The next North Ayrshire Monitor farm meeting on Friday 16 November will focus on livestock health and nutrition.

At the meeting, which will be held at Girtridge Farm, Dundonald, a line-up of animal health and nutrition experts will lead discussions about the control of a range of diseases often seen at this time of the year, including pneumonia and lung worm in cattle and liver fluke in sheep.

Vet Megan Wilson from SAC Consulting’s Veterinary Investigation Centre at Auchincruive, will highlight quarantine guidelines for farmers bringing new stock onto their farms.  These are essential to reduce or prevent the introduction of new diseases onto their farm from other farms.

John Howie runs the 140-hectare Girtridge farm and currently finishes around 300 cattle all year round, some housed and others from grass.

As he sources store cattle between 15-24 months of age from both Ayr market and privately, he is aware of the risks of bringing new stock onto his farm and understands the importance of quarantining new stock on arrival to minimise the risk of introducing disease to his herd.

He said: “We source store cattle throughout the year and try to keep them separate from the main herd for as long as we practically can in case they begin to show any signs of disease.”

He added: “At this time of year we also treat them for worms, especially lung worm, and vaccinate them for IBR before we mix them with the other stock.”

As Mr Howie houses all his cattle over the winter months he is keen to ensure his buildings have adequate ventilation and is currently adapting them to increase ventilation and minimise the risk of pneumonia developing in this stock.

Girtridge also has 350 ewes and gimmers going to the tup this year. While pointing out that he hasn’t had a significant problem with liver fluke in his own flock in the past, Mr Howie is aware some of the land at Girtridge is low-lying which is the perfect environment for mud snails, which support the life cycle of the fluke parasite.

Autumn and early winter are when acute liver fluke cases are most commonly seen, so SAC vet Marion McMillan, also from Auchencruive, will explain the signs of liver fluke in sheep during the meeting and advise farmers how they can detect, treat and prevent the problem in their flocks.

Finally, SAC nutritionist Karen Stewart will share her knowledge on beef nutrition and how farmers can efficiently maximise the growth of their cattle while indoors.

Mr Howie has been working with Ms Stewart to develop a ration for the finishing cattle at Girtridge which includes home grown silage, hay and winter and spring barley, with straw being kept for bedding.

 “To help minimise costs, we are trying to make the most of what we have and reduce the need to buy feed in,” said Mr Howie.

He added: “Although the results of the second cut silage analysis was disappointing this year, we were really pleased with the performance of our winter barley. As a result we have sown an extra 15 acres of it this autumn, taking the total to 35 acres to help boost winter feed supplies in the future.”

The North Ayrshire Monitor Farm is one of nine monitor farms that have been established across Scotland in a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds, with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting at Girtridge Farm on 16 November will begin at 10.30am and finish at around 2.30pm. Lunch will be provided. All are welcome and the event is free.

For catering purposes, those interested in coming along on 16 November should confirm attendance by calling 01292 525252 or emailing FBSAyr@sac.co.uk

The next meeting of the Borders Monitor farm on Wednesday 7th November will focus on the important, but sometimes sensitive, subject planning for the future, including succession.

At the meeting, which will be held at Auld Cross Keys Hotel at Denholm and begin at 10am, Heather Wildman from Saviour Associates will run an interactive session on future planning, having a vision and business succession.

“Succession planning is seen by many as a sensitive subject and many farmers are reluctant to start the process in case it causes conflict amongst their family members,” said Mrs Wildman. 

She added: “Farmers are also incredibly busy people so it can be difficult to find the time to consider long term succession planning. However, it makes sense to have a plan in place well in advance to help secure the success of your business for the next generation.”

Mrs Wildman, who has published ‘The Saviours Guide to Succession’ aimed at farmers, acknowledges that every farm business and situation is different, and it is important that each business develops a succession plan that works for them.

The meeting will address some of the reasons why those involved in farming often avoid planning for succession and suggest some questions farmers should ask themselves at that start of the process. 

“By the end of the meeting I hope that attendees will understand how the process works and and be able to create an action plan for the succession of their own businesses as well as equip themselves to implement these future plans,” added Mrs Wildman.

Husband and wife team Robert and Lesley Mitchell own the 442 hectare Whitriggs Farm near Denholm, the Borders Monitor Farm. They have two sons – Stuart, who works full time on the farm, and Alastair who works off farm. Making sure that both sons are provided for in the future as well as safeguarding the future of the family business is very important to them both.

“We sat down as a family and developed a plan for the future which works for us all, and the farm business. We really hope that this meeting will help support farmers in the area who may be looking for guidance on the succession planning process in their own businesses,” said Mrs Mitchell.

Also at the meeting on the 7th November, Nick Heaney from Armstrong Watson Accountants will talk about the implications of the new “Making Tax Digital” (MTD) initiative from the HRMC.

