The Farmers Journal, in partnership with Aberdeen Northern Marts, has established a programme similar to our own BETTER Farm beef programme in north eastern Scotland – the Farm Profit Programme. Six farms have come on board for a three-year stint and two men have been tasked with steering these farms, Sligo’s Declan Marren and Scottish native Robert Gilchrist.
Earlier this week, we toured some of the participant farms to get a feel for the task on hand and the contrast between Scottish and Irish beef farming.
Grass
The grazing situation in this region in Scotland is a stark contrast to our own. On Andrew Gammie’s farm in Aberdeenshire, Monday 27 March marked the first time that stock had gone to grass pre-May. Land-wise this is probably the best farm in the programme. Declan and Robert had convinced Andrew to get his fertiliser spread earlier and a decent cover had developed on their first paddock as a result.
Harsh weather in the shoulders of the year puts shackles on Scottish farmers in terms of grazing season length – a good grazing year would be from May to the end of October. Their potential for early growth is well back on ours – though the familiar practice of licking the farm clean in the winter-time is rife too, which doesn’t help with early-turnout.
Farms in Scotland are also much larger – in the north eastern region a typically beef farm would span 300 acres, albeit running other enterprises like sheep and tillage too. Hence the strategy is very much set-stocking. Unlike Ireland, labour and not land is the limiting factor on livestock farms. Stocking rates are low on most farms.
Listen below as we discuss Andrew Gammie’s inaugural early turnout.
Listen to “The first ever March turnout for a Scottish suckler farm” on Spreaker.
Cattlemen
The Scots are even more infatuated by stylish stock than ourselves. Cattle are big and have shape. Two-year-old calving is almost non-existent and the Simmental is the only cow in town for the most part.
Though the gap in beef price between us and Scotland has closed considerably (£3.59, equivalent €4.18/kg), live prices continue to rally. Store cattle readily fetch upwards of £2.65/kg (€3.11/kg). Breeding stock are even more lucrative.
Farm Profit Programme participant farmers Charles and Alison Webster from Alford sell calved, three-year-old Simmental heifers with their calves at foot and fetch between £2,500 and £3,000. In terms of stock bulls, it is not uncommon for suckler farmers to give £8,000 to £10,000 – granted he is going into bigger herds and has more to do than a typical Irish stock bull. As a result of the increased bull workload, calving spreads are just that – spread.
Spread
The Biffens in Aberdeenshire run 130 cows in a predominantly spring-calving system, though herdsman Matthew admits that there are many more months with calvings in the year than without. Like the overwhelming majority of suckler farmers, they sell store yearlings – very few finish and the weanling trade is almost non-existent. That means having a strong animal for the spring sales.
Hence, most farmers begin calving in February and March, well-before they can get to grass. The lack of shed space and creep facilities on most farms is not ideal from a health point of view and also leads to a purposeful lengthening of the calving season – draining labour. Listen below as we debate with the Biffens about how they can tighten up their calving.
Listen to “What is the optimum calving pattern?” on Spreaker.
Read more
Watch: turnout in the Howe of the Mearns
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