Farmers Journal Scotland | July 14th

FARMERS JOURNAL Scotland

15 July 2017 Vol 1 No 7 | £3.10

12 Farm Profit Programme

More grass when it is really needed With second-cut wrapped up at Arnage, the focus returns to stock

Direct payments safe until 2022 NFU Scotland welcomes Lord Duncan’s confirmation JOHN SLEIGH SCOTLAND EDITOR jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE

Direct payments have been confirmed for Scottish farmers until 2022 by Scottish Minister Lord Duncan. For the first time since the Brexit referendum, a UK minister has confirmed that the current payment system will remain in place for the duration of the current Westminster Parliament.

This provides clarity to Michael Gove’s interview at the Great Yorkshire Show, where he said the UK Government would match the subsidies coming from the EU – at least for the next few years.

The payment offers an anchor of support to Scottish agriculture during the potential turmoil of Brexit negotiations.

The payments are worth £3.3m to the Scottish rural economy over the 2015 to 2020 period. Currently the money comes from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy budget, but will be funded by the UK Government in future.

Ä Continued on page 2

Iain Campbell of Meikle Seggie Farm, Kinross, weighing lambs before auction at Caledonian Mart, Stirling. \ Craig Stephen

Farmers Journal

Arable farmer optimism ahead of harvest 2017

Payments will continue for the duration of the parliament, through Brexit and out the other side

Call for brisket tag ban to be lifted

News >> 4

News >> 5

News >> 3

For the Best Deals: Contact Mike at 07796 148 769 PLUS View the Fusion Plus video at :

INTEGRATED BALER WRAPPER

SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILAB LE

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

2 NEWS

Comment John Sleigh Scott ish editor jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

We must stop farms going into ‘wind-down mode’

T

he news that farmers will continue to receive direct support until 2022 is welcome, but structural changes are needed to put the industry on a profitable footing.

Farmers are remarkably resilient: you only need to look at the list of names in the parish register, going back 100 years, to see how they can tough out lean times, however the assurance of payment until the end of the parliament must be used to build a sector focused on producing food and maintaining the environment. We cannot carry any passen-

FROM PAGE 1 Up until now, the Conservative Government has only guaranteed the cash envelope or matching EU subsidies, not the method of payment.

Speaking to Farmers Journal Scotland, the new Scotland Minister, with a specific focus on Brexit, confirmed that direct payments will continue for the “duration of the parliament, through Brexit and out the other side”.

“You can’t take direct payments away and expect there to be some kind of agriculture left behind,” Lord Ian Duncan said.

His comments have been welcomed

by NFU Scotland. The farm representation body called for the UK and Scottish governments to work collectively to provide this reassurance to farmers and crofters.

“To be able to count on the continuation of direct support is vital

gers who are not working towards either of these goals.

While the area-based system has done considerable damage by breaking the link between having to farm and getting paid, it does pump cash into businesses that would struggle without it. These businesses represent the bulk of our food producers, and making them unprofitable will affect the whole industry.

Pulling subsidies will not make businesses go bust overnight, but it will put them into wind-down mode.

Farmers will throw the chequebook into the fire and run down their as-

sets in the hope that conditions may change or – with average age of farmers into their 50s – simply get ready for retirement, killing the chance for the next generation.

Politicians need to know how vital these support payments are. It might be tempting to cut payments, hoping it will jolt businesses into fresh thinking, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

There is no typical Scottish farm and every single business is unique, with different assets and challenges.

Take a typical beef and sheep farm in Scotland, which is made up of 150ha of region-one ground stocked with 80 cows and 300 ewes. This farm would take in around £60,000 from selling nine-month store cattle at £850/head. Finishing half and storing the other half of the lambs would bring in around £26,000 from the lambs, plus £3,000 from cast ewes.

On top of this, there would be a BPS payment of around £28,000, plus £10,000 in LFA and £8,800 beefcalf scheme, bringing a rough total farm income to £135,800. This indicative figure has to pay for feed,

vet, bedding, breeding stock, farm machinery, rent, building upkeep, contractors’ bills, fencing, ground improvements, and fuel – let alone a wage.

QMS enterprise costings show that upland LFA farms are losing £86 a cow and making £2 a ewe. This leaves little room for investment or market fluctuations.

Income Income from the Government accounts for 34% of the farm income in this example. This integration of subsidy into the turnover of a farm is typical in Scottish farming. It will be a massive challenge to wean businesses off support in the future.

UK and Scottish government talk of moving away from direct support towards grants for on-farm measures such as liming, fencing and drainage is unrealistic. While such schemes do play their part, they cannot make up for the level of support directly going into farm businesses.

This window of opportunity until 2022 needs to be used to gear the industry to produce food for the market and sort the supply chain so

just rewards are passed down the chain.

Current price buoyancy has had a remarkable impact on farmer positivity and doesn’t seem to have caused a catastrophe in the shopping aisles.

Put simply: the public can stand a small increase in the cost of food.

Post-Brexit economy Furthermore, underpinning agriculture will allow farmers to play their part in building the post-Brexit economy. Leaving the EU will put additional pressure on the UK trade balance. In simple terms, to be able to increase our wealth we will need to export goods to get cash in so we can buy things we can’t make.

To this end it is vital that farmers keep producing so that we firstly prevent having to be dependent on spending our money on imported food that we can produce at home.

Secondly, we can build the opportunity to export produce to foreign markets, getting cash into the UK economy.

This can all be realised if we make the most of the window of opportunity until 2022.

for farmers and crofters,” NFUS chief executive Scott Walker said.

“It is important for politicians to remember that even after 2022 unless farmers and crofters either receive much more for their products, or are supported to at least the current level, then the whole of the UK will become reliant on imported food.”

No food security “The result of this would be that we have no food security and no ability to feed our own country,” he said.

The Government’s Farm Business Survey 2015-2016 highlight the importance of direct payments to farm businesses. The average farm uses 67% of their direct payments to break even. The figures highlighted that every single farming sector needed support to remain afloat.

Any rapid drop in direct support could have catastrophic consequences for the farming sector.

Inside this week 15.07.2017 Contents

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

33 Machinery

Ex-Sainsbury’s chief warns of higher prices and poorer-quality food

News A farmer writes

6

AGRIBUSINESS Feature 20 minutes with Industry insight

3 News

56 58 59

British food shoppers will be worse-off after Brexit due to barriers to imports, says former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King.

Technical Dairylink Beef Pedigree Dairy Sheep Machinery Arable Farmer safety Focus Business of farming

15 18 21 26 32 35 42 44 47 70

Direct payments FRQo UPHG

Claas of 2018 Claas unveils latest tractors

Brexit Minister Lord Duncan: Direct payments are safe until at least 2022

Ä Page 5

FOCUS RESEEDING & FEED

FOCUS 47

INTRODUCTION Advice on maximising the return on your reseeding investment

I

n this Focus, we look at maximising the return from your investment in reseeding. At £267/ acre, reseeding is a significant cost, but it is also one of the best investments farmers can make, increasing grass production by 3t/ha and milk output by 8%.

Achieving these desired outcomes is hinged on achieving a good establishment and reducing competition from weeds.

Eight tips for a Aidan successful reseed Brennan are highlighted on pages 52 and 53.

The key is soil fertility and spraying weeds at the appropriate stage postemergence.

A common mistake is to not graze hard enough and often enough in the first few months after establishment.

Best varieties Investment returns are maximised when the best varieties are used. On pages 48 and 49, Aidan Brennan goes into detail on the various evaluation methods being used and says the on-farm evaluation is the true test of a variety.

In the second half of this Focus, Ciarán Lenehan and Adam Woods look at alternative feed sources for livestock farmers.

With low grain prices, arable farmers are looking for alternative markets for their crops. Farm-to-farm sales have the ability to cut out the middle man and retain more margin for farmers.

As with everything, the key is to compare different feed options under quality and dry matter parameters.

Farmers Journal Scottish Edition, Rural Centre, West Mains, Ingliston, Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8LT Editorial Tel: 0131 472 4107 edit@farmersjournal.co.uk Advertising Tel: 00 353 14199555 ads@farmersjournal.co.uk Subscriptions Tel: 00 353 14199500 subs@farmersjournal.co.uk

Sean Cooney gives advice on the best reseeding practices at the Grass 10 village during the Teagasc Moorepark open day. \ Donal O’Leary

47 Focus Reseeding and feed Advice on maximising the return on your reseeding investment

Printed by DC Thomson, Dundee, Scotland.

Published and originated

by The Agricultural Trust, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 128 July July January 2017 20172017

NEWS 3

Arable farmer optimism ahead of 2017 harvest

Call to lift brisket tag ban

ODILE EVANS

JOHN SLEIGH

NEWS CORRESPONDENT oevans@farmersjournal.co.uk

Farmers are looking forward to a good harvest this year, if the conditions are right over the next few weeks.

While forward prices for grain are already ahead of 2016, straw prices are also expected to rise this year. “Crops in Aberdeenshire look promising, but we need a good July and good harvest weather,� Andrew J Connon Poppies in wheat near Aberlady.

told the Farmers Journal Scotland. “Livestock prices are keen, which is good for sentiment.�

Moving towards Glenlivet, Jim Innes said that the barley is now fully headed and has had its second spray.

A prolonged spell of sunshine is needed to help the grain ďŹ ll.

In Caithness, farmers are still dealing with silage struggles due to poorer conditions. “The spring barley looks like it is about four to ďŹ ve inches shorter this year,â€? which is not good for straw supply, accord-

ing to Arnott Coghill. “There’s always a good demand for straw in this country.

We buy in local straw for about £13/bale as well as the 300 acres we have ourselves. I’m hoping it will be about the same this year.�

However, other farmers are concerned that the demand for straw and malting industry byproducts from Anaerobic Digestor plants could make it too expensive for livestock farmers. One farmer suggested that prices for straw are already 50% ahead of this time last year.

In the south-east, a lack of rain in spring caused some concern, but it “came at the right time,â€? according to Robert Neill. “We had just 6mm of rain here from the last week of March to the end of May, but when it did come, the crops were able to take up the nutrients. “Forward prices for wheat in November are a lot better than last year, about a ÂŁ30-toÂŁ36 increase.â€?

He said grain traders are putting the higher prices down to a drought in America. “People had been hoping for ÂŁ140/t, so I expect a good few farmers will be forward selling.â€?

SCOTLAND EDITOR jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

Calls are being made for clarity on the legality of the use of brisket tags in Scotland.

Livestock Health Scotland chair Nigel Miller is calling on the Scottish Government to review the situation to ensure that the rules are based on welfare evidence. “Farmers have been buying these tags in good faith, and they appear to be causing no welfare issues. We now have a situation where these farmers could be penalised for using these tags. “It could be a case that the original legislation was writ-

ten before these tags were popular, so failed to take account of them,â€? Miller said. “It is unreasonable to expect a farmer to have to check every piece of legislation when purchasing tags. Hill units, where tag-loss rates are high, make the brisket tag a popular option. “Draconian penalties for missing tags at inspection means that farmers are keen to ensure cattle are identiďŹ able. “We are urging the Government to act swiftly. Farmers should pause before removing these tags and wait for the Government’s response to our request. “Removal of these tags may

cause a welfare issue particularly during summer, with higher fly activity. We need clear guidance from the Government on how farmers should proceed,� stressed Miller.

The Farmers Journal Scotland contacted an outlet for Boc Loc brisket tags in the UK. The manager, Elliot Harrison, said he understands that the decision to make them illegal was “reversed on 16 June and farmers currently using the tags do not have to remove them�.

However, he was keen to get the ban on sales lifted also. “The tags were tested on my farm 20 years ago and found to comply with animal welfare standards,� said Harrison.

Update The brisket or dewlap tags attach through the ap of skin in front of the brisket. These tags have been available for purchase in Scotland for a number of years.

Their popularity is often put down to a low loss rate and easy readability. The Farmers Journal Scotland understands that up to 400 farmers could be using the tags in Scotland.

Currently they are legally classed as a mutilation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Therefore using the brisket/ dewlap tag is illegal. If farms are found to be using these tags at an inspection it will be considered a rectiďŹ able breach and could incur a penalty.

Barclays bank increases cash for farm loans ODILE EVANS NEWS CORRESPONDENT oevans@farmersjournal.co.uk

Barclays bank is doubling the cash available to farmers through loans, bringing their agricultural fund to ÂŁ200m.

The bank fund is to focus on business eďŹƒciency, agritech and diversiďŹ cation, according to CEO Jes Staley who made the announcement at the Great Yorkshire Show. “It’s at times like these that UK Agriculture needs a crucial

boost from banks to weather any uncertainty.� Staley said. “We want to help farmers thrive over the short-term and also to plan for a strong future.�

The Royal Bank of Scotland has 28% of the share of farming business in the UK. While it does not have a speciďŹ c fund for agriculture, the bank said it is “one of our priority sectorsâ€?. Last year it lent ÂŁ3.1bn to the agricultural sector, up 7% from the previous year.

Morrisons commits to British meat The ďŹ rst of the “big fourâ€? supermarkets, Morrisons, has announced that it will only sell 100% British meat in its own-brand products.

The retailer said it will stop selling New Zealand and Australian fresh lamb, which it has previously stocked during the winter and early spring months.

The announcement, made at the Great Yorkshire Show, refers to unprocessed beef, lamb, pork, chicken and turkey.

The retailer said that it is

able to make this commitment because the vast majority of its meat comes from Morrisons’ own abattoirs and processing sites.

Meat director Rob Youngson added that it is British farming’s biggest single customer and makes most of its own fresh food.

Morrisons also launched a programme to recruit more local food and drink makers, and its buyers are currently touring the country meeting potential suppliers.

–ODILE EVANS

Tom Gifford from East Lothian on an International McCormick B-250 at Dalkeith show. The B-250 was made in Bradford DQG ODXQFKHG DW WKH 5R\DO 6PLWKoHOG VKRZ EHLQJ PDGH XS XQWLO 7KH IRXU F\OLQGHU LQGLUHFW GLHVHO HQJLQH VXSSRUWHG OLYH K\GUDXOLFV ZLWK WKUHH SRLQW OLQNDJH DW WKH EDFN ,W ZDV RQH RI WKH oUVW WUDFWRUV WR KDYH GLVF EUDNHV DQG GLII ORFN

Ex-Sainsbury’s chief warns of higher prices and poorer-quality food following Brexit JOHN SLEIGH SCOTLAND EDITOR jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

British food shoppers will be left worse-o after Brexit, due to barriers to imports, according to former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King.

Speaking on BBC’s Panorama programme, King stated that consumers will have to pay more for less choice, with poorer-quality food after the UK leaves the EU. “Brexit – almost in whatever version it is – will introduce friction; it will introduce

barriers. That makes it less eďŹƒcient, which means all three of those beneďŹ ts –price, quality, and choice – go backwards,â€? according to King.

Meanwhile, manufacturing boss and JML product-line founder John Mills said the opposite could happen, as the EU keeps food prices artificially high. “Food prices, on average, are 20% higher than they are in the rest of the world, so there is very substantial scope for food prices coming down. “The reason why food prices are higher inside the EU is

because they have taris, which keep the prices up. It’s not anything to do with quality: it’s due to the institutional Higher prices, less choice, and poorerquality food post-Brexit?

arrangements which means the food prices are kept much higher to increase farmers’ incomes,� explained Mills.

This is in stark contrast to NFUS vice-president Martin

Kennedy, who believes that food prices are already too low and that farmers need a greater reward for their produce. “Agriculture is facing crisis and unless farmers and crofters either receive much more for their products, or are supported to at least the current level, then the whole of the UK will be at the mercy of substandard products ooding our markets. “The result of this would be that we no longer have the ability to feed our own country,â€? said Kennedy.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday 151June July 2017 Saturday 28 24 January

4 NEWS

Improvement amnesty key in rent reviews JOHN SLEIGH SCOTLAND EDITOR jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

Farmers undertaking a rent review need to be aware of the amnesty of tenants’ improvements, according to Scottish Tenancy Farmers Association chair Christopher Nicolson.

For the next three years, the amnesty will allow up to 6,000 tenants the chance to agree their farm improvements with their landlords.

To do this, landlords and tenants can use the recently launched Code of Practice, which recommends the use of either an expert determination, arbitration or mediation to settle disputes.

With many tenants’ im-

provements often being worth less than the expense of going through the land court, the code is seen as a cheaper and more sensible option to gaining a settlement.

Agreeing a value for a tenant’s improvements could have a signiďŹ cant impact on rent reviews. Tenants should not have increased rent for their own improvements on farm. The rent should only be paid on what the landlord has provided. “Whilst obviously the amnesty is critical for tenants looking for compensation at waygo, it is also vital for farmers conducting regular rent reviews to ensure they are paying the right amount,â€? said Nicolson.

Tayside farm theft spree A spate of farm thefts in the Tayside area has put farmers on high alert.

Nearly two weeks ago, a van was stolen from a farm shed in the Benndochy area of Coupar Angus, Perthshire.

Early last week, a trailer was stolen from a farm in Collace, Perthshire. Tools and electrical equipment were stolen from a farm shed in the same area, and a nail gun and strimmer were stolen from a farm in Letham, Forfar.

Timeline Saturday (1 July) to Monday (3 July): Black Volkswagon transporter van (SM14 TCJ) stolen in Coupar Angus.

Sunday night (2 July): Ifor Williams trailer and four silver alloy wheels stolen near Collace.

Tuesday night (4 July): Farm tools and electrical equipment stolen near Collace.

Wednesday night (5 July):

Wire cutters stolen from a farm shed in Brechin.

The thefts have prompted a statement from the Police urging people to consider the security of their homes and outbuildings.

They recommend making sure buildings are secure by using British Standard locks and high-security closedshackle padlocks, removing keys from locks and keeping them out of visible reach.

They also suggest intruder alarms, sensor-operated lighting and making it more difďŹ cult for criminals to unscrew the locks and hinges of doors by fitting carriage bolts or clutch-head security screws.

Security marking all equipment with your postcode to increase the likelihood of it being returned if stolen and then subsequently recovered is also advised.

–ODILE EVANS

Network Rail compensates farmer Network Rail has awarded ÂŁ2,450 compensation to Plockton farmer Duncan MacLennan, after a train struck and killed his cow last summer. After Network Rail initially refused liability for the incident, MacLennan enlisted the help of local MSP Kate Forbes. “After extended obstruction by the company, my MSP’s intervention and related media coverage proved eective in obtaining a payout after nine long months,â€? the farmer said.

The incident occurred last July, when the animal made its way from the common grazing land at Strathie onto the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line, because of poorly-maintained fences alongside the track.

The latest available ďŹ gures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board showed that in 2012/2013 there were 93 “animal strike incidentsâ€? in Scotland.

–JOHN SLEIGH

My farming week Billy Logan, W&R Logan/East Lothian Produce, Haddington

Billy Logan and his cabbages.

I grow: “About 600 acres of cabbages and 550 acres of sprouts.�

This week: “There are lots of things happening; we’re spraying, weeding and harvesting.�

Harvest: “We started harvesting new season savoys about a month ago.

For our early season crops we’ve got savoy, white and red cabbage LQ WKH VDPH oHOG VLPSO\ EHFDXVH when the new season starts off, availability and sales volumes tend to be lower, so it saves us shifting about all over the place.�

Plant breeding: “The cabbages you see here today wouldn’t be here in January because they wouldn’t stand up to the frost, unlike hardier, later-maturing varieties. These

ones in Aberlady were planted on 14 April and are being harvested on 7 July.�

Industry changes: “When my father VWDUWHG \RX FRXOG KDYH oYH WR acres of cabbages and make that work. In the marketplace now, you FRXOGQ W JR RXW DQG VHOO oYH DFUHV of cabbages. For a local shop it’s far too many and a supermarket wouldn’t be interested.�

Brexit: “Labour is a challenge. We rely on eastern European workers, but the deal is not so good for these guys now because the exchange rate is not as good as it was. I believe there’s a bit of [Brexit] panic going on as well and that may put them off coming to

the UK, but we’re looking at new ways to attract and retain labour.�

Audits: “We’re accredited to a number of industry and supermarket standards, that cover everything from our farm and packhouse practices, to ethical trading and the HQYLURQPHQW :H DUH DOVR FHUWLoHG to Global Gap standard, which allows us to export to Europe.�

Family: “It’s a real family affair, with different family members involved in different aspects of the busiQHVV LQFOXGLQJ oHOG WHFKQLFDO DQG accounts. There are two generations working in the business and I have three young grandsons always keen to get stuck in as well.�

— Odile Evans

Abattoirs capitalise 160 farmers carry on new BSE status out carbon audits JOHN SLEIGH SCOTLAND EDITOR jsleigh@farmersjournal.co.uk

Scottish abattoirs have been meeting Government oďŹƒcials and vets to discuss the practical issues regarding the move to negligible-risk BSE status.

Processors are putting in place protocols with oďŹƒcial

In terms of future beneďŹ ts, these will be marketled, so until we are in business it’s impossible to place a value on these veterinarians on how products from negligible-risk (NR) and controlled-risk cattle will be separated, with particular attention to the segregation and control of animal byproducts.

To take full advantage of the new negligible-risk status ab-

attoirs need to handle two streams to waste. “We are planning for publication and implementation of the new status to take place in August 2017,â€? said Ian Anderson, CE of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW). “SAMW has also been working with NIMEA, our sister organisation in Northern Ireland, on NR status issues, as the industry in NI is also going through the same process. “In terms of future beneďŹ ts, these will be market-led, so until we are in business it’s impossible to place a value on these. “There are, however, a number of areas which we would expect beneďŹ ts to come from.

These include a reduction in waste costs, increased returns from animal byproducts, better returns for exported meat through new markets and higher cache for Scottish beef in existing markets.�

SARAH ANDERSON NEWS CORRESPONDENT sanderson@farmersjournal.co.uk

Nearly 300 applications have been made to complete carbon audits and Integrated Land Management Plans.

One hundred and sixty farmers have applied to receive support for a carbon audit up to ÂŁ500, since the grant aided scheme was announced last autumn. It is open to any business registered in Scotland with IACS. Carbon audits are designed to identify the type, extent and source of emissions from the farm and identify areas where they can be reduced.

Areas to look at include fossil-fuel use; on-farm manufactured inputs; animal digestion byproducts; soil cultivation, and changes in land use and vegetation.

SAC Consulting research has shown reducing the amount of time the tractor

and feeder wagon are running by 15 minutes per day can reduce fuel usage by up to 600 litres, equating to an annual fuel-bill reduction of ÂŁ450 or 1.9t of CO2.

Businesses must pay additional costs and the full VAT element; the grant is paid directly to the advisory business the farmer selects to conduct the audit.

ILMPs Similarly, 132 applications and approvals have been made for Integrated Land Management Plans (ILMPs), which oer a cross-compliance assessment and support in identifying cost-saving opportunities.

Up to ÂŁ1,200 is made available for ILMPs, which are completed by an independent business advisor.

Specialist advice on improved farm efficiency may receive funding of up to 50% of the costs, up to a maximum of ÂŁ500 funding per plan.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 28 124 July July June January 2017 2017 2017 2017

NEWS 5

Direct payments confirmed Direct payments are safe until at least 2022, Scotland’s Brexit Minister Lord Duncan told Farmers Journal Scotland editor John Sleigh

Á3URoOH Lord Duncan of Springbank, Under Secretary of State for Scotland: The wafer-thin majority of Theresa May’s Government in Westminster means Scottish Secretary David Mundell MP will have few chances to leave parliament, as his vote will be needed every time. As a result, the Conservatives have recalled Lord Duncan from the European Parliament, where he was an MEP for Scotland. Lord Duncan was elevated to the House of Lords and brought into the Government as David Mundell’s junior Scotland minister.

Lord Duncan is to be Mundell’s man on the ground for all things Brexit in Scotland.

D

irect payments are safe until at least 2022, Scotland’s Brexit Minister Lord Duncan has said. In an exclusive interview with Farmers Journal Scotland the recently appointed Minister said that direct payments will have to continue in the short term.

“You can’t take direct payment away and expect there to be some kind of agriculture left behind,” Lord Duncan said.

“Payments will continue for the duration of the parliament, through Brexit and out the other side.”

Up until now, the Conservative Government has said nothing about how the rural budget will be paid going forward.

With so many farm businesses using support payments to prop up a significant part of their business revenue, the confirmation until 2022 will be welcomed by farmers.

However, Lord Duncan was less clear on how payments would look after 2022.

“Is pillar structure, as it exists at a European level, the most sensible for Scotland? Probably not.”

Free trade with EU The UK is pushing for a frictionless border with the EU, according to recent statements from DEFRA Minister Michael Gove. This would give free access for farm goods into the continent and access for continental produce into the UK. “When it comes to our trade with the EU we need a free-trade agreement for perishables,” Lord Duncan said. “Our primary market for primary production is Europe. Ditto the other way round, as their primary products come to us, whether it is cheese, wines or meats.

“So, in this particular area, there is a need to agree there are no new tariffs introduced and, equally importantly, we need to get to a situation where no tariff barriers start to emerge. We cannot have lorries queuing at either side of the channel. We cannot have a situation where perishable goods are allowed to perish as checks are made or regulations enforced.

“This is going to be a challenge, as the mood music from Michel Barnier is that things must look different.”

So the question is: how different will

the standards which we adhere to the UK on a daily basis, such as the rules around the transport of animals,” Lord Duncan believes. “There are areas where I don’t think we should be producing to continental standards, as we should be asking them frankly to raise [theirs].”

Lord Duncan of Springbank, Scottish Minister for Brexit.

things look? Widely speaking, there is hope that farmers will have less red tape to deal with. But the Conservative Minister is clear the changes in regulatory requirements won’t happen overnight.

“In the short term, we should be looking at equivalence, as that is how we trade just now. Adhering to EU rules will be a must for farmers wanting to sell their produce to the continent.”

Dual standards However, if you don’t sell to Europe, you may not need to comply with their regulation. Potentially, farmers could be producing to dual standards, so there

would be a divergent system with different standards – depending on whether you are producing for domestic or foreign markets.

“What we want to achieve is the notion of home-and-away. Farms that want to trade into the EU must be compliant with EU rules. If you have a product that is only going to be consumed in the UK, why does it have to be to EU rules?”

But compliance is a two-way system.

European producers may have to up their game to gain access to the UK markets as well.

“There are standards on the continent which are remarkably lax compared to

Holyrood and Westminister When it comes to politics, Lord Duncan is no stranger to the rough and tumble of democracy. He was defeated by just 21 votes by SNP candidate Pete Wisshart in Theresa May’s botched election gamble.

However, Lord Duncan bounced back to the front line when he was recalled from Brussels and elevated into the House of Lords.

Since the Highland Show, there has been much political point-scoring between Holyrood and Westminster, with Brexit at the centre.

“The reality is that when you get down to what the farmers are concerned about, I suspect the difference between the Scottish Government and the UK Governments will be far less significant,” he said, stressing the need for collaboration. “You can’t stand at either side of a chasm and point in different directions, and believe we are going to represent farming interests – because we are not.

“When it comes to sketching in the red lines of the negotiating positions, each of those must reflect the distinctive Scottish agricultural needs. I would say that – and I don’t doubt Fergus Ewing would say that – as we are both on the same page when it comes to representing [Scotland].”

To wean or not wean: that is the 100-day question DECLAN MARREN LIVESTOCK SPECIALIST dmarren@farmersjournal.ie

Mid-march-born lambs are now 15 weeks old. The decision of when is best to wean these lambs is always a contentious topic. Looking at the facts, what is the best approach to take?

Wean Pros: by 100 days, less than a

quarter of the lamb’s diet is being provided by the ewe’s milk.

By leaving ewes with the lambs, you are actually compromising lamb growth rate due to them competing with their mothers for the available forage.

Feed demand will be reduced. Drying off ewes will greatly reduce their intake, easing the pressure on herbage demand.

This will aid in building grass covers through the back end to carry stock into the winter months.

Having lambs weaned makes handling and drafting much easier.

Ewes can be used in a leader-follower system, allowing lambs access to the best grazing and ewes coming in after them to clean out the paddock to ensure quality grazing in the next rotation.

Cons: there are two groups of lambs that will be most affected by weaning at 100 days.

The youngest, lightest lambs that may still be getting a higher proportion of the diet from their mothers, and the lambs near slaughter weight that would be drafted in the next couple of weeks.

No matter when lambs are weaned, some check in performance is inevitable.

However, at the time of year

when lamb price comes under pressure, due to increasing numbers coming fit, setting a lamb back a week or 10 days can be costly.

Delay weaning Pros: there will be no standstill period that lambs experience post-weaning.

In a set stocked system, there is no need to worry about how to keep ewes away from the lambs.

Cons: Overall daily liveweight gain of the lambs will be compromised.

Average drafting date will be later in the season and, as the power goes from grass, energy in the diet will have to be supplied by using concentrate feed.

Ewes are given less time to recover before going to the tup. This can have a knock-on effect on fertility and subsequent litter size.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday24 15June July 2017

6 VIEWPOINTS

A Farmer Writes

Giving Scotland’s farmers a voice W

Our worming protocols elcome to have been reviewed this year Mains of DAIRY after an outbreak of lungCulsh. We Jean McLean worm last season: all heifers are primarand dry cows will be ily a dairy farms 286 when they are farm with 186 acres, and a acres at Mains wormed brought in for calving so further 100 acres are rented of Culsh in that they are clean when annually, as seasonal grass lets. I farm with my eldest Aberdeenshire they enter the milking herd.

The in-calf heifers that are son John, who joined the with her son, outside have been dungbusiness in 2012. sampled for lungworm and The herd consists of 170 John stomach worms but the vet pedigree-Holstein cows and says that, as there is no sign all young stock are retained of worms at the moment, we should on the farm. The bull calves (Holstein resample in a few weeks’ time to see and Belgian Blue crosses) are finished when to worm them. as barley-beef. We have been an allyear-round calving herd to try and Farming loss supply a level profile for our milk buyer, Muller, but with the introduction of Whilst sorting the heifers this week, one did the splits and, despite lifting their new seasonality scheme we are her, she was unable to stand; she was aiming to produce less milk from three weeks from calving so we inMarch to June and more from August duced her with the hope of salvaging a to November. heifer calf from her, as we use sexedNo heifers calved from January until semen on the heifers. The vet has now this year’s heifers started calving on 4 done an emergency caesarean resultJune, with the bulk of the group of 60 ing in a live heifer calf; if we can keep it due to calve by the end of September.

Jean McLean in her milking parlour at her farm in Aberdeenshire.

Loopy lights in Clare as harvest 2017 edges closer ARABLE Gerald Potterton farms tillage and some beef in the east of Ireland

I

returned from the holidays a little early to begin spraying off the rape. In truth, I was tired of relaxing. We were staying in the former lighthouse keeper’s cottage on Loop Head in Co Clare. Our two older daughters joined us – we picked them up in Shannon airport – and the contrast in lifestyles between London and Loop Head could not be greater.

But while they were well away from their bustling city lifestyles (and even wi-fi, which didn’t go down well), they

weren’t completely away from the bright lights.

The lighthouse in Loop Head is automated and in the hours of darkness sends out four reassuring flashes of light every 20 seconds. But thankfully the fog horn is gone.

Sadly, the day and age of lighthouses is nearly over. Their ultimate demise is being presided over by GPS technology. It’s the same technology which now means any fool can drive an arrow-straight tramline and presumably

alive it will offset the disappointment of losing her mum.

Last week, I flew down to Birmingham to represent NFU Scotland at a Red Tractor Dairy Sector Board meeting. It was my first time at the meeting, and I feel it is important that the farmer’s voice is heard as decisions made at these meetings affect us all at farm-level.

Another important meeting this week was the inaugural meeting of the North East Milk Producers Association, which was formed after 26 dairy farmers in the northeast of Scotland joined together to develop a full business

a ship in darkness or fog.

Loop Head is chiefly intensive dairy country – as opposed to sucklers – and there are many dairy farms, most of which probably have 80 or more cows.

As you may know, I hold the Clare farmers in high regard and, to misquote Otto von Bismarck, if the Clare farmers lived in Meath they’d feed the world and if the Meath farmers lived in Clare we’d starve.

So, the countdown to harvest 2017 has begun, with the earliest crops of rape now desiccated.

I also sprayed off the first of the unevenly ripe winter barley, which should mean a start date to harvest on around 18 July, which is fairly typical.

I’m optimistic for all the crops really, provided we get some decent weather

I feel it is important the the farmer’s voice is heard, as decisions made at these meetings affect us all at farmlevel

If the Clare farmers lived in Meath they’d feed the world and if the Meath farmers lived in Clare we’d starve to harvest them.

There is some of the dreaded ear blight in wheat (particularly Torp) but we should be OK. I approach harvest with, I think, a greater calmness than heretofore as we have enormous firepower with the new (to us) Claas combine which should be capable of clearing 75 acres per day.

Even if the weather doesn’t fully cooperate, small windows will allow for significant work to be done. But I thought the same when we moved

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 24July June2017 2017

VIEWPOINTS 7

MORE ONLINE

Keep up to date with our farmer writers on www.farmersjournal.co.uk

Change from beef finishing to rearing calves BEEF & SHEEP Derek Robinson farms in Northern Ireland

F plan to build a new processing facility here. A year ago, Muller closed their milk processing facility in Aberdeen and, at the same time, imposed a haulage charge of 1.75p per litre to take our milk to Bellshill, Glasgow. As this costs the average producer in the area £35,000, in the long term it was felt that this was not sustainable.

With the help of Opportunity North East and Aberdeenshire Council, a feasibility study has already been carried out, but now farmers themselves have committed money to set up the association and complete the project.

A processing facility here will give

farmers more security so that they can continue to farm and produce milk in the long term.

We have now completed second-cut silage and we’re lucky to bring it in dry with the rain arriving the next day.

Some had only been cut the afternoon before but, with the warm weather, had dried well and John received a pat on the back for forging ahead with the job. The forage wagon we have been using the last couple of years means that silage time is less stressful but most importantly we are still making good silage. Hopefully it will analyse well when tested.

from 12m to 24m tramlines. Work always seems to have the habit of expanding to fill the time (or weather) available.

However, we are not yet cleared out of wheat, which doesn’t allow a lot of time to clean and spray the grain stores. I am paranoid about grain store hygiene and pride myself in never having a mite or weevil problem. But it’s relatively easy when we don’t buy in any grain or straights.

We always used Reldan which, being an organo-phosphorous compound, is nasty, so I welcomed Bayer’s newer and much safer K-Obiol with open arms.

However, it seems that K-Obiol doesn’t do mites, so unfortunately some Reldan will still have to go into the mix.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the open day in Oak Park.

I’ve nothing to do with Teagasc but I have to say it was an excellent day and well organised. It’s extremely encouraging to see so many young researchers working in tillage crop developments. In terms of information gathering, it was superior to the Cereals event in the UK, which isn’t worth the effort unless you’re looking for a new sprayer.

Perhaps the Oak Park day could develop further with more machinery stands and possibly become the premier arable event in these islands.

The potential is there and Oak Park as a venue, in terms of location, access, soil type and research and development, is second to none.

or years, I have been aware that one part of this farm business was far too hit and miss.

My beef-finishing enterprise is something of an Achilles heel, with strong profits one year immediately resulting in a huge increase in store cattle prices, and a subsequent obliteration of any kind of margin the following season.

Beef special premium, extensification payments, then Single Farm Payment money and the current Basic Payment Scheme have all acted as a financial lifeline for this Cinderella branch of agriculture.

I’ve said it before in the Farmers Journal, and I’m inclined to repeat my firm belief, that far too many producers who are involved in buying store cattle for finishing, do not rely on it as a primary (or indeed secondary) source of income. I’m perfectly happy to include myself in those numbers. More recently, general rumour and political hints would lead many of us to assume that agricultural support will be reduced or even phased out in the years ahead.

Declined A few years ago, I was offered the chance to rear dairy heifers from weaning up to point of calving. For one reason or another, I declined, and reckoned I had plenty on my plate at that moment in time.

More recently, the chance came up again, and this time I agreed without having to give it too much thought.

The overwhelming factor in this decision was the chance to replace (gradually) the weakest link in my chain with something that should guarantee sustainable profit, even without any sort of ‘‘brown envelope’’ money.

Plan The plan is for two people (myself and another local farmer) to each take between 30 and 40 calves per year. We get

them when they’re weaned off milk, and look after them through the first grazing season and into the winter. They will be put in-calf the following spring, with a view to calving in February and March.

At this stage, it is hoped they will leave our farms between Christmas and the new year, to give them time to settle into their future home farm.

We are paid a set amount per head per day as a rearing fee, and it’s up to us to achieve target weights without breaking the bank.

Obviously, I’m not in a position to reveal the exact figure, except to say that I agreed to the proposed amount with indecent haste.

Contract We are operating under an unofficial contract, where clearly defined targets are laid out, as well as exact details about who, exactly, pays for what.

The three main parties are wellknown to one another and are probably more friends than business acquaintances.

I don’t know if this is an ideal busi-

We are operating under an unofficial contract, where clearly defined targets are laid out, as well as exact details about who, exactly, pays for what ness model or not, but by far the most important criteria of all has been passed before anything was agreed: complete trust on all sides. I have spoken to others who had unsuccessful ventures similar to this, and it would appear that a breakdown in trust (and financial disagreements) usually featured heavily.

The outfit we are rearing is operated under a New Zealand style of dairying, and their idea is to farm out the calves in order to let them milk more cows, while not having to get side-tracked by having to rear calves. It should also tie in nicely with my sheep flock, since the calves don’t arrive until late May or early June, facilitating an early run over cattle fields for the ewes with lambs at foot.

It is far too early to comment on any aspect of the job, either positive or negative. But one thing is certain: the change from looking at U grading bullocks that weigh in excess of 700kg, to young heifer calves (with a fair spattering of Jersey breeding) is stark. I guess I’ll get used to it over time.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017 Saturday 28 January

8 FEATURE

High health and easy care system at Whatriggs Barry Cassidy talks to Matt Mitchell about weaning his farm off subsidies’

O

n Matt Mitchell’s farm near Whatriggs in Ayrshire, the focus in the past four years has been promoting both herd and flock health as well as easy-care animals.

Matt, along with his wife Yvonne, farm 950 acres of land, of which 295 acres are rented ground. Matt calves 100 suckler cows every year as well as lambing 250 ewes.

The farm is located on relatively wet land that gets upwards of 65in to 75in of rain a year. It creates a challenge in making the most of the grazing season as midsummer weather is often wet and mild. This leads to great growth conditions but a high risk of poaching.

Easy calvers, easy lambers In recent times, there has been a change in the breeding of the suckler herd to match that of the sheep flock with easycare one of the main priorities.

Before, Matt ran a Belgian Blue with his suckler herd but it is now 100% Angus. There are a number of reasons for this, Matt says: “I’m coming towards retirement age in the next 10 years or so and I can’t maintain the same level of work I once did. With an Angus herd, the majority of them are easy calvers and require little intervention.”

Matt has also taken other steps to minimise the labour around calving time and this includes dividing his cows into different groups.

“I calve 25 in August, 25 in February and the other 50 in late April. Not only from the point of view of maintaining a certain workload but also due to shed space constraints,” he points out.

The aim is to have tight calving periods and therefore bulls are only with the cows for eight to nine weeks. If a cow is not bred within this time window, she will be allowed to slip once but if she slips again she is culled. This helps keep the three distinct calving windows separate.

This year is Matt’s fourth breeding Angus cattle and another key reason he decided to move to an all-Angus herd is due to the marketability of the beef.

“Whenever you see an ad campaign on TV or you pick up a packet of beef in your local supermarket, it’s an Aberdeen Angus you’ll see. That’s why we decided to go with them rather then something like a Shorthorn.”

The sheep flock is 60% pure Blackface

ÁInfo  Name: Matt and Yvonne Mitchell.  Address: Whatriggs Farm, Newmilns  Area: Ayrshire  Land Type: 231ha of region one, 112ha of region two (All LFA) and 42ha of trees.  System: 100 Angus suckler cows with 250 Blackface and Mule ewes.  Buys tups: Bluefaced Leicester usually at Ayr mart and Blackface at Lanark.  Buys bulls: Usually Stirling for bulls but has bought privately.  Sells livestock: most through Ayr VWRUH VDOHV EXW oQLVKHV ZHWKHUV LQWR March and April.  Contractor: For silage and reseeding. Does own slurry but occasionally hires in umbilical system.  Most important machine: Case 105 with quicke loader.  Labour: Matt and Yvonne.  Scheme membership: Beef EfoFLHQF\ 6FKHPH  Strength: focus on high health and easy care.

and 40% Bluefaced Leicester Blackface crosses. The ability of the Blackface to lamb outdoors with minimum intervention is important to the farm system.

In both the sheep flock and suckler herd, all replacements are sourced from the progeny as Matt operates a closed system. This has also been a key development within the last five years.

Promoting herd health In order to improve the health status of his flock, he joined the Premium Sheep & Goat Health Scheme run by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). “It’s been very successful up to this point,” Matt says, “at the end of the day I want to keep mortality to a minimum. I’m BVD free, and I’m nearly fully clear of any cases of IBR and Johne’s.”

This has been achieved by not only the closed herd but also by a stringent culling process and thorough vaccination programme. All cows are blooded every year to detect any problems before they become an issue and the herd is vaccinated for BVD and Lepto.

Matt, however, does not vaccinate for IBR. “As I come across each case I cull them and I’d imagine in two years we’ll be IBR-free.”

The added benefit of the high-health status herd is improved fertility as well as high-quality replacements being avail-

Matt Mitchell with his sucklers.

One of Matt’s favourite cows.

I’m trying to prepare the farm to be selfsufficient and not depend on those subsidies

Cattle on Matt Mitchell’s farm.

able to replace any animal that has to be culled. “When it comes to breeding time, the weighing scales becomes one of my most important tools,” Matt says. “Any heifer that does not hit a target of 1kg/ day average daily gain from birth to breeding will not be bred.”

By breeding to set weight targets and culling cows that are prone to not going in-calf, he can maintain the tight calving period. He also applies the same principles to his sheep operation.

“Tups are with the ewes for five weeks and I find that 95% of them will lamb within the first three weeks of lambing.”

Through breeding selection for easycare animals along with an emphasis on herd health, Matt hopes to maximise the productivity while minimising labour.

“We’re now heading into a time where subsidies are likely to be drastically reduced in the near future. I’m trying to prepare the farm to be self-sufficient and not depend on those subsidies. Therefore, it cannot afford to carry passengers.”

Matt runs Blackface and Border Leicester mules.

Alternative energy Back in 2001, Matt planted 105 acres of woodland as part of a scheme for Scottish Woodlands.

He hopes the timber will be used for biomass or as biofuels due to the growing number of houses and businesses that utilise this energy source.

“It’s planted just over 15 years and I’d say it could be harvested in the next 10 years. Before, it might have been 40 years but much like they want animals younger they also want trees younger too.”

Along with the alternative income from the woodland there are also three wind turbines on the farm.

“A company came in and built them and I get a rent from them. It’s not half as much as people might think it is but it’s something at least.”

The alternative income streams are also important as Matt sees himself approaching retirement or at least a reduced role on the farm.

“After university, I spent a year travelling New Zealand and there’s a system out there where you can start out as a small percentage holder in a farm. You can then work your way up from there and build capital but there’s nothing like that here.”

With no immediate family member interested in taking the farm, Matt has struggled to see viable alternatives. That said, any decision on the farm’s future is still some time away in his mind.

“I have plans to add another 250 ewes to the flock. I got rid of them because I thought I was going to lose my rented ground to a development which hasn’t materialised yet. My wife jokes it’s the strangest move towards retirement she’s ever seen,” Matt laughs.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

NEWS 9

Walking on Ayr The meeting of the North Ayshire Monitor Farm on Thursday presented some thought-provoking figures on grass management.

Odile Evans reports

W

hile farmers find themselves hungry for land, a soil analysis could prove that the land is in fact hungry. This is the key to unlocking productivity and ultimately profit, the North Ayrshire Monitor Farm meeting heard on Thursday 6 July.

Self-confessed grazing geek Michael Blanche explained to the group that there is a direct correlation between profit and the amount of pasture eaten.

“A tonne of carcase per hectare is your challenge. It’s good to be ambitious,” the Nuffield scholar said. He encouraged farmers to measure grass and set up rotational grazing systems in order to get more from the land.

“You don’t have to divide a field up into little bits. To start with, just split it in half. You can show full commitment and set up eight paddocks when you see how it works.”

The group that visited Girtridge farm were given QMS Sward Measuring sticks to get them started on their grass measuring journey.

Soil It is really important literally to start from the ground up. Grass will not flourish unless the soil structure is right first.

“If you are building anything up, start at the bottom. Soil first, not stock. It’s foundations we are trying to build here,” Blanche said. “The inefficiency of fertiliser when the soil has a low pH is the challenge; it wastes a significant amount of money. If your pH is at 5.1, then 50% of the nitrogen you are putting on is going down the drain.”

The same can be said for phosphorous and potassium. Blanche uses AgriNet software to tot up the grass growth over the season and found it quite shocking that there was such a difference between paddocks.

Reseeding Having young grass through regular reseeding is also necessary. Over-sowing on a permanent sward can be difficult; spraying off and direct drilling can be a much cheaper method.

“I do chemical topping by spraying it off with 250ml of roundup per hectare,” Blanche said. “I found it really hard to convince the contractor to do that because he was convinced that it would kill the grass and I’d sue him.”

Rotation Whether you divide your fields into eight or just split them in half, managing the rotation length is important.

“At different times of the year it grows at different rates. Ideally you would rest your paddock for 100 days. It’s all about the green leaf – 95% of grass growth needs sun. The quality of the pasture is really important. The volume the animal needs to eat to put on one kilo of live weight

Third meeting of the north Ayrshire monitor farm, Girtridge Farm

Michael Blanche (left) measuring grass, watched by some of the attendance at the North Ayrshire Monitor Farm walk (right).

varies greatly from one field to the next.

