Issue 58 by farmingscotland.com

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight â&#x20AC;˘ October 2009

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Highland Cattle Scoiety 178 Pedigree Highland Bulls, Cows, Heifers and Steers (held under the auspices of the Highland Cattle Society) Sunday 11th Oct 2009 – Show 9.30 Monday 12th Oct 2009 – Sale 10.00

within Oban Livestock Centre, Oban, Argyll

for further info contact Caledonian Marts (Stirling) Ltd 01786 450922 or 01631 570631 Highland Cattle Society 01786 446866 www.highlandcattlesociety.com

October 19th 2009 – Stirling Bull Sales October 24th 2009 – Thirsk October 31st 2009 – Worcester Market – Dispersal of Gorse herd November 7th 2009 Chelford Agricultural Centre,

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CONTENTS

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

farmingscotland Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

I Eilidh MacPherson

farmingscotland is written, edited and designed in Scotland. This publication reports industry wide over the whole of Scotland and N of England and is distributed free for farmers and crofters to abattoirs, livestock markets, farm supplies and SERID offices from the Borders to the Butt of Lewis, from Stranraer to the Shetland Isles and Clitheroe to Cumbria. EDITOR: Eilidh MacPherson Marbrack, Carsphairn, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway Tel: Mobile: 0797 7897867 editor@farmingscotland.com www.farmingscotland.com PUBLISHER - Eilidh MacPherson

’m delighted to announce that farmingscotland.com is moving premises straight after this issue is e-mailed to the printers. My husband, Richard and I been looking at every opportunity possible to get a foot on the farming ladder for the past few years. We finally had a breakthrough this summer and take over Marbrack, a 2000acre hill property in Kirkcudbright on October the first. Having both been reared on hill farms, Richard at Crawfordjohn and me on Skye, it will be home from home. We’re looking forward to the challenge. Been an entertaining month, always fancied photographing models and love the America’s/ UK’s Next Top Model programmes – more the photoshoots than anything. Not quite the catwalk, but we had a lot of fun with the first clothing feature.

It reminded me of when I was 16 and ran my own pony trekking venture in the school holidays. I was approached by Italian Vogue to have some of the ponies in the background. A friend and I had to ride 4 miles in horizontal rain to the covered yards where they were shooting the collection. It was exciting and interesting to see, even though we were soaked through and cold. The £100 each, was a great bonus! This issue we highlight the men’s range from Hoggs of Fife, some items from Puffa and new designer wellies with a heel from Wedge Welly. There will be more in the next issue!! On a more serious note I have been doing some real work as well and the usual cramming at the last minute. I interviewed a couple of very successful livestock farmers from Elavanfoot, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.

Animal Health

6 9

Beef

Pigs

11 12 13

Sheep

Events

Agriscot Winterfair

4WD

Discovery 4

20 21

Nuffield Scholar Pete Grewar

World Markets

Education

Norman Borlaug

24 28

Rural Retail Winter Warmers

Cover - Pigs by Linda MacDonald-Brown Text and photography by Eilidh MacPherson unless otherwise stated Page 10 - Linda MacDonald-Brown Page 16 - words and pictures – Agriscot Page 20 - words & pictures Andrew Arbuckle Page 22 - words & pics – Hugh Stringleman Page 27 - Iain Fergus, Dark Flare Design

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

ANIMAL HEALTH

Mystery Calf Disease

SAC

vets are seeking help with their investigations into an unexplained upsurge of a little known, but fatal disease of young calves. The scientists at SAC, together with colleagues at the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency are currently trying to discover what lies behind ‘Bleeding Calf Syndrome’, which affects calves aged less than one month old. In order to learn more they are offering a free of charge post mortem service to farmers and their vets who have suspected cases. Up to the end of August there were more than 25 confirmed cases from 18 farms in Scotland, with nearly 90% of these being seen in traditional beef suckler herds. Cases have been seen in the south-east and south-west of the country as well as in Fife, Perthshire and around Inverness and Aberdeen. In England and Wales a similar number of cases have been identified but these have been almost exclusively in dairy herds. Again there has been a wide geographical spread. Affected calves can have a persistent fever with bleeding from the nose, gums, ear-tag holes and

injection sites. There may even be intestinal bleeding with calves passing dark, tarry dung. What causes this bleeding syndrome is unknown but poisoning, genetic abnormality and even drug reactions are being considered. Most calves were growing well before showing clinical signs, with no history of previous problems. However the limited studies carried out so far suggest that they were abnormal from birth. While some calves involved can recover many succumb and some die suddenly, before bleeding is seen.. In order to help their investigations SAC are carrying out free-of-charge post mortem examinations of calves under one month of age that show unexplained bleeding SAC is also keen to receive blood samples from suspected live clinical cases and again the analysis would be carried out free-of-charge. The advice to all stock-keepers is to be vigilant during the approaching autumn and spring calving periods and to investigate any cases of unexplained bleeding or sudden deaths in calves aged less than one month old. They can contact their vet or their local Disease Surveillance Centre for more information.

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

BEEF

Pedigree Production on Hill Property

THE

LUING CATTLE SOCIETY

ANNUAL SALE OF PEDIGREE & COMMERCIAL LUING CATTLE Saturday 24th October United Auctions, Stirling Sale 12 noon

Luings - less action, more profit

All BVD Vaccinated Luing Cattle Society: 01250 873882 United Auctions: 01786 473055 Check out the new website: www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk

istorically, a Blue Grey cattle stronghold, Alastair MacArthur, the third generation to farm Nunnerie, Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire, since 1901, introduced Luing cattle in 1989. The first few females were bought at Oban from the MacNees of Woodend, Armadale, West Lothian and over the years the Blue Greys were gradually phased out. “Because Luings are bigger than Blue Greys there is the potential to sell heifers and bulls rather than just being commercial,” stated Alastair, who currently, jointly holds the record price for a Luing bull. Two years ago he sold to 14 000gns, breaking the breed record at the Castle Douglas annual sale. The bull’s father Harehead Davey Dee, a roan, cost Alastair 8000gns, from Dr Pennington’s herd, while the mother was a homebred cow. “It is unusual to have a roan bull and I reckon I’ve sold more roan bulls than anyone.” He also saw the Cadzows take a 3400gns sire home to Luing, that year, which was pleasing. An island bull is currently roaming the South Lanarkshire hills, as stock bull, Luing Hitch Hiker was bought a couple of years back. The two bulls pictured above right in driving rain, are also Davy Dee progeny and will be forward at the sale in February. About a dozen heifers are sold annually aged 22 months at the breeding sale in Castle Douglas in February. Last year was the exception as several cows were cast for age – pre 1996 and all heifers

were taken into the herd. “My main problem here is that the cattle all run together on the hill as there is limited in-bye ground. In the winter I feed silage simply to keep them off the hill ground and eating all the available grazing for the sheep.” Alasdair initially purchased some land at Symington about 10 years ago and has added on over the years. “Some of it had been quarried and has been put back into production. It is used as supplementary grazing and silage production.” Health wise the cattle are in the SAC Cattle Health Scheme and are tested for Johnnes and are BVD accredited. “BVD is compulsory for the Luing Society.” All heifers are inspected at the sales and bulls are checked out on farm on, their mothers, in November. “The fieldsmen classify the dam, which is possible on the scale of the Society. If the mother fails, then the calf cannot be sold as a bull, which is a great thing for the breed.” ‘We are also starting geno-typing, taking hair samples, to give more genetic potential information.” New Luing Society Manager – Johnny Mackey – who previously worked for QMS is making his mark with a vastly improved, state of the art website in operation. If you haven’t already done so, click onto www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk The next Luing Society sale is at Stirling on the 24th October. Alastair has no stock heading from Nunnerie to this sale, but will undoubtedly be attending himself to eye up what is on offer and catch up with other breeders, friends and competitors.

