Issue 70

farmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

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CONTENTS

Eilidh MacPherson

3

farmingscotland

EDITOR: Eilidh MacPherson Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn,Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE

Tel: 016444 60644Mobile: [email protected]

PUBLISHER - Eilidh MacPherson

ADVERTISING –Eilidh MacPherson – 016444 60644Fiona McArthur – 01583 421397Alison Martin – 01292 443097Wendy Clark – 01575 540209

Cover - QMS LaunchText and photography by Eilidh MacPhersonunless otherwise stated

Page 4 - Kai Wiedenhoefer

Page 8/9 - Mark Williamson

Page 12 - Biobest

Page 18 - Andrew Arbuckle

Page 22 – STEP

farmingscotlandIssue seventy • October 2010


20 World Marketswith NZ correspondent

Hugh Stringleman

1213

Animal HealthBVD, Johnes

69

Sheep

1011

BeefBlondes

22 Rural Round-upYurts

21 QMS

1719

Arable

45

Dairy

1415

MachineryLloyds Ltd

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DAIRYfarmingscotlandIssue seventy • October 2010

Smallholder Milk Production – Aglobal Perspective, jointly publishedwith the International FarmComparison Network (IFCN).Globally, the mean dairy herd size isaround two cows providing an averagemilk yield of 11 litres per farm per day.

Throughout the world, there arearound six billion consumers of milkand milk products, the majority ofthem in developing countries.

Competitive and resilientAcross the countries analyzed in

the FAO/IFCN study, small-scalemilk producers have very competitiveproduction costs and thus, if organized, have the potential to compete with large-scale, capitalintensive, ‘high-tech' dairy farmingsystems in developed and developingcountries. With very few exceptions,smallholders achieve relatively highincomes per litre of milk. They arealso comparatively resilient to risingfeed prices as they usually only usesmall amounts of purchased feed.

Growing consumer demand fordairy products in developing countries, driven by populationgrowth and rising incomes, offersimportant market opportunities forsmallholders, the FAO/IFCN reportsaid. The latter could also benefitfrom expected higher world marketprices for dairy products.

Better farm management practices,

expanding dairy herd sizes andincreasing milk yields could easilyimprove smallholder labour productivity, which currently is ratherlow. "Dairy sector development cantherefore be a potent tool for povertyreduction," the report said.

Exposed and penalizedBut smallholder dairy production

will only be able to reach its fullpotential if some of the threats andchallenges the sector is currently facing are addressed. In many developing countries, smallholderslack the skills to manage their farmsas ‘enterprises'; have poor access tosupport services like production andmarketing advice; have little or nocapital to reinvest with limited accessto credit; and are handicapped bysmall herd sizes, low milk yields andpoor milk quality.

Massive policy interventions (pricesupport, milk quotas, direct payments,investment support programmes,export subsidies) in developed countries create a competitive advantage for the OECD dairy sectorand penalize dairy farmers indeveloping countries, the report noted.

Smallholders are also affected bytrade liberalization which increasinglyexposes them to competition fromlarge-scale corporate dairy enterprisesthat are able to respond more rapidlyto changes in the market

environment.Environmental concerns are

another threat to smallholder production. Low-yield dairy systemsin Africa and South Asia are estimated to have higher carbon footprints per 100 kilogram of milkproduced than high-yield systems inthe United States and WesternEurope. This carbon footprint couldbe significantly reduced throughimproved animal feeding.

Creating valueAny dairy development strategy,

the FAO/IFCN study recommends,must not exclusively focus on dairyproducers but improve competitivenessthroughout the entire dairy productionchain, targeting farmers, input suppliers,milk traders, processors and retailers.

Creating value in every part of thechain ultimately also benefits consumers who are then able toobtain more dairy products for thesame amount of money or need tospend less for the dairy products theyconsume.

"Smallholders are generally veryresource-efficient," said Joachim Otte,one of the co-editors of the report."Access to credit, improved animalgenetic resources and animal healthservices, together with supportivepolitical measures enabling them toparticipate in changing markets, arecrucial."

Making smallholder dairy production more competitivecould be a powerful tool for

reducing poverty, raising nutrition levels and improving the livelihoods ofrural people in many developing countries, FAO said in a new reporton smallholder milk production published today.

"Global milk demand is growing by15 million tons per year, mostly indeveloping countries. Production ofthis increased volume of milk by smallscale dairy farmers would createapproximately three million jobs peryear in primary production alone,"said Samuel Jutzi, Director of FAO'sAnimal Production and HealthDivision.

"This presents a unique opportunityfor establishing sustainable dairychains that can meet the demands oflocal consumers and the world market. Judicious development of thedairy sector could thus make a substantial contribution to achievingthe Millennium Development Goal oferadicating hunger and poverty."