“The MTD initiative is the government’s plan to digitise the tax system and will see one of the biggest change to VAT in decades,” said Mr Heaney.

He added: “From 1 April 2019, VAT-registered businesses above the threshold of £85,000 will have to keep digital records and submit VAT returns using compatible software.”

At the meeting, Mr Heaney will highlight some of the options for farmers to comply with this iniative and what impact it may have on their business, as well as where to look for help as they make this transition.

Whitriggs  is one of nine monitor farms established in Scotland as part of a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the monitor farm programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting on 7 November will be held at the Auld Cross Keys Hotel at Denholm, TD9 8NU and will begin at 10am. Lunch will be provided and the meeting is expected to finish by 2.30pm. All are welcome and the event is free.

To reserve your place (and lunch!) please contact Stephen Young, one of the project facilitators, on 07502 339613 or email stephen.young@saos.coop.

Farmers attending the next Lothians Monitor Farm meeting, hosted by Bill Gray and Peter Eccles, on Wednesday 17 October will find out how the farms’ cereals and livestock have performed over the long, hot summer.

The day will begin with a harvest round up from Bill, who will reveal how his arable crops have performed, before Peter takes the group through how the sheep and cattle have fared.

Project facilitator Colin MacPhail said: “This meeting is our harvest round-up for the arable sector.  We will have individual crop data and harvest results to hand. There is also a huge amount to discuss on the collaborative projects and new interesting opportunities for the livestock enterprises. We will be discussing plans for the season ahead when touring all the key enterprises, both cereals and livestock, as well as finding out how Bill’s new machinery has performed.”

On the arable side, discussion will centre around this year’s yields with a big variation in the performance of the arable crops, largely down to the difficult weather.

Bill said: “I’m looking forward to the next meeting where we can discuss the 2018 harvest year and look at the results – some of which have been very pleasing and some hugely disappointing. We’ll also discuss some of the plans that we touched on at the last meeting.

“I hope to share some of the lessons we might take away from the season past and to look forward to the next growing season. To date, drilling is almost complete and conditions have been excellent. What a difference a year makes. We can finally put last year to bed and move on.”

The group will visit the Pitscave field, which is part of the collaborative project between Prestonhall and Saughland Farms. 

The field is on Prestonhall Farm but is being turned to grass with the aim of providing grazing land for Saughland’s sheep, while hopefully improving the soil quality for future arable crops. The field was recently reseeded and initial grass growth looked poor. However, it seems to have recovered in time for some of Pete’s sheep to use it for winter grazing.

On the livestock side those attending will be asked to contribute to future plans for the farm in a number of other areas including the grazing system for sheep and cattle, especially with the ewes entering the pre tupping period; a discussion on establishing winter kale; and how and when to use fodder beet.

Peter said: “Our fodder beet appears to have grown well in challenging conditions this summer. With limited stocks of winter keep available it is important we utilise what we have efficiently and tailor rations well to suit the different classes of stock. The emphasis must now be on next year’s crops of lambs and calves.”

The Lothians Monitor farm – a partnership between neighbouring farms Saughland and Prestonhall – is one of nine monitor farms established in Scotland as part of a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the monitor farm programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting on 17 October will be begin on Rosemains Farm, Pathhead, EH37 5UQ. All are welcome and the event is free. Tea and coffee will be available from 9.30am and lunch will be provided. However, for catering purposes, those interested in coming along should confirm attendance with Colin MacPhail on 07747 046461 or at colin@macphailconsulting.co.uk. The meeting is expected to finish by 2.30pm.

The effective control of liver fluke in sheep will be the focus of the next Lochaber Monitor Farm meeting on Thursday 1st November.

Chris and Malcolm Cameron run the 1,200 hectare Strone farm, Lochaber’s monitor farm, near Fort William. They have seen liver fluke in their sheep for many years and, like many farmers in the area, are keen to minimise its affects in their flock of 550 north cheviot ewes.

At the meeting on the 1st November, Matthew Colston, a ruminant technical consultant from ELANCO Animal Health, will give an overview of the problems liver fluke can cause in sheep and highlight practical steps farmers can take to minimise production losses from the parasite.

Mr Colston will  also lead a discussion on the various fluke treatments available for both chronic and acute fluke infections in sheep and will be joined by Mairi Thom from Crown Vets, who will explain how sheep farmers can test for fluke in their own flocks.  

The main aim of the meeting is to focus the group on the benefits of strategic fluke testing which will ultimately result in better decision making.

“Establishing whether your farm has a liver fluke problem, using the right treatment product at the right time and managing your grazing tactically are all vital to effectively control fluke”, said Mr Colston.

“It is important for farmers to draw up a fluke control plan in conjunction with their vet or sheep advisor as each farm and time of year brings different fluke risks.”