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FARM FACTS Farmer: Alastair & Ann MacArthur Farming: Nunnerie 1400 acres, owned + 100 acres owned at Symington Location: Nunnerie, Elvanfoot, South Lanarkshire and Symington, Biggar Cows:

50 Luing cows and followers

Sheep:

1500 Blackface ewes

Crops:

100 acres for silage

Labour: Alastair Self employed shepherds when required

utting the sheep numbers to a more manageable level for one man has been the route taken recently by prominent Blackface Sheep Breeder – Alastair MacArthur, Nunnerie. Following his full time shepherd going self employed and the fact that Nunnerie is included in the Clyde Wind Farm project, in-line to receive twenty-two windmills, which will occupy about a third of the ground, Alastair has reduced the pure Blackfaces by 200 and has stopped using a Bluefaced Leicester for crossing on 500 others. His flock now stands at 1500 Blackface ewes. “It is a lot less work, but I have certainly missed putting the cheque for 300 Mule ewe lambs into the bank account this year!” “I’m now working on my own, with the help of the ‘singing shepherd’, Iain Thompson – at lambing time.” The weather was dismal when we toured round the stock, a bit dreich when checking out the shearlings, which are destined for Lanark,Stirling and Dalmally and the rams lambs also for Lanark. The monsoon kicked in when locating some Luings! Highlights on the Blackie front include John Harkin, Loughash, Northern Ireland purchasing a tup off £37 000 Dyke out of a £49 000 Glenrath ewe, two years ago. The year before off the same sire, which is shared with Midlock, Glenrath and the Dyke, a ewe sired by a £2800 Midlock made a £40 000 return. Around 200 lambs are initially kept entire for ram production and are whittled down. Everything not

destined for great things is fattened, with the first draw heading down the road at the end of October, the tail enders are clearerd out by March. This year, Alasitair has opted to sell more lambs through the live market due to the high prices rather than his usual on the hook method through Farmstock or the Blackie scheme and Dunbia. “Normally I don’t feel that Blackies sell as well through the ring.” He has already taken advantage of the buoyant market by selling a number of ewe hoggs, which are normally, gimmered. “My winterings run out in March and it is difficult keeping good form on them until the sale. Rightly or wrongly I gimmer about 100 every year.” Nunnerie, which neighbours Troloss, Kirkhope and Sweetshawhead, has a fairly hard hill, and is deficient in Cobalt. “This year, with the constant rain the deficiencies are more visable,” stated Alastair, who administers Co-secure boluses. Having visited one or two windfarms, Alastair is convinced that the sheep are happy enough grazing beneath them. In the meantime he is happy to farm away. His off-spring are interested, but David is currently at Stirling University studying Sports Science and Fiona is on fifth and undecided.

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

BEEF

The Beckhams of the Beef

very young farmer aspires to be like the Beckhams of the Scottish Beef Industry – Hugh and Lynne Dunlop, Holehill Farm, Ochiltree, Ayrshire. Having won Smithfield on three occasions and sold Dancing Queen for £16 000 there and consistently taking out fatstock events, agricultural shows and topping the calf sales at the Caledonian Market, Stirling, this young couple, eat, sleep and breathe beef farming. Apparently every Young Farmer wants to buy one of their calves so they have a chance of winning one of the YF Fatstock competitions. It is young enthusiastic blood like the Dunlops that the Scottish Government should be backing, instead of pouring Single Farm Payments out on ‘has beens’, who are milking the system by either letting their farm out or reducing livestock numbers. Personally I feel it should be ‘hands on’ beef farmers like Hugh and Lynne that are fronting the QMS Scotch Beef campaigns rather than a kilted Glen ‘model’. Customers want to meet the farmer and are interested in meeting the Real McCoy. Their living room wall is like a star-studded hall of fame, sporting framed pictures of all their ribbioned beasts. From an Ayrshire dairy farm Hugh was more interested in beef production rather than traditional Ayrshire milk production and headed to Robbie Galloway’s Angus herd – Cardrona to gain invaluable experience. “It came to time to make a decision whether to stay as a stockman or to go farming on our own,” said Hugh, who met his wife Lynne while working at the Rushmore Pedigree Charolais herd in Kent. Lynne had been brought up in the pedigree world as her father, Iain Anderson, managed several well known herds including Newark. When quizzed what kind of cattle they were running, Hugh answered, “You name it we have it, but the majority are Limousin cross, Belgian Blue cross or Charolais cross cows.”

The couple use mainly Limousin sires, with Hugh being a dab hand at AI from his dairy days, they usually opt for semen. They have used mainly Silex – a full French import, but use 3 or 4 others including Glenrock Insurer, Tango and a wee bit of the Goldies Oswald. The Dunlops were given the opportunity to buy Hugh’s granny’s farm at Holehouse and bought it in 1997. Initially they only had 30 cows and operated a long distance management system, coming down from Bridge of Allan at nights and weekends, before they decided to go full time farming in July 2000. The calving is split in a 90:50 spring:autumn ratio. All calves are sold store at 10 - 11 months. “We keep 4 to 5 out of each lot for replacements and a couple for showing in the summer and backend,” said Lynne, who works part time for the NHS. They had just sold nineteen calves to the Calley Market in Stirling before my visit and were rapt with the £1010 average. They topped the sale with a pair of champion Charolais bullocks at £1100, purchased by regular buyer, James Nesbit, Sorn Mains. Reserve champion – a pair of black Limmy heifer alos paid well for the couple, weighing £1080 each at 420kgs. “A lot head to Wales and he keeps them till they are 27months old. Two years ago they hung up at 700kgs dwt!” The champion pen of four bullocks from Holehouse weighed in at 455kgs and sold to £1050. While the heifer pen also scooped top spot and paid up £980 for four averaging 380kgs. “It was our biggest take home cheque from a calf sale,” beamed Hugh, “Caledonian Marts are grateful for all the support we receive from all the Quality Breeders such as Hugh and Lynn at this prestigious Event," commented Managing Director, John Broadfoot. The sring calvers usually head to the market in Ayr and the first draw of 15 averaged just short of £1000. Two beasts have been doing the rounds of the summer shows with the

heifer winning at Ayr and the bullock taking reserve. Their son, Stewart (15), won the Ayrshire Young Farmer calf rally. “You have to sell at a certain sale, so I bought back Soutar Johnny for him! He is a half brother to Spooks, who won the Winter Fair in 2007” explained Hugh, who is on the WF Committee, while Lynne is on the Council for Smithfield. The spring calvers are wintered in cubicles with 20 or 30 sent to the hill,

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Industry with just Magnesium cobs and Scotmin protein buckets. There is nothing on the ground all summer so it keeps them in good condition for calving. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are trying to find the optimum number of cows we can run without increasing labour. We have thought of upping to 150,â&#x20AC;? said Lynne. Iodine deficiency in some calves was a problem, to rectify it Agrimin high trace boluses are administered. There are secrets and tricks of the trade in the showing world and Hugh was not prepared to share any of it! Stockman Dave Smith told him not to let those things die with him.