Dairy mattersIt is estimated that around 150

million small-scale dairy farminghouseholds, around 750 million people,are engaged in milk production, themajority of them in developing countries, according to the study –The Status and Prospects for

Small-scale dairy production: a way out of poverty

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DAIRY

NFU Scotland believes lessonscould be learnt from theDutch dairy sector to help

deliver a more stable, fairer dairy supply chain in the UK.

Members of the Union’s MilkCommittee are participating in athree-day study trip to theNetherlands that takes in dairy farms,food processing and dairy productinnovation. The Scottish delegationhas also met with staff and representatives of the Dutch farmingunion, LTO.

Speaking from the Netherlands,NFU Scotland’s Milk Policy ManagerGeorge Jamieson said: “It is clearfrom the outset that the Dutch dairyindustry, including their producers,appears to have benefited from greaterconsolidation and co-operation withinits dairy supply chain. The benefitswe have seen include a greater commitment and investment in dairytechnology, product innovation andadding value to dairy products wherepart of the value actually goes backto those producing the milk.

“The outcome is that the strongworld and European market for milkand dairy products seems to be working for Dutch dairy farmers withfarmgate prices rising by as much as50 per cent in the past year. Compare that with the UK where thecontinued market strength for dairyproducts has failed to generate anyreal benefits for dairy farmers and ourfarmgate prices have risen by a paltry8 per cent.

“Seeing how the Dutch systemworks has only strengthened ourresolve to improve the way the dairysupply chain in the UK operates.Europe’s own High Level WorkingGroup on dairy has identified how itwould improve the working of thesupply chain and it was useful to hearhow Dutch producers viewed theEuropean approach.

“For our part, the NFUS milkcommittee is developing strategies toimprove the co-operation and co-ordination of dairy farmers andtheir representative groups. Theobjective is to play a more effective,

constructive part in the supply chainfor the benefit of not only producers,but also the long-term security of thedairy industry.”

The Scottish delegation will be visiting the Food Valley, home of alarge number of food multinationals,where 15,000 professionals are activein food-related sciences and technological development. Far moreare involved in the manufacturing offood products. Food Valley, with thecity of Wageningen as its centre,forms a dynamic heart of knowledgefor the international food industry.What makes the Food Valley areaunique is the intensive collaborationbetween food companies, researchinstitutes and the WageningenUniversity and Research Centre with

the objective to develop innovationsthat form the basis for new foodproducts.

ThPresentation on Tailor-madeMilk Project - The Tailor-made Milkproject (Melk op Maat) explores howthe variations in the composition ofmilk can effectively be used toachieve more added value in the dairychain. The project aims to give thedairy industry a better understandingof the relationship between the spe-cific characteristics of a dairy cattlebreed and the precise composition ofits milk. This insight is then used todetermine, for instance, which breedof cow produces the most casein (animportant protein in cheese) or themost substances beneficial to humanhealth.

Going Dutch

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Highland Storm, the extremeConnachan tup, which hit theheadlines at Dalmally last

year, has left his hallmark at Gass.Purchased at £44 000, in a four

way split, with Lurg, Loughash,Dalchirla and the seller, MaryMacCall Smith, retaining a share, theinvestment has certainly paid off forthe Kay’s from Straiton.

The three generations of Kaysfarming this relatively low lying hillproperty, which has amazing vistas outto the Isle of Arran and Ailsa Craig,may be very traditional hill sheepbreeders, but they are willing toinvest in top genetics and are lookingto possibly flush some ewes and ewelambs this year for the first time.

Robert Kay (pictured below) andhis friend Ian Findlay of Blackcraig,pushed the boat out and bought aewe, in lamb to Highland Storm,from Ewen Macmillan, Lurg, at theSpring Ewe and Gimmer In-lambSale at Lanark, for £4000. She produced a pair of ewe lambs atlambing time and it is these lambsthey are considering flushing, to possibly be the first to have off-springfrom Highland Storm daughters.

Trading as JW Kay & Co, AndrewKay and his wife Shona operate inpartnership with Grandpa Jim (85).He is less active these days but stilllikes to put his opinion forward. Hisfather came to Gass in 1903.

“Grandpa has seen some changes

in the breed over the year from bareto woollier and now to hardier,” commented Andrew. “There is achange in the breed every ten years orso. About 40 years ago we sold 30tup lambs at Stirling to average£800.”

Andrew’s sons Robert and AndrewJnr both came to work at homestraight from leaving school.

The Kays feel that the tup levy isunfairly charged – “It should be on apercentage basis on what is soldrather than per head,” said Andrew,who spent a spell on theDevelopment Committee for theBlackface Breeders Association.

