Auchernack is an 800ac farm in the Speyside valley. The family have farmed here since 1946. Today, it is run by Malcolm Smith. He farms alongside his son Calum, who is employed full-time. Sammie, Malcolm’s wife is also a partner in the business and she runs a successful self-catering business.
Malcolm has 140 suckler cows and 120 store cattle. The focus is on store calf production using predominantly Limousin sires. For ease of management, cattle are overwintered indoors.
Calving is split with a third of the herd calving in autumn/winter and the remainder in spring.
Sauchentree Farm, at New Aberdour, on the north-east coast of Scotland, is run by Bruce Irvine in partnership with his mother.
Help at lambing comes from his art-lecturer wife, sister and brother-in-law. Their two daughters are starting to get involved in the farm. In total,
Bruce farms 650ac with cereals, sheep and cattle and believes the three enterprises are as important as each other, with livestock providing fertility for the arable side. Bruce markets their lamb and beef through Scotbeef, ANM at the mart and Woodhead and enjoys competing with neighbouring farms on yield and lambing percentage.
Bruce has been focused on dynamic health planning so far; watch now to see what he hopes to achieve through the programme.
17th January 2024
The 2022-26 Monitor Farm delegation held a fantastic couple of days of workshops, tours and talks all with the hope to inspire discussion and generate ideas to drive the focus on each Monitor Farm in the coming year.
Interested in any of these topics – let us know in the comments so we can share these discussions wider!
Full agenda consisted of :
- Maximum Sustainable Output, Chris Clark – Nethergill Associates
- Insights Profiling, Jan Roberts
- Moredun Institute with talks on ectoparasites, endoparasites, TSTs and more
- SRUC Easter Howgate and GreenCow
Hear from the McCornick Family, Barnbackle Farm all about their farming system and what they hope to achieve over the programme
What to consider before purchasing for your farm. Findings from the South Ayrshire Monitor Farm.
- Iceberg Diseases – OPA in sheep Dr Chris Cousens (Moredun)
- OPA scanning – practical demo by Endrick Vets
- Blood Testing Pre- Tupping for minerals
- Farm walk RSPB Kinnabus
- Nofence cow collars in action
- Mobile sheep handling
- Sustainable Liver Fluke control
- Forage budgeting for Winter
THURSDAY 23RD NOVEMBER 2PM AT MEIKLE MALDRON, TORPHINS, AB31 4NR Location
Poppy Frater, SAC Grassland and Sheep Specialist and Duncan Morrison, Deeside Monitor Farmer, will describe the vital role data plays in short and long-term decision-making on his farms. And how FARMAX, the farm planning tool, can help your business too.
The meeting is aimed at:
-farmers and/or their employees who are interested in collecting and using data and information to drive their businesses
-consultants, accountants, livestock and grassland specialists
-people interested in the use of agritech for planning and decision making
-livestock managers interested in pasture-based systems
If you’ve got one, bring your Plate Meter or Sward Stick!
Featuring
•Gathering grassland data for forage management
•The benefits of FARMAX – the farm planning tool
•Maximising your profitability while minimising inputs
•Comparing different farm options for your livestock farm
•Creating a confident long-term vision for your business
Event Programme
2.00pm: Arrival at Meikle Maldron, tea, coffee biscuits
2.15pm: Duncan’s new heifer management and Poppy on collecting grassland information
3.00 – 5.00pm at Mid Deeside Church Hall
-An introduction to FARMAX
-The FARMAX commitment, cost and return on investment
-Duncan’s data-driven strategy for Meikle Maldron, Womblehill and Ingliston
-Where data collection can benefit your business planning
-A FARMAX group for the North East
-Questions and answers
Monday, 13th November, 5pm at UA Huntly Mart
Sheep producers in the North and North-East are invited to a lamb selection and butchery demo as part of the Monitor Farm programme.
The event will focus on selecting healthy lambs for market and a butchery demonstration of value-added cuts in new season lamb, with discussions involving a variety of speakers.
Featuring
– Handling & conformation of lambs for sale with Michael Wilson of Woodhead Bros.
– Batching and presenting lambs for the ring, with Lucy Shand, United Auctions
– Lamb health with Alasdair Prentice and Olivia Busson of Strathbogie Vets
– Butchery techniques of Traditional and Value-added cuts with Gary Raeburn, Forbes Raeburn Butchers
Delicious lamb dishes supplied by Forrest Catering
Cash donations are welcome for the end-of-evening Charity Auction of the lamb cuts for RSABI
Lambs supplied by Bruce Irvine, Banff & Buchan Monitor Farmer
Scanning and Managing OPA (Jaagsiekte) in Your Flock and the Benefits of Blood Testing
Pre-Tupping for Minerals and Other Iceberg Diseases