Grass Harrows; Twose 10ft Rollers; Claas & Other Mowers; Krone 6 & $ Rotor Tedders; Kuhn GF7802 Tedder; Teagle Super Ted & PZ Haybobs; Vicon 434 Single Rotor Rake; New Holland Bale Command Round Baler; International 445 Conventional Baler; McHale Bale Wrapper; Bale Spikes; Multec Post Knocker; JCB Bucket; ATV & Car Trailers; Qty IBC’s; Qty Workbenches; Fencing Materials; Firewood, Qty Sandstone etc, etc.

Tractors, Vehicles, ATV’s etc – Selling at 12 Noon. Entries to date include; Massey-Ferguson 4355 4wd Tractor with Fore End Loader; John Deere 6506 4wd Tractor (1996); Daihatsu Chassis Cab (1987); Ford Fiesta; Vauxhall Corsa & Fiat 500 Cars; Vindercator Kit Car; Honda, Yamaha Grizzly 450 and Moto4 ATV’s; Two Ride on mowers etc, etc. Further Field Entries Expected & Invited.

Entries & Enquiries to Chris Armstrong 07808 721957

Please join our email list on our collective and machinery website page to get catalogues and updates about these and dispersal sales ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MUST REGISTER AT THE MAIN OFFICE AND OBTAIN A BUYERS NUMBER.

Genuine Complete Dispersal of Livestock & Scanning Equipment on behalf of Andy and Lynda Eadon of Napton.

Sale to be held at Woodfields Farm

Brick Yard Road, Napton, Southam, CV47 8NT

Friday 7th June 2024 starting at 12.30pm.

To include:

• FECPACK Fecal Worm Sampling Kit

• Landquip Portayard Portable Handling System 3.0m (250 Head)

• Sheep Handling Trailer with Dog Box

• Sheep Scanning Crate

• “Oviscan 6” Scanner and 2 Probes

• Isuzu DMAX Blade Pickup

• International B5250 Tractor

• John Deere 5125R Tractor

For more information please contact Martin Llovd on 07775 758 586, Scott Ruck on 07796 897516 or James Sealy on 07880 715354. East Midlands Property, Land & Livestock Specialists T 01664 562 971 | 01664 563 892 E sales@meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk agriculture@bentons.co.uk meltonmowbraymarket.co.uk bentons.co.uk

BRIDGNORTH, CARMARTHEN & NEWCASTLE EMLYN MARTS 2024

BRIDGNORTH, CARMARTHEN & NEWCASTLE EMLYN MARTS 2024

Livestock Markets

Livestock Markets

▪ Bridgnorth, Carmarthen & Newcastle Emlyn

▪ Bridgnorth, Carmarthen & Newcastle Emlyn

▪ Private & deadweight sales

▪ Private & deadweight sales

▪ Primestock & store markets

▪ Primestock & store markets

Bridgnorth:

Bridgnorth:

Weekly primestock sales and fortnightly store sales

Carmarthen:

Weekly primestock sales and fortnightly store sales

Carmarthen:

Weekly dairy, calves & weanlings sales; weekly barren cows, store cattle and all classes of sheep; monthly weaned calves, suckler cows and breeding bulls; monthly orange TB restricted cattle sale; monthly Holstein South Wales show & sale

Newcastle Emlyn:

Weekly dairy, calves & weanlings sales; weekly barren cows, store cattle and all classes of sheep; monthly weaned calves, suckler cows and breeding bulls; monthly orange TB restricted cattle sale; monthly Holstein South Wales show & sale

Weekly calves, weanlings, cull cows & sheep; fortnightly store cattle sales

Newcastle Emlyn:

Rural Professionals

Weekly calves, weanlings, cull cows & sheep; fortnightly store cattle sales

▪ Specialising in property sales, lettings & management; dispute resolution & planning; environment al schemes & grants; valuations

Rural Professionals

Auctioneers & Valuers

▪ Specialising in property sales, lettings & management; dispute resolution & planning; environment al schemes & grants; valuations

▪ Growing crops & fodder; rural land & property, farm dispersal; machinery sales; annual valuations

Auctioneers & Valuers

All dates for markets are on the Nock Deighton Agricultural website

▪ Growing crops & fodder; rural land & property, farm dispersal; machinery sales; annual valuations

Bridgnorth Market Contacts: Martin Clack 07977 0675198, Ollie Clack 07891 343673 or Mark Burgoyne 07831 192603

Welsh Mart Contacts: Llŷr Jones 07812 934964 or Paul Taylor 07815 509504. Bidding available on “Marteye” in Welsh marts nockdeightonagricultural.co.uk

All dates for markets are on the Nock Deighton Agricultural web

Dispersal Sale of the “Walmer Herd” of Pedigree Lincoln Red Cattle on behalf of HM & JM Needler, Ranby, Lincolnshire

To be sold at Louth Livestock Market, Louth, LN11 9HF on Friday 14th June at 12 noon with online bidding via Marteye.

80 + HEAD

Sale to include cows with calves at foot, Autumn calving cows, bulling heifers, yearling heifers and breeding bulls. The sale of the Walmer Herd, one of the most influential herds in the Lincoln Red Breed’s history, is not to be missed! Full details and catalogue available online. For more information please contact Auctioneer Edward Middleton - 07395 570303

www.benthamauction.co.uk

Tuesday 4th June

10.30am in the Bottom Ring 40-50 Feeding & Cull Cows & OTM Cattle Followed by 75 STORE CATTLE 12.30pm in the Top Ring 140 SUCKLER BREEDING CATTLE

9 BREEDING BULLS Viz 3 Lim, 2 Sim, 1 Char, 2 AA, 1 Here 3 MAIDEN HEIFERS Viz. 3 Ped Limousin 14-25m 10 IN CALF HEIFERS Viz 10 Cont x due Summer to AA 124 COWS/ HEIFERS WITH CALVES AT FOOT Viz. 124 Outfits inc. 69 Cont x, 43 Here x, 10 Stab x, 1 AA, 1 Char Wednesday 5th June

10.30am Fortnightly Sale of Dairy Cattle 11am 100-150 Rearing Calves 11.30am 200-300 SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT inc. JUNE FAIR OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT 2.30pm 1500 Cast Ewes followed by 750-1250 Spring Lambs & 3000-4000 Prime Hoggs

Friday 7th June

Annual Summer Field Sale of WORKING SHEEPDOGS & PUPS

Tuesday 18th June

Monthly Sale of Farmers Stirks & Young Stores

SCAN

Brockholes Arms

Auction Mart Claughton On Brock, Preston PR3 0PH

01995 640280 www.garstangmart.co.uk

Auctioneer: Ian Atkinson 07944 237516

Saturday 1st June 2024

10.00 am Summer Sale of Machinery & Implements

Please contact the office with entries

Tuesday 4th June 2024

9.00 a.m Spring Lambs, Prime Hoggs & Cast Sheep

10.30 a.m. Sale of 100 Store Cattle

11.30 a.m. 60/80 Rearing Calves, Weanlings & Stirks

Wednesday 5th June 2024

10.30 a.m. Weekly Sale of Cast Cows & OTM Cattle Followed by TB Exempt Cattle

Wednesday 5th June 2024 at 12noon

PEDIGREE AYRSHIRE DISPERSAL SALE

The Newsham Hall Ayrshire herd is a high yielding herd from a grass-based system with many classified VG & Ex. TB 4. The sale consists 100 In Milk Pedigree Ayrshire & Holstein Friesian Dairy Cows & Heifers & Summer Calving Heifers

The sale is held on Farm at Newsham Hall Farm, PR4 0AS. Close to Jct 32 M6

Monday 3rd June

Special Sale of Breeding Cattle in addition to our weekly store sale Over 80 Heifers and Cows with Calves at foot Sale Starts at 11am

Saturday June 8th

Usual sale of 300 store and breeding cattle.

Special entries include 100 conti X Steers and heifers 12-20 mo, suckler bred and worthy of attention, from Margaretting Hall. Also 50 calves and 800 sheep.

Please see website for further details.

1ST JUNE 2024 - TO COMMENCE AT 9.30AM WESTBROOK HEAD FARM, THORNCLIFFE, NR LEEK, STAFFORDSHIRE, ST13 8UP

Tractors & Machines - Massey Ferguson 7485, Kubota L225 2wd Q Reg, New Holland T5120 2019 Year, International 784 2wd, Massey Ferguson,International B414 Tractor, Fordson Major, John Deere 2040 2wd, Leyland 270, David Brown 950 Implematic Live, Marshall 702 2wd, 2.5T Mini Digger, Thwaites 3T Dumper, Case Mini Digger.

Vehicles & Bikes - Nissan XTrail 2004 Year, Land Rover Discovery V Reg, Abbey Spectrum 535 Caravan 4 Berth, Range Rover Vogue Autobiography, 2006 Year, Vauxhall Vivaro 2006 Year, Landrover Defender 90 TD5 2003 Year, Warrior Off Road Buggy, 2010 Ford Mondeo Zetec, Tcdi, Kawasaki 300 Quadbike.

Large Range of Livestock Equipment inc. New & Unused Equipment

Trailers - Ifor Williams 12ft x 6ft Plant Trailer - immaculate condition, 6 Bale Trailer Carrier, 16ft Batesons Flat Trailer c.w Side Boards & Ramps, 5 Ton Metal Tipping Trailer, Ifor Williams Cattle Trailer 1 owner from new, 12ft Ifor Williams, 14ft Flatbed Trailer, Alu 17ft x 8ft Flat Trailer, 8T Dragon Tipping Trailer, Draining Rod Trailer, Ifor Williams Plant Trailer, Ifor Williams 14ft Cattle Trailer, 8.5ft Twin Axle Trailer with Ramos, Ferguson Tipping Trailer, Graham Edwards Livestock Trailer, 18ft Single Axle Bale Trailer,

& Contractors Equipment, Usual

Range of

Livestock

of

Livestock &

Equipment, Fencing Equipment, Range of Unused Small Tools, Sundry Farming & Building Effects & Timber CATALOGUES AVAILABLE FROM OUR OFFICE OR ONLINE SALES PHONE 07375 105985 or auctions@grahamwatkins.co.uk

Friday 7th June 2024 At 11am

Complete Dispersal Sale On behalf of PBC Ltd, Hall Farm TS21 1EN

An outstanding dispersal sale of immaculate and modern agricultural and commercial machinery for sale by auction as Mr Baker retires his well respected and renowned contracting business. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire some impeccable second-hand machinery which is genuinely presented in almost new condition.

No buyer’s premium, Bidding numbers in operation, Viewing day Wednesday 5th June 2024 12pm-4pm

Please would prospective purchasers not known to the company ensure they have registered an interest to buy with the auctioneers no less than 24 hours before the sale; proof of funds may be required at the auctioneer’s discretion.

Vehicles

JCB Fastrac 4220 (21 Reg 2538hrs); JCB TM320s Telehandler (23 Reg 823hrs); JCB JS145 Excavator (17 Reg 5010hrs); John Deere 6250R Premium (21 Reg 2839hrs); John Deere 6215R Premium (21 Reg 2892hrs); Chafer 418s Self Propelled 24m Sprayer 2500ltr (09 Reg); John Deere 9780CTS Hillmaster Combine (03 Reg) c/w 25ft 625 header; MAN TGE 3.140 4wd Pick Up (69 Reg 36,500 miles); Kubota RTV900 (11 Reg 1417hrs)

Vehicle hours may increase before sale as still in use

Trailers

#1 Richard Western 2021 SRT20 Dump Trailer; #2 Richard Western 2020 SRT20 Dump Trailer; #3 Richard Western 2020 SRT20 Dump Trailer; Bailey 20T Dump Trailer; Bailey 20T Low Loader Trailer 25ft 2021 ; Bailey TB14 Grain Trailer 2011 (c/w Silage Sides); HM Tri-Axle 32ft Hydraulic Beaver Tail Flat Trailer 2019

Machinery

Lemken Solitar 9 Folding 4m Combination Drill; Case LB434XL Quadrant Baler–Twin Axle 90x120 Chamber (23,332 bales); McHale Fusion 3 Vario Round Baler/Wrapper (62,113 bales); Krone Quadro TL760 Rake; Krone Easycut R370CV Mower; Krone KW8.82 Tedder; Kuhn 3m Power Harrow; Rabe 5m Power Harrow; Kuhn 5f Rev Plough–Vari width & Auto Reset; Howard 3f Paraplough; Pichon 10,000ltr Twin Axle Slurry Tanker; Twose 12m Rollers; Agrimaster FN260 Flail Topper; Kvernland UN7655 Bale Wrapper; Farm Force 4m Folding Front Press; 3m Sumo Auto Reset; KRM M2 Chemical Spreader

Miscellaneous & Livestock

Heath Superchaser QM Bale Gatherer; Master 12T Gas Grain Dryer; 8T Grain Dryer Hopper; AH Tractor Mounted Compressor; 1.5T Sumo Weight Block; 70x Quattro Silage Mats; Portequip Beef Feeder; 15ft IAE Feed Barriers; 20ft IAE Feed Barriers; Hay Mangers; Qty of Stock Board; 4x Steel Pig Feeders (2T); 4x Pig Water Troughs; Qty Workshop tools

Contact for details

Scott Ferrie 07557 260653 (Auctioneer)

Oliver Chapman 07887 653442 (Auctioneer)

Stephen Dodsworth 07946 514154 (Sale Co-Ordinator)

Rebecca Wilson 07593 975163 (Sale Co-Ordinator)

Personal Services

ONLINE DATING

PAIN? If you are a Christian and haven’t had any success meeting people online, try ‘Friends1st’. The introduction specialists. One member, Alvin says: “The advice Friends1st has given me has been honest, respectful and courteous. My journey is progressing quickly. I would recommend them to any single Christian who doesn’t want to be single. It’s an established, personalised service and a lot better than the numerous self-service dating websites.” Call 0121 405 0941 today. www. friends1st.co.uk/booka-call

Guide

Misselchalke Gun Dogs

Farm Manager - North of England

T Mellor & Son is a fourth-generation family farming business, which has spawned two of the leading drinks companies in the North of England, Wold Top Brewery and Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery.

The family is seeking an energetic and forward-thinking manager, to work alongside them to run the farming business, which is critical to maintaining the provenance and integrity of the ‘grain-to-glass’ and ‘field-to-bottle’ philosophy.

The candidate will continue, amongst other things, the transition to regenerative principles by introducing grazing livestock (possibly as a JV) back onto the farm, therefore a holistic approach to this role is required. They will demonstrate the critical thinking needed to drive the farming side forward as new markets and opportunities appear. Attitude, strength of character and the ability to communicate both in and out of the business are essential.

All aspects of running a farming business are expected.

Please reply by 30th June to Tom Mellor at agricola163@gmail.com with a covering letter & CV.

LKL’s CURRENT VACANCIES

We currently have a wide range of positions available nationwide to include:-

• Herdsperson, Oxon/Wilts Border, 400 cows

• Herdsperson/Youngstock Manager, Shropshire, 350 cows

• Feeder Person/Milker, Warwickshire, 400 cows Relief Herdspersons Nationwide LKL provides the perfect solution for finding the very best herd carers and managers. Visit our website for a full list of our current vacancies.

Web: www.lklservices.co.uk Tel: 01722 323546

Stockperson

Area: Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway

Contract: Permanent

Experienced Stockperson

Due to retirement after 27 years, we are looking for an enthusiastic person to work with Goldies Charolais Cattle and Lleyn Sheep, along with associated tractor work using TMR Feeding in a modern set up.

Conscientious approach and attention to detail are more important than pedigree experience. Farm house on bus route and close to good schools.

Apply in confidence with experience and details of 2 references via the apply button.

For more information or to apply, head to JobsInAgriculture.com

Brand new website Visit jobs.farmersguardian.com for the latest job vacancies in agriculture

BCLR Senior Agriculture Advisor

The Wyre Rivers Trust is a registered charity with a remit to improve the ecological status of the River Wyre and its catchment. Founded by three angling clubs and supported by many community groups, the Trust started small with localised projects to improve habitat, especially spawning conditions, for all fish species and completed with contractors and volunteers. However, since 2013 the Trust has grown, became host of the Wyre Waters Catchment Partnership and is now delivering works at the catchment scale with a host of far-reaching benefits. Projects address a range of issues impacting upon biodiversity, water quality, and water quantity, and tackle these with solutions such as natural flood management, habitat creation and habitat connectivity.

Employer: Wyre Rivers Trust

Location: Lancashire

Closing date: 7 Jun 2024

Sector: Academic & Education, Management, Property, Land & Estates Management

Contract Type: Permanent Role: Lead, Manager

The successful candidate will be a graduate and an exceptional self-starter with the motivation, vision and passion to make the river Wyre a cleaner and healthier environment. They must be a good communicator with a passion for conservation and knowledge of catchment science, freshwater and estuarine environments.

Recruiter Spotlight Recruiter

Food Standards Agency

Latest jobs from Food Standards Agency

Working for us

Are you a driven individual with excellent communication skills?

Are you looking for a rewarding role that will have a real life impact on everyone in the UK?

If so, these exciting opportunities to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a Trainee Official Auxiliary (TOA) are for you and we’d love to hear from you!!

The FSA is a non-ministerial department of over 1300 people, with a big vision – to drive change in the food system so that it delivers “food we can trust”. As we have now exited the EU the FSA faces a significant period of change and activity.

Trainee Official Auxiliary

Are you a driven individual with excellent communication skills?

Are you looking for a rewarding role that will have a real life impact on everyone in the UK?

If so, these exciting opportunities to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a Trainee Official Auxiliary (TOA) are for you and we’d love to hear from you!!

Location: East of England

Closes: 14 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Food & Produce, Technical Contract Type: Permanent Role: Trainee

Trainee Official Auxiliary

Are you a driven individual with excellent communication skills? Are you looking for a rewarding role that will have a real life impact on everyone in the UK?

If so, these exciting opportunities to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a Trainee Official Auxiliary (TOA) are for you and we’d love to hear from you!!

Location: North West England

Closes: 14 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Food & Produce, Technical Contract Type: Permanent Role: Trainee

Qualified Official Auxiliary

Are you a driven individual with excellent communication skills?

Are you looking for a rewarding role that will have a real life impact on everyone in the UK?

If so, these exciting opportunities to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as a Trainee Official Auxiliary (TOA) are for you and we’d love to hear from you!!

Location: Wales

Closes: 14 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Food & Produce, Technical

Contract Type: Permanent

Role: Specialist

Recruiter Spotlight

Latest jobs from National Milk Records

About Us

It’s an amazing time for you to join the NMR team as we continue to enhance and progress our business. Since its formation in 1997 and subsequent flotation in 2006 as a plc, NMR has grown and developed into an integrated service provider, working for farmers and milk buyers, as well as being an independent source of data for advisors including vets, farm consultants and breed societies.

Working for us

Working at NMR is so much more than just a job! We offer a wide range of career opportunities, particularly to those who are attracted to the ever-changing and modernising farming industry. Our teams are dedicated in providing high levels of value and customer service. We do this by both retaining our existing experienced people and by attracting and developing the next generation people. As an employer, we are committed to providing opportunities to:

Area Service Manager

The role of Area Service Manager (Mid/North Devon) is primarily responsible for managing customer relationships and service provision within a defined area. The touchpoints with the customers will be key and you will be in regular contact with customers based on their customer segment.

Location: Devon

Closes: 7 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Dairy Contract Type: Permanent Benefits: Open and Purposeful

Laboratory Team Leader

The Laboratory Team Leader will provide guidance, instruction, direction and leadership to a team of laboratory technicians. They will have the purpose of managing the processes involved in registering and analysing samples and authorising results in accordance to customers agreed service levels. Carrying out your duties you will be required to work a Sunday to Thursday shift pattern (inclusive of bank holidays).

Location: Hillington Park, Glasgow

Closes: 28 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Dairy

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: £29,501.93

Area Service Manager (Cumbria)

The role of Area Service Manager is primarily responsible for managing customer relationships and service provision within a defined area. The touchpoints with the customers will be key and you will be in regular contact with customers based on their customer segment.