FARM FACTS Farmers: Hugh & Lynne Dunlop Farming: Holehill Farm, 330 acres in all rent a hill for winter Craigskean, Maybole Location: Ochiltree, Ayrshire Cattle:

140 cows and followers

Sheep:

20 pure Texels

Labour: Hugh and Lynne both fathers are on hand when required

CALEDONIAN MARTS (STIRLING )LTD, Millhall Auction Mart, Millhall, STIRLING FK7 7LS

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

PIGS

Penpont Pigs by Linda MacDonald -Brown

Soil Association Climate Change Programme – Open to all – Thursday 5th November Anaerobic Digester Event, Turriff A technical session in the morning will look at how AD works; understanding planning and cost issues; setting up joint-venture AD co-operative plants; and selling to the grid and funding. With presentations from SAC, WRAP and RPID. The day will also include a visit to the Rennie's, Gask Farm, Turriff, which has an AD unit using pig slurry and abattoir waste to produce hot water, electricity, and a high nitrogen fertilizer which is used to grow their cereals, which in turn are feed to their pigs. The cost is £40.00 plus VAT

lose to the pretty village of Penpont in Dumfries and Galloway, you will find pigs. Not as you might expect, one or two pigs belonging to a smallholder but a large outdoor pig production unit of around 300 sows. Dalgarnock Pigs is a success story, a rare feat for an area usually known for its tourism, rather than large scale pig production. The unit is situated at Floors Farm, part of the Buccleuch Estate. Alan Stannett, managing partner of Dalgarnock used to manage the estate before he left and rented Floors from Buccleuch along with his co-partners. Alan initially became interested in pigs when he was at university, and his interest was enough for him to seek work on a pig unit in Devon for his first job. However as sometimes happens, there was a career change and for the next few years it was the dairy industry that kept his attention. His interest in pigs remained strong and when he was fortunate enough to secure a job in the 1980's managing the Buccleuch Estate, he introduced a small pig unit with the aim of adding value to the cereal enterprises. Initially they bought in pigs from Aberdeenshire and finished them in sheds on the farm, but over time Alan developed it into a breeding unit, which soon received approval by RSPCA Freedom Foods – the only pig unit at the time in Scotland to do so. In 2001 Alan left Buccleuch, rented Floors Farm and along with two others set up Dalgarnock Pigs with all the stock that had been purchased from Buccleuch. Nine

years on, the relatively small number of pigs that Alan started with, have grown to around the 4,000 mark. Only breeding sows are kept at Floors however. Once weaned at four weeks, weaners that do not require special attention are transferred by trailer to straw covered yards, a few miles away in what was the Buccleuch Estate garden. The day to day care of the pigs is down to a capable team of three; in fact two of these, Paul Bennett, the manager and Tam Blacklock are the original staff who worked for Alan in the early days. Kerrie McDermid , is the newest member of the team but is already proving her worth confidentally carrying out A.I to tractor handling. They farrow around 15 sows a week and aim to have a pre-weaning mortality rate of 2% or less. Alan believes it is the care and attention to detail that contributes towards the low mortality rate. Straw, he reckons, plays a vital part in helping the piglets survive. Only the best straw is used for the breeding sows and when placed in the farrowing arks will be teased out. By doing this, it has been noted that the sow will settle quicker and will be less likely to keep getting up and down, thereby running the risk of squashing a piglet. Sows that are due to farrow are moved into a single farrowing paddock with an insulated ark manufactured by Glendale Engineering and they are then left completely alone to farrow, peacefully and stress free. Piglets follow as natural a life as possible and are very rarely handled.

Unlike indoor units, where stress and boredom can affect the behaviour of the piglets, that can in turn lead to injuring their siblings, there is no need for the usual preventative measures such as cutting teeth or tailing. Even iron injections are unnecessary as the piglets source all their iron requirements from the soil. For the first few days, the piglets are contained behind a fender attached to the ark, but once they have grown strong enough, they soon learn to clamber over the sides of the fender and join their mum as she wanders around. After the last foot and mouth outbreak, Alan and his team made the decision to keep a closed herd. They now breed all their own gilts using either homebred boars or semen. Three populations have been set using the pyramid system, Large White x Duroc then put to Landrace after which the offspring is crossed with a Pietrain to produce the final finishing pig. The Pietrain was introduced as a terminal sire as Alan felt that the breeding stock, in particular the Large White, had become too inbred. The dry sows are fed on pig rolls provided by BOCM Pauls. Previously they were fed meal but too much was lost in the winds, which in turn encouraged vermin. The finishers are fed using a wet feed system made to the farms own specification, a system Alan feels, benefits the condition of the finishers rather than feeding dry. Unusually the farm does not carry out a worming programme, although regular dung sampling is undertaken

to ensure that the pigs stays worm free. The pigs are kept in larger than normal areas, the dry sows for example are given a hectare for every 12 pigs, and this coupled with the fact that the land is incredibly stony helps to keep the land in reasonable condition. After two years, the pigs are taken off and the land is rested for two years and usually within that time it will be ploughed and reseeded for barley, grass or silage. The day begins at approximately 8am when the mammoth task of feeding starts, a job that can last Kerrie up to three hours. Each day has its own particular job with serving on Mondays. Tuesdays and Fridays are spent bedding down, whilst Wednesday is weaning day. The weekend is usually spent tidying up and catching up on jobs that couldn't be done during the week. The pig industry has taken a battering in recent years but Alan feels things are on the up. The price of cereals has dropped whilst pig prices have increased and for the time being at least, the future for pig farmers is looking rosier. All the pigs are sold through a marketing co-operative, Scotlean. Alan is a Board member of Scotlean and keen to encourage new markets to develop for Scottish pork and Freedom Food in particular. Floors Farm is a glowing example of how a large scale pig unit should be run. Alan and his team are passionate about the pigs and strive hard to ensure the quality of the meat is always high. This is one meat you won't find in the cut price section of a supermarket.

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SCOTLEAN PIGS Limited are proud to be associated with Alan Stannet’s Pig Enterprise

Selected Pork P

ig farms throughout Scotland are being visited by Scottish SPCA inspectors as part of a ground-breaking initiative welcomed by the Scottish pig industry. History will be made when a new brand of pork from Scottish farms, ‘Specially Selected Pork Approved by Scottish SPCA,’ this month makes its debut on supermarket shelves and butchers' counters with Asda, supplied by Vion Halls. The initiative, developed by a partnership of Quality Meat Scotland and the Scottish SPCA, is on course to see hundreds of Scottish pig farms inspected and approved by the animal welfare charity. The move is the UK's first farm assurance and food labelling scheme independently approved by a national animal welfare charity. Participation is voluntary and it is expected the vast majority of pig farms in Scotland, more than 200, will become involved. Already pig farms producing more than 4,000 pigs per week have been inspected by the Scottish SPCA. Dr Chris Brown, Asda's Head of Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing said, "ASDA is a major supporter of the Scottish pig industry and we believe that this partnership with Scottish SPCA and QMS will be a real benefit to Scottish pig farmers, processors and customers." Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the

Environment, Richard Lochhead said: “While celebrating Scottish Food and Drink fortnight, it is a welcome reminder that we have first class standards from farm to fork. The Scottish Government has been working with QMS and the industry to deliver that message to the public. "The scheme will deliver real benefits and reassurance to consumers and provide a further welcome boost for our valued pig sector."

Scotlean Pigs provide all pig marketing solutions and wish Alan every continued success with his pig enterprise. please contact: Ian Paragreen (Managing Director) Tel: 01228 541566 Mobile: 07970 097554

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

SHEEP

FARM FACTS Farmers: Billy & Agnes Goodfellow Farming: Glengeith, 1200 acres rented from Hopetoun Estates 40 acres owned at Roberton contract farm Lowthers rents further grass parks in summer till silage cut Location: Elvanfoot, S Lanarkshire, Lowthers at Leadhills and Roberton in the Clyde Valley

Goldfingered Goodfellow

outh Country Cheviot sheep breeders have only two chances left to secure ‘Goodfellow’ Glengeith genetics, as the current South Country Cheviot breed record holder, Billy Goodfellow, retires in November 2010. He first broke the SCC record in 2004 with X-Factor, a cracking shearling by the £2100 Winterhope Quarry, was shared with Castle Crawford. Jim Robertson of the Becks purchased the then new record holder, out of a ewe by Bloch Chieftain for £14 000. Last year, Billy repeated the performance at Lockerbie taking ring centre with a new breed high of £18 000. Castle Crawford proved a great Omen once more as the five figure record shearling was sired by Castle Crawford Omen. The

£18,000 ram was out of a ewe, which was half sister to the previous record holder. Jim Robertson, the Becks, Langholm, purchased the record holder once more. I remembered interviewing Billy on the day of the sale and he was surprised at the price, as the tup was an R3. “We had a squad of farmers round yesterday looking at tups and not one of them asked anything about scrapie. I have mostly 1’s this year and no one is interested!” Only in his early sixties, Billy has decided to retirement for a number of reasons. “None of the family are keen on sheep; Geoff, our son likes cattle and that is the only reason we have cows at all,” explained Billy, who managed a number of farms for Hopetoun Estate before returning to take over the tenancy of Glengeith,