“Or sell in guineas and theAssociation should keep the guinea,”

SHEEPfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

StormBrewing at Gass

suggested Robert.“The Blackface Association is not

easy to promote but a lot of moneygoes to waste. But saying that wecould do more advertising and morein shop promotion.” continuedAndrew.

Andrew Jnr, or Squeeb as he isusually known, is the cattleman atGass. For the past five years he hasbeen breeding some Belgian Blues andtopped the Carlisle Bull Sale earlier inthe year with the Sale Reserve andSenior Champion, selling to16000gns, with a homebred bull offGitan. He has two bulls in waitingfor Carlisle in May 2011.

“I’d like to keep my heifers forstock this year and build some

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FARM DETAILSFarmers: 3 generations of Kays

Farming: Gass, Straiton

Location: Straiton, Ayrshire

Area: Gass 1900ac ownedSclenteuch 150ac ownedAltizourie 240ac ownedRiverside 40ac owned+ couple of fields rented

Stock: 1400 Blackface ewes 160 cross ewes160 suckler cows6 pure Belgian Blue cows

numbers, if I’m allowed to keepthem,” smiled Squeeb.

For the past 11 years the Kayshave been selling their produce, bothbeef and lamb at farmers markets ona weekly basis. Andrew’s wife Shonaattends Ayr, Paisley, Loch Lomondand Largs Farmers Markets.

On average four heifers and 20lambs are slaughtered at Paisley everymonth and then delivered to AftonGlen Meats at Cumnock, where the carcases are cut and packed.

“This year has been the slowestbecause of the credit crunch,” saidRobert, “but we have a good customerbase and some buy a whole, half orquarter lamb at a time.”

Previously they also sold out of ashop at Auchincruive, which all thefarmers from the market contributed.

They reckon they make an extra£200 on a cattle beast and only £20extra on a lamb this year once all theexpenses are deducted. “The firstthree years we were making £1500 abeast but it is still worth doing andsales are great on the run up toChristmas,” shared Robert.

Shona normally spends two days aweek organising and selling the meat.It gives them a year round incomeand they are not just waiting for thesubsidy to come in.

Gass bred lambs, which are notdestined for breeding or the farmersmarkets are all finished at winteringsat grass in Ayrshire. “We start drawing them at Christmas and havethem all away by March, and put

them through the ring at Ayr” saidRobert.

“Years ago there used to be 24 000breeding ewes sold at Ayr, nowadaysit is down to 2000,” commentedAndrew, who is a loyal Craig Wilsonvendor.

“When Dad used to go to NewtonStewart tup sale there were lightsfrom shepherds’ cottages and farmsteadings all over the hill sides, nowthere is so much forestry in the SouthWest. Dalmally has come into its ownin the past few years and is as good atup sale as you can get.”

This year there are three HighlandStorm lambs in the Gass pen atNewton Stewart. “He has been leaving an extreme hardy look andthere are good breedy looking femalestoo,” stated Robert.

Other stock tups used this pastseason include £26 000 Connachan,which is shared with the Aitkin’s ofOverton, Fintry and Dyke, £11 000Dalchirla, £9000 Midlock and £6000Loughash.

Andrew’s pick of tups, which didthe business at Gass, include £27 000Troloss and £5000 Knockycoid, whileRobert added £7500 Midlock, £2200Glenrath and £10 500 Glenrath.

Gass just show locally at themoment and have won four springshows in a row with a rough hogg –Ayr, New Cumnock, Carsphairn andStraiton. They would plan to show atthe Royal Highland at some point inthe future.

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SHEEP

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SSSSoooouuuutttthhhh TTTTyyyyppppeeee BBBBllllaaaacccckkkkiiiieeeessss---- iiiinnnn tttthhhheeee NNNNoooorrrrtttthhhh

The past five years have seen dramatic changes to the sheepstock at Glen Rinnes Farms in

Morayshire, since Blackface enthusiast – Robert Marshall tookcharge of the flock.

Originally there were 1100 commercial Blackface and cross ewes,scaling the hills of Glen Rinnes, whichrises to 2200 feet at the top of BenRinnes. The 6000 acre hill property,which is owned by businessman –Alasdair Locke – is situated just onemile out of Dufftown on theTomintoul road and runs for six milesdown the Glen of the same name.Forty percent of those Blackies wereof the North type and were coveredby a Texel tup.

“I wanted to change and put more

to the Blackface tup,” said Robert,who has gradually introduced NewtonStewart bloodlines and now boaststhe only South type flock inMorayshire and Banffshire.

Over the next couple of yearsRobert bought in 200 ewe lambs atUA Stirling from Upper Kidston,Auchloy, West Bracklin and Merkinsand 160 hoggs from Blackcraig,Grimmet and Balmurrie in the SouthWest. “I was looking for ‘typie’sheep, better South types with goodhair, character and skins,” he stated.