Location: Cumbria

Closes: 28 Jun 2024

Job Sector: Dairy

Contract Type: Permanent Benefits: Open and Purposeful

For more information on any of these vacancies or

ED&F Man Agronomy

A natural approach to crop nutrition

Helps increase the effectiveness of conventional fertiliser regimes

Scorch mitigation

Stimulate both soil and crop performance with high carbohydrate content

Protect soil organic matter and maximise its potential

A range of products to suit requirements available in IBC’s from 1T to bulk deliveries

“WITH ENERGY COSTS INCREASING CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO HAVE A HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM?”

• GRANT FUNDED

• ESTIMATED PAYBACK OFTEN WITHIN 12 MONTHS

• 60% – 70% REDUCTION TO WATER HEATER RUNNING TIMES

• IMPROVEMENT TO THE COOLING UNITS PERFORMANCE

• HOT WATER AVAILABLE ALL DAY

• DOMESTIC OR OFFICE HEATING

• ALMOST ZERO MAINTENANCE

• HUGE REDUCTION IN YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

POWERED BY YOUR MOO POWER

For further details please call S.W Refrigeration specialising in “On Farm cooling Equipment” 01392 210344 or Paul on 07974 140949

STEPHEN TAYLOR

FOR HEALTHY CALVES

* Freeze only Quality Colostrum *

* Thaw 4litre pack within 20mins *

* Feed immediately after birth *

For more details contact BRITMILK tel : 01387 750459 info@britmilk.co.uk www.britmilk.co.uk

Portable Milking Machine

Complete with Honda engine and Electric motor. This unit is ready for work and can be delivered anywhere in the UK.

Livestock Supplies LTD Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

Our team has over 100 years experience working with British Wool, ensuring that your wool is expertly graded to industry standards and guaranteeing a true market value.

Agents & Depots

We pay the market price 100% Upfront and provide wool sheets, labels and string

• Daily collections of all classes of cattle direct to our own local UK abattoir - No middle man involved.

• On-farm emergency slaughter catered for, supported with a valid veterinary certificate.

• Same day response guaranteed by fully licensed slaughter men.

• All weekends and bank holidays covered.

• Out of hours, round the clock service, promised at no extra cost to all our customers.

• Private cutting service available with our in-house skilled butchers.

• Highly competitive cutting prices.

• Payment 30 days from collection with detailed BACS remittance, including weight, grade and PPK.

• Out of hours emergency number - Mobile: 07860 636605

Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area

Richard Toon Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie

North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area

Agents & Depots

Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area

Staffordshire, Derbyshire and surrounding area

Richard Toon

Richard Toon Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie

Pete Rowbotham South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock DE4 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie

Lower Ground Farm, Leek Road, Upper Mayfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 2HR 01335 342 729 richard@dbwools.ie

Cumbria & surrounding area

Pete Rowbotham South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock DE4 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie

Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie

Cumbria & surrounding area

Pete Rowbotham South Oaks Farm, Beeley, Matlock DE4 2NR 07989 517456 petesheep@dbwools.ie

Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie

Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie

We pay the market price 100% Upfront and provide wool sheets, labels and string

North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area

North Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and surrounding area

Lancashire and surrounding area

Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie

Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie

Lancashire and surrounding area

Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie

Richard Hopkinson Hilberry Farm Pisley, Chesterfield S45 8AJ 01246 850311 / 07813 896722 richardhopkinson@ dbwools.ie

David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie

David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie

Lancashire and surrounding area

For all other areas and General enquires:

Cumbria & surrounding area

Corinna Cowin Appleby 07789 736428 corinna@dbwools.ie

Mick Handley Clitheroe, Lancashire 07866 410 297 mick@dbwools.ie

North Yorkshire and surrounding area

Becky Burniston South View Farm

We pay the market price 100% Upfront

Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie

Yorkshire and surrounding area

Becky Burniston South View Farm Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie

Mid-Wales

North Yorkshire and surrounding area

Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie

Becky Burniston

Mid-Wales

South View Farm

North East Wales

Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie

Geraint Jones 07887 772804

North East Wales

Geraint@dbwools.ie

Geraint Jones 07887 772804 Geraint@dbwools.ie

Burnsall North Yorkshire BD23 6BX 07921 267904 becky@dbwools.ie

Mid-Wales

Southern and Central Scotland

Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie

Part of the Standard Wool group of companies

David Preston Lancaster, Lancashire 07527 785 845 david@dbwools.ie

Southern and Central Scotland

Gareth Thomas 07974 376995 gareth@dbwools.ie

Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie

North East Wales

For all other areas and General enquires: Mark Powell 07701 333060

Hugh Hamilton 07931 353961 hugh@dbwools.ie Agents & Depots

Geraint Jones 07887 772804 Geraint@dbwools.ie

Southern and Central Scotland

Daily collections of all types of fallen stock throughout the North of England.

Tel: 01524 261144 or 01524 263022 or 01274 833196

SHEEP SHEARING

North West Lancashire/ Yorkshire covered. Tel John: 07471 209454

Dogs & Pets

CONCRETE GROOVING Neil O’Donnell -Tel: 01900 817009 or 07759 194600 Nationwide (T)

COLLIE BITCH 6

months old. Started on sheep. Good Natured. From working parents. Un-reg £500ono Tel: 07711 082656 North Wales (P)

NOVA RED White Star & Purebreds now available. -Tel: 07768 790962 W.Yorks (P)

Livestock Equipment

Ayrshiresarea firmfavouritefor familybusiness

As well as managing his own herd, Chris Hudson is involved in a number of conservation and promotion projects for rare breed pigs. Angela Calvert pays him a visit.

Safeguarding the future of the Berkshire pig breed

Chris Hudson has been involved with pigs for most of his life, starting by helping on a farm when still at school, which led to a herd of 150 commercial sows of his own in the 1980s and 1990s, before establishing his own building business.

But his love of pigs never wavered and, in 2008, he decided to get involved with them again.

He says: “I visited a few shows to take a look at the different breeds to see which would suit me. I like all breeds, but the Berkshire really jumped out. I also thought it would be a good product for hog roasts, which is something I wanted to do.”

This was the start of his involvement with the Berkshire breed.

He is passionate about conservation and promotion of rare breed pigs, but particularly the Berkshire. He also now has a few Landrace pigs.

He says: “I decided if we were going

to continue to show it would be good to have a modern breed to show alongside the Berkshire, choosing the Landrace as it is another breed which has low pedigree numbers and needs support.”

He keeps 12 Berkshire and two Landrace sows, with a couple of breeding boars for both breeds at Stubton, Newark. Having an isolation unit away from the main herd ensures the show team can safely be moved on and off the holding.

Paddocks

The breeding pigs are mainly kept in outdoor paddocks, with finishing pigs in a shed on another holding.

Gilts are not served until they are a minimum of 12-15 months old, as Mr Hudson believes by giving them more time to develop and mature gives an all-round better performance from sows. They usually have two litters a year, averaging 10 piglets per litter.

Any pigs not kept for breeding or

finished for the hog roast are sold through Melton Mowbray market.

Mr Hudson occasionally sells pigs to other breeders and has exported pigs to Japan and Europe in the past, but he says that since Brexit, export trade for rare breeds has been difficult.

He has enjoyed tremendous success in the showring over the past 10 years, winning breed and inter-breed championships at many major shows, including Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Great Yorkshire, Stafford, Royal Norfolk and Newbury, with both Berkshire and Landrace pigs.

His granddaughter, Skyla Hudson, is following in her granddad’s footsteps, with a starter herd of Berkshire pigs with her own Bleusky herd prefix.

Miss Hudson is also the custodian of a Large White sow, which belongs to the Junior Pig Club, as part of its conservation strategy.

When the sow has had a litter, the offspring will be distributed to other

breeders around the country, including The Pigs in Schools’ Junior Pig Club initiative, to hopefully increase the number of pedigree Large Whites.

The Large White will eventually transfer into Miss Hudson’s ownership, which means she will be able to add Bleusky Large Whites to her herd.

Success

Miss Hudson has already successfully shown the Large White at Nottingham County Show this year, winning breed champion, and both the Large White and her Bleusky Berkshires are already booked in to both Stafford and Lincolnshire shows.

Mr Hudson says: “She wanted her own pigs of a different breed, as she did not want people saying she was using granddad’s pigs at shows, so the opportunity to take the Junior Pig Club Large White came at the ideal time.

“We have to keep encouraging the next generation and promoting rare breed pigs.”

Mr Hudson also runs the Little John’s Hog Roast business with his partner Julie Johnson.

They do about 100 hog roasts a year, catering for weddings, corporate functions and family occasions, all within an hour’s drive of home. They can do three events a day, but try to keep to one or two at most.

Pigs for the hog roast vary from 55-85kg and up to six months of age, depending on the amount of people to be fed. An appropriately sized pig is selected and taken to the local abattoir. The couple provide all the accompaniments and side dishes and can also provide home-produced sausages and burgers.

Mr Hudson says: “The Berkshire is ideal for hog roasts as it has just the right amount of fat which keeps the meat moist and makes really good crackling, creating quite a spectacle.

“The Berkshire does not feed as many people as a commercial pig of the same weight, but the quality of the meat and crackling is so much better.”

Mr Hudson is currently chair of the Berkshire Pig Breeders Club and on

Breeding sows are mainly kept in small paddocks.

Chris Hudson keeps 12 Berkshire and two Landrace sows.

BREED SOCIETIES

the British Pig Association (BPA) conservation and show committees.

The Berkshire is on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist with just 288 sows (nine female lines and seven boar lines).

Mr Hudson is involved in a number of conservation and promotional projects.

He says: “The Lassetter boar line is particularly low in numbers, but there

is a project underway to use semen from the gene tank on three good unrelated sows to get some fresh blood.

“In terms of protecting rare breeds, it is essential to ensure the bloodlines are spread around the country, so bloodlines do not get lost in case of a disease outbreak.

“We also need to make sure that breed standards are maintained.

“Over the past few years, the Berk-

shire pig has started to become smaller. This is something BPA conservation committee and Berkshire Pig Breeders Club is striving to address, as the Berkshire pigs needs to be able to compete in the market place to ensure its survival and increase in numbers.”

The Berkshire pig should have some size, with a medium-sized dished nose with, ideally, breed standard markings.

slaughtered for the English Winter Fair carcase competition at Stafford.

Mr Hudson says: “Not only does this enable us to see which bloodlines grew fastest, with a good ratio of back fat, but it was a great way of educating the students about the farm to fork process.

Mr Hudson adds: “For several years now there has been a bit of an obsession with some breeders in the showring that perfect markings are preferred to size, conformation and underlines. This is beginning to have detrimental effect on the overall size of some Berkshire pigs.

“They got very involved with the whole process, including rearing, prepping, showing and working the hog roast. They really enjoyed going to the English Winter Fair. The students also analysed the results and presented the data to the club at the AGM.

“The feedback from both students and staff was amazing, with the students gaining a range of skills, knowledge and understanding of the small-scale pig industry.

“Traditionally, breeders sell weaners to people who want to have their own pork. But if we want to expand the breed, we must get butchers and other outlets interested in Berkshire pork.

“To achieve this, breeders who have the same bloodlines could join together to produce volume and consistency required by restaurants and butchers, which may not be an easy process.

“It is like everything else; if you stand still you get left behind, so it is important we move the breed forward to ensure it is a marketable pork product.

“We also put two pigs on the hog roast and raised funds for the Berkshire Pig Breeders Club, which can be used for conservation projects and developing the boar trial.

Feed donation

“We could not conduct the boar trial without the sponsorship of Massey Feeds, which donates the feed for the trial each year.”

Mr Hudson is passionate about getting children involved in agriculture and is a Junior Pig Club committee member.

“If we can get the Berkshire to grow a little faster with a little less fat while retaining the breed standard, this will be a step in the right direction. Some breeders are now achieving 14-15mm at slaughter with certain bloodlines, which is a good ratio for traditional pigs. It is very important not to lose the phenotype of the Berkshire pig on our journey.”

The Junior Pig Club had an exhibition at Lincolnshire Live, where a selection of pigs from different breeds, including Berkshire, were taken to the event so children and families could interact with the pigs in a small showring, with the help of Junior Pig Club members, which was a great success.

Mr Hudson says: “It was amazing how interested the children and families were; more than 150 children had hands-on experience with the pigs, in small groups, in one day.

One ongoing project by the Berkshire Pig Breeders Club is a yearly boar trial. Weaner boars from different bloodlines and put forward by different breeders were placed in a college or school farm (all weaners went to the same place), where they were fed the same feed, weighed weekly and back fat tested.

One from each bloodline was then

“It is the same at shows, probably because they can get close up to pigs which they perhaps cannot do with some other animals.”

It is important to maintain breed standards, says Chris Hudson.

Two Berkshire boars are kept at Stubton, Newark.

Marketing and promotion essential to help rare breeds

Currently, every native pig breed in the UK is considered rare, seven of which are classified as Priority on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s (RBST) Watchlist, including the Berkshire pig.

Tom Blunt, senior conservation adviser at RBST, says: “When the larger industry is impacted, the effects are felt quite hard on the rare and native breeds, and the smaller populations are the ones which feel the effects on a greater scale.”

Looking to protect the UK’s native pig breeds, Mr Blunt says RBST is working to promote specific breeds and their benefits, as well as the importance of registering pigs as pedigree.

Mr Blunt says RBST’s Watchlist is based on the number of pedigree pigs and those registered with their breed society. Registering animals is therefore key to protecting the breed and its genetic diversity.

He says: “This is always a challenge for some of the breeds, as people think there are a lot of them around, but they are not necessarily registered.

“We work with the British Pig

Association, which is the breed society for the majority of native pig breeds, as well as the British Lop Society, to collect semen from breeds to safeguard their genetics for the future and make them accessible for breeders to use.”

Mr Blunt adds RBST is not only focused on increasing numbers within breeds, but also looking at the breed’s genetic diversity and ensuring inbreeding is being managed. The trust is also working on the perception of pigs and promoting their benefits.

He says: “It is often about trying to change people’s mindsets from thinking that pigs can be destructive, to showing the benefits they can have to systems, such as conservation grazing.”

Financial support

He adds that RBST is currently working with the Government to try and improve the support offering for native breed pigs as grazing animals in environmental schemes, to ensure pigs are recognised and supported financially.

Better marketing of rare breed

produce is something the trust is also working on among breeders, to try and improve the recognition and therefore demand of rare breed meat.

Product labels

Mr Blunt says: “Naming the breed on product labels and in product marketing will help to create a demand for that breed. If everyone starts asking their butchers for Berkshire bacon, it will increase demand, meaning more people are going to start breeding Berkshires.”

He adds: “All breeds must have a commercial element to them, and it is about identifying what their commercial market is and what their uses are and promoting that.”

Naming the breed on product labels and in product marketing will help to create a demand for that breed

TOM BLUNT

Seven of the UK’s native pig breeds are on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s Watchlist.

Aberdeen-Angus genetics drive

Since joining his family’s partnership, third-generation farmer Chris Davies has significantly expanded the beef operation, with cattle numbers tripling in eight years. Farmers Guardian reports.

Chris Davies, alongside his parents Edward and Carole, manages Manor Farm, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, which now supports a herd of 120 dairy-bred suckler cows and 400 Aberdeen-Angus cross dairy cattle finished on contract.

The farm has seen substantial changes over the past 10-15 years, largely driven by Chris’ involvement and his commitment to developing the cattle enterprise.

There were no suckler cows onfarm 15 years ago.

The system at the time was to bucket rear and finish dairy-cross beef calves, with the farm carrying about 200 cattle plus a flock of 300 Suffolk pedigree and commercial ewes.

Suckler cows were first introduced in 2010 and, by 2016, they were up to about 90-head. Some of the bucketreared calves were retained for breeding, many of which were British Blue cross, a legacy which remains within the herd today.

When they first started with the suckler cow enterprise, all cows were put to Limousin bulls, but a particularly challenging night calving in 2016 prompted a change of tack.

Chris says: “We had a really difficult

time calving a heifer at night and we knew we needed to do something different.

“After finishing Walford College, I spent time working in Australia and saw some huge Aberdeen-Angus herds. They operated forage-based, easy management systems, and I liked the style of cattle.”

With their cattle buyer, ABP, also offering a good premium for Aberdeen-Angus-sired cattle, the decision was taken to source an AberdeenAngus bull.

Seafield Eric

The Davies family bought their first bull, Seafield Eric, in 2016, initially for use on heifers, and after the first crop of calves, Chris and Edward immediately noticed the AberdeenAngus effect.

Edward says: “We saw a significant improvement in calving ease. This meant we had more live calves on the ground, but also because most calved unassisted, the heifers went back to the bull quickly, so we were not losing cows from the herd because of poor fertility.”

The impact of fewer calving interventions and better fertility as a result was considerable, with Edward

The TMR is currently costing £1.58/head/ day. We try and source alternative ingredients to keep costs as low as possible

CHRIS DAVIES

estimating a 20 per cent improvement in the number of live calves born and reared.

Calving ease was not the only advantage they gained, with Chris noting improved calf vigour and easier management.

He says: “The Aberdeen-Angus calves have a lot more get up and go and compared to the Limousin-sired calves; the difference in temperament is huge.

“The calves are also much quieter to handle. In fact, they calm the Lim-

ousin calves down and it is a bonus that you do not need to worry about dehorning.”

Pleased with the impact of native genetics, particularly in terms of their labour-saving attributes and their ability to efficiently convert forage, the Davies family has since introduced further Aberdeen-Angus bulls into the herd to serve both heifers and cows.

Chris says: “Since introducing our first Aberdeen-Angus sire we have bought three more Aberdeen-Angus bulls, both from Stirling and privately from the Duncanziemere herd.”

With suckler cow production margins tight, Chris says: “Our priority is a simple, efficient system which is easy to manage. Aberdeen-Angus genetics align with this and have given us the confidence to expand cow numbers.

“The importance of calving ease cannot be underestimated.

“The priority has to be getting a live calf on the ground which will get up, suck and then grow well. Then the cow must get back in-calf within the three-month window.

“Generally speaking, we have a one-ration-for-all policy to keep things simple and have been working with an independent nutritionist to keep costs low.”

When housed, all finishing cattle receive a grass based total mixed ration (TMR) comprising 50 per cent good quality silage, alongside fodder beet, potatoes, straw, wheat, rapemeal and urea, plus bicarb and minerals,

The herd consists of 120 commercial suckler cows.

Shropshire beef farm expansion

targeting growth rates of 1.4-1.6kg per day for steers and heifers and 2kg per day for home-bred bulls.

During winter, cows are fed hay and supplemented with minerals.

Chris says: “The TMR is currently costing £1.58/head/day. We try and source alternative ingredients to keep costs as low as possible.”

Edward adds: “Since working with our nutritionist, we have seen feed cost savings of about £2,500£3,000/month.”

Weather-dependent

In late April or early May, depending on the weather, all cattle will be turned out to grass. To maintain growth rates, younger cattle will receive a small amount of cake, 1.5kg/head/day, via a snacker.

Suckler cows are paddock grazed to make optimum use of pasture, with cows being moved every five days.

Chris says: “Fields are naturally

quite small and even sized. Each paddock is about five to six acres and we have five paddocks in total.”

They plan to reseed more of the farm with herbal leys under the GS4 legume and herb-rich swards Countryside Stewardship option to produce higher volumes of good quality forage.

Confident they have a sustainable system in place which is manageable with existing labour and leaving a decent margin, Chris has ambitions to push cattle numbers higher.

He says: “The ambition is to increase cattle numbers to about 900.”

When it comes to the suckler cows, Chris adds they are looking to introduce more native genetics into the herd.

He says: “We want slightly smaller framed cows within the herd, certainly no bigger than 650700kg, which will milk and hold condition well from forage. Native genetics fit the bill for this.”

Calves are much quieter to handle than previously, says Chris

Farm facts

■ 162 hectares (400 acres) of grassland, 105ha (260 acres) owned and a further 57ha (140 acres) tenanted

■ Herd of 120 commercial suckler cows, with all suckler-bred calves taken through to finishing and sold deadweight

■ Aberdeen-Angus bulls were introduced to the suckler herd to improve calving ease, calf management and fleshing ability of suckler-bred calves

■ Suckler-bred bulls are kept entire and finished at 14-15 months old and heifers at 16-18 months old, targeting carcase weights of 400kg and 330-350kg, respectively

■ Recently started contract finishing for Blade, with a current annual throughput of 400 cattle per year

■ The priority is to produce highquality forage to keep ration costs to a minimum, with the farm undergoing an extensive reseeding programme with herbal leys

Chris Davies manages Manor Farm, Shropshire.