The trick to utilising a lot of grass is in the shoulders of the season. A 24-hour poaching isn’t a bad thing.”

Visit to New Zealand Having come from owning no land to farming 500 acres, Blanche’s story is impressive. He puts his success down to grass management.

“Doing what others do doesn’t work when you’ve no money or asset to take over. Grass enabled me to do what I do.

It’s more than just a few leaves in the field.”

The Blanche family moved to the country when Michael was just three years old. He set his sights on farming from that day forward.

“I was always told I couldn’t do it. I tried six times to get a tenancy.”

Despite hearing about the power of grass for a whole three weeks on his Nuffield study tour in New Zealand, it kept going in one ear and out the other. It was only on the last day of the trip when he had that eureka moment.

“I went into this room where this man was speaking about ryegrass. He mentioned two things: twice the production and half the cost. For a first-generation farmer trying to make it with no money, that’s when it clicked.”

Now he has 920 ewes, 180 hogs and 70 cows on 500 acres, split between hill and low ground. He lambs in the first week of April and feeds the sheep silage for six weeks but no concentrates.

“I spend no money apart from fences.

Grazed grass grows grass,” he said. “Just 50% of grass grown in a set stocked system will hit the rumen, no more. Bit by

bit every day you learn more about the grass once you start to take an interest.”

“We should have a royal society for the protection of grass in this country,” he joked.

Farmers’ opinions “The meeting has certainly been useful,” sheep farmer Tom Scott told the Farmers Journal. It was the part-time farmer’s first time at a monitor farm meeting. “I haven’t tried measuring at home as it is so wet. But two years ago we spread lime and the benefits have just started to show. It’s the cheapest form of fertiliser there is.”

“Grass management is very interesting,” John Patterson Junior said. “I’ve started doing paddocks at home now and am involved in the discussion group management committee.”

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 28 January Saturday 15 July 2017

10 LIVESTOCK

Crossing mountains, crossing cattle J Ciarán Lenehan learned about the mindset of the Canadian rancher and how crossbreeding is the next big thing for their beef industry

im Lynch-Staunton runs 900 cows on 16,000 acres (8,000 owned, 8,000 rented) in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Southern Alberta, around 60 miles from the US border.

The herd calves in two months from the end of April, with calving heavily front-loaded, as 80% of cows will have conceived in the first breeding cycle. This impressive statistic is down to Jim’s culling regime.

Like many top North American ranchers, he is ruthless. However, Jim is in a slightly different position, in the fact that some of his bull calves will be bought and marketed as commercial sires by the Beefbooster company.

All of their bulls are hybrids – and the practice of crossbreeding is gathering fierce momentum in Canada, as the benefits of hybrid vigour in areas like beef cow fertility are realised. Jim needs perfect cows that’ll produce perfect calves to make the grade for Beefbooster.

She’s outta here “If she’s open, if I have to look twice at her feet or udders, note that she’s excitable, assist her at calving or help her calf to

Moving uncalved cows on horseback in the snowy Rocky Mountains on Jim’s 16,000-acre ranch.

suckle, she’s outta here,” Jim told me. “In big herds like this, the cow does the work. She’s only going to be in the handling pen twice a year – for a pregnancy test and pre-calving.”

When I visited Jim on 28 April, 88 cows had calved. This was despite the fact that the official start date of calving for the 900-strong herd was 1 May – a testament to the herd’s efficiency. There was 6in of snow on the ground and the herd was in a 640-acre field, four miles from the yard across mountainous terrain.

During calving, the herd is checked three times dail y. N e w c a l v e s a r e Jim Lynch-Staunton.

weighed, de-horned, genotyped and tagged almost immediately. In these snowy conditions, hypothermia is the big danger. If the calf remains wet for too long after birth and fails to get a drink, it can be quickly fatal.

Trek Any uncalved cows were to be moved two miles closer to the yard on the day I visited. Jim told me that the six of us would be able to separate any uncalved cows on horseback, without dismounting, in less than 30 minutes – I was expectedly sceptical.

When we arrived at the calving area, the bulk of the herd was located near the entrance, with around 60 animals spread across other parts of the gigantic field.

We set out to check these and any un-

calved cows were steered back in a leisurely fashion towards the main herd.

Then four of us formed a moving perimeter and squeezed the cows into a tight group, through which two of the most experienced cowboys rode calmly, pushing any cow-calf pairs toward the group’s edge and beyond into the field.

Less than an hour and 15 minutes were spent in the cow field in total. This was a credit to both the strict selection for docile cows and the team’s handling skills. Everything was relaxed and I had been earlier warned not to shout or make noise near the cows.

“The second the cow is frightened, she will look for an out. That is not what we want here. The cows respect the horse and we respect their personal space,” Jim said.

Beefbooster and Dr Basarab

WATCH ONLINE Read more and watch the videos of the cattle drive on Jim Lynch-Staunton’s ranch and the Beefbooster sale on www.farmersjournal.ie

The Beefbooster company produces hybrid bulls for commercial ranchers in Alberta province. Here, progressive UDQFKHUV UHFRJQLVH WKH EHQHoWV RI crossing (hybrid vigour) and have no qualms about using a crossbred bull, provided he’ll do the business.

Beefbooster delivers this product.

It sources only the best bulls from a small number of trusted, dedicated seed stock ranchers, such as Jim Lynch-Staunton, and rigorously tests all aspects of their performance at Thorlaksen feed yard, south of Calgary city.

From birth weight to semen testing, IHHG HIoFLHQF\ WR VWUXFWXUDO VRXQGness, Beefbooster uses the genetic data (all cattle are genotyped at birth), coupled with their own measurements to produce a breeding index not unlike our own. Only the best go to the sale; around 30% of bought-in bulls don’t make it. Remember, too, that only the top bulls from their source ranches PDNH LW WR WHVWLQJ LQ WKH oUVW SODFH Beefbooster sells four classes of bull. The M1 class is 80% Angus, 15% Devon (a British breed) – these were on sale the day we visited. Next are the M2, based on Hereford, Simmental and some Red Poll. For heifers, there

Connie Redel and her daughter inspect their new purchase at the BeefBooster sale.

is the M3 bull. He’s Longhorn and Jersey-based and comes with a no CVHFWLRQ JXDUDQWHH 7KH oQDO 0 FODVV is Limousin-based.

Beefbooster sales are unique.

Prospective buyers arrive and register before the sale – letting the clerk know how many bulls they want to purchase.

Just before it kicks off, a random order of buyers’ names is generated.

7KH oUVW QDPH XS KDV WKH SLFN RI the bulls in the barn and everyone else must wait until their turn comes on the list. There is no bidding – all bulls

are pre-priced based on their class.

A buyer simply selects his bull from what remains in the barn, the animal is removed from the pen and the next EX\HU LV QRWLoHG WR FKRRVH Having attended a sale and conversed with all of the buyers on the day, the message around the unorthodox selling method was clear. These bulls had had to jump through hoops WR HYHQ PDNH VDOH GD\ %H LW WKH oUVW or last pick, Beefbooster’s drive for quality and consistency meant that you were taking home a serious animal regardless.

Later in the week, I met with one of the most highly respected beef researchers on the planet, Dr John Basarab of the University of Alberta. I was keen to pick his brain on crossbreeding.

“People are waking up to the value of hybrid vigour in livestock here,” John told me. “Going forward, our principal use for genomics in beef herds will be to help guys match bulls to their cows. When you cross two animals, you assume that you get 50% of the genetics from each, but in reality you don’t.

“You also don’t know which parent’s genetics will affect which traits. Our

“People are waking up to the value of hybrid vigour in livestock here” – Dr John Basarab farmers are very soon going to be using genomics as a tool to get around this and identify the most suitable sires to maximise hybrid vigour in potential offspring. In fact, we already have research herds with high and low hybrid vigour scores (HVS) on trial.

The high-HVS beef cows are leaving $115 to $190 more behind per year than the low-HVS animals and lasting longer in herds.

“The concept of giving cows a HVS and selecting sires based on this has actually been commercialised by a company called Delta Genomics,” John said.

The product is called EnVigour HX, ZKLFK kFRPELQHV SDUHQWDJH YHULoFDtion, genomic breed composition, and a simple vigour score (assessment of hybrid vigour) to develop a crossbreeding strategy optimised for your goals in your herd”.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 20172017 28July January

LIVESTOCK 11

Ten steps to healthy weaning

From dosing to creep grazing and vaccinating, follow our guide to taking your calves through a stress- and disease-free weaning process

F

rom dosing to creep-grazing and vaccinating, follow our guide to taking your calves through a stress- and disease-free weaning process.

Keeping calves healthy in the run-up to and during weaning is essential to maintaining high levels of liveweight gain and ensuring that calves are in peak condition for sale. Calf health can be affected by numerous management and environmental factors.

1

Dose calves regularly The stress of weaning can often leave the calf open to respiratory illness.

To avoid this and reduce the risk of poor liveweight growth, it is essential that calves are dosed when required in summer. Calves should not be weaned and dosed at the same time.

The best practice is to dose two to three weeks prior to weaning. If there are lung worms present, this will provide an adequate length of time for them to be killed and coughed up prior to weaning, thus reducing stress at and directly after weaning.

It is good practice to take faecal samples and have them analysed to show the extent of the worm burden and if there is need for further dosing against fluke.

2

Forward creep-grazing Forward creep-grazing should be carried out from now on in spring-

calving herds and, particularly, where milk supply is low. Forward creep-grazing is easily carried out by raising the electric fence and enticing the calves to creep forward under the fence, using concentrates.

Creep gates can also be used. By forward creep-grazing calves, you will ensure that calves have access to the best quality grass on the farm at all times, while the cows who are naturally decreasing in milk yield can be used to graze out fields.

It also acts as a natural method of breaking the cow-calf bond prior to full weaning. Both the cow and the calf will get used to spending less time near each other, which will help to reduce the stress often caused by abrupt weaning.

3

Supplement the calves The energy content of grass naturally declines from 11.5/12ME in spring to approximately 10.5ME in autumn. This, and the possibility of lower dry matter content, can reduce the overall energy intake of cattle in the autumn.

To maximise liveweight gains, it is essential that calves are supplemented during wet weather, or where grass supply or quality is poor. In addition, it is best practice to supplement calves with 1kg to 2kg of concentrates for a month before and after weaning. This level of supplementation will help to keep calves settled, reducing stress and respiratory illness.

4

Wean on a warm, dry day Both the calf and the cow will experience most stress on the day, and the days subsequent to weaning.

Stressed animals are more susceptible to illness, so weaning should be carried

out in good weather to avoid additional stress to the cow or calf.

ing of cows on hay or dry silage.

Where farmers opt to restrict cows on to hay or poor-quality dry silage to aid the drying process for a few days, mineral supplementation will be required to avoid cases of tetany or milk fever.

5

Minimise stress Stress needs to be kept to a minimum in the week prior to and after weaning. Doses and vaccinations should be administered well in advance and penning and handling of livestock should be avoided, where possible, during this time. Castration should not coincide with weaning. Abrupt weaning should also be avoided to minimise stress.

8

Avoid mastitis The risk of mastitis in cows peaks at weaning.

Along with reducing feed intake to decrease milk yield, care should be taken to reduce the risk of mastitis.

Some farmers use dry cow tubes on certain milky cows but this is not common.

Fly activity can spread mastitis quickly through a herd, so it is essential that fly activity be deterred. Applying Stockholm Tar to the udders of dry cows will ward off flies, which will help to reduce the risk and spread of mastitis.

6

Vaccinate The stress caused around weaning time can often weaken the animal’s defences and result in viruses and disease being able to thrive quickly. Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is a virus that can often set in.

Calves that are bought and mixed, or mixed at sales, are at the most risk of developing respiratory disease as a result of an IBR infection.

There are a variety of different vaccines available to protect against IBR and the onset of immunity will vary depending on the product used.

7

Feed cows correctly The diet of suckler cows should be managed correctly at weaning, especially where the cow is milky in nature or is still producing a good volume of milk per day. Drying off the cow correctly is essential in avoiding mastitis.

Where forward creep-grazing of calves is being carried out in the weeks prior to weaning, this will allow farmers to restrict grass intake to cows and reduce milk yield gradually, which is more desirable than abrupt weaning and hous-

9 The stress caused around weaning time can often weaken the animal’s defences and result in viruses and disease being able to thrive quickly

Wean gradually Studies have shown that least stress occurs with gradual weaning.

Calves should be maintained in current groups and forward creep-grazed, where possible. Weaning should take place gradually and cows removed in at least two separate groups. This will reduce the stress on calves considerably.

10

Graze calves on quality grass Post-weaning, calves should continue to be grazed on the best quality grass available on the farm to maintain high liveweight gains.

Planning is essential. You should ensure that you have three to four weeks of good quality grass ahead of stock after weaning, and they should be grazed in a rotation, where possible.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday24 15June July 2017

12 LIVESTOCK

A lot has been achieved With second-cut wrapped up at Arnage, the focus returns to stock work once more.

Declan Marren talks to Matthew Biffen

A

We are confident that this, along with more structured closing off of paddocks in the back end and early application of nitrogen in spring, will give us more grass at that critical stage come spring

t the time of our last update, we had just finished harvesting first-cut silage. Well, six weeks on and we have just covered a decent pit of second-cut. The crop was even heavier than first-cut which was reduced due to the long dry period we had in May. Again, we are very happy with the quality as the seed heads were just emerging so it’s just the stuff we’re after for our growing cattle this winter.

Here at Arnage, there is always a pinch point for grass in spring. Ideally, we would be getting calved cows out in mid- to late-April. However, we often have little or no grass around and have to hold them indoors longer than planned. This increases the cost of wintering having to feed the increased demand of the milking cow indoors at a time when shed space is also at a premium.

The shortage of grass can be attributed to two causes – fencing and the sheep.

The fencing situation is something we need to improve if we are to achieve more output from grazed grass. Currently the divisions on the farm are too big and we cannot utilise pasture optimally. This is going to take significant investment in both fencing and water supply over the next couple of years. However, with every extra tonne of grass dry matter utilised worth £140 and the potential for us to utilise between five and six tonnes/ha more than we are currently achieving, this initial investment will be money well spent.

The sheep graze the pasture all winter, leaving little cover for spring. Anything that is retained over the winter and into spring is then needed for ewes at lambing time.

To overcome this problem, we have planted just under 3ha of turnips that will be grazed by the ewes in late December into early February. The idea behind this is to concentrate the ewes in a small area and give the pasture a rest for a couple of months. We are confident that this, along with more structured closing off of paddocks in the back end and early application of nitrogen in spring, will give us more grass at that critical stage come spring.

This would mean we could get freshly calved cows out to grass earlier to highly palatable swards and reduce feed costs further on the farm.

Calving spread is an issue on farm. We still have a few from the spring herd to calve. If you compare a calf born this week to one born at the target turnout date of 20 April, gives the calf born this

Matthew Biffen.

week 85 days less at pasture than his earlier-born compatriot.

At an average daily gain of 1.2 kg/day, this week’s calf will be at least 102kg lighter come housing time. At a liveweight value of £2.30, this equates to £235 difference in value. Add to this the £2 cost of keeping the cow every day over a 365day calving interval and suddenly a late calf is not better that no calf at all.

While it would be very simple to remove the bull after 12 weeks this year and have a nice compact calving next spring, this would leave too many culls.

To maintain output from the herd and aid cashflow, we will have a 15-week bulling period this year with the possibility of doing some synchronisation with late calvers to try and bring them forward a couple of weeks.

We will then take away the bulls and scan all cows about 40 days afterwards.

Anything not in-calf at that stage will be

ÁBiffen family  Location: Mains of Arnage.  Farm size (ha): 227.  Cow numbers: 130.  Ewe numbers: 300.  Stocking rate (LU/ha grassland): 2.8.

gone through and we will be quite ruthless with culling. If there are some young cows that were very late calvers we may hold them over for the autumn herd.

Ideally we don’t want to have an autumn herd on the farm. Having a sizable arable enterprise we are busy with harvest in the back end of the year.

Again to avoid culling high numbers of cows we will establish a small autumn herd for the next few years and as cows come to the end of their time

they won’t be replaced.

On the sheep side, we are not happy with current performance of the flock.

Lambing went reasonably well. However, from starting at a scanning rate of 178% we are currently running at just over 125%. We hope to have a first draft of lambs in the next week or so. We feel our ewes are not suited to outdoor lambing especially the more Suffolk type that lambed down to Suffolk.

There were definitely more losses from this combination. Housing for lambing is not really an option on farm at the moment and it’s not a route we want to go down due to labour limitations in springtime.

Therefore, the plan over the next few years is to change to a Mule-type ewe and mate these to terminal Suffolk and Texel sires. We will operate an all-in, all-out system which will keep the whole thing as simple as possible.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 24July June2017 2017

LIVESTOCK 13

but more to do at Arnage

Spring-born calves at Arnage.

Mains of Arnage

Fiona, Andrew and Matthew Biffen

The power of data DECLAN MARREN

All six focus farms are beginning to reap the rewards of using farm-generated data to help make management decisions on an ongoing basis.

Be this soil temperature in spring for early application of nitrogen, using EBVs to help select a bull with the traits most required for the herd, turn-out weights, weaning weights or even a simple silage analysis, all help plan for the future success.

Farmers sometimes find it hard to justify investing in weigh scales.

However, with a decent setup costing in the region of one store animal, used correctly they will pay back a hundredfold.

The old saying goes that “knowledge is power”. However, without taking ac-

Biffens are hoping to cash in on recent strong lamb prices.

tion, knowledge is powerless. Weighing cattle or sheep alone will have zero effect on farm profitability unless you act on the information.

Ask yourself – what average daily liveweight gain am I achieving? What should it be? What is the average weaning weight?

What proportion of the cow’s own body weight is she weaning? What is the top third achieving?

What is the bottom third achieving?

Is there a certain bull or cow type that is/ isn’t performing on farm? Who needs to be culled?

As farmers, we like to think we know our best performers and we often do.

However, having the raw data is sitting in front of you will provide that lightbulb moment when you see the unexpected underachievers and the ones that are punching above their weight.

Turnips at Arnage for ewes to graze this winter.

Scottish Rural Development Programme

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

14 NEWS *UDVV JURZWK (kg DM/ha) 12/07/2017

BETTER FARM BEEF CHALLENGE NI

' 5DIIHUW\

Pomeroy

$ 0F1HLOO\

Antrim

F Hamill

Downpatrick

57 49

M Lewis

Armagh

64

J Blair

Limavady

64

%HQHo WV WR ZHLJKLQJ FDWWOH PLG VHDVRQ Midpoint in the grazing season is a good time to monitor performance, writes Kieran Mailey

W

ith the grazing season now at the halfway point, it is a good time to review cattle performance. Weighing cattle is one of the best management tasks that can be carried out on farm, but it is often one of the most neglected or ignored.

Suckler beef farmers are in the business of producing kilogrammes of liveweight, so they should know how cattle are performing over a 30-, 60- or 90-day period since turnout.

Weighing calves will indicate which

Ă Week in review Ă‚ Grazing paddocks have been topped and dressed with nitrogen after each rotation. Ă‚ Second-cut silage is now coming ready for harvesting. Ă‚ Cattle are being weighed to monitor grazing performance. Ă‚ Cattle are being wormed to control parasites.

cows are lacking in milk and should potentially be marked for culling.

Calves should be gaining 1.2kg to 1.5kg/ day while suckling the cow. If calves are behind target, you should ask is there a health problem that is suppressing weight gain, do cows lack milk, are herd genetics good enough or is grazing management just not up to scratch?

For store cattle, weighing means you can plan out which animals are likely to kill o grass and which animals will need to be re-housed for intensive ďŹ nishing.

Knowing the weight of cattle will al-

low you to complete a sale budget to determine if animals are better o sold live or housed for ďŹ nishing.

Store cattle may look like they are thriving, but are cattle doing 0.8kg/day or 1kg/day? Over a 180- to 200-day grazing season, this weight gain dierence could amount to another 35kg to 40kg of liveweight, worth £90 to £100 per head at current mart prices.

Combining worm control with weighing of cattle ensures that animals are correctly dosed and provides a more effective cover period.

Farmer focus: Jonathan Blair, Ballykelly, Limavady 6HFRQG FXW VLODJH UHDG\ IRU KDUYHVW It has been a great grass growing year and we have second-cut silage ready for harvesting next week.

There are 30 acres to mow and harvest. Second cut will be baled and stored on an outfarm where we winter cattle.

The alternative would be to draw grass home, ensile in the pit and then draw silage back to the outfarm on a daily basis during winter. Silage will be made using a local contractor.

We are still under-stocked on grazing land and, with high grass growth this year, we have been taking out surplus grass as bales to manage grazing quality.

I will probably make a third cut to manage grass in August. It is unlikely that I will use all of this silage this winter, but I would rather have a surplus of good-quality forage in reserve than run short. Silage quality will be excellent, so there may be a possibility of selling some bales at a later date.

I am following each grazing with nitrogen, spreading 22 to 27 units per acre and using soil analysis results to select the correct type of fertiliser, as I want to build soil fertility levels.

Cattle are grazing on three-day paddocks at present and grass utilisation

calved heifers, store bullocks, breeding heifers and spring-born calves will be wormed.

Calves will be wormed again in late summer which will get them ready for weaning. They will also get a pneumonia and IBR vaccine in late summer to reduce the risk of any respiratory problems around weaning time.

Breeding

Spring born calves are due to be wormed in the coming week. Cattle will also be weighed to monitor performance since turnout. is extremely good. I am delighted with how the paddock system has worked out this year.

It has really opened my eyes to the potential of the land. Mains electric fencing has now been installed on farm which can power 64km of wire. Cattle have learned to respect the wire which is making herding much easier.

We put up 1,000m of fencing along

waterways and to make additional paddocks using clipex fencing posts and two strands of high-tensile wire. It took two days to erect the fences and cost just over ÂŁ800, which was great value.

in length by 50ft in width, with an open side for feeding. It will be used WR KRXVH FRZV DQG FDOYHV VR WKH p RRU will be split with slats and a straw run back.

Calving facilities and creep areas will also be included in the shed. The shed will be also set up to allow calves

to creep outdoors in early spring.

We started digging the tank on Monday. It will be 26ft in width and 108ft long. Tank depth will be 10ft.

After the tank is shuttered and steel is erected, shed walls will be built using pre-cast slabs and Yorkshire cladding to provide ventilation.

Cattle health Cattle are thriving and due to be weighed next week. Weighing will be FRPELQHG ZLWK D ZRUP GRVH $OO o UVW

We have all cows at grass in two groups IRU EUHHGLQJ PDQDJHPHQW 7KH o UVW group has 33 cows and calves and they are running with the Stabiliser bull.

Included in this group are 11 heifers that were synchronised and bred to o [ WLPH $, EDFN LQ 0D\ , KDYH QRWLFHG three of these heifers repeating, so they are running with the bull to get them served.

The second group consists of 27 cows and they are running with our Angus stock bull. This group also contains 10 Stabiliser heifers that were purchased to try to build cow numbers.

I also synchronised nine cows in this group and have seen three animals repeating.

Stock bulls went out on 23 May and will stay with cows until mid August.

There have been high levels of bulling activity over the past two few weeks, so hopefully there will be a good part of the herd now settled in-calf.

New cattle housing

WATCH ONLINE watch the video on www.farmersjournal.tv

We have started construction of a new cattle shed on farm this week. All of the existing housing facilities on the farm are straw-bedded, with some sheds not really practical for feeding purposes or to suit cows and small calves.

The new shed will measure 100ft

IRISH

Supported by

FARMERS JOURNAL farmersjournal.ie

I am going with plastic coated tin RQ WKH URRI UDWKHU WKDQ FHPHQW o EUH panels for ease of maintenance.

Once completed, the new shed will greatly relieve housing pressure and simplify cow management over winter.

Slurry will also be a valuable fertiliser for early spring grass growth.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

LIVESTOCK 15

Dairylink Ireland

High investment in Cavan land

S More grass, more milk and more profit describes the business objective David Brady outside Stradone Co Cavan is aiming for, writes Conail Keown

ignificant investment has been ploughed into the grazing block, with results filtering into milk sales on the farm this year. Milk output is up on average 300 litres per day on the same period last year.

The net impact of this is an extra £8,455 in farm output based on just increased milk sales from February to June, and not factoring in the improved price.

From a cost perspective, meal feeding level has stayed similar to last year and grass growth has increased. More bag fertiliser has been purchased, and David has invested cash reserves and some borrowed money into land improvement which ultimately has increased the cost base for the business. The improved land will allow David to carry more stock and subsequently increase farm output which will help cover the cost of the farm improvement.

The farm has a grazing block of 38ha – the most critical resource on the farm.

Maximising its performance in terms of grass growth and stocking rate ultimately determines profitability.

Last year, this platform had an average growth of 9.5t DM/ha. Stocking rate on the platform currently is 2.91 cows/ha with an out block used for replacement heifers and silage. With the improvement work and reseeds coming on line now the stocking rate can be pushed up to around 3.2 cows/ha next year using replacements to grow the herd and some stock purchases.

The cow type on the farm is black and white Holstein Friesian with the breeding policy focused on holding herd milk output, while at the same time increasing milk solids and improving the fertility performance of the herd.

High-EBI sires have been selected with a sire FJM which has been sexed used on heifers, and FR2032 and FR2005 mainly used on the milking herd. All the sires are delivering over 25kg of solids and have positive milk sub index values. The fertility sub index for all sires is above £89. Based on projected milk solids, this will take total solids per ha to 1,370kg/ ha.

David Brady is targeting high return areas.

David Brady Stradone, Co Cavan The new reseeds have now been grazed by the milking herd. Ideal conditions allowed the cows to move in with a pregrazing cover of 1,600kg. As expected, milk solids increased on the reseed and litres held for nine days on the reseeded area. I topped up the reseed paddocks with a bag of 18-6-12 last week.

I have 6ac on the grazing block which has been fully drained with gravel tunnels and collector drains.

This increased the cost of the job by about £1,335 per acre. This area has been reseeded and fenced. Grass varieties used are 30% Tetraploid and 70% Diploid with Abergain, Aberchoice and

Kevin McGrade, Dromore, Co Tyrone

Nigel Corbett and family, Banbridge, Co Down

Robin Clements, Trillick, Co Tyrone

Bill Brown, Millisle, Co Down

Charles Clarke, Bailieborough, Co Cavan

IRISH

FARMERS JOURNAL farmersjournal.ie

turned to the grazing rotation in early July. Cover per cow is high at 170kg with some paddocks out for silage.

Breeding started this year on 5 May for both the cows and heifers. This year, I have 23 replacement heifers which went for AI using sexed sires for WKH o UVW VHUYLFH DQG WKHQ WKH VWRFN EXOO moved in after that.

Heifers have been bred on visual heat for 10 days, and any not served got prostaglandin and served on visual heat. 95% of the heifers submitted for AI and I have a stock bull currently with the group.

We submitted 82% of the milking KHUG LQ WKH o UVW IRXU ZHHNV WR $, , have no scan results yet, but based on return rates in the main herd and heifers, breeding has gone well this year.

Weekly grass and milk production statistics from participating farms Week ending 09/07/17 Average farm cover (kgDM/ha) Growth rate (kgDM ha/day) Stocking rate LU/ha Days at grass this week % of herd milking Average concentrate fed (kg/cow/day) Calving system

David Brady, Tierlahood, Stradone, Co Cavan

Supported by

Abermagic the varieties used.

We’ll wait and see how the drains work.

So far this year, grass growth has been fairly level on the farm, with no very high peak in growth. The highest growth recorded so far has been 85 kg/ day and as a result of this grass has been easier to manage, giving me a good chance to keep top-quality grass ahead of the herd.

Pre-grazing cover has been getting heavy over the past week, so I have skipped 4.5ha of paddocks, which is now out for silage and target pre-grazing cover is 1,400kg DM/ha.

The farm has grown more this year as I have spread more bag nitrogen but also the soil phosphorus and potassium have improved. The 6.5ha reseeded re-

Milk Yield (l/cow/day)

C Clarke R Clements

B Brown

D Brady

634

659

K McGrade N Corbett 580

820

703

484

89

101

73

45

64

64

3.72

3.26

3.36

4.1

3.44

2.85

7

7

7

7

7

7

100

100

88

85

95

100

3

1

0

1

Spring

Autumn

Autumn

3.8 3 70% 70% Autumn Autumn 23 22.0

23

19

15

Fat %

3.86

4.46

4.92

Protein %

3.39

3.58

Milk Solids (kg/cow/day)

1.72

1.57

Spring 22.5

4.07

4.05

3.75

3.93

3.5

3.39

3.41

1.37

1.79

1.69

1.66

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

16 LIVESTOCK Grass/ white clover

Ken Gill’s organic rotation

2UJDQLF EHHI D o UVW for BETTER farm

Turnip/ rape/kale to graze

Fixed costs Oats

Ciarán Lenehan spent time with Ken Gill, the first organic BETTER beef farmer

W

ith the modern consumer becoming more in tune to how their food is produced, the BETTER farm beef programme has taken a step into previously uncharted territory and brought an organic beef producer on board.

Ken Gill farms 95ha, laid out in one block, near Clonbollogue in Co Offaly.

He runs a 70-cow suckler beef operation, bringing all progeny to slaughter. The herd calves in 10 weeks in the autumn from early-August. The principal reason for his calving date is to take pressure off the grazing block in the spring – Ken cannot rely on synthetic fertiliser to drive early grass growth in the way conventional producers can.

Contrary to what might be expected, Limousin genetics predominate in Ken’s herd and there is good size in his cows.

“I was lucky enough to have a top-class Limousin stock bull (by Sleedagh Simpson) some years ago and there are a lot of his daughters (18) in the herd now,” Ken said.

Ken breeds two-thirds of his main herd to AI and a five-star replacement Angus bull runs with the balance and his heifers. This winter, he used common sires like Lisnacrann Fifty Cent (SI), Rio (SA), Castleview Gazelle (LM), Cornamuckla Lord Hardy (AA) and Solpoll 1 Kentucky Kid (HE) – all of which hold five stars on the replacement index too.

Bullocks go for slaughter, from grass in the back end at around 26 months of age. Beef heifers go slightly earlier at two years of age. To complement his own stock, Ken typically buys in weanlings or stores at special organic sales. This year he purchased 30 yearlings at a special organic sale in Kilmallock mart.

In 2016, Ken’s bullocks came in at carcase weights of 356kg (R+, 3+), with his heifers weighing 307kg (R=, 3+). Schemebased bonuses are such that Ken’s carcase beef price runs around 15-20% ahead of conventional prices. His carcases do not qualify for any breed bonuses (Angus/HereTeagasc Organic Specialist Dan Clavin and BETTER beef farmer Ken Gill.

IRISH

FARMERS JOURNAL farmersjournal.ie

A TEAGASC/IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL INITIATIVE

ford), but he has his reasons for using them.

“Obviously being an autumn calver, I’m trying to finish cattle from grass with minimal meal inputs – I have to, given that organic-spec concentrates cost in excess of £445/t. The early maturing breeds give me that easy-fleshing ability.

Then you have the obvious benefits around calving ease and calf vigour that are so important in suckling. However, my current worry is that my weights might suffer as more early-maturing genetics creep into the herd – a lot of my heifers this year are Angus and Hereford. This year I’m going to use a lot of Simmental to keep that size in the cow.”

Integration Like most large-scale organic beef operations, Ken’s grassland is just one part of the puzzle. In order to fix atmospheric nitrogen, keep the soil rejuvenated, minimise the need for expensive boughtin feeds, produce organic-spec straw and combat weeds, Ken grows crops of red clover, pea/barley mixture and oats, on top of his grass/white clover grazing swards.

“The red clover is gives me a highprotein (16-18%) feed that, when offered alone, will provide more-than adequate nutrition for my yearlings in the winter.

We’re growing 12 acres of it here at the moment. You get three cuts a year and should be targeting 25 bales/acre in total.

We’re not just hitting this at the moment, probably because my soil P and K indexes aren’t great – a common problem in organics as you can appreciate.

All organic cattle must have access to a straw bedded area. Ken has slatted pens with straw lie-backs and so his slurry and dung are crucial weapons in his soil fertility arsenal. He is also permitted to import dairy sludge and use certain mineral fertilisers when the need arises, such as ground phosphate.

Ken’s pea/barley combi-crop will be used to supplement his youngstock, any late-finishing stock and his cows during the winter. He fed around 0.5t of boughtin (£472/t) concentrate feed/cow unit (including progeny) in 2016 and really needs to look at reducing this going forward. When we visited in early-July, the pea/barley mix was on track

In association with

€/hr labour &DVKp RZ

Calving pattern Farm system

Farm size 2016 gross margin Land type

Autumn Organic suckler to steer and heifer beef

95ha £461/ha

Pea/barley combi-crop

Heavy clay

Podcast

Red clover

More on farmers journal.ie/ podcast

Organic beef farming – the facts  Whole farm must convert (minimum 3ha).  Scheme payments during conversion (years one and two): £196/ha (£53/ha beyond 60ha).  On achieving full status: £151/ha (£27/ha beyond 60ha).  Typically 20% higher beef prices – varies with season and demand.  Maximum stocking rate 170kg.  Organic concentrate feeds:

>£445/t. Â 100% slatted housing not permitted. Â Conventional animal medicines allowed as required (vet permission). Â 1R DUWLo FLDO IHUWLOLVHUV DOORZHG Â Farmyard manure, slurry, imported dairy sludge and mineral fertilisers used in conjunction with clover swards and crop rotations.

ÁGuide

WR WUDIo F lights

Fixed costs: <£311.5/ha <£489.5/ha >£489.5/ha

£/hr worked: to deliver yields of around 2t/acre on 12 acres, almost completely eliminating the need for him to buy-in concentrate feed.

After a big empty and culling rates in 2016, Ken needs to place a greater focus on his cows during the winter period, when energy intake is crucial for driving calf weight gain and establishing pregnancies. Nutrition here is crucial and Ken now knows that he must strive to make top-quality grass silage and avoid this energy coming from meals – an expensive practice for someone paying £178/t, let alone £445. Indeed, silage quality is one of the cornerstones of any autumncalving system – organic or conventional. The combicrop and red clover will give him options in this regard, but he is actively making grass silage bales as well, both for winter fodder and grass-

land management purposes. Most of Ken’s 25 acres of organic oats will go to Flahavan’s, though he plans to retain some for feeding to cattle. He expects around 2t/acre yields.

An interesting aspect of Ken’s rotation is a rape/kale/turnip mixture that he sowed at ploughing in the autumn.

“In organics you don’t just plough and sow your crop in directly, generally speaking. I put in what turned out a really nice crop of rape/kale/turnip to break up the sod. This is fed in November via rotational grazing and it means that you have cattle thriving, outside, late in the year.

It proves a good precursor for my peas and barley which I sow in the spring after ploughing again. I try to always put the mixture in between grass and tillage crops,” Ken said.

DV SURS RI QHW SURo W

>£11.13/hr <£11.13/ <£4.45/hr

&DVKp RZ (consecutive months without sales– inc.

VKHHS

<5 <7 >7

VIDEO ONLINE

ZDWFK WKH YLGHR RQ IDUPHUVMRXUQDO WY

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 14 July 2017

NEWS 17

NFU Scotland news

Brexit and labour were top of the agenda at a meeting attended by NFUS vice-president Gary Mitchell at Glenrath Farms last week. The group were joined by newly appointed UK minister for Scotland Ian Duncan and were shown around the new egg processing plant. The union also met Duncan earlier in the week at the Porters’ fruit farm in Perthshire, with labour, once again, top of the agenda.

With various activities happening throughout the year to mark the centenary of the East Lothian branch, a book FRQWDLQLQJ WKH PLQXWHV IURP WKH oUVW EUDQFK PHHWLQJ LQ 1917 was on display at Haddington Show recently. Group secretary Scott Carruthers is pictured with current branch chair Angus Jeffrey.

President Andrew McCornick attended Echt Show on Saturday. As well as managing time on the NFU Mutual/NFU Scotland stand, he also took part in a spot of judging and caught up with former vicepresident Rob Livesey.

The second in a series of four transportation and vehicle workshops for NFU Scotland members took place last week, proving popular with over 100 members attending. The venue was Backmuir of Keith Farm, Banffshire, hosted by Philip and Simon Simmers, with a huge variety of topics covered including licensing, forks, projections and load safety. The next event will take place on Wednesday 30 August at Aberdeen and Northern Marts, Caithness.

Women in NFUS – a way forward

A

s the largest representative organisation in the agricultural sector, the National Farmers Union Scotland has come under some criticism for being male-dominated.

However, scratching beneath the surface of NFUS provides a wider context of a staff-split – 60% women to 40% men.

25 women are currently engaged in roles within regions, six of whom are chairing

NFUS activities

their local branch. This aside, there is a recognition within NFUS that these women are the exceptions and not the rule, and the organisation recognises that evolution is needed.

Male dominance In 2017, the union surveyed its membership to understand how to engage better with women. The response rate was excellent, and several key themes emerged

from this. Respondents considered that their knowledge of union structures was good, and there was a clear desire to be involved in roles at branch and monitor levels. It was felt that the largest barrier to women engaging with NFUS was a perception of male dominance, perhaps something that internally had been suspected, but had not previously had confirmed.

In response to these results, NFUS will

Waygo amnesty

Farm safety week

With the waygo amnesty now active, agricultural tenants are being urged by NFUS and Crown Estate Scotland to consider if they have changes which need to be notified to landlords. Agricultural tenants need to be aware of the waygo amnesty for tenants’ improvements.

Crown Estate Scotland’s head of property, Andy Wells, is writing to all agritenants with a copy of the accompanying code.

NFU Scotland is once again supporting Farm Safety Week – taking place from 24 to 28 July – and is urging farmers, crofters and those working in the industry to take simple measures to make their farms or crofts a safer place to work, live and visit. Find out more information here: www.nfus.org.uk/ policy/campaigns/farm-safety.aspx

These women are the exceptions and not the rule

host two pilot events in the autumn, and a further one in the Dumfries/Galloway region, with a women-in-dairy focus.

NFU Scotland will also be actively looking for women to become regional mentors.

Following the launch of a women in agriculture research project, NFUS was approached to take part in the taskforce, and president Andrew McCornick has volunteered to participate.

Butter and cream shortage

NFUS Facebook page

In its response to warnings from Arla and other processors this week regarding a potential shortage of butter and cream in the months ahead, NFUS stated that this had come as no surprise and that “dairy commodity prices have been rising dramatically since last summer, illustrated by the objective market indicators AMPE and MCVE, which reflect wholesale price of butter, SMP and cheese and cheese byproducts respectively”.

The union has been featuring videos on its Facebook page to provide insight into a typical day of its staff. Parliamentary officer Clare Slipper recently captured her visit to Westminster, and this week, food chain policy officer Lindsey Macdonald details the union’s work to ensure Scottish agriculture’s voice is heard in the supply chain. Visit: www.facebook. com/nfuscotland/ for more information.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

18 LIVESTOCK

Beef

Best practice in beef – the English way

T Ciarán Lenehan attended the AHDB Beef Science Live day at Haper Adams University recently to get the English take on beef efficiency

here were a number of stops at the AHDB Beef Science Live event held at Harper Adams University last week, each focusing on a different aspect of profitable beef production. Here we present the take home messages from each one.

Á6XFNOHU FRZ QXWULWLRQ

using BCS – Debbie Brown

Debbie’s BCS targets and methods for hitting them mirror ours, but there were a few interesting points. Â In individual cases of condition loss, always check feet first even if there is no sign of lameness. Â Ensure correct stock bull body condition 10-12 weeks before breeding. Â It is much more economical to wean first-calvers early and creep feed calves than to have them lose condition late in the season and to build it back up pre-calving. Â Optimising cow BCS leads to better immunity in calves (higher colostrum immunoglobulin concentration).

Á,PSURYLQJ OLYHU p XNH control in cattle – Diana Williams

A thought-provoking presentation.

The speaker said that the biggest mud snail (intermediate hosts for fluke) populations in fields are found in depressions or previously damaged areas.

However, snail populations are low in recently poached fields and in shaded areas.

Farmers were advised not to rely on faecal egg sample for diagnosing liver fluke – they are only effective 10 weeks after infection.

Á3URo WDEOH EHHI IURP

dairy production systems – Rob Prendiville

Teagasc’s Rob Prendiville outlined his latest dairy beef research findings, showing that net margin per head was highest in three-season systems (28 month Friesian/26 month AA/HE).

Rob’s budgets assumed £89 for a Friesian bull and £214 and £240 for AA/HE-cross heifers and bulls respectively. A base beef price of £4 was also factored in. Net margins were both in excess of £267.

Such systems sell animals at a typically good time price-wise and represent an easier means to get cattle out early in the spring when compared with suckling.

Early turnout to Rob quality Prendiville spring grass leads to lucrative weight gain.

The mud snails that act as hosts IRU OLYHU p XNH SLFWXUHG DUH QRW PXFK ELJJHU WKDQ D SHSSHUFRUQ

Á$ UHYLHZ RI UHFHQW EHHI o QLVKLQJ UHVHDUFK DW +DUSHU Adams – Simon Marsh

Simon Marsh is a principal lecturer and beef cattle specialist at the university as well as a director with the National Beef Association.

His talk touched on both best practice in finishing cattle and some of the past and present research at the university. Some of his tips included: Â At least 25% of dry matter intake coming from a good quality forage source, if possible. Â Check the livers of each slaughter group for liver abscesses to gain clues about feeding management.

Simon detailed an interesting farm

trial which compared Simmental sires from either the top 1% or 10% on their equivalent terminal index.

The top 1% bulls produced calves worth £45 more at slaughter.

They achieved carcase weights of 395kg at 380-days-of-age.

Simon Marsh

ÁGetting better

performance from cattle at grass – Marc Jones

It was a case of starting from scratch at the grassland stop, an area which in truth warrants its own full day. Data was presented from the Teagasc BEEF 2016 event and preliminary findings from some set-stocked versus rotational grazing work being done locally on farms.

Marc stressed the importance of focusing on grass going forward, given its cost relative to conserved forage and grain and uncertainty around subsidies.

Á'ULYLQJ LPSURYHPHQW XVLQJ NH\ SHUIRUPDQFH LQGLFDWRUV q 1HLO 5RZH

VIDEO ONLINE

watch the video on farmersjournal.ie

Neil showed how the pursuit of the perfect cow was paying dividends for farmers. He outlined some rules and KPIs that he uses on his own and other herds. Â Cow mature weight no heavier than target progeny slaughter weight. Â Calfs weigh 50% of cow mature weight at 200 days – “animals not

achieving this won’t make a profit”. Â After 70 days with the bull 95% should be in calf. Â Sixty per cent calving in the first 21 days – “animals born in the first 21 days will make profit, the second 21 will break even and the third 21 will lose money”. Â Ninety per cent of data generated

on farm is never used – data needs to be acted upon. Â “Where you’ve a 750kg cow producing a 340kg calf, 90% of the energy you put into that pair goes towards maintenance and 10% into production.

What business can generate a margin from a turnover of 10%?”

Neil Rowe

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

LIVESTOCK 19

ÁComment In some respects, you might as well be in North America as England when comparing beef production systems in Ireland – the contrasts are stark. Again, it all comes back to farm size.

The typical farm in this region of England spans hundreds of acres and will support a family on its subsidies alone. Like Ireland, the gulf between the top and inferior operations in terms of efficiency and profitability are stark – a function of CAP payments perhaps.

However, big, efficient suckler farms in the region have bought into the North American philosophy of a handy, hardy cow who’ll do the majority of the work herself. Many of these farmers are running traditional-breed herds, with some having gone down the stabiliser route, aiming for bigger carcase weights.

For me, their best suckler operators are right up there with any country on individual animal basis.

Take Neil Rowe for example.

Cows really must earn their keep in his herd, with fertility and calf weaning weight crucial. Indeed, some of his lofty suckler KPIs seemed outlandish, but obviously achievable.

The almost pedantic push for weaning weight and fertility is akin to what you have in North America and driven by a need for a cow model that can be worked in big numbers by very few labour units.

Dairy beef calves at Harper Adams University

But are these numbers enough?

Stocking rates on suckler farms in the region are generally low, even on efficient holdings. Grass is often a break crop in an arable rotation.

Now, with Brexit and the threat to CAP payments, farmers are looking at output to fill the potential future holes in their income. That output

The almost pedantic push for weaning weight and fertility is akin to what you have in North America and driven by a need for a cow that can be worked in big numbers by very few labour units will come via higher stocking rates which will require a focus on grassland.

Yet, as it stands, intensive grass-based beef systems are few and far between in the region.

All of the data used on the potential of grass at the Beef Science Live event was from work done by Teagasc.

Current AHDB research into beef grazing systems is simply just comparing output from set-stocked versus rotationally grazed land and is farmbased.

Grassland In terms of adopting intensive approaches to grassland, they are well behind what’s being done in Ireland.

However, given the capital required to establish sufficient grazing infrastructure on farms of this scale and the fact that boosting stocking rates to match grass growth in rotational grazing systems will potentially put a huge drain on cash and labour via extra cattle, this is understandable.

Going forward, we can definitely learn from the standards set for the optimum English suckler cow.

On the grass end, there is little to take home that hasn’t already been drilled in Ireland.

In fact, the UK will continue to look across the sea for guidance as intensive grazing momentum gathers there.

AHDB and beef at Harper Adams University The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is a statutory levy board, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain and managed as an independent organisation (independent of both commercial industry and of government).

Their purpose is to “inspire our farmers, growers and industry to succeed in a rapidly changing world”.

University Harper Adams university is today home to over 2,000 students. Its beef unit finishes dairy-bred bulls from the university’s 400 head dairy herd, the majority of which are produced in a cereal beef system at 13-15 months.

The calves enter the cereal beef unit at 12 weeks and move onto a 14% crude protein ration fed ad lib. At 275kg, this is dropped to a 12%.

At 14 months, Holstein and continental x Holstein bulls achieve carcase weights of 285kg and 335kg respectively. This equates to slaughter weights of 570kg and 600kg.

