This week: “It has been constant getting ready for the sale with help from our sons Jim and Neil. We have five bulls and a heifer at Stirling. You need to get everything organised for when you are away from the farm.

Simmental breed: “What we like about the breed is their ease of handling, they are very easy to work with. The breed has changed at lot in recent years with much more shape coming in with more beef characteristics. The Simmental can now compete with other breeds on terminal traits.

Good mothers: ‘‘The maternal side of the breed is still strong too. Their milkyness means farmers can save on creep feed for calves. In the last year feed costs have gone up £50-£60/t.

Herd started: ‘‘The herd started with a heifer which my dad sent over from the farm in Ireland. I got her for my birthday and now we have 150 cows. We have not imported cattle for the herd as we find the continental bulls are too fine and don’t have the terminal traits.

Simmental classification: “The breed is now recording more traits to help ensure cattle have good feet and milkiness and other points which might not be so easily spotted at the sale ring.

Outwinter: “We out-winter all our cattle and aim to calve down at two years old.

The land: “The farm is all grass and we also grow whole-crop. We take on some winterers but we don’t have our own flock of sheep.

Quotable quote: “Stockmanship is key to breeding quality cattle.”