Davies.

Helen Parr and Daniel Fabb did not own any cattle or have land to keep them on just 13 years ago. But now, thousands of their pedigree polled Hereford progeny are siring cattle in dairy and suckler cow herds across the world. Sara Gregson reports.

First generation farmers enjoy huge success with Herefords

Dan Fabb was not from a farming family, but Helen Parr’s father was a contract herdsman. Both left school as soon as they could, Miss Parr to milk cows and Mr Fabb to become an apprentice agricultural engineer, while saving up enough money to pay the deposit on a John Deere 7710 tractor.

In 1998, Mr Fabb was offered the contract to buy and supply straw for Ely power station and now also supplies Brigg power station. At harvest, he runs seven large square balers and stores the straw on customers’ farms and at his yard on the edge of the Fens, near Warboys, Cambridgeshire, which he bought

in 2004. In 2013 he acquired some land opposite and built a barn and a house, buying a further 49 hectares (121 acres) surrounding it in 2017.

Land

This slightly undulating land, on the site of an ancient volcano, had been used to grow cereals for many years. But Mr Fabb divided the large fields up into smaller paddocks, planted 5,000 kilometres of two-metre-wide hedges, dug three ponds and drilled growth stage 4 legume and herb-rich leys.

Miss Parr says: “Dan had never touched a cow before the first calves arrived in 2011. We boughtin two lorry loads from local markets of all different breeds –

We make a lot of effort to match the right bull to the right cow to ensure the biggest improvement for our customers

HELEN PARR

ing year Miss Parr and Mr Fabb heard about 20 pedigree Hereford heifers for sale on a farm near Milton Keynes. Having little idea then about breeding or genetics, they bought them and went online to find out what bulls to breed them with.

“This was when we first came into contact with Moeskaer Polled Herefords based in Moeskaer in Denmark,” says Miss Parr.

from Longhorns and Limousins to Aberdeen-Angus and Herefords. We trialled and tested them all and the Herefords performed the best and were the quietest. That was how our beef business started.”

The calves were sold as yearlings in Melton Mowbray market. The follow-

Helen Parr and Dan Fabb.

“They invited us to see their cows. With flights at just £9.99 return off we went and came back having bought seven heifers.”

The size of the herd reached 70 cows at its peak, but has recently been cut back to 40 breeding cows to reduce the workload.

Moeskaer Herefords first imported live Hereford cattle from Canada in 1985 and has produced many prize-winning animals, including Moeskaer Compass, which was crowned champion Hereford bull of Europe in 2016 and 2017 and champion Hereford bull of the world in 2018.

In the years between 2013 and 2020, Miss Parr and Mr Fabb imported more than 20 females and three bulls from Denmark, including Moeskaer Pacman, the grand champion of Europe in 2014.

Miss Parr did a lot of showing at the main Hereford shows in the UK, building up a good reputa-

Farm facts

■ Dan Fabb runs D.R.A. Fabb contractors

■ 16 staff in peak season

■ Edge of the Fens – 49 hectares (121 acres)

■ Buys and supplies straw for local power stations

■ Helen Parr started beef business in 2011

■ Imported Danish heifers in 2013

■ Quickly built business selling to commercial farmers and pedigree breeders

■ Elite High Health

■ AI, IVF and ET carried out

■ Focus on improving commercial traits

■ Selling eight beasts a year through local box scheme

■ Working with local schoolchildren teaching about farm to fork

with smaller calves that do not require any assistance to arrive. Also, a lot of farmers with continental breed cattle like the tamer temperament of our Herefords. We sell bulls across the UK from Aberdeen down to Devon.”

tion and expanding her customer database.

Easy calving

“There is a big demand for easy calving, short gestation sires,” Miss Parr says.

“Our cows give birth seven days earlier than most other breeds,

Miss Parr’s number one breeding objective is easy calving and she is always looking for smaller, easy fleshing females.

“Dan has a ‘dating’ folder with all the cows’ estimated breeding values [EBVs] and all the bull options,” says Miss Parr.

“We make a lot of effort to match

WHY SHOULD I BUY A CHARMOISE SHEEP?

THE BRAMAIN FLOCK IS THE LARGEST FLOCK, 300+ EWES IS SIGNET RECORDED AND IS CONSISTENTLY USING

C limate change is adapted and mitigated by lowering co2, less methane.

H ighest meat to bone ratio than any other sheep killing out % 52% due to small head and feet.

A ll year lambing naturally.

R educed or no nitrogen bill with use of clover, can suitably reared on grass/hay/silage.

M inimal disease will optimise feed conversion.

O verall grading and confirmation to improve existing flock to give grades E&U’s

I ncreased income due to low or nil concentrate bills.

S mall head gives easy lambing on all crosses with a lambing libido unheard of.

E asycare @ lambing with quality meat carcass wt of 21kgs Why have a big sheep when a small one produces the same. These points in the coming years will help to reduce methane and co2 levels.

For more information please contact: David Eglin, Bramcote Mains, Bulkington 01455 220441 email: bramain@btconnect.com

Calves are quickly up and suckling and stay with their dams for as long as possible.

the right bull to the right cow to ensure the biggest improvement for our customers.

“We weigh the calves at 200, 400

OPEN DAY

and 600 days of age and record the mature weight of the cows. We also scan for eye muscle and fat depth. I am also keen to select animals with

less white hair around their eyes. This can reflect the sun into their eyes and cause problems, so we are trying to breed this out.

Wednesday 17th July 2024

“Our bull customers are commercial dairy and beef farmers who buy on EBVs and not photographs. In fact, many do not see what they are buying until they arrive on the farm. We have sold 22 breeding bulls this year, with prices ranging from £2,400 to £4,500, depending on the pedigree.

Beef boxes

“Anything that has not been reserved is slaughtered and sold in 10kg beef boxes around the villages here. I usually do eight animals a year and have a lot of repeat custom for our grass-fed Hereford beef.”

It seems to us that in the future most beef will be coming out of the dairy herd, as there is so little profit to be made in suckler herds

HELEN PARR

The

Fabb herd is Elite High Health and accredited free from

The size of the herd reached 70 cows at its peak, but has recently been cut back to 40 breeding cows to reduce the workload. Miss Parr has also stopped showing and has closed the herd, using their own stock bulls and artificial insemination (AI), with the primary focus now on selling bulls.

BVD, has never had leptospirosis and is level 1 for Johne’s disease. None of the stock is vaccinated against BVD or leptospirosis, as collecting semen from vaccinated bulls is not allowed.

They are at risk level 2 for neospora and are bovine TB-free. For the past 12 years, the herd has grazed the Holme Fen Nature Reserve, which is more than an hour’s round trip each day in the truck. But they have recently stopped grazing there as the bTB risk is getting too high. All the new fencing on the farm is badger-proofed.

Miss Parr has a good relationship with dedicated cattle vet Will Stevenson, of Three Rivers and Chapelfield Farm Practice, based at Beccles, Suffolk. He does all the call outs and routine checks and is always available to talk over the phone if needed.

Half the cows calve in spring in March and April and half in autumn in September and October. The spring calvers give birth outdoors, watched by nine cameras across the farm and the fields so

Fabb 1 Northern Star

Half the cows calve in spring in March and April and half in autumn in September and October.

Miss Parr can keep an eye out for any trouble, but she has rarely had to assist a cow to give birth.

The calves are quickly up and suckling and stay with their dams for as long as possible and are never given any creep feed when at grass. The cows are AI’d at the end of May. Any not in-calf are swept up by the stock bull Fabb 1 Vin Diesel, a son of Moeskaer Compass. They remain outdoors over winter and the youngsters, with heifers and bulls now separated, come inside in management groups of seven, depending on their age and size.

Autumn calvers

The autumn calvers graze all summer and calve towards the end of harvest when the main contracting workload dies down. They are housed in winter and fed just on grass and lucerne silage.

To speed up the genetic progression, Miss Parr synchronises her best cows and carries out in vitro fertilisation of eggs. The resulting embryos

are transferred into heifers that she can see might not make the high grade she requires to breed themselves. They have 5,000- to 6,000-semen straws of several high-ranking Hereford bulls in storage.

“We are now at the point that we know the type of animal we are

■ Bought by the National Cattle Breeding Centre in Ireland in 2017

■ More than 20,000 progeny in Ireland’s database

■ The most used Hereford sire in Ireland in 2022

■ Success due to calving ease, very short gestation, good carcase conformation, style and breed character

■ Its son: Coley 1 Vincent –overall Hereford champion at 2023 Royal Highland Show

■ Its daughter: Shancorpoll

1 Uakea – Irish supreme national Hereford champion 2022

■ One son holds the Irish record paid for a Hereford bull; Drumgoonpoll 1 Sydney sold for £9,947

breeding for and it is down to fine-tuning,” says Miss Parr.

“It seems to us that in the future most beef will be coming out of the dairy herd, as there is so little profit to be made in suckler herds. Our bulls can provide ideal sires for dairies to make the most of this.”

BLACKFACE SHEEP BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION

Land has been acquired over the 13 years and now totals 49 hectares (121 acres).

When Robert Cockburn established his Texel sheep flock he could not have imagined just how life-changing it would prove to be. Lynsey Clark reports.

Knap Texels going from strength to strength

Robert Cockburn always felt the Texel breed should have a national show, so he was delighted to secure the overall championship at the inaugural event in 2021.

Now, three years later, he will be back to take on a different role in

the ring, judging the female section at this year’s Textravaganza.

This denies him the chance to retain the top title, but he is not disheartened about that.

“When the invitation to judge came in, it was a no-brainer for me.

It is a huge honour to be asked and I am really looking forward to it,”

says Mr Cockburn, whose own Texel journey is an aspirational tale. It began when he was working as

a shepherd at Connachan, Crieff, before he went onto establish his own Knap flock in 2012, taking the

Some of the farm’s Texel gimmers.

name from Knapdale in Argyll, where he was born and brought up. Early purchases of a Springwell

gimmer, shared with Ettrick for 4,800gns, and an Ettrick ewe at 2,500gns, set a strong foundation for the flock.

Mr Cockburn describes them as big, stretchy, scaley ewes, with size and power – ideal for breeding males and females.

He bought the ram lamb Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold in 2012 and then a share of the two-shear Tullagh Saracen at Kelso in 2013.

The following year at the Scottish national sale at Lanark, a son of Tullagh Saracen, Knap Vital Spark, made 7,500gns, while the Tuborg Gold-sired Knap Vicious Sid topped the sale at 145,000gns, selling to the Sportsmans, Cowal and Auldhouseburn flocks.

Surprise

“That was a big surprise,” says Mr Cockburn. “I always thought he was quite special, but I did not expect anything like that.”

It was a life-changing sale for Mr Cockburn and his partner Dianne Wood, as it proved the catalyst for them to start out on their own.

In March 2015 they moved to Hill of Errol, Perthshire, and began a contract farming partnership with Errol Park Estate.

Now, along with their children –Jasmine and Nathan – they farm a total of 162 hectares (400 acres), some of that seasonal, and run the 50-ewe Texel flock, 200 Blackface ewes and 400 cross-bred ewes, with the 350 ewe hoggs also wintered at home.

The cross ewes are a mix of Texel and Suffolk, with lambs all finished on-farm and sold through United Auctions, with 80 per cent finished off-grass. Home-bred Texel ram lambs are used on the cross flock, before being sold as shearlings.

Within the Texel flock, a selection of the best females are flushed

When the invitation to judge came in, it was a no-brainer for me. It is a huge honour to be asked

ROBERT COCKBURN

each year to maximise the top breeding families, focusing on longevity and functionality.

The first batch of embryo lambs are born mid-February, lambing along with stock ewes that have held to artificial insemination.

The second lot of embryos lamb mid-March, along with donor ewes which have been tupped, and they

are followed by the cross ewes in early April and the Blackfaces from April 20.

Mr Cockburn says: “A night lamber helps take the pressure off during Texel lambing and Dianne’s dad Michael is also a great hand to us. We also have Adam Marshall, who helps out part-time all-yearround – we could not do without him when I am away at sales.”

Between the Texels and the

Tamnamoney Tuborg Gold-sired Knap Vicious Sid sold for 145,000gns in 2014.

Robert Cockburn with Knap Daisy Duke which was champion at the 2021 Textravaganza.

BREED SOCIETIES

Blackfaces, the tup sale season extends from August to November, with Texel female sales following in December, primarily the Christmas Stars sale at Carlisle.

Between 40 and 60 Texel ram lambs will be sold through various markets (Lanark, Worcester, Welshpool and Carlisle), while about 30 shearlings head to sales at Kelso and Stirling. Mr Cockburn plans to increase the number of Texel shearlings to 50.

He says: “There is a big demand for Texel shearlings. As long as they are good bodied, correct, functional tups, there are always plenty of buyers for them.”

In fact, Mr Cockburn thinks this year’s batch of shearlings is the best he has had. They are by a Dundas tup bought at Kelso two years ago from Brian Gilchrist.

But while the market for shearling rams is strong, it is the ram lamb sales which have provided the fireworks for the Knap flock, particularly at Lanark.

Following on from the sale of Vicious Sid in 2014, Mr Cockburn was gifted semen from a tup he had liked, Tamnamoney Ultimate, which the Dunlops at Elmscleugh had bought at Lanark in 2013 for 8,000gns.

He used that semen on the dam of Vicious Sid, a Baltier Rascal daughter named Sugar Babe, which

The quality of the dam lines were part of the reason I picked both my stock tups last year, Teiglum Goliath and Auldhouseburn Gazza

ROBERT COCKBURN

went back to the Springwell line. That combination produced the 20,000gns Knap You’re The Man and the 12,000gns Knap Yorkie ram lambs sold at Lanark in 2016.

Other stock rams which have made their mark on the flock include Clinterty Yuga Khan, which Mr Cockburn says some of his best female lines go back to.

He bred daughters which sold at 16,000gns and 9,000gns, while Mullan Amigo left strong sons and daughters.

A

More recently, New View Electrifying, bought at Lanark for 24,000gns, has sired the flock’s top price gimmer at 28,000gns, and Knap Fred Flintstone, which stood champion at the Lanark pre-sale

show in 2022, sold for 16,000gns. However, it was the joint purchase of Sportsmans Cannonball for 17,000gns at Lanark in 2019 which Mr Cockburn cites as ‘the real turning point for the flock’.

He says: “I have never used a tup in any breed which was so consistent. On the right type of females, he is guaranteed to breed and his daughters are also breeding really well.

Flushing team

“We have sold sons to 8,500gns and several daughters at 5,000gns or more, up to 16,000gns. Half the flushing team last year were Cannon Ball daughters and this year could possibly be the same.”

Cannon Ball’s most famous daughter to date has to be Knap Daisy Duke, which stood champion at the inaugural Textravaganza national show in 2021 as a gimmer. It was described by the judges on the day as having ‘strength, style and an exceptional carcase’ and since then has proved a top breeder too.

Two sons, sired by the 9,000gns Haddo Falcon, caused a stir at the Lanark sale in 2023, with Knap Grumpy selling at 170,000gns and Knap General Lee at 100,000gns, both to Charlie Boden, for his Sportsmans flock, Cheshire.

Mr Cockburn says: “Those lambs always stood out and this time last year I was quite hopeful for them, but I never imagined they would make six figures each.

batch of this year’s Knap ewe lambs.

Robert Cockburn (left) and Tom Boden with 170,000gns Knap Grumpy and 100,000gns Knap General Lee (pictured at Lanark sale in 2023).

“I am always very critical of my own sheep at home, and it is only once you get to the market that you get an idea of how they are going to sell. I knew once I got to Lanark that there was a fair bit of interest in them, but that was just unbelievable.

“The fact they were out of Daisy Duke was a big selling point.

“A lot of people liked her when she won the national show and we have had a lot of interest in her offspring, which proves what an excellent shop window the shows can be.”

Mr Cockburn normally ventures to a few shows over summer, including Lesmahagow, Biggar, Perth and Turriff.

He says: “Those shows have strong Texel sections, so it is not easy to do well at them, but there is always a good crowd watching, which makes it a great opportunity to show the sheep off, especially the females.”

Mr Cockburn has always focused

primarily on developing the female lines in his flock, a practice installed in him from a young age.

He says: “When I left home and started working with Blackface sheep, I was very fortunate to work with three of the best Blackie breeders of our time – Davie Kay at Burncastle; Allan Wight at Midlock and Willie Dunlop at Elmscleugh.

Important

“They all stressed to me that females are the most important in a flock – if you have a good nucleus of females, you will always be alright. I always bear that in mind when buying tups too. I would be very dubious about buying a tup if I did not know or like its mother.

“The quality of the dam lines were part of the reason I picked both my stock tups last year, Teiglum Goliath and Auldhouseburn Gazza. I am really pleased with the lambs off them so far too – they look a good batch overall.”

Before this year’s sale mania begins, Mr Cockburn has a big judging job on his hands at Carlisle on July 6.

He says: “The national show is

a great thing for the Texel breed. It offers a chance to showcase the best sheep in the country and I am really looking forward to the day.”

British Texel Society’s 50th anniversary

THIS year sees the British Texel Societycelebrateits50thanniversary, with a wide range of celebratory activities planned for the year.

The major focus during summer will be the Textravaganza weekend at Carlisle on Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6.

The Friday will see an inter-club competition day, with teams of five from regional Texel clubs tackling a series of tasks, including stockjudging, shearing and cookery challenges.

This will be followed on the Friday evening by the society’s Summer Sizzler barbecue and party for all society members.

The society will also be issuing

commemorative 50th anniversary rosettes to local shows across the UK and hosting an international visitors workshop for Texel breeders from across the world.

There will also be a 50th anniversary book, a series of podcasts and a national flock competition. The society will also be fundraising for The Farm Safety Foundation’s Yellow Wellies.

Wrapping things up will be the society’s 50th anniversary celebration social weekend in Chester.

MORE INFORMATION Visit: texel.uk/texel-society-celebrates50th-anniversary

Beef Shorthorn breeders across the UK are being offered the chance to use semen from a trio of top performance sires at discounted prices as part of a newly launched sire reference scheme for the breed. Farmers Guardian finds out more.

The new scheme, designed to improve genetic linkage within the breed, follows on the back of the breed introducing genomic evaluations last autumn.

The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s operations manager Clive Brown says: “The introduction of genomic evaluations has already resulted in increased accuracy values of estimated breeding values [EBVs] and the society is seeking to build on that. In part, by offering semen from a number of young sires each year to boost the levels of genetic linkage between herds.

“This will assist in the society’s objective of building a solid foundation of performance recording to enhance the use of EBVs within the breed.

“Bulls will be selected for the scheme based on a specific set of criteria aimed at continual im-

Society launches new Beef Shorthorn sire reference scheme

provement in the breed, with these criteria having the potential to vary slightly depending on the society’s focus area.

“The society’s main objective is to have the reference sires used in as many herds as possible – large and small – forging strong genetic links,” he adds.

To kickstart the scheme, the

society has selected a trio of bulls –Mayfield Nimrod, Stanfordpark Specialedition and Vale Meadows Flossy’s Cavalier – to be available to breeders in the whole of Great Britain, with breeders able to select semen from two out of the three.

Due to export restrictions on semen, just Vale Meadows Flossy’s Cavalier will be available for members in Northern Ireland.

Both Mayfield Nimrod and Stanfordpark Specialedition have performance figures in the top 1 per cent of the breed for terminal index and self-replacing index, while Vale Meadows Flossy’s Cavalier carries a self-replacing index in the top 10 per cent of the breed and a terminal index in the top 30 per cent of the breed.

Mr Brown says: “These young bulls have been selected to offer breeders the chance to access top

level genetics with strong pedigrees, balanced performance and good phenotype and semen will be offered to society members at a discounted rate.

“However, to maximise use of the semen within the 12 months it is available, members will be limited to the number of straws they can purchase, depending on herd size.

Accuracy

“Additionally, to ensure improvements in accuracy levels can be achieved, members will be asked to commit to performance recording the offspring resulting from these inseminations.”