Six local farms in the Lochaber area, including Strone, are involved in a small trial to try and find the incidence of liver fluke in sheep in the area. They have started collecting faecal samples from small groups of lambs from their 2018 crop. These samples will be screened in the laboratory for the presence of fluke eggs and the results analysed in time for the meeting on the 1st November.

The same lambs will also have a more complex Coproantigen ELISA test on their individual faecal samples. This second test is able to detect fluke infection around two to three weeks earlier than the standard faecal egg count method and will help determine the exact fluke status in the sheep from these six farms.

The results of the trial will be shared at the meeting and the group can discuss potential treatment strategies for the farms involved.

Earlier this year, the Camerons took on a tenancy of an extra 42 hectares of grazing land and some sheds just 11 miles from the home farm at Strone. After discussion with the management group they decided to trial finishing all their own male lambs indoors intensively this year. The progress of the lambs, including their weights, has been monitored every two weeks over the summer and an update on their progress will be shared at the meeting.  

The Lochaber Monitor Farm is one of nine monitor farms that have been established around Scotland in a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds. The aim of the programme, which is funded by Scottish Government, is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting on 1 November will be held at Strone farm and will begin at 11am and finish around 3.30pm. Lunch will be provided. To book your attendance (and lunch!) please contact facilitators Niall Campbell or George Gauley on 01631 563093 or email fbsoban@sac.co.uk.

Cereals and silage will be key topics at the next Morayshire Monitor Farm meeting on Tuesday 16 October.

After the incredibly dry summer the group will discuss how the barley varieties Monitor Farmer Iain Green trials for Syngenta have performed, as well as working out a plan for how the farm will cope over the winter with drastically reduced feed.

Iain says: “We need to tackle the lack of forage for the cattle herd at Corskie this year as the farm is extremely short. In some areas we have only managed one cut of silage, while in others we have been able to take a second fairly thin cut. The silage pits on farm are sitting at about 60% of where they would usually be.”

The barley yields will also interest the group, Iain has been trialling the newest varieties on his farm, and perhaps unsurprisingly the top performers this year were those newer varieties including spring barley variety Laureate, and winter barley variety Libra.

The farm has also been trying out the Beef Monitor system which weighs cattle each time they take a drink. The group will find out more about how the 50 cross bred finishing bulls using the system have been getting on. It’s already proving to be good value with Iain able to monitor the performance of his stock using an app on his phone.

“It’s a great system,” Iain says, “It allows us to keep an eye on the bulls’ growth without having to handle them or put them through races. Not only is it saving time and labour but I think it is less stressful for the animals.”

Harry Henderson from AHDB will be at the event to describe the Machinery Review carried out on Corskie as part of a project to look at machinery and labour costs on Monitor Farms across the UK.

Although the reviews found huge variation between farms, the key thing for Harry is that machinery costs are too high.

He says: “There are growers using very high capacity machinery and not getting the return on expenditure in either reduced labour hours, costs or higher yields.

“At the event in Morayshire we’ll be discussing how farmers can get the payback from machinery through focusing on their attitude to risk; sure you can have the biggest combine harvester to cover all weather patterns but at what point does it become uneconomic?”

The Morayshire Monitor is one of nine monitor farms established in Scotland as part of a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the monitor farm programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The Monitor Farm meeting will take place on Corskie Farm, Garmouth, IV32 7NN, on Tuesday 16 October from 1pm to 4.30pm.  The event is free of charge but to assist with catering it would be appreciated if you can book a place by contacting Samantha Stewart by phone (01343 548 787) or email (samantha.stewart@sac.co.uk).

The potential to increase profitability by meeting processors’ carcase specification requirements will be one of the focus areas of the next meeting of the Borders Monitor Farm on Wednesday 26 September.

Livestock health will also be high on the agenda at the meeting, which involves a visit to Moredun Research Institute and to AK Stoddart’s processing plant.

The Moredun Research Institute conducts world class research into the infectious diseases of livestock. Formed in 1920 by Scottish farmers, it strives to improve animal health and welfare by developing effective vaccines and diagnostic tools for a range of livestock diseases.

During the visit to Moredun, Dr Beth Wells will give an overview of the research and technologies currently being developed at Moredun, including their knowledge exchange projects. This will be followed by a tour of the research farm.

Whitriggs Farm near Denholm, the Borders Monitor Farm, is managed by husband and wife team Robert and Lesley Mitchell, along with their son Stuart. After discovering that their 1,000 Lleyn flock had a problem with Maedi Visna (MV) at the beginning of the year, they are keen to learn more about disease monitoring and management and are really looking forward to the visit to Moredun.

“Moredun do a fantastic job and this visit is a great opportunity to learn more about their current research. It will also allow us to identify which animal health topics local farmers are keen to hear about in more depth at future meetings,” said Lesley Mitchell.