CHEVIOT SHEEP SOCIETY Unbeatable for Quality One of the Oldest Breeds in the UK Cheviot Ewe is an Excellent Mother well suited for commercial lamb production Cheviot Lamb is a Quality Product, which is ready for market when prices are at the highest in the Spring

Ram Sale Monday 5th October at Lockerbie Auction Mart Rams from many noted flocks. Secretary: Isobel McVittie Holm Cottage, Langholm 01387 380222 – 07746898912 website: www.cheviotsheep.org

where his father shepherded. Geoff ’s sisters – Lesley and Ashley are a surveyor and nutritionist respectively. The former works in Stirling and the latter in Hamilton. Billy, who runs the farm single handedly, with assistance from his wife Agnes and contract shepherd Tommy Aitchison, when required, just wants to take things a bit easier. EID is another bone of contention and one reason this hill farmer is opting out, moving to his 40-acre block at Roberton and running his Texels. He wonders if the farm will go back into the hands of the estate as many have done across the country, in the past few years. “ Landlords are afraid to let land with the tenancy laws, making it virtually impossible for young people to get in.” “When I was 58, the average age of farmers was 58, now it is bound to be older,” said Billy, who feels that politicians should be doing more to reverse the trend. “Production should revert to headage payments and young farmers should be given a Single Farm Payment.” “The Scottish Government are interested in farmers and agriculture and have been doing a good job but politicians further south are not,” added Agnes, who runs a ladies hat hire business – Hatmosphere Hat Hire – as a sideline. Meanwhile back on the ranch..... .which is located just off the M74 at the Thornhill turnoff, and rises from 900 feet to 1700 feet, Billy is busy preparing stock for sale. Glengeith is a good, grassy hill property but “doesn’t like a wet year,” says Billy who is a traditionalist still herding up at night and down in the morning, feeds out Crystalyx buckets prior to lambing. He also uses a Bildabin for blow in feed and a snacker for feeding out to save on labour. “The South Country Cheviot is a much better commercial product as they are bigger than they used to be, with good skins and conformation. They have lots of character to work

Sheep:

750 South Country Cheviots 80 cross Texel ewes 250 Blackfaces on contract 10 pure Texel ewes

Cattle:

24 predominantly Limousin cross cows wintered at Roberton, summered on hill at Glengeith

Labour: Billy, Agnes & self employed shepherd – Tommy Aitchison when required

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with.” Most of the wedder lambs are sold as stores at Longtown after the tup sales are over, as there is limited grass inbye at Glengeith. Since 2001 he has also managed a Blackface hill farm – the Lowthers – at Leadhills, which scales up to 2500 feet on contract. Billy reckons that it was possibly the first sheep contract farming agreement in Scotland. Initially there were 500 ewes, but it was cut down to 250 for grouse shooting. Billy bought a Beltex at Kelso this year to try over his Texel crosses at Roberton. He reckons when he eventually moves there that he’ll take some SCC’s to breed rams.

Not willing to tempt fate, most farmers are reluctant to say admit that they may have a winner, but there is one tup the same way bred as the £18000, out of a Winterhope Quarry ewe and another out of a £5200 ewe, off Glengeith 007 – a tup sold to Attonburn. “You never know what way it will go,” smiled Billy, who has judged the breed at all bar two shows in the country! So whether Goldfingered Goodfellow has any good Omens or Simon Cowell, X-Factor rated rams up his sleeve this year is yet to be seen. From the preview I had, the Glengeith pen will certainly be a force to be reckoned with once again!

RICHARD NIXON SHEEP SHOWERING Professional job guaranteed

Moving to: Marbrack Farm Carsphairn Kirkcudbright DG7 3TE

0779 201 2788

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

NEWS

Meaty Issues

enior Officials of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers met Richard Lochhead the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment recently to discuss a range of issues, which are threatening the well being of the red meat processing sector at a time when the economic downturn is exerting sustained pressure on businesses. Continuing pressures surrounding the declining level of livestock supplies in Scotland were a key focus of attention. SAMW pressed the Cabinet Secretary to address the supplies issue with renewed urgency in the face of trading conditions which are already difficult and which look set to become increasingly problematic over the next 12 to 24 months. “It’s well documented that Association members wanted the Government to use article 68 to help arrest falling livestock numbers,” said SAMW president Allan Jess, who led the Association team at the meeting. “When Government turned away from that option earlier this year, we immediately made it clear that we believed supplies would come under severe pressure. It’s with absolutely no satisfaction that we now s ee our forecasts coming true. “To make matters worse, recent decisions concerning the introduction of TB-free status for Scotland and the electronic identification of sheep could further increase the pressure on livestock production and trade, largely by disrupting tried and tested commercial operations, which were actually working fine. Scotland’s livestock supply balance is already on a knife-edge and will not be able to withstand further interference. “We asked the Cabinet Secretary to maintain a close watch on these issues to ensure that the negative effects of these two decisions are kept to an absolute minimum. We were pleased to learn that the Cabinet Secretary expects to be able to mitigate most of the effects of the TB-free status policy on supply.” Mr Jess added that while SAMW member companies were constantly making economies in search of fresh business benefits the sector in which they were operating remained seriously over-regulated. “We are surrounded by outdated controls which bear no relationship to the actual risks faced by our

industry,” he said. “For example, the unraveling of the controls which were introduced because of BSE must be speeded up. Previously, while officials have often said the right things about this issue, very little has actually happened from year to year. We asked the Cabinet Secretary to assist SAMW’s efforts to persuade the UK authorities to act and were encouraged by his support. “We also raised the Food Standard Agency’s failure to replace outdated (non - BSE) official controls with a system fit for today’s purposes. FSA has started to address this but claim it will take at least 5 years to deliver the changes. Much greater urgency is essential and the Cabinet Secretary again undertook to support SAMW’s case for swifter change.” On the same theme, Mr Jess railed against the Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) and the huge costs it inflicts on SAMW members for veterinary residue testing, pointing out that over the last decade there have been extremely few residues found at actionable levels in red meat. “During this time one of our members has been charged well over £500,000 for what was effectively a box-ticking service,” he said. “We have urged VMD for three years to negotiate changes to EU legislation to target their activi ties where they are finding failures, not at abattoirs.” Here again, the Cabinet Secretary supported SAMW’s efforts to change the system so that is will focus in future on where risks actually exist. Other discussion points covered in the meeting included the progress of the FSA/MHS merger, the application of SEPA regulations to meat sector companies and the soon-to-be published review of FSA Governance. “SAMW is grateful, of course, for opportunities such as this to discuss current developments and concerns with the Cabinet Secretary,” said Mr Jess. “It would be less than honest of us to pretend, however, that everything is fine with the industry. It’s not. Scotland’s meat and livestock sector is at a critical point in its history and it’s vital that we face reality and deal with it firmly and effectively. If we don’t, the future decline of income and jobs across Scotland will be felt t hroughout the entire rural economy. That’s a risk we really can’t take.”

Savills Report

cale of operation, collaboration and marketing are the keys to success according to Spotlight on Livestock, a report recently published by Savills research. While average dairy farm profitability is estimated to increase by 32% in 2008/09, higher output costs will dampen the degree of profit. Lowland livestock grazing farm profitability however is estimated to increase by a significant 61% in 2008/09, as a tighter supply of product has boosted prices. Less favoured area livestock grazing farm incomes are forecast to increase by 44% in 2008/09, on the back of increased finished cattle and sheep prices as well as stronger store and breeding stock prices. Tom David, Savills said: “There are good opportunities for dairy producers who can secure the highest value milk contracts, operate large units with good access for collection, and have a high level of technical

expertise. The best UK producers are in a better long-term position than their overseas counterparts especially with the tightening in milk supply forcing milk buyers to secure supply by paying a premium”. The number of grazing livestock on UK (Scottish) farms is at an historically low level, with significant numbers of producers leaving the industry. Mr David continued: “The growing shortage of breeding animals is leading to a reduced supply of product and contributing towards increased prices. This factor does, however, create opportunities for commercial livestock units. There is an increasing need for large-scale producers and collaborative ventures in order to achieve marketing scale.” However for smaller producers there are opportunities via direct retailing, although this will often require new skills and associated premises.