The society hopes members will take up this offer, helping to maximise genetic progress and EBV accuracy in the breed as a result of using these trait-leading sires within their herds.

A new scheme has been designed to improve genetic linkage within the Beef Shorthorn breed.

Delegates at the World Ayrshire Federation Conference UK 2024 will be visiting the Window family’s Hunnington herd in Worcestershire, as part of this summer’s tour programme. Wendy Short reports.

Focusing on excellence pays off for Ayrshire herd

The Window family milks 70 Hunnington Ayrshires at Horsepool Farm, near Halesowen. The herd calves all-year-round, with a yield average of 7,500kg at 4.2 per cent butterfat and 3.3 per cent protein. The most recent classification found 60 per cent EX or VG heifers and the herd has won the small

herds section in the National Milk Records All Breeds county competition every year for the past decade.

The Fragy cow family has performed exceptionally well within the herd, says Lisa Window, who farms with her mother, Hazel, sister Karen and nephew Chris.

“Our EX97 Hunnington Fragy 12 is 20 years old and is the highest clas-

sified pure-bred Ayrshire in the world. Her daughter, the EX96 Hunnington Fragy 16, has won at numerous shows and holds second position in the classification ranking. She took an inter-breed title at the Dairy Show at the Bath and West Showground, as well as an overall breed championship at the Royal Welsh.” Meanwhile, Hunnington Wren 7

came runner-up in the Ayrshire lines at last year’s UK Dairy Day and went on to win its class in the most recent breed society photographic competition for all Britain and Ireland. The Wren family came from the Bankend dispersal. Longevity is a priority and the family is proud of the herd’s eightlactation average.

The youngstock and fresh calvers are kept on a straw-bedded system.

From left: Karen, Hazel and Lisa Window, with Beth (soon to be Window) Davies and Chris Window.

Ms Window adds: “It goes a long way towards reducing rearing costs and it means that we can pick only the best females for breeding replacements. The lower end is put to a beef breed bull, with the calves sold at three weeks old.”

A high milk from forage figure is also desirable and it exerts a strong influence on breeding decisions, she says.

“Our cows are quite large, weighing about 550kg. One of the main criteria is to breed a female with plenty of capacity. Our system relies on a forage-based diet and the cows are capable of producing 40kg of milk from grazed grass alone. All aspects of general conformation are relevant because a correct animal will produce high yields.”

Among the artificial insemina-

We prefer to keep a smaller herd and concentrate on managing the cows to the highest standards possible. The cows take priority

LISA WINDOW

Farm facts

■ The farm spans 28 hectares (70 acres), plus 61 hectares (150 acres) of rented land

■ The business includes a dog park, which provides local dog walkers with a secure field for exercising their pets

■ The farm shop has recently started offering milkshakes from the home-produced milk; these are made with pasteurised milk, or raw milk on request

tion (AI) sires used recently are Sandyford Supreme, Sandyford Triclo and Troutbeck Skyfall. Ms Window describes the bull trio as ‘powerful, stylish and with plenty of class’.

“Sexed semen is our preference, but the choice has been fairly limited, although the situation is improving. Seven of our own bulls have gone to AI studs, including Hunnington Famous and Hunnington Fancy. They are sons of Fragy 12.

Pleasure

“I was judging Ayrshire cattle at the Sydney Royal Show in Australia on one occasion and I picked out the junior and senior Ayrshire champion, only to find out afterwards that both females had been sired via AI by our home-bred bulls. That gave me great pleasure.

“Semen from the Hunnington

The herd calves all-year-round.

BREED SOCIETIES

Conference

THE World Ayrshire Federation UK 2024 Conference takes place from June 30–July 18 and includes visits to Ayrshire herds around the UK and a visit to the Great Yorkshire Show.

FIND OUT MORE

For more information, visit waf2024.org

herd is being used in the UK and elsewhere, with Australia, New Zealand and Canada just a few of the countries where the herd’s bloodlines can be found milking.”

The milking herd is housed in cubicles, while the youngstock and fresh calvers are kept on a strawbedded system. Turnout is usually around late April, weather permitting, although it has been delayed due to the wet spring over the past few seasons.

“The cows are strip-grazed throughout the summer, to ensure that they have fresh grass in front of them all the time,” says Ms Window.

“Their diet is topped up with an annual average of 1.3 tonnes/head of concentrate feed, offered in the parlour.”

Covid-19

The farm historically sold milk to the public on-site from a small shop, but the emphasis had moved to a processor and hospitality industry customer base until the Covid-19 outbreak, she adds.

“Our market disappeared overnight and in response we reinstated Horsepool Farm Shop. As well as the milk, we also sell a range of locally-produced food like, cheese, ice cream, butter, eggs and honey. We have also returned to market-

ing our milk to processors and the hospitality industry.”

Customer feedback reflects the ‘special qualities’ of Ayrshire milk, she says.

“The fat globules in Ayrshire milk are smaller, compared with milk from other breeds. It has a naturally sweet taste and it is very good for making cheese and yoghurt. It is prized by our multicultural customers, who use it as an ingredient in speciality desserts. Selling the milk direct puts the emphasis on keeping cell counts to a minimum and any cow with poor figures will be culled.

“The farm shop is in an ideal location, close to Birmingham and just a few minutes’ drive from a motorway. We offer both raw and unpasteurised milk. It has been suggested that we install a vending machine, but it would not be able to keep up with the daily volumes that are being sold.”

The family’s long history with the Ayrshire breed stretches back seven decades and began with Ms Window’s father, the late Chris Window. While not from a farming background, he started working with the late Lord Plumb’s Southfields Ayrshires and was eventually promoted to herd manager.

In 1971, Mr Window and his family had the chance to move to Horsepool.

“My parents started out as tenants and later purchased the farm,” says Ms Window.

“They brought with them six females from the Southfields herd, including one from the Fragy family. It was a memorable moment when, many years later, Lord Plumb presented us with a supreme championship trophy for Hunnington Fragy 16 at the National Dairy Show.

The fat globules in Ayrshire milk are smaller, compared with milk from other breeds. It has a naturally sweet taste

LISA WINDOW

“On arrival, there were no functional buildings or parlour on-site and my parents set off milking 50 heifers with a portable milking machine and relying on torchlight. The parlour was dug out by my

father with a pickaxe, with my mother manning the wheelbarrow. As part of the second generation, I am proud to continue their work and would never consider a change of breed. The other family members feel the same way.”

The business is still evolving, but there are no plans for herd expansion, she adds.

“It has taken a lot of hard work to get the farm shop back up and running, but we are all pulling together. Hopefully, we will soon be in a position to employ some additional staff.

“That will mean I can devote more time to the showing and judging circuit, which in the past would have taken up seven or eight weeks of my year. I have travelled throughout the UK and to Finland, Australia and New Zealand in a judging capacity. I realised that I must be getting old when I was asked to judge my first inter-breed competition.”

Meet demand

Time constraints have also reduced the number of cows that are flushed, but a broader programme will be reinstated to meet the demand for embryos from the best cow families.

“We prefer to keep a smaller herd and concentrate on managing the cows to the highest standards possible, rather than expanding and risking a possible loss of focus. The cows take priority and we are very particular about the way they are managed.

“The Hunnington herd was part of the programme during the last World Ayrshire Federation Conference. We are looking forward to meeting the delegates this summer and showing them around the farm,” says Ms Window.

EX96 Hunnington Fragy 16 has won at numerous shows and holds second position in the pure-bred Ayrshire classification ranking.

Home-produced milk is sold direct, putting the emphasis on keeping cell counts to a minimum, says Lisa Window.

Gilmartin

Further details can be seen on: www.lowergroveherefords.com

Special offer on 5 Pedigree Poll Charolais bulls

Also 4 pedigree polled two year old bulling heifers still available

Easy calving and excellent temperament, High Health, TB4, Semen tested

Delivery arranged, Video Available

07778 464091 or 01507 327595

FRESH REARING CALVES

Available

Five Red and Black Limousin stock bulls

17-22 months. Some Semen tested. TB4 area. Younger bulls also available

Tel Edward: 07770 457453 N. Yorkshire (P)

BIDLEA HERD

Contact: Paul on 07730095062 or paul@lowergroveherefords.com

Buckhurst Aberdeen Angus

Have a great selection of 2023 born 12-16 month old pedigree bulls for sale.

TOP PEDIGREE REGISTERED HEREFORD BULLS AND HEIFERS.

SAC Hi-Health Member

Tested free of Johnes, BVD, IBR, Lepto, TB 4 Semen Tested, Performance recorded Nationwide Delivery Available

All home bred, quiet to handle. Delivery available. 07885 594143 or 01394 460408 (East Anglia)

Kurt – 07715 448366 Richard - 07816 173689 Lancs (P)

Johnes level 1, TB4 area. Good conformation, temperament & feet. Easy calving bulls.

Homo Polled - All calves will be born without Horns. Also Heterozgous Polled. Choice of Red & Black, Choice of 10. Good conformation and temperament. High health status. TB4. Ready For Work

Tel: 07849 153733 or 01223 426412 Cambridgeshire (P)

PEDIGREE HEREFORDS FOR SALE

DAIRY CATTLE FOR SALE

Bulls ready for work

Excellent choice of bulling heifers Elite Status High Health, TB4 North Yorkshire 01756 720210 - 0777 99 20202 www.whitehillherefords.co.uk

20 BRITISH BLUE X FRIESIAN HEIFERS

A weekly selection of freshly calved & in-calf dairy cattle sourced from the UK. All guaranteed and delivered anywhere in the UK Finance can be arranged. Livestock Supplies Ltd Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

8-9 months old

Offer a selection of

Cows Tel: 07748 028448 East Anglia (P)

-

Months, ready to work, excellent EBV’s, temperament & conformation. Sire very easy calving. High health status.

ELDERBERRY LIMOUSINS

For sale selection of Bulls, all semen tested. Aged 19-21 months. From easy calving lines, with excellent temperament. £3,500 - £4,500. Also, Heifers & Cows in calf, please enquire. Easy calving semen & embryos available. Elite Health Status, plus TB4, tested this year. Tel: 07825 868939 (Barry) or 07436 076636 (Paul) East Yorks (P)

PEDIGREE ABERDEEN ANGUS & HEREFORD BULLS

Bulls for sale

Individually Health Tested TB Tested Ready to work

Delivery can be arranged

Tel: 01538 300331 or 07968 622950 Staffordshire (P)

Angus Bull. Very well grown, 3.5 years old. Genuine reason for sale. Tel: 07977 402535 Derbyshire (P)

One Tonne Bags Delivered UK & Wales

Biscon Meal (Approx. 12% Protein/14 ME) £255 del Cereal Mixture (Approx. 14% Protein/13 ME) £265 del Cereal Blend (Approx. 16% Protein/13 ME) £285 del Mixed Pellets (Approx. 18% Protein/13 ME) £305 del NEW STORE IN

CUMBRIA

One Tonne Bag Collections

Mixed Pellets (Approx. 18% Protein/13 ME) £275 ex store

Biscon Meal (Approx. 12% Protein/14 ME) £225 ex store

Tel:01580212141

Applicants for succession of tenancies to face overhauled system

TheNaturalWayToBuild

Since the 1980s, English tenants wanting to succeed their old-style tenancy agreement (those that commenced before July 12, 1984) have been barred from doing so if they were in occupation of another ‘commercial unit’. However, from September 1 this year, these goalposts are moving.

As part of the Agriculture Act 2020, several amendments were made to the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 to include the repealing of the commercial unit test and the revising of the suitability test.

Tom Selby

one person to apply for the tenancy agreement to the tribunal).

The abolition of the commercial unit test will eliminate its complexity and the requirement for units of production orders. Under the control of this rule, the legislation had explained: ‘This stipulates that the applicant for succession cannot be in occupation of another agricultural unit capable of supporting two fulltime agricultural employees’.

The suitability test will undergo revisions, wherein applicants will be assessed by the usual independent tribunal based on their ability to commercially farm the holding to high standards of efficient production and environmental care.

Simplifying

As a result, applicants will still need to meet the eligibility criteria and pass the livelihood test (or demonstrate substantial compliance upon the tenant’s death). However, there will no longer be a restriction on the size of other occupied land, simplifying family arrangements in planning.

The revised suitability test aims to be more rigorous, ensuring that qualifying applicants meet a higher standard, resulting in a potentially shorter list of candidates for the tenancy (as it is quite common for more than just

For those looking to succeed a tenancy in the near future, one should consider whether to serve a retirement notice prior to September 1, 2024, or wait and risk what evidence may be required by the tribunal in relation to the new suitability test.

From the start of September, the tribunal must also consider that ‘if the applicant had applied in an open competition for a tenancy of this holding, that is assumed to be available under the 1986 Act, a prudent and willing landlord could reasonably be expected to regard the applicant as among the candidates to whom they would be willing to grant the tenancy’.

So, in effect, those applying for the tenancy should be of a standard that would be successful in a tender for the farm on the open market. This may not impact all applicants, but this could result in the tribunal upping the bar in relation to management of the farming business.

Tom Selby is the founder of Selby Rural which specialises in agricultural and rural tenancy advice throughout the North West. Call 01829 423 183, or email tom@selbyrural.co.uk

It is now permitted to convert buildings for general industry, storage or distribution, hotels, commercial, business or service, outdoor sport and recreation and agricultural training.

rNew rules came into force on May 21

By Alex Black

CHANGES to permitted development rights could open new opportunities for those looking to diversify or turn agricultural buildings into residential use.

The Government announced new rules which came into force on May 21. New rules for Class Q, which is change of agricultural buildings to dwellings, mean up to 10 dwellings can now be created to a maximum of 1,000sq.m. However, the maximum size for any Class Q dwelling has been reduced to 150sq.m, down from 425sq.m.

Lewis Godsmark, graduate planner at Knight Frank, said: “It means more dwellings but smaller dwellings. It could have an impact, generally for the better.”

He added there was a transitional period, but anyone wanting to apply needed to be thinking about it now.

“If you maybe had planned a development of 425sq.m – a ‘Grand Designs’-style conversion – then you have a little window to apply.

“There are a few other little tweaks,” he said, highlighting the need to have direct access to a highway, but in reality most residential conversions would already want to have access for a car.

“We do think the changes unlock further opportunities.”

Class R, conversion of buildings to

Changes to permitted development extend diversification options

commercial use, has been expanded in scope.

“The amount of floor space you can cover has increased from 500sq.m to 1,000sq.m,” said Mr Godsmark.

Benefits

It is now permitted to convert buildings for general industry, storage or distribution, hotels, commercial, business or service, outdoor sport and recreation and agricultural training.

Mr Godsmark said: “It is enabling farm diversification. The increase in floor space limitations – this is targeting farm shops and small rural businesses.”

However, he added the benefit these would bring would depend entirely on the individual farm and whether it had any existing agricultural buildings which were suitable for conversion.

“You may have had a barn that was 750sq.m, and previously you

had no rights, but suddenly you have got a whole lot of scope,” he said.

However, he urged farmers to seek advice, as there were complexities and the benefits were very site- specific.

“My overall view is that this is good news,” he added.

The extensions to permitted development rights were generally welcomed, with the CLA saying it would boost diversification and help with the ‘chronic lack’ of rural housing.

Protected Landscapes

CLA deputy president Gavin Lane said: “But it is bitterly disappointing to see Class Q permitted development rights will not be expanded to National Parks and Landscapes. A recent CLA survey found that more than half of our members living in Protected Landscapes wish to convert existing and redundant agricultural buildings that no longer serve their existing purpose, but under current planning rules and restrictions they cannot.

“Allowing the use of Class Q within these areas would enable much needed development and help stimulate growth in the rural economy. So many enterprises in rural areas could grow, create jobs, expand into new markets, but are being stifled by an archaic planning regime that seems almost designed to restrict our ambition.

“The rural economy is 19 per cent less productive than the national average – closing that gap could add £43 billion to gross value added for the UK.”

NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said the law change would ‘greatly support the modernisation, expansion and diversification of farms across the country’.

“However, it is disappointing to see that livestock buildings remain excluded from the changes,” she said. She agreed it was ‘disappointing’ the rights would not be extended to Protected Landscapes.

Brampton, Carlisle

Carlisle: 6.1 miles, Penrith: 23.5 miles

Troutbeck Farmhouse (three bedrooms), Stockdale Hall Farmhouse (four bedrooms) on the village fringe. Traditional buildings with development potential (subject to consents). Extensive modern farm buildings at both farms. Productive Grade 2 and 3 arable and grassland. Woodland shelterbelts. Strategically positioned land parcels.

Freehold | Council Tax Bands = D & D | EPCs = F & F.

Will Douglas

Savills York 01904 617 800 wdouglas@savills.com Alex Lawson

Savills National Farms & Estates 020 7016 3780 alawson@savills.com

Spurstow, Cheshire

Spurstow, Cheshire

A beautifully positioned ringfenced livestock farm with traditional and modern buildings.

A beautifully positioned ringfenced livestock farm with traditional and modern buildings.

• 7-bedroom farmhouse with significant potential

• 7-bedroom farmhouse with significant potential

• 3-bedroom secondary accommodation (subject to AOC)

• 3-bedroom secondary accommodation (subject to AOC)

• Excellent traditional and modern farm buildings with development potential (STP)

• Excellent traditional and modern farm buildings with development potential (STP)

• Highly productive pastureland with woodland and ponds

• Significant amenity appeal

• Highly productive pastureland with woodland and ponds

• Significant amenity appeal

• Available as a whole or in up to 4 lots

• Available as a whole or in up to 4 lots

• EPCs: F & G

• EPCs: F & G

• In all about 200.26 acres (81.04 ha)

• In all about 200.26 acres (81.04 ha)

£ Guide price – £3,450,000 (as a

A ringfenced dairy farm, occupied under an Agricultural Holdings Act (1986) Tenancy.

• 3-bedroom grade II listed farmhouse

• Range of traditional and modern livestock farm buildings Productive pastureland

• Edge of village location

• In all about 101.67 acres (41.15 ha)

£ Guide price - £630,000

• Approximately 7.33 acres.

• Grade 3 agricultural land classification.

• Adopted highway access.

• Close proximity to A1.

• Overage Clause Applicable.

• For Sale By Informal Tenderdeadline 12 noon on 7/6/2024

242 636 | info@tfazakerleyandson.co.uk | www.tfazakerleyandson.co.uk

Seeking farming opportunity

Experienced block calving dairy farm manager seeking an opportunity to farm in their own right. Looking for a tenancy, joint venture or contract farming agreement. Happy to relocate anywhere in the UK for the right opportunity. Available to start this Autumn. Have 10+ years experience in the industry with 6 of those spent in management. Also available are 300+ spring calving cows that are currently being bred for spring 2025. For more information, please call Ifan Roberts on 07837 991123 or email Ifanroberts91@gmail.com

Sites of 1- 1000 acres required for residential development.

If you think that your land has potential for development, or you have been approached by a developer, then you will need expert advice that is not available at traditional sources. Michael Rutherford is a specialist agent acting and negotiating for landowners. Contact me for a confidential and expert consultation at no cost. All areas of the UK covered.

PUMA 165 POWERSHIFT 50KPH. 2022, 2135 hours, front linkage, trailer air and exhaust brake.

MAGNUM 340 CVX 50kph. 2020, 2715 hours, Full Accuguide, 800/70 x 38 tyres, rear wheel weights.

MAXXUM 150 CVX 40kph. Full Guidance ‘72’ reg. 2132 hours, full suspension.

NEW KRONE RAKES

SWADRO 420 Single rotor, three point linkage.

SWADRO 460 Single rotor, three point linkage.

SWADRO TC640 Twin rotor centre delivery, trailed.

SWADRO TC760 Twin rotor centre delivery, trailed.

NEW KRONE TEDDERS

VENDRO 560 Linkage mounted 4 Row Tedder.

NEW KRONE MOWERS & MOWER CONDITIONERS

Easycut F320 CV front mounted push type headstock mower conditioner.

Easycut F320 CV front mounted pull type headstock mower conditioner.

Easycut R320 CV rear linkage mounted mower conditioner.

Easycut R360 rear linkage mounted mower without conditioner.

Easycut TC320 CV trailed mower conditioner.