With beef prices of £3.05 (HO) and £3.30 (cont. x HO), gross margin per head is £331 and £354 respectively.

Table 1: Harper Adams dairy beef concentrates 12%

Crude protein (% as fed) 14%

% inclusion Rolled barley Soya bean meal Maize distillers Beet pulp Molasses Minerals and vitamins

75 3.75 3.75 10 5 2.5

68.5 7 7 10 5 2.5

Starch (% of DM) UFV/kg

40.2 0.95

36.9 0.95

Current trial work  Comparison of bulls versus steers.  Replacement of barley with wheat in bull-finishing diets.  Differing ration crude protein levels in maize silage-based heifer diets.  Production of Holstein Friesian

steers in 20-month, outdoor forage systems. Â Effect of differing levels of milk replacer on 12-week performance of rearing calves. Â Evaluation of milk feeding patterns on performance of rearing calves.

Ashbourne Meats will provide a 5cent Bonus on the Limousin cattle listed below STOCK BULLS

LM with Pedigree Cert - E & U Grades

COWS

LM with Pedigree Cert E,U,R+ & R= Grades

HEIFERS LM or LMX

E,U,R & O+ Grades 2+,3,4- & 4= Fat Scores Under 30 Months Under 400Kgs Carcasse Weight

Please Contact Willie McCormack on 085-8502994 for enquiries

ADVERTISINGDIRECTORY

to Advertise call Aberdeen 012-2442 6001 Glasgow 014-1301 1044 or you can contact us by email adverts@farmersjournal.co.uk

TONY MCHUGH TRACTOR SALES

STORAGE TANKS

– range from 300 Gallon up to 8000 Gallon – s 3UITABLE FOR %Fm UENT 2AINWATER AND #LEAN 7ATER 3TORAGE s &ULLY SLATTED OPTION AVAILABLE ON 2500, 3500, 5000 and 8000 gallon tanks

Call TODAY for competitive rates on ALL tractors!!

Ballinasloe, Ballinamore Bridge, Co. Galway Ireland +353 (0) 90 662 2868 | +353 (0) 86 859 9675

Water Troughs, Feed Barriers & Slurry Channels Rainwater Storage Systems for Domestic & Commercial Applications Biogreen Waste Water Treatment System – Certified to EN12566-3 & SR66 Septic Tanks Certified to EN12566-1 & SR66

COURTMACSHERRY

Stop Oil Theft with our Secure Diesel Storage Tank

Drumderry, Bunclody, Wexford. T: 0121 661 4471 E: sales@carlowtanks.com M: Noel 075 0109 7149

2002 New Holland TS 90. 7800 hours, LH shuttle,

www.carlowtanks.ie

Concrete Products Ltd.

LEADING MANUFACTURER OF PRE-CAST PRODUCTS

DRINKING TROUGHS TOP FILL

BOTTOM FILL

HANSEN VALVE & TAP SUPPLIED WITH EACH TROUGH

140 gallons (80” x 28” x 25” high)

100

240 gallons (84” x 44” x 25” high)

120

400 gallons (96” x 48” x 32” high)

150

550 gallons (138” x 48” x 29” high)

170+

Ford 3910 Import.

AP cab power steering, Double assisting rams, In very good cond

€16000+vat

€7000+vat

LAND WANTED

Young, but experienced couple looking for a long term lease/ partnership/ share farming on a large block.

Currently running own dairy enterprise for 6 years.

2001 New Holland TS 90 Turbo SL Dual Power,

Ford 655 4WD, Newly Recon engine, Extra dig

€20750+vat

€7500

Have 250 to calve in 2018.

Contact Tom on 00353 87 4049912

70 gallons (72” x 25.5” x 18” high)

50

140 gallons (80” x 28” x 25” high)

100

240 gallons (84” x 44” x 25” high)

120

400 gallons (96” x 48” x 32” high)

150

550 gallons (138” x 48” x 29” high)

170+

CMS Machinery

FOOTBATHS

Most makes and Models of Tractors Dismantled Parts can be Delivered Card Payment Accepted New Parts Available Tractors in stock for sale

FEED TROUGHS ROUND TOP U FEEDER 28”

Designed for simple cattle rations where there is a full curve at the base of the trough so the feed will always fall towards the animal and the animal will not pack the feed on the under side with the back of its head this makes it easy to clean and reduces feed contamination.

40”

Raymond 353 86 1787324 Richard 353 87 9257824 Email:cmstractorparts@gmail.com Courtmacsherry, Bandon, Cork P72TR23, Ireland www.cmsmachinery.ie NEW IN FOR DISMANTLING

34”

High “L” shape feed trough, this is designed to suit high output mixer machine and it will also provide more room for feed storage.

Ford 4600 (Tax book, Power steering, In very good condition)

€16250+vat

€5500

353 86 1787324

FEATURES: % Made from 40N concrete - very hard wearing. % Level platform inside and outside (No stepping down into footbath). % Two large wash outlets on both sides. % Fixed bolt holes for side barrier.

BENEFITS: % Assist in the prevention and treatment of hoof diseases and lameness. % Reduce the spread of infection. % Reduce solution waste.

HIGH L FEEDER

2000 New Holland L95 40km, Crawler box, LH shuttle, Front Links

MCHALE FUSION 2&3 COMBI BALERS 34”

Willie Day 0751-6996692 Murphy Concrete Office 00353 53 9256026 www.murphyconcreteproducts.ie

Subscribe today call us: Aberdeen 012-2442 6001 Glasgow 014-1301 1044

Ford 7810, Only 4700 hours Crawler box, Mint condition, Import

Massey Ferguson 135, tax book. Restored to a very high standard

€12000+vat

John Deere 2650 power steering, Floor change.

In very good condition

€5500

Massey Ferguson 50HX 4WD, In good Condition

€6500

WANTED All makes and models of tractors wanted for breaking, export and retail.

FARMERS JOURNAL Scotland

8 July 2017 Vol 1 No 6 | £3.10

11 Livestock

Scottish flock with NZ genetics Brogan Farm has embraced New Zealand genetics and rotational grazing as they move towards an outdoor ODPELQJ p RFN

Quality farms flood the market

20% rise in farms for sale from Caithness to Kelso ODILE EVANS

NEWS CORRESPONDENT RHYDQV#IDUPHUVMRXUQDO FR XN

Approximately 20% more good-quality farms have become available this year and are commanding prices of up to £15,000/acre. Issues such as succession and farm incomes are driving the sale of farms in excess of 600 acres.

“It’s the lag of 2014/2015 farm accounts that has brought these farms to the markets,” said Ian Hope, agricultural property specialist from Galbraith Group.

“I’m not convinced Brexit is a factor, as there is not enough information available yet for it to influence sale of land.”

Hope is convinced this is part of a cycle. Until recently, 200ac to 400ac parcels were sold when they became unsustainable, and now this is hitting larger farms.

Typically they are being sold in lots and bought by neighbouring farms. Such is the demand for land that prices are staying buoyant, hitting £15,000/ac in Angus, £13,500/ac in Perthshire and £11,000/ac in Fife.

Ä Continued on page 2

Cattle enjoying the warm weather

Seed potato exports

F t

t d

just outside Elie in Fife with the

l

Bass Rock and Firth of Forth to

the rear. \ Craig Stephen

CASE 745 XL, trip loader, 4WD, Crawler box. Immaculate condition

Massey Ferguson 135, Very good condition

€11500+vat

€4750+vat

FINANCE CAN BE ARRANGED

Bandon, Co. Cork Raymond +353(0)86 1787324 Richard: +353(0)87 9257 824 New Web Address: www.cmsmachinery.ie

PEDIGREE

LIVESTOCK

Huge crowds judging at Victor Jackson’s Crossnacole Herd, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, at the 25th IHFA National Holstein Friesian Open Day. \ Maria Kelly

IHFA celebrates 25th national open day Last week the IHFA held its annual national open day on the farm of Victor Jackson, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow. Shane Murphy reports

T

he Irish Holstein Friesian Association held its national open day in Co Wicklow. In a week when emphasis was being placed on crossbred cattle at the Teagasc National open day, it was great to see a fully pedigree Holstein herd doing the business on a different setup.

While a pedigree Holstein breeding is a specialised system with higher inputs, host farmer Victor Jackson of the Crossnacole herd is reaping the rewards.

The 140-cow herd is driven by production and last year saw 1.4 million litres sold to Glanbia. To put this in perspective, the Greenfield crossbred herd last

year produced a similar amount with nearly 200 cows more.

The Jackson family’s farm epitomised everything which is great about Holstein breeding and for this reason thousands of people travelled the distance to the Kiltegan based farm for the association’s 25th national open day.

Full report and pictures >>22-23

22 PEDIGREE

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

At the 25th IHFA National Holstein Friesian open day on the farm of Victor Jackson, Crossnacole Holsteins - First placings in all three categories of the IHFA National Herds Competition (l-r): Victor Jackson, Crossnacole Holsteins, Co Wicklow (over 80 section); Thomas Byrne, Cloonamona herd, Co Wexford (spring section); Noel Hennessy, Thevalley, Co Waterford (under 80 section); with sponsor Brendan Collins, Greenvale. \ Maria Kelly

IFHA National Herds Competition judge Paul Hannan, Lisnalty Holstein, with judge’s choice award recipients Noel Hennessy, Thevalley, Co Waterford (third placing); Aidan Frawley, Ballytigue herd, Co Limerick (second placing); and Victor Jackson, Crossnacole Holsteins, Co Wicklow (winner); judge’s recognition award winner, Charles McCandless, Culcara herd, Co Donegal; Kathleen Watson, IHFA president; and Brendan Collins, Greenvale, IHFA National Herds Competition sponsors. \ Maria Kelly

Crowds head east for IHFA open day SHANE MURPHY PEDIGREE smurphy@farmersjournal.ie

The IHFA’s national open day has grown from what was once a small gathering to what is now the pinnacle day of the Friesian calendar. This year, the open day took place on the farm of Victor Jackson, who runs the Crossnacole herd in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow.

The herd is well known to anyone in the Friesian game, with the Crossnacole herd awarded some of the highest accolades in the breed over the years. Some of these achievements include the Baileys all-Ireland champion cow on two occasions, along with reserve on five different occasions, overall champion at Tullamore Show and national herd competition winners a massive eight times (including 2017), to name just a few.

Much of this acquired fame in the show ring has been achieved through the careful selection of some of the top female lines available from throughout the world. This selection process has led to over 90% of the herd now classifying either VG or EX. While these lines may be ticking the boxes in the show ring, they’re equally matching the performance in the parlour. The 140-cow Crossnacole herd supplies a daily contract of 2,250 litres to Glanbia and supplied 1.4 million litres in 2016.

With such a reputation preceding Victor, it was no surprise crowds flocked in their thousands to get a view of how his system works, and get a glimpse at one of the best herds in the country.

Herds competition The eagerly awaited results of the IHFA National Herds Competition were also announced as part of the programme of events at the open day. Herds from across the country were visited in the space of a week by judge Paul Hannan, who manages the Lisnalty Herd in Co Limerick.

Production and conformation at herd level were assessed, bringing excellence in herd efficiency and management to the fore. In completing the onerous judging task, Paul covered huge distances and long hours in visiting herds

across all corners of the country.

Speaking before the prizegiving, Paul said: “I had a clear idea of what I wanted.

I was looking for a herd of cows on fire when I got there, full of milk, full of bloom, plenty of youth and good senior cows. In my choices I think I found this.

Very well done to all who made the shortlist.”

There are three categories within the competition and the awards include highest EBI, judge’s choice and judge’s recognition prizes, all of which were this year sponsored by Greenvale Animal Feeds.

Full results Spring section  1st, Thomas Byrne, Lask herd, Cloonamona, Craanford, Gorey, Co Wexford.  2nd, Denis Kiely, Millstreet herd, Ballydaly, Rathmore PO, Co Cork.  3rd, Micheal Spillane, Mountain herd, Tullamaine, Fethard, Co Tipperary.  EBI award – Pat Cleary, Carrickshock herd, Hugginstown, Co Kilkenny.

Under 80 cows section  1st, Noel Hennessy, Thevalley herd, Bishopstown, Lismore, Co Waterford.  2nd, Richard Whelan, Lumville herd, Towlagh, Clonard, Co Meath.  3rd, Philip and Linda Jones, Hallow herd, Holstein View, Killowen, Gorey, Co Wexford.  EBI award – Michael & Margaret Laffan, Everground herd, Kilfinny, Adare, Co Limerick.

Over 80 cows section  1st, Victor Jackson, Crossnacole herd, Crossnacole, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow.  2nd, Aidan & Sally Ann Frawley, Ballytigue herd, Ballytigue, Bruree, Co Limerick .  3rd, Garry Hurley, Clonpaddin herd, Ballymoyle, Arklow, Co Wicklow.  EBI award, Robert Moore, Fowlerstown herd, Fowlerstown, Stamullen, Co Meath.

Judge’s choice award  1st, Victor Jackson, Crossnacole herd, Crossnacole, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow.  2nd, Aidan & Sally Ann Frawley, Ballytigue herd, Ballytigue, Bruree, Co Limerick.  3rd, Noel Hennessy, Thevalley herd,

Huge crowd at the Sale held at Victor Jackson’s Crossnacole Herd, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow at the 25th IHFA National Holstein Friesian Open Day \ Maria Kelly

Bishopstown, Lismore, Co Waterford.

Judge’s recognition award  Charles McCandless, Culcara herd, Lisnacara Hse, Culdaff, Lifford, Co Donegal.

Open day stock judging competition winners: 27 years and over  1st, North Eastern Club: Leo Collins, Pat Murray and Alan Dorian.  Highest individual: Oliver Neville, Laois/Offaly club.

18-26 years section  1st North Eastern Club: Paul Daly, Jack Mennis and Matthew Flanagan.  Highest individual: Emer Kennelly, Kerry club.

Under-18 section  1st, Cork club: Brian Osborne, Seona Osborne and Conor Lehane.  Highest individual: Cathal Dorian, North Eastern club.

The next big IHFA event is the pure Friesian open day on 19 July hosted by the Spillane family who run the Mountain herd near Fethard, Co Tipperary.

PEDIGREE 23

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

7KH QRUWKHDVWHUQ WHDP RI /HR &ROOLQV 3DW 0XUUD\ DQG $ODQ 'RULDQ WDNH oUVW SODFH LQ WKH 27 and over section of the Inter Club Stock Judging which was sponsored by Connollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Red Mills represented by Avril Egar (left), William Grogan and Colclough Byrne. \ Maria Kelly

The northeastern team of Jack Mennis, Matthew Flanagan and Paul Daly (not in picture) WDNH oUVW SODFH LQ WKH VHFWLRQ RI WKH ,QWHU &OXE 6WRFN -XGJLQJ ZKLFK ZDV VSRQVRUHG

by Connollyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Red Mills, represented by Colclough Byrne and Avril Egar on the left and Wil liam Grogan and Michael Phelan on the right. \ Maria Kelly

Crossnacole celebratory sale tops ÂŁ5,963 As part of the national open day, Victor Jackson held a celebratory sale at the close of proceedings. This has now become a tradition of open day host farms, oďŹ&#x20AC;ering spectators impressed with the cattle on show the opportunity to take home a bit of their breeding. This sale was no diďŹ&#x20AC;erent and included over 50 heifers, many of which come from the renowned female lines which made the herd famous.

Not only were these some of the best females available in the herd â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they also stand as some of the best females ever to be oďŹ&#x20AC;ered in Ireland based on both looks and pedigrees. With such quality forward, it was no surprise the sale was naturally a ďŹ&#x201A;yer. The sale saw 46 lots sell out of 53 to average just shy of ÂŁ2,403.

This was an incredible ďŹ gure when you look at the amount of young stock in the sale, including 30 maiden heifers from three months of age.

Speaking after the sale, Victor said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just knew with the quality of cattle we were putting up that we wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done well, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceeded my wildest dreams.â&#x20AC;?

Topping the sale with a price tag of ÂŁ5,963 was Crossnacole Brokaw Fame.

This well-grown September 2015-born heifer was sired by Mr Atwood Brokaw and sold carrying a heifer calf by Mr Apples Armani. Dam of the high seller was Clonpaddin HP Fame, a ďŹ ve-time classi-

ďŹ ed EX92 Shottle daughter who in her peak produced over 11,000kg of milk, of which 4.52% was fat and 3.24% protein.

The Fame family have a long-standing reputation of type cows, with Brokaw Fame no exception, standing as a potential ďŹ fth-generation EX92. With back and forth bidding and a few tense moments, the hammer ďŹ nally fell, with successful bidder the Bawnmor herd in Co Cork.

One of the earlier lots into the ring, Crossnacole Brokaw Paradise, got the sale into full swing when she sold for ÂŁ4,450. Out of one of the most famous lines in the herd, Brokaw Paradise is a Mr Atwood Brokaw-Shottle cross. Dam is EX classiďŹ ed cow Crossnacole Shottle Paradise who is a consistent 9,500kg of milk producer. Born November 2015, Brokaw Paradise sold in-calf to Boldi Admiration calving in February.

Precious Two heifers hit the ÂŁ3,560 price tag. First at the money was Crossnacole McCutchen Precious, a potential seventh generation EX classiďŹ ed animal. The 11,500kgproducing Crossnacole Shottle Precious was the dam of this one, with De Su BKM McCutchen the sire. Matching her at the money was Crossnacole Uno Amy. This September 2016-born heifer is described by the host as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;superb show heiferâ&#x20AC;?, and no surprise really given her grand

Clonpaddin G Fame, a maternal sister to the dam of the sale leader. \ Jane Steel

dam is the well-known Miss Rubens Amy who has sired a string of top show animals throughout Canada and the United States. Sire behind this young heifer was Amighetti Numero Uno Et. Baby calves Tops of the baby calves was the only female forward from the Apple family, who at just three months sold for ÂŁ3,026. With Doorman as the sire and her grand dam a full sister to the World Dairy Expo reserve champion, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sure to have high hopes. This young heifer also carried the red gene, further adding to how special this one might breed.

Crossnacole McCutchen Precious, a full sister to the d &URVVQDFROH 0F&XWFKHQ 3UHFLRXV \ Jane Steel

Cork team Brian Osborne, Conor /HKDQH DQG 6HRQD 2VERUQH WDNH oUVW SODFH LQ WKH XQGHU VHFWLRQ RI WKH Inter Club Stock Judging which was sponsored by FBD, represented by David Bermingham \ Maria Kelly

Podcast

More on farmers journal.ie/ podcast

IRELANDS LARGEST ON-LINE SHOW SUPPLY STORE WITH OVER 1,000 PRODUCTS IN STOCK

For For our ourfull fullrange rangecontact contactwww.pedigreecattle.ie www.pedigreecattle.ieor phone +353 498542907 8542 907 or phone 049

24 PEDIGREE

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL 6DWXUGD\ -XO\ Saturday 15 July 2017

Spring bull sale season review

Simmental SHANE MURPHY PEDIGREE smurphy@farmersjournal.ie

Simmental bull sales flourished for the Simmental breed, with averages up over €600 at both of the society sales.

Clearance rates stayed relatively high for both society sales, with the March premier in Roscommon seeing 90% of bulls forward sold. However, increased off farm sales led to smaller than anticipated numbers at this premier.

Overall, 14 bulls sired by bulls standing in AI were sold for the average sale price or higher at their respective sales.

These 14 bulls sold to average €5,310.

Topping the chart for average bull price was the sire Curaheen Dickens. One son secured the male championship at the society April sale in Tullamore, while the second was the second top priced bull at the March premier. Dickens himself was the 2013 ploughing match champion and is sired by the €18,500 Curaheen Warrior.

Table 1: Simmental spring bull sales Total average

No of bulls

Curaheen Dickens

8,000

6,600

7,300

2

Kilbride Farm Dragoon

8,700

4,700

6,700

2

Kilbride Farm Delboy 12

4,500

4,200

4,350

2

Auroch Bullet Pp

6,400

6,400

Curaheen Wakeman

5,200

5,200

Carnkern Titan

5,000

5,000

Omorga Murray

4,700 4,400

Promi Kilbride Farm Bantry

4,300 4,000

Glebefarm Tyson

4,700

Avg price (€)

100

4,000 3,500 3,000

80

2,500 2,000 1,500

60

4,400

1,000

4,300

500

4,000 3,600

? $OoH 6KDZ

Clearance (%)

March Tullamore Roscommon April premier

Clonagh Direct Debit

Curaheen Dickens

3,600

40

Premier Roscommon March 11

Kilkenny March 15

Tullamore sale April 7

0

North East Irish Limousin winners announced Despite a bit of bad luck in the lead-up, the North East Limousin Club’s herds competition and auction was deemed a great success.

Shane Murphy reports The North Eastern Limousin Club held its annual herds competition earlier this month which saw over 40 entries to be judged.

Chosen judges for 2017 were Michael and Melanie Alford of the well-known Foxhillfarm Limousin herd based in Devon. The duo started judging following their highly successful Highland show, where they claimed the overall and reserve Limousin championships as well as the prestigious overall interbreed title with Foxhillfarm Mamamia.

Herds were broken up by size seeing awards for small, medium and large herds as well as a new novice category. Each of these categories were then further broken up with placings awarded for a range of sections from best young calf to best stock bull and everything in between.

The winners were as follows: Novice section – overall winners 1 Rose & Ronan O Reilly, Skealon, Ballyconnell, Cavan.

2 Stephen Treanor, Scotstown, Monaghan.

Each year, the quality of entries for the raffle is phenomenal and this year was no different

Foxhillfarm Lord of the Ring. Three straws sold at the auction for £454.

3 Finbar & Shannon Murphy Scotshouse, Monaghan.

Small herd – overall winners 1 Joe & Margaret Henson, Kilbeggan, Westmeath.

2 Kevin & Ciaran Smith, Redhills, Cavan.

3 Raymond Bird, Louth Village, Louth.

Medium herd – overall winners 1 A & P Kelly, Maymount Farm, Ballinalig

Lower, Moate, Westmeath.

2 Arthur Lambert, Dunboyne, Meath.

3 Tommy Connor, Derrylough, Keenagh, Longford.

Large herd – overall winners 1 Stanley Richardson, Newtowngore, Leitrim.

2 Tom Bailey, Batterstown, Meath.

3 Derek Russell, Townley Hall, Drogheda, Louth.

Following five days of judging, the awards ceremony was held at the Lakeside Manor, Virginia, which also included a fundraising raffle hosted by the club.

Each year, the quality of entries for the raffle is phenomenal and this year was no different, with the November-born pedigree Limousin heifer Ernevalley Lionness offered up. This heifer carried a wealth of breeding behind her, coming from one of the best lines available in Ireland.

However it wasn’t to be as during the week of judging the young heifer suffered a broken leg.

Top lots Many other top lots were auctioned off but none quite reached the highs which were expected from Lioness. Topping semen sales part of the auction at £454 were three straws from the 2016 October Carlisle sale champion Foxhillfarm Lord of the Rings. They sold to Tommy Connor.

Two straws of Ampertaine Abracadabra were secured by Brendan Hanley for £392, while Michael Rattigan purchased three straws of Nenuphar for £374.

Topping the embryo lots at £641 was an embryo of Powerful Hibernia crossed with Ampertaine Gigolo, this one was secured by Stephen Crampton. A number of other lots of semen and embryos were auctioned on the night with a combined total of nearly £4,450 raised.

PEDIGREE 25

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

Britt secures all-Ireland junior Friesian class at Charleville Diarmuid Murphy showing the AllIreland Junior Pedigree Friesian cow and Champion Friesian Rocca Dg W Britt for Brian Hayes at Charleville Agricultural show

Coming oďŹ&#x20AC; the back of highly successful on-farm sale, Brian Hayes secured the junior allIreland cow championship at Charleville recently. Shane Murphy reports

\ Mike Hoar

H

eat once again descended on the Charleville showgrounds in North Cork for their annual summer agricultural show. The show was the host of the pedigree Friesian allIreland junior cow class which draws people from all over Ireland.

A number of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top exhibitors battled it out for the prestigious all-Ireland title, but it was Kinsale man Brian Hynes who stood top of the line following adjudication.

Having achieved much success at his summer sizzler sale last month, Brian was again in the limelight when his Rocca Dg W Britt secured the red ribbon before eventually claiming champion of the show. Britt is a ďŹ ve-year-old Gillette Windbrook daughter out of the 2010 Holland master sale topper Vendairy Breesh.

No stranger to the show ring, Britt has previously being awarded the intermediate championship and best udder at the ATH by the Night show in 2014. Having calved in January, the VG89-classiďŹ ed second-calver has a predicted 305-day yield of over 11,000kg of 4.17% fat and 3.24% protein.

Following close on her heels to claim the reserve junior cow title was Clonpaddin M CYG Fame from Jim and Doireann Mulhall. This three-year-old Chassity Goldchip daughter had already enjoyed

a successful year claiming the reserve supreme champion at the Emerald Expo back in April.

Again classiďŹ ed VG89, Fame gave over 9,000kg in her ďŹ rst lactation over a 315day period. Bred from three generations of EX-classiďŹ ed cows, Fame later went on to secure the honourable mention title at the championship stage.

Snatching one place better than the three-year-old at the championship stage was the third calver Liskinett Windrock Jacila 5 Et. Exhibited by Thomas Gerard Storan, the October 2012-born cow is another daughter of the aforementioned Gillette Windbrook and out of Goldwynbred dam Jacobs Jalila.

Prize winners Pedigree Friesian heifer, in milk.

1st, Johnny Leahy, Dellview Snow Angel, HB Number: IE142017560010, Born: 15/01/2015, Sire: Larcrest Cancun, Dam: Dellview Holly Angel.

All-Ireland junior pedigree Friesian FRZ FRQoQHG WR VHFRQG FDOYHUV 1st, Brian Hayes, Rocca-DG W Britt-ET, HB Number: BE528079834, Born: 24/10/2011, Sire: Gilette Winbrook, Dam: Vendairy Breesh.

3HGLJUHH )ULHVLDQ FRZ KDYLQJ

FDOYHG WKUHH WLPHV 1st, Thomas Gerard Storan, Liskinett Windrock Jacila 5 ET, HB Number: 241414651483, Born: 01/10/2012, Sire: Gillette Windbrook, Dam: Jacobs Goldwyn Jalila.

0DYHULFN SHGLJUHH )ULHVLDQ VHQLRU FRZ LQ PLON KDYLQJ FDOYHG IRXU WLPHV RU PRUH 1st, Bryan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Grassvale Shottle Jane Ex, HB Number: 291132731066, Born: 23/01/2011, Sire: Picston Shottle, Dam: Grassvale Robyn Jane Ex. %HVW H[KLELWRU EUHG DQLPDO 1st, John Curtin.

Diageo & Glanbia Ireland launch ÂŁ8,900 Baileys Champion cow competition SHANE MURPHY PEDIGREE smurphy@farmersjournal.ie

The Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow competition will take place on 23 August at the Virginia Showgrounds, Co Cavan, and carries a prize fund of over ÂŁ8,900.

Cash prizes are available across all categories, including a new junior cow category for cows in their second lactation. Entries are now open from eligible breeders across the island of Ireland.

The top place of overall champion attracts a ÂŁ2,225 prize, followed by ÂŁ890 and ÂŁ445 for reserve champion and honourable mention respectively. Cash prizes will also be awarded for highest protein content, best EBI, best exhibitor-bred cow and best junior cow.

The popular best heifer in-milk category carries a fund of ÂŁ1,513 with first place worth ÂŁ445.

Diageo Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head of corporate and trade communications Hazel Chu said that the event â&#x20AC;&#x153;would once again shine a spotlight on the quality of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dairy breeding excellenceâ&#x20AC;?.

The prizes for EBI and best protein emphasise the most proďŹ table factors for both breeding dairy herd replacements and milk production. Martin Tynan, general manager of Glanbia Ireland Virginia, explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Diageo Baileys Champion Cow rewards breeders that combine good conformation in their animals with milk production capability. To be eligible for entry, the cow must ďŹ rst have produced 500kg of butterfat and protein in a 305-day lactation. Having a cow placed at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the Baileysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is therefore a great endorsement for any herd.â&#x20AC;?

Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winner was Hallow Advent Twizzle 3 from Philip and Linda Jones, Gorey, Co Wexford. This KHW Kite Adventred-sired cow also secured the Emerald Expo championship at the same showgrounds earlier that year. On the day, the ďŹ ve-year-old Twizzle was calved 12 months and had given 15,080kg the previous year, of which 1,659 was milk solids. Entry forms for this competition are available by visiting the Virginia Show website www.virginiashow.com/championcow/ or by calling Brendan Smyth 00353-87-256 0952.

At the launch of the 2017 Diageo Baileys Champion Cow Competition which takes place at the Virginia Show, Co Cavan, on 23 August are (from left): Charlie Gallagher, chief executive, IHFA; Martin Tynan, general manager, Glanbia Ireland Virginia; Robert Murphy, head of Baileys Operations, Diageo Baileys Global Supply; and Patrick Gaynor, president, Virginia Show. \ John Caffrey

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

26 LIVESTOCK

Irish Farmers Journal co-op analysis Milk Price Review

Irish co-op structure Who is on the boards of Irish co-ops and what is their role?

In the second part of the series on the 2016 Irish Farmers Journal/KPMG milk price review, Jack Kennedy and Patrick Donohoe delve into the country’s co-ops to see who makes up the boards

I

n the main, it is up to the board of directors of each milk processor to set the agenda for co-op senior management. The board, led by the chair, effectively sets milk price, decides on immediate and future investments and appoints senior management to run the dairy business efficiently and profitably.

In Ireland, given the relatively small scale of Irish processors compared with international standards, there are a lot of dairy farmers involved in either a representative role on advisory committees or at board level.

There are a number of areas of corporate governance where co-operatives have their own particular challenges.

A democratically elected board sourced from the co-operative’s members can often result in a board with a wealth of ability, but in a narrow range of skills.

There is often a lack of diversity around the board table.

Directors can be elected without adequate experience or understanding of

the role, and there is a tendency for them to stay in the job for too long.

Previous surveys which we have completed confirmed these issues exist in Irish co-ops.

To overcome these issues it is even more important in a co-operative than in a public company, that there is quality training available for directors and prospective directors and that the performance of the board and individual directors is evaluated.

There needs to be a process to identify skills required on the board and ensure that the candidates put to a member’s vote have the skills and experience required for the position.

If skills gaps cannot be filled by training existing directors, or from the membership base, then boards should look to appoint a proportion from outside the organisation.

Points of difference The other major point of difference is in a co-operative’s relationship with its members.

Co-operatives need their members to be united by common goals and committed to participating in the co-operative to achieve them. Good, effective communication with members can help this.

Co-operatives need to be sure that they are meeting their members’ needs and are following a strategic direction that will continue to meet their members’ needs.

Co-operatives need their members to be united by common goals and committed to participating in the cooperative to achieve them

Aurivo Co-op

Arrabawn Co-op

Drinagh Co-op

Barryroe Co-op

*Part of Carbery Group.

*Part of Carbery Group.

 Pat Duffy – chair.  Raymond Barlow, Frank Butler, Kevin Callanan, Tom Cunniffe, Jim Egan, Martin Gallagher, Cathal Garvey, Padraig Gibbons, Gerry Mullaney, James McCarrick, Robert Hosey, Billy McMahon, Tommy Shryane, Seán Sweeney and Tom J Tuffy.  Non-execs: one.  Gender balance: 0%.  Salary/remuneration: £12,460.  Maximum term: four years, can be renewed.  Supplier numbers: 1,000.  Milk pool: 300m litres.

 Seán Monahan – chair.  Edward Carr – vice-chair.  Patrick Brennan, Martin Callanan, Matt Cleary, Padraig Coughlan, Sean Daly, Michael Egan, Sean Fahy, Seamus Finn, Michael Flaherty, Gerry Hoade, Michael Kennedy, John Moylan, Sean C. Ryan, Eoin Doorley, Noel Armitage and Richard Collins.  Non-execs: zero.  Gender balance: 0%.  Salary/remuneration: £3,986.  Maximum term: Five years rolling.  Supplier numbers: 950.  Milk pool: 330m litres.

Corporate governance: principles  Directors should observe and foster high ethical standards.  There should be a balance of independence, skills, knowledge, experience, and perspectives among directors so that the board works effectively.  The board should use committees where this would enhance its effectiveness in key areas while retaining board responsibility.  The board should demand integrity ERWK LQ o QDQFLDO UHSRUWLQJ DQG LQ WKH timeliness and balance of disclosures on entity affairs.  The remuneration of directors and executives should be transparent,

fair, and reasonable. Â The board should regularly verify that the entity has appropriate processes that identify and manage potential and relevant risks. Â The board should ensure the quality and independence of the external audit process. Â The board should foster constructive relationships with shareholders that encourage them to engage with the entity. Â The board of the co-op should respect the interests of stakeholders within the context of the entity’s ownership type and its fundamental purpose.

 TJ Sullivan – chair.  Jerome O’Mahony – vice-chair.  Donal McCarthy, Joe O’Sullivan, Raymond Collins,William Collins, Michael Leahy, Michael John O’Donovan, John O’Mahony, James O’Donovan, Derry Scannell, Ian Kingston, Mary Hayes and Donie O’Donovan*.  Milk pool: 170m litres.

 Peter Fleming – chair.  John A Murray – vice-chair.  Michael Coleman, John J McCarthy, Geoffrey Wycherley, Michael Sexton, Daniel Whelton, John Kirby, Angela O’Donovan, Gerard McCarthy, Denis Cummins, Kieran Crowley, Patrick Harte, Daniel O’Mahony and Laurence Sexton.*  Milk pool: 86m litres.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

LIVESTOCK 27

LacPatrick Co-op*

Ã&#x201A; Hugo Maguire â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; Roy Irwin, David Irwin, Andrew McConkey, Lex Campbell, Gerard Sherlock, Padraig Greenan, JJ Lavelle, Bert Stewart, Christy McKenna, Brian Treanor, David Boyd, Brian Brady, James Campbell, Robert Skelton, William Henry, Thomas Nevin, David Curry, Robert Currie, Desmond Workman, Joe Larmer and John Bole. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £0. Ã&#x201A; 0D[LPXP WHUP WZR o YH \HDU WHUPV Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 990. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 650m litres.

*As part of new governance changes, the board of LacPatrick will be reduced from 25 to 16. Fifteen will be co-op members with a place available for a nonexecutive director. The changes will come in effect from the co-opâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AGM later this year.

Kerry Creameries Co-operative Board Ã&#x201A; Mundy Hayes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vice-chair. Ã&#x201A; Michael Ahern, James Barry, Sean Brosnan, John Casey, Paddy Casey, Martin Crowe, Thomas Cummins, James Devane, Michael A Doody, Thomas Galvin, David J Horan, B Horgan, Michael Kelliher, C McMahon, Con Murphy, Jim McInerney, Tim Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connell, Joseph Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, P Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor, Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue, John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary, Con Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, Patrick Gerard Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan and William Slattery. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: zero. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £14,968. Ã&#x201A; Maximum term: Four years rolling. Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 3,300. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 1.06bn litres.

Kerry Group

Carbery Group

Ã&#x201A; Ger Brickley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bandon CEO. Ã&#x201A; Dermot Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bandon chair and Carbery chair. Ã&#x201A; Peadar Murphy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Barryroe CEO Ã&#x201A; Peter Fleming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Barryroe chair. Ã&#x201A; Pat Moriarty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lisavaird CEO. Ã&#x201A; Paddy Ryan â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Lisavaird chair. Ã&#x201A; TJ Sullivan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Drinagh chair. Ã&#x201A; Jerome Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Mahoney â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Drinagh vicechair. Ã&#x201A; Joe Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Drinagh CEO. Ã&#x201A; Dan McSweeney â&#x20AC;&#x201C; outgoing Carbery CEO. Ã&#x201A; Colm Leen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Carbery CFO. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £14,946. Ã&#x201A; Maximum term: As per individual co-op. Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 1,300. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 470m litres.

Bandon Co-op

Ã&#x201A; Dermot Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; Stephen Shorten â&#x20AC;&#x201C;vice-chair. Ã&#x201A; Gerard Brickley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; secretary. Ã&#x201A; Ben Cottrell, Brian Falvey, Richard Forbes, Anne Keohane, Jerry Healy, Donal Hurley, Denis Lucey, Maire McCarthy, Vincent Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donovan, Neil Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Riordan, John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, Michael Roche and Jeremiah Twomey.* Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 112m litres. *Part of Carbery Group.

Tipperary Co-op Ã&#x201A; 5LFKDUG 'RQRYDQ q FKDLU WHUP HQGHG at last AGM/successor not appointed \HW

Ã&#x201A; William Meagher â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vice-chair. Ã&#x201A; William Ryan, William Dee, Patrick Fahy, John Hennessy, Padraig Kennedy, Pat Merrick, Kevin Murray, Thomas Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, Michael Ryan and Seamus Tynan. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: zero. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £4,376. Ã&#x201A; Maximum term: Four years rolling. Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 470. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: Own 151m litres, plus 140m litres purchased.

Lisavaird Co-op

Ã&#x201A; Paddy Ryan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; Dominic Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Mahony â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vice-chair. Ã&#x201A; Michael Dullea, Tommy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Riordan, John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donovan, Donal Santry, Cormac Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keeffe, Timothy Lawlor, Finbarr Hayes, Denis McCarthy, Joseph Walsh, Colm Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, Vivian T Buttimer, Gerard Collins, John Hayes, Ronald Shorten, Geraldine Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, James Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, John Clancy, David Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, Martin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Driscoll and Donal Mehigan.* Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 97m litres. *Part of Carbery Group.

Our analysis of co-op boards excludes some smaller co-ops such as North Cork, Boherbue and Thurles Centenary, along with a large number of much smaller local co-ops.

Lakeland Dairies

Ã&#x201A; Michael Dowling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; Stan McCarthy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; outgoing chief exHFXWLYH RIo FHU &(2

Ã&#x201A; %ULDQ 0HKLJDQ q FKLHI o QDQFLDO RI o FHU Ã&#x201A; Gerry Behan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; president and CEO, Taste and Nutrition. Ã&#x201A; Flor Healy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CEO, Kerry Foods. Ã&#x201A; Hugh Brady, Patrick Casey, Karin Dorrepaal, Joan Garahy, James C. Kenny, Tom Moran and Philip Toomey.

Ã&#x201A; Alo Duffy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair Ã&#x201A; Colin Kelso â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vice chair Ã&#x201A; Gerard Melia, Seamus Brennan, Anthony Leddy, Michael Dobson, Vincent Farrelly, Seán Finnegan, Andrew McHugh, David Hannon, James Lynch, Oliver Neville, Peter Quinn, Gerard Donohoe and Alan Thompson. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: zero Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0% Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: circa £13,350. Ã&#x201A; Maximum term: Two, four-year terms. Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 1,700. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 1.2bn litres.

There should be a balance of independence, skills, knowledge, experience, and perspectives among the directors of a co-op so that the board works eï¬&#x20AC;ectively

Dairygold Co-op

Glanbia Co-op

Ã&#x201A; James Lynch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Gorman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; vice-chair. Ã&#x201A; Donal Buckley, Thomas Feeney, Dan Flinter, Annette Flynn, Richard Hinchion, Edmund Lynch, Seán MacSweeney, Gerard Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dwyer, Patrick Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keeffe and John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: two. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: one person or 8.3%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £28,406. Ã&#x201A; 0D[LPXP WHUP WZR o YH \HDU WHUPV Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 3,000. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 1.2bn litres.

Ã&#x201A; Henry Corbally â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chair. Ã&#x201A; John Murphy, Tom Grant, Brendan Hayes, Eamon Power, Pat Murphy, Martin Keane, Vincent Gorman, Patsy Ahern, Michael Keane, Eamon McEntaggert, John Murphy, Patrick Whyte and Ger Doheny. Ã&#x201A; Non-execs: zero. Ã&#x201A; Gender balance: 0%. Ã&#x201A; Salary/remuneration: £44,419. Ã&#x201A; Maximum term: Three years rolling. Ã&#x201A; Supplier numbers: 3,400. Ã&#x201A; Milk pool: 1.8bn.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

28 LIVESTOCK

Irish Farmers Journal Co-op analysis Milk Price Review

Co-op chairs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their vision for your co-op Jack Kennedy and Patrick Donohoe spoke to the chairs of each of the co-ops to understand their vision for each of their co-ops

Lakeland

Lakeland Dairiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expansion has seen it take on the Fane Valley milk pool which now sees it process close to 1.2bn litres of milk annually.

However, like LacPatrick, the co-op continues to hover at the bottom of the annual milk price review.

The co-opâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chair is Alo Duffy and he thinks farmers and processors can both GULYH JUHDWHU HIo FLHQFLHV WR improve milk price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy enough with the price, especially when you take milk solids into account. From a co-op point of view, we have a programme there with Teagasc to help GULYH HIo FLHQFLHV RQ IDUP Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always more farm-

ers and the co-op can do.â&#x20AC;?

While taking on the Fane Valley pool, expansion will continue to come from within the existing supplier base too. Duffy said the co-op is forecasting a â&#x20AC;&#x153;20% growth in the milk pool between now and 2020â&#x20AC;?.

The co-op currently has D o YH \HDU PLON VXSSO\ agreement which will be followed by a one-year rolling contract.

Despite the strong forecast milk pool expansion, there are no immediate plans to invest in more processing capacity. The co-op has invested in the past seven years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be much need for us to invest or to turn sod for now. We have invested in two state-of-the-art dryers in Baileborough, Co Cavan, and, at peak, we have spare capacity of about 20%.â&#x20AC;?

In terms of board representation, there are 15

members on the board where members can sit for two four year-terms. Duffy said he would prefer to see this extended to three four-terms, â&#x20AC;&#x153;to give greater stability and provide more experience.â&#x20AC;?

Lakeland, while it sits on the board of Ornua, does QRW SODFH PXFK VLJQLo FDQFH in the selling power of Ornua. Duffy said Lakeland has strong and existing customers who want to deal direct rather than through a separate entity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Ornua does either inside or outside Ireland doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a huge relevance for us. In terms of inside Ireland, we export 98% of the produce we make. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Then for outside Ireland â&#x20AC;Ś we deal direct with our own customers and they want to deal direct with us so they can see where the milk comes from, right from the farmer.â&#x20AC;?

Tipperary Co-op

Dick Donovan stepped down as chair at the Tipperary Co-op AGM in June and his successor will be appointed shortly. With no successor yet appointed, he was willing to answer the questions posed. At Tipp Co-op, there is a four-year term for board positions but all board members are eligible for re-election and there is no limit on how long the chair can be in the position.

On the price Tipp Co-op paid and is paying for milk, Donovan was happy.

LacPatrick

LacPatrick is the new name for the merger of Town of Monaghan and Ballyrashane co-ops, but the same old reputation continues to follow the new entity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is a bad payer.

Outgoing chair Hugo Maguire said improvements can be made to help their supplier drive milk price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are doing our very best on milk price. From a co-op point of view, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about having long-term contracts with as many diverse customers as possible to insulate yourself.

From a farmer point of view, solids are the main thing holding back price. There

LAND WANTED

Young, but experienced couple looking for a long term lease/ partnership/ share farming on a large block.

Currently running own dairy enterprise for 6 years.

Have 250 to calve in 2018.

Contact Tom on

00353 87 4049912

Carbery

Carbery chair Dermot Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary is upbeat about milk price performance that Carbery has delivered for the last number of years. k7KH o UVW KDOI RI ODVW \HDU

ZDV GLIo FXOW EXW WKH second half helped lift the average. On top of that, all four individual co-ops had funds from the previous year that they were able to pay out. Yes, there are some returns from other businesses (outside of the core dairy business) that

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The bonuses we can deliver make all the differHQFH , DP FRQo GHQW WKDW Tipperary Co-op is a strong business successfully managing the expansion opportunities that post-quota milk production is offering our farmer members.â&#x20AC;?

On growing supply, he said there is a new supplier survey ongoing but the results of the last survey suggest milk supply will grow 7% this year (2017) and 5% per year for 2018 to 2020. Tipp Co-op buys in as much milk from other processors as it gets from its own suppliers.

Tipperary is looking to invest in more processing capacity and planning permission has been sought for a new dryer. The cost will

be in the region of ÂŁ18m to ÂŁ27m. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tipperary Co-op continues to invest â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this has been focused on new and upgraded processing faFLOLWLHV EXVLQHVV HIo FLHQF\ improvements as well as marketing and product portfolio development. In 2016, we saw the continued expansion of our successful overseas business, especially our French subsidiary Tippagral SA, which grew sales of our Emmental cheese to the European market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Meanwhile, our Tipperary-based processed cheese subsidiary Fairgreen Ingredients Ltd is helping to identify new product and market opportunities for our farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; milk.â&#x20AC;?

were AI companies pushing the wrong type of cow around this region for too long.â&#x20AC;?

Maguire said LacPatrick is forecasting somewhere between a 5% and 7% expansion of its milk pool, with expansion coming from Republic of Ireland suppliers.

New chief executive Gabriel Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy, Maguire and his board have undertaken WZR VLJQLo FDQW SURMHFWV since the merger.

One is the construction of a ÂŁ36m dryer at it Artigarvan, Co Tyrone, which, according to Maguire, is in LWV o QDO VWDJHV RI FRPPLV sion. The second is sweeping new corporate governance changes. These rule changes passed by 91% approval last month and will see the board shrink from 25 to 16 members. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The board, as it stands,

is essentially two boards, with Town of Monaghan and Ballyrashane sitting together. After the merger, we felt we needed to keep the two together rather than having a situation of people wondering who was in and who was out.â&#x20AC;?

The new facility in Artigarvan means that adding to processing capacity is not on the agenda.

LacPatrick, since the Town of Monaghan days, has had an uneasy relationship with Ornua. Maguire said he does not want to see Ornua take on increased aspects of marketing of Irish produce on the home market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong completely for Ornua to be marketing Irish butter in Ireland. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essentially what they are at now with the new plant down in Cork.â&#x20AC;?

are delivered back, but on average that is probably less than 1c/litre per year over a number of years.â&#x20AC;?