Clydesdale Bank

umfries and Galloway businesses got the chance to discuss the prospects for the local economy with a top market commentator at a series of events hosted by Clydesdale Bank this week. UK economist for Clydesdale Bank, Nick Parsons, spoke to over 100 local businesses at breakfast, lunch and dinner sessions on the 8th and 9th September. Nick is a regular commentator to CNBC, BBC and Bloomberg News and is a member of the Sky TV Money Panel He presented two seminars and chaired three roundtable discussions during his time in the South West. Local businesses, professional firms, farmers, local councillors and housing associations all got the opportunity to hear and discuss the economy with Nick. Future trends in the economy and the agricultural sector were the main topics discussed across two days. David Hannon, managing partner of Clydesdale Bank's Dumfries Financial Solutions Centre, 84-86 High Street, said: “As always, Nick

provided a fascinating insight into the economy and how it will impact businesses in Dumfries and Galloway. The sessions provided local businesses with information they can use to assist them in the day-to-day running of their companies. “Being able to bring a world-leading economist to the area shows we are more than just a bank. We try and integrate as much as we can into the business community, so we really understand the needs of local companies and how we can best serve them in the future. “Our unique approach that every pound deposited with Clydesdale Bank in Dumfries will be pumped straight back into the local business community is a true sign that we go that extra mile for the region.” Nick Parsons has more than 25 years' experience in global money markets and joined NabCapital, part of National Australia Bank which owns Clydesdale Bank, two years ago. An interview with Nick Parsons will be posted on my website when it goes live in the next week.

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:24 pm Page 15

farmingscotland.com is moving to: Marbarck Farm Carsphairn Kirkcudbright DG7 3TE on the 1st October please send correspondence to this new address

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:24 pm Page 16

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

AGRISCOT

griScot, taking place this year on Wednesday 18th November at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, is widely regarded as one of the premier events in UK agriculture. Appealing to all sectors of the industry the event has a wide and growing following with last year's event achieving record numbers. The event offers products and services as well as commercial and technical advice and information; all of which help with key farming business decisions. The machinery hall is the country's largest winter display of machinery, where visitors can view the latest developments in farm hardware and technology, from the latest tractors to equipment for both arable and livestock farms. As additional enticement, there are competitions, business seminars, technical demonstrations and over 200 trade stands exhibiting a wide variety of products, services and advice covering every aspect of agriculture. Cattle industry expert, Dr Basil Lowman will demonstrate with live cattle how producers can control Bovine Viral Diarrhoea, one of the most insidious diseases in both beef and dairy herds. Dr Lowman, a past winner of the SAC communicator of the year award, believes that this disease costs some producers more than £40 per head through permanently infected cattle that show little outward sign of the problem spreading the disease. As it has done for a number of years, NFU Scotland is also holding two seminars aimed at creating debate and exploring thoughts as to how Scottish agriculture is, and should be, looking to the future. Jim McLaren, NFU Scotland President, and Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs

and the Environment, will make up the panel on the headline seminar, which will look at the future of Scottish agriculture and the current threats and opportunities which need to be overcome and explored. The results of the inaugural AgriScot Dairy Herd Contest will be announced at the event, with NFU Scotland Milk Policy Manager George Jamieson judging. A competition about good management, with almost every herd in the country eligible to enter, it aims to reward the unsung stars of the dairy industry. Also on the dairy theme, dairy farmer David Mayo from New South Wales Australia is coming to Scotland to single-handedly judge the tightly contested Dairy Cattle Competition. AgriScot Chairman Robin Young says: “Large numbers of Scottish farmers and others in the agricultural industry see AgriScot as a key place to do business and we look forward to welcoming both well known and new faces to Ingliston in November. “David Mayo, our dairy cattle judge, has a big task ahead of him, taking sole charge of the dairy cattle championships. And coming from slightly less far afield, we also welcome George Jamieson as the judge for the brand new dairy herd contest. “Once again we have key politicians and agricultural leaders heading the line up in the seminar programme and lively debate is sure to ensue! “AgriScot is frequently visited by farmers from all over the UK and beyond and the 2009 event has even more to offer.” Parking and entry to AgriScot are both free. The event opens at 9am and closes at 5.30pm. Fast track entry is available online at www.agriscot.co.uk

Agriscot

by Anna Davies

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:24 pm Page 17

WINTERFAIR

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

Winter Fair Extravaganza

he Royal Highland Winter Fair takes place at the Royal Highland Centre on Wednesday 25th November, when one of the best exhibitions of prime cattle and sheep will be competing for a total prize fund of over £20,000. New major sponsor for this year, Kintore-based Scot Proteins Ltd along with QMS, The Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society and AW Jenkinson Forest Products, have all pulled

together alongside smaller sponsors to support Scotland's premier fatstock show. Among the attractions will be a very topical demonstration of EID sheep tagging from Shearwell Data Ltd who provide a range of quality goods to aid identification of cattle and sheep and are one of the leaders in the field of Data Capture and Data Transfer in the livestock industry. Richard Webber from Shearwell

will be one of the speakers at the seminar and hopes to be able to answer any queries Scottish sheep farmers may have regarding the new regulations. Sheep and cattle entries are expected to be on a par with last years record while Caledonian Marts commercial calf classes have proved a big hit with established showmen as well as those trying their hand at producing a show calf for the first time. This year's Aberdeen Angus calf show is supported by Pfizer Animal Health and the organisers have added extra classes to cover all age ranges of calves born from August 2008 to after April 2009. There has been plenty of interest from pedigree breeders and ring two should provide interesting viewing for spectators. Young farmers are very much encouraged to take part in the Winter Fair, whether it be in one of classes specifically for YFC members or in the open stockjudging competition. However this year they have the added bonus of being able to compete in their own grain competition, sponsored by John Galbraith and Son. Entry fees are only £6 with no requirement to be a member of the

Scottish National Fat Stock Club, and in order to encourage more to take part, samples only have to be 2kg (about the size of a large margarine tub). In the open grain competition, samples have been reduced to £5kg in weight, while all root, potato, grain and silage classes are exempt from having to pay membership fees for the first time. Admission to Ingliston on 25thNovember is £12 but £8 for members of either the SNFSC or the RHASS. The Premier Meat Exhibition live judging will take place on Wednesday 18th November at Caledonian Marts, Stirling. From there the cattle and sheep will head off to Scotbeef at Bridge of Allan where they will be judged on Friday evening and viewing and lunch on Saturday is by invitation only. The last of the four events, which come under the Winer Fair banner is the Highland and Shetland Pony Show, which will be held at the smart new UA premises at Hill o' Drip, Stirling on Saturday 28th November. All the usual youngstock classes will take place as well as a new class for Shetland Pony Young Handlers.