ActiveMow R240 rear linkage mounted mower without conditioner.

ActiveMow R280 rear linkage mounted mower without conditioner.

USED Swadro 38 Single rotor rake.

Demo Big Pack 1270 Large bale + Multi Bale system (up to 9 small bales) Steering tandem axle, 620/40 R22.5 tyres, LED work lights, call for full spec.

Comprima V150 XC Plus variable chamber Round baler, 17 blade cutting system, hydraulic brakes, LED working lights, 500/50-17 tyres, DS500 terminal.

CASEIH 4240 PRO + MX LOADER, 4742 hours, A/C 40kph.

Amazone ZA-TS 4200 Profis Hydro c/w Flow control Argus twin isobus.

Amazone ZAV 3200 Easy set terminal V3. Call for options & specification.

Amazone UF2002 24m 2000L mounted sprayer. Fresh water tank, isobus with comfort pack.

GRILLO CLIMER 10 4wd 27hp rear discharge grass mower, 2022.

NEW ISUZU DMAX ARCTIC AT35 Automatic, tow bar & load liner. £53,099 + VAT.

MACHINERY

Edited by Toby Whatley – 07583

A mixed farming enterprise is returning to a familiar Finnish brand after several years away. James Huyton finds out how the farm’s two loader tractors stack up.

Picking up the workload

Operating a 1,000-hectare mixed farming enterprise split between tenanted and contract farming models, John Shacklady, of A. and J. Shacklady, explored several options when looking for two tractors that would handle the daily needs of the livestock enterprise, which includes running a flock of 1,200 breeding Mules.

For the Merseyside-based farmer, it was important that the two Valtras could handle more than just the daily duties of feeding sheep. Hence the G series, which can be drafted into the arable side of the business when needed.

Mr Shacklady says:

“It has been a godsend this season, the light tractor and

600 tyres meant the G series handled the bulk of the fertiliser applications.

“I have a 1,000kg front weight block to keep the front end down when the Kuhn spreader has three tonnes in the back.”

Naturally, the G115 packs more of a punch fitted with a four-cylinder Agco power engine, compared to the three-cylinder A95.

Purpose

The purpose of running two different sized machines is to allow the smaller A series to pick up lighter grassland work with a four-rotor tedder alongside daily livestock duties, with the larger G able to pick up the slack with draft work when needed, adds Mr Shacklady.

Purchased as stock tractors, Mr Shacklady opted to add front linkage and pto to the G series, alongside 300kg of rear wheel weights.

“It has added more flexibility to

From a distance little splits the Valtra A and G series in looks. In hindsight, John Shacklady would have opted for a quick coupling system for the loader’s hydraulic pipes (inset).

the tractor with the option to use it on our Maschio front flail that weighs in at just under 1,300kg,” says Mr Shacklady.

“We have switched between New Holland and Valtra over the years, with our first Valtra a N91 purchased back in 2006 from our then local dealer H. and L. Tractors.

“At the time, we could not fault the Valtra, but as the dealer moved 50 miles away we switched to New Holland.

“But when the New Holland dealer areas changed, we decided to stick with the dealer service at Malpas Tractors over remaining with a specific tractor brand.

“We last ran Valtras back in 2011 with a T132 Versu. Coming back to the Finnish brand, it was nice to see many familiar features with the manufacture after all the years.”

The Active specification G features the manufacturer’s 24x24 powershift transmission, with the sparsely populated armrest having everything to hand, Mr Shacklady says.

“I like how the third service joystick is placed to the left of the gear lever, I can just flick the through the gears with my fingers while still controlling the loader with my hand,” he says.

The 40km/hour Eco transmission specified on this particular machine

The A series would have benefited from a push-out hitch, although the smaller back end still offers good visibility, according to Luke Monks.

also allows Mr Shacklady the option to select auto gear changing, manual or set his own parameters through the tractor’s dashboard.

“We move a lot of silage bales and brake to neutral is a great feature when loading trailers with both tractors.

“The only niggle I have is G’s system has to be switched on through the dashboard control screen, whereas the A series has a simple switch on the cabin pillar and so I can switch it on and off when I want,” adds Mr Shacklady.

Luke Monks, head shepherd at A. and J. Shacklady, rolls into the yard on the A95. At a glance, very little visually splits the G and A on exterior looks, but on closer inspection there are several notable differences.

The smaller A series is fitted with a lower specification X36 loader with cable control and boom suspension, selectable externally via a leaver on the accumulator. Where-

as the G5 loader on the G series has quick-release locking pins and an electronically-controlled joystick.

Mr Monks says: “The loader still offers everything we need around the farm and the boom suspension helps take the bounce out of the un-suspended tractor when moving buckets of creep round farm tracks.”

Necessity

Notably, one thing the A series has over the G series is hydraulic locking pins in the loader, something Mr Shacklady viewed as a necessity on a tractor that could be making multiple attachment changes through the day.

He says: “If I replaced the two loader tractors in the future, I would opt for a quick coupling system on the hydraulic pipes, just for ease of attachment.”

Mr Monks adds: “The A95 is a simple tractor to the point anyone

With hydraulic top link and twice the lift capacity of the A series, the G is well suited to pick up some of the farm’s arable work.

could jump on it and use it, which is a real plus for me.”

Although the A95 offers simplicity and lack of fuss over many modern tractors, it still has some useful additions, says Mr Monks.

He adds: “You can adjust the aggression of the forward and reverse shuttle with a simple dial on the

dash, it is a nice feature that can make all the difference with loader work. You can store pre-selected engine speeds through a button next to the throttle, it is simple to set and ideal for dropping revs on headland turns.”

Inside the A series, it still offers the same 24 forward 24 reverse gear

Head shepherd Luke Monks (left) and John Shacklady, of A. and J. Shacklady, in front of the farm’s two loader tractors.

MACHINERY

More than 100mm lower than the G series, the A95 is well suited to work in the farm’s lower buildings.

selection as the G115, but via a manual transmission with an electronic splitter on the gear stick and a manual splitter on the cabin floor.

The less refined A series still has 540 and 1000 pto selection, but as Mr Monks points out, it is operated via a manual lever externally next to the pto.

He says: “The A series only has a swing-out pickup hitch. It is not an issue as the back end of the tractor is relatively small, but a push-out hitch would help when moving feeders around.”

Looking at the fuel filling point on the A series, you would be forgiven for thinking this is an AdBlue-free tractor, however, and somewhat unusually, the manufacturer has

chosen to place the DEF filling point on the opposite side to the diesel.

Filling points

Mr Monks says: “I rarely need to fill up with AdBlue, so you do not notice it too much, but I suppose you naturally expect the filling points to both be on the same side.”

Mr Shacklady says: “I prefer the toolbox and its mounting point on the left-hand side of the A series, compared to walking around to the built-in unit on the G115.

“Both tractors also feature folding off-side steps which is a neat feature,” he adds.

One of the main benefits of operating the A95 is its height, even when specified with the larger

on a spring-loaded cabin fixing, flashing beacons can be folded out of the

340/85R-24 tyres on the front and 420/85R-34 on the rear.

The A95 still has more than 100mm of height clearance on the G115, making it more suited to clearing out the low buildings and polytunnels around the farm.

Mr Shacklady says: “I like the fact you can easily pull the beacons level with the cab roof for low buildings if needed.”

Mounted on a spring load twisting bracket, operators can turn the beacons out of the way in just a few seconds.

Mr Shacklady says: “The LED light pack on the G series gives great all-round visibility and something we may have to look to upgrade on the A95.”

The G series does have the edge over the A series on power and lift capacity, putting out a maximum 120hp on boost and 6,000kg maximum lift capacity, compared to the flat 95hp and 3,000kg lift capacity on the A series.

But as Mr Shacklady points out, both have their benefits within the business and make good cross-over tractors to handle the daily loader work.

Mr Shacklady says: “It is good to be back in a Valtra after several years – yes, some of the plastics in the cabin could be improved, but it is spacious and has plenty of internal storage – something the New Hollands always seemed to miss.

“Granted, the A series has no suspension, but it does limited road work, as the G series covers that, and I cannot fault its suspension system for comfort,” he adds.

The G series offers greater cabin sophistication over its A series stable mate, but both operators like the simplicity of design and ergonomic nature of controls.

A dial on the dash of the A series allows the operator to select a preferred aggregation on the forward and reverse shuttle.

Mounted

way easily if needed.

CEREALS PREVIEW MACHINERY

At this year’s Cereals Event to be held in Hertfordshire, there will be plenty of machinery on show. Jane Carley takes a look some of the launches and updates.

Machinery shines at Cereals

Cereals will move to a new site – Bygrave Woods at Newnham Farm, Hertfordshire – on June 11-12, 2024. There is an increased focus on working demonstrations looking at a variety of arable topics this year, and several machines will be seen for the first time in the UK. Numerous manufacturers also promise exclusive reveals of new equipment.

KUHN AERO

IN action for the first time will be the Kuhn Aero 32.1, 24-metre mounted boom fertiliser spreader. The Aero offers users greater accuracy when spreading granular fertiliser, helping to reduce environmental losses on field edges, and also the option to apply a lower quality fertiliser to accurate widths.

Featuring a 3,200-litre hopper, the Aero has an integrated weighing system which eliminates the need for calibration.

There are four individually adjustable metering units on the 24-nozzle boom, which is controlled hydraulically from the cab and is available in widths of 27m, 28m or 30m.

JOHN DEERE 340M DEBUT

JOHN Deere’s 340M self-propelled sprayer will make its UK debut after being launched at Agritechnica 2023. It features the company’s PowrSpray dual-circuit solution system, with benefits such as fast filling for a quick turnaround.

Accuracy

The sprayers also have Active Pause chemical filling, and Fast Direct Rate Control said to offer more than 98 per cent application accuracy, as well as automatic filling, automated agitation and multi-mode rinsing systems. Additional features include John Deere’s in-house developed Individual Nozzle Control system

UPDATED KNIGHT SPRAYERS

THE Knight stand will feature a 36-metre/5,000-litre 2450 model from the firm’s upgraded selfpropelled sprayer range at LAMMA. Features of the updated 24 series sprayers include the new MAXImizer PRO circulation technology, which significantly reduces retained volume and improves boom height control

software for faster and more accurate response.

There will also be a 30m, 4,200-litre version of one of the latest Knight Trailblazer trailed sprayers, featuring technology including a closed transfer system for zero-contact filling of the machine with crop protection products.

SPRAYS AND SPRAYERS

and John Deere IsoBus control systems capable of variable rate applications, spot-spraying,

documentation, and work planning with synchronisation to the John Deere Operations Center.

AMAZONE PANTERA 7004

AMAZONE will show the 7,000-litre version of its Pantera self-propelled sprayer for the first time in the UK. The largest machine in the Pantera range, it is available in boom widths up to 48 metres and comes with a new chassis system that self-levels on slopes and offers the ability to adjust the front and rear axle track widths independently.

Unladen weight is under 12 tonnes, with weight distribution maintaining a 50:50 split between the two axles. Although based on the wet system of the smaller 4504, the Pantera 7004 has increased capacity all round with bigger pump capacities, more engine power and a stronger driveline.

MACHINERY CEREALS PREVIEW

TRACTORS

FENDT 600 VARIO

CEREALS 2024 will be the first chance for UK audiences to see the new Fendt 600 Vario. The top model Fendt 620 Profi+ offers 209hp from its fourcylinder, five-litre Agco Power CORE50 engine that also features a DynamicPerformance system, providing an additional 15hp regardless of forward speed.

The Fendt 600 can reach a

top speed of 50km/h at 1,250rpm and offers 950Nm from 1,200rpm to 1,600rpm. It is also very manoeuvrable, providing a turning circle of 10.2 metres.

VarioGrip, Fendt’s onboard central tyre inflation system, is available on the 600 Vario and is eligible for a Farming Equipment and Technology Fund grant.

NEW HOLLAND GROOVY TRACTOR

THE New Holland Basildon site celebrates 60 years since the first Ford tractors rolled out of its doors in 1964, and to commemorate this event there will be a New Holland 1960s-inspired T7.300 tractor on the stand. This tractor is a unique one-off addition, created to attend the 2024 agricultural shows around the UK and Ireland. Bringing it right up to date,

New Holland will also have a T7.300 with PLM Intelligence on the stand.

This 300hp flagship has the latest Horizon cab, AutoCommand transmission and the Intelliview 12 monitor, which works with PLM Connect telematics for fleet management, precision farming connectivity and service support.

The company is also promising a product reveal on the stand.

CASE IH FOCUS ON TECH

CASE IH returns to the event with the ‘Case IH Connect: Farming REDefined’ stand, which will incorporate one of the largest working demonstration

experience a live Case IH Connect Room, where the team will show off the brand’s connected services.

JOHN DEERE S7

IT is a UK debut for John Deere’s new S7 Series combines. Four new models are now available from the 449hp S7 700 up to the range-topping 617hp S790m, using the JD14X engine with HarvestMotion to achieve maximum powers at engine speeds of 2,000rpm.

The 75 tonnes per hour machines sit between the smaller T Series and John Deere’s largest X9 Series models. Some of the key features of the X9 Series have filtered across to the S7 Series and, dubbed the ‘digital combine’, it offers automation of ground speed and harvest settings.

Tractor highlights include a Puma 260 CVXDrive; this flagship model offers up to 302hp from a FPT NEF six-cylinder engine, with an enlarged and updated cab plus greater software and technology

COMBINES

CASE IH AXIAL-FLOW 260

CASE IH will present the Axial-Flow 260 Series combine harvester: its latest generation of the Class 7, 8 and 9 rotary machine.

The Axial-Flow 260 series is equipped with Harvest Command combine automation, which automatically optimises settings to maximise throughput and grain quality, and features high-resolution Pro 1200 Dual Displays, giving operators easy access to machine metrics, field performance and grain

quality in real-time. New RowGuide Pro and AccuGuide autoguidance systems are designed to maintain on-row accuracy; these tech solutions, plus AccuSync in-field data sharing between multiple machines, are subscription-free.

The new ActiveTrac four-roller hydraulic suspended track system has a larger footprint to reduce compaction and increase flotation by 14 per cent compared to fixed track offerings.

For

CLAYDON DRILL LAUNCH

CLAYDON will launch two new products, the Evolution Front Hopper and Evolution Drill Toolbar.

With a total capacity of 2,750 litres, split 45/55 per cent, the Evolution Front Hopper is pressurised to ensure high-volume material delivery to the rear distribution heads.

Twin metering units deliver either mixed or separated seed/fertiliser flows to the rear-mounted drill.

An Isocan terminal controls all front hopper functions and allows variable rate seeding, depending on the task controller and licence key.

SEEDING

IsoBus-compatible, the front hopper is supplied with interchangeable metering wheels to suit a wide range of seeds and fertilisers.

The Evolution Drill Toolbar can be used in conjunction with the front hopper and is available in widths of three metres to 6m.

Standard specification includes one distribution head with 38mm seed delivery hoses, but a second distribution head is an option, allowing fertiliser to be supplied to either the front leading tine or rear seeding tine.

NEW HORSCH SPRINTER MODELS

HORSCH will show its mounted Sprinter 6.25 SL and trailed 12.25 SC for the first time in the UK.

The new Sprinter models are designed for reduced tillage and work well in high amounts of straw residues as well as in harder soils, while helping meet the challenge of keeping water in the soil.

To improve seed-to-soil contact, the new Sprinters are equipped with a tine seed coulter that creates

a residue-free seed furrow. Three different tine coulters can be specified to suit various conditions.

The new six-metre SL-mounted model works in combination with a Partner FT front tank, while the 12m trailed SC model is equipped with a 6,300-litre double hopper and available with a triple tank and additional MiniDrill options. Both feature tines with a 250mm spacing and a 180kg release force.

MACHINERY CEREALS PREVIEW

SEEDING

KRM SM-P

KRM INTRODUCES a new model to the SM-P tine drill range. This new eight-metre machine has 32 coulters giving a row spacing of 250mm – wide enough to make mechanical weeding a practical proposition. It incorporates the heavy duty SM tine coulter which will work directly into unmoved soil, min-till seedbeds and ploughed land. It has a narrow, rigid tine angled forward for positive penetration, with minimum soil disturbance and is tungsten carbide tipped.

Coulters are mounted in four rows with a stagger of 400mm to ensure free movement of trash or large stones and each coulter mounting incorporates an auto-reset spring.

Acombinationfollowingharrowof angledandstraighttinesensuresthe seedbedisleftlevelandfirmforgood soil/seedcontactandtoretainmoisture indryconditions.Rearfold400mm diameterdiscmarkersprovideaclear markforaccurateboutmatchingin difficultseedbedsandincorporate asafetybreakbacksystem.

ALPEGO AND OVLAC FROM OPICO

OPICO will show examples from the two new key brands added to its range of tillage equipment earlier this year. By taking on the distribution of Ovlac ploughs and Alpego Power harrows, drills, rotary cultivators and flail toppers, the Lincolnshirebased company significantly extends its crop establishment offering.

At the event, the company will have standard and shallow Ovlac ploughs on display as well as a full lineup of Alpego equipment, to include the DTEK plus Rapido six-metre power harrow and FG-300 rotary cultivator.

Thesewillbeexhibitedalongside

MASCHIO GASPARDO GIGANTE PRESSURE DIRECT DRILL

THE new DirectDriller@Cereals co-located event, which focuses on regenerative farming, will include a drill demonstration area. Maschio Gaspardo’s flagship pneumatic seed drill, the Gigante Pressure Direct Drill, is one of the machines in action.

Available in three-, four-, five- and six-metre models, the drill features disc coulters spaced at 150mm or 180mm for good ground clearance and trash flow – as well as depth gauge wheels to control depth and independent seed press wheels

to optimise seed-to-soil contact. The seeding unit achieves up to 260kg of downforce.

The IsoBus-controlled drill also comprises a twin hopper pressurised tank, allowing for the application of both seed and fertiliser – with an optional third unit. The forwardmounted hopper and electrically driven twin metering units are easily accessible for seed roll changes, calibration, and cleaning. Centralised greasing is standard, and an optional following harrow is available.

CULTIVATORS

GRANGE MACHINERY TTC

theHe-Vacultivatorrange,FarmDroid FD20autonomousseeder/weederand theOpicomechanicalweederrange.

SCHMOTZER WITH FERTILISER

AMAZONE will show updates to the Schmotzer hoe range; the Select hoe is equipped with a liquid fertiliser applicator and band sprayer using the FT-P 1502 autonomous front tank with 1,500 litre tank capacity, IsoBus control, hydraulic pump drive and up to seven part-width sections via Amazone’s GPS-Switch.

The FTender autonomous fertiliser delivery hopper, also on show, can be used to band spread fertilisers in row crops or undersow a companion plant between the rows, along with a

hoeing pass. The FTender is also able to multitask by providing a fertiliser carrying system at other times of the year in conjunction with a precision seeder or drill combination, for example.

INSPIRED by the company’s Strip-Till Preparator, Grange Machinery introduces the threein-one Top Tilth Cultivator (TTC) which features Grange lowdisturbance legs to lift and restructure the soil at depth, ahead of wavy discs – which are hydraulically adjustable to match conditions and soil type – to cultivate the top section of soil.

A rear packer roller offers consolidation, producing a seedbed ready for drilling. The legs can be taken out of work to use the TTC as a shallow disc cultivator.

WEEDING

NEW KUHN HOES

KUHN will show its Tineliner and Rowliner, previewed at Agritechnica.

The Tineliner range has three models – six-metre, 9m and 12m –and is constructed from 1.5m sections with 48 tines across six rows.

The Rowliner also features three

Alternatively, the discs can be raised for a soil loosening operation, increasing versatility. Working widths of three-metre and 4m will be available.

GrangeMachinerywillannounceits firstdevelopmentintheseedingsector.

models – 500, 620 and 660 – offering row widths between 500-800mm. Models on the stand at Cereals will be the Tineliner 12m and the 5m Rowliner 500 with 6 rows at 750mm widths, plus Rowlink camera guidance and section control.

180 years of championing agriculture

ShowRoyalHighlandSupplement

240TH ANNIVERSARY

This milestone anniversary issue is the perfect platform to showcase your brand to a dedicated and influential audience. To mark this special occasion, we are also launching a brand new glossy magazine cover, making it an even more memorable edition.