Investment in further processing capacity at Ballineen is being planned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have adequate capacity for 2017, 2018 and 2019, but by 2020 we need to have something done to allow us expand our product range.â&#x20AC;?

If Carbery delivers a 6% increase in milk supply this year, it will mean that the total supply will have grown 25% on top of 2014 supply.

The board of Carbery is different from other milk processors in that management and farmers sit on the board making decisions about existing and future investments. Board

members consist of the chair and chief executive of each of the four individual co-ops, with the vice-chair from Drinagh also sitting on the board. The Carbery chair position is a two-year term. There is no set term on the Carbery board as each of the four co-ops has its own individual terms.

In terms of marketing, Carbery is very much a supporter of Ornua and Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Leary does not see that changing in the short term. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a very close working arrangement with Ornua and I hope that can continue. Aside from that, we have our own businessHV OLNH 6\QHUJ\ p DYRXUV business) that Ornua is not part of.â&#x20AC;?

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

Aurivo

For Co Leitrim-based farmer and chair of Aurvio Pat Duffy, he wears two hats when it comes to milk price.

“Am I happy with the milk price as a co-op chairman? I am. Am I happy with the current milk price as a farmer? Just about. To keep farming in any sort of a sustainable way, you need that type of milk price.”

He added that the co-op continues to work with farmers to help improve milk price.

Aurivo collects milk, both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (NI), which is a vast catchment area. In NI, there is little scope for major expansion on individual farms, but Duffy thinks that farms in Connacht are gearing up for greater expansion.

“There’s more expansion coming. It’s not just the big herds in Cork – dairy herds

Arrabawn

On Arrabawn’s milk price, Co Galway dairy farmer and chair Sean Monahan is happy with the price the co-op is paying.

The volume of milk processed continues to grow at Arrabawn, and Monahan said: “Effectively we have already met our volume growth targets for 2020.”

There were three new

Glanbia

Glanbia ranked sixth in the latest Irish Farmers Journal /KPMG annual milk price review. Chair Henry Corbally is happy with the price delivered.

“Yes I’m happy with progress. We have a business to run that has a lot

LIVESTOCK 29

are getting bigger. We’re seeing that in our own area too.”

Duffy, who became chair last year, said the threeyear milk supply agreement helps plan with certainty.

Aurvio board members serve four year terms but can be re-elected.

In terms of investments in processing capacity, it’s not on the agenda of the co-op after recently spendLQJ VLJQLo FDQW UHVRXUFHV LQ upgrading one of its units.

“We have shown that we won’t stand behind the door when it comes to investing. It’s a case of improving what we have rather than building anything on new sites for the minute.

“We have invested heavily in upgrading the Ballaghaderreen facility (in Co Roscommon) and we have planning in for upgrading the Killygordan plant in Co Donegal.

“Investment costs are supported by the share standard. Our current share standard was suspended when the milk price dipped below 29c/l which we haven’t put it in place again in order to give farmers

the chance to recover after the poor milk price year in 2015.

“We will have to put the share standard up and running again in the near future.”

Unlike LacPatrick and, to an extent Lakeland, Aurivo LV o UPO\ EHKLQG SODFLQJ greater emphasis on the role of Ornua.

“It’s my belief that we, as an industry, need to do more on consolidation and co-operation between coRSV :H FDQ GULYH HIo FLHQ cies and deliver a better price to farmers if we work together.

“Most co-ops accept that and it’s not even a case of outright mergers.

“In the Kerrygold Park, we have one of the best vehicles for more co-operation between co-ops but we are one of the few that has committed to it in any meaningful way. Ornua has proven itself to deliver for farmers so why shouldn’t co-ops work more closely with it?

“At the end of the day, who owns Ornua? The farmer. Ornua’s best interest is delivering for the farmer.”

directors appointed to the board of Arrabawn at the last meeting. The three new members are Eoin Doorley, Noel Armitage and Richard Collins and they now join 15 other dairy farmers on the board, bringing the total number to 18 members.

Four years is the term but this can be renewed and the age limit is 65 years of age.

Arrabawn will be investing further next year, according to Monahan.

“Yes. We will be turning a sod next year. Our survey information from suppliers tells us we will be increasing volumes 9% to 10%

next year. We take in a good bit of milk from neighbouring processors and we would like to keep that coming in but our primary responsibility is to our own suppliers. The planning permission process is ongoing and the investment will be at our Nenagh site. Potentially we would be going to D JUHHQo HOG VLWH DIWHU WKDW y On marketing, Monahan said Arrabawn supports Ornua. “Ornua has the expertise and I think selling outside of Ireland as a unit is important. Inside of Ireland, no I don’t think it is as important.”

of different components. I think our positioning in the annual milk price review is testament to the progress we are making.”

Glanbia has the largest Irish milk pool (over 1.8bn litres manufacturing) and survey results of suppliers suggest there is another 30% supply lift to come between 2017 and 2020 – that’s another 500m to 600m litres.

“We have a comprehensive supplier census completed. We have no exact

o JXUH RQ ZKDW WKH LQYHVW ment in processing capacity is going to be (£223m to £267m) or exactly how much milk is coming but we have to plan to process this for our members. We have a number of product lines, whether protein, cheese, butter or powders, and markets will dictate where we invest.”

On the marketing side, Corbally said “we work with Ornua and see them as complementary to our own marketing arm.”

Dairygold

The burden of improving milk price is shared by both farmer and the processor, according to Dairygold’s chair James Lynch.

“I’m happy at the moment where milk price is at – it’s a lot better than where we were two months ago.

“Inside the farm gate, there are always ways of making money and improving your system. Then there’s the challenge for the processor to process the milk, put it in a dryer and add value to that milk to deliver for that matters.

“While I’m happy with our milk price performance, our board will pass on any further milk price increases that come from the market place.”

Dairygold has seen enormous growth in its

Kerry

On milk price, Kerry ranked joint eighth position in the most recent Irish Farmers Journal/KPMG milk price review. There are ongoing negotiations between the co-op and the plc regarding milk price top-ups.

A Kerry Group survey of suppliers shows a consistent 4% to 5% increase in milk volume predicted for WKH o UVW o YH \HDUV SRVW quota removal and this has been backed up with actual VXSSO\ o JXUHV According to Kerry Group, over £125m has been invested in upgrading

milk pool. Overall supply is up 44% between 2010 and 2017 to stand at 1bn litres from its 3,000 suppliers.

Lynch said the fact that the co-op has milk supply agreements has helped plan. He urged all farmers to work together with a greater co-op ethos.

“Our current milk supply agreement runs up to 2021 and farmers can notify the co-op in 2019 of their intention to leave.

“What I would say there is that farmers need to realise the value of their co-op. We do need to work together.”

As a Dairygold board member, Lynch is coming to the end of his maximum of WZR o YH \HDU WHUPV RQ WKH board. The board has two non-executive directors.

The co-op has plans to invest in processing capabilities. Lynch is adamant that milk price ultimately pays for all investments. k:H UH JRRG DQG o QH RQ capacity until 2021 – we’re comfortable in that regard but we have to see what

our farmers want to do and we must be willing to match their ambition if they want to grow their milk supply.

“Make no mistake about it – investment is always paid through the milk price.

You can say the money is used within a revolving fund or outside a revolving fund or where you source the money from but every farmer in the country is only kidding themselves if they think investment doesn’t come out of the milk price.”

In relation to Ornua’s involvement in the marketing of Irish dairy produce, Lynch said it has been a success.

“We have seen the success of Kerrygold and Ornua.

“All co-ops should be willing to examine what EHQHo W SURYLGLQJ PRUH resources to Ornua on the marketing of our produce could have for their business. They have a proven track record in that regard.”

and installing new equipPHQW RYHU WKH ODVW o YH years so at the moment WKHUH LV VXIo FLHQW SURFHVV ing capacity to continue to take member supplier volumes.

In terms of governance, Kerry is very different in structure to all other Irish milk processors. Kerry Group plc collects the milk, pays for the milk and owns the processing equipment.

Two members of the Kerry Group plc board are dairy farmers but neither sit on the board of Kerry Co-op. Kerry Co-operative Creameries Limited has a 28-member board who effectively assume a representative role chaired by Mundy Hayes.

At present, the co-op board has no secretary or chief executive. In Janu-

ary 2017, Pat Murphy from Kerry Agribusiness in Charleville took responsibility for farmer member relation issues from John O’Callaghan.

In December 2015, Martin Crowe, Gerard Culligan and Tim O’Connell were elected to the Kerry Co-op board.

Given they are now on the plc board, both Con Murphy and Gerard Culligan have stood down from the co-op board and two new board members Jim McInerney and Patrick O’Connor were appointed. Other changes during the year saw James Doyle, Patrick Breen, John Cremin and Denis O’Connell retire and they have been replaced by Sean Brosnan, Billy Horgan, Conleth McMahon and Thomas Murphy.

Kerry is not a member of Ornua.

HELPING YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FARM

IN SHOPS EVERY FRIDAY

FARMERS JOURNAL Scotland

8 July 2017 Vol 1 No 6 | £3.10

11 Livestock

Scottish flock with NZ genetics Brogan Farm has embraced New Zealand genetics and rotational grazing as they move towards an outdoor ODPELQJ p RFN

Quality farms flood the market

20% rise in farms for sale from Caithness to Kelso ODILE EVANS

NEWS CORRESPONDENT RHYDQV#IDUPHUVMRXUQDO FR XN

Approximately 20% more good quality

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

30 LIVESTOCK

Grass+

Dairy

Rain should help grass growth rates AIDAN BRENNAN DAIRY SPECIALIST abrennan@farmersjournal.ie

A

verage growth rates over the past week were 75kg per day, which is the same as last week. And similar to last week, there is a big diďŹ&#x20AC;erence between farms. However, widespread rain on Tuesday should give a boost in growth to farms that were struggling.

Any few millimetres of rain on a parched farm will make a substantial difference to growth, especially where fertiliser has been applied and

clean-outs have been good.

Farmers in the south and east were looking for rain most, but the rain that fell will help drive on growth rates for everyone. Many farmers in the midlands and west are growing in excess of 100kg/day, which is phenomenal growth, especially as it has been around this level for the last few weeks.

It will be one of the best years ever for grass on many farms.

Managing the growth is tricky. Highly stocked farms must avoid closing up area for long-term silage or reseeding.

This is because they will need all the area they have for extending rotation length and

building up cover in two or three weeksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time. Best policy for highly stocked farms (over three cows/ha) is to cut surplus paddocks for silage as soon as weather allows.

Farmers who are sparsely stocked and growing a lot have more options. Taking out extra land for reseeding is one option. If doing this, it would need to be sprayed oďŹ&#x20AC; soon.

Otherwise, close up a proportion of the farm for silage and aim to cut this at the end of July. Grass demand could be set at around four cows/ha.

The other big option for these farms is to reduce meal feeding back to zero.

Ă In short Ă&#x201A; Average growth rate is high at 75kg/day but some farms needed rain. Ă&#x201A; Widespread rain should boost growth. Ă&#x201A; Manage grass differently depending on stocking rate. Highly stocked farms need to remove surplus fast. Ă&#x201A; Lower stocked farms should cut out meal and take out land for reseeding or silage.

Growth rates around the country (kg DM/ha/day) Beef farms Dairy farms

75 105 136

32

52

65

86 Shane Leane

Donal Patton

Shane Horgan

71

Jamie Kealy

Teagasc Curtins Farm

Teagasc Ballyhaise

Carrignavar, Co Cork

Tullow, Co Carlow

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.40 Growth rate (kg/day) 42 Average farm cover (kg/cow) 143 Yield (l/cow/day) 18.4 Fat % 4.89 Protein % 3.71 Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.63 Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.58 Growth rate (kg/day) 76 Average farm cover (kg/cow) 165 Yield (l/cow/day) 20.3 Fat % 4.44 Protein % 3.71 Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.7 Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 0.9

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.59 Growth rate (kg/day) 65 Average farm cover (kg/cow) 167 Yield (l/cow/day) 20.9 Fat % 4.27 Protein % 3.7 Milk solids (kg/cow) 1.72 Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 1.5

Stocking rate (cows/ha) 3.14 Growth rate (kg/day) 60 Average farm cover (kg/cow) 196 Yield (l/cow/day) 25.7 Fat % 4.11 Protein % 3.53 Milk solids (kg/cow) 2.03 Supplement fed (kg/cow/day) 2

We are tight for grass so we have put back in meal at 2kg/hd/day as demand is around 57kg/day. We were also going to feed some silage to slow the cows down.

Instead, we have decided to pre-mow a paddock that was intended for silage. There is a cover of over 2,000kg on it. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see how it goes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just one paddock and then we should be OK especially as we got rain on Tuesday.

We vaccinated the herd for IBR last week and the bulls will be leaving the herd later this week after 11.5 weeks of breeding.

We are continuing to get high growth rates so we skipped over a few more paddocks this week. At this stage, we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have too many heavy covers on the farm so we could graze everything if we wanted to but then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have too much grass. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an amazing year for grass. Cows are grazing 1,500kg covers which is all aftergrass. Bulls will be in for another two or three weeks. We are spreading 18:0:15 on paddocks that are low in potash which is around 20% of the farm.

The rest is getting CAN after grazing.

:KLOH WKH o JXUHV ORRN 2. growth rate has been declining fast as the farm has got very dry. The rain in the earlier part of the week will help but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure if we got enough rain for much of an impact. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do another grass walk on Monday and see then. We might have to feed some silage. I have about 10 acres of reseeding that is yet to be grazed. I sowed a monoculture of Abergain.

We are spreading 25 units of nitrogen after grazing. Bulls are being pulled out next week after 12 weeks.

We got a good bit of rain on Tuesday and the farm has greened up since but there doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to be much more rain in the forecast.

We were getting tight so we JUD]HG VRPH o HOGV WKDW ZHUH earmarked for second-cut silage. They had a cover of about 1,600kg so werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t too high.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spreading a bag of sulCAN after the cows. We have about 180 units of nitrogen spread to date. Cows are milking very well. We are one of the farms hosting the Irish Grassland Association summer dairy tour on Tuesday 25 July.

Phone: 01224 426001 (Aberdeen) or 0141 301 1044 (Glasgow) GRAZING GUIDE 2 This guide aims to help farmers ensure that they are exploiting the full potential of grazed grass on their farm, irrespective of production system or land type. Our expert team cover topics such as the role of clover, farm infrastructure, reseeding and soil nutrients in improving grass growth and utilisation.

NOW ÂŁ12.99

90 85

138

61

100

63 61

71

81 63

81 45

77

48

59 51

50

84

64

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

LIVESTOCK 31

Grass+

Beef

Growth is good and set to continue CIARĂ N LENEHAN

ur BETTER beef farms have grown an average of 70kg DM/ ha daily in the last week. Intermittent bursts of rain and heat are leading to record grass growth rates on some farms for July, with a number reporting threeďŹ gure growth rates.

At the point in the year when our grass growth curve traditionally begins its descent into the back-end, in the short

term there are no signs of a reduction in growth. We are in for a warm weekend, particularly in the south and east of the country. Modest rain forecast on Saturday will be concentrated in coastal areas, particularly to the west.

What does this mean for grazing? Business as usual.

While the guidelines for July involve a gradual increase in a farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grass supply (average farm cover/days ahead), I would not be in any panic to lift a days ahead ďŹ gure of 1012 just yet given the conditions at present. In 2016, a late start to grass growth left us chasing

Sean Hayes

our tails for much of the spring and early summer. Then we enjoyed an extended period of good growing and grazing conditions into the autumn and actually ended up producing the same amount of grass as a normal year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a compensatory eďŹ&#x20AC;ect. Looking at the

Maurice Hearne

Robert Abbott

Martin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hare

System: suckler to store Soil type: variable Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 719 Grass demand (kg DM/ha/day): 34 Growth (kg DM/ha/day): 80

System: suckler to bull beef Soil type: variable Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 612 Grass demand (kg DM/ha/day): 47 Growth (kg DM/ha/day): 52

System: suckler to weanling Soil type: variable Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 955 Grass demand (kg DM/ha/day): 40 Growth (kg DM/ha/day): 63

System: suckler to bull beef Soil type: free-draining Average farm cover (kg DM/ha): 1,075 Grass demand (kg DM/ha/day): 59 Growth (kg DM/ha/day): 109

Growth is picking up again and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve more paddocks to take out once the weather settles. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also burnt off a paddock for reseeding. The reseeding I carried out eight weeks ago is in great order and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve the bulls grazing it at the moment. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy enough with their weights â&#x20AC;&#x201C; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be coming up on 12 months in August and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re creeping close to 500kg at the moment.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gearing up for calving again and cows are being restricted on hay in a bare paddock. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not too fat so hopefully there shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any issues at calving.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll start building grass from next month on and having more grass in the shoulders of the year is something I hope to achieve over the duration of the programme. I need to lengthen my grazing season at both ends to cut winter feed costs. While itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easily done in the back end, I need to ensure that I have grass on the farm in the spring. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll begin to build up grass in the coming weeks.

As a result of the dry spell, growth rates have slowed due to the lack of moisture in the soil. However, even with the recent poor growth rates, grass is still in plentiful supply due to the fact that I am autumn calving and currently restricting my cow herd. This is to keep WKHP IURP JHWWLQJ RYHU o W for calving, which is due to start at the end of the month. Heifers will start a week or so beforehand. All of the cows were given Allsure boluses and an IBR live booster last week. Autumnborn bulls were weighed last week and they have had an average daily gain of 1.27kg/ day since turnout.

In the last few weeks, I started to introduce meal into their diet and they are currently on 2kg/day. The heaviest of these bulls will be housed at the end of the PRQWK IRU o QLVKLQJ DW 8 months. All of the youngstock will get a dose this week as some are starting to show signs of worms. This week I plan to power-harrow and reseed 12 acres.

My farm cover is higher than it should be but it includes paddocks that, in my head, I have earmarked for removal. I will cut around three acres out when the weather allows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; potentially with my second cut, which is ready to take. Fertiliser was spread on it six weeks ago, while the whole farm got a half bag of CAN at the end of June. I also plan to take VRPH EDOHV IURP D o HOG WKDW was reseeded last year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booming along growth-wise so I fertilised a section of it and will take silage from it a few weeks down the line.

The way grass is going here we will have serious fodder reserves this back end, but I am conscious that I need to begin building grass after my second cut comes back into the grazing mix.

Five of the autumn herd have calved, all unassisted.

The calves are by my Saler bull and were good and vigorous. As soon as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m certain that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve sucked, they go straight outside. The bull will come away from the spring cows on 20 July.

Grass is in good supply here, but when my autumn calvers kick off on 1 August my demand will jump. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re currently on bare paddocks and beginning to spring up. I put out a strong bag of CAN across the whole farm at the end of June and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go again with the spreader until August, after the second cut is in. I hope to get it in WKH o UVW ZHHN RI WKH PRQWK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I was slightly late taking a o UVW FXW The stock bull is still with 14 of the spring herd who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all passed three weeks beyond their last service date. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be coming out very soon. Thankfully, he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look very busy.

I slaughtered my last VL[ XQGHU PRQWK EXOOV D fortnight ago. They averaged 403kg carcase weight DQG WKHUH ZHUH IRXU 8 DQG WZR 8 +RZHYHU D QXPEHU didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet the required IDW VFRUH :KLOH , ZDV still relatively happy with the money they came into, I know it could have been better. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t start feeding hard until the beginning of April. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go earlier next year.

clenehan@farmersjournal.ie

O

63 23 136

44

67 54

73

68 90 50

Ă In short

2017 curve, the pattern at this stage is looking very familiar.

That said, we need to hit our autumn targets for grass and should follow N fertiliser guidelines. While second-cut ground coming back into the rotation will boost supply, we should be getting a bag of CAN/acre across a grazing block in late August as a last fertiliser application. July will be a quiet month for fertiliser on most farms. However, those stocked at 2.5LU/ha or above should be splitting 60 units of N in two or three spreads between late-July and lateSeptember.

BEEF SPECIALIST

Ă&#x201A; Grass growth 70kg DM/ ha/day. Ă&#x201A; Growthy weather to continue. Ă&#x201A; No rush to increase farm covers at this point.

88

70

65

120

112

55

86

50

Co Clare

80

134

57 82

8855

92 79

78 68

833

94

70

35 63

63

51 52

10-year average grass growth kg DM/ha/day

100

2017

80 2016

60 40

10-year average

20 0

IRISH

In association with

FARMERS JOURNAL

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Co Waterford

farmersjournal.ie

A TEAGASC/IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL INITIATIVE

Co Longford

Co Louth

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

32 BUILDINGS

1

2

3

4

One-stop shop for expanding dairy herd This modern dairy unit combines a dairy parlour, cubicles and drafting area all under one roof, writes Peter Varley

E

amon, Joan and their son Enda Keaveney from Ballymoe, Co Galway, in the west of Ireland have been farming in partnership since 2015. Enda originally completed a degree in construction in 2009. However, the opportunities in the construction sector were limited at that time so he decided to look at farming as a career path. With a grazing platform of 40ha of good-quality freedraining land and an established herd of 70 Friesian cows, the foundations were in place. Enda completed a professional diploma in dairy farm management,

worked on dairy farms in New Zealand for 15 months and worked on Irish farms to learn how to run an efficient modern dairy farm.

When he came home to farm with his father full-time, cow numbers started to increase but quota and limited facilities were a barrier to expansion. The parlour was too small for what they needed and winter accommodation was coming under pressure for the expanding herd. The Keaveneys toyed with the idea of knocking some old sheds and expanding existing ones but they felt these sheds would also have to be replaced. They eventu-

ally decided to build a new shed which would facilitate cow accommodation, dairy parlour and dairy under one roof.

Cow numbers are now at 120 but Enda says the long-term plan is 150. “Our soil indexes are all threes and fours so now we just need to reseed paddocks to be able to grow enough grass,” he explained.

The Irish Farmers Journal visited the Keaveney farm to see the new facilities.

the main driver for the larger tank. He worked out that at their current level of production the bonus system will pay for the bulk tank in 11 years. The larger tank also allows scope to expand production somewhat without worrying about milk storage capacity. A heat recovery unit takes the heat produced from the refrigeration process from the bulk tank and this is used to heat the water in the hot water tank. This heat recovery unit heats the water in the hot water tank to 55°C. An electric immersion is used to heat the water to reach 80°C. The immersion only comes on at night, taking advantage of the lower electricity rate. A plate cooler was also installed in the dairy which uses the bore well water to cool the milk coming from the parlour before it goes into the bulk tank. All of these investments come with a substantial initial cost but Enda says the investment will pay for itself in the long run with the lower energy bills. This is apparent already – on average the monthly ESB bill only costs £240 for the dairy unit.

3LFWXUH RQH DQG oJXUH RQH What was very noticeable walking around the development and talking to the Keaveneys was the thought process they put into each investment. Everything had a long-term view in mind. The area under roof measures 160ft x 106ft and there are 124 cubicle beds. Enda and Eamon came up with the design based on ideas they saw from visiting other sheds around the country. The cubicle area and most of the feeding area is on one side of the shed. The main cow handling facilities are in the centre. The other side of the shed is dedicated to the 20-unit milking parlour, and the plant room.

Picture two The bulk tank has capacity for 12,750l of milk, which is more than sufficient for the 120-cow herd. The Keavneys bought this large tank so they could store milk for longer, reducing the amount of times the milk truck has to visit the farm. Their milk processor, Aurivo, pays a bonus for three-day collections. Enda said this was

VIDEO ONLINE

watch the video on farmersjournal.tv

Pictures three and four The Keaveneys went with a 20-unit Dairymaster parlour. The main features are automatic cluster removers, swingover arms, automatic feeders and an autowash system. A 16t split meal silo was purchased to supply meal to the automatic feeders and store meal for calves etc.

“The new parlour has made life so much easier. In the old six-unit, 18 rows

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

BUILDINGS 33

5

7

6

8

Figure 1: shed layout

ÁCost Slatted tank

132

117

67

82

100

116

83

99

Cubicles 66

51

50

34

1

16

17

33

Plant room

Herringbone crush Cattle race Collecting yard

SWIFTCOOL 14600X

Bulk tank

20-unit parlour

of cows went through the parlour before everything was milked. Now, with the bigger setup, milking is finished after six rows go through” said Eamon.

Interestingly, they went for plastic pig slats inside the pit. Slats were chosen rather than mats because they felt cleaning would be easier. “There is a great spring off the slats for walking and when we are washing down all the dirt underneath the slats travels to the sump. A sump pump then pumps this water to the dirty water tank,” said Enda.

Calving pens

They both agreed the parlour was well worth the investment because now one person can milk all the cows easily on their own.

What’s more, they are no longer afraid to ask relief milkers to come in if they are both away from the farm. Eamon said the old parlour required experienced hands.

“Cupping on used to start at 05.45am and we wouldn’t be finished until 09.45am.

Now cupping on starts at 07.00am and we are finished milking by 08.15am.”

The whole setup has come at a considerable cost but it is a lifetime investment and is already paying dividends in terms of reduced workload. “With the new facilities in place and the daily workload reduced, I can do some casual work locally.” said Enda. They used up all the grant on the milking equipment and the bulk storage tank. In the TAMS II, a young trained farmer is eligible for 60% grant aid up to an investment ceiling of £71,200, while a general applicant is entitled to 40% grant aid up to £71,200.

Because they were in a partnership, the investment ceiling doubled to £142,400, which meant they could get a total grant of £71,200 towards pre-approved investments (40% x £71,200 + 60% x £71,200 = £71,200). Minus the grant Enda said it cost £1,965/cow excluding VAT based on current cow numbers (120 cows). The Keaveneys said everyone who worked on the project was excellent, which made it very straightforward. Enda said the whole family has played a part in the success of the farm including his brothers Kevin and John and his sister Sinéad.

3LFWXUHV oYH DQG VL[ The main cow handling area is beside the parlour. After milking, any cows in heat can be drafted into a holding pen.

At the moment, the Keaveneys have to leave the pit to separate cows but the plan is to set up a pully system to make this job easier.

This area is multipurpose. In spring, it is used for calving cows and with a number of pen divisions. The furthest pen is used to hold cows close to calving during the night while the other pens can be used for calving cows. Two calving gates are useful here too. There is a herring-

bone crush which they will use for scanning cows, tail clipping and TB testing.

This leads on to a cattle race which they use for artificially inseminating cows. By making this area multipurpose, the Keaveneys are maximising the return on their investment.

A drainage channel runs through the centre of this area and this is piped back to the slurry tank. All the gates can be opened back to allow a tractor to drive in to clean away the straw bedding after the calving season. Tractor slats and a swinging feed barrier at the far end of the area means access is not an issue.

3LFWXUHV VHYHQ DQG HLJKW There is a 9ft deep L-shaped slurry tank at one end of the shed. The slats are 16ft 6in long and if the tank ran in a straight line it would be 155ft long. The slatted area acts as a collecting yard for cows during the year and is used as animal accommodation during the winter.

Dairymaster winch and pully system scrapers were used in the shed for cleaning the cow passages. During the winter, they are timed to turn on every four hours.

There are three in total, when one scraper does a run in one direction, the other two work in the opposite direction.

When it reaches the end of the sequence it will return to its base. The cubicles are 45in centres and the brisket board helps prevent cows sitting too far forward. All the steel work was carried out by Teemore Engineering.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

34 LIVESTOCK

Sheep

Irish farmers must abide by Sheep Welfare Scheme reference number Under the rules of the scheme, the reference number of sheep must be maintained on a year-round basis, Darren Carty writes

A

reminder on aspects of the sheep welfare scheme in the management notes section a couple of weeks ago raised some questions from farmers relating to the requirement to maintain the reference number of animals on a year-round basis. Some farmers were of the understanding that once the number was met on average over the 12 months that it would suffice, while others thought the number could fluctuate as long as the total number of ewes available for breeding and recorded annually in the sheep census matched the reference number set.

Given the uncertainty and the fact that the scheme is still in year one, it is worth clarifying the reference number rule. The reference number is the average of the number of breeding ewes (over 12 months of age) recorded in the 2014 and 2015 sheep census.

For example, if a farmer had 100 ewes recorded in the 2014 census and 150 in the 2015 census, the reference number set is 125 ewes. The only exception to this is where a reference number was set on the basis of an appeal (force majeure, new entrants etc).

For the purpose of this exaple, it is assumed the farmer has returned at least 125 ewes in his most recent census. If this most recent census figure is lower than the 2014/2015 average, then this becomes the reference number for payment and retention in that year.

If we stick with our example above, in this case 125 is the maximum number of ewes that the farmer will be paid for each year of the scheme. If he/she wants to maximise their payment, they must retain 125 eligible animals. For those that wish to sell ewes, there are a few options that allow ewes to be traded while still satisfying the requirement.

The first is where 2016-born hoggets are present on the farm, as these can be included in the reference number count.

Hoggets do not have to have lambed in 2017. For example, if there are 25 hoggets on the farm then they will allow 25 ewes to be sold while still achieving the maximum payment.

The second is purchasing replacements (mature ewes or hoggets) in advance of moving cull ewes off the farm.

The third is selling the ewes that you wish to trade and notifying the Department of Agriculture that you have reduced below your reference number. For example, if you do not usually purchase replacements until later in the year but want to sell ewes earlier, you can do so

The Sheep Welfare Scheme reference number must be maintained for the full year to achieve the maximum payment.

Given the uncertainty and the fact that the scheme is still in year one, it is worth clarifying the reference number rule

and contact the Departments Sheep Welfare Scheme section to notify them that this has taken place.

Again, if we use the example above and 20 ewes are sold, you can reduce your payment for 2017 to being based on 105 ewes.

This will not affect the reference number in subsequent years and it will revert to 125 ewes for 2018.

Some farmers have asked what are the implications of failing to notify the Department of any reduction to the reference number and this being identified in an inspection?

In such a case the payment received would be based on 85 eligible animals – ie the number of animals found at inspection will be reduced by the differrence between this number and the reference number. All such reductions will

be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, for example, where genuine animal welfare issues have arisen.

The Departments Sheep Welfare Scheme section can be notified by emailing sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie or sending a note to the Sheep Welfare Scheme section, DAFM, Government Offices, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois.

Parasite control Some queries also related to laboratories that can be used to carry out a faecal egg count under the measure of parasite control. The approved laboratories are listed on the Department’s website, with the current listing detailed in Table 1.

Note that the result of the faecal egg count denotes the need for dosing animals and wehere a dose is required, animals should be treatedt.

Some farmers have again asked what is the appropriate period of time to administer mineral supplementation preweaning.

The Department states that minerals should be administered that are suitable to the farm and that are the minerals in which animals are deficient.

For example, in some farms with a known mineral deficit, minerals may need to be administered for four to six weeks pre-weaning to maintain animal performance, while for others cobalt supplementation for a period pre-weaning may suffice.

As stated a couple of weeks ago, it is important to ensure minerals purchased are from an approved manufacturer and that the product clearly lists the cover given and the length of time it provides supplementation for.

Table 1: Approved laboratories for the Sheep WelfareScheme Company

Irish Equine Centre

Address

Johnstown, Naas, Co Kildare tbuckley@irish equinecentre.ie 045 866266

Email Number

Animal Health Laboratories Ltd Shinagh House, Dunmanway Road, Bandon, Co Cork nwhite@ahli.ie 023 8854100

Alpha Analytical Services Ltd Cappagh Cross, Fermoy, Co Cork

Farm Lab Diagnostics Elphin, Castlerea, Co Roscommon

Agri Diagnostics Ireland Ltd

laboratory@alphaanalytical services.ie 025 39333

info@ farmlab.ie 049 8541160

info@agridiagnostics .ie

Dunrine, Killarney, Co Kerry

064 6633922

MACHINERY 15 July 2017

Claas of 2018

Claas unveils latest tractors

HUSTLER ZERO TURN LAWNMOWERS, DON’T COMPROMISE ON STRENGTH OR PERFORMANCE! The best just got better! New for 2017 the Hustler Raptor 52” 52” width of cut, mulch kit included 23HP twin cylinder Kawasaki petrol engine

Unbeatable Value £4,500 plus VAT Southern Machinery Ltd, Donore, Caragh, Naas, Co. Kildare. T: +353 45 860031 or +353 87 6755237/+353 86 3535943 www.southernmachinery.ie sales@southernmachinery.ie Scottish Agent - Agri Services, Darvel, Ayrshire KA17 0AF | T: 01560321167

36 MACHINERY

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

UNDER THE HOOD From vintage

Masseys to modern German collaborations

I

n this week’s machinery section we report on a recent visit to Germany where the latest advances in the Claas tractor range were on show. Major steps forward both in technology and in horsepower were launched by the German machinery giant. The main points of interest are the extension of the Arion 500 and 600 ranges to include the now rangetopping Arion 660, producing up to 205hp, and the new range-topping Axion 960, producing a whopping 445hp. There were also new pieces of grass kit launched and these will be looked at over the coming weeks. Alistair With the combines starting to roll around the country, we look at the ba- Chambers sics for buying a secondhand combine and the latest technology that can be found on these amazing grain eaters. Barry Cassidy looks at the dangers associated with contractors being unfamiliar with the yard they are working in and what can be done to lower the risk to all involved. In vintage Simon Henley looks at David Brown’s first attempt at getting into the turbocharged tractor market. achambers@farmersjournal.ie

A vintage collection is lined up for auction in Kildare on 15 July.

Range of vintage reds on offer Paul Cooke Auctions has been instructed by a private collector to sell more than 40 vintage tractors by unreserved public auction this Saturday 15 July from 11.30am at Naas Industrial Estate, Co Kildare.

Over the years the collector has built up a wide range of machines, including

Massey Ferguson 35s, Massey Ferguson 135s, Massey Ferguson 165s, a Massey Ferguson 230, Massey Ferguson 135 Multipowers, Massey Ferguson 185 Multipower, Ferguson 20 TVOs, Ferguson 35 Vineyard Copper Belly, Ferguson 35 Copper Bellys, a 1969 Zetor 2511, a Fordson Super Dexta, 1961 International B275 with loader and

original weather cab, International 430 Baler, an International 454 and Nuffield 3.45. This is a serious collection, with tractors in every state of restoration from recently restored to original-condition machines. People on the ground at the sale yard said all of the tractors are in running and driving condition.

John Deere enters strategic partnership with Kramer John Deere is to enter a strategic partnership with material handling specialist Kramer. John Deere has bought into the German company, showing its intent to make it a long-term arrangement. The deal will allow Kramer to distribute its

machines through the extensive worldwide John Deere dealer network once it has cleared anti-competition laws. This deal follows on from the cessation of an agreement between Claas and Kramer which meant Kramer was producing the

Claas scorpion telehandler. The last of the Claas/Kramer Scorpions will be sold later in the year. Claas has now signed an agreement with Liebherr and the fruit of their collaboration will appear on the market from January 2018.

MACHINERY 37

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

Updated Lemken trailed sprayers Lemken has given its sprayer lineup a serious reboot.

The Primus and Albatros trailed sprayers have been given a cosmetic as well as a technological update.

The cosmetic changes means a more streamlined look, while colouring to match the rest of the range and LED lighting have been added.

On the technology front, both sprayers are now Isobus compliant and will

FTMTA NEWS

link to any Isobus terminal. The in-cab controller now features a job computer on the CCI-50 terminal. There is the capability to retroďŹ t GPS section control to this control system.

The Primus 10 and 12 will have tank capacities of 2,400 to 4,400 litres and boom widths of 15m to 30m and the Albatros 10 and 12 will have capacities of 4,000 to 6,200 litres and boom widths of 15m to 39m respectively.

Lemken Primus trailed sprayer

Armstrong Machinery Harvest and Tillage Day

1+2@0%*

FTMTA member, Armstrong Machinery Ltd of Lusk, Co Dublin, will mark 40 years of selling New Holland harvest equipment with a harvest and arable day on Saturday 15 July.

The event will be held at Milverton on the Lusk to Skerries road in Co Dublin and will be signposted from the premises of Armstrong Machinery at The Five Roads, Lusk. The ďŹ eld will open at 11am with demonstrations from noon. Visitors to the event will see a 1977 New Holland Clayson 1540 working alongside modern machines such as the CX8.70 XL with 25ft head and the all-new CX5080 with 17ft cut. A full range of Hew Holland tractors including the T8 will be on view as well as the LM telehandler range, the 1290 big square baler and the RB 150 Roll Belt baler. Many other ranges of machinery will also be seen in demonstrations and on display including Kverneland, Vicon, McConnel, Sulky, MX Loaders and more.

FREE EXTENDED COVER FOR 3,000 HOURS**

FTMTA machinery auction The first ever FTMTA farm machinery trade auction continues to receive a very positive reaction from members of the association. The auction will be held in conjunction with Paul Cooke Auctions, at Punchestown Event Centre on Saturday 30 September.

Numerous lots have already been entered by FTMTA members across the country. Certain to attract strong interest from machinery buyers at home and overseas are tractors, combines, selfpropelled silage harvesters, arable implements, grass implements and construction equipment. The auction will facilitate the sales of lots coming from FTMTA member firms only; lots from other sources will not be considered.

Viewing will be open at Punchestown on the two days prior to the auction, Thursday and Friday, 28 and 29 September.

Full details, including photographs, of most lots, will be available online at www. paulcookeauctions.com in advance of the auction. Bidding will be possible onsite, online or through a pre-bid service. To bid at the auction, potential buyers must first place a bidding deposit with the auctioneers and this is fully refundable in the event of not making a purchase.

Be a part of a stronger farm machinery industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association â&#x20AC;&#x201C; contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership @ftmta.ie for details.

De Courcey Working Day FTMTA member ďŹ rm McCarthy Plant & Agri Sales Ltd of Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, will support the De Courcey Classic and Vintage Club Harvest Working Day to be held this year on 7 August, the holiday Monday. is year and will take place on the farm of club member Derry Desmond.

PUMA SIMPLY EFFICIENT With seven models from 150-240 hp (rated), the Puma Series is built around: 6 .,2#+ /#*' -,3#./&'$0 $1)) -,3#./&'$0 ,. !,+0'+1,1/)4 2 .' )# 0. +/*'//',+/ 6 $7 !'#+0 #+%'+#/ 3'0& #+%'+# -,3#. * + %#*#+0 ,,/0 $,. +" 0. +/-,.0 3,.( 6 ,- ".'2'+% !,*$,.0 +" ) 0#/0 )'%&0'+% 0#!&+,),%4 6 "2 +!#" .*'+% 4/0#*/ 5 !!1 1'"# # ") +" + %#*#+0 ,+0.,) +"

www.caseih.com

*Yearly payments 1 + 2, total of 3 payments. Subject to acceptance and affordability checks. New equipment only. The ďŹ nance product is hire purchase. Full VAT on signing. Option-to-purchase fee of ÂŁ70 (including VAT) with ďŹ nal payment. Customer will own machine when all payments have been made. Alternative ďŹ nance options available, terms apply. A documentation fee of ÂŁ120 with the ďŹ rst rental. Images for illustrative purposes only. Minimum deposit 10%. Finance provided by CNH Industrial Capital Europe Limited. Registered England: 3420615. Registered ofďŹ ce: Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3AD. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. **Ts & Cs apply. Subject to a maintenance contract, 3yrs or 3,000hrs maximum.

38 MACHINERY

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

Claas tractors get a new lease of life Claas has upgraded its tractors. Alistair Chambers was in Germany at the launch

C

laas has a new generation of its 500, 600 and range-topping 900 series tractors, with enhanced equipment options, a wider range of engines and many new features.

These include the new CIS+ system, the new Cebis terminal, updated Hexashift and Cmatic transmission functions and the Proactiv front axle suspension, newly developed by Claas.

Three equipment options are available, these are the CIS, new CIS+ and the new Cebis Touch and are available on the Axion 800 and Arion 600 and 500 ranges for the very first time. All versions are available with a Hexashift powershift transmission; alternatively, the CIS+ and Cebis versions can be supplied with the continuously variable Cmatic transmission.

The CIS version has been kept delib-

erately simple, with mechanical spool valves and the CIS display, while CIS+ comes with electronic spool valves and the CIS colour A pillar display as standard. Both versions have the proven multifunction armrest, with Drivestick to operate the transmission.

The Cebis version goes even further, featuring the fully redesigned Cebis terminal with 12in touchscreen display and intuitive Direct Access, in addition to the Cmotion multifunction control lever, which can be operated using just three fingers.

Broader output range The power output range of the Arion series has been extended upwards and downwards and now stretches from 125hp in the Arion 510 to 185hp or 205hp in the Arion 660 thanks to Claas Power Management (CPM), which pro-

7KLQNLQJ RI D À DLO"

Think again!

The MAJOR Range of Cyclone Mowers is designed to give a quality finish in grassland and scrubland.

Four models; 2.0m, 2.5m, 3.0m and 3.5m.

Side Mounted Toppers

Centre Mounted Toppers Two models: 2.1m (7’) and 2.7m (9’)

Two models: 8’ (2.4m) and 9’ (2.7m)

Major Equipment Tel: 01524Co 850501 Major Equipment IntlLtd Ltd, Ballyhaunis, Mayo Tel: 094www.major-equipment.com 9630572 www.major-equipment.com

vides a boost of up to 20hp for transport and PTO work.

All Arion 500 models have a fourcylinder engine, while the Arion 600 tractors have a six-cylinder engine throughout. In the middle of the ranges there is a two-model overlap where tractors can be chosen with either four or six cylinders. All of these engine meet the most recent emissions standards (Tier 4F). They use diesel particulate filter (DPF) and other cleaning technologies to get to this standard.

These models also come with a larger fuel tank.

Transmissions The Hexashift six-speed powershift transmission in the Arion has undergone further development and offers a wide range of additional functions.

These include a cruise control function where the forward speed selected by the driver is maintained automatically at the optimum engine speed. The engine therefore operates independently of the current task and is highly fuel-efficient at all times. The integrated Smart Stop function makes for very convenient handling. When the brake pedal is pressed, the transmission disengages automatically – there is no need to use the clutch pedal. This reduces the driver’s workload, especially during clutch-intensive tasks such as front loader work and round baling.

New Proactiv front axle suspension All new Arion 600 and 500 models can be fitted with the new Proactiv front axle suspension, developed by Claas.

The tractor weight is optimally supported on the front axle thanks to the triangular arrangement of the two suspension cylinders, which are angled outwards.

Intelligent control of the Proactiv front axle suspension also provides active roll stabilisation on bends and reduces pitching movements during braking and acceleration. This guarantees optimum ride comfort even when driving at high speeds on roads, tracks and fields, and increases safety when driving with heavy implements at-

tached as it prevents the tractor-machine combination from bouncing.

Another new feature available on the Arion 600/500 is the Claas Dynamic Steering system. Dynamic Steering allows the driver to change the number of turns of the steering wheel needed to achieve the same steering lock and adjust the steering to the current task, simply by pressing a button.

Adjustment takes place in two different automatic programs, each with two levels, and a manual program with four intensity levels. This makes handling much faster and easier, especially during steering-intensive work such as when using the front loader or when turning at the headland. One major improvement of this axle over the previously used Carrero version is that instead of having 22 grease nipples, the new Claas-designed and built axle has only four. &DE ZLWK IRXU RU oYH SLOODUV All models are available with an updated range of cabs. Each version offers the same generous amount of space, a continuous front window and optimum visibility, including a good view of wide implements at the rear.

Customers can also choose between

The new CIS+ comes with electronic spools and a coloured screen on the A pillar.

MACHINERY 39

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

ÁKey points

The top of the 600 range, the 660 now comes with 185hp and 20hp boost for transport and pto work.

 Updated Arion 500 and 600 series tractors now up to 205hp.  Same horsepower four- and six-cylinder options where Arion 500 and 600 ranges cross over.  New middle VSHFLoFDWLRQ RStion Cis+ available on 500,600 and 800 ranges.  4Upgraded functions on all gearbox options.  New Claasdesigned Proactive front axle and suspension.

and engine speed.

As a result, 70% of maximum torque is available even when idling. The maximum output of these models (Axion 920 – 960) has been increased and now ranges from 325hp to 445hp (in accordance with ECE R 120). As usual, the new Axion 900 tractors transfer their full power from a standing start and at all forward speeds without a boost.

All models in the new Axion 900 series are equipped as standard with the updated, continuously variable ZF Terramatic transmission which has proved itself in the Axion 800. It has been adapted to the higher output of these tractors and features outstanding stability and power transmission with a high mechanical component,

providing optimum efficiency in all speed ranges from 0.05km/h to 50km/h. The continuously variable Claas Cmatic transmission control system uses a new generation of software which incorporates many customer requirements identified under real-world conditions and further refines engine-transmission coordination. For example, cruise control can be deactivated with the accelerator pedal and the transmission adjusts more rapidly to the job in hand as the driver can switch between two saved engine drop-off values simply by pressing a button.

The new Axion 900 comes with the new Cebis terminal with a 12in touch display and the proven ergonomic

armrest with Cmotion multifunction control lever for convenient operation of all the main functions using the thumb and first two fingers. The new Cebis offers many new functions for very fast and straightforward operation. Claas has also included on-board GPS capability on all its 900 series machines. All new Axion 900 tractors are optionally available with different LED lighting packages. The packages include up to 20 LED work lights and LED road lights, including daytime road lights.

The arrival of the new 500 and 600 ranges from Claas appear to me a good step forward for the German harvester giant and will probably bring them a larger slice of the tractor market.

FREE DRIVERS KIT WITH EVERY QUOTE*...

the familiar five-pillar cab, or a fourpillar cab with a uninterrupted field of vision to the driver’s left. The fourpillar cab is already in use on the larger Axion 900 and 800 models.

New big tractors from Claas The Claas Axion 900 series of high powered tractors for contractors and larger farms was first launched in 2011 and quickly established itself on the market.