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58 MAG 24/9/09 12:24 pm Page 18

farmingscotland.com

4WD

Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

Disco in the Borders by Andy MacKay

he flags were flying in Galashiels, Coldstream and Kelso as I drove through those towns recently in the new Land Rover Discovery. Alas, these colourful chains of bunting were not in appreciation of the Discovery 4 but for the Common Ridings that take place each year. The new Discovery might be worthy of a fanfare of trumpets or indeed a flypast by the Red Arrows, as it is in my opinion the best one ever. I can recall being equally enthusiastic about this British-built car when the last effort was launched, as it put right all the little annoying idiosyncrasies that ‘Disco’ owners knew of only too well. This model went on to win more than 100 international awards, yes it was a world beater. Now, with the Discovery 4 there is much more to this car than the perfunctory changes to headlights, bumpers and grille that is often the qualification of a new model. On the surface, the Disco has been given a new face and its grille is now of a

horizontal aspect thus imparting a softer look than the tall and functional previous “H” arrangement. Its headlights and rear lenses have LED daytime running lights that sparkle like diamonds in the front and rubies in the rear. But apart from this prettification of the exterior the real Disco 4 begins its journey under the bonnet and in its passenger cabin. The new interior has been dramatically changed and it has a much more premium feel about it. I dare say it might even be likened to that of the Range Rover or Range Rover Sport and it has simple but significant features such as LED interior mood lighting that cast halos around interior door handles and pockets. It is clearly a car that is not going to welcome muddy boots as its carpets are not made of rubber but for farmers that are looking for a good, solid vehicle with decent ground clearance and the ability to do serious off-roading the Disco should be considered. I liked being behind the wheel of

this vehicle and felt comfortable with the logic of switches in the console that is now inclined towards the driver and the heated steering wheel with it’s remote audio and cruise controls. It is a truly perfect and comfortable environment. On the road the Discovery 4 has never been better. The ride quality, handling and smooth flow of power is pleasingly excellent and there is hardly any noise ingress in the cabin. I am proud that this British-built. Engineers have lowered the car’s centre of gravity with new suspension knuckles and the effect is that the Disco 4 does not feel that it is about to lose grip on corners. It is unlikely that owners are going to risk taking their £35k+ Discovery along tree-enveloped burns and up and down tight, muddy tracks but I went off-road on the Duke of Roxburghe’s land where a Land Rover Experience course has been constructed. They say the course has been “naturally engineered”, however, it is the best and longest that I have ever encountered and the Discovery

did not falter on the way. Mind you it is all done through the in-built technologies although there is a little driver skill involved. I suppose you must have faith that hill descent control is going to do its job, especially when the bonnet is rocking over a near-vertical precipice and you are reminded to keep your feet firmly planted on the floor and under no circumstances touch the brake pedal. Disco 4 has one other trump card in its superb new three-litre diesel engine that has been co-developed with Jaguar. It is smooth, implausibly quiet and powerful. It will also please those, whose buying criteria include economy and emissions, which have been improved on both counts. There are many more features to this car such as towing assist, surround cameras, keyless entry and automatic high beam assist but more than anything the Discovery 4 has matured into a rather more sophisticated and refined vehicle that is gradually losing its utilitarian status even though it is a worthy mountain rescue vehicle.

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:25 pm Page 19

VITAL STATISTICS VITAL STATISTICS Make:

Landrover

Model:

Discovery4

Cost:

from £34 495 - £47 695

Yeti

Make:

Skoda

Model:

Yeti (1.2 TSI)

Cost:

from £13 750

Engine: 3.0 TDV6 Speed:

108mph

Engine: 3.0 TDV6

0-60mph: 11.8 seconds

Speed:

Economy: 41.5 mph

112mph

Emissions:159g/kg

0-60mph: 9 seconds Economy:30.4, combined Emissions:244g/kg Length:

4829mm

Width:

1915mm

Height:

1887mm

Boot:

1192/2558litres

koda launched its Yeti on the shores of Loch Ness perhaps with the notion that it might attract the monster from the deep to show some interest in its Himalayan cousin. Alas, there was no such meeting of the legends.

The Yeti is in fact based on the VW Golf platform and it has been classed as a crossover that combines hatchback and 4x4 features. It will be quite at home going up and down farm roads as it has higher ground clearance at 180mm and a clutch system that automatically delivers 90% of the power to the front wheels when on tarmac. If the Yeti’s control unit detects a difference in speed between the front and rear axles it will divert up to 90% of torque to the rear. This when coupled to a limited slip differential means that drive can also be distributed from wheels on either side to give better grip. Top-of-the-range Yetis have a

button that changes the car’s dynamics when going on to slippery land. The accelerator input reduces so there is much less slip when pulling away on loose terrain and the hill descent control applies automatic braking when going down steep slopes. Most of the time the Yeti will operate on the hard stuff but despite its raised driving position it does not feel anything other than a small hatch back to drive and it is particularly good to handle on the twisty B roads. At launch, the Yeti has two petrol and three diesel engines. The smaller 1.2 TSI with 105ps only offers front wheel drive but the 1.8 petrol and all the diesels are set up as 4x4s. All the

Length:

4233mm

Width:

1793mm

Height:

1691mm

Boot:

1760 litres max

engines perform well even the 1.2litre feels agile. A good choice for going over hills and through glens is the strong 108ps two-litre TDI although you must work the gears to get the best out of the car. The Yeti is decently equipped to take on fairly large loads and removing the rear seats give a 1760litre capacity. A luggage cover and net is handy as are the lashing rings to secure loads. Good on the road and with off-road driveability, the Yeti is a practical and versatile car. It has a spacious passenger cabin and good load space, is economical and with low CO2 emissions it has a lot of features that will attract motorists.

SELLING TO FARMERS We are an established privately owned family business and have been selling our own brands of Animal Feed Supplements, Vitamin drenches, Crop Stimulants etc direct to farmers throughout the UK for over three decades! An opportunity exists for ambitious people, with strong personalities, to take over and expand our sales in: DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY THE SCOTTISH BORDERS ANGUS Other areas also considered These are prime territories with many farm accounts, which offer genuine sales opportunities to the right people. Ideally, we seek applicants with agricultural backgrounds and knowledge of ruminant feeding and invite farmers, stockmenetc to apply. We offer a full training programme and a performance relate income package, to include Basic Salary, car, plus expenses. Sales Agents also considered. Apply in strict confidence to:- Tim Nevett

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58 MAG 24/9/09 12:25 pm Page 20

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

EDUCATION

Potato Pete

here has been optimism recently regarding the opening of the massive Chinese market for Scottish seed potato growers but Nuffield scholar, Peter Grewar, has no illusions on that prospect. “The Chinese only want one thing and that is access to the knowledge and expertise that we have. I see no benefit from going into that market, they just want the technology.” He pointed out that the Chinese do not recognise Plant Breeder Rights and this means they can multiply up varieties bred elsewhere without paying any recompense to the original breeder. Theoretically Scotland can only export mini tubers of seed but so far none have left these shores. Commercial sized seed is not allowed to be exported but the Scottish Government is trying to remove this hurdle. His trip to China was but one of a number of globe crossing trips as part of his Nuffield scholarship and it took him away from the family business, which is based in Ardler, Perthshire. There, the Grewar family, father and mother, Peter and Annette, and son Peter, grow approximately 1,000 acres

of potatoes. Almost two thirds of that area is grown on their own farming land with the balance taken on land which is annually rented. In addition some 200 acres of land is rented for organic potato production as the business does not have any organically qualified land of their own. With pressure on the organic sector, the future of this part of their business is in some doubt. Yields are around about 50 to 60% of conventionally grown crops but costs are higher with weed control and desiccation being largely carried out by gas burner. Looking to the future of organic production, he said, “We grow organic not through any philosophy but through following the market. Next year we could grow 300 acres or we could drop it altogether.” The whole farming enterprise in Perthshire amounts to 3,600 acres, one third of which is owned. They have land on both Short and Long term Business Tenancies and they also operate a contract farming operation on the balance. The rotation is fairly simple being centred around potatoes with “as much wheat as we can sow in the Autumn.”