With our extensive reach and trusted reputation in the farming community, your advertisement will capture the attention of key decision-makers and passionate agricultural enthusiasts. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be part of our legacy and connect with those who drive the industry forward.

Don’t miss the opportunity for your brand to feature in the Royal Highland Show supplement, our essential preview of the highly anticipated 2024 show, as it celebrates 240 years at the heart of Scottish agriculture.

Being featured in our SPECIAL 180 YEAR CELEBRATION issue will provide a platform for your brand to:

Reach a targeted audience of farmers, suppliers and agricultural stakeholders. We will also be stocking this issue in additional stores via our newstrade distribution

Increase visibility and brand recognition within the agricultural community

Promote your products or services effectively through our established channels

Edited by Katie Jones

Research suggests blanket treatment of all ewes can be avoided through the application of a targeted treatment strategy.

Targeted parasitic worm treatment benefits flock more

r383

sheep farmers surveyed across GB

NEW research has shown that targeted use of parasitic worm treatment for roundworm in ewes is more effective than blanket treatment.

Aberystwyth University PhD research, part funded by Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) and carried out by Dr Eiry Williams looked at British farmers’ current approach to gastrointestinal nematodes (also known as roundworm) in ewes and surveyed 383 sheep farmers across

Great Britain to ascertain current methods used to control infections, specifically in ewes.

Studies were then conducted evaluating the effect of utilising targeted selected treatments, compared with blanket treatments, specifically at pre-tupping and lambing time.

Dr Williams says: “Findings from this research suggest blanket treatment of all ewes can be avoided on sheep farms through the application of a targeted selected treatment strategy based on many different characteristics or a com-

bination of characteristics, such as body condition score, weight, dag score, age, breed with the possibility of behaviours being used in the future.

Reduction

“Application of targeted selected treatments will lead to a reduction in anthelmintic use, likely leading to a decrease in rate of anthelmintic resistance development, along with maintaining productivity and enhancing economic outputs in the long-term.”

Enzootic abortion of ewes vaccine supply challenge

A VACCINE batch failure in the manufacturing process means there will be a gap in the supply of the enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) vaccine, Cevac Chlamydia, during the months of June and August.

Roy Geary, of Ceva Animal Health, says the anticipated vaccine batch ‘failed to meet the quality expected to be suitable for release’ and this ‘temporarily’ affected the ability to meet the demands of the UK sheep market within the main seasonal vaccination period for EAE.

Mr Geary also says the company is actively exploring alternative options to speed up the supply chain for future batches of the vaccine.

Stock

He adds: “We anticipate that the issue in supply will be resolved, with some stock potentially available later in the season, however we recognise that for some farmers the supply will arrive too late for them to use.

“We encourage all farmers to consult their vet and explore

alternative means of safeguarding the health of their flocks during this period.

“We recommend implementing robust biosecurity measures and adhering to existing vaccination protocols for other preventable diseases to ensure the overall well-being of livestock.

Strategic anthelmintic use plays a crucial role in ensuring longevity in their efficacy

DR EIRY WILLIAMS

Dr Heather McCalman, HCC’s research, development and sustainability executive, says: “We are pleased to have supported this PhD in a topic which will aid animal health and help farmers develop new management and decision-making practices which offer long-term financial, environmental and animal welfare benefits.

“We will provide vet practices and the wider industry with regular updates as we progress toward a resolution and return to normal supply levels,” Mr Geary says.

“As we strive for increased sustainability in the sheep sector, strategic anthelmintic use plays a crucial role in ensuring longevity in their efficacy. This work gives a better understanding, through robust science, of when, where and how to use management tools, which will be of benefit to individual farmers and the industry as a whole.”

PICTURE:

Thistles reduce grazing and can increase the chance of Orf in sheep.

Thistlex gives outstanding control of all species of thistle, killing down to the root so they won’t grow back.

Kind to grass, it also controls nettles and dandelions. Stock can return to the field just 7 days after application.

If you have a problem with broad or curled leaf docks, Doxstar Pro’s concentrated formulation combines the power of triclopyr and fluroxypyr to deliver outstanding dock control.

It is highly effective on chickweed and dandelions too and is very safe to your grass.

Dandelions

Chickweed

Docks

Creeping Thistle

Spear Thistle

Synchronising ewes to target the Easter lamb trade helps to secure price premiums and means the sheep flock can be worked around the Tomlinson family’s other farming businesses. Farmers Guardian reports.

Managing lambing time in a busy mixed farming business

Claire Tomlinson runs a 300-head flock of Texel cross and Beltex cross breeding ewes, a 120cow Montbeliarde milking herd supplying Belton Dairy and finishes about 100 beef cattle a year, alongside her husband Richard, son Charlie and daughter Kate, at Agden Dairy, near Malpas, Cheshire.

Farm

facts

n 300 Texel cross and Beltex breeding ewes

n Finishing 100 beef cattle a year

n Milking 120 Montbeliarde for Belton Dairies

n 67 hectares (170 acres) owned, 129ha (320 acres) rented growing 24ha (60 acres) maize, 65ha (160 acres) barley and wheat, 8ha (20 acres) stubble turnips and the rest grass

She also operates a successful contracting and straw and hay merchant business.

Without synchronised breeding using the T-shaped progesterone device CIDR Ovis, the logistics of managing such diverse operations would make it difficult, with a brief lambing period critical to the business’ success.

Mrs Tomlinson lambs her ewes in three batches, each 10 days apart, with most batches lambing within a 24-hour period.

Mating is timed yearly according to when Easter falls – the target is for ewes to lamb at least 12 weeks before Easter, with shearlings lambing first.

She says: “I always start with shearlings, as the lambs tend to need longer to finish as the ewes have less milk.”

CIDRs are inserted in July and, at the same time, ewes are given a mineral drench. After 12 days the

CIDRs are removed and a shot of PMSG is given. A day later, the tups are added in.

Due to all the ewes coming into heat at once, a higher tup-to-ewe ratio is needed compared to standard systems.

About 12 tups are used in total for each batch of 100 ewes.

Returns

Tups remain with the ewes until everything is marked and are placed back in with the second and third batch of ewes 16 days after the first cycle to pick up any returns.

Mrs Tomlinson says the T-shaped progesterone breeding device suits her ewes better.

She struggled to remove sponges due to the extreme muscle of the ewes.

“I have never struggled to get a CIDR out, but with previous products, the strings kept snapping.

“They are also much easier and

quicker to use and cleaner. We have not noticed any difference in the conception rates, which tend to be about 70 per cent,” she adds. Ewes are scanned 80-90 days post-service, with scanning percentages averaging about 185 per cent.

Lambing early enables Mrs Tomlinson to sell all the lambs before the main contracting window starts.

Because each batch of ewes lambs within 48 hours, it aids the dairy, as Mrs Tomlinson can bring in help during each brief lambing window.

She also says it is better from a lamb management point of view as all ewes are checked every couple of hours, and any triplets can easily be moved onto a ewe with a single lamb.

She says: “We can also manage the ewes’ diet better as they are fed a total mixed ration (TMR) of

Ewes at Agden Dairy are scanned 80-90 days post-service, with scanning percentages averaging about 185 per cent.

home-grown grass and maize silage and caustic wheat, which is adjusted depending on their stage of lactation.

“They are essentially fed a mini dairy mix using the same mixer wagon.”

The lambing sheds are then cleaned out between batches and, post-lambing, they are used to house straw and calves.

“By not having a drawn-out lambing period, we can get everything turned out, sheds cleaned and ready for other uses soon after,” she says.

By lambing in this way, lambs are of a consistent size, which makes selling them at 12 weeks old easier.

Mrs Tomlinson often picks up champion rosettes with her lambs during the Easter lamb sales.

She aims to sell 150 spring lambs before Easter deadweight to Vivers, Scotlamb, through auctions and privately to a butcher.

This year, Mrs Tomlinson topped £320 for a 37kg lamb at 12 weeks old at St Asaph Livestock Auction with her champion lamb.

Championship

She also received similarly good prices at Market Drayton Auction

By not having a drawn-out lambing period, we get everything turned out, sheds cleaned and ready for other uses soon after

CLAIRE TOMLINSON

and Welshpool with her champion and reserve lambs, and Ruthin, where she took home the overall championship.

Lambs are fed creep from birth and also have access to the ewes’ TMR. They are usually turned out during the day, but remain housed at night.

In the last five weeks before the sales, lambs are weighed weekly and the diet is adjusted if they are not quite hitting target weights.

GRASSCHECK

GRASS GROWTH ACROSS THE UK

Scotland

71.3kgdrymatterperhectareperday (28.9kgDM/acre/day)

The North

Wales

65kgDM/ha/day (26.3kgDM/acre/day)

The South 78.5kgDM/ha/day (31.8kgDM/acre/day)

Grass growth Soil moisture (cb)

Soil temperature (degC) Rainfall (mm per week)

DAILY GROWTH FORECASTS

GRASS QUALITY

GrassCheckGB

Claire Tomlinson’s target is to sell 150 spring lambs before Easter.

Cross-bred tups are sourced from Macclesfield sheep farmer Paul Slater.

Mrs Tomlinson aims to keep around 120 of the best ewe lambs as replacements.

“I like ewes to be extreme and for the lambs to be small and muscly but with a small head, so we have few lambing problems,” she says.

Mrs Tomlinson plans to increase flock numbers to 400.

This year, she is also considering trialling CIDRs in 30 of the ewes that were weaned in April to see if she can get any lambs in October. These will then be grazed on stubble turnips, which would enable her to get three crops of lambs in just two years.

BULLETIN 10 Week beginning May 27

MANAGEMENT NOTES

n Recentgrassgrowthhasreturned closertoaverage,withgrowth expectedtostayat70kg-plusdry matter/hectare/day(29kg-plusDM/ acre/day)inthenextsevento14days

n Recentrainfallandtemperature acrossallregionshassustainedthis growthwhereadequateNisavailable n GrassMEhasdroppedslightly–keepclosewatchongrazingresiduals

toensurefeedqualityismaintained forsubsequentrounds n Maintainpaddockmeasurements toknowwhatgrassisavailable n Ifgrowthfallsbelowdemandin comingweeks,bereadytoadjust stockingrateorsupplementation, topreventaveragefarmcover droppingbelow2,100kgDM/ha/day (850kgDM/acre/day)

GROWTH RATES

A recent assessment has highlighted there is a very high risk of a bluetongue outbreak this summer.

On a recent AHDB webinar, industry experts discussed the current bluetongue situation in the UK and the outlook on vaccination. Katie Fallon reports.

rNetherlands vaccine critical to reduce virus

WITH midge populations now starting to breed again, the UK is out of the vector-free period for bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) and is at high risk of an outbreak this summer.

That was the message from Dr Rachael Tarlinton, associate professor of veterinary cellular microbiology and European diplomat in veterinary microbiology, at the University of Nottingham.

Looking back at last year’s outbreak, Dr Tarlinton added that as the weather turned colder, due to bluetongue being a midge-borne virus, the transmission of the virus dropped off and stopped. However, with temperatures rising, the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s most recent risk assessment highlighted there was a very high risk of an outbreak this summer.

Midge populations

Dr Tarlinton said: “We have not seen any more cases so far in the UK or in Europe, but we would not expect to until later in the summer, as cases

Risk of bluetongue outbreak in UK rises

generally start to become detectable as the midge populations build up.”

She said there was a great deal of uncertainty around when and where the outbreak would happen and how large it would be.

“What is clear is that if we are going to introduce control measures like we did last autumn, they will only be effective if the outbreak is picked up in early summer and is reasonably small,” she said.

Dr Tarlinton added that if a larger outbreak was picked up later into the summer months, it would effectively be ‘too late’ for control measures to have a positive impact.

When looking at the possibility of controlling the virus through vaccination, Dr Tarlinton said there were

now two vaccines available in the Netherlands, which vets had just started using after receiving emergency authorisation.

Unavailable in the UK

However, she said it was important to note these vaccines were currently not available in the UK.

She added: “The vaccines have not been through the registration process and assessment here in the UK. We have informally been told that at least one of the vaccine companies is planning to do this, but we do not know any more.

“Because of the time that process takes and the legalities, a vaccine is unlikely to be available in time to make a big difference in the UK this summer.

“But what is clear is that the size and intensity of a UK outbreak is dependent on the vaccination effort in the Netherlands and surrounding countries in early summer, because that is the best chance to keep the outbreak small in the UK, which is critical right now.”

Dr Tarlinton said that vaccination of cattle was particularly important, as even though clinical signs of the disease were worse in sheep, the host in which the virus spread most efficiently, and spread to and from midges, was cattle.

Therefore, to reduce the size of an outbreak and to stop the spread of the virus, the vaccination of cattle in the Netherlands was critically important.

Research into potential benefits of kelp

THE UK Agri-Tech Centre, in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, Algapelago and Harper Adams University, backed by Innovate UK, has announced the launch of the ‘low energy kelp’ project.

The 24-month project, called ‘Optimising low energy extraction of kelp for soil and livestock nutrition’, is set to receive a research grant to develop a novel two-stage extraction process that will produce

consistent, high-quality liquid biostimulant and an animal feed supplement from cultivated kelp. These products are intended to enhance soil and animal health while reducing reliance on chemical inputs.

Sustainable

Ross Robertson, UK Agri-Tech Centre farming technology specialist, says: “Cultivated kelp is a sustainable

and rich source of nutrients and bioactive compounds that benefit microbial communities, leading to healthier soil and livestock systems.”

He says the project will conduct kilo-scale laboratory trials, prototype system development and controlled field trials to test the efficacy of the products under environmental stressors.

In-vitro livestock trials conducted by Harper Adams University will

focus on the impact of seaweed supplements on rumen function and performance.

Rothamsted Research will lead plant trials focusing on how Algapelago’s seaweed biostimulant influences plant-soil interactions, under abiotic stresses of heat and drought. Luke Ansell, head of operations at Algapelago, says the project is a ‘pivotal step towards unlocking the potential of seaweed in agriculture’.

Welsh farmers urged to test to avoid BVD ‘perfect storm’

rTesting submissions data for 2024 of concern

By Katie Jones

INDUSTRY concerns over a lengthy BVD legislative transition phase in Wales appear warranted, according to BVD testing submissions data recorded by the Wales Veterinary Science Centre (WVSC).

Following the cessation of free youngstock blood testing under the Gwaredu BVD programme in 2022, industry representatives expressed concern that the onset of legislation should be expedited or gains made under the programme would be lost.

Despite such assertations, changes in larger farm policy areas have eclipsed such expedience and WVSC says current lack of momentum should therefore be of concern.

Dr Hazel Wright, WVSC centre manager, says: “According to data from WVSC, BVD submissions to the centre in 2024 were some 83 per cent less than the number of

THE Gwaredu BVD voluntary screening programme was available to all 11,000 Welsh cattle farms from 2017 to 2022.

As part of the programme, farmers were offered free BVD screening and support and guidance to ensure correct and quick identification of herds infected with BVD.

The Gwaredu BVD scheme saw more than 85 per cent of cattle herds in Wales screened for the disease before it came to an end in 2022.

submissions in the last year of the Gwaredu BVD scheme.

“Similarly, a comparison of sub-

Financial support was also available to conduct persistently infected (PI) hunts to identify any PI animals in infected herds.

More than 9,200 Welsh cattle farms engaged in the programme, with over 1,000 conducting PI hunts.

Funding for free youngstock screens and PI came to an end on December 31, 2022.

missions from January to April in 2023 with the same period in 2024 also show a significant decline of 33 per cent.”

The Gwaredu BVD scheme saw more than 85 per cent of cattle herds in Wales screened for the disease, with more than 1,000 persistently infected animals identified.

Antibodies

Dr Wright adds: “According to data obtained from Gwaredu BVD, at the end of the voluntary programme more than 2,000 farms tested were unable to demonstrate BVD negative antibodies and would have

been placed under restriction under a legislative framework.

“The lack of testing submissions to the WVSC during the current gap should be of significant concern to the industry, as there is currently no way of demonstrating how many farms would now be placed under restriction following the intervening two years of significantly reduced testing.

“WVSC is urging cattle keepers to continue surveillance testing for BVD. This will help avoid the perfect storm of a testing bottleneck at the onset of legislation and the proliferation of BVD within and between herds while we wait for legislation.”

SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast offers confidence

WHILE the cold, and quite often wet, weather in early spring made lambing harder work than usual in many parts of the UK, the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) Group says it also reduced the nematodirus threat to 2024-born lambs – something which has been demonstrated by the SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast.

Speaking on behalf of SCOPS, Moredun scientist Dr Dave Bartley says: “Nematodirus roundworms cause huge problems when a sudden hatch of nematodirus eggs, triggered by a sudden increase in temperature

after a cold spell, coincides with when young lambs start to drink less milk and take in lots of grazed grass instead.

“The weather in early spring this year means the hatch has been very gradual and many lambs have been able to build up natural immunity to nematodirus without needing to be treated.

“Anecdotal reports suggest fewer lambs have been treated for nematodirus this spring, which means producers have been able to save time and money, and also preserve the efficacy of white wormers.”

White wormers (group 1-BZ) are still largely effective against the nematodirus roundworm, despite there being widespread resistance to these products in other roundworm species.

Continued use of white wormers will reduce this efficacy over time, but reducing exposure will delay this for as long as possible, adds Dr Bartley.

He says: “The colour-coding on the SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast map allows farmers, vets and advisers to check on when the high risk period is for their flock and act accordingly.

“It is great to see people have been

using the free service again this year, rather than assuming it is a low-risk year or, conversely, assuming they should just treat lambs at the same time as they have in previous years.”

Not quite over

Rudolf Reichel, of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, another expert on the SCOPS Group, says the nematodirus risk is not quite over for 2024, and urges farmers with later-born lambs in upland and/or northern areas of the UK to keep an eye on the SCOPS Nematodirus Forecast.

About Gwaredu BVD

LIVESTOCK

Attention needs to be paid to cutting heights to help prevent soil contamination.

rImportant to store silage samples correctly

By Katie Jones

SILAGE analysis differs hugely between farms, but the way this information is used is also very varied, said Ken Stroud, of Volac, speaking at a recent forage forum webinar.

Mr Stroud said it was important to use a farm’s silage analysis report, in conjunction with visual assessments of silage, to inform decision-making about that season’s later silage cuts, but also when cutting again the following year.

He said: “Most farmers I speak to look at very few values on the silage analysis report. They usually will look at dry matter [DM], metabolisable energy, protein and maybe pH and sugars. But it is important we look deeper at the values so that improvements can be made in silage-making going forward.

“We need to utilise silage analysis to look back at what could have contributed to these values and what they can do next year to improve on things.”

He added the farmers who also

Using information from silage analysis

kept a record of dates of cutting, tedding and harvesting alongside details of weather conditions, plus applications of slurry and fertiliser, would have a better overall picture of why they were seeing silages analyse in a particular way.

However, he said the process of silage analysis started with making sure sampling was done correctly.

“This relies heavily on the sample arriving at the laboratory in the best possible condition and making sure that the sample is a true representation of that crop,” he said.

He advised farmers to think about where the various cuts were in the clamp when taking a sample and also to make sure each sample was double-bagged, with the air removed,

It is important we look deeper at the values [in silage analysis] so that improvements can be made in silage-making

KEN STROUD

and labelled immediately to stop samples being mixed up.

He said: “Keep samples in a cool bag with freezer blocks, or put it in the fridge until it can be posted.”

Mr Stroud said he aimed to take silage samples towards the end of the day so they could be posted that evening and he avoided sampling at the end of the week.

He also added it was important to combine the results of any silage analysis with a visual inspection of the crop.

When it came to individual values, Mr Stroud said DM was very variable due to the weather and while the target for clamped grass was about 30 per cent, he had seen silage going into pits at 40 per cent DM.

However, he added that he saw no point in chasing DM targets if it came at the expense of other valuable nutrients.

“The biggest mistake I see is overwilting. If conditions are right, we should be looking to cut and harvest within hours rather than days, and would not want more than 24 hours wilting time,” he said.

“I advise cutting in the morning after 10am and if the weather looks good I would rather see silage going into pit at 26 per cent DM on day one rather than chasing a 30 per cent DM target and losing other nutrients.”