Claas has now launched the new generation of the Axion 900 series, which has undergone refinements and offers many new features. These include more powerful engines with a low-speed concept, optimised Cmatic transmission control and the new Cebis terminal as is also available on the new 500 and 600 series with touch display and Cmotion multifunction control lever. All new Axion 900 models have the proven and highly and sophisticated six-cylinder FPT Cursor 9 engine with 8.7 litre cubic capacity.

This engine meets all the requirements of the Stage IV (Tier 4) emissions standard. It also has a new, variable geometry turbo as standard equipment, delivering optimum charge-air pressure according to the current load

Yes, that’s correct, simply request an official written quote from an authorised Deutz-Fahr dealer for a new and current Deutz-Fahr Tractor or Combine and you will receive one of the new Drivers Kits* T&C’s apply - Business Users Only

deutz-fahr.com DEUTZ-FAHR is a brand of

DeutzFahrUKandIreland

*Terms and Conditions Promotion is available to business users only. Applicable to written quotes for new Deutz-Fahr Tractors and Combines only from participating authorised UK and ROI Deutz-Fahr dealers. Drivers kit items are subject to availability and may be substituted for other items. Offer is open to UK and ROI residents only. Promotion is valid from 1st July to 31st July 2017 and can be terminated at any time. All quotes will need to be verified by SDF UK Ltd before any promotional items are awarded. Only one drivers kit per customer and quotation.

The new Proactiv front axle has only four greasing points.

40 MACHINERY

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

7KH WHFKQRORJ\ RI \HDUV DJR LV VWLOO LQ XVH WRGD\ EXW KDV MXVW EHHQ LPSURYHG DQG UHoQHG RYHU WKH \HDUV

Breakthroughs in combine technology With technology playing a role in every part of arable farming, combines are getting more advanced every year. Alistair Chambers reports

The header size of the modern machine has moved up to at least 40ft in some parts of the world, but is rarely larger than 30ft in Ireland

C

ombine harvesting technology has come a long way from the early days of the trailed machines to the close to autonomous machines that can be seen in the fields today.

In the case of straw walker machines, the underlying principle hasn’t changed but the reliability and precision have come on leaps and bounds. This can be seen with the use of crop flow meters constantly adjusting the setting on the machine to get optimal output from the modern machines whereas in the past the setting of a machine was set at the start of the day’s cutting and often not looked at or changed unless a crop change was occurring.

From the late 70s onwards, the practice of having to change internal parts of the machine such as the sieves became a thing of the past as the sieves could be altered to account for the different crop.

In the very latest machines, all of these changes can be made from a touchscreen in the cab with no need for scraped knuckles or greasy elbows.

Technology can now be used to organise the process from cutting to drying and storage.

On the move, the modern machines are constantly collecting information from the yield of the crop to the moisture level, which is a big step-up from the visual check of the flow of grain into the tank behind the driver, guess work and the bite test to check the moisture content.

The header size of the modern machine has moved up to at least 40ft in some parts of the world, but is rarely larger than 30ft in Ireland. With this size of a

header, technology is now being used to steer the machines along the crop. Sensors on the outsides of the header “see” the uncut crop edge and guide the combine as close as possible to the edge to maximise the cutting width being used.

This is a good saving as judging the edge correctly from the driver’s seat at the same time as watching the crop entering a 30ft+ header is nearly beyond human capability.

All of the information that a modern

combine collects can be used for many different purposes from simply telling the operator their hourly work rate on the move, fuel efficiency and crop detail.

All this information can now be stored and downloaded so that a review of work practices and settings can be done on a daily basis.

The next stage of this is to use the information to guide the rest of the logistics of harvest, such as organising transport of grain away from the combine to ensure that there is no downtime for either the harvester or the transport system. This data can also be used to streamline all the associated systems right down to the staff and equipment requirements at the drying/storage stage.

Everything can be tailored to the output of the harvester(s )and help the system run as cost effectively and efficiently as possible. All of this technology has moved things on greatly from the point of view of getting through the work and improving efficiency, but it comes at a major cost and massive scale is required to back up the investment involved.

MACHINERY 41

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

What to ask when buying a secondhand combine When purchasing a secondhand combine, there are factors to be examined before making a decision.

Machinery specialist Alistair Chambers answers the key questions

What size is right for my farming operation?

While a bigger combine with higher levels of production might seem great, it may not be the best option. You must consider how the combine will fit your operation. If you don’t have the resources in place to transport the grain once it has been harvested, you risk the combine sitting (full) waiting for a trailer. It’s always better to have a smaller machine producing an amount that can handled rather than a bigger machine sitting and waiting for the next available tractor and trailer. Before you go out to buy a used combine, always keep the size and capabilities of your overall operation in the back of your mind.

Whether buying a large-capacity machine or a smaller machine, simple visual checks should be carried out.

Choosing a combine should be done to match your required output.

How many hours?

Review the total hours on the engine and on the threshing unit. The engine hours will give you an idea of how long the combine has been running for and the threshing will give you an idea of how much work it has done. If the engine hours are much higher than the separator, you should be sure to check for gearbox and drivetrain wear. A big difference in hours would suggest that the combine may have been a contractor’s machine and travelled long distances between jobs.

Is there visible wear and tear?

A combine should be judged by its cover. Remember to look for signs of wear on larger belts, chains and sprockets.

Clear signs of wear could indicate poor maintenance by the previous owner, or overworking of the equipment.

Be sure to also check the wear and damage on the drum, concave and walkers. The header including the reels, knife and auger should all be given a once over to check for excessive wear or damage.

How much can the header handle?

When buying a used combine, remember that a combine’s capacity should never be more than the gathering head can handle.

The header is where the harvesting begins and the amount it can handle will determine how much grain can be successfully harvested and how much is wasted or damaged in the process.

How comfortable is it to operate?

Be sure to climb inside the combine to make sure the cab comes with all the bells and whistles you’re looking for. The harvesting season calls for long days and many hours inside the combine, so be sure to ask about features such as storage, entertainment options and seat comfort.

Can I start the combine?

When you’re inside the combine testing its comfort, if at all possible, get the combine started and running for a bit to see if there are any audible issues such as grinding, screeching or knocking. Any of these sounds could indicate an issue that could call for major downtime shortly after getting your machine home.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

42 TILLAGE

Arable Good potential in variety pipeline 39

40 30 20

A few new spring wheat potentials Avonmore is the only new candidate spring wheat variety. It has yielded very well in trials in recent years and hit 12t/ ha at some sites.

The key varieties to watch out for, which are in their second year of official trials, include KWS Mistral, which has yielded

Lili

Barny

JB Diego

4 Lumos

6

3

1 Garrus

Torp

Avatar

Rockefeller

0

7 1

Graham

4

Conros

8 2

Bennington

10

10

Figure 2: winter barley seed availability 2017 30

30

25 19

20

5

5 Cassia

Carneval

Belfry

,QoQLW\

1

1

Escardia

8

Bazooka

0

6

Tower

10

Quadra

A few new winter wheats JB Diego is set to provide just under 39% of certified seed available for 2017, followed by Costello, Avatar and Torp (see Figure 1). Costello, which was added as provisionally recommended last year, boasts high resistance to rust, fusarium and mildew, as well as lodging, sprouting and node breakage (brackling).

Another addition to the list last year with provisional recommendation was Rockefeller. While this is also not very high yielding it has good all-round disease resistance to date. It is tall but later maturing and there is a small amount of seed available for this year.

Garrus is also provisionally recommended. It is rated as very resistant to mildew, moderately resistant to septoria and fusarium, moderately susceptible to yellow rust and susceptible to sprouting. However, Garrus was decimated by yellow rust in untreated plots this year.

Torp, a candidate for recommendation, delivered high yields in trials and displayed good resistance to septoria and mildew but poor resistance to brown rust and fusarium. Brown rust could be seen sneaking into treated plots at other sites around the country.

Bennington, a newly recommended variety in the UK, is another candidate for recommendation. It has shown moderate resistance to septoria but some susceptibility to yellow rust and mildew.

It has had reasonably high yields in trials and has excellent brackling resistance.

There is a small amount of seed available.

KWS Barny has also done two years in official trials and shown good yield potential. It has moderate susceptibility to septoria, yellow rust and mildew.

Other varieties coming through trials in the seed houses in Ireland include Conros, KWS Zyatt, LG Tatoo and a clean numbered offering from Seedtech called LG130.

15

Kosmos

T

he Irish Seed Trade Association held its annual open day in June in conjunction with the Department’s crop variety evaluation team in Backweston.

Large crowds of industry representatives and farmers attended the event to view the performance of the current crop varieties and to get a glimpse of those coming through the system. This article looks at varieties and seed availability for the upcoming planting season.

Some of the oat trials on show at the ISTA/ DAFM open day at Backweston in mid-June.

Figure 1: winter wheat seed availability 2017

Costello

Stephen Robb looks at the candidate varieties and seed availability for 2017 winter planting

Figure 3: winter oat seed availability 2017 59

60

40 23 20

0

Keely

18

Barra

Husky

reasonably well so far and has shown to be moderately resistant to mildew and rust, and KWS Chilham (a Sparrow derivative), which has also yielded very well but lodging was an issue last year.

Two-rows dominate winter barley Cassia, Tower and Infinity will be the main two-row winter barley varieties again this year (see Figure 2). Between them they account for a potential 74% of seed availability for 2017 planting. Cassia’s rhyncho and mildew ratings continue to be challenging for growers and these must be watched.

On the six-row side, the candidate variety KWS Funky, which was featured in Cereals as a high-yielding variety, has proved inconsistent in terms of yield in Ireland. KWS Kosmos, another six-row candidate variety, has a high yield potential with reasonable grain quality and has shown good resistance to mildew. It has 6% of certified seed available for 2017 and is a candidate for recommendation.

The six-row hybrids Bazooka and Belfry are in their second year of official trials and have proved promising with high yields and strong standing ability. However, mildew was a problem this year.

There’s a small amount of seed available for these varieties this year.

There is also some seed available for Belfry, Carneval and Escardia, as well as the hybrids Quadra and Bazooka. There is no seed availability for Volume.

Change in spring barley make-up On the spring barley front, Propino, Paustian, Mickle, Irina and Sanette are recommended this year, although some say that there will be no seed available for the latter two in 2018. Planet, known for its early vigour, high yield potential and weakness on straw strength and brackling, was provisionally recommended this year.

The key candidate varieties to look out for are Gangway and Hacker. Gangway has been a top yielder in trials, scores high for lodging and brackling resistance and has shown good disease resistance thus far. Hacker, which is on the UK list and was recently on show at Cereals, has good yield with good straw strength and lodging/brackling resistance.

Promising varieties entering their second year of trials include Cantton and Prospect, both having yielded very well and displayed good brackling/disease resistance.

Olympus and Laureate are two new varieties on the recommended malting barley list which haven’t yet made it to the spring barley recommended list.

Laureate, a British variety, is highyielding and has excellent disease resistance but is quite susceptible to lodging and brackling. Olympus is quite similar to Laureate, with excellent all-round disease resistance, reasonable yield potential but very susceptible to brackling.

Grain skinning was a big quality issue in 2016. While the causes are not fully understood, weather and harvest date are known to have an impact. Working on a 5% skinning threshold, the crop variety evaluation team assessed varieties in 2016 for the level of skinning present.

They found that Gangway and Sienna had the lowest occurrence of grain skinning followed by Cantton, Limon, Wylanda and Mickle. The varieties with the highest skinning rejections were Planet, Sanette and Propino. This was the first year that such an assessment was done so it will be a few years before formal details can be made available.

Three winter oat candidates There are three candidate varieties for the 2018 winter oat recommended list.

These are Keely, Avanti and Montrose.

Keely has been a consistently good yielder in trials but has shown to be moderately susceptible to rusts and mildew.

But it has a very high KPH and so it is interesting. There is a small amount of seed available.

Avanti is a high-yielding variety in trials and has good resistance to crown rust and mildew. However, it is a later-maturing variety. Montrose is another strongyielding variety that is currently on the UK recommended list.

However, there is no seed available for Avanti or Montrose this year and so they are unlikely to be recommended.

Indications are that Husky will account for almost 60% of certified seed, with Barra and Keely accounting for the balance (see Figure 3).

Two spring oat candidates Barra, first introduced in 1985, remains a significant variety on both the winter and spring recommended lists. While it has long been surpassed in terms of grain yield, disease resistance, standing power and brackling resistance, it still sets the standard for hectolitre weight.

The key candidate varieties to look out for are Benny and Delfin. Benny has yielded quite well in recent years but is moderately susceptible to crown rust. Delfin is the highest yielder on the list and has shown good resistance to mildew. However, it is also moderately susceptible to crown rust.

ÁIn short  Candidate varieties continue to appear for consideration to be included on the recommended lists.  Torp, Bennington and Barny are being considered for the winter wheat list with Avonmore an option for the spring wheat list.  Gangway and Hacker are being considered for the spring barley list along with Kosmos winter barley.  %HQQ\ DQG 'HOoQ DUH LQ ZLWK D shout for the spring oat list, along with Keely for the winter list.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

TILLAGE 43

Andy Doyle (003531) 4199531 adoyle@farmersjournal.ie

Open days reveal fungicide challenges The series of open days over the past few weeks revealed the investment in R&D by public and private companies and the challenges to chemical use in future. Andy Doyle reports

T

he past few weeks have been a hive of crop-related activity with numerous open days and visits taking place. On the adjoining page, Stephen Robb looks at information on varieties that are coming on stream via the recommended list system and others that are in the pipeline. In this article, I report on crop condition and disease pressures from the different events and on the recent observations at Teagasc trials on SDHI performance.

This might be regarded as a relatively low-pressure year given that we had spells of dry weather that helped slow the progress of septoria. As a result, most crops with good well-timed programmes are quite clean of septoria. There has been some disease movement in recent weeks in some crops but hardly enough to heavily affect yield potential.

Septoria moves against SDHIs At the recent Teagasc Crops & Cultivations open day, growers got a chance to see potential emerging problems for control of septoria using SDHIs. At a number of recent field workshops, Dr Steven Kildea showed trials where SDHI actives were used alone in plots for experimental purposes. Their efficacy was noticeably down on previous years and this was happening at sites where the level of a moderately resistant isolate of septoria was present at high levels.

This asked the question as to whether

this isolate would adversely affect field performance? The answer was clear and unambiguous. The presence of high levels of this moderately resistant isolate significantly decreased the performance of SDHI actives alone. This is a worrying development but it was also inevitable.

However, this finding was confined to trials where only SDHI actives were used and where they were used alone. The performance of mixtures in well-timed programmes was still solid.

The fact that the level of this moderately resistant septoria isolate is increasing all around the country is, therefore, worrying. However, the use of good sensible mixtures in combination with chlorothalonil continue to perform well at sites where this isolate is present at high levels so field control is still possible, Steven emphasised. The challenge is to manage treatments carefully so as to minimise the risk of allowing any further isolates to develop at field level.

Timing is everything. Another trial which applied a fungicide mix on each leaf from leaf-four onwards found that either a leaf-three or leaf-two spray, followed by a leaf-one spray had resulted in the lowest level of septoria on the crop.

The standard recommendation is leafthree and leaf-one but a five-day delay on the leaf-one timing may have given the leaf-two spray an advantage (relative to the later flagleaf timing) at this site.

Steven emphasised that their results will be examined with scrutiny to formulate sound fungicide advice for 2018.

But the game has changed once again and he said that it is up to every grower to do all they can to minimise disease pressure. This means some combination of later planting and better variety septoria resistance.

Looking at similar trial at UCD sites the story was broadly similar. However, the level of fall-off in the performance of straight SDHI products was much less

obvious. Still there were patches in many of these plots that would give cause for concern that the level of resistance was building.

It is possible that the level of resistance will be higher initially at intensive trial sites but this will spread to commercial fields sooner or later. There remains considerable variability in septoria populations and pressures at local level.

Goldcrop days Goldcrop had two excellent days recently, one in Dunleer and the other annual event on John Dunne’s farm in Shanagarry, where there was a good test of varieties, old and new. One thing that hit me between the eyes was the level of septoria on Rockefeller in Cork. This is a relatively septoria resistant variety but it was badly infected, especially in comparison to Costello beside it, which is only moderate on septoria.

John commented on the importance of timing in this regard. He said that he timed the fungicide on the varieties relative to Costello, which was sown around the trials. While the importance of timing is unquestioned, I wondered if I was looking at breakdown in the variety resistance because this difference was not obvious at other trial sites. Whatever the reason, the potential pressure from septoria at this site continues to support the identification of reasonable variety resistance.

During discussions at both sites, the ever restricted access to chemicals was discussed. At Dunleer, Mairead McGuinness MEP talked about the ever increasing resistance among consumers to pesticides and she said that this will only increase.

The subject of BYDV also came to the fore and while many may wish for access to Redigo Deter for use on spring cereal crops, its continued use on any crops may be the more important question.

SeedTech This year, many farmers and trade members were given the opportunity to visit the new SeedTech and DLF seed processing and distribution facility just opened in Belview port in Waterford.

This is a state-of-the-art 52,000ft2 facility processing high-quality cereal and grass seed, along with premium grains for the food industry. It represents a significant investment for the future of the agricultural sector.

The SeedTech trial site near Ballymountain acts as a research facility for variety testing and it is also used by Syngenta for pesticide evaluation.

This site is also a hot bed for septoria but some combination of weather and fungicides helped to keep treated plots looking quite clean. Untreated plots were a different story though and disease was rife.

There were many new varieties on show which showed considerable promise.

Varietal septoria restance continues to be evaluated at this site and progress is tangible.

Syngenta also showed very good performance from Elatus Era on all crops.

Drummonds Different years bring different pressures and septoria was not so bad at Drummonds open evening in Co Louth. Here, the unsprayed wheat variety plots took on a different appearance as yellow rust ravaged them since before Christmas.

Having lower septoria pressure did not result in a lesser dependence on fungicides on many farms in this region this year.

But, like the other sites, well-treated plots were very clean and showed great potential.

There were terrific winter oilseed rape trials at this site and a raised view over the plots showed the variability in height and maturity.

A section of the crowd at the Irish Seed Trade Association open day in DAFM, Backweston, recently. \ O’Gorman Photography

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

44 SAFETY

FARM SAFETY Contractors donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know your farmyard like you do When employing contractors to carry out work on your farm it is important to remember they are not familiar with your yard.

Barry Cassidy reports

S

ummertime is always a busy period on farms. From the cutting of silage to the spreading of slurry and smaller jobs like topping or spraying, machinery work takes centre stage.

On many farms, some if not all of these jobs involve a contractorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help. The beneďŹ ts of a good contractor cannot be understated when it comes to getting these essential jobs done on a busy farm. However, it is important to remember that contractors do not know your farm and farmyard like you do.

Potential hazards Around a farmyard, there are numerous hazards that have been identified by farmers during risk assessments. While the farmer themselves can take measures to minimise these risks, they often present a bigger danger to someone unfamiliar with them. Soft or uneven ground, potential pitfalls like uncovered manholes, limited clearance space under shed eaves, etc, all represent hazards to a contractor unfamiliar with the yard.

Pointing out any of these hazards ahead of time, rather than waiting till after they become a problem, is a simple method of ensuring a contractor can take the appropriate measures to avoid them.

Vulnerable groups (children and older farmers) are at greater risk when contractors are operating on a farm.

Vulnerable groups In the last 10 years, 46% of all fatal accidents on Irish farms have involved children (12%) and older farmers (34%).

These vulnerable groups are a serious safety concern as they may not be fully aware of the dangers of machinery or may not be quick enough to react to certain situations. Contractors coming on to the farm should be made aware of their presence so they can be extra cautious. Ideally, children should not be in the yard during times when there are large amounts of machinery in the area.

7UDIoF PDQDJHPHQW When tasks such as silage harvesting, whether it be baled or pit silage, are under way, there are often several tractors attempting to access the yard at one time. This increases the risk of an accident occurring between two tractors.

That is why a speciďŹ c management plan should be in place in order to have controlled entry and exit of machinery to and from the yard. Contractors may not be aware of blind spots around corners or of the most appropriate place to turn machinery (if required). Before any harvesting begins, these designated areas should be set up and agreed upon.

Roadways In cases where access from the field

7UDIoF PDQDJHment is important at silage time.

Livestock should always be kept in HQFORVHG oHOGV

3RWHQWLDO KD]DUGV VXFK DV RSHQ VOXUU\ ODJRRQV VKRXOG EH LGHQWLoHG

where the work is taking place to the farmyard crosses a public road, extra measures should be in place. Appropriate warning signage should be displayed to warn workers, members of the public and oncoming traďŹ&#x192;c of machinery that may emerge from a gateway. Flagmen should be used where appropriate and they should wear high visibility vests/ jackets to make themselves easily seen by the public. If it is the case where con-

tractors have to enter a ďŹ eld containing livestock, in order to access another ďŹ eld, gates should always be closed after.

2YHUKHDG FDEOHV Knowing the layout of your own yard generally also includes a knowledge of overhead power cable locations.

This allows farmers to account for the height of their own machinery in relation to these cables and avoid

Farmers should know the locations of overhead cables on their farm.

making contact with them.

Contractors, on the other hand, may not be aware of their locations and may be more exposed to coming in contact with them (eg, increased height while tramping pit silage).

Farmers should know the locations of overhead cables on their farm and should point them out to contractors to ensure no machinery comes in contact with them.

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

PEDIGREE 45

Raceview Herman, yearling bull champion, Simmental champion, interbreed calf champion and interbreed male champion at Barryroe Show.

Weanling heifer champion Raceview Heriyosa exhibited by Peter O’Connell. Also pictured is James Foley (sponsor Animax All-Sure).

Raceview Honey, yearling heifer champion, reserve Simmental champion and reserve interbreed calf champion exhibited by Karen Lehane. Also pictured are James Foley and judge Michael Oliver.

Racing to the top at Barryroe SHANE MURPHY PEDIGREE smurphy@farmersjournal.ie

The Southern Simmental club once again headed to Barryroe Show in west Cork to host its annual calf finals. There were big entries from throughout Munster in each of the four autumn-born calf classes.

The judge was Michael Oliver of the Lisnacrann Simmental herd in Swinford, Co Mayo.

His first class was the yearling male club final in which he found his champion in Peter and Marion O’Connell’s Raceview Herman. This bull had claimed four interbreed calf championships from his first four outings. At Barryroe, Herman claimed the overall calf interbreed as well as the overall Simmental championship and overall male interbreed.

Sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy, he is out of Kilbride Farm Newry daughter Raceview Bounty who goes back to the Matilda line.

Herman’s win kickstarted a serious run of success for the Mallow-based Simmental herd, four of the five exhibits claiming first prizes in the four club finals, and the fifth a close second. Claiming top spot in the yearling female final was Raceview Honey. This stylish red and white heifer also enjoyed a highly successful day, placing reserve to Herman in both the Simmental and interbreed calf championships. Sire of this one was the successful show bull Dermotstown Delboy, while the dam was Raceview Chantelle.

Securing the weanling bull calf championship was Raceview Hulk. This muscular November-born is sired by Raceview King.

Capping off a day to remember, Peter and Marion went on to secure both first and second in the last calf final of the day. Out in front was Kilbride Farm Delboy daughter Raceview Heriyosa, while a close second was Raceview Her Royal Diamond, again sired by Kilbride Farm Delboy.

Southern Simmental Club Autumn Calf Finals results Yearling bull calf championship 01/08/16 to 30/9/16 1st: Raceview Herman – Peter and Marion O’Connell. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

2nd: Seaview Hendrix – Tony O’Leary. Sire: Delfur Decider.

3rd: Carbery Hero – Keith Vickery. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

Yearling heifer calf championship 01/08/16 to 30/9/16 1st: Raceview Honey – Peter and Marion O’Connell. Sire: Dermotstown Delboy.

2nd: Dripsey Honey Heart ET – William and Jenny Cotter. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

3rd: Dripsey Holly Heart ET – William and Jenny Cotter. Sire: Delfur Decider.

Weanling bull calf championship 01/10/16 to 30/11/16 1st: Raceview Hulk – Peter and Marion O’Connell. Sire: Raceview King.

2nd: Bearna Dhearg Haka – William O’Halloran. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

3rd: Carbery Hamilton – Keith Vickery. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

Weanling heifer calf championship 01/10/16 to 30/11/16 1st: Raceview Heriyosa – Peter and Marion O’Connell. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

2nd: Raceview Her Royal Diamond – Peter and Marion O’Connell. Sire: Kilbride Farm Delboy.

3rd: Mohona Happy T12 – Gordon and Susan Salter. Sire: Kilbride Farm Dragoon.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

46 LIVESTOCK

Getting a foothold on health issues The last Beef Health Check event on John Pringleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farm focused on identifying the cause of the problem, treating it appropriately and then preventing it in the future. Darren Carty reports

J

ohn Pringleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mixed suckler-to-beef and sheep farm in Aughrim, Co Wicklow, was the venue for the ďŹ nal Beef Health Check event organised jointly by Teagasc, Animal Health Ireland and the meat industry (Slaney Foods supporting the Wicklow event).

While the events focused primarily on beef, the fact that John runs a 250-ewe ďŹ&#x201A;ock alongside the 48-cow suckler-tobeef enterprise facilitated discussions to be held across both systems.

Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farming system is focused on a closed herd/ďŹ&#x201A;ock policy with occasional purchases of rams and stock bulls the only animals moving onto the farm.

Where animals are imported on to the farm, they are purchased well in advance of the breeding season so that a quaran-

John Pringle with his daughter Lucy and sons William and Scott.

tine period can be implemented. This, according to Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vet Mark Drought, is a critical component of preventing disease entering the herd and one that is unfortunately not always followed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A quarantine period is the only way of protecting your animals from disease entering. Quarantine needs to last four weeks so that you can be sure that all risks have been overcome. Failing to do so puts the whole herd or ďŹ&#x201A;ock at risk and problems can quickly run into big costs. It is also well worth doing a few blood samples â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is a low cost in the overall investment and is another safety measure,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Biosecurity The farm is laid out different to most typical farms in that it is well set up in terms of guarding against breaches in biosecurity. The boundary on two sides is a public road, another side is tillage land, while on the remaining boundary there is a double-fenced hedge a few feet in width that prevents animals coming in contact with the neighbouring farm.

Despite these measures, there are risks facing every farm and the Pringle farm is no diďŹ&#x20AC;erent. An outbreak of cryptosporidium in spring 2016 caused a few cases of calf mortality and signiďŹ cantly increased costs, while also leading to high levels of labour required to treat calves at a time of the year when labour was already in high demand.

John explained: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were having a few cases of scour in recent years but nothing major and we thought it would blow over. Then, in 2016, we were hit hard with calves scouring and got a test carried out which identiďŹ ed an outbreak of crypto.

The cost and a few losses was hard to bear but the labour required in treating sick calves and the negative influence sick animals can have at a busy timeframe was equally hard. Giving Halocur to calves for six to seven days helped and we let the last cows out to calve which eased the problem. We then turned to putting a plan in place to reduce the risk of it occurring again.â&#x20AC;?

Failing to identify the route of the problem is often the reason for health problems lingering on and repeat cases year after year. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advice when dealing with scour, for example, is to bring

Vet Tommy Heffernan addressing a group of attendees at the Beef Health Check event on the importance of guarding against neospora abortion.

BELOW: Mark Drought, vet.

a sample to your vet or get your vet out to the farm to collect a sample. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many common scours are straightforward to treat but you could be spending a lot of time and money treating animals for the wrong disease. Identifying the pathogen causing the disease allows targeted treatment immediately and allows practices to be put in place that will limit its spread.â&#x20AC;?

Cleaning and disinfecting Repeat occurrence of disease was also attributed to bacteria or pathogens surviving in the environment and being a source of reinfection. For a disease such as cryptosporidium, Mark advises â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital that sheds are washed and disinfected with an appropriate product. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just a case of giving a quick power wash to dirty areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all areas of the shed must be thoroughly cleaned with the ideal being power washing followed by steam cleaning where there have been serious problems followed by disinfecting. The earlier you get this completed and the longer a rest period you can give it, the better it will be for preventing a reoccurrence of the any diseaseâ&#x20AC;?.

This is the approach John took last summer, along with vaccinating his cows with Rotavec Corona, with tests also showing up a level of coronavirus. Cows were fed soya in late pregnancy and John feels this was a good insurance policy to safeguard colostrum quality.

Veterinary advice

was to continue with Halocur for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calving with all of the above measures contributing to no cases this spring.

Faecal egg counts All other normal health treatments are carried out as part of a health programme, which has been drawn up for the farm. Lambs received a white drench in spring and a Levamisole-based product at weaning, which took place two weeks ago. The normal ďŹ rst worm treatment of calves was delayed on the results of a faecal egg count returning a negative reading. This outcome has encouraged John to make better use of faecal egg counts in the future for both calves and sheep in determining the need to treat animals for worms.

Alternative forages John has experimented with alternative forages in the last two years. The perennial ryegrass mix used for reseeding in 2016 was combined with 0.75kg chicory, 1kg plantain and 1.5kg clover. The move stemmed from positive results achieved in the alternative forages trial carried out in UCD Lyons Research Farm. It is early days to assess but John is hoping that it aids performance and better satisďŹ es mineral requirements of growing lambs. One aspect he has noticed to date is that there may be issues in persistency but a better judgement of this will be achieved over time. Lambs also seemed to have a preference for grazing plantain over chicory when ďŹ rst given access to the sward.

A ďŹ eld has also been sprayed oďŹ&#x20AC; and will be sown in the coming week with Redstart. This can be used to ďŹ nish tailend lambs but is primarily aimed at grazing replacement ewe lambs and retaining outdoors later into the year.

Farm update The farm was tight on grass in recent weeks due to the farm missing out on rainfall that fell in other areas and growth slowing, particularly on the hill area of the farm that is situated at a higher elevation and prone to burning up. Growth has improved in the last few days and with silage ground coming back into the rotation, the farm is getting back on track.

Weaned lambs and cows

and calves are being offered access to the best-quality grass with weaned ewes at SUHVHQW JUD]LQJ RXW D oHOG that went ahead of stock.

Preferential treatment Once this has been grazed, ewes will be assessed, and cull ewes and those requiring preferential treatment can be removed from the main ewe group. John startHG D pRFN UHFRUGLQJ SUR-

gramme this year, whereby all lambs were tagged at birth and correlated to their dams. He is hoping to use lamb performance records in aiding to cull the poorestSHUIRUPLQJ HZHV LQ WKH pRFN and select the most suitable replacement ewe lambs.

Drafting will also start to take place in greater frequency and with low numbers moving pre-weaning John is predicting that

The mixed species sward containing perennial ryegrass, chicory, plantain and clover.

there should be a good draft RI ODPEV oW IRU VODXJKWHU LQ the coming week.

Meal feeding has been introduced to boost performance with the aim of getting lambs moved off the farm quicker, which will help to build autumn grass supplies when demand is generally increasing from weanlings and ewes ahead of breeding.

7KH oQDO EXOOV oQLVKHG LQ

an under-16-month system will also be slaughtered over the next couple of weeks.

Performance of these Simmental and Limousin cross bulls has been positive with carcase weights to date averaging 400kg. Heifers are grazing with yearling hoggets and their lambs and are on target for introducing meal in late August/SepWHPEHU DQG oQLVKLQJ DW to 20 months of age.

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

FOCUS RESEEDING & FEED

FOCUS 47

INTRODUCTION Advice on maximising the return on your reseeding investment

I

n this Focus, we look at maximising the return from your investment in reseeding. At £267/ acre, reseeding is a significant cost, but it is also one of the best investments farmers can make, increasing grass production by 3t/ha and milk output by 8%.

Achieving these desired outcomes is hinged on achieving a good establishment and reducing competition from weeds.

Eight tips for a Aidan successful reseed Brennan are highlighted on pages 52 and 53.

The key is soil fertility and spraying weeds at the appropriate stage postemergence.

A common mistake is to not graze hard enough and often enough in the first few months after establishment.

Best varieties Investment returns are maximised when the best varieties are used. On pages 48 and 49, Aidan Brennan goes into detail on the various evaluation methods being used and says the on-farm evaluation is the true test of a variety.

In the second half of this Focus, Ciarán Lenehan and Adam Woods look at alternative feed sources for livestock farmers.

With low grain prices, arable farmers are looking for alternative markets for their crops. Farm-to-farm sales have the ability to cut out the middle man and retain more margin for farmers.

As with everything, the key is to compare different feed options under quality and dry matter parameters.

Sean Cooney gives advice on the best reseeding practices at the Grass 10 village during the Teagasc Moorepark open day. \ Donal O’Leary

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

48 FOCUS

Eight tips for a good reseed Aidan Brennan outlines eight steps necessary for a long-lasting and high-yielding reseed

A

t around £267 per acre, reseeding is a significant investment on farms. The return from this investment is more grass. Teagasc research shows there is a 3t/ha difference in annual grass growth from reseeding old permanent pasture swards. This is because you are replacing old swards with perennial ryegrass-dominated swards.

The other big benefit is in terms of fertiliser use efficiency, with nitrogen up to 25% more responsive when applied on perennial ryegrass-dominated swards. Between extra grass and better-quality grass, an extra 8% in milk output per hectare can be achieved on reseeded swards relative to old permanent pasture swards.

But these returns are only achieved when the reseeding job is done correctly. Too often, we hear stories from farmers of reseeding jobs that didn’t work out as well as planned. Sometimes, they get overrun by docks, sometimes a high proportion of the seeds fail to germinate, but more often than not, the biggest problem is the quick return of weed grasses into the sward.

Most of these issues can be avoided if managed correctly. The following is a checklist of things to do to ensure a successful outcome when reseeding.

Spray off

At around £23/acre for the cost of spraying and 2 litres/acre of glyphosate, it is a good investment. The advantage is that you are killing old grasses and weeds. This means that whatever weeds emerge after sowing will be seedlings and much easier to kill. Without spraying off the old vegetation, weeds such as docks and weed grasses such as couch grass will be a much bigger problem in the new sward.

Allow time <RX VKRXOG JLYH EHWZHHQ o YH DQG seven days between spraying and removing the old vegetation. Some farmers decide to cut and bale the old grasses.

This gives a very clean residual, which is particularly good for min-till cultivation. The risk with baling is that the weather won’t be right when you want to cut. Many farmers will say that you need to cut and bale it anyway, regardless of the weather.

Grazing the sprayed-off grass is perfectly safe once you allow adequate

time after spraying. Ideally, you want LW JUD]HG EHWZHHQ o YH DQG VHYHQ GD\V after spraying. Match stock numbers to the area. There’s no point in putting in stock that will take a week to graze the area when you need it grazed off in two days. Where there is a high dock infestation, two or three weeks should be left between spraying and cultivating to allow time for the tap root to die back. You will need to allow this much time for the thrash to die back when using min-till methods anyway.

Lime

Decaying leaves and thrash from the previous sward cause surface acidity. This is an issue when using min-till techniques such as one-pass, discing, Guttler, Einboch or slot seeders. It is less of an issue when ploughing as the thrash is buried.

So, when using min-till techniques, about 2t/acre of lime should be applied prior to cultivation to neutralise the acidity. Reseeding is a JRRG RSSRUWXQLW\ WR o [ VRLO DFLGLW\ anyway. If ploughing, apply lime to the ploughed ground and work it in.

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

FOCUS 49

)LQH o UP OHYHO

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get too hung up about cultivation methods. All methods work well when done correctly. The key point with ploughing is not to plough too deep. Shallow ploughing at 6in or less is ideal. The issue with ploughing is stones. Min-till methods can overcome such problems.

When discing, drive slowly and give it two or three runs in angled directions. When using a one-pass, drive very slowly. When using a direct drill, Einboch, Guttler or slot seeder you should apply slug pellets and wait for moist conditions so the ground will cut up a bit. Do not use when ground is dry and hard. Roll after all sowing PHWKRGV 7KH QHW UHVXOW VKRXOG EH D o QH o UP DQG OHYHO seedbed which you can ride a bicycle over.

Watch

Keep an eye on new reseeds for signs of pests. The common pests are slugs (particularly when using slot seeders and in wet/damp conditions). Shredded leaves indicate slugs. Slugs tend to attack from the KHDGODQGV RXW $ o QH o UP VHHGEHG is a good prevention. If slugs are suspected, slug pellets can be applied. Leatherjackets are another problem on heavy/wet land with no FKHPLFDO FRQWURO 5ROOLQJ D o UP DQG level seedbed is a control method, as is giving seeds the best possible FKDQFH DIWHU HPHUJHQFH )ULW p \ LV D problem in autumn and is observed by the centre shoot turning yellow and dying.

Spray Table 1: application rates Soil Index 1 2 3 4

Phosphorus (units/acre) 48 32 24 0

Potash (units/acre) 88 60 40 24

The post-emergence spray is a critical part of the whole process. Killing weeds at the seedling stage is by far the most effective time to do so.

What type of spray to use depends on whether or not clover was sown with the grass seed. If it was, only clover-safe sprays should be used.

These tend to be a little more expensive than the non-clover safe.

Fertilise 7ZR VRLO WHVWV DUH UHTXLUHG ZKHQ UHVHHGLQJ 7KH o UVW VRLO test should be taken the winter before reseeding and the next soil test shoould be taken the winter after reseeding. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t assume soils are at Index 3. Perennial ryegrass needs soils at optimum pH and phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) levels for good growth. Without this, new reseeds will never achieve their potential. Well fertilised reseeds will enable the new sward to outcompete weeds and weed grasses. One of the main reasons why many reseeds revert back to weed grass swards quickly is because of poor soil fertility. All soils need 30 units/acre of nitrogen at sowing. Soils at Index 3 will need 24 units of P and 40 units of K at sowing. See Table 1 for application rates at different soil indices. Phosphorus is essential for growth and development but is not very mobile in the soil so it should be applied prior to sowing and worked into the seedbed. Soil test the following winter to check levels again. This is very important after ploughing as the turned-up soil could be lower in soil fertility.

Graze

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the new reseeds go to silage. Graze a few times before FORVLQJ IRU VLODJH 7KH o UVW JUD] ing should be complete at a very light cover, just heavy enough to avoid the animals pulling the roots with the leaves. Ideally, this grazing should be done with cows to get good grazing pressure over a short time. Repeat again after 14 days.

Regular grazing at light covers will help the grass plant to tiller and outcompete other grasses and weeds.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

50 FOCUS

Choosing a seed grass variety New methods of evaluating varieties have given renewed emphasis on variety selection. Aidan Brennan looks at the tools available to help with picking varieties

N

ot too long ago, there was only one question asked when deciding on what grass seeds to buy. That was, whether the field was for grazing or for silage. Merchants sold grazing mixes and silage mixes along with heavy-land mixes and one-cut silage mixes.

Decisions were simple. One size was to fit all and you got whatever varieties were in the bag. The vast majority of the seed sold was on the recommended lists, so everyone was happy.

But things have moved on, and while the majority of grass seed sold in Ireland is still sold in mixtures, the information available to farmers on grass seed varieties is much greater than it has ever been before. Farmers are now much more interested in variety selection.

The reasons for including new parameters in variety evaluation have been well-documented. Grass quality, spring and autumn growth and persistency are more important than silage yield for intensive grass-based systems where grazing is prioritised.

So what’s new? The big changes include the introduction of the Pasture Profit Index (PPI) and the on-farm variety evaluation work.

Picking a grass seed variety is a bit like choosing a bull for your cows. Farmers no longer pick bulls solely on their milk yield. Like the Economic Breeding Index, (EBI) the PPI is a multi-trait index, where each trait makes up a proportion of the overall index.

The PPI looks at spring, summer and autumn growth, grass quality, silage yield and persistency. It places an economic value(€/ha) on each sub -index. The highest-ranking variety on the PPI has the highest value per hectare. This figure is the relative profitability difference of that variety when compared with the base values.

Having the PPI is a massive improvement in variety evaluation compared with just using the recommended lists on their own. Farmers now have more information with a direct link to profitability. The PPI is published by Irish farm research body Teagasc.

At present, data in the PPI is based on information gathered from the recommended lists which are published by the Department of Agriculture. The next step in the development of the PPI is to in-

John McCarthy gives advice on the best reseeding practices at the Grass 10 village during the Teagasc Moorepark open day.

clude data from on-farm variety evaluation. This is an important step and is due to happen in 2018.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and this will be the case with grass varieties. Since 2011, Teagasc have been evaluating how varieties perform on commercial farms with single varieties of grass sown in fields and managed as normal.

The varieties were all evaluated for growth, number of grazings, quality and post-grazing heights.

The results from the first four years of the on-farm study have been published previously (Irish Farmers Journal, 20 May 2017). Results from the on-farm evaluation are not available for every variety on the 2017 PPI, as new varieties are being added every year and there is a lag before results from the on-farm trial are available.

The results from the first four years of the study are presented in Table 1 and they are ranked according to the varieties that score highly in all three categories. Of the 11 varieties tested over the four years (2013 to 2016), Aston Energy, Abergain, Aberchoice, Dunluce and Abermagic rank the best.

Of the varieties mentioned above, Abermagic ranks highly in second spot on the PPI at €199/ha, while Aberchoice and Abergain rank highly also at €175/ha and €169/ha respectively.

Which evaluation method?

So now we effectively have three evaluation methods; the recommended list, the PPI and the on-farm evaluation. Farmers are asking which evaluation method is most relevant for them.

What is obvious is that more of the on-farm evaluation data needs to be fed into the PPI as soon as possible. When this is complete, the PPI will, in my view, become a more complete index. While on-farm studies will struggle to have the same level of detail as research on plots, the information is more valuable.

Varieties on farms get exposed to a lot more than they do in a plot; different

ÁIn Brief  New evaluation methods are now available to help farmers pick the good varieties.  The on-farm evaluation is the best test of how a variety performs.  The on-farm evaluation will feed into the PPI from next year.  When good varieties are used there is no advantage to using a mixture.  From the on-farm evluation between 2013 and 2016, Aston Energy, Abergain, Aberchoice, Dunluce and Abermagic ranked best.  If buying a seed mixture, closely analyse what varieties are in the mix. Oftentimes, good varieties make up only a small percentage of the overall mix.  Include clover in the seed mix where feasible.

management, poaching, different preand post-grazing heights and generally more stress. What you want to see on farms is a variety that is grazed often.

This means that the variety grows well and is liked by cows. This is because a variety that doesn’t grow well will automatically be grazed less often, and a variety that is not liked by cows will also be grazed less often, as it is more likely to be poorly cleaned out and closed for silage.

The true test Cows are the true test of a variety’s worth.

You want cows to have high intakes of a high-quality grass. So for me, you cannot overlook the on-farm results. Of course, the question is whether or not the newer varieties that rank highly in the PPI will out-perform the likes of Aston Energy and Abergain when their on-farm performance becomes available.

The logical follow-on from this is whether or not farmers should take a leap of faith and use the higher-ranking varieties on the PPI ahead of the ones that are proven on farms, but have lower PPI. You could say that these varieties are like young test bulls.

If it was cows you were breeding, you would be advised to use a team of young bulls to spread your risk, as some of their proofs will fall when they become daughter-proven.

It’s the same with grass varieties such as Aberclyde, Nifty, Fintona and Aberwolf. While they rank highly on the PPI, they haven’t yet been proven on farms and I have no doubt that the PPI of some of them will drop.

Therefore, the advice should be that if you are going to use one variety that it should be proven to perform well onfarm. If using varieties that are not yet proven on farms, I would be inclined to use a few varieties over a smaller area to reduce your risk.

Using mixes is still an option but with more and better information on varieties, it is becoming less attractive. The future is monocultures of high-performing grass varieties with clover, where possible.

Table 1: Ranking variety performance from on-farm evaluation Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

DM production Abermagic (13.6) Abergain (13.5) Aston Energy (13.2) Drumbo (13) Aberchoice (12.9) Tyrella (12.8) Twymax (12.7) Kintyre (12.7) Dunluce (12.4) Glenveagh (12) Majestic (12)

Quality Aberchoice (85.5) Aston Energy (84) Dunluce (82.7) Twymax (82.7) Abergain (82.4) Kintyre (82.3) Drumbo (81.8) Tyrella (81.6) Majestic (81.3) Glenveagh (81.1)

Number of grazings Aston Energy (7.4) Drumbo (7.4) Abergain (7.3) Aberchoice (7.1) Abermagic (7.1) Clanrye (7) Kintyre (7) Tyrella (7) Glenveagh (6.9) Majestic (6.9) Twymax (6.9)

Combined ranking Aston Energy 28/33 Abergain 23/33 Aberchoice 23/33 Dunluce 21/33 Abermagic 21/33 Drumbo 20/33 Kintyre 12/33 Tyrella 11/33 Twymax 11/33 Glenveagh 4/33 Majestic 3/33

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

FOCUS 51

Reseeding demonstration revisited

Einboch sowing on the left and Moore Unidrill sowing on the right

One pass sowing on the left and Einboch sowing on the right

7KH VHFWLRQ RI WKH oHOG WKDW ZDV VRZQ ZLWK WKH 0RRUH 8QLGULOO

7KH VHFWLRQ RI WKH oHOG WKDW ZDV VRZQ ZLWK WKH (LQERFK

Aidan Brennan returns to Tipperary to see how the struggling grass seedlings have performed since the Irish Grassland Association farm walk

T

he Irish Grassland Association held a reseeding demonstration on Donald Bateman’s farm in Ballylooby, Co Tipperary, on 17 May. The event was covered in the Irish Farmers Journal on 20 May. At the time of the demonstration, the reseeds were four weeks old, and it is fair to say they looked pretty miserable as there was no rain worth talking about since sowing.

Three sowing techniques were used.

These were the one-pass (power harrow and seed drill combination), Einboch tine harrow and Moore Unidrill.

The Irish Farmers Journal revisited the demonstration site last weekend to see how progress has been since the open

ÁIn short  Reseeding demonstration was held eight weeks ago and grass seeds looked very weak.  Reseeds have been grazed three times since and all methods were successful.  A pipe was blocked in the Einboch sower causing stripes.  7KH oHOG ZDV VSUD\HG RQFH IRU weeds but will need to be sprayed again.

day. It is now almost eight weeks since the open day and 12 weeks since sowing. Donald has grazed the reseeds three times with milking cows and there is a cover of about 500kg/ha back on the sward again.