by Andrew Arbuckle That and spring barley takes up the bulk of the acreage. A small area of land is rented out to a neighbour for growing carrots every year. The grain is all sold through local co-operative East of Scotland Farmers, who operate with a pool pricing system for all the committed tonnage. For this harvest a new 12,000 tonne grain store complete with a 50 tonne per hour drier has been installed at East Ardler. However, the core business is the potato crop which was started by his father thirty years ago. In addition to their own production, they grade some 25,000 tonnes for other growers in the Fife, Perth, Angus area, giving a 1,000 tonne plus weekly throughput. Almost all this tonnage, both home production and incoming potatoes, then goes to supermarket pre-packers, Albert Bartlett, Airdrie, With controlled environment stores, the grading is now almost a twelve month of the year job and a team of seven East European workers are employed fulltime at this part of the business. The outside staff at the Grewars consists of 2 forklift drivers, one store manager, one working farm manager, 4 tractor men, a farm mechanic plus an apprentice, an accounts girl and someone to deal with the routine paperwork. This last employee fills in the Health and Safety forms, the Quality Assurance forms and all the other non-decision making paperwork that now flows in every farm office. “I found I was spending more and more time form filling and I was losing touch with the working part of the business. The girl who does this work now takes the chore away.” The workforce is augmented at both spring time and harvest with local self employed contractors or operators coming through the local

machinery ring, Ringlink. The Grewars operate with three harvesting teams with each team consisting of the driver of the harvester, two trailer drivers and a forklift operator. Three years ago, the business expanded by taking land for growing potatoes in the Black Isle. This is a superb location for growing high quality seed and they now farm 2,000 acres some 380 acres of which is down to seed production. One of Peter’s aims as a Nuffield scholar was to find out why, when there was increased area of potatoes being grown throughout the World, was the yield per acre dropping. His answer lies in the seed and with its high health status that is why the Scottish seed industry has such a tremendous worldwide reputation. Unfortunately of all the major staple foods in the world, the potato does not travel well. Not only is it perishable but the basic fact is that at least three quarters of the weight being transported is nothing more than water.

FARM FACTS Farmer: Pete Grewar and his parents Peter & Annette Farming: East Ardler farm 3600 acres in Perthshire (1200 owned) and 2000 acres on the Black Isle Location: Ardler, Perthshire with farms in Angus, Fife and the Black Isle Crops:

Potatoes – 3000 acres Seed potatoes

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:25 pm Page 21

EDUCATION

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

While transporting great volumes of potatoes is not a viable option, seeing how producers in other parts of the world grow their crops is. Peter not only visited a number of European countries but travelled over to New Zealand where the culmination of the visit was the World Potato Congress. One of his big worries for the future is the state of the home market for potatoes. He believes the demand is contracting more than we think and work is required to get a better balance between supply and demand.

Often the up-coming generation wish to throw over many of the controlling organisations but Peter believes in the Potato Council and its programme. “It is the right vehicle and it is doing the right work” was his endorsement. One of his Nuffield trips was to Brussels and following that visit, he took out a membership with NFUS. “I saw the work they were doing and the weight of opposition they faced. It was patently obvious they were the only ones fighting for us,” he stated.

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58 MAG 24/9/09 12:25 pm Page 22

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

WORLD MARKETS

World Markets A

plant breeder who some have called the most positively influential man of the 20th Century has died in Dallas, Texas. Dr Norman Borlaug, born on an Iowa farm in 1914, developed high-yielding, short-strawed wheats in Mexican research stations which created the Green Revolution. This ended the horrible cycles of droughts and famines which caused millions of deaths each year in vulnerable countries of South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Borlaug was called “The Man who Fed the World”, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 and the United States Congressional Medal of Honour, his country's highest civilian award, in 2006. In addition he was conferred with over 50 honorary degrees from universities around the world and world leaders paid tribute at his passing. Borlaug was no shy, retiring plant breeder who chanced upon some high-yielding crosses. He deliberately bred dwarf wheats, which tillered

more, demanded more fertiliser and produced much more grain. Firstly, he tackled the annual scourge of stem rust head on by dramatically increasing the numbers of crosses annually and demanding “shuttle breeding” between cool and hot climates to double the annual genetic progress. “Cross breeding is a hit-or-miss process. It's time-consuming and mind-warpingly tedious. There's only one chance in thousands of ever finding what you want, and actually no guarantee of success at all,” he told his biographer, Leon Hesser. Then he tackled the problem of poor utilisation of increased nutrients by tall, slender wheat varieties, which were prone to wind or rain damage and “lodging”. He crossed poor-yielding dwarf varieties found in Japan after World War Two with his new, most promising, broadly-adapted Mexican wheats. They tillered profusely, resisted straw damage or breaks and doubled the grain yields. Within seven years, in the early

by Hugh Stringleman 1950s, the national average yield of wheat in Mexico doubled and that country was able to feed itself. After Borlaug began consulting for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation in 1960, he travelled outside of the Americas and was quickly confronted with world poverty. In countries like India and Pakistan, Egypt and Algeria, wheat yields were disastrously low and hunger was endemic. He convinced the UN to send trainees from those countries to his stations in Mexico, where they learned to lay out experimental plots and cross-breed wheat and other cereals. He fostered an international network of collaborating plant breeding stations. From his Mexican base at the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT), Borlaug evangelistically promoted the high-yielding varieties, which required greater fertiliser inputs, against entrenched resistance from scientists and bureaucrats. He spoke directly to agriculture ministers and heads of state in the famine-prone countries. India's Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, ploughed a garden bed in front of her official residence in Delhi and sowed Mexican wheat. Her agriculture minister, Shri Subramaniam, took a courageous decision against the advice of his senior scientists to import 18,000 tonnes of seed wheat from Mexico, and then insisted that departmental advisors tell farmers to use Borlaug's recommended high rates of fertiliser, and not try to spread their nutrients too thinly. Such was his success, built on the labour of millions of peasant farmers, that by 1975 India was a net wheat exporter. Pakistan followed two years later. In 1970 Norman's wife Margaret ran out into the Mexican fields to tell

him he had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but he didn't believe her. Biographer Hesser calls the award “the only Peace Prize made for work on food production as its most basic level, on the lands of individual farmers.” In receiving the award Borlaug said, “If you desire peace, cultivate justice, but at the same time cultivate the fields to produce more bread; otherwise there will be no peace.” In 1970 it was estimated that 40 million hectares were sown with Borlaug-bred varieties, which was the most productive 10% of the world's agricultural land. However, for a number of reasons, the Green Revolution never achieved in Africa the success it had in Asia and the Middle East. Borlaug and former US President Jimmy Carter, with the help of a Japanese philanthropist, worked systematically through African countries during the 1980s to introduce new varieties and improved farm management. He became a distinguished professor of international agriculture at Texas A&M University in 1984, where he remained until his death, aged 95. In later years Borlaug championed the widespread adoption of GM technology to reverse the worrying trend of lower yields from wheat, maize and rice, now declining from their peaks that he and fellow plant scientists scaled. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke for many around the world when he learned of Borlaug's death from cancer in Dallas on September 12. “Dr Norman Borlaug's life and achievements are testimony to the far reaching contribution that one man's towering intellect, persistence and scientific vision can make to human peace and progress.”

58 MAG 24/9/09 12:25 pm Page 23

NEW PRODUCTS

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

New Gun for Ritchey

new automatic tagger for sheep is being launched at the end of October (2009). Made by leading agricultural product supplier, Ritchey, the Autotagger® takes 10 tags at once. This reduces tagging time considerably, when compared with a standard applicator. The Autotagger® applicator uses a staple gun action,

which eliminates the need for a blade. This system is less stressful for livestock, and reduces the risk of operator injury. Although Ritchey has always been opposed to compulsory sheep EID, the company is committed to assisting farmers wherever possible. Therefore, in order to comply with new EID tagging regulations effective

from 1st January 2010, a version of the Autotagger® that can handle electronic identification (EID) is currently under development. “Compulsory EID will create more red tape, and increase the financial burden on sheep farmers, who are already struggling to cope after a sustained period of poor profitability. It was important for us to develop a

Tractor & Farm Insurance

system that is easy to use, and priced as realistically as possible to the end user,” says Ritchey marketing manager, Pat Mangion. To find out more, get in touch with your local agricultural merchant, or contact Ritchey direct on 01765 689541 or through the website, www.ritchey.co.uk.