Mr Stroud said he had seen ash content increase over recent years.

He said: “This measures the total

mineral content and is a good indicator of soil contamination.

“Uncontaminated grass would see levels of 5-8 per cent, so levels greater than 9 per cent indicate significant contamination leading to poorer fermentation.”

Contamination

If ash content is persistently high, Mr Stroud advised looking at cutting and tedding heights to reduce the risk of contamination, and to also consider the use of an inoculant to help improve fermentation.

He said: “The tedder rake is a great tool for reducing the amount of time needed to wilt grass, but it needs to be used carefully to avoid bringing soil into the crop.

“And also pay attention to the cutting height, which should not be lower than the last leaf node.”

Mr Stroud also added that farmers needed to ‘sit up and take notice’ of volatile fatty acids (VFAs).

He said: “This is a measure of the undesirable fermentation acids, mainly butyric and acetic acids. High values can indicate a poor fermentation, with the aim to produce as low a value as possible but certainly below 20.”

Mr Stroud said cutting and tedding heights could have an impact on these figures.

He added: “If VFAs are consistently high, then consider lighter cuts and a maximum wilting period of 24 hours.”

Trials diary

ENGLAND

June 1. PENNINE CIRCUIT, Cloughead, Grane Road, Haslingden, all open trials enter on field, for more information contact, Shirley Duckworth, tel: 07980 545 437. NORTHUMBERLAND LEAGUE, Grange charity morning trial, Open, 8am start, 28 pre-paid entries, £5 a run, sixth place judges afternoon trial, NE65 4PP, tel: 07751 276 513. June 1 and 2. ISLE OF WIGHT, Rowlands Farm, Havenstreet, PO33 4DE, please follow Facebook page and isleofwightsheepdogtrials.co.uk for details. NORTH WESTMORELAND SHEEPDOG SOCIETY, Open trial, Stephen Relph Charity Trials. CA11 0UR, what3words - drags.mixture.pape, 9am start, national-type course five sheep with collars, enter on field before 1pm, £7.50 per run. TRETHERN TRIAL, Trethern Farm, Delabole, PL33 9DA, entry on field, 9.30am start.

June 8. EUSTON, Euston Park, Euston, Thetford, IP24 2QH, Open and novice, trial organisers, Jack Haward, tel: 07825 291 569, Lucy Allison, tel: 07828 001 575, entry closed May 29, members, £7.50, non-members, £10, running orders will be

English results

TREGONY, (Judge T. Hopper), Open (28 ran)

1, J. Nicholls, Lil, 92; 2, J. Tucker, Sally, 87. 3, R. Hawke, Flame, 86; 4, D. Heard, Taff, 85; 5, R. Hawke, Chip, 81; 6, S. Greenaway, Tan, 73. (A. Hendy) Brace (3 ran) 1, T. Hopper, Pip and Fern; 2, V. Pitts, Brooke and Islie; 3, D. Survilla, Mia and Jack. Maltese Cross (L. Lock and L. Ireland) Open (12 ran) 1, J. Nicholls, Maud, 77OLF; 2, R. Hawke, Moe, 77; 3, W. Carter, Lad, 73. Novice, 1, J. Nicholls, Meg, 68; 2, A. Hendy, Spike, 59; 3, J. Nicholls, Lass, 49; 4, J. Tucker, Tess, 46. ROSELAND, (D. Cole) Open Driving (30 ran) 1, J. Watson, Floss, 83; 2, R. Hawke, Flame, 77; 3, J. Watson, Jock, 75; 4, J. Nicholls, Lil, 73; 5, J. Nicholls, Nell, 57; 6, R. Hawke, Chip, 56. Maltese Cross (T. Hopper) Open (20 ran) 1, J. Watson, Bill, 81; 2, J. Watson, Wren, 80; 3, J. Watson, Ed, 79; 4, J. Nicholls, Maud, 76; 5, D. Cole, Tan, 72.

available prior to trials and will be published on website, contact Sam, tel: 07531 145 447, or Kath, tel: 07786 605 419. DEVON AND EXMOOR

SHEEPDOG SOCIETY, Ralegh’s Cross Trial, by kind permission R. Cowling and family, adjacent to Ralegh’s Cross Inn, Ralegh’s Cross, Exmoor, what3words – bless.spooked.discussed, Open driving, novice driving, best young handler, Wellcome Foundation Driving Cup, Margaret and Ernie Duke Memorial Cup, Best OLF, fleece bowl, novice driving, open maltese cross, novice cross, new handler, young handler, DESS Perpetual Maltese Cross Cup, DESS Perpetual Cup, novice maltese cross, 9.30am, contact secretary, Julie Tucker, tel: 07970 033 813, or email, julie@ bearwoodfarm.co.uk.

June 8 and 9. LAUNDE ABBEY, Launde Road, Loddington, LE7 9XB, double gather championship, entry full pending payment, reserve list in operation, contact Nij Vyas, tel: 07530 439 561, or email nij@ sheepdog-training.co.uk, free entry for spectators, donations welcome. NORTH WESTMORELAND SHEEPDOG SOCIETY, Stephen Relph charity trials.

Novice, 1, D. Cole, Juno, 81; 2, R. Edwards, Penny, 79; 3, D. Cole, Jasper, 77; 4, J. Tucker, Tess, 67; 5, J. Watson, Don, 60; 6, A. Hendy, Spike, 51. HOLMROOK, (E. Hill) Open (37 ran) 1, J. Harrison (Keasden) Scott, 91 of 100; 2, A. Parker (Downham) Sid, 90 OLF; 3, J. Harrison, Jill, 90; 4, G. Miller (Penruddock) Valmis Pik, 89 OLF; 5, N. Westgarth (Askham) Jim, 89; 6, D. Scrimgeour (Wigton) Sweep, 88. CROOKHILL, (Dan Purtil) Open (43 ran) 1, Alex Wilkinson, Pip, 86; 2, Jim Alton, Will, 82; 3, Alex Wilkinson, Liz, 80; 4, Jim Alton, Bob, 79; 5, James Mellor, Fan, 76; 6, Steven Allen, Max, 74. (N. Denniff) Open (25 ran) 1, D. Wood, Jon, 82; 2, R. Saxon, Don, 78; 3, J. Alton, Will, 73; 4, T. Bennett, Strike, 68; 5, T. Bennett, Bell, 67; 6, P. Johnson, Sooty, 65OLF. PENNINE CIRCUIT, (Steven Ledgar) (85 ran) 1, Leighton Bancroft, Branshaw Sol, 93; 2, Peter Wood, Bella, 90; 3, Tarcio Michelon,

WORKING DOGS

CA11 0UR, what3words - drags.mixture.pape, 9am start, open trial national-type course five sheep with collars, enter on field before 1pm, £7.50 per run.

June 9. ROMNEY MARSH, Open, novice and starter, 9am start, Liz Lauder RM secretary, Lynsted.

SCOTLAND

June 1. GREAT GLEN SHEEPDOG TRIAL, Achindaul Farm, Spean Bridge, PH34 4EX, first 60 paid entries at £7 per dog to Linda Campbell, Dykelands, Camaghael, Fort William, PH33 7NF. CARSPHAIRN SHOW SHEEPDOG TRIAL, Field at the Crofts, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, DG7 3TQ, 8am start, entries on the field, no double dogs after 1pm, confined first to third prizes for runners from the parishes of Carsphairn, Dalry, Kells, Dalmellington and Balmaclellan, young handler prize and ISDS rosette, refreshments on the field, enquires to Jim White, tel: 07765 160 309.

June 2. PEEBLES SHEEPDOG TRIAL, Hamilton Hall, EH46 7DB, 8am start, entry on field, for further information contact Davie Wallace, tel: 07788 998 196. June 8. HUNTERSTON, Hunterston Estate, West

Bigu, 89; 4, Con McGarry, Dave, 85; 5, Eckhard Siever, Dell, 84 OLFD; 6, David Wood, Polly, 84. (Chloe Cropper) (115 ran) 1, Tarcio Michelon, Bigu, 93; 2, Carol Mellin, Ben, 92; 3, Tim Thewissen, Finn, 91; 4, Hendrik Kinker, 90; 5, Con McGarry, Mirk, 87 OLF. TRAWDEN SPRING, (Tarcio Michelon) Open (43 ran) 1, Robbie Taylor, Tess, 89 OLF; 2, Meg Hutchinson, Prescili Jet, 89; 3, Michael Longton, Rootenbrook Max, 88; 4, Sam Hey, Shadwell Ash, 87 OLFD; 5, Stephen Duckworth, Fleet, 87 OLF; 6, Robin Dean, Ruby, 87.

ROSELAND, 1, D. Cole, Juno, 81; 2, R. Edwards, Penny, 79; 3, D. Cole, Jasper, 77; 4, J. Tucker, Tess, 67; 5, J. Watson, Don, 60; 6, A. Hendy, Spike, 51. CASTLE VIEW, (Tom Weston) (28 ran) 1, Jonny Elkin, Kemi Bert, 83; 2, Alex Wilkinson, Liz, 82 OLF; 3, Alex Wilkinson, Pip, 82; 4, Jessica Wiemans, Suus, 80 OLF; 5, Jonny Elkin, Elan Valley Sally, 80; 6, Simon Cottrell, Lace, 79.

Kilbride, KA23 9QF, enter on field, 8am start. £6 per dog, catering on field, for further information, contact Bobby Howatson, 079475 32993.

June 8 and 9. MONYMUSK AND BENNACHIE TRIALS, Damseat, Dunecht, AB32 7DR, 8am start, catering on field, entry for both trials to Mags Wilkie, tel: 07882 986 556, first 50 paid dogs, £6 per dog.

WALES

June 1. NORTH WALES SHEEPDOG SOCIETY AFFILIATED SOCIETIES TRIALS, Open,Ruthin, LL152AL,8am,contact:07799444773.

June 2. LLANARTHNE,Llanarthne,Carmarthen, SA328HN,7amstart,Opennationalwithtopthree fromeachsessionqualifyingforadoublefetchfinal, contactMeirionOwen,07779600112,entryclosed.

June 4. GRIFFIN LLOYD, Knighton,LD78LG,Open national,twosessions,7.30amstart,contactKarin Haker,tel:07400608952,enteronfield.

June 15. LLANRHAEADR (NWSDS),Llanrhaeadr, LL164NL,8amstart,contact:07767482390.

TRYINGHAM ARMS, (Frank Richards) (48 ran) 1. Ray Edwards, Astra Gale, 87; 2. Ray Edwards, Kelly, 85; 3. Ray Edwards, Smithymoor Tan, 83; 4. Julian Mills, Milly, 78OLF; 5. Daniel Heard, Taff, 78; 6. Sophie Mills, Beti, 76. (T. Hopper) Maltese Cross (16 ran) Open. 1. J. Nicholls, Maud, 62; 2. W. Carter, Lad, 53; 3. R Edwards, Corries Nap, 52; 4. F. Richards, Bee, 51. Novice. 1. C. Worgan, Mouse, 69; 2. S. Short, Fever, 47; 3. R. Edwards, Penny, 45; 4. W. Carter, Frank, 35. New Handler. 1. A. Beard, Mae, 42. WEST ROSE, (David Cole) 1. Ray Edwards, Kelly, 80; 2. Jim Nicholls, Lil, 73TOLF; 3. Carol Worgan, Terry, 73; 4. Ray Edwards, Astra Gale, 71; 5. Carol Worgan, Black Jack, 63; 6. Sophie Mills, Beti, 6. Maltese Cross Novice (14 ran) 1. D. Cole, Juno, 84; 2. D. Cole, Jasper, 83; 3. J. Nicholls, Meg, 81.5; 4. J. Tucker, Tess, 78. Open J. Nicholls, Maud, 80; 2. D. Cole, Tan, 79; 3. W. Carter, Lad, 60.

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

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

Included in your membership:

Insight – Quarterly, in-depth, analytical reports into the latest agricultural trends. Recent topics include, diversification and low carbon agriculture Exchange – A series of digital events focused on learning from real case studies and exchanging knowledge with agricultural thought leaders Weekly Digest email – From the desk of FG’s editor every Sunday morning, discover exclusive insights which impact the business of profitable farming Members’ Lounge – Enjoy an exclusive space for members to network at leading events, such as LAMMA, CropTec and Farm Business Innovation.

Visitors gathered around the livestock rings at this year’s Northumberland County Show for a day of friendly competition. Katie Fallon reports.

Hereford reigns champion in Northumberland beef rings

rHolstein winner tops dairy categories

IT was the Hereford and native champion, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks Ks R12, a six-year-old bull from Thomas and Diane Harrison, Stocksfield, which took the top spot in the beef rings at this year’s Northumberland County Show.

The home-bred bull was inter-breed beef champion at the Royal Highland Show and Devon County Show in 2021

and reserve inter-breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show that same year.

By the stock bull SMH Kingsize 87K, which was previously the Hereford Cattle Society’s sire of the year, the champion’s semen rights have recently been sold into the US, with calves now on the ground in Texas and Ohio.

Standing reserve was the Limousin and continental champion, Whinfellpark Primadonna, a four-year-old cow from the team at A.W. Jenkinson Farms, Penrith.

By the 50,000gns Wilodge Cerberus, which has bred bulls to 65,000gns, the champion was shown with its October 2023-born bull calf at foot, Whinfellpark Ubelter, a son of the 180,000gns Graiggoch Rambo.

Royal Highland

Only its first time out, Primadonna will be heading to the Royal Highland Show next month.

The Aberdeen-Angus champion, Oakmoor Princess Caroline, claimed the native beef reserve championship.

From Thor Atkinson and team, Ulverston, the three-year-old cow was shown with its January-born heifer calf at foot, Arradfoot Princess Caroline.

The champion was bought privately from the Yorkshire-based Oakmoor herd last year and is heading to Royal Cornwall Show next.

The any other continental breed champion, Kaimburn Raquel, a Salers cow from Lewis Ralston, Jedburgh, stood reserve continental champion.

Shown with its three-month-old

Inter-breed beef, Hereford and native champion, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks Ks R12, from Thomas and Diane Harrison, Stocksfield.

Reserve native beef and Aberdeen-Angus champion, Oakmoor Princess Caroline, from Thor Atkinson, Ulverston.

Reserve inter-breed beef, Limousin and continental champion, Whinfellpark Primadonna, from A.W. Jenkinson Farms, Penrith.

Reserve continental beef and any other continental champion, Kaimburn Raquel, a Salers cow from Lewis Ralston, Jedburgh.

bull calf at foot, Jedforest Unbeatable, the cow is full sister to Kaimburn Precious, which was breed champion at the Royal Highland Show in 2022.

Only its first time out, the cow and calf outfit will be heading to the Royal Highland Show and Great Yorkshire Show later this year.

Champion in the British Blue section was Top Side Snowy, an in-calf heifer from Ross Pattinson, Brampton.

The September 2022-born heifer was also reserve overall champion at last year’s Agri-Expo and is full brother to the 10,000gns Top Side Seth Lad.

Next shows

The heifer resides with the Pattinson family’s 50-head herd of pedigree British Blues and will be heading to the Royal Highland Show and Great Yorkshire Show this summer. In the dairy rings it was the Holstein champion, Hailstone Lighthouse Sheila, a third calver from Mark and Diane Wilson, Appleby, which took the overall sash.

Judge Will Horsley, Penrith, said his champion was a ‘tremendously framed Holstein cow’.

Last calved in February, it was shown giving 55 litres daily and previously took home the Holstein championship at last year’s show,

as well as reserve champion at last year’s Cumberland Show.

Out of Hailstone Goldfish Stella, the champion will also be heading to this year’s Cumberland Show and Great Yorkshire Show.

Standing reserve was the any other breed champion, Kedar Faust Hazelle, a Brown Swiss third calver from Jonny Lochhead and Jessica Miller and family, Dumfries.

Last calved in January and shown giving 35 litres daily, the judge said his reserve champion was a ‘stunning example of a Brown Swiss cow’.

The home-bred cow was second in its class at this year’s Dairy Expo, with its dam, grand dam and full sister all previously national champions at UK Dairy Day.

It was a Charollais gimmer from Jonny Aiken, Penrith, which claimed the supreme championship in the sheep section.

The home-bred gimmer, Carnew Beyonce, won its class at last year’s Northumberland County Show as a ewe lamb, and forms part of Mr Aiken’s flock of 10 pedigree Charollais ewes.

Its sire, a ram bred by Emyr Hughes of the Pembrokeshire-based Bronwydd Charollais flock, was also first in its class at the show. The champion will be heading to the Royal Highland Show and Great Yorkshire Show next.

Inter-breed sheep and continental champion, a Charollais gimmer from Jonny Aiken, Penrith.

Reserve was a Suffolk gimmer shearling from Rodger Keith Denby and family, Longtown. By Carnforth Cavani, the champion’s grand dam was bought for 5,400gns as a ewe lamb

Results Beef

Inter-breed (Judge, A. Owen, Powys) Supreme and native, T. and D. Harrison, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks Ks R12 (Hereford); reserve and continental, A.W. Jenkinson Farms, Whinfellpark Primadonna (Limousin); res. native, T. Atkinson, Oakmoor Princess Caroline (Aberdeen-Angus); res. continental, L. Ralston, Kaimburn Raquel (Salers). Limousin (K. Suddes, Cornsay) Sup. and female, A.W. Jenkinson Farms, Whinfellpark Primadonna; res. and res. fem., J.M. and S.M. Priestley, Brontemoor Tropipop; male, A.W. Jenkinson Farms, Whinfellpark Upperclass; res. male, J.C. Johnson, Almande Ubett. British Blue (B. Morgan, Herefordshire) Sup. and fem., R. Pattinson, Top Side Snowy; res. and res. fem., J. Crowther, Making Place Tequila Rose; male, Ross Pattinson, Top Side Too Lucky. Longhorn (G. Towers, Northampton) Sup. and fem., J.M. Grant and P.A. McDonnell, Longbridge Velvet; res. and male, J.M. Grant and P.A. McDonnell, Longbridge Whistler; res. fem., D.R. Walker, Newton Good Girl Gonebad; res. male., D.R. Walker, Aberdeen Xscalaber.

Highland (A. Telford, Berwickshire) Sup. and male, T. Halford, Eion Mhor of Lyntown; res. and fem., S. and E. Haley, Fionnghal 3rd Of Culloden; res. fem., T. Halford, Roxanne 2nd of Culloden; res. male, G. Braines, Macsaul of West Edmondsley. Hereford (J. Downbiggin) Sup. and male, T. and D. Harrison, Moralee 1 Rebel Kicks Ks R12; res. and res. male, L. Jackson-Carr, Jc 1 Austin; fem., T. and D. Harrison, Moralee Kylie Pr294; res. fem., T. and D. Harrison, Moralee 1 Sparkles Pr285. Aberdeen-Angus (D. Allen, Alnwick) Sup. and fem., T. Atkinson, Oakmoor Princess Caroline; res. and res. fem., A. Hodge, Rulesmains Rosebud Z7792; male, A. Hodge, Rulesmains Pedro Z819; res. male, T. Slater, Oakmoor Boss.

Commercial (S.E. Roberts, Denbigh) Sup., N. Slack, Westmorland Warrior; res., M. Beresford, Lion King. Any other continental (B. Morgan) Sup. and fem., L.

from the Devon-based Roundacre flock. The champion forms part of the Denby family’s flock of 60 pedigree Suffolk breeding ewes, which they have established over the last 45 years.

Ralston, Kaimburn Raquel (Salers); res. and res. fem., T. Atkinson, Brownhill Netta (British Blonde); male, P. Burgess, Nilbrook Natty (Simmental); res. male, L. Ralston, Kaimburn Transformer (Salers).

Dairy

Inter-breed (W. Horsley, Penrith) Sup, M. and D. Wilson, Hailstone Lighthouse Sheila (Holstein); res., T. Lochhead and Sons, Kedar Faust Hazelle (Brown Swiss).

Holstein (W. Horsley) Sup., M. and D. Wilson, Hailstone Lighthouse Sheila; res., J. and A. Wilson, Knowlesmere TT Jeordie Dream Red.