Looking across the field, it is fair to say that there is no discernible difference in cover or tiller numbers between the three sowing methods. It is only upon closer examination that you can pick out the sowing methods.

Blockage The most obvious thing to notice is the long strips going through the plot sown with the Einboch. One of the air pipes was blocked at the time of sowing, but unfortunately, this was only noticed when the seeds were well up.

The comment from most people who attended the demonstration was how weak the seedlings sown by the Einboch were looking.

The weather really didn’t suit this method. Looking back, perhaps the plot would have looked greener if there were no misses.

Donald has since scattered grass

The comment from most people was how weak the seedlings sown by the Einboch were looking

seeds on the strips with the quad spinner but take has been poor. It looks like these strips will have to be sown again. In between the strips, the grass seeds sown by the Einboch have got an excellent take. Unlike the other methods, there are no lines visible and the sward has tillered well. Considering some farmers at the open day were saying that the Einboch section should be re-sown, this really is a big turnaround.

The one-pass and Moore Unidrill plots are also good, but as mentioned there are still lines visible as the seeds are sown in rows by these machines. It will probably take a few more months of tight grazing before the lines are fully filled in.

Donald sprayed the field on 27 May with Pastor Pro. While the spray did kill a lot of the weeds that were present, there are still a good few docks in the new sward. Perhaps some of these only emerged after spraying but either way, Donald is going to spray the field again as he feels now is the best time to manage docks, before the tap root develops.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

52 FOCUS

Farm to farm feed: what Ciarán Lenehan and Ciara Brady examine the feed options available to farmers with their own grain this winter

G

rain prices are likely to be competitive again this year, meaning livestock farmers who have storage facilities will be looking more closely at the option of buying grain direct for feeding.

Some farmers will store small amounts of grain without treatment. Ideally, you need grain to be at 14% moisture or below for safe storage over an extended duration.

As the moisture content increases, the safe storage period decreases. To avoid the grain spoiling, it should be stored in shallow piles. This, however, requires additional space.

So, what are the treatment options that are available to farmers who are considering buying and storing larger volumes of their own grain?

Crimping Before feeding grain, it should be processed in such a way that the protective seed coat is marginalised – to allow bugs in the animal’s digestive system to access the nutrients inside. The process of chewing will only achieve this to a certain extent. Exposing these nutrients is also an important step in some common preservation methods.

Rolling is the most widely used option and currently costs around €12/t.

Grain can be rolled just prior to feed out, though it typically happens as part of a preservation/treatment process.

Crimping is one such treatment process. This involves the harvesting of grain at 25% to 40% moisture, often three to four weeks ahead of the conventional harvest date.

The grain is rolled and ensiled until feeding time. An additive is mixed in during the rolling process, when the seed coat is cracked, to reduce the pH to around four and initiate the fermentation process.

The big advantage of crimping is that grain can be easily stored in an outdoor silage pit and covered with polythene.

It’s not as critical to keep the grain as dry as with other options.

However, there are disadvantages too.

Contractors aren’t keen on cutting crops at 30% moisture as it’s tough on their machines. Harvesting early also leaves green straw behind. It can also be difficult to value grain at 30% moisture compared to 20%.

Propionic acid More recently, there has been a gradual progression to the use of organic acids such as propionic acid (propcorn). Applied to mature grain with moisture content from 16-24%, propionic acid preservation has been used for decades.

It has become popular again as crimping machines become more readily available

Options for farm to farm feed grain this year (cost of grain, rolling and additive)

*Crude protein ** Dry matter

Crimping €141/t CP 11% DM 65%

Urea treatment €175/t CP 11-15%* DM 80%**

across the country.

Machine availability meant that the grain could be rolled and the acid applied at the same time.

The big plus with propionic acid-treated grain is that it’s immediately ready to feed. Grain at 20% moisture needs 10l/t of propcorn, with 18% grain needing 8l/t.

Treated grain should be stored on a dry floor and must be kept dry.

While vermin can be an issue with crimped grain, it is much less of an problem with propcorn-treated grain.

The issue with feeding propcorn-treated grain is the acid load on the rumen.

If the aim is to push cattle on high levels

of meal, doing so with propcorn-treated grain is dangerous, even with slow buildup and proper feeding management.

Consider instead using it to replace 40-60% of your bought-in ration in a high-concentrate diet. The bought-in ration has a place in the diet, as it will contain important buffers, yeasts and a mineral/vitamin mix.

Urea/ammonia treatment While the above preservation methods are based on reducing pH (increasing acidity), other preservation additives work on the principle of increasing the pH.

Maxammon and Home n’Dry are two such products. In simple terms, they are combinations of feed-grade urea, full-fat soya bean, essential oils and an advanced grain enzyme,which will release ammonia within the ensiled grain, thereby rapidly preserving the grain.

As they’re alkaline-based, they raise the pH (decrease acidity) of the grain to between 8.5 and 9.5. It is a safer feed than crimped or propcorn grain in this regard and can be fed at higher rates.

Best practice with these is to roll the grain and apply the additive all at once, at a rate of around 20-40kg/t.

In order to maximise benefits from the

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

FOCUS 53

are the options?

Propionic acid treatment â&#x201A;Ź165/t CP 11%* DM 80%**

Treating combicrop with propionic acid

Crimped barley

product, it should be sealed under plastic for a period of two weeks.

The grain can be stored outside. However, moisture must not be let get into the grain.

While this product is marginally more costly than the others, it can be argued that the benefits outweigh the spend.

The higher pH reduces the risk of acidosis, while increasing protein by 30% is another.

Urea is converted to ammonia, which is a building block of amino acids and increases the protein content. The quality of the additional protein provided is comparable to that of distillerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grain.

Ă Comment Grain will likely be cheap again this back end.

However, consider the other costs involved too. Have you got a storage facility and, crucially, is it adequate?

Allow also for 5-7% loss on every tonne you treat between preservation, storage and feedout.

Maxammon- and Home nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dry-treated grain is relativeO\ KLJK LQ SURWHLQ EXW WKH o UVW WZR PHWKRGV GHVFULEHG are not (crimping/propcorn). A protein balancer will be needed where these are being fed to growing cattle or milkers.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

54 FOCUS

Kale – a winter feed option G Adam Woods looks at kale as a fodder crop and describes how kale was sown on Tullamore Farm in the Irish Midlands

rowing a kale crop can provide a boost to fodder reserves on some farms. It can be high-yielding and is sown in May/June and grazed from October until March. The yield varies depending on growing site and weather, but generally ranges from 8-10t/DM/Ha. Growing kale will reduce feed costs, and the labour associated labour can be reduced by setting up the grazing system so that the fence only needs to be moved once per day.

There are a number of benefits to animals from grazing kale. As the animals are outside, they are accustomed to the weather conditions and can adapt quickly to grass in spring. Animals also tend to put on frame rather than condition, meaning they will thrive very quickly when put to grass.

In-calf suckler cows are also much fitter as they are constantly on the move and calve easier as a result. Animal performance from beef bulls in Grange and dairy heifers in Irish dairy research institute Moorepark have seen weight gains of 0.7kg/day on a kale diet.

Kale does require extra labour during the winter, moving fences and checking stock daily. You also need good fences and a strong electric current to make sure it is grazed properly.

It’s a good idea to place a line of bales of silage in the field at sowing time and then feeders can be moved with a fence at feeding time in winter. This means there is no need to bring a tractor into the field in winter, reducing the risk of rutting.

The sowing rate depends on the sowing method – if sowing via the broadcast method, sow 2kg/ac to 3kg/ac and if direct-drilling sow at 1.5kg/ac to 2kg/ac.

Kale requires high fertility levels and optimum pH is 6 to 6.7. You will need to spread four bags/acre of 10:10:20 at sowing time and top-dress with two bags CAN/acre after emergence.

Ten acres of kale were sown on Tul-

Table 1: Number of animals that a Ha of kale will carry over a 100-day winter when being fed a Kale only diet versus a Kale plus roughage diet Kale only diet. No. of animals per Ha (acre)

Kale + Roughage. No. of animals per Ha (acre)

Dry Suckler Cow

6-8 (2.5-3.5)

9-11 (3.5-4.5)

500kg store

6-8 (2.5-3.5)

9-11 (3.5-4.5)

10-13 (4-5)

15-20 (6-8)

300kg weanling

lamore Farm on 10 June 2017. The field was ploughed and kale was sown with a one-pass. The sowing rate was 2.2kg/acre and the variety sown was Maris Kestrel.

The pH of the land in Tullamore is high at 6.9, so no lime was required. We spread four bags per acre of 10:10:20 at sowing and topdressed with two bags per acre of CAN on 5 July.

The plan is to graze the kale with Aprilcalving suckler cows over the winter, commencing in early November.

Grass varieties and their impact on methane emissions AIDAN BRENNAN DAIRY SPECIALIST abrennan@farmersjournal.ie

As a sector, agriculture is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases in Ireland.

There is a strong correlation between water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) on the Department of Agriculture Recommended List.

Varieties with high WSC provide extra energy (sugar) for the rumen microbes, which allows them to utilise more of the available protein from grass and clover.

The proportion of this protein used for meat or milk production is increased, and the amount lost via excretion is reduced.

There is some evidence that higher quality grasses (in DMD terms) have the potential to reduce methane emissions.

Work on comparing high and low pregrazing yields from Teagasc identified reduced emissions with the low pregrazing yields.This was apportioned to the increase in quality of the lower pre-

Dairy Cows grazing highly digestible grass swards have lower methane emissions.

grazing yields.

In a study conducted at Moorepark comparing a total mixed ration (TMR) diet to a grass only diet, methane emis-

sions were higher for the TMR group than the grass group (397 v 251 g/cow per day).

The TMR group also emitted more methane/kg of fat and protein (200 v 174 g/

kg) than the grass group.

They also emitted more methane/kg of dry matter intake (DMI) (20.28 vs.

18.06 g/kg of DMI) than did the grass group. In this study conducted with spring-calving cows who consumed a high-quality perennial ryegrass diet in the spring, the cows produced less enteric methane emissions per cow, per unit of intake, and per unit of fat and protein than cows offered a standard TMR diet.

There is widespread evidence as to the benefits of higher quality grasses – in terms of animal intake and animal performance. We can also say that this benefit extends to the environment too.

Looking at the Recommended List, there is a marked difference between the best grass variety in terms of DMD (Abergain, 85.8% DMD) and the worst (Boyne, 82.3% DMD). These quality parameters are fed into the Pasture Profit Index, so picking varieties that rank highly on the PPI and on the on-farm variety evaluations is important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

NEWS 55

Editorial Justin McCarthy jmccarthy@farmersjournal.ie

Environmentalists and farmers together on CAP

G

iven the EU budgetary pressures, it has never been more important to ensure EU consumers understand what is delivered through CAP. As Phelim O’Neill reports on page 23, European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan’s public consultation on modernising and simplifying CAP is yielding dividends.

The results of the public consultation were outlined at an oversubscribed conference in Brussels last Friday. The headline figures from the 58,520 submissions received from a broad spectrum of organisations, EU citizens and individuals included in the analysis showed that:

 97% of respondents agree that farmers get a limited share of the prices consumers pay.  88% agree that farm income is still significantly lower than the average EU income.  87% agree EU farmers face stricter requirements than non-EU ones.

Ultimately, what we are seeing is widespread acceptance that CAP has delivered on its mission: to help safeguard a level of income for farmers and provide high-quality food for EU consumers.

For Commissioner Hogan, this should reinforce his position on the need to protect the percentage of the EU budget allocated to CAP.

Of course, this is only one part of the equation in ensuring farmers’ incomes are protected. A critical part of the jigsaw will be safeguarding the EU budget in the wake of Brexit.

While estimates vary, it is thought that the UK leaving the EU will constrain the overall budget by 10%. It leaves the remaining member states in the invidious position of having to either increase their contributions or reduce spending.

On the fringes of last week’s CAP conference there were also suggestions that an alternative would be to give each member state the freedom to co-finance Pillar 1 along with Pillar 2 in order to bridge any shortfall in the EU budget. Such a move should be resisted not only by farmers but indeed by those committed to the long-term sustainability of the European project.

While it might be a quick fix, we must ensure that CAP remains largely a common policy. Any move away from this would see free trade break down over time due to trade-distorting supports being implemented in member states. It would also leave agri supports exposed to the whim of governments and competing demands on national exchequer funds.

With so many challenges to the

CAP budget, all stakeholders need to work together to ensure that available funds are channelled into schemes that best deliver on farming and societal interests.

Despite this, the tension that exists between the environmental lobby and farmers was once again evident at last week’s conference. Few lessons appear to have been learned.

This adversarial approach has repeatedly led to policies shaped by compromise, with the end result being schemes that deliver nothing for the farmer or the environmentalist – the best example being Greening measures hated on both sides of the fence.

Farmers and environmental groups have much more to gain from working together and presenting a consensus approach to Commissioner Hogan on CAP. Regardless of which side you approach the argument from, you have to accept the basic principle that environmental sustainability and economic sustainabil-

The most profitable farmers have far lower agricultural emissions per kilo of output than those at the lower end of the scale

ity go hand in hand.

As Paul Mooney reports on page 13, a new sustainability report published by Teagasc shows that the most profitable farmers have far lower agricultural greenhouse gas emissions per kilo of output than those at the lower end of the scale.

Accepting this principle would allow both groups to engage constructively in shaping policy. While unlikely to reach a common consensus across all areas, there is no reason why both sides cannot agree on a basic framework that would yield environmental and economic benefits. Such policy would promote soil and water quality through targeted and more efficient use of farm inputs.

While recognising the need for increased biodiversity, this needs to be achieved while recognising the environmental benefits of promoting the development of Ireland’s grass-based beef and dairy systems.

Instead of putting the Commission in a position where it is trying to weave policy in a way that satisfies a diverse political agenda, perhaps farmers and environmentalists would now gain more by working together to maximise the benefit of what could be a reduced budget.

TILLAGE

TRADE DEALS

Understanding the true value of barley

Right man, right place, right time

This week, Eoin Lowry tries to get behind the disparity between the price of green barley and the price farmers are paying for ration.

Meanwhile, Ciarán Lenehan looks at the true value of rolled barley as a feed on farms.

Both pieces point to the fact that we do not fully appreciate the actual value of rolled barley – in some cases it represents better value on a per-unit-of-energy basis than grass silage.

Formulating a typical cattle ration is not a complex procedure, with rolled barley being the foundation of any high-quality ration.

It is an area where we need to strip out the marketing spin and realise that simple is not only cheaper but better.

It seldom happens in everyday life that we are fortunate enough to have the right person in the right place at exactly the right time. It is an even rarer occasion in the world of politics. However, with Phil Hogan as Commissioner for Agriculture, there is no doubt that Irish and European farmers have the right man in the right place at the right time.

Through a combination of political nous, negotiation skills, knowledge of the industry and work ethic, he has established himself as a key player within the college of Commissioners. In doing so, he has significantly raised the standing and importance of the agricultural portfolio within the EU. It has yielded dividends in recent trade talks with Japan. We hope for the same positive outcome from the Mercosur and CAP negotiations.

NI comment

David Wright, Northern Ireland editor dwright@farmersjournal.ie

Future support should be targeted directly to farmers

O

ver the last 30 years, both agri-environment schemes and farm capital grants have significantly benefited the development of many farm businesses in NI.

In particular, the old countryside management scheme encouraged good practice, the planting of hedgerows, restoration of stone walls, etc, while still providing some financial reward. Likewise,

capital grants of the 1980s and 1990s saw many farmers able to erect new buildings and undertake drainage and reseeding at reasonable cost.

Accounting for every penny However, the most recent versions of these type of schemes (the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS), and Tier 2 of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme) are more typical of the modern era where every penny must be accounted for and strict rules and regulations met.

In recent months, we have seen a lukewarm response from farmers to the wider-level EFS, which is well behind the original target of 2,000 agreements in place this

year (1,388 agreements offered by DAERA). For most farmers, there is simply not enough on offer (either practically or financially) to encourage them into the scheme.

Meanwhile, in the FBIS capital grant scheme, only 189 farmers managed to persist through the red tape and bureaucracy, and submit an application.

The scheme in its current form is really only suited to someone undertaking a major project.

On most farms, expansion is done gradually, a fact that seems to have been missed somewhere along the line. A return of capital allowances on new agricultural buildings might have much more of a positive effect.

With thoughts in the industry

now turning towards a new agricultural policy post-Brexit, both capital grant and agri-environment schemes (along with other measures) have been suggested by the UFU as a means of supporting farmers into the future.

Exercising caution But recent experience suggests that we should be cautious in advocating that budgets are targeted in this way.

Assuming there is money available in the future, what farming leaders should promote most of all is getting as much of it as possible directly into the hands of productive farmers, not planners, consultants and others adding little value to the industry.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

56 AGRIBUSINESS

AgriBusiness

Eoin Lowry (00353) 1 4199500 elowry@farmersjournal.ie @FJAgribiz

Where’s the value in the grain chain?

After four years of poor grain prices, as little as 15% of a tillage farmer’s income is now made from actually growing the crop. The balance is coming from the Single Farm Payment. The question for tillage farmers must be where the reward for the risk is and are there other options to add value to their crop. Eoin Lowry and Lorcan Allen analyse the risks and benefits of inter-farm trading

Mill production cost (including £3-5/t margin)

£27/t 15% soya bean meal (£48)

3% minerals (£7)

Rolled dried barley

82% dried barley (£132)

£160/t

Cost ex-mill

£214/t

Drying cost

(including £2-4/t margin)

Cost of ration ingredients

£27/t

£187/t Green barley (20% moisture)

Dried barley

£125/t

Many grain growers ask how one tonne of barley at £125 ends up as £223 feed. Firstly it is important to understand that the green price of grain in Ireland is set based on the dried grain price landed at an Irish port. This is determined by the global price of dried grain plus freight, duties and insurance. This global price is influenced by economic forces of supply and demand and ultimately weather.

£151/t By adding discharge and transport and then subtracting drying costs, the green price (20% moisture) can be determined.

For safe storage and to preserve quality, grain must be dried to below 15% moisture.

Drying includes two costs – the cost of drying and weight loss. The industry accepted norm for drying including a 2-3% (£2-4/t) margin is £27/t.

As can be seen from the

diagram, taking barley with a green price of £125/t, and drying towards 14%, sees that grain costing £151/t.

Firstly, there is the option to simply feed rolled barley.

Rolling costs £9-12/t Buying barley as a feed ingredient costs £160/t.

Alternatives to drying using acid or other products may cost less and can still involve rolling.

A typical beef ration has a minimum 14% crude protein. With barley typically

9-11% protein, in order to increase the protein level, soyabean meal (typically 48% protein) is added at a rate of 15%. At a cost of £320/t delivered to a feed mill, this works out at £48/t.

But if 15% soya is added, 15% barley or £24/t must come out. Similarly around 3% minerals must be added at a cost of £7/t and 3% or £4/t barley must come out.

The net effect is the ingredients for the ration now cost £187/t, with barley cost-

ing £132/t in this particular example. However the mill has overheads such as depreciation, finance, insurance, labour and must make a margin.

This would typically be £27-35/t including a 1-2% (£3-5/t) margin. Delivery cost to farm depends on distance and ranges £4-10/t for bulk with bulk blown costing a further £4-8/t.

Once all these costs are taken into account the onfarm ration price is now

£223/t, some £98/t more than the green price but a much different product, with less moisture, higher protein and added minerals.

The feed mill profit margin is a wafer thin 1-2% driven down by competition in the chain at grain buying, drying and milling processes.

Given the investment (in capital and working capital to farmers) and risk involved, this is the minimum acceptable to ensure continued investment.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

MAIN MOVERS

AGRIBUSINESS 57

+8%

+4%

Donegal IG â&#x201A;Ź6.15

Origin Ent â&#x201A;Ź6.60

Brent crude oil $48.18

-3%

SMP â&#x201A;Ź1,790/t

-3%

Greencore ÂŁ2.31

-4%

-5%

â&#x201A;Ź1=

ÂŁ0.8903 US$1.1469

on 12/07/2017

Where does Ireland get its feed?

Delivery cost

ÂŁ9/t

B Cost delivered to farm

ÂŁ223/t

The feed mill proďŹ t margin is a wafer thin 1-2% driven down by competition in the chain at grain buying, drying and milling processes

etween animal feed, food production and distilling, grain and feeds consumption in Ireland is more than 5m tonnes per year. But with Irish tillage farmers only producing between 2m and 2.5m tonnes of barley, wheat, oats and oilseed rape in any given year, there will always be a serious requirement for imported grain/ feed in this country.

Maize has not always been such a major import ingredient for Irish feed, but the price dynamic of maize/wheat in recent years has seen imports soar.

When maize prices were high â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thanks to the US ethanol industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Irish imports of maize were less than 400,000t per annum.

However, maize prices have fallen sharply in recent years as US ethanol production has plateaued and the US has become a net exporter of maize once again.

This has resulted in maize becoming more competitive than locally produced European wheat as a feed grain, even with the extra cost of shipping from the US, Canada or Ukraine. Huge global maize harvests also contributed to this price reduction.

This week on the Chicago grain market, the global benchmark, the US grain farmer is getting ÂŁ112/t ($144/t) for maize. Freight and shipping costs of roughly ÂŁ45/t mean maize prices oďŹ&#x20AC; the boat in Ireland (ex-port) are ÂŁ158/t.

Depending on location, haulage costs

5m

tonnes of grain and feed consumed in Ireland per year

2-2.5m tonnes of grain and feed produced by Irish farmers per year

ÂŁ165m

cost of importing grain to cover this shortfall

to the feed mill will add a further ÂŁ9/t to ÂŁ13/t to this price.

Ireland imports maize from a multitude of destinations but just three countries account for almost twothirds of imported volumes.

In 2016, Ukraine was the primary exporter of maize into Ireland, with over 265,000t shipped here. This was closely followed by the US with 230,000t, while Canada shipped 130,000t here.

The competitiveness of maize has displaced some of the demand for wheat by Irish importers.

In 2016, imports of unmilled wheat were just over 210,000t, with more

than half of this coming from the UK. Denmark was the second-biggest supplier of wheat to Ireland last year, accounting for over a quarter (27%) of imports, or 58,000t.

For barley, almost all of the 90,000t imported came from the UK. Protein On the protein side, soya bean meal is the main protein source imported for use in animal feed. Roughly 500,000t of soya bean meal is imported every year ,with Argentina the number one supplier.

The bulk of this soya bean meal is used to feed pigs and poultry, but the dairy herd is also a large user.

In Chicago this week, the US grain farmer will get just under ÂŁ294/t ($377/t) for soya beans. Soya beans are then processed or â&#x20AC;&#x153;crushedâ&#x20AC;? to create two separate products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; soya bean oil and soya bean meal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is used in animal feed.

Soya bean meal can be sourced in Chicago this week for less than ÂŁ263/t ($337/t). With shipping costs similar to maize, at ÂŁ45/t, soya bean meal oďŹ&#x20AC; the boat in Ireland (ex-port) is priced at ÂŁ303/t this week. Once again, haulage costs to the mill of ÂŁ9/t to ÂŁ13/t can be added to this cost price for Irish feed mills.

Depending on price, maize byproducts, such as distillerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corn or gluten corn, may be used as a mid-level protein source for feed rations.

Ă &RPPHQW LV WKHUH D EHQHoW WR LQWHU IDUP WUDGLQJ RI JUDLQ" What does all this mean for a tillage farmer who may want to capture more of the chain and add value to his grain?

Firstly, while inter-farm trading makes sense on paper, in practice it is more complex and carries an element of risk. Looking at the various options available to a tillage farmer, the simplest would be to dry and roll barley.

Given the costs of drying and rolling, D IXUWKHU d W SURoW FRXOG EH FDSWXUHG once all costs are paid. However, the additional investment made to capture this ÂŁ4/t may not see any increased return.

If the grain farmer decided to make a coarse ration, the ration price in

WKH H[DPSOH UHpHFWV DFWXDO FRVWV RI SURGXFWLRQ DQG DW PRVW D d W SURoW PDUJLQ 7KLV SURoW OHYHO LV UHTXLUHG to cover the additional investment in drying, storing, rolling and mixing.

On the risk side, rather than selling at harvest, the volatility of the market is now borne by the grain farmer over the course of the year as feed sales continue for eight to 10 months postharvest. While this can work to the IDUPHUV EHQHoW LQ \HDUV ZKHUH SULFHV are increasing, the opposite is also true.

7KH IHHG EX\HU ZLOO UHTXLUH oQDQFH which could be up to three months.

This costs money. There is also the added complication of getting paid,

Brussels insights Need to know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on in the corridors of power?

Read Phelim Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weekly analysis.

PRINT | ONLINE | APP

Aryzta â&#x201A;Ź27.70

Subscribe now at farmersjournal.co.uk/subs

collecting money and managing bad debts.

So, in conclusion, while inter-farm trading is an option, it is not for every WLOODJH IDUPHU DQG GRHV LQYROYH VLJQLocant investment and carries plenty of risk.

2QH RI WKH EHQHoWV RI WKH FXUUHQW merchant/co-op model is that last year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in a weak market â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they paid above market prices for native Irish grain. One of the biggest weaknesses in the sector is the absence of a clear strategy to add value to Irish grain in a way that is returned to farmers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a relatively small sector that needs greater joined-up thinking and stronger leadership.

IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

58 AGRIBUSINESS

20 minutes with Paul Flanagan

Business briefing

Lorcan Allen

Devenish gets 50% stake in £13m windfall for former Turkish mineral company owners of Grove Turkeys

Paul Flanagan, general manager, DLF Seeds.

We focus on bringing advances in grass genetics, varieties and service to farmers What has the grass seed market been in the past year?

Appetite for reseeding was considerably better than last year, driven by a rise in milk prices and increased awareness in the value of investing in grassland. However, dry conditions in late spring did result in reduced reseeding.

How large is the agricultural grass seed market in Ireland?

It is approximately 3,500t and varies based on commodity prices, consumer confidence and weather. The desire to reseed is there and we expect to see this increase, driven by the increase in dairy.

Why are you investing in a new processing and distribution facility?

We are the only grass breeder in Ireland.

We focus on bringing advances in grass genetics, varieties and service to farmers.

We have a single plant nursery with 22,000 plants, where we pick the parent for the next generation of grasses. Along with our extensive trial grounds, this investment will improve service and meet in-season demand. It is the largest investment of its type in Ireland. :KDW LV WKH EHQHoW RI EHLQJ DQ ,ULVK based breeder?

The best way to increase your success rate is to select for Irish conditions in Irish conditions. This investment adds value to Irish farmers. Breeding is a numbers game and DLF have the largest breeding programme globally. This, along with our Irish-based forage grass trials, gives us a global R&D infrastructure with a local focus. Our success is in the value we can bring to farm level with new varieties. No

Á3URoOH  DLF Ireland is a joint venture between Danish farmer owned co-op DLF and the family owned Irish company, Seedtech.  3,000 grass trial plots, with 1,500 varieties being tested.  Employees: 15.  Market share: 30%.  Location: Belview, Kilkenny  DLF global revenue: £426m.

breeder or seed house has invested as we have to achieve this.

What do you look for in a good grass variety?

It is evolving. In simple terms, yield, quality, persistency and disease resistance. More difficult to decipher from the Department recommended list and PPI is palatability and how a variety is grazed out, which is influenced by leaf shape and sheath height.

We recognise this with improved varieties such as Solas and Aspect.

Are the grasses dairy-focused or for beef and sheep?

We believe we have a role to play in Irish grassland management. We sponsor the grass variety work at Moorepark. We have specialist sheep mixtures formulated on the latest trial results published by UCD. We do believe that the grass variety for a beef animal and dairy animal are different.

Cell wall digestibility and speed of degradation are elements of this question we are currently working on so watch this space.

Northern Ireland nutrition group Devenish has acquired a 50% stake in Yem-Vit, a Turkish manufacturer of premix mineral solutions and speciality products, for an undisclosed sum. Yem-Vit is a family owned business with an annual turnover in the region of £15 m. The company operates from a modern facility in the city of Izmir.

Devenish has described the acquisition as a “strategic” move that will allow it access to new markets. As well as being a significant player in Turkey, Yem-Vit is also exporting to markets in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

For Devenish, this is the company’s first foray into markets in the Middle East having focussed its energy on Ireland, the UK and North America up to now.

Patrick McLaughlin, chief operating officer at Devenish, described Yem-Vit as a “significant player” in Turkey’s animal nutrition market.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be concluded by the end of August.

The former owners of Grove Turkeys, who sold the business last year in an undisclosed deal, have applied to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) to wind up their company, BMSHTD, as part of a voluntary liquidation of the business.

Brendan Maguire, Stephen O’Halloran and Thomas O’Driscoll are expected to net over €15m between them after applying for the solvent liquidation of BMSHTD, an unlimited company the trio used as the parent company of Grove Turkeys. Papers filed in the last week with the CRO show BMSHTD has €15.27m in assets and less than €215,000 in outstanding liabilities.

Maguire, O’Halloran and O’Driscoll sold Grove Turkeys in May last year to Ranjit Singh, owner and chief executive of the UK’s third largest food company, 2 Sisters Food Group.

The trio took control of Grove Turkeys in 2006 after acquiring the business from Kerry Group in a management buyout.

Grove Turkeys had a turnover of €25m and processed 1m turkeys last year.

The bottom line The EU-Japan Economic Partnership is the most significant and far-reaching agreement ever concluded in agriculture – Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner for Agriculture

ÁChart of the week FAO food price index 200

150

Food price index Dairy price index

100

Jan 2016

Driven by strong increase in the price of cereals and dairy, particularly butter, the FAO Food Price Index increased 1.5% compared to May. The index is now 7% higher than it was 12 months ago.

June 2017

ald’s Irish subsidiary made £12 m in operating profits, giving the business a very healthy profit margin of 16%.

World news McDonald’s to restructure Irish operations Fast-food giant McDonald’s has confirmed it is scaling back its operations in Dublin as part of a planned restructuring of its overall corporate business. As part of the corporate restructuring, the Irish operations of McDonald’s will now be run through the UK office. Adrian Crean, who is the managing director of McDonald’s Ireland, will step down from his position at the end of July.

In his six years in the role, Crean has grown McDonald’s business in Ireland from an annual turnover of £178 m in 2011 to £240 m last year. In 2015, McDon-

Operational changes The well-known restaurant chain has been operating in Ireland since 1977 with more than 90 outlets currently located around the country. In a statement to the Irish Farmers Journal, McDonald’s said: “The Irish business has been part of the UK and Ireland business unit and we have recently made some operational changes to reflect that structure.”

McDonald’s is a key customer for a number of Irish agribusinesses, including Kerry Group, Dawn Meats, Slaney Meats and Lakeland. In total, McDonald’s sources more than £178 m worth of food from Ireland every year. It is the single largest buyer of Irish beef in volume terms, sourcing 40,000t of Irish beef on an annual basis.

McDonald’s added that it remained committed to its suppliers and to its support of the Irish agri-food sector.

FARMERS JOURNAL IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

AGRIBUSINESS 59

EU CAP consultation backs farmers INDUSTRY INSIGHT Phelim O’Neill

66% backed next CAP

90% support for common market

83% support for a common international trade policy

60% have a negative view of the present CAP’s success in addressing environmental issues

VIDEO ONLINE

watch the video on farmers journal.tv

F

arm income support in future UK rural policy received a boost last week as an EU survey on the next CAP backed the measure by 66%. If farm income support features in the next CAP agreement, it will put pressure on the UK Government to put in place similar measures, otherwise British and Northern Irish farmers could be at a competitive disadvantage.

The majority of replies to the survey also wanted to improve farmers’ positions in the value chain, and there was strong support from everyone for the need to deliver more benefits for the environment.

While farmer responses invariably focused on income support, wider responses were exercised by the environment, healthy and quality products with a focus on animal welfare.

There was general consensus on keeping a common agriculture policy, with the idea of a common market across member states securing over 90% support, as did the wish to have a common international trade policy, which also had 83% support.

On the issues of climate change, environmental protection and market uncertainties there was also a general consensus of support.

While there was support for collective EU action and no re-nationalisation of agricultural policy, there was a difference of emphasis on where responsibilities should be divided between the EU and member states.

There is also a general realisation that farmer incomes are below the EU average and the additional demands that are placed on EU farmers, with access to land and low income identified as the biggest barrier.

On the issue of the environment, there was also considerable agreement. All respondents were agreed on the need for protection of biodiversity, reduction of soil degradation and sustainable use of pesticides and fertiliser.

This agreement extended to the view that the current CAP only partially addresses these and over 60% have a negative view of the present CAP’s success in addressing environmental issues.

Largest-ever response Over 400 attended and a couple of hundred couldn’t get admission to the CAP consultation event in Brussels. The purpose of the conference was to share the views collected in the 12-week consultation that ran between February and May, plus allow delegates to make comments or give further feedback.

European commissioner for agriculture Phil Hogan opened the event, and the first session was dominated by the revelation of the responses to the thirtytwo questions that made up the consultation. Overall, the response to the consultation was the largest ever received.

The overall number of replies, at almost 323,916, was distorted by a “campaign”, which is a structured response organised by a lobby organisation that accounted for over 250,000 of these.

However, with 58,520 replies online from individuals and organisations, and 1,423 position papers, it was still the largest response ever. The last consultation in 2010 had 5,700 replies, so there is no denying this consultation attracted huge interest.

Even though Scotland is likely to be outside the CAP when it takes effect in

2020, there were 2,040 responses from across the UK. Scotland’s future As the discussion on the CAP progresses, the reality that it is most unlikely to apply to Scotland puts the focus on what will take its place.

The present Government in Westminster is committed to keeping the money the same for the duration of this parliament and putting in place a new agriculture policy during this parliament that

There was general consensus on keeping a common agriculture policy, with the idea of a common market across members securing over 90% support will take effect after the next election.

There has also been no indication so far as to how much – if any – of the UK’s agriculture policy making will be de-

volved to the regional administrations.

A common ‘British’ policy It is likely that Westminster will replace Brussels to put a common “British” agricultural policy in place, with regional administrations given some scope around the margins to shape policy.

Also, the fact that the consultation was supportive of a general system for support of farming will give the farm lobby in Scotland and the wider UK a reference point for negotiations.

READ ABOUT OUR FOCUS FARM’S JOURNEYS, EVERY WEEK IN THE FARMERS JOURNAL SCOTLAND: The Farm Profit Programme is a joint venture between ANM Group and the Farmers Journal. Over the next three years, the programme has one simple aim – making livestock pay.

MARK & SHONA MACKAY Greenvale Farm, Dunnet, Thurso, Caithness Farm Size: 368ha

THE BIFFEN FAMILY

Arnage Farms, Mains of Arnage, Ellon, Aberdeenshire Farm Size: 227ha

THE DUGUID FAMILY

Mains of Cranna, Aberchirder, Huntly, Aberdeenshire Farm Size: 164ha

THE DUFFUS FAMILY

Mains of Auchriachan, Tomintoul, Ballindalloch Farm Size: 1,540ha

CHARLES & ALISON WEBSTER Ardhuncart Farm, Kildrummy, Alford, Aberdeenshire Farm Size: 250ha

ANDREW & KATHRYN GAMMIE Drumforber, Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire Farm Size: 131ha

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

60 AGRIBUSINESS

Global Focus

Milking with a mobile parlour in Chile As part of his Nuffield Global Focus Programme, 2017 Nuffield Scholar Lorcan Allen travelled throughout Chile to learn about the country’s agriculture sector

C

hile is a country like no other you will visit. To the very north of Chile is the Atacama Desert, one of the harshest environments on the planet, that holds the title as the driest place on Earth.

The arid climate makes the Atacama almost totally uninhabitable and it is slowly spreading south all the time, towards Chile’s capital city Santiago. The lack of precipitation in the desert means there are almost never any clouds over the Atacama, making it the perfect home for some of the world’s most powerful telescopes and astronomical observatories.

To the extreme south of Chile, the climate couldn’t be any more different, where the Patagonia region of South America extends down to the archipelago known as Tierra del Fuego. In contrast with the severe heat of the north, the southern tip of Chile is characterised by cold temperatures and biting winds.

But in between the arid north and the cold south, Chile’s climate is typically Mediterranean and productive agriculture is widespread. The countryside of Chile becomes more green and lush as you travel south and the temperature starts to cool.

Dairy farming As such, most of the dairy farming in Chile takes place in the regions south of the city of Temuco, where the climate becomes favourable for grass to thrive.

During my time in Chile, I visited the farm of Sven Bergström, a dairy and cereal farmer of Swedish descent.

Aside from growing wheat, barley, potatoes and vegetables on his 5,000-acre farm, Bergström milks 660 mainly Holstein cows that he has divided into three separate herds of 220 cows. Over 600 acres of the total farm are given over to grass for the dairy platform.

However, there are two unique things about Bergström’s dairy farm.

Firstly, Bergström claims to be the only 100% spring-calving dairy farmer in Chile. The calving season on the farm is done within a two-month window from mid-July to mid-September, which are the spring months in the southern hemisphere.

“Mid-September is a big holiday in Chile, so I always aim to have calving done by then,” says Bergström. “We start our breeding season in the middle of October without any heat detection, as we use hormone protocols on the cows.

We will use a second round of insemination on cows not in-calf after 30 days.

Last year, we reached 87% in real pregnancy rates.”

Bergström uses mobile milking parlours on his dairy farm. The farm is comprised of 660 mainly Holstein cows which are fed barley/wheat concentrate during the autumn months (above).

Bergstrom’s farm in numbers

660 the number of cows on the farm

8,700 the average amount of litres produced by each cow per annum

2.5% milk fat content oJXUH IRU WKLV year

8kg the amount of concentrates fed to each cow during the autumn months

VIDEO ONLINE

watch the video on farmersjournal.tv

needed. The average volume per The second unique thing cow is about 8,700 litres per about Bergström’s farm is year. Fat content was 2.5% that all 660 cows are this year. milked in the field via Bergström stimulates three mobile milking competition between units. the three farm managers “We have a unique by posting weekly figsystem here with ures on the performance three mobile milking of each herd on the office units. Cows are wall. Figures on milk volmilked twice a day, ume, fat and protein levels after which a tractor and cell count for each herd moves these milk tanks are all measured, with bonusfrom the field into the cenes paid to the manager of the tral bulk tank for cooling to 4°C,” he adds.

Bergström (right) speaking best-performing herd each Bergström says the ZLWK 1XIoHOG 6FKRODUV month.

A similar system is used benefit of this system is during the calving and that cows are rarely lame, as they don’t have to walk into a central breeding season. The minimum target parlour. And for the cows that do get in-calf rate for the herd managers is 80%, lame, there is no need to cull them from for which they will receive a £267 bonus. the herd as they can still be milked in For every percentage point above this minimum, Bergström pays the herd the field. manager an additional £45.

Herd management The obvious challenge of milking cows Managing grass in the field like this is the strain it places When I visited his farm in March, Bergon the milker to squat down continu- ström was becoming nervous over grass ously to apply the clusters. However, covers available.

“Right now, we need more grass. We’re Bergström maintains his milkers, some of whom have been with him over 30 growing about 60kg/ha/day,” he said.

“During the year, we are growing anyyears, are well used to it by now.

Each herd of 220 cows has two em- where from zero grass to 140kg/ha/day. ployees assigned to it, one of which is There is no grass growth in July and Authe designated herd manager. Employ- gust, but by October we could be getting ees are paid about £1,157 a month, which growth rates up to 150kg/ha/day. We always have too much grass in October reflects the low cost of labour in Chile.

In this mobile milking parlour system, to December,” says Bergström.

To manage the short supply of grass it takes two hours to milk all 220 cows.

The parlour is moved to a different spot in the autumn months, Bergström is every day and no lengthy wash-down is providing his cows with quite high levels

of feed during milking. Cows are getting 8kg of a barley/wheat concentrate per day, with 4kg given in the morning and another 4kg in the evening. The barley and wheat is all produced on the farm.

Over the years, Bergström has been reducing his grass platform to give more area over to cropping. Next year, he plans to take a further 50ha away from the cows, meaning he will have to grow more grass on less land.

To do this, he is installing irrigation pivots on some parts of the farm where suitable. Right now, he irrigates his grassland during the dry months using a flood-irrigation system. But a pivot-system is more accurate with water and Bergström hopes to grow 20% more grass as a result.

Milk price Once brought in from the fields, the milk from Bergström’s herd is collected by Soprole, Chile’s largest dairy company, which is owned by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra. Milk prices in Chile were just a little over 0.26c/litre back in March, which was a big improvement from where they had been before Christmas.

Bergström estimates his cost of production, including labour, feed and fertiliser costs, at about 0.19c/litre. Feed costs make up the bulk of this at 0.13c/ litre.

“In a normal year, we will make £1,424/ ha in profit. But last year was very difficult for milk prices and we made less than £801/ha,” he says. “Dairy co-ops in Chile manage the milk price. They react very fast when the market is in decline, but it takes six months to pass any increases back to the farmers.”

FARMERS IRISH FARMERS JOURNAL JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

VIEWPOINTS 61

Viewpoints Apple and Irish cereals

Phone: 01224 426001 (Aberdeen) or 0141 301 1044 (Glasgow)

I

ford. I had not realised that DLF, the Danish had known that Apple, the US tech co-operative which has a working relationgiant, was applying for planning pership with Seedtech, is trialling in Waterford mission to build a huge data centre in more than 3,000 diďŹ&#x20AC;erent varieties of grass Athenry. Data centres are being built and clover to assess their suitability under because of the Irish climate. The fact Irish conditions. that it is bogged down in planning With ever-declining real prices of while its Danish counterpart is fully grain, if we do not get continuing built is neither here nor there exproductivity increases in grass, our cept to suggest that the Irish plancompetitiveness will slip. ning process needs a real revamp.

However, Apple is not alone and On the grain side, we need conthere are several large similar fastant developments in varieties to cilities within 10 to 15 miles of Duballow us to produce what our lin. Data centres are enormous and world class brewing and distilling energy intensive. The servers need companies need. From a farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DEMPSEY AT to be kept at reasonably constant point of view, we also need the LARGE temperatures where not too much premiums that these companies energy is needed for air conditionare in a position to earn from the Matt ing in summer or heating in winand the guarantees providDempsey quality ter. Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate is ideal for ed by Irish cereal growers. this, but it is also ideal for grass One of the inescapable trends in and cereals. the elimination of active ingrediWith the development of fungicides and ents will be a greater reliance on plant agri chemistry, our yields of cereals are breeding, resistance to key diseases and also among the highest in the world but we are more development and use of seed dressalso one of the few countries where grass ings using, in many cases, naturally occurplays the key role in the production of milk ring chemicals and organisms. and beef.

We are already seeing rhizobias similar to The implications of the exceptional imthose on clover letting barley trap an inportance of perennial grass and its relative creasing proportion of the nitrogen it needs lack of importance elsewhere means that from the atmosphere. the research dollars are on the grain side.

Also, with our long growing season, we However, we need real research on grain to can produce rapeseed that is larger and help us get over the comparatively small more robust and thus more suitable for use size of our grain farms and the particular in countries with extreme climate variation.

European scepticism of both GMOs and The new Seedtech facility, owned and many of the active ingredients at present ďŹ nanced by the Power family, will let seed used in Irish and European cereal producwith these new characteristics be cleaned, tion. sorted and dressed to measures of purity and consistency that should serve the Irish It was with all these factors in the back of cereal and grass seed industries well into my mind that I was delighted to be asked to the future. I for one wish the new venture speak at the launch of Seedtechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new ÂŁ5m every success. facility at Belview port just outside Water-

Ă THE HOME FARM: extra inspections I was astonished to read on the Irish Farmers Journal website over the last few days RI VRPH JURZHUV KDYLQJ DOPRVW oQLVKHG their winter barley. Ours is still some way off. I know with high temperatures it can come in very quickly but even still, I would be surprised if I were cutting before the middle of next week.

The rain over the weekend combined with a variable forecast is not whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed at this time of the year. I hope I get the Round-up and pod sealant out as soon as possible â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it has been delayed by the broken weather but the sooner itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out, the better.

We also wanted to make a small amount of hay and that too has been delayed. We MXVW ZHUHQ W UHDG\ GXULQJ WKH YHU\ oQH GU\ spell in mid-June and we have not had a chance since then.

Wheat Last week I mentioned I had sold some of my wheat and barley forward. With the EHQHoW RI KLQGVLJKW , GHoQLWHO\ PRYHG WRR soon on the wheat, with the same buyer from whom I had accepted â&#x201A;Ź146/t coming back with an offer of â&#x201A;Ź148/t for the rest of my feed wheat. The barley price has moved up to what I had already accepted, â&#x201A;Ź135/t.

On the beef side, I have never had as

many farm inspections as this year, not from the Department or Bord Bia, but from end customers wanting to see the operation, look at the cattle and their feedstuffs and examine my records.

I have no problem with the principle and I was struck by how they liked the fact that I fed our own wheat or barley for energy, our own beans for protein and, of course, our own grass.

Key question Whether an extra price will emerge after everything is of course the key question.

We are now selling a few bulls on a weekly basis and, so far, I have more Us than at the same time last year but I have a feeling WKDW WKH EHVW EUHG DQLPDOV DUH FRPLQJ oW earlier and grading better so the quality and my returns may tail off as the year progresses.

Mentioning the beans, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I have ever had a crop as dense and high at 5ft to 6ft. There seem to be lots of pods but, like RLOVHHG UDSH LW LV YHU\ GLIoFXOW WR MXGJH WKH yield in advance.

7KHUH LV GHoQLWH HYLGHQFH RI VRPH GRZQ\ mildew in the beans which we have sprayed against and hopefully, fully controlled. So, the gates are now shut on all the crops while we wait for the harvest to begin.