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BELMONT REGENCY

A minimum £5 policy fee added for all policies

INSURANCE SERVICES

Premium Tractor value £3000 £78.75 £10000 £196.36 £15000 £261.98 Costs may be lower if incorporated in farm policy. Comprehensive cover and implement cover

1995 model, Farm, SD&P use Postcode: AB54 Driver: age 55 Two named drivers. Full bonus £157.50 Comprehensive (£120 excess)

LTD

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farmingscotland.com

RURAL RETAIL

Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

oggs of Fife, who have been synonymous with quality country clothing since 1888 have three distinct brands: Hunting & Shooting Wear, which sells under the Field Pro brand, Classic Country wear, is marketed under the Hoggs of Fife label and Workwear products are branded Hoggs Professional. Drumlanrig Castle grounds was our first port of call as a backdrop, rather fitting for the swanky, cutting edge tweed jacket and lovat coloured moleskin trousers, teamed with a green shirt and tweedy tie. The Monarch moleskin trousers, which also come in navy and olive green (below), are tailored to a premium specification. Richard is also modelling a luxurious brown moleskin waistcoat. The dark leather Roxburgh shoe and the lighter coloured Stirling brogues are the shoes highlighted.

Versatile smart, casual & work wear from

Hoggs of Fife 24

Would you credit it? After weeks of rain, I couldn’t find a drop for the wet weather gear photo shoot! Richard was showering sheep and put the Green King Jacket and water proof trousers to the test. He found the breathable mesh liner ideal for the job in hand, keeping him dry, yet not sweaty, on a warmish day. The long, 39” lightweight coat, which is made out of a Ripstop outer shell, has an abundance of pockets, including a very handy mobile phone velcroed hidey-hole, a poachers pocket, a zipped map number and hand-warming fleecy lined ones. Reinforced elbows and elasticated fleece storm cuffs inside outer sleeves are other plus points. The matching trousers boast knee reinforcement, cosy pockets, knee-to-ankle leg gusset with Velcro & zip cover-flap and stud adjustable leg ends for safety & tidiness, pictured bottom left. This out fit was accessorised by the 100% rubber upper, Farm King Wellington (below), which Richard found slightly heavier than his usual gumboot, but much more comfortable. He is posing with Rock, his collie, in the buchts, sporting a Working Climate 100% wind & weatherproof fleece – (one I really fancy myself!). A waistcoat in the same range is pictured bottom left, worn over a check shirt and army-type jersey. The website – www.hoggs.co.uk – has a huge array of pull on and lace up boots on offer. Richard is wearing the lace up GT 3000 WNSL, a new hi-spec waterproof workboot and the Shire, which is apparently a farmer favourite dealer pull on boot. I just wonder if they still make the half sprung hob-nailed boots my Dad wore on the hill? Dial the free phone number in the advert to obtain your copy of the latest Hoggs of Fife catalogue, so you too can keep ahead in the rural fashion stakes. We will be featuring the women’s clothing range in the November issue of this magazine.

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farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight • October 2009

RURAL RETAIL

Puffa Proves Perfect

ith winter fast approaching it is time to check out your winter woollies, jackets and other outdoor clothing. Purple seems to be the in colour this season and every clothes shop, interior design outlet and even shoe store seem to have limitless rows of purple garments, artefacts and accessories on offer. Puffa are definitely in vogue with their Blackberry coloured Woodbridge Womens Microfibre Jacket, £85 and pictured above right.

Fiona, who is modelling the item, with the aid of Kia, her Lab, finds Puffa clothing the ideal label for her busy, outdoor lifestyle. Running a riding school on the family farm on the Kintyre Peninsula, Argyll, she is constantly working out in the elements. Bitter winds whip off the surrounding hills and coastline and Fiona makes sure that the horses are not the only ones well rugged up for winter! Puffa pioneered quilted clothing over 30 years ago and they have prided themselves ever since in ‘ providing a unique combination of classic style and durability.’ The latest additions to the Puffa stable are not only pleasing to the eye but also up to their exacting standards. Pictured with her horses, Fiona is wearing Puffa’s Original Microfibre Gilet in teal which retails at £55. Providing a good thick layer to keep

Fans & cooling for potatoes, grain, poultry, pigs & calves

Like the Woodbridge jacket, the Gilet is available in sizes 8 to 18, has a tough polyester/nylon exterior and is beautifully insulated with their trademarked, easy-care Puffafill. Fiona likes the flexibility of the Gilet on top of the Westgate Womens Logo Hoody. Too hot now? There’s another layer to go. Shown here in Dark Brown, the hoody has a front patch pocket and large Puffa embroidery on the front, is made of 100% cotton heavy brushed back jersey, and the hood is lined with striped fabric. Sizes 8-16, £55.

Automatic & manual systems

Best prices

Magdek 02892 629609 or 07710295584

J S Main & Sons 87-89 High Street, Haddington Tel: 01620 822148 Fax: 01620 824662

Saddlery – Fishing Gear – Handtools – Waterproof Clothing Wellingtons – Workwear – Shooting Equipment Casual comfortable clothing by: Joules – Toggi – Musto – Aigle – Jack Murphy – Weird Fish

in the heat of the core body, a gilet allows Fiona unrestricted arm movement while she’s working with her horses. This one is shaped with a flattering women’s outline and has a useful two-way front zip for maximum comfort and draft exclusion when riding. Best of all, but not always available in women’s jackets, the thoughtful folks at Puffa have included an inside zipped pocket for all those things we don’t want to drop out of our pockets or scatter from the height off a horse like keys, loose change or mobiles!

This space should be selling for you! Call: Fiona McArthur – 01583 421397 Alison Martin – 01292 443097 Eilidh MacPherson – 016

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RURAL RETAIL

farmingscotland.com Issue fifty-eight â&#x20AC;˘ October 2009

by Alison Martin

owever simple and obvious it seems to add a wedge heel to welly boots, sculpt the leg, and most importantly make them comfortable and easy to walk in, for two or three days on the trot, this new breed of welly boot was nowhere to be found two years ago. Laura Booth and Sarah Longhorn wanted wedge-heeled wellies to wear to the V Festival but couldn't find any, so they decided to make their own. Whilst traipsing through the festival mud, they asked 100 other girls what they wanted in a welly, and quickly confirmed their idea. Laura has no formal art or design background, but is highly creative

with a strong sense of style: she could visualise the product in her head. Mastering the necessary software to create the merchandise, she worked out the shape and surface designs. Sarah is clearly, in Sir Alan Sugar's parlance, 'downright shrewd' and her experience in operations, logistics and sourcing products overseas made Laura's design a reality. Add to the mix, Mike Longhorn, an experienced salesman, and the three felt ready to meet the challenge proffered by a former boss: 'What would you dare to do if you knew you couldn't fail?' The first container of 1000 pairs of wellies arrived from the Far East for sale online. Would they sell? They

quickly entered the retail market with a leg up from Katie Price, who owns several different designs and appeared in them on TV in Katie and Peter and at the Badmiton Horse Trials. Katie also has her own range of equestrian clothing, which is sold through the on-line store Derby House. On her recommendation they contracted Wedge Welly for sale alongside Katie's line. They ordered another batch of wellies within just two months, and after the first year 25,000 pairs pf Wedge Wellies had sold. Although their focus is still on the festival market where fashion combined with comfort rule, Wedge Welly has found

its way into a broad range of markets; from mums doing the school run or watching kids playing sport to shooting, motorbike racing and gardening. Soon, an additional line with a wider fit around the calf will be available. Despite their instant success, the folks at Wedge Welly have their feet firmly on the ground and there is a most pleasant egalitarian and family feel in their way of doing business. They offer free shipping to Scotland and the islands from their website. Nobody gets penalized on price for living where they want, Wedge Welly foots the bill.

No more cold feet. Ensure your feet are dry & warm this winter Buy a welly warmer from Dealec.com Dealec.com. Specialists in electric heating, hotwater & ventilation solutions

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