Any other breed (D. Horsley, Penrith) Sup., T. Lochhead and Sons, Kedar Faust Hazelle (Brown Swiss); res., G.G. Baynes, Morwick Peggy 126 (Ayrshire).

Sheep

Inter-breed (G. Walton, Bardon Mill) Sup., J. Aiken (Charollais); res., R.K. Denby (Suffolk).

MV-accredited Texel (S. Renwick, Peebles) Sup. and female, J. and J. Aiken; res. and male, J. and S. Wilkinson; res. fem, J. and S. Wilkinson; res. Male, J. and J. Aiken. Non MV-accredited Texel (A. Clark, Morpeth) Sup. and male, K. Young; res. and res. male E. Moralee; fem., O. Henderson; res. fem., K. Young. Primitive (D. Bull, Annan) Sup. and res., L. Whyte (Shetland). Native (E. Medway, Harrogate) Sup., H. Clough (Hampshire Down); res., P. and L. Murray. Rare breed (D. Bull) Sup., S. Tyson (Teeswater); res., A. Playfair. Zwartbles (D. Miskelly, Alford) Sup., A. Thorburn; res., P. and S. Addison. Continental (J.W. Stables, Durham) Sup., J. Aiken (Charollais); res., J. Aiken (Charollais).

Suffolk (M. Walton, Bardon Mill) Sup. and fem., R.K. Denby; res. and male, R.K. Denby; res. fem., R.K. Denby; res. male, R.K. Denby.

Reserve inter-breed sheep and Suffolk champion, a gimmer shearling from Rodger Keith Denby, Longtown.

Inter-breed dairy and Holstein champion, Hailstone Lighthouse Sheila, from Mark and Diane Wilson, Appleby.

Reserve inter-breed dairy and any other breed champion, Kedar Faust Hazelle, a Brown Swiss cow, from Jonny Lochhead, Dumfries.

MARKET PRICES PRIMESTOCK

SCOTLAND

ENGLAND

Source: LAA/MartEye

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

THERE was a drop in sheep and cattle prices at auction marts in England and Wales this week, despite an increase in the pig pens.

The value of sheep reduced by 16.6p/kg to 368p/kg.

For cattle, steers dropped in value by 8.3p/kg to 261.6p/kg and young bulls decreased in price by 5p/kg to 254.3p/kg.

Dairy-sired cull cows also declined by 3.6p/kg to 159.1p/kg, and heifers took a downturn in price by 0.5p/kg to 273.8p/kg.

All pig categories increased this week, with cutter prices growing the most by 5.5p/kg to 191.1p/kg.

As Farmers Guardian went to press on Wednesday (May 29) UK LIFFE wheat prices for Nov 2024 were trading at £221.50/tonne, a decrease of £1.00/t from the previous week.

LIVESTOCK AVERAGES

Source: MartEye/LAA

MARKET PRICES

DEADWEIGHT CATTLE

STORE SHEEP ENGLAND

DEADWEIGHT SHEEP

Deadweight sheep prices are collected from a sample of GB abattoirs. The sample accounts for about one-third of deadweight sales;

DEADWEIGHT 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)

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.

FIELD PEAS/BEANS

Source: Townsend Chartered Surveyors

UK DELIVERED WHEAT PRICES

Wednesday, May 29, 2024.

AND STRAW: REGIONS

Last updated May 28, 2024

Source: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

NATIONAL STRAIGHTS PRICES

MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE

Having established a thriving raw milk and meat box business, Lancashire farmers Emma Robinson and Ian O’Reilly have taken the farm to the next level with their eco restaurant. Emily Ashworth pays them a visit.

Farm-to-table restaurant connects people back to food

How to participate

#FarmingCAN is a consumerfacing campaign which aims to showcase the value of agriculture to the public.

TAKING PART If you want to take part and share farming’s story, visit farmersguardian.com/FarmingCAN

THERE is something quite magical about Gazegill Farm.

Sat in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, it is almost like stepping into a storybook – piglets running free, meadows of wildflowers and the sound of birdsong.

rGazegill Farm aims to always put nature first Hearing people enjoy it and talk about the food and the views; it is a very proud moment

However, if you walk through the yard and round the corner, nestled by the farm’s pastures is Eight at Gazegill, Emma Robinson’s and Ian O’Reilly’s new sustainable restaurant venture.

Looking out over the 81 hectares (200 acres) of land, there is no place more tranquil to enjoy a meal, all of which are made from on-farm ingredients.

Eight completes the couple’s business model, having built up a successful raw milk, butchery and meat box business over the years, all based on Emma and Ian’s passion for nature-friendly food and a holistic approach to farming.

It is this aspect, they say, that customers love.

And it is not just simply a marketing strategy; this is more of a belief for the husband-and-wife team.

The farm has been in Emma’s family for centuries – bloodlines, she is sure, go back to 1580.

She was passionate about taking the farm on from her parents, and part of Gazegill’s success is found in her determination to secure its story for the future.

She says: “I have always been at Gazegill. It was just a normal farm that had lost investment. Older siblings had left and they did

IAN O’REILLY

not want to take over and I was not going to let the farm go out on me.”

Ian’s story is, however, the complete opposite.

Having grown up in central London, he joined the army.

“When I left the army I stayed in Germany, but I decided it was time to do something and came back to the UK,” he says.

“I hated London and had friends in Lancashire. I came to visit, met Emma when she was in the pub collecting money for pork and settled – be careful what you buy in a pub.”

Mission

The couple are very much aligned in their views and mission: putting nature first and connecting people back to their food.

Gazegill has always been dairy, but Emma’s mum also introduced pigs. Their journey began when they started doing farmers markets, resulting in them installing a cutting room.

“Dairy farmers of Britain then went ‘bump’ and we put our bottling line in,” says Emma.

“We owed it to the cows to keep it going.”

They found success in raw milk – a product which has grown in popularity over the years, especially as health advocates promote its benefits on platforms like social media. Gazegill has racked up more than 10,000 followers on Instagram and the couple believes there is a huge market in the health space for farmers.

“We had to find a retail home for the quarter-of-million litres of milk a year,” says Ian.

“Raw milk seemed to be the way to go; 10 years ago, one-million litres of it was sold in the UK – now it is 8m and there is a massive following.”

Milking 85 Dairy Shorthorns, the cows are – Emma jokes – part of the family. The couple bottles and processes everything themselves.

About 750 to 1,000 boxes of goods go out per week and the on-site shop and butchery are key attractions.

People like coming to the farm and ‘can see the animals running around’.

The other thing customers enjoy is the couple’s commitment to nature; they are keen to showcase that you can farm in a nature-first way and make it work for your business.

Emma says: “It has rained and rained, and we have not got in to roll or muck-spread, but the curlews have come in and nested so we cannot go in – they were here first.”

The fields are biological heritage sites because there are so many different species of flowers in them, but this all harks back to Emma’s dad who, they say, ‘stood firm in the 1950s and said: I am not making silage grass’.

“He liked nature and birds and meadows, and they have been passed

to me. That is what customers love now,” adds Emma.

Education

Educating customers about the connection between food and health is important to them, and they saw a rise in interest during Covid-19. Sales have not dropped since – they have an 81 per cent customer retention rate.

Ian says: “We never used to eat meat three times a day, seven days a week. The food budget is the one that gets squeezed the most.”

Their business model also heavily focuses on using producers across the country who share the same farming principles.

They work with 35 small family farms who, they say, would otherwise be taking market price.

Ian says: “When we asked what they wanted per head, they were surprised and asked: ‘What can you give me?’ It is about us paying a fair price so they can make a profit and be here the next year to supply us further.”

The restaurant is the last piece of the puzzle – and after only 11 weeks, the team has already won the Innovation Award at the recent Ribble Valley Tourism Awards.

They are soon to be the first off-grid restaurant in the UK, and about to sign off on 231kW solar panels to add to the wind turbines.

The idea for the restaurant came from seeing the leftover meat from the farmers’ markets. They have always had a desire to put food from the farm, on a plate, on-farm.

Teamwork

For just 81ha (200 acres), they have 27 members of staff working throughout their enterprises – and the nice part of this is that they are all connected.

Emma says: “The chefs hang out in the butcher’s shop and ask: ‘Right, what can we use?’

“They do not decide what is on

Partners Supporters

the menu; they look at what is available.

“Wild garlic, edible flowers – all seasonal. Chipolatas from our pigs with wild garlic and honey from our bees.”

Of course, the farm is the epicentre of this. Everything works around it, with a focus on the soil.

The circular business model starts with the soil, which is helped through grazed cattle and managed ‘sensitively’, with produce then ending up either on a plate in the restaurant or in a box or bottle. This business model is strongly bought into by customers.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Visit the FG YouTube channel to watch the full video and see the restaurant.

Emma says she has proved to everyone that it can be done – along with Ian she has secured the farm’s future and made it a destination in the local area.

As for Ian, he is a long way from London and life in the army.

“I never in a million years thought I would be doing this,” he says.

“Hearing people enjoy it and talk about the food and the views; it is a very proud moment.”

FIND OUT MORE

To find out more about #FarmingCAN, visit farmersguardian.com/FarmingCAN

Emma Robinson and Ian O’Reilly.

IN YOUR FIELD

Every week we follow the ups and downs of farmers around the UK

IAN GARNETT

Cheshire

Ian farms in partnership with his family near Knutsford, Cheshire. They manage 700 commercial pedigree Holstein/Friesians on 445 hectares (1,100 acres). Replacements are homereared and cows are on a composite system. Ian is a representative for Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group and sits on the AHDB Genetics Advisory Forum.

The month of May finally brought with it some breaks in the weather. The opportunity to then empty, or at least start emptying, lagoons, start working maize ground and to get in the first cut silage has been a terrific boost for us all.

That said, conditions have not been a walk in the park and I have had my 45-plus year knowledge of all the tricky patches of the fields thoroughly tested.

Energy

Good, well-maintained equipment and the brilliant team here at home with their bucket loads of energy, combined with good relationships with neighbouring farmers has got us to a point where maize is now sown, pre-emergence sprayed, silaging finished and pumping is back in full swing.

Grazing ground has had two applications of nitrogen. This year we have decided to apply fertiliser in slightly larger quantities and less often, basically trying to capitalise on relatively recent spring growth.

A recent family day out to Knowsley

‘It was so good to see the young people in our area so interested in farming’

Safari Park not only provided a welcome afternoon off the farm, but also a glimpse of crops growing in Merseyside which looked really well and left me hoping this would manifest as reasonable straw supplies this coming winter.

On seeing the ability of the baboons to rapidly strip a car of its windscreen wipers, aerial and, in some cases, wing mirrors in such a well-organised ambush, it has served as a timely reminder to get things put away and locked up each night.

Calf rearing has been relatively

steady over the years, but the Schmallenberg virus has had an impact here in Cheshire of late.

I am told by the local vet that the wave of infected midges should have ‘basically infected the national herd by now’ throughout last summer, so national herd immunity should be established.

That said, I believe in local sheep flocks and dairy cows the impact has been noticeable. We too have not been immune from the difficulties, although I am advised that from now on the problems should begin to pass.

Turbulent world of climate change attribution

LAST week brought the tragic story of a Singapore Airlines flight which hit severe turbulence on a journey from London to Singapore.

The result of sudden turbulence was the death of one passenger and serious injuries caused to others.

To hit turbulence of such severity is rare and for it to cause injury is even rarer. However, within moments of the story being first reported, the media started to fill with stories of how turbulence can be expected to get worse given climate change.

This is one of those facets of the climate change story on which it is almost impossible to provide

an opinion. With turbulence in the atmosphere so poorly understood, the baseline to which we work to assess whether it is getting better or worse is opaque.

Turbulence is not the only area of weather in which claims can be made about things ‘getting worse’ with little evidence to back up the statement.

I see this as part of a wider problem of research and how to assess how useful the outcomes of such research are.

As for turbulence, the theory is that global warming is uneven and so some places warm quicker than others. This results in an increased

risk of ‘air pockets’, which are known as clear air turbulence, or CAT.

CAT is often associated with jet streams and changes in jet stream behaviour are predicted to have an influence on the weather on our farms.

Aircraft seek to avoid CAT due to the uncomfortable ride for passengers and the potential danger to airframes. A paper was published in July 2023 based on research from scientists at the University of Reading which showed an increase in moderate CAT in Europe and the USA in the past four decades. Attributing this increase to climate change is another leap into the unknown.

Among it all, we hosted a local Young Farmers stockjudging evening. It was so good to see the young people in our area so interested in farming, with some really talented people coming through the ranks and some excellent cakes provided too.

Finally, a thoroughly well-deserved congratulations to my Dad, Tony Garnett, who is to be president of the Royal Cheshire Show this year. It is a fitting accolade to someone who, while busy farming, has given so much to helping the show become the spectacle it is today.

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

NEXT WEEK

Cumbria James Robinson

Yorkshire Helen Stanier

‘We need to normalise talking about our problems’

KATE BEAVAN

Monmouthshire

Kate farms alongside her husband Jim on their farm near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Farming 122 hectares (300 acres), the main enterprise consists of 800 breeding ewes and cider made on-site from their orchards. She is a mum of two, runs Kate’s Country School on-farm and is the woodland creation officer for Stump Up For Trees.

Shearing season has started and the yearlings came out of the wool well. Jim has been shearing the singles, but the twins are not ready. The weather this winter has taken its toll on ewes carrying twins. We have drenched for nematodirus, multivitamined and clicked the

lambs. When we crutched the ewes, it was surprising to see there were some grubs about.

At long last, the 12 hectares (30 acres) of grass seed is in. There are still wet patches in the fields, but the seed went in well, just a bit knobbly in places where damp. It then rained overnight, lovely job. Jim is smiling. He can now shut the gate and forget about it for a while.

Hay

It is still May as I write and it is raining (what a surprise). Trev (Jim’s dad) has always said a wet May is a full bay, so fingers crossed we have the weather to make some hay. The hay meadows have been turned off.

A local bridge on Offa’s Dyke is down causing diversions through the farm and lack of signage is causing walkers to go astray.

Lost walkers we can cope with, but leaving gates open is causing a lot of swearing, mix-ups of ewes and lambs and additional workload.

On a positive note, our campsite and B&B is doing well. The honesty cider bar is very popular and, so far, people have been very honest.

Last week we had a local regiment staying. They were walking/running Offa’s Dyke (177 miles) over five days, 35 miles a day, raising money and awareness for an amazing charity.

The Hoplite Fund supports serving members, dependants and ex-members of the regiment. We do meet some interesting people.

The transition in Wales from the Basic Payment Scheme to the Sustainable Farming Scheme has been delayed until 2026 following a statement from the new Cabinet Secretary for

CROSSWORD 1247

Rural Affairs and Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies.

It is the right thing to do as it is not ready, but someone should take responsibility for the delay and recognise the uncertainty and negative impact it is having on farmers.

It can be difficult finding a healthy work-life balance on the farm that allows for us to look after ourselves while operating the business.

As an industry, we need to normalise talking about our problems, taking time out and not feeling guilty about it when we do. Please talk, keep an eye out for each other and be kind. There are many organisations offering free and confidential support.

Sendinyourcorrectentriestobeinwithachanceofwinning£20worthof Love2shopvoucherseverymonth.Sendto:CrosswordNo.1247,FarmersGuardian, Unit4,FulwoodBusinessPark,CaxtonRoad,Fulwood,Preston,PR29NZ.

ACROSS

7 Biblical prophet in South Africa gets savoury pastry (6)

8 State department judge ensnaring a user wrongly (8)

9 Sadly lad married a common butterfly (3,7)

10 What H C Andersen’s miserable little duckling was (4)

11 Still one abominable creature (4)

12 Glass plant enclosure’s home given an environmental thumbs up maybe (10)

13 New style reinventing, stepping in to change the outcome (11)

18 Very, say, base sets of figures for plants used as food (10)

21 Grand quiet and soft feeling of warmth (4)

22 Impressive European Parliament I essentially elected (4)

23 Swirling in and out in flooding (10)

24 Place king or queen in carefully planned move (3,5)

25 Select soft and sticky toffees, we’re told (6)

DOWN

1 Make hand signal and permit small water surge (7)

2 Ingeniously to ration ordered succession of crops (8)

3 This publication could make gal mad (3,3)

4 Sheets and pillowcases lined back to front in Scottish mountain (3,5)

5 Souped up sham (6)

6 Simple fool swallowing empty rot and lies regularly (7)

8 Large bird of prey, Thanksgiving bird and an American buzzard (6,7)

14 Former lover a pit worker and inspector (8)

15 Denial for example in a set of people (8)

16 River pressure to observe, it’s said, where water maybe ultimately goes (4-3)

17 Thus catalogue includes ordinary performer who plays alone (7)

19 Flee edges of enormous headland (6)

20 Wrongly used Council of Europe to lure away from proper conduct (6)

Answers to crossword 1245: Across: 6 Devonshire cream, 9 Muesli, 10 Coracle, 11 Patronised, 13 Rail, 14 Earth, 15 Scuba, 19 Yeti, 20 Rotisserie, 21 Annular, 22 Unkept, 23 World shattering. Down: 1 Refusal, 2 Asti, 3 Viscose, 4 Reproduces, 5 Take aim, 7 Observational, 8 Recordbreaker, 12 Naturalise, 16 Hexagon, 17 Eternal, 18 Timpani, 22 Unto.

FARMING MATTERS

Forthright opinions from throughout the world of agriculture

‘Government sees food security as a fantasy spectre’

There are times when you wonder what you are doing it all for. I guess that is natural in any business, but I think there is currently increased pressure because we appear to be in a muddle of conflicting policies and additional challenges posed by the weather.

The signals from the market are clear: consumers have been squeezed by low growth; wages are increasing by 6 per cent; interest rates are at a 20-year high; food bank use has increased to 7.2 million families; and scurvy levels have increased fourfold from 12 years ago to 10,000 hospital admissions a year. It is hard to wrap your head around; in an economy as big as ours, we are seeing empty veg counters and

increasing malnutrition. There are lots of people who need cheaper food and better diets.

At the same time, we have had the wettest spell in the UK since 1836, impacting our ability to sow. Some crops have failed; in some areas, crops have not been planted; in others there has been a delay; some planned crops have been changed to alternatives due the lack of availability of seed.

I know we have never grown spring triticale before. We will see how it goes, but I wish we had sown the planned winter wheat.

Reduced planting will no doubt have a negative impact on availability of supply, which will necessitate an increase in imports from countries which are also experiencing wet weather events with increasing fre-

PHIL LATHAM

Dairy farmer and equestrian centre owner, Cheshire

quency. Feed prices will no doubt have to increase on the back of this.

Perhaps the political imperative to meet the economic challenge consumers face is why deployment of border controls from the EU has been so slow. Border controls into the EU were adopted immediately after Brexit because that is what choosing to be a third-party country means –you are outside the free trading area.

Imports

We have effectively imposed export sanctions on ourselves and increased the costs to export to the EU – an odd choice, some might think. We have now partially chosen to reciprocate, but only a tiny percentage of goods will be scrutinised. So, while the Government is adding cost to food imports and uncertainty for importers, they are only providing an illusion of the biosecurity protection we need.

The demand for cheap food in the face of the politics and weather is further compounded with a resurgent demand for investment in the environment from UK food producers.

To help, the Government has rolled out the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, as commoditized food markets do not reward the investment required. Farmers I meet love their environment and are rightly proud of the mosaic our farming activity creates.

The thing is, the activity must be

profitable. We are not deliberately creating a wonderful landscape for those dwelling in barn conversions to admire before their commute to work; it is a consequence of profitable food production. There is a clear and understated tension between production and environmental investment.

Perhaps this has led to the emergence of ‘regenerative’ farming. This is a vague branding term, poorly defined, and loosely appropriated by arable farmers with a guilty conscience who have not been farming like livestock farmers and putting nutrients back as they have no farmyard manure of their own, and so have neglected their soil.

In summary, we are being asked to compete with global commodity imports produced to a lower cost of production while reversing the trend of a decline in biodiversity, with less support, self-imposed export restrictions, arbitrary import protections, a population that is skint and a Government that sees food security as a fantasy spectre presented by farmers seeking protection. Is it any wonder there are mental health issues in our industry?

Border controls into the EU were adopted immediately after Brexit, says Phil Latham.