After lunch, the group will move to the A K Stoddart plant at Broxburn to view their processing premises. During the visit, Jim Ford, from AK Stoddarts livestock procurement team, will lead a discussion on current market specification and what buyers are looking for.

Whitriggs farm is one of nine monitor farms established in Scotland as part of a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the monitor farm programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

Due to the nature of the visits on 26 September, places are strictly limited. All those attending will be required to complete a biosecurity questionnaire from Moredun which must be completed in advance. Transport will be provided and the minibus is scheduled to leave at 9.15am, looking to return around 5pm.

To reserve your place please contact Fergus Younger, one of the project facilitators, on 07771 966649 or email fergus.younger@saos.coop by Friday 21 September. He will then send you a biosecurity questionnaire and confirm where the minibus will be leaving from.

The next Nithsdale Monitor Farm meeting on Thursday 20 September will focus on improving pasture productivity through soil and grass management. 

Independent grassland consultant Charlie Morgan from GrassMaster Ltd will be the key speaker at the meeting, which will be held at Clonhie Farm, Nithsdale Monitor Farm, Penpont, near Thornhill.

Andrew and Aileen Marchant, who farm at Clonhie, run 900 breeding ewes, a small herd of 20 Luing cattle and have recently invested in 100 deer hinds on their 300-hectare upland tenanted farm.

In the morning, the group will visit various fields and Mr Morgan will lead a discussion on how Clonhie’s current grassland management could be improved.

“We have already done some reseeding, soil testing and applied lime to some of the fields at Clonhie but are keen to learn from Charlie if there is more that we can do to improve our grazing and utilise our grass better,” said Mr Marchant.

“Last year we deferred some grass and paddock grazed over the winter for the first time to help keep our winter feed costs down. This worked well, and we want to look at ways of developing this further,” he added.

The group will also visit neighbouring Glengar farm, which the Marchants took over the tenancy of in 2016.

“This is the first time we have taken silage off the fields at Glengar and which are currently being used as paddock grazing for sheep. We want to see what can be done to increase grass yield and quality in the future,” said Mr Marchant.

Also at the meeting, Rhidian Jones of RJ Livestock Systems will share the winter feed budget that has been developed for Clonhie and explain what farmers can do to try and get their ewes into optimum condition before the tupping season begins.

The Nithsdale monitor farm is one of nine monitor farms that have been established around Scotland in a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds. The aim of the programme, which is funded by Scottish Government, is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting at Clonhie Farm on Thursday 20 September will begin at 11am, end at 3.30pm and will include lunch.

To book your place please contact facilitator Judith Hutchison on 07718 919055 or email judith.agridigm@icloud.com.

The next North Ayrshire Monitor farm meeting on 12 September will focus of the important, but sometimes sensitive, subject of succession planning.

At the meeting, which will be held at Auchens Restaurant, Dundonald, and begin at 7.30pm, Heather Wildman from Saviour Associates will highlight the advantages of planning for the future and suggest ways of approaching the process for farming businesses.

“People avoid starting the process of succession planning for many reasons,” said Mrs Wildman. 

“Some are afraid that it will cause conflict, the process will be too difficult, or they simply don’t know how to approach it with their family.

“It can also be difficult, when you are busy running a business, to find the time to consider long term succession planning. However, it makes sense to consider succession planning at an early stage if you wish to secure the success of your business for the next generation,” said Mrs Wildman.

The meeting will address some of the reasons why those involved in farming too often avoid planning for succession and suggest some questions farmers should ask themselves at that start of the process. 

Mrs Wildman, who has published a guide to succession aimed at farmers, acknowledges that every farm business and situation is different, and it is important that each business develops a succession plan that works for them.

“By the end of the meeting I hope that attendees will be able to create an action plan and vision for the succession of their own businesses,” added Mrs Wildman.

John Howie from Girtridge Farm, North Ayrshire’s Monitor Farm, runs the 140-hectare livestock farm in partnership with his mother Margaret and his sister Mary.  He is hoping this meeting will help support farmers in the area who may be looking for guidance on the succession planning process in their own businesses.

“Succession is often viewed as quite an emotive subject and as a result many farming families find it difficult to talk about,” said Mr Howie. “We hope that this meeting will help to address that and encourage farming families on the best way to talk about this topic and prepare for the future.”

The North Ayrshire Monitor Farm is one of nine monitor farms that have been established across Scotland in a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds, with funding from the Scottish Government. The aim of the programme is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

The meeting at the Auchens Restaurant on 12 September will begin at 7.30pm prompt. Those attending the meeting are invited for a meal at the Restaurant at 6pm. Attendees who are unable to attend the meal should aim to arrive at 7pm for a 7.30 pm start. The meeting is expected to finish by 9.30pm. All are welcome and the event is free.

For catering purposes, those interested in coming along should confirm attendance by calling 01292 525252 or emailing FBSAyr@sac.co.uk by 11 September.