Our workshop manuals contain clear and concise repair instructions with photos, illustrated diagrams, line drawings and include all fits, timings and tolerances which are required to carry out repairs.

For a wide range of tractor workshop manuals call the Farmers Journal Store on 01224 426001 or 0141 301 1044

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

62 COUNTRY LIVING

COUNTRY LIVING Cutting cabbage

When cutting heads of spring or summer cabbage, it is possible to get a smaller, but useful, crop from the same plants. The root is not pulled out of the ground and the cut is made just above the lower leaves, leaving in place a few old leaves to feed the root and help it to re-grow.

This works well with quickmaturing cabbage varieties, such as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hispiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Minicoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The plants produce about four new mini-heads and often these are a nice size if not a lot of cabbage is wanted, or just use as many little heads as necessary. Watch for snails, and cabbage aphid that might be on the old plants.

Previously largely unknown except in collections of unusual plants, spicebush has been offered for sale more widely recently, writes Gerry Daly

S

gerrydaly@theirishgarden.ie

picebush or spiceshrub is an American plant, and, like many American plants, especially those of useful value, it has several names.

One is allspice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but that is misleading because it sounds like the spice allspice, which are the rounded peppercorn fruits of a different plant.

Calycanthus is also called sweet bush and strawberry bush.

The botanical name itself means EHDXWLIXO p RZHU DQG WKH p RZHU LV beautiful.

7KH p RZHUV DQG WKH ZKROH plant look a bit like a magnolia tree and it is a moderately distant relative of magnolia.

Magnolia is considered to EH RQH RI WKH ROGHVW p RZHULQJ plants, and this too is an ancient species. It is ancient enough to have its own plant family, the Calycanthaceae, which has only two species and a doubtful third one from Asia. The two species are American â&#x20AC;&#x201C; &DO\FDQWKXV p RULGXV is found in the lower eastern states from Carolina to Florida and is known as Carolina allspice and &DO\FDQWKXV RFFLGHQWDOLV is the Californian allspice.

The link with magnolia is obviRXV ZKHQ WKH p RZHUV DUH ORRNHG at. Calycanthus could easily be a small purple version of the star magnolia, the numerous petals being strap-like, peeling back from the centre, just like those of the magnolia, and often held in an upright position, like magnolia.

But they are smaller, only about 5cm across, very pretty and often

American a complete surprise: tucked away amid the leaves, or sitting in full view on top of them.

Flowering can occur into autumn on current season growth.

The two species are much alike, the California one being bigger and more vigorous with slightly ODUJHU GDUNHU p RZHUV C+DUWODJH Wineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a hybrid with a touch of white at the centre.

The leaves are twice the size RI WKH p RZHUV DQG PD\ WXUQ \HO

low before falling in winter. The p RZHU LV DOVR YHU\ IUDJUDQW ZKLFK explains the â&#x20AC;&#x153;sweetâ&#x20AC;? in its various names.

7KH p RZHUV DUH WKH VRXUFH RI D very esteemed fragrant essential oil used in high-quality perfumery.

The other parts of the plant are also scented. Besides being connected to magnolia, it is also considered to have an ancestral link with bay laurel, which is used

as a kitchen herb. The sweetshrub earns its spicy name from the spicy odour, likened to camphor or mothballs, or cinnamon.

In its native range in America, calycanthus grows in mountain woodland and in clearings by streamsides, but it is not a wetground plant. It thrives in similar positions in the garden in a place where it has some light shelter for its handsome leaves and some sunlight for a few hours each day.

It comes from regions that are warmer than here and needs reasonably good levels of sunlight.

Although from a warm climate, it is hardy to USDA Zone 5, which is much colder than any part of Ireland ever reaches, but it is also comfortable in sub-tropical areas. +RZHYHU OLNH VR PDQ\ SODQWV of continental climate origin, it can be caught out by the stopstart nature of an Irish spring and the young shoots can be nipped by a late frost.

Being deciduous helps its hardiness rating. It likes to grow in well-drained soil that does not dry out, although it is tolerant of drought for extended periods.

It grows best in a rich woodland-type soil, well-drained but full of moisture-retentive humus.

Calycanthus does not mind whether the soil is acidic or limy and grows well in either, making a spreading, suckering bush of DERXW P ,W p RZHUV LQ VXPPHU ZLWK VLQJOH p RZHUV RQ VLGH VKRRWV or at the tip of branches. CL

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

COUNTRY LIVING 63

constituents in Irish milk has already delivered 1.5c/litre to dairy farmers. At home, we continue to focus on raising the milk solids produced per cow. One key message for our farm is to continue to produce and utilise more good-quality grass per hectare.

The result is more output for no increased cost in input. We grew 13 tonnes per hectare last year and know that we can push this further. A result of expansion is a young dairy herd, and we see this at home. We expect everything to lift as the cows mature.

Brendan emphasised that we must lift the longevity of the cow WR o YH ODFWDWLRQV 7KLV ZLOO UHVXOW in fewer replacements, so less cost in the system and better milk solids from a mature herd. The “gold standard of the grazing system is 90% cows calved in six weeks”.

Other areas to focus on are lifting EBI (Economic Breeding Index) and improving genetics.

We’ve been cross-breeding now for 10 years and we are extremely happy with the results. The cows are robust, fertile, with good solids and easy to manage. I sensed a mood of more openness to crossbreeding, especially among young farmers, as discussions progressed on the day.

MESSAGES

Knowledge transfer at its best

T

Knowledge transfer was at its best at last week’s dairy open day and the information just too valuable to ignore, writes Katherine O’Leary kkoleary@gmail.com

here is one huge decision to be made on dairy farms that will affect your future income and the long-term sustainability of your farm, and that is whether you decide to follow the latest research or not.

7KH LQIRUPDWLRQ LV TXDQWLo HG DQG TXDOLo HG 0LOOLRQV RI HXURV JR LQWR funding the Teagasc (pronounced “Chagask”) dairy research facility at Moorepark and farmers are foolish not to reap the awards.

Knowledge transfer was at its absolute best last week at Teagasc Moorepark’s open day. We wondered how Teagasc could produce an open day that would stimulate us after the 2015 one, with its clear message of making dairy farms sustainable and improving management systems.

In 2013 the message was “skill before scale”. These messages are still valid. When you prioritise this open day you are building on your knowledge and keeping up with research.

With this in mind, we were ready for the new impetus that we hoped the day would give us.

We were not disappointed, nor were we alone in our thinking. A huge crowd of farming men, women and lots of children spilled off the roundabout by the now four-year-old iconic cows designed by artist Lynn Kirkham.

They are standing the test of time well and one of the key messages of the day was: so are dairy farmers. We came through last year and weathered the storm of a very poor milk price.

A mild winter and a good VSULQJ KDYH EHHQ KXJHO\ EHQHo cial. Now we won’t get carried away. A few more cents on the milk price would set us up nicely for the next dip. This year the message was about making our farms resilient in the face of challenges. We ticked a lot of boxes, but there are still huge gains to be made.

Dr Pat Dillon, head of animal and grassland research and the Innovation Centre, gave the welcoming address. Part of the H[SHUWLVH RI WKLV RXWo W LV 3DW V willingness to be out mixing with farmers, investigating, interacting

and listening. The same can be said of all the researchers. Pat laid out the background and change since 2013. The number of dairy farmers has remained static. Cow numbers have increased and national milk production is up.

There has been a reduction in the cost of producing milk from 27c/ litre down to 22.5c/litre, which offers more protection from volatility. The “cost structure on farms is critical”, he warned. The key is a sustainable, competitive, robust system that is resilient in the face of challenges.

SYSTEM, PEOPLE, GRASS AND GENETICS 7KH o UVW IRXU ERDUGV FRYHUHG WKH four key components of good milk production: the system, the people, the grass management and the genetics of the cow. Once the cow is suitable and healthy, the message was as green as ever in that it is all about grass – managing it, grazing it and optimising it. Brendan Horan said that we must be able to absorb the shocks of volatility.

The increased percentage of

One message from Mike Egan was noteworthy. Regarding “soil test results, don’t leave them in the drawer: act on them”.

When it came to the grass management and grazing demonstration, I fell in to Aidan Bugler’s group. I found it excellent, with Aidan pointing out the various covers that had been grazed and the residuals left after grazing.

The key message was that cows should always go into grass of 1,400-1,600kg DM/hectare for optimum results. He showed where cows had gone into light crops and explained that the subsequent long-term yield would be compromised. We also saw the results of going into heavy grass and the resultant waste. It was a great session for those starting out on the grass measurement journey. Aidan is a dairy adviser in Co Clare.

Donagh Berry reminded us that EBI underpins the system.

“Each €1 lift in EBI delivers €2 net SURo W y 6R LW V D ELJ IRFXV IRU XV There was so much valuable information. We will take time to distil it all out. Michael O’Donovan cautioned farmers to set up the farm for grazing at least 255 days a year, and not for the few visits of the contractors.

6LPSOH DQG SUDFWLFDO DGYLFH ,W ZDV a tremendous open day and we will use it as the blueprint for the next two years on our farm. CL

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

64 COUNTRY LIVING

Claire-Jeanne Nash

I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get a couple of alpacas as pets ... and ended up with 130 of them Xandria Williams speaks to Barry Cassidy about how a quest for a couple of farm pets led to a thriving business

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

COUNTRY LIVING 65

A

t Killinagh Lodge, 40km from Dublin, 30 alpacas owned by Xandria Williams make up what is Alpacas of Ireland. Xandria, on top of part-time alpaca farming, is a London-based naturopath (a practitioner of alternative therapy) and quite literally wrote the book on raising alpacas in Ireland. They are low-maintenance and require very little human intervention, which makes them an attractive option to people with small holdings. This is what attracted Xandria when she VWDUWHG WKH oUVW ODUJH EUHHGLQJ KHUG LQ Ireland back in 2001. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d get a couple of alpacas as pets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; very dangerous thing, wanting alpacas as pets â&#x20AC;Ś I ended up with 130 of them,â&#x20AC;? Xandria laughs, though in recent years she has reGXFHG WKH VL]H RI KHU pRFN EDFN WR Having inherited 15 acres of overgrown and boggy land from her aunt, Xandria, who had been living and working in London, eventually settled on alpacas as the way to utilise the otherwise idle ground. She became a weekend commuter to Ireland to look after her animals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The thing was, farmers I went to in England to look at [alpacas] had been looking for quite some time for someone to breed them over here. I did say no initially, but obviously not very strongly,â&#x20AC;? she explains.

But what exactly are alpacas and what are they used for? Well, imagine what can only be described as a cross between a sheep and a small giraffe.

Not to be confused with llamas, their larger cousin, alpacas are coveted IRU WKH oEUH WKH\ SURGXFH 7KLV oEUH is softer than even cashmere, Xandria says, and can be used to make a variety of knitted, felted or woven products.

SOUTH AMERICAN HERITAGE Traditionally used to make ponchos in South America, alpaca yarn can also be used in other clothing items, in addition to blankets. Unlike sheep wool, DOSDFD oEUHV DUH UHIHUUHG WR DV KDLUV and are three times as strong, while still being remarkably soft. $OSDFD oEUH XVXDOO\ VHOOV IRU around ÂŁ12.32 per kilo, according to Teagasc, but this will largely depend on the colour, quality and amount sold. Sheep wool, by comparison, is currently selling for ÂŁ0.53/kg. Xandria VHOOV KHU pHHFHV WR D FRPELQDWLRQ RI cottage industries and individual spinners or weavers as, well as exporting some to the UK. Irish Country Living went along to the annual shearing of Xandriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DOSDFDV WR ZLWQHVV oUVW KDQG WKH

I remember seeing an alpaca being shorn somewhere and I thought: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to have a go at that.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I went to England to do a course on alpaca shearing and here I am now

harvesting of this unique product.

Xandria is extremely open and regularly invites people to her farm to see what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to own alpacas and hopefully encourage them to set up herds of their own.

SHEARING So, how exactly do you shear an DOSDFD" :HOO oUVW \RX QHHG D TXDOLoHG shearer in order to avoid any damage to the alpacaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soft skin and ensure all the precious wool is correctly removed. For Xandria, this means enlisting the help of Geoff Coller. He is a former sheep shearing record holder who has now retired from regular sheep shearing work.

Geoff is originally from Australia, but has lived in Ireland for over 20 years now. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember seeing an alpaca being shorn somewhere and I thought:

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to have a go at that.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I went to England to do a course on alpaca shearing and here I am now,â&#x20AC;? he says.

7KH oUVW SDUW RI WKH SURFHVV LV WR place the alpaca in a harness. This is as much for the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own safety as for the shearerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The belly wool, which is too coarse to be used, is removed. Next the saddle is removed: this is the most valuable part of the pHHFH DQG XVXDOO\ ZHLJKV EHWZHHQ 2.5kg and 5kg. After that, what is reIHUUHG WR DV WKH VHFRQG TXDOLW\ pHHFH LV removed. This comes from the upper legs and neck and can be used in coats and other lined garments. Finally the â&#x20AC;&#x153;thirdsâ&#x20AC;?, taken from the outer edges of the alpaca, are used to stuff pillows and cushions.

The whole process takes about oYH PLQXWHV 7KH DOSDFD WKHQ KDV its hooves and teeth checked and trimmed, if necessary, before return-

Australian Geoff Coller has lived in Ireland for over 20 years and took up alpaca shearing after retiring from sheep work.

LQJ WR WKH oHOG XQUHFRJQLVDEOH IURP the animal that entered the pen prior to shearing. Missing four inches of pHHFH IURP HLWKHU VLGH RI LWV ERG\ DV well as neck and legs that look too long for its body, it is a transition that needs to be seen to be believed. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKHLU pHHFH WKH alpaca also has other uses. They are commonly used as guard animals.

While usually endearing and docile, alpacas are aggressive only to foxes and wild dogs, and are instinctively predisposed to chase them away. This makes them ideal to run with a sheep pRFN RU WR SURWHFW KHQV RU RWKHU SRXOtry from predators. CL For anyone interested in owning an alpaca or who just wants to find out more about these incredible animals, check out www. alpacasofireland.com or email Xandria at xandria@xandriawilliams.co.uk.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

66 COUNTRY LIVING

Perfect pickles & summer in a jar Pickles and preserves are a great way to add flavour to your vegetables, as well as making them last longer, writes Neven Maguire

M

ore and more people are growing vegetables and at my demos people often ask me about pickles and preserves.

A Kilner jar of your own homemade pickles makes a lovely gift. <RX ZLOO o QG WKDW WKLV FXFXPEHU SLFNOH JRHV ZHOO ZLWK o VK RQ LWV RZQ ZLWK D salad, with cold meats, or with pâtÊ. ,W EHQHo WV IURP EHLQJ OHIW IRU XS to a month before using but is still delicious if you need to use it straight away. This recipe also works well with courgettes. There is a nice range of herbs in this recipe.

People also often end up with a glut of summer fruit. If you like a drink, this redcurrant vodka is worth a try. Or you could buy some frozen redcurrants. I have also made this with blackcurrants. This drink is lovely poured over ice cream, or a fruit crumble, or over any summer berries.

You could also use this method to make your own sloe gin or Crème de cassis.

The redcurrant vodka is lovely poured over ice cream, or a fruit crumble, or over any summer berries

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

COUNTRY LIVING 67

>> Recipes CUCUMBER PICKLE Makes 4 x 450ml (3/4 pint) Kilner jars

The bond between farmers and their animals is different. It has to be ... thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little time for sentimentality

3 cucumbers 3 large onions Salt for sprinkling 1½ litres white wine vinegar 450g (1lb) granulated sugar 1 tbsp mixed peppercorns 1 tbsp toasted coriander seeds 2 tsp black mustard seeds 2 tsp black onion seeds (optional) 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 8 fresh bay leaves 15g (½oz) fresh fennel or dill, stems stripped into small sprigs 1 Slice the cucumbers and onions on a mandolin and layer up in a large colander (or you might need to use two), sprinkling with salt as you go. Set aside for a couple of hours, then rinse well under cold running water. Leave to drain and then pat dry with kitchen paper.

2 Place the vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil, then boil fast for three minutes.

3 Remove from the heat. Pack the cucumber and onions into 4 x 450g (1lb) warm sterilised Kilner jars, layering them up with the spices and herbs to 1cm (½in) from the top of the jars and then ladle in enough of the vinegar and sugar liquid to cover completely.

Seal and store in a cool dark place for up to three months or until needed.

Once open keep in the fridge and use as required.

REDCURRANT VODKA Makes about 1 litre (1ž pints) 750g (1lb 11oz) redcurrants 750ml (1 pint 6fl oz) vodka 300g (10½oz) granulated sugar

Photography: Ramona Farrelly | Styling: Sharon Hearne-Smith

1 Place the redcurrants and vodka in a warm, sterilised Kilner jar and put in a cool, dark place for one month, but up to three is ideal.

2 Once the redcurrants have been left for a time to steep in the vodka, you will notice that the vodka will take on their colour. Carefully pour the whole lot into a large bowl and, using a potato masher, mash the fruit, extracting DV PXFK RI WKH p DYRXU DQG FRORXU DV possible.

3 Pour into a large sieve lined with muslin or use a jelly sieve â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or even a clean pillowcase works suspended on a broom handle between two chairs.

Allow the liquid to drip through overnight and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be tempted to give it a gentle push or it will make the mixture cloudy.

4 Place the sugar in a heavy-based pan with 150ml (Âź pint) of water over a low heat and simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour enough into the strained vodka liquid to taste.

5 Using a funnel, transfer into warm, sterilised bottles and either use straight away or store in a cool dark place for up to three months. Use as required. CL

I

t was more disappointment than a surprise when the results of the follow-up tests came back cono UPLQJ DOO o YH FDOYHV KDG %9' â&#x20AC;&#x153;What now?â&#x20AC;? I asked him, even though there was only one answer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Call Tom up the road, I suppose.â&#x20AC;?

Tom works for the local hunt kennels and is the man tasked with destroying and removing livestock from the surrounding farms. A longtime friend of Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, he assured him that he would be up the following morning to do the deed.

At work in Dublin, I spent the day wondering how things were going, and worrying about how Jack would o QG WKH ZKROH H[SHULHQFH 1RW WKDW he is any stranger to sick, dying or deceased animals. The fragility of life is a lesson you learn early when growing up on a farm.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re different that way, he and I. When my dog died in August 2014, I was devastated. Jack had sympathised with me, of course. He came around that evening and listened as I shared my favourite memories of Dustin.

He took care of dinner, made copious cups of tea, and he held me close when all I could do was sob. He knew I was hurting and he did all he could to make it better. Still, I knew there was a part of him that couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t and, most likely, would never understand the love I had for that little dog.

And I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect him to. The bond between farmers and their animals is different. It has to be. Everything on a farm, from the sheepdogs to the bulls, exists to serve a purpose â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to keep the wheels of business turning smoothly. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little time for sentimentality.

But I wondered how this might affect him. It went against his every instinct as a farmer to call for the culling of livestock that, to the uninformed, appeared perfectly healthy and full of life. That the slaughter was to be carried out on home turf made it all the PRUH GLIo FXOW WR VWRPDFK 1RWKLQJ DERXW LW ZDV IDLU ,W ZDVQ W fair that he should have to deal with the consequences of what was TXLWH SRVVLEO\ VRPHRQH HOVH V VHOo VK decision to hold on to BDV-positive animals. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fair that he should have to pay ÂŁ25 for the slaughter and UHPRYDO RI HDFK RI WKH o YH FDOYHV q

City girl Maura McElhone on getting used to rural life and the difficulty of facing a positive BVD result

calves that would, if healthy, have sold for close to ÂŁ400 each. And it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fair that this blow had come just four months after Jack had given up his career in banking to commit to fulltime farming.

If he was looking for a sign that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d made the right decision, at the right time, this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it.

Tom must have sensed his distraction. Or, perhaps, with years of experience behind him, he knew to anticipate it. Later, Jack told me how the older man had taken him aside for a chat before they headed into the yard.

He briefed him on what was about to happen, so that nothing would come as a shock. Then, he shifted gear, reminding my young farmer that as frustrating and disappointing as a BVD diagnosis is, as much as the o QDQFLDO ORVVHV VWLQJ LQ WKH JUDQG scheme of things, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s merely a blip â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something to be dealt with head-on and overcome.

Tom pressed home the importance of perspective, sharing his own belief that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little else more important in this life than the relationships you have with your partner and loved ones. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to worry about anything, he advised, worry about those, think about them.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m grateful to Tom for this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for taking the time to consider how the experience might affect Jack on a deeper level, and for not being afraid to speak to that.

One night, not long after the calves had been destroyed, Jack and I were having dinner when he told me that another one of the herd had tested positive for BVD. He asked if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be there when they destroyed it.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m torn. As an animal lover, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reluctant and scared, quite frankly, to witness something that I suspect will rest heavy on my mind for weeks to come. However, as my mammy pointed out, this is a reality of Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a world that I can choose to be a part of, or not.

I can listen to his stories and do my best to understand and empathise from my safe place here on the periphery, or I can step into the wellies, venture out into the yard and embrace the realities of a farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BVD, warts and all.

The choice is mine. CL

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

68 COUNTRY LIVING

The good news is that there are things we can do to help us release the tension we build up during the day so that when nighttime comes we have less, if any, tension in the body – thereby having a greater chance of experiencing a full and restful night’s sleep.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE FOR THIS MONTH Take regular short breaks during the day to relieve physical tension. Stretch, go for a walk and try tensing and relaxing tight parts of the body, thereby preventing or at least minimising a build-up of physical tension during the day.

Try as you breathe in to bring as much tension as you can to different parts of the body – for example, the hands. Breathe in, bringing the hands into a tight oVW DQG KROG WKH EUHDWK PRPHQtarily while you hold the tension.

Then when you feel ready, slowly release the breath and tension in the hand simultaneously.

MINDFULNESS EXERCISE

Are you dreaming of sleep?

H

ave you ever had or do you FXUUHQWO\ KDYH GLIoFXOW\ sleeping? It’s exhausting isn’t it?

We all know that when we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed and ready for our daily activities, whatever they may be.

Sleep affects how we look, feel and perform on a daily basis. Lack of sleep, therefore, can leave us feeling overwhelmed by our regular routines as well as a little haggard looking.

7R JHW PD[LPXP EHQHoW IURP our sleep, both quantity and quality are important. If sleep is short on quality and duration, then WKH ERG\ GRHV QRW KDYH VXIoFLHQW time to complete all of the phases needed for muscle repair, memory consolidation and release of hormones regulating growth and appetite. The result is we wake

This month, mindfulness and yoga expert Catherine Callaghan shares her advice for getting a good night’s sleep

up less able to concentrate, make decisions, or engage fully in our work and social activities.

6RPH RI WKH PDQ\ EHQHoWV WR D good night’s sleep – apart from the obvious physical appearance and energy – include a healthier immune system and a more balanced appetite by helping to regulate levels of the hormones adrenalin and leptin, which play a role in our feelings of hunger and fullness. So when we’re sleep deprived, we may feel the need to eat more, which can lead to weight gain. So the bottom line is sleep is good!

Unfortunately, the majority of people try to sleep without resolving the tensions in their body. You might say to yourself “I don’t have any tension”, but the truth is we all gather tension during the day.

Whether you think too much or not at all, you gather tension. If

you work physically or not at all, you gather tension. Whether you follow a carnivorous, vegetarian or vegan diet, you gather tension. All these tensions accumulate in the muscular, emotional and mental systems of the human body.

Even while sleeping, thoughts and worries revolve in the mind so that the tense person wakes up after a night’s sleep feeling exhausted.

In yoga and mindfulness, we deal with the release of tensions.

We realise that if the mind is tense, the stomach will also be tense. If the stomach is tense, then the whole circulatory system will be tense. It’s a vicious circle. Unless you are free from muscular, emotional and mental tensions, you are never truly relaxed* and therefore proper, true, restful sleep cannot be achieved.

Take regular short breaks during the day to relieve emotional and mental tension. How? Breathe!

Try the 4 - 7- 8 breath. Breathe in through the nose for the count of four, hold for the count of seven and exhale through the mouth with a whoosh sound for the count of eight.

The more we practise being aware of the breath and our own body, the more adept we become at noticing when and how we accumulate tension during the day. This, in turn, gives ourselves a greater chance to release the pressure valve as soon as we begin to feel tension in the body and mind, thereby making it a lot easier to be truly relaxed come bedtime.

SOMETHING TO PONDER As we lay down to sleep, it’s important not to try too hard to sleep as this will just create even more tension in the body and mind.

When we lay down to sleep, perhaps placing one hand on the tummy and one hand on the chest, just watch and feel the movement of the breath in the body. See if you can keep the attention on the movement of the belly, as it rises on the inhale and falls back towards the spine on the exhale. Each time the mind wanders off, just bring your attention back to the feeling of the breath in the body.

I wish you many, many hours of restful sleep! Catherine CL For further information, visit www. croiyoga.ie. For more practical mindfulness exercises, visit Catherine Callaghan Yoga on YouTube. * Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

COUNTRY LIVING 69

When best intentions cross personal boundaries

D

ear Miriam, I am writing to you as I had a health scare recently and spent some time in hospital. I came out and was doLQJ o QH , DQVZHUHG P\ IURQW GRRU one morning to greet my sister, who came KRPH WR ORRN DIWHU PH She gets up each day at 10.30am, spends the day watching TV and on the WHOHSKRQH , KDG WR SXW XS ZLWK WKLV IRU three months. Would you, Miriam, recomPHQG WKLV NLQG RI FDUH WR DQ ROGHU PDQ ZKR DOZD\V OLNHG D TXLHW OLIH" 7KDQN \RX 0LULDP , ORRN IRUZDUG WR your readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comments.

Regular Reader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

AGRIWORD 905 ACROSS 1 & 8D Making a start on preparing the ďŹ eld unaided is pioneering stuff! (9,1,4,6) 6 Mural structure (4) 10 Out of condition (5) 11 Waterproof covering that can disrupt a ritual nap (9) 12 Scold a pure cardinal (7) 15 Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a prohibition on Fianna FĂĄil initially here in Canada (5) 17 Lady - perhaps Russian - breaks out of gaol (4) 18 Peter Pan villain (4) 19 Oarsman (5) 21 You could be charged with this - or it might be recharged! (7) 23 Puccini opera (5) 24 Informal ofďŹ ce communication (4) 25 Could what makes him attractive be gold? (4) 26 Overly-assertive (5) 28 Mother ďŹ nds a grand insect thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ancient and possibly woolly! (7) 33 Fragrant mixture of petals (9) 34 This piece of snack food might have a cheese and onion ďŹ&#x201A;avour (5) 35 Ice-skating venue (4) 36 Alas, a grunt can create this source of power (7,3)

GET IN TOUCH Do you have a problem you would like to share with someone who may be able to help?

If so, you can write to Miriam, Country Living, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12, or send an email to miriam@ farmersjournal.ie

BY FINĂ&#x2030;AGAS

2

1

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o QG LW KDUG WR GR WKLV \RXUVHOI SHUKDSV \RXU *3 FRXOG KHOS EURDFK WKH VXEMHFW RU DQRWKHU IDPLO\ PHPEHU RU IULHQG <RX DVN IRU RWKHU UHDGHUV LQSXWV VR LI DQ\ERG\ ZRXOG OLNH WR JHW LQ WRXFK WR VKDUH WKHLU H[SHULHQFHV RI EHLQJ FDUHG IRU E\ D IDPLO\ PHPEHU RU FDULQJ IRU D IDPLO\ PHP EHU , ZRXOG DSSUHFLDWH DQ\ DGYLFH WRR , ZLVK \RX FRQWLQXHG VXFFHVV ZLWK \RXU UHFRYHU\ DQG WKDW \RX FRQWLQXH WR HQMR\ JRRG KHDOWK DQG LQGHSHQGHQFH IRU PDQ\ PRUH \HDUV WR FRPH $OO WKH EHVW CL

As irritating as some of this behaviour may have been to you, it probably was of benefit to have your sister in the house in the early weeks of your recovery

3

4

5

6

Some clues are cryptic, some more straightforward and some have an agricultural theme

DOWN 1 Advertise the electrical connection (4) 2 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not on - a cardinal gets owl sounds when these have branched out! (8) 3 Where Bill and Melinda make their exits? (5) 4 First get the French to make fabric (5) 5 Bloody American environmentalist! (4) 7 & 20D Style of grappling (3-2,9) 8 See 1 across 9 & 32D Animal residents of Gibraltar (7,4) 13 Musical instrument (4) 14 Remedy that provides no saint with drink (7) 16 Will Pip weather out this government document? (5,5) 20 See 7 down 21 Any blob can change into a historic city (7) 22 Wander - or get up before morning! (4) 27 Shiny material (5) 29 French goodbye (5) 30 Some coffee, doctor? Tea? (5) 31 Operatic song (4) 32 See 9 down

>> Answers AGRIWORD 904

,W FDQ EH HVSHFLDOO\ GLIo FXOW LI WKDW SHU VRQ LV D FORVH IDPLO\ PHPEHU DV WKH\ PLJKW DVVXPH FHUWDLQ kOLEHUWLHVy WKDW DQ RXWVLGHU ZRXOG QRW IRU LQVWDQFH WUHDWLQJ D SODFH OLNH WKHLU RZQ KRPH HVSHFLDOO\ LI WKH\ JUHZ XS WKHUH WKHPVHOYHV DV FKLOGUHQ ,W VHHPV WKDW WKLV LV ZKDW KDSSHQHG LQ \RXU FDVH DQG LW REYLRXVO\ FDXVHG \RX VWUHVV \RX FRXOG KDYH GRQH ZLWKRXW 7KDW VDLG DV LUULWDWLQJ DV VRPH RI WKLV EHKDYLRXU PD\ KDYH EHHQ WR \RX LW SURE DEO\ ZDV RI EHQHo W WR KDYH \RXU VLVWHU LQ WKH KRXVH LQ WKH HDUO\ ZHHNV RI \RXU UHFRYHU\ MXVW LQ FDVH DQ\WKLQJ KDG JRQH ZURQJ RU LI \RX KDG WDNHQ DQ XQH[SHFWHG WXUQ $QG ZKLOH , XQGHUVWDQG KRZ DQQR\LQJ LW PXVW KDYH EHHQ IRU \RX DW WLPHV VKH PLJKW KDYH IRXQG LW MXVW DV FKDOOHQJLQJ WR SXW KHU OLIH RQ KROG IRU WKUHH PRQWKV HYHQ WKRXJK , NQRZ LW ZDV RI KHU RZQ YROLWLRQ 6R LQ RQH ZD\ LW V JUHDW WR UHSRUW WKDW WKH RQO\ PDMRU GLIo FXOWLHV HQFRXQWHUHG LQ UHFHQW ZHHNV FRQFHUQHG WKH 79 DQG WKH WHOHSKRQH UDWKHU WKDQ DQ\WKLQJ PRUH VHUL RXV 2I FRXUVH , GRQ W PHDQ WR EH JOLE , WKLQN LW LV YHU\ LPSRUWDQW WR UHVSHFW SHRSOH V ERXQGDULHV DQG , WKLQN \RXU VLVWHU VKRXOG KDYH FRQVXOWHG \RX DV WR \RXU ZLVKHV EHIRUH VKH DUULYHG DW WKH GRRU 3HUKDSV \RX FRXOG DOVR KDYH DJUHHG

ACROSS 1 Fat 3 Anaesthetic 8 Opaque 9 Roosting 10 Tithe 11 Swoop 13 Beret 15 Biscuit 16 Rebecca 20 Field 21 Lairs 23 Mimic 24 Rosie Lee 25 Sign on 26 Flying start 27 Oil DOWN 1 Foot the bill 2 Tractors 3 Acute 4 Earmark 5 Husks 6 Tripod 7 Cog 12 Panama Canal 13 Brief 14 Trend 17 Commando 18 Fervent 19 Pigsty 22 Stern 23 Moist 24 RAF

7

9 10

11

13

12

14

16

15

17 19

18 21

20

22

23

24 25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

WIN To be in with a chance of winning ÂŁ20 of Farmers Journal Scotland merchandise, answer as many questions as you can, fill in the form and send us your entry with the crossword number on the front of the envelope

Congratulations to Graham Nicolson, Westerton Farm, Killearn, winner of Agriword 902. Send entries to Farmers Journal Scotland, Scottish Ag and Rural Centre, West Mains, Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8LT

8

Name: Address:

Email: Mobile:

Home:

Irish Farmers Journal Journal F Tick box if you do not wish to be contacted in relation to further events, promotions and competitions from the Farmers

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday24 10 17 15 3 June July 2017

70 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Scottish weather DETAILED WEATHER FORECAST: 14 July – 16 July

Weather data courtesy of www.yr.no

NORTHEAST

NORTHWEST Fri

Sat

Sun

Fri

Sat

Sun

9°C

8°C

10°C

14°C

17°C

14°C

4 m/s W

5m/s SW

5 m/s SW

6 m/s NW

3 m/s SW

6 m/s W

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

EAST

WEST Fri

Sat

Sun

Fri

Sat

Sun

15°C

15°C

15°C

16°C

17°C

16°C

5 m/s W

4 m/s SW

7 m/s W

5 m/s NW

5 m/s SW

7 m/s W

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

SOUTHWEST

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

SOUTHEAST

Fri

Sat

Sun

Fri

Sat

Sun

14°C

16°C

15°C

15°C

17°C

15°C

6 m/s NW

6 m/s SW

6 m/s W

4 m/s SW

5 m/s W

5 m/s SW

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

FRI

SAT

SUN

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 10 June 17 24 July June2017 2017 2017

BUSINESS OF FARMING 71 Pig market: week commencing 10/07/2017

Market digest | Stories from around the world

Prices reported to IFA

US pork exports continue to perform strongly this year, with shipments in May increasing 11% year-on-year to more than 220,000t. This is the fourth highest volume of pork exports recorded in a single month by the US.

2211

Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rapeseed harvest for its 2017/18 season could fall by more than a quarter to just over 3m tonnes according to the Australian Oilseeds Federation, which says the combination of drought and the poorer quality of seeds planted this season have affected production.

Compiled by Lorcan Allen

According to Associated British Foods (ABF), the area planted in the UK in sugar beet for the 2017-18 season has soared by close to a third (33%) to more than 120,000ha. This rate of increase is above the EU average (15%) for increased sugar beet acreages.

The USDA has forecast an 8% decline in Brazilian soya bean production to 105m tonnes for the 2017/18 season. A decline was always likely from the record harvest of 114m tonnes enjoyed by farmers last year thanks to near-perfect growing and harvesting conditions.

Comment: Chair of the IFA pigs committee Tom Hogan said WKHUH ZDV QR RIo FLDO FKDQJH LQ SLJ SULFHV IURP WKH PDLQ export plants for this week, but the 4c/kg increase given by the two main southern plants the previous week has spurred on all other buyers to increase their prices. Suppliers have UHSRUWHG XQRIo FLDO LQFUHDVHV RI EHWZHHQ F NJ DQG F NJ leaving the general run of pig prices ranging from â&#x201A;Ź1.72c/kg to â&#x201A;Ź1.74c/kg. It is reported that the Northern Ireland plants are very anxious for stock and prices up to â&#x201A;Ź1.78c/kg have been paid to secure extra stock to travel North. Last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NLOO ZDV MXVW RYHU IRU D IXOO o YH GD\ ZHHN :LWK WLJKW pig numbers and procurement managers who clearly want to KROG RQ WR HYHU\ SLJ IURP WKHLU VXSSOLHUV DOO DXJXU WR D VHW WOHG VXPPHU RI SRVLWLYH PDUJLQV IRU SLJ IDUPHUV IRU WKH o UVW time since 2014.

European pig prices: Week ending 01/07/2017 i NJ

1.667

Ireland N. Ireland N/A

Grain trends

Grain prices: Futures wheat price (MATIF) for December 2017 (â&#x201A;Ź/t), SPOT native wheat 2016 and 2017, SPOT barley 2017 and SPOT corn ex-port (â&#x201A;Ź/t)

ANDY DOYLE

220 200 Corn ex-port SPOT native wheat MATIF Dec 2017

180 160

SPOT native wheat 2016

SPOT native barley

140 120 100

J

F

M

A

M

J

and feed grains.

If the lower US maize area suffers a below-trend yield, this could signiďŹ cantly aďŹ&#x20AC;ect supply numbers. Add to this increasing fears about dryness problems in Australia and

J

A

S

O

N

parts of the EU and there is scope for a change in sentiment. But realism must still prevail against a background of over 500 Mt of stock levels.

US weather also affected soya bean prices and this also

360 330

2016

270

2015

240 2015

210

2017

180 J

F M A

M J

J

A

S

O

N D

150

J

F M A

M J

J

A

2016 S

O

N D

575 550 525 500 475 450 425 400 375 350 325 300 275

1.6

France

1.654

Netherlands

1.86 1.635

Denmark

spilled over into oilseed rape.

Native dry rape is currently around â&#x201A;Ź385/t. In the physical market a stronger euro has slowed price benefits. As a result, native prices are back, with limited spot wheat trading around $182/t and barley in the â&#x201A;Ź160 to â&#x201A;Ź164/t range.

November wheat has been trading at â&#x201A;Ź180 to â&#x201A;Ź185/t, depending on the day and the hour, with barley either side of â&#x201A;Ź168/t. May â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18 price oďŹ&#x20AC;ers only add â&#x201A;Ź3-â&#x201A;Ź5/t to November prices. Earlier this week Dairygold oďŹ&#x20AC;ered â&#x201A;Ź150/t for green wheat and â&#x201A;Ź137/t for barley while Glanbia oďŹ&#x20AC;ered â&#x201A;Ź148 for green wheat and â&#x201A;Ź135/t for green barley for harvest.

Pig Slaughterings Week ending 08/07/2017 05/07/2016

Pigs 59582 60756

Sows 1802 1776

Total Cumulative 61384 1,688,833 62532 1,704,753

Potatoes: 11/07/2017 ([ )DUP SRWDWR SULFHV UHSRUWHG WR ,)$ Low Rooster box â&#x201A;Ź320 Rooster 10kg â&#x201A;Ź3.50 Kerrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pinks 10kg â&#x201A;Ź3.20 1HZ VHDVRQ TXHHQV NJ ø

High â&#x201A;Ź360 â&#x201A;Ź4.00 â&#x201A;Ź3.60 ø

Average â&#x201A;Ź340 â&#x201A;Ź3.75 â&#x201A;Ź3.30 ø

Comment: Queens are now widely available and of excellent TXDOLW\ ZLWK DOPRVW DOO UHWDLOHUV VWRFNLQJ QHZ VHDVRQ ,ULVK TXHHQV $ JRRG FOHDUDQFH RI HDUOLHV LQ :H[IRUG LV HYLGHQW DQG VRPH JURZHUV DUH QHDU FRPSOHWLRQ 7RS TXDOLW\ ZDVKLQJ samples old season roosters are getting very hard to source, with clearance still ahead of last season and the peeling trade moving steady.

Soya bean meal

(â&#x201A;Ź/tonne) Est forward price for Aug/Oct: â&#x201A;Ź193/tonne

300 2017

D

Distillers

(â&#x201A;Ź/tonne) Est forward price for Aug/Oct: â&#x201A;Ź230/tonne

1.601

Germany

240

Beet pulp

320 300 280 260 240 220 200 180 160 140 120

1.823

Belgium

Currency and funds halt recent price rise

International grain markets continued to strengthen over the past week but futures market have levelled off in response to proďŹ t taking by funds. But the weather concerns that drove the upwards price movement in quality milling wheat in recent weeks have not gone away.

Now there is additional concern that heat and dryness could aďŹ&#x20AC;ect maize and soya bean production in the US Midwest. If this happens it would be a game-changer on price sentiment. If this does not materialise, there is a need for caution to differentiate price expectations for quality

N/A

Britain

(â&#x201A;Ź/tonne) Est forward price for Aug/Oct: â&#x201A;Ź350/tonne

2016 2017 2015 J

F M A

M J

J

A

S

O

N D

FARMERS JOURNAL Scot

11 Livestock

Scottish ďŹ&#x201A;ock with NZ genetics Brogan Farm has embraced New Zealand genetics and rotational grazing as they move towards an outdoor ODPELQJ p RFN

land SUBSCRIBE Quality farms ďŹ&#x201A;ood the TODAY! marke

HELPING YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FARM Subscribe at www.farmersjournal.co.uk/subs or call us: Aberdeen Ĺ° Glasgow 014-13011044

20% rise in farms for sale from Caithness to Kelso

ODILE EVANS

NEWS CORRESPONDENT RHYDQV#IDUPHUVMRXUQDO FR XN

Approximately 20% more good-quality farms have become availabl e this year and are commanding prices of up to ÂŁ15,000/acre. Issues such as succession and farm incomes are driving the sale of farms in excess of 600 acres. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the lag of 2014/201 5 farm accounts that has brought these farms to the markets,â&#x20AC;? said Ian Hope, agricultu erty specialist from Galbraith ral propGroup. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not convinced Brexit is a factor, as there is not enough informa tion available yet for it to inďŹ&#x201A;uence sale of land.â&#x20AC;?

Hope is convinced this is part of a cycle. Until recently, 200ac to 400ac parcels were sold when they became unsustainable, and now this is hitt ing larger farms.

Typically they are being sold in lots and bought by neighbouring farms. Such is the demand for land that prices are staying buoyant hittin ÂŁ /

8 July 2017 Vol 1 No 6 | ÂŁ3.10

t

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday 10 17 15 381June July 2017 Saturday 28 24 January

72 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Irish management notes

Beef

Adam Woods awoods@farmersjournal.ie

ÊAUTUMN BULLS: Getting the housing weight right is critical in under-16-month bull producing systems and with many farmers considering housing autumn-born bulls over the next few weeks, housing at the right weight is very important in avoiding overweight carcases. The advice here is to consult with your processor as to the age and weight of the animals that will be coming fit and likely time of slaughter. While most factories are not currently penalising for overweight carcases, you should still endeavour to have an average carcase weight of under 420kg. A bull with a carcase weight of 420kg at a killout of 58%, will weigh about 700-720kg liveweight at slaughter. Factoring in an average weight gain of 1.5-1.8 kg/day, bulls need to be housed at 500-560kg liveweight. To maintain high levels of performance, concentrates should be given at grass up to about 5kg/day in one to two feeds prior to housing. This will ensure that there is no checking the bulls’ weight gain. The increase to ad-lib meal feeding levels can then take place indoors over a two-week period. Once indoors avoid stressing bulls too much by moving them often, and never mix bulls that haven’t been together in pens. When feeding bulls at grass, think safety at all times. Ê REDWATER: With more humid weather conditions, farmers with cattle grazing on rougher, older pastures should be on the lookout for the signs of redwater in cattle. Redwater is commonly transmitted by ticks, which can thrive in areas where there are heavy covers of old grass or dead grass building up. The disease is spread once the tick bites the animal. The tell-tale characteristic sign that cattle are infected is a red colour in the animal’s urine, which is often frothy. The darker the colour, the more severe the infection.

Cattle tend to go off their feed with severe cases, or try to eat soil as they will be low in iron. Mature cattle reared on land where ticks are present generally develop immunity, but youngstock or bought-in cattle will be at risk. Treatment will require veterinary assistance and in some cases a blood transfusion. Herd cattle daily and make sure you put them up and see them eating normally. Ê DAIRY DATE: The Irish Farmers Journal newly-established, mixed-grazing beef and sheep demonstration farm will open its gates for its first national open day on Tuesday 25 July. The farm is located just outside Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Farm tours will take place from 1pm until 7pm every half hour. It’s good to see the farm at the beginning of the project, and topics like soil fertility, fencing, grassland management, breeding and health will be covered. Trade stands from companies who have supplied products to the farm will also be there. Live demonstrations will take place in a seated arena in the yard area, from 4pm until 7pm. Topics covered here will include a calving-the-cow demo, easy to cook beef and lamb cuts demo, succession and tax planning demo, dairy calf to beef demo and sheep breeding demo.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Sheep

Darren Carty dcarty@farmersjournal.ie

ÊWORM CONTROL: This week’s sheep feature on the sheep welfare scheme on page 40, touches on the measure of parasite control and using faecal egg counts to determine the need for worm treatment. Product selection and correct administration is also a critical component of efficient worm control, with significant resistance identified to white, yellow and clear drenches in the sheep technology adoption programme. Benzimidazoles, or white drenches, were the worst offenders followed by levamisoles (yellow drench) and macrocyclic lactones (white drench), with some farms recording resistance to all three. Where there is doubt that resistance is an issue, then it is advisable to get a faecal egg count reduc-

Dairy

Arable

Aidan Brennan

Andy Doyle

abrennan@farmersjournal.ie

adoyle@farmersjournal.ie

ÊFEED: Now is a good time to do a feed budget for winter.

Calculate how much silage you have in stock and work out expected yields from second-cut silage (usually around 3t DM/ha). To measure silage in a pit, get the average height and multiply by the length and breadth in metres. Divide by 1.3 to convert to tonnes and then multiply by the dry matter of the silage to get tonnes dry matter. A dry cow will eat between 10kg and 12kg of dry matter per day. Youngstock will eat about 2% of their liveweight per day. Deduct meals fed when budgeting how much silage you need. If you think you will be short, now is the time to take action. On page 54, Ciarán Lenehan looks at the options regarding buying corn or wholecrop from tillage farmers. With grain prices low, tillage farmers will be looking for alternative options.

I heard of one farmer recently who has done a deal with a tillage farmer to out-winter some of his cows on fodder crops. The dairy farmer is short of housing and the tillage farmer is getting GLAS payments for planting the fodder crop anyway so it is a win-win. If you want to stick with silage, there is still time to do a deal for standing crops, but at this stage in the year quality will be poor. Don’t presume any silage will do dry cows – silage below 65% DMD won’t put on much body condition.

ÊHARVEST BEGINS: At one point, it looked like winter barley harvest would start 10 days early, but cooler weather intervened. It still kicked off at least five days earlier than normal, in the middle of last week.

Early reports are reasonable, with a good amount cut at this point. Much of this is six-row types, or mixes of twoand six-rows. Most yield reports lie between 3.7 and 4.3 t/ acre at both sides of 20% moisture. Quality seems good too, with reports between 63 and 68 KPH. Undoubtedly, there is an occasional poorer crop about.

Harvesting may begin in many other areas later this week, when the weather picks up. While many areas might not expect to start until next week, there are concerns in some areas that grain fill is not what it might have been and that crops have come in much quicker than was expected.

Prices are trending upwards slightly and many merchants have been offering either side of €140/t for green winter barley. Demand for straw appears to be solid, with growers expecting between €15 and €17 per 4x4 round bale.

Ear blight has become more obvious in many crops, but generally at low and hopefully insignificant levels. Wheat crops appear to be going off-colour quite early. Whiteheads have become more evident in crops over the past two weeks.

ÊBREEDING: I’m hearing lots of reports of cows breaking down or losing embryos six to nine weeks after last being served. It happens, and it is worrying and disappointing.

In some cases, cows probably had silent heats and were just missed, but some cows will definitely have lost embryos.

The normal rate of embryo loss is around 5 %to 10%, so below this is not something to be overly worried about.

Things to watch out for are other signs of a disease outbreak such as IBR or BVD. Nutrition is another factor but if cows are in good body condition score then it shouldn’t be the cause of embryo mortality. There is no link to high nitrogen in the grass and higher embryo loss. If worried about the impact of it in your herd, count up how many cows were served in the first service and how many repeated. Achieving a 60% conception rate to first is very good performance.

Many non-return rates were over 70% so some level of embryo loss is to be expected.

ÊWEEDS: Many clean crops have come to look quite dirty in recent weeks, as grassweeds, poppy and cleavers grow over the top. Take a mental note of these areas for extra cultivation post harvest and additional vigilance next year.

Rotation is a key tool for grass weed control because it provides different planting seasons and different chemical tools. Cultural control must be part of the strategy to control weeds. Stubble cultivation helps encourage more weeds to grow prior to crop establishment, thus decreasing weedseed number in the soil.

ÊMOOREPARK: One of the main attractions at the Moorepark Open Day last week was the infrastructure area. With expansion in cow numbers and new conversions happening, a lot of money continues to be spent on dairy farms. The key pieces of infrastructure are roadways, water and fencing. Next comes milking and then housing. On milking, how many units can one person handle was dealt with on one of the boards. Where there is full teat preparation (washing, stripping and drying), then one person can handle 14 units without ACRs. One person can handle 22 units with no preparation while one person can handle 26 units with no preparation but with ACRs. Copies of the open day booklet are available by emailing MKReception.

UM@teagasc.ie or phoning Moorepark on 025-42458. tion test completed. This consists of collecting a faecal sample, treating lambs and carrying out another faecal sample seven days later for levamisole products, and 14 days later for benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones. An egg count reduction of less than 95% conveys resistance could be an issue.

Appropriate selection of products can reduce the rate of resistance developing. Treatments should be alternated between products with a different active ingredient. Where resistance is an issue, then there may be no choice but to use one of the new wormers, Zolvix or Startect, which are prescription-only medicines. These products are also recommended for quarantine treatment to reduce the risk of importing resistant worms onto the farm, where purchasing sheep. Care should be taken to accurately treat animals for their weight and where a dosing gun is used, to ensure the gun is calibrated and delivering the correct amount. ÊSELECTING REPLACEMENTS: Where replacements are retained from within the flock, selection should take place before significant drafting has taken place to prevent the poorest performing sheep from being retained. It is advisable to provisionally select a higher number than is required, as this will allow further selection at a future date and drafting of

ÊWHOLE CROP: There is good interest in whole crop and crimping as sources of feed at farm level. The windows to take these options are relatively tight, so you need to have customers lined up and ready to go.

Valuing immature crops is always difficult and it must relate in some way to the 20% or dry product. Harvesting immature crops is likely to remove much more P and K than normal harvest and this should be reflected in price. If you clear fields early use the opportunity to help improve your land by planting catch crops and/or spreading organics. ÊCATCH CROPS: Many growers have already experienced the many benefits of catch crops on owned land. There is terrific opportunity to do this following winter barley straw removal, but you must use species that are neutral to rotation. Consider one or two shallow cultivations before planting to reduce weed and volunteer levels.

If you plan on grazing, you should seriously consider only half grazing the crop. This leaves vegetation to regrow and incorporate, as well as the animal manure. This protects the soil and adds more soil organic matter. animals that have not performed as anticipated. Where animals will continue to be run with the main flock of lambs, it is important to use permanent identification, for example tagging. ÊGRASS MEASURING GRANT AID: The latest trance of TAMS II now includes grant aid for grass measuring equipment. The reference cost is €950/unit. The reference cost explanatory notes state that this cost includes the system hardware and the plate/pole. It also states that the applicant must have a compatible smart device when purchasing the equipment.

The minimum investment remains at €2,000 excluding VAT, so if a farmer wishes to apply for grant aid it will need to be teamed up with another investment. Sheep fencing is €5.34/m for lowland fencing and €8.01/m for mountain fencing. A fixed sheep handling unit is €73.20/m2, while a fixed unit with a dipping tub is €99.50/m2. A portable race is €881.96 for a basic unit. A portable unit with wheels costs €3,186.54, while associated penning is €27.93/m. Other relevant equipment is €845.92 for a weighing scales, €654 for a batch footbath and €847 for a rollover crate, with all costs excluding VAT. The current tranche remains open until 6 October 2017.

Note that applicants must be submitted online.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 28 3 10 17 124 8 July June July June July June January 2017 2017 2017 2017 2017 2017

BUSINESS OF FARMING 73

On the Irish market Ringside comment

In the spotlight

Forward and short-keep cattle the best trade NATHAN TUFFY WESTERN LIVESTOCK SPECIALIST ntuffy@farmersjournal.ie

The past week has seen another strong trade for most types of cattle around the country.

In many cases, forward and short-keep cattle have been met with slightly improved demand, and as a result prices have edged up slightly. Mart managers have said that the trade overall has been steady to slightly improved, with numbers starting to increase again in some areas.

Where special sales have

taken place, prices are on par to slightly better than last year.

In terms of the weanling trade, exporters and farmers are keeping a solid floor under prices.

However, some mart managers have mooted that plainer types, in particular plain Friesians, have been a slower to sell in recent days where larger numbers are on oï¬&#x20AC;er.

In contrast, where good-quality Friesian stores are on oï¬&#x20AC;er, prices are steady.

The cull cow trade has improved due to a reduction in the numbers on offer, with fleshed types continuing to be a very strong trade.

This Limousin heifer born April 2016 and weighing 439kg sold for â&#x201A;¬880 (â&#x201A;¬2.00/kg) at Nenagh Mart.

The marts

At a glance: Average price paid week ending 11/07/2017 550 1133 583

:HLJKW ø KHDG ø RYHU NJ :HHNO\ GLII <HDUO\ GLII

Accurate mart prices, only in the Irish Farmers Journal

T T

:HLJKW ø KHDG ø RYHU NJ :HHNO\ GLII <HDUO\ GLII

450

581 5 8

S S

350

480

8

:HLJKW ø KHDG ø RYHU NJ :HHNO\ GLII <HDUO\ GLII

T S

Steers

Heifers

Weanlings

7KHUH KDYH EHHQ PRUH o QLVK HUV FRPLQJ WR PDUWV LQ VHDUFK RI p HVKHG DQG VKRUW NHHS FDWWOH DIWHU o QLVKLQJ VRPH RI ZKDW WKH\ KDG LQ VWRFN 7KLV KDV UHVXOWHG LQ D VOLJKWO\ LPSURYHG WUDGH IRU DOO VWRUH FDWWOH ERWK SODLQ W\SHV DQG EHWWHU TXDOLW\ W\SHV 7KH DYHUDJH 5 JUDGH NJ EXOORFN LV PDNLQJ ø KHDG ZLWK EHWWHU TXDOLW\ W\SHV PDNLQJ FORVH WR ø 6WRUH EXOORFNV RYHU NJ KDYH EHHQ D JRRG WUDGH DOVR ZLWK SULFHV UDQJLQJ IURP ø WR ø KHDG /LJKWHU VWRUHV KDYH EHHQ VWHDG\ ZKHUH WKH TXDOLW\ RQ RIIHU LV JRRG

7KH KHLIHU WUDGH KDV PLUURUHG WKH EXOORFN WUDGH LQ WKH ODVW ZHHN 7KH EHVW GHPDQG FRQWLQXHV WR EH IRU 5 JUDGH KHDY\ KHLIHUV DQG EHWWHU +RZHYHU WKH QXPEHU RI WKHVH RQ RIIHU UHPDLQV WLJKW LQ PRVW DUHDV UHVXOWLQJ LQ D VOLJKW SULFH LPSURYH PHQW RI ø WR ø KHDG 7KH DYHU DJH NJ KHLIHU LV PDNLQJ ø 3ODLQHU W\SHV DUH PDNLQJ IURP ø KHDG XSZDUGV EXW WKHVH DUH PDLQO\ SODLQ GDLU\ FURVVHV 6WRUHV IURP NJ WR NJ DUH VHOOLQJ PDLQO\ IURP ø WR ø KHDG 3ULFHV DUH XS E\ DERXW ø KHDG LQ VRPH DUHDV LQ UHFHQW GD\V

7KH ZHDQOLQJ WUDGH LV o UP EDFNHG E\ H[SRUWHU DQG IDUPHU GHPDQG 6SHFLDO VDOHV RI IRUZDUG DQG KHDY\ EXOOV RYHU NJ KDYH VHHQ SULFHV UDQJH PDLQO\ IURP ø NJ WR ø NJ %XOOV IURP NJ WR NJ DUH EHLQJ ERXJKW PRVWO\ E\ IDUPHUV ZLWK H[SRUWHUV EX\ LQJ DW WKH ERWWRP HQG RI ZHLJKWV DQG XQGHU NJ ([SRUW DFWLYLW\ IRU KHLIHUV LV KHOSLQJ SULFHV ZLWK WKH DYHUDJH NJ KHLIHU PDNLQJ ø KHDG +HLIHUV IURP NJ WR NJ DUH VHOOLQJ IURP ø NJ WR ø NJ ZLWK WRS TXDOLW\ W\SHV PDNLQJ RYHU ø NJ

YearlyComparison Steers

260

240

250

230

240

220

230

210

2017

2015 2016

220

200

210

190

200

Average price for 300-400kg weanling heifer (c/kg)

Average price for 300-400kg weanling bull (c/kg)

Average price for 400-500kg heifer (c/kg)

250

Weanling Heifers

Weanling Bulls

Heifers

Average price for 500-600kg steer (c/kg)

270

270

260

260

250

2015

240 2015

230 220

2017

210 2016

250 240

2016

200

220 210 200

190

190

190

170

180

180

180

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2015

230

2017

180

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2017

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2016

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday 17 15 81June July 2017 Saturday 28 24 January

74 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Irish beef trends

Factory bullocks: Under 30 months R Grade factory bullocks (cent/kg) DW incl VAT 480 460 440 420 400 380 360 340 320 300

Tighter numbers help price 2015

2016

J

F

M

A

DARREN CARTY

2014

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Factory cows

R Grade factory cows (cent/kg DW) incl VAT 410 390 370 350 330 310 290 270 250 230

2016

2015 2014

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Factory heifers: Under 30 months R Grade factory heifers (cent/kg) DW incl VAT 500 480 460 440 420 400 380 360 340 320 300

2015

2016

2014

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Export factory disposals

T

Cattle born on this date will be over 30 months old this week

with most moving at a base of €4.15/kg and small numbers trading at the higher end of the market on a base of €4.20/ kg.

Lower numbers Despite lower numbers of bulls on offer, agents are trying to keep a lid on price. This is leaving most bulls continuing to trade for €4.05/kg for R grades and €4.10/kg to €4.15/kg for U grades. Again, there are small numbers securing a higher base. Bulls less than 16 months old and trading on the grid are tradLivestock tool Latest mart and factory prices at \RXU À QJHUWLSV www.farmers journal.ie or our news app

Quality-based pricing grid for steers and heifers CUMULATIVE

03/07/2017

04/07/2016

03/07/2017

04/07/2016

3182 496 12623 7550 8224 39 32114

3838 705 10743 7813 7393 12 30504

112192 14266 305346 191244 239614 6136 868798

121446 15631 286261 171911 229736 3164 828149

YOUNG BULL BULL STEER COW HEIFER CALF TOTAL

14/01/15

he downward pressure on beef prices has largely blown over in the last week, with prices firmer if anything.

Sellers are being helped by tighter numbers, with last week’s kill falling 1,568 head to 32,114. The reduction in the kill was driven by heifer throughput falling 854 head to 8,224, while the seasonal reduction in bull throughput continues, with 594 fewer bulls killed. This has seen the bull kill fall from 4,563 to 3,182 in the space of just two weeks.

Steers are moving in the main at a base of €4.05/kg, with no reports of plants trying to purchase at a base of €4.00/kg. Sellers with greater negotiating power are also having more success of securing a base of €4.08/kg to €4.10/kg or allowances on transport costs. A similar situation is present for heifers,

Source: Department of Agriculture

2+ 3 44= 4+ 5

and Scottish exports.

This is leaving the equivalent base price at €4.29/kg to €4.31/ kg including VAT at 5.4%. Some plants are trying to take advantage in the break in trading to reduce the U-3 base quote back to £3.60/kg (€4.26/kg) but it is early days to tell if this will materialise, with very little trading being completed.

Numbers moving north and south for direct slaughter remain small, with just 166 cattle exported north last week which was balanced with 176 cattle coming south.

The fact that British beef prices continue to increase is helping the competitiveness of Irish beef exports.

R4L heifer prices are averaging £3.77/kg to £3.78/kg (€4.46/ kg to €4.48/kg), with AHDB reporting average R4L steer prices approaching £3.80/kg (€4.50/kg).

This is a 35p/kg to 40p/kg (41c/kg to 47c/kg) increase on the same period in 2016. Cows have stabilised at £2.70/kg to £2.80/kg (€3.20/kg to €3.32/ kg) for fleshed O grades while R grade young bulls average around £3.60/kg (€4.26/kg).

ing on a base of €4.05/kg to €4.10/kg.

The cow trade is solid. P+3 grading cows are selling from €3.20/kg to €3.35/kg, with prices varying depending on the plant purchasing and the number of animals on offer. Similarly, O grades are trading mainly in small numbers from €3.30/kg to €3.35/kg, but prices of €3.40/kg to €3.45/kg are being paid at the top of the market. R grades are selling from €3.45/kg to €3.50/kg and, as can be seen in the official price table, U grading cows are selling to a top of €3.70/ kg in cow specialist plants.

NI and British trade NI has two bank holidays this week, with plants closed Wednesday and some also closed on Thursday. Mart sales are also at a minimum. The majority of cattle required when plants reopen are already sourced at a U-3 base price of £3.62/kg to £3.64/kg.

Sterling moved to 89p to the euro on Wednesday, which is a move in the wrong direction in terms of Irish exports to the UK, but boosts both NI

Bonus structure for quality assurance payment

U+

U=

U-

R+

R=

R-

O+

O=

O-

P+

24 24 24 24 18 0

18 18 18 18 12 -6

12 12 12 12 6 -12

6 6 6 6 0 -18

BASE BASE BASE BASE -6 -24

BASE BASE BASE BASE -6 -24

-18 -12 -12 -12 -18 -36

-24 -18 -18 -24 -24 -42

-30 -24 -24 -30 -30 -48

-36 -30 -30 -36 -36 -54

R= and R- carcases grading fat class 2+,3 and 4- will be paid the base SULFH 7KH o JXUHV LQ WKH VXUURXQGLQJ FHOOV UHSUHVHQW WKH YDULRXV SUHPLXPV penalties paid across the range of conformation grades and fat scores. For example an R+3 carcase will be paid 6c/kg above the base price.

U+

U=

U-

R+

R=

R-

O+

O=

O-

P+

2+ 3 44= 4+ 5 Steers and heifers grading within the shaded area will be paid an extra 12c/ kg if they are quality-assured and under 30 months old at slaughter. Qualityassured cattle must be on the farms for at least 70 days before slaughter.

Animals over 30 months and not quality-assured will be deducted 12c/kg.

Irish sheep trends Weekly sheep slaughterings (head) 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0

Exports driving on prices

2016 2017

PETER VARLEY

2015

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Lambs and hoggets: Week ending 11/07/2017 c/kg

700 650 2015 Hoggets

600 2016 Hoggets

550 500

2017 Lambs 2016 Lambs

2017 Hoggets

2015 Lambs

450 400

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Lamb prices have bucked the seasonal downward trend this week, with factory agents scrambling for numbers.

Prices of €5.50/kg to €5.55/ kg were common, with prices of €5.58/kg to €5.60/kg paid to secure producer group lambs. A glut in supply has not materialised in the UK, which often happens in July.

This is helping to maintain the strong prices and export values.

Spring lambs in both the UK and Ireland have been marketed quicker and lighter than usual, with many farmers taking advantage of the strong prices.

This means supplies are just meeting demand week by

week, with no surplus available to dampen the trade. The supply/demand balance seems to be falling in farmers’ favour this week and is reflected in the factory quotes with the main contenders increasing base quotes.

Kepak are driving on lamb prices this week, with their quote of €5.45/kg excluding bonuses. This is a jump of 10c/ kg on last week’s returns.

Of the remaining export plants, Kildare Chilling increased its base to €5.40/kg followed by Irish Country Meats, which has increased its quote by 10c/kg to a base of €5.30/kg.

IFA national sheep chair John Lynskey said factories are having to pay substantially more than quoted prices to get num-

bers. Prices paid for cull ewes are also strong, with some farmers securing €3.00/kg to a weight limit of 40kg. Prices of €2.85/kg to €2.95/kg to 43kg are common.

In the North quotes remain unchanged at £4.30/kg (equiv. €5.07/kg including VAT) but 5p to 10p more is being paid.

Exports Improved exports could be one reason for the improved prices paid for lambs this year.

Irish lamb exports have increased significantly this year to both EU and non-EU markets.

Because supplies of lamb coming from New Zealand are tighter this year, both Ireland and Spain are enjoying great-

er access to non-EU markets.

According to an ADHB report, this year Ireland exported 445t of lamb to Hong Kong after having been negligible in the first four months of 2016.

Exports to Switzerland virtually doubled to 440t. Ireland has also started to export product to South Africa and Vietnam. Shipments to EU markets were also up by 12%, which contrasts with a 3% decline in Spanish shipments to EU markets.

Ireland increased its trade by 4% to its largest market, France, which accounted for almost one-third of its exports.

There was a 4% increase in shipments to the UK. Trade was up by almost 40% to its smaller volume markets of Sweden and Germany.

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 28 17 124 8 July July June July June January 2017 2017 2017 2017 2017 2017

BUSINESS OF FARMING 75

Northern Ireland Report

Cattle trade eases with shorter kill week they have already managed to secure sufficient numbers for Thursday and Friday from regular sellers, but at prices above the official quotes.

Factory quotes for U-3 grade cattle are 360p/kg, with 362p/ kg available on good-quality in-spec steers and heifers.

Farmers who are selling smaller numbers are finding it difficult to negotiate above base price this week.

Reports indicate that 2p/kg

KIERAN MAILEY NORTHERN DEPUTY EDITOR kmailey@farmersjournal.ie

Processors are working on a shorter kill week due to the bank holiday and they have used it to their advantage.

With factories requiring fewer cattle, they were quick off the mark to pull cattle quotes by 2p to 4p/kg.

Some buying agents indicate

NI beef base quotes: Week ending 15/07/207 (p/kg inc VAT) 0 E U R O P

+=+ = + = + = + = -

22= 2+ 3+=- 44= 4+ 360 362 364 366 364 360 356 358 360 362 364 362 358 354 356 358 360 362 360 356 352 354 356 358 360 358 354 350 352 354 356 358 356 352 348 350 352 354 356 354 350 346 348 350 352 354 352 348 344 342 344 346 348 346 342 338 336 338 340 342 340 336 332 330 332 334 336 334 330 326 324 326 328 330 328 324 320 318 320 322 324 322 318 314 312 314 316 318 316 312 308

2IoFLDO 3ULFHV 1, Week ending 08/07/2017 (p/kg ex VAT) Category

Steers

Heifers

Young bulls Cows

U2 U3 U4 R2 R3 R4 O2 O3 O4 P2 P3

370.1 372.4 367.3

369.9 372.3 368.6 366.5 369.1 364.4 353.3 357.7 361.2

363.5 367.2

368.4 365.5 355.9 356.2

359.8 361.3

301 302.6 268.7 282.4 286.3 247.8 264.5

336 342.7

Note: EU deadweight price reporting – the prices in this table are around 3p/kg below the prices actually paid by NI factories, all of which trim carcases to the UK spec, removing brisket and bed fat before weighing.

The reported factory prices have been adjusted downwards by 1% to allow for the greater EU reference weight of the carcase.

2IoFLDO 3ULFHV %ULWDLQ Week ending 08/07/2017 (p/kg ex VAT) England/Wales Steers Heifers 377 376.3 375.6 374.9 376.2 379.7 362.3 368.6 368.6 325.7 329.2 331.4

380.5 378.6 378 374.9 375.6 375.9 358.9 368.7 364.9 323 330.4 341.9

Steers U3 U4L U4H R3 R4L R4H O+3 O+4L O+4H O-3 O-4L O-4H

Scotland Heifers

390.3 388.1 387.8 388.4 391.6 392.6 378.9 383.8 375.7 343.1 349.5 343.4

395.1 394.7 385.9 393.2 390.9 389.9 380.7 388.3 378.1 306.1 339.2 331

to 4p/kg is the best deal on offer. Some farmers are looking to hold off until next week in an effort to secure higher prices as finished cattle supplies are still relatively scarce.

Most cattle agents indicate that the bulk of their cattle supply is coming from larger finishers and they are doing deals well ahead of quoted prices to keep numbers coming forward.

Midpoint in the grazing season is a good time to monitor performance

Despite processors cutting quotes by 2p/kg last week, there was little change in the actual prices paid for cattle.

The average price paid for U3 steers was steady at 374.6p/kg, with U3 heifers averaging 374.5p/kg.

Young bulls averaged 361.6p/ kg.

The number of Irish cattle imported for slaughter last week increased by 30 head to 166 animals. Movement of

BETTER FARM NI >> P59

MartWatch: Prices in p/kg week ending 11/07/2017

Mart comment

Mart prices for various weight categories and difference in p/kg on last week

STEERS

HEIFERS

WEANLING BULLS

WEANLING HEIFERS 200-300kg

400-500kg

400-500kg

200-300kg

Top1/3 223 16

Top1/3 210 -4

Top1/3

AvgBot1/3 196 159 18 16

500-600kg

Top1/3 204 -17

AvgBot1/3 174 140 -18 -25

600kg plus Top1/3 213 -6

AvgBot1/3 189 159 -5 -6

AvgBot1/3 142 62 -48 -105

-

AvgBot1/3 125 74 -71 -100

Top1/3

-

600kg plus

400kg +

Top1/3 159 -55

Top1/3

AvgBot1/3 130 100 -63 -61

AvgBot1/3

-

-

-

300-400kg

AvgBot1/3

-

Top1/3

-

300-400kg

500-600kg Top1/3 181 -35

AvgBot1/3

-

Top1/3

-

AvgBot1/3

-

-

-

400kg + AvgBot1/3

-

-

slaughter cattle in the opposite direction also increased to 176 head, with 42 cattle exported to Britain for slaughter, little change on the previous two weeks.

The cow trade remains robust even though there is a good flow of finished animals coming on to the market at present. Quotes range from 265p to 275p/kg for O+3 animals, with R grade cows on 280p/kg.

Top1/3

-

AvgBot1/3

-

-

-

The Marts: The tables are based on data from: Ballymena, Clogher, Dungannon, Kilrea, Markethill, Omagh, Rathfriland and Enniskillen marts.

Slaughterings of sheep and cattle in Northern Ireland Week ending Cumulative 01/02/17 02/07/16 2017 Prime cattle * 5,662 5,692 166,905 Cows 2,035 1,889 46,467 Sheep & Lambs 10,208 10,597 170,264 Ewes and rams 460 384 12,336 (prime cattle includes steers, heifers and young bulls) Imports and exports of cattle for direct slaughter Week ending Cumulative 08/02/17 09/07/16 2017 From GB 104 136 3659 To GB 42 51 844 From ROI 166 32 6,326 To ROI 176 261 3,955 Imports and exports of sheep for direct slaughter Week ending Cumulative 08/02/17 09/07/16 2017 From GB 0 0 637 To GB 0 0 0 From ROI 0 0 0 To ROI 8,379 6,620 179,933 Figures are subject to change

2016 163,084 43,967 157,461 12,247

Difference 2% 6% 8% 1%

2016 2,067 3,212 7,520 7,673

Difference 77% -74% -16% -48%

2016 875 195 0 178,316

Difference -27% -100% 1%

Steady trade for quality at Ballymena Last Friday’s sale at Ballymena Mart saw 200 calves on offer.

The trade was strong, with top-quality runner types making up to £450 for a 12-weekold Limousin bull. Friesian bull calves made from £130 to £180 depending on age and quality.

Dairy stock sold from £1,060 to £1,850, with prices averaging around £1,600. There were 54 entries in the suckler ring, with prices topping out at £2,000 and most cows making from £1,300 to £1,500.

Bulls under 250kg made from £2.16/kg to £2.54/kg. Bulls from 250kg to 300kg sold from £2.22/kg for a Shorthorn to £2.74/kg for a top-quality 270kg Limousin. Prices averaged around £2.50/kg to £2.60/kg.

Those from 300kg to 350kg sold from £2.19/kg to £3.03/ kg for a 320kg Charolais.

Heifers from 250kg to 300kg sold mainly from £2.14/kg to £2.46/kg at the top of the market. Those from 300kg to 350kg sold mainly from £2.19/kg to £2.62/kg for a top-quality 320kg Charolais.

– NATHAN TUFFY

SHEEP COMMENT See page

North price trends at a glance Source DARD Cows: Deadweight prices (p/kg)

Steers: Deadweight prices (p/kg) 390 380 370 360 350 340 330 320 310 300 290 280 270

2017 2016

2015

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

290 280 270 260 250 240 230 220 210 200 190 180 170

Finished pigs: Deadweight price (p/kg)

Finished sheep: Deadweight price (p/kg) 160

500 2017

2017

150

450 2017

140

400 2016

2015

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

350 300 250

130

2016

120 2015

110 100

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2015 2016 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday 10 17 15 381June July 2017 Saturday 28 January

76 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Camera at the mart Caledonian Mart, Stirling, Tuesday 11 July

These 20 Suffolk lambs, weighing on average 42.8kg, sold for ÂŁ91.

These seven Suffolk lambs, weighing on average 43kg, sold for ÂŁ93.

These 12 Texel lambs, weighing on average 44kg, sold for ÂŁ99.

These 17 Texel lambs, weighing on average 42kg, sold for ÂŁ95.

These seven Texel lambs, weighing on average 42.1kg, sold for ÂŁ91.

These four Texel lambs, weighing on average 41.5kg, sold for ÂŁ91.

These three Texel lambs, weighing on average 40kg, sold for ÂŁ88.

These 21 Texel lambs, weighing on average 39kg, sold for ÂŁ81.

These 12 Texel-cross lambs, weighing on average 42kg, sold for ÂŁ91.

7KHVH oYH 7H[HO ODPEV ZHLJKLQJ RQ DYHUDJH 40.2kg, sold for ÂŁ88.

7KHVH oYH 7H[HO ODPEV ZHLJKLQJ RQ DYHUDJH 41.4kg, sold for ÂŁ89.

These seven Texel-cross lambs, weighing on average 40kg, sold for ÂŁ89.

Store cattle: week ending 11 July (ÂŁ/hd) and change on last week Continental steers

Ayr Tu Caithness Mo Castle Douglas Mo Dingwall We Dumfries Mo Forfar Sa Huntly Th Kirkwall We Lanark Th Lockerbie Fr Newton Stewart Fr Newtown St Boswells Th Stirling (caledonian) Mo Stirling (ua) We\Mo Thainstone Fr

Continental 10to 14-months

1034.42 956.16 1009.78 -46.42 900 -116.11 1061.36 1002.73 788.45 764.62 1116.26 185.55 1020.8 129.08 948.14 17.57 882.67 -53.04

Continental heifers 986.13 941.75 -39.92 1020 931.5 755 1022.05 185.93 840 -20.64

Continental 10- to 14-month heifers 895.42 897.78 859.17 700 883.45 104.01 811.67 4.45

Native steers 979.55 870.67 -86.12 1039.69 703.33 922.84 59.53 672.58 -222.98

Native 10- to 14-month steers 933.57 921.43 1.43 837 876.67 100.2 667.93 -240.4

Native heifers 829.5 804.29 100.72 980 310 965 760 878 159.71 586.36 -42.21

Native 10- to 14-month heifers 780 670 72.5 917.5 820 833.33 228.78 513.33 -106.67

Store cattle numbers 0 512 0 0 105 0 0 2 0 0 0 91 113 370 114

Store cattle price 1004.08 912.24 -34.56 1000 278.57 1032.69 768.76 -166.24 1023.38 170.46 786.01 -98.4

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 28 3 10 117 8 July June July June July January 2017 2017 2017 20172017

BUSINESS OF FARMING 77

Irish Mart report – Nenagh

Irish Mart report – Dowra

This Hereford heifer, born October 2015 and weighing 515kg sold for €1050 (€2.04/kg).

This Limousin bullock, born August 2016 and weighing 300kg sold for €760 (€

This Charolais heifer born November 2015 and weighing 420kg sold for €900 (€2.14/ kg).

This Limousin bull born June 2016 and weighing 410kg sold for €1,010 (€2.46/kg).

This pair of Friesian bullocks, born January 2015 and weighing 665kg on average sold for €1185 each (€1.78/kg).

These four Friesian bullocks, born March 2015 and weighing 542kg on average sold for €1065 each (€1.97/kg).

This Limousin cross heifer born November 2015 and weighing 410kg sold for €950 (€2.32/kg).

This Simmental cross heifer born June 2015 and weighing 420kg sold for €850 (€2.02/kg).

This Limousin heifer, born April 2016 and weighing 420kg sold for €1035 (€2.46/kg).

This Hereford heifer, born March 2015 and weighing 490kg sold for €940 (€1.92/kg).

This pair of Charolais cross bullocks born October 2016 and weighing 370kg sold for €810 (€2.19/kg).

This Limousin bull born August 2016 and weighing 425kg sold for €1,045 (€2.46/ kg).

Forward and short-keep cattle up Tuesday’s sale at Nenagh Mart saw a seasonal number of cattle on offer. Mart manager Michael Harty said the trade was strong and steady just like previous weeks.

He added that in the case of forward bullocks and heifers, the trade was slightly stronger, with more buyers active.

He said cattle have throve well so far this year, and as a result some finishers have brought cattle to the factories earlier than previous years; as grass supplies are strong, these farmers have come back to the marts once again

Quality stores meet strong demand

and are buying short-keep cattle with a view to killing them.

Forward cattle are up slightly as a result, with most bullocks over 600kg making from €1.90/kg for plainer types to €2.10/kg for goodquality Angus and Herefords. Michael said there was a share of good-quality Friesians on offer also, with better-quality types making up to €2.00/kg and average quality types making €1.90/kg upwards. Store cattle were a strong trade, with continentals making up to €650 along with the weight.

Saturday’s sale at Dowra Mart saw another good trade for all types. Being July, the cattle sale was small but sheep numbers are starting to rise again. Most cattle for sale were goodquality store types.

Bullocks over 500kg were only available in small numbers and prices ranged mainly from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg for average-quality types, while better quality R+ and U grade continentals bullocks sold from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg.

There were some plainer types and Friesian stores on offer and the trade for these was

quite firm, with prices ranging mainly from €1.70/kg to €1.90/kg. Stores from 400kg to 500kg sold from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for average-quality types, while R+ and U grades sold for over €2.50/kg.

There was a good entry of heifers and the quality was quite good.

Prices ranged mainly from €600 to €750 along with the weight for heavy types with most of those making over €1,200. Those from 400kg to 500kg were abundant and the trade for these was solid.

Store sheep: week ending 11 July 2017 (£/hd) and change on last week Numbers

Ayr Caithness Castle Douglas Dingwall Dumfries We Forfar Huntly Kirkwall Mo Lanark Lockerbie Newton Stewart Newtown St Boswells Mo Stirling (caledonian) Tu\Mo Stirling (ua) We Thainstone Fr

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 108

Store sheep average price - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37.75 -26.18

Continental & Suffolk - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59.18 -7.29

Halfbred & Mule - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cheviot - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-

Blackface -

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday Saturday Saturday Saturday 10 15 81June July 2017 Saturday 28 January

78 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Deadweight cattle Average Scottish deadweight price for steers

World cattle prices

R4L (ÂŁ/kg)

Week ending 04/07/2017

400

p/kg

2017 334

329

347

350

R3 Steer

R3 Young Bull

R3 Young Bull

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

NI

GB

Fr

Ger Italy Nld

Southern England Midland and Wales Northern England 4L

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

-U

374.4

374.6

379.7

375.5

374.1

377.1

390.3

388.1

R

373.1

374.7

376.9

372.2

372.9

379.1

388.4

391.6

O+

362.9

365.6

359.8

357.0

364.3

374.2

378.9

383.8

-O

325.0

330.3

320.6

319.8

330.5

333.7

343.1

349.5

Heifers

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

Steers

Heifers Young bulls

Cows

385.7 +2.7S

387.5 +2.5S

278.9 +0.3S

373.1 +4.5S

4L

3

-U

379.7

376.7

386.6

386.8

370.4

375.2

395.1

394.7

371.2

369.4

380.6

381.5

365.4

374.6

393.2

390.9

O+

354.4

360.4

367.6

366.9

350.8

375.3

380.7

388.3

-O

327.5

320.2

319.2

324.1

322.0

340.6

306.1

339.2

Young bulls

Scotland

Scotland

R

Southern England Midland and Wales Northern England

Pol AUS US

Scotland

3

Southern England Midland and Wales Northern England

325

312

Averages (p/kg)

UK deadweight reporting: Week end 04/07/2017 (p/kg) Steers

Dec

R3 Young Bull

R3 Steer

Scot Irl

R3 Steer

300 Jan

281

R3 Steer

325

291

Av. Steers

378

Steer

376

354

Steer

392

2016

R3 Young Bull

375

Northern England Steers

Northern Ireland (R grade)

Scotland

Steers

Heifers

Young bulls

Cows

360.8 -0.5T

363.3 +1.8S

355.3 +0.7S

268.3 -3.3T

Heifers Young bulls

366.6 +4.9S

366.1 +1.6S

347 +0.8S

Cows 260.2 +2.1S

Central and Wales

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

-U

365.5

360.0

375.5

376.5

364.2

361.9

380.5

382.9

Steers

Heifers Young bulls

Cows

R

366.6

363.8

365.6

362.5

354.3

356.3

377.6

377.6

O+

344.9

338.0

341.5

338.3

336.8

338.4

358.4

368.0

360.8 +2.5S

370.1 +5.9S

242.1 -8.6T

-O

331.3

-

312.4

308.8

302.4

-

316.7

-

Southern England Midland and Wales Northern England

Cows R

354.3 +3.7S

Southern England

Scotland

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

3

4L

311.4

307.6

303.8

301.2

298.3

297.3

303.7

302.4

O+

297.1

293.4

293.1

291.7

285.1

287.7

297.5

297.0

-O

282.3

281.9

276.5

276.7

274.4

277.9

284.6

282.3

P+

260.0

261.9

243.0

251.0

255.7

258.5

258.2

250.0

Steers 358.6 -0.4T

Heifers Young bulls 359.5 -2.1T

353.9 +1.4S

Cows 254.5 +2.3S

Prime cattle: week ending 11 July 2017 (p/kg) and change on last week Heifers

Steers Market Ayr Mo\Tu Caithness Castle Douglas Tu Dingwall We\Tu Dumfries We\Tu Forfar We Huntly We\Th Kirkwall Mo Lanark Mo Lockerbie Newton Stewart We Newtown St Boswells Mo Stirling (caledonian) Th\Tu Stirling (ua) Th Thainstone Th

Total cattle 12 0 0 14 11 33 0 20 33 0 0 57 77 10 57

370-550 kg 192 239 -

6.33 213.5 1.5 146.5 37 11.79 212 -23 -54.26 207 -9.75

551-650 kg 238 240 219.67 169.43 228.9 234.33 181.4 215.38

0.43 9 3.34 -57.57 8.81 5.04 -29.35 -2.7

>650 kg 216 144 210.89 160.1 206.37

0 28.5 -1.94 20.1 4.27

330-500 kg 232.67 108 235 215 145.32 237 168.4 206.9 -

-3.33 6 6 15.19 7 -39.85 -

501-590 kg 231.5 237.8 180.8 235.93 220.71 227.25 233.96 215.19 226.11

6.05 2.24 -44.2 -0.99 -9.29 27.03 8.53 -23.58 2.39

>590 kg 235 164 224.6 212 167.58 226.43 228.39 202.83

-7.33 -34 -6.73 -11.86 -20.26 -0.07 2.72 -2.58

Young bull numbers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 6 0 1

All young bulls 208 175.17 219

-7 -16.83 31.33

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 28 10 8 1 July July June January 2017 2017 20172017

BUSINESS OF FARMING 79

Liveweight sheep Average price for prime lamb

Average price for cull ewes New-season lamb

250 200

80 70

Old-season lamb

150

60

100 50 50 0

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

40

Jun

Jan

Feb

Mar

Numbers of prime lamb

Numbers of cull ewes

30000

8000

22500

May

Jun

6000

Old-season lamb

15000

4000 New-season lamb

7500 0

Apr

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

2000 0

Jun

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

World lamb prices: (p/kg) New Zealand 17.5 kg lamb (02 June)

365

Ireland lambs (28 May)

439

France butchers lamb (28 May)

575

US lambs LW (02 June)

317

UK price

461

Data provided by

British deadweight lamb price reporting (Old Season Lambs) Final SQQ: week ending 27 June, 2017 (12.0 - 21.5kg) 1 E U R O P

Num 4 14 202 125 3

p/kg 462.5 444.8 445.8 395.5 360.0

2 p/kg 476.7 471.4 461.7 443.7 330.7

Num 888 2819 7742 1601 7

Num 2166 9380 17100 1830 2

3L p/kg 476.2 470.1 460.3 446.9 350.0

Num 567 3182 5278 311

3H p/kg 460.2 459.4 453.3 442.8

Num 70 277 641 35

4L p/kg 439.4 438.8 439.0 437.0

Num 5 26 77 8

4H p/kg 438.0 421.0 416.0 413.8

Num 3 6 2

5 p/kg 378.3 385.0 375.0

Prime sheep: week ending 11 July 2017 (p/kg) and change on last week Ayr (Mon) Caithness Castle Douglas Dingwall Dumfries Forfar Huntly Kirkwall Lanark Lockerbie Newton Stewart Newtown St Boswells Stirling (caledonian) Stirling (ua) Thainstone

Hoggs 25.5-32kg

Hoggs 32.1-39kg

Hoggs 39.1-45kg

Hoggs 45.6-52kg

130 128 -

92.11 86.6 138.42 109.22

210.34 85.06 140.68 141.14 109.07

101.03 145 119.73 140.47 99.78

Average Average price price change 210.34 86.82 130.64 139.58 109.14

2.25 -22.12 -11.81 -11.15

Total old season lambs 0 0 0 10 0 5 37 18 0 0 0 0 0 88 53

Total ewes 950 0 198 15 368 6 344 27 431 0 120 344 435 690 0

Total ewes average price 69.93 58.92 67.2 76.14 65.83 69.42 61.56 79.15 74.33 77.33 63.12 70.66 -

Total ewes average change -14.02 -7.93 20.16 7.41 -10.74 2.69 11.76 4.67 3.79 8.29 2.26 8.72 -

FARMERS JOURNAL Saturday 15 July 2017

80 BUSINESS OF FARMING

Market view

£1=€1.13 €1= | £0.89

Short numbers keep cattle prices up BEEF John Sleigh

Cattle prices have moved little in the last week, as shortage of numbers is maintaining strong prices.

There seems to be a wide range of prices quoted by abattoirs. R 4L grade steers are making between £3.77/kg and £3.88/kg, with the same grade heifers in the same price range.

U grades are seen to get 10p more for heifers, with 5p more for steers.

There appears to be greater demand for bulls this week, with some making up to £3.83/kg for R grades if they are under weight limits, either 400kg or 420kg depending on abattoirs, but the average R grade 4L bull price quoted by AHDB is around

£3.77/kg. The kill for clean cattle has risen on the week. Steers are up 5.9%, heifers up 5.2% and bulls up 15.6% on the week.

Beef-sired cull cows are making around £1.40/kg in the live ring, with dairy-sired cows making £1.06/kg.

AHDB reports that some processors require animals which are not overly fat.

O-4L cows were priced at £2.44/kg in Scotland, 10p more than northern England. The UK killed 6,410 cows last week which is a rise of more than 13% week on week.

Last week saw 1,307 store cattle traded in Scotland. The average was

13% Week-on-week rise in UK's cow kill, to 6,410

£932/head, which is still a strong trade for store cattle as we head into the back end. Native heifers aged between 10 and 14 months averaged £756, up £108 on the week.

Elsewhere, according to AHDB, the German cattle herd is now under 12.4m head, this is a fall of over 1.5% down on 2016 levels. This is the third year running that numbers have fallen.

The smaller herd size follows from substantial dairy-cow cullings during 2016, due to low milk prices. The dairy herd dominates the German cattle sector, as dairy cows make up over 85% of the overall breeding herd.

Deadweight cattle in Scotland:

Store cattle in Scotland:

Week ending 08/07/17 (£/kg)

Week ending 11/07/17 (£/hd)

+4p R4L steers

+10p R4L heifers

+3 R4L young bulls

+4p

0+4L cows

-£10 Continental 10 to 14 month steers average

£3.92 £3.91 £3.77 £2.97 £921 Sheep in Scotland: Week ending 04/07/17 (£/kg)

-4p Liveweight newseason lamb

+1,571 Total number new season live sales

+£2

-179

Live ewes per head

Total ewe live sales

£2.10 8,076 £70

-£6 Native 10 to 14 month steer average

+£1 Continental 10 to 14 month heifer average

£847 £841

+£107 Native 10 to 14 month heifer average

£755

R3 Steer UK & Ireland: Week ending 11/07/17 (£/kg)

+2p S England

+3p

+3p N England

NI

+1p ROI

2,400 £3.73 £3.73 £3.76 £3.54

Scottish lamb trade up £8/head year-on-year SHEEP John Sleigh

Strong trade continues, as lambs are making £2.16/kg liveweight at Castle Douglas this week, with £2.09/kg the average up in Dingwall. This puts the national average for the last seven days at £2.11/kg, which is back 3p on the week – but still up yearon-year.

Deadweight prices are falling due to numbers coming onto the market.

This week, abattoirs are quoting around £4.50/kg for R grade lambs, which is still up £8 year-on-year.

Ewes are up £2 to £70 a head on

The weakness of the pound is helping to hold the market

average across Scotland. The weakness of the pound is helping to hold the market, plus any dip in demand after Ramadan will have levelled out.

Meanwhile, according to AHDB, Irish and Spanish shipments of lamb have risen by 20% from January to April this year, higher than the UK, which saw exports rise by 12%.

Non-EU markets have been the biggest growth area so far in 2017.

Irish exports more than tripled to 1,600t and Spanish shipments were up by a similar rate, to 3,500t. Mean-

while, the UK saw exports almost doubled from 1,760t, led by a 100% increase in trade to Hong Kong, to 1,075t. Trade with non-EU countries mainly consists of frozen cuts and chilled carcases.

This growth could continue to climb as the weak pound has an effect. The reports of shortages in production of sheepmeat from New Zealand and Australia will have a significant effect on the world market. This will have an effect on Spain, Ireland and the UK.

Arla votes on exit penalties ODILE EVANS NEWS CORRESPONDENT oevans@farmersjournal.co.uk

Next Thursday 20 July, UK Arla Farmers Cooperative Ltd’s 104 elected farming representatives will vote on a proposal to introduce a compulsory 12-month notice period for producers who decide they want to sell their milk to another processor.

Currently, farmers can pay a phased penalty depending on how long they continue to supply over a 12-month notice period once they have given notice that they are changing milkbuyer.

NFUS vice-president Gary Mitchell is concerned that while Arla may be one of the best supporters of the voluntary code of conduct, farmers need to be able to get out quicker if the processor is not paying as well as its competitors.

Scaremongering Separately, Arla chief executive Peter Turborgh’s comments to the BBC about a possible butter and cream shortage by Christmas hit the headlines last week. The NFU described Arla’s claims as “scare mongering”.

“What we need to see is a better market-signalling system between processors and farmers, rather than these headlines,” NFU chief dairy advisor Sian Davies told Farmers Journal Scotland.

“Retailers are monitoring the markets just as closely as we are, and they will not increase prices just because a processor has made these claims.

The question is: why is there such a gap between the wholesale prices for cream and butter, compared to farmgate prices?”

Muller Muller announced a 1.5p/l increase in milk price, effective from 1 August last week. However, Gary Mitchell expressed frustration over the processor’s decision to give farmers 30 days’ notice of the price increase.

“Scottish farmers need to challenge Muller; there is no reason why they can’t put the price up in July,” he said.

“The voluntary code of practice only requires a 30-day notice period if there is a price decrease.”

Muller told Farmers Journal Scotland that they give their suppliers “a month’s notice of a price change, either up or down”.

“This is so that farmers can adjust to market movements. This compares very well to some other processors including farmer-owned co-operatives who choose to ignore this part of the voluntary code,” the company explained.