“Plenderleith bred, gimmers werepurchased from Huntly mart fouryears ago and they set me off. Teamedwith a £2400 Milnmark tup they gaveme a female line to work with.”

Previously big commercial ewes

were bought at Perth and Stirling – itwas a numbers game – but Robertwanted to have regular ages and uniform stock. He has fulfilled thisaim and for the past two years hasbeen able to sell cast ewes to £82 thisseason averaging £77 for 144 sold.

Robert has found showing sheephas greatly increased interest andtrade for the Glen Rinnes cast ewes.

Glen Rinnes had never shownbefore and I happened to be helpingout a friend at Nairn Show in 2006,when Robert hit the show circuit. Allthe regular show goers were inquisitive as to who the new breederwas and were quite put out when hewent on to win the champion sheepwith an £850 Gass sire, bought atNewton Stewart in 2005, out of a

£19000 Glen. (pictured top right)Glen Rinnes went on to take out

Turriff, Aylth and Echt with the sametup and Keith with a homebred onecrop ewe followed by the Tup inreserve. The ewe also won the BlackIsle Show.

Over the years Robert or ‘Rab’ ashe is also known has watched a lot oftop stockmen in other sheep and cattle societies prepare stock for showand sale – “watching, listening andasking plenty questions!”

“I learnt a lot at Townfoot,Dumfries with the Goldies’ pedigreestock. My two-year stint there was avery good apprenticeship and gave mea huge interest in pedigree stock andlivestock. My uncle Iain Lattimer hasalso been a great source of advice.”

Until Robert, his wife Valerie, sonWillie and daughter Ashley headednorth to Glen Rinnes, he had neverreally had the opportunity to bringout stock for showing before. “Muchof the show success has been due tothe team effort of the family.”

In 2008 the £2400 Milnmark tup,by Emperor was Male Champion atthe Royal Highland Show. Teamedwith Milnmark, Robert also picked upthe Interbreed Pair and the HarrySleigh Perpetual Trophy. His first sonmade £2700 at Newton Stewart.

Robert can spot the potential instock and bring it out for sale orshowing. He purchased a Siloanslamb at Lanark for himself, at £100,in 2009 and went on to sell him atNewton Stewart, to Tinnis for £2200last year. “He was an outstanding animal and had tremendous character.”

“A lot of people are saying that theBlackface breed is losing character.


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There are only a handful of tups withreal character for sale each year, but Idon’t think the breed is going

backwards. Nothing can beat theBlackie ewe in her own environment –if treated properly, she’ll treat you.

“I feel more can be done to promote the Blackface breed. At themoment lambs are worth no more as aBlackface Breeder. We also need moresupport in the North.”

The Marshalls have settled in wellto life in the North East of Scotland.“It is a better climate, there is moremoney up here and more opportunities for my kids to get jobs,”said Robert. But he has admitted tofeeling the cold, wearing long johns allwinter, turning up the heat of hiswaterbed and wearing quilted trousersall summer!

His son Willie is a welder/ fabricator for WR Simmers of Keith,who are well known large-scale beeffarmers. He takes commissions fortup holders, stands and any other farmequipment, which he makes in his

FARM DETAILS

Farm: Glen Rinnes Farms

Owner: Businessman, Alasdair Locke

Sheep Manager: Robert Marshall

Location: Glen Rinnes, DufftonMorayshire

Area: 6000 acres, sheeprunning on 3000 acres

Stock: 1500 Blackface ewes(1100 pure, 400 coveredby Blue Faced Leicesters)500 cross ewes180 cowssmall pedigree herd ofShorthorns

Labour: Robert & shepherd Gordon Watt, with help from Robert’s wife Valerieand kids Ashley & William2 cattle men2 game keepers

Organic: Organic status

spare time. Ashley, who has recentlyleft school, has been taken on byWalkers Shortbread.

When questioned on what his hobbies are, he smiled, “Blackfacesheep, showing and I’m keen on collies. I’ve been in the ScottishNational Final twice.”

He has sold the odd working dog,to a top of £2500 to the FaeroeIslands, but finds he hasn’t as muchtime on his hands these days for trialsor breaking extra dogs.

He also has a great interest in otherpedigree stock – cattle, sheep andeven hens!

The Mule Ewe lambs were sold forthe first time this year, topping thesale at Huntly at £130 a head. Theywere by Blue Faced Leicester ramssourced from Rossiebank, Dunning.

Tup fever is sweeping over the

South West at the moment as breederstravel from farm to farm checking outthe competition and options for thenext breeding season. Rab is a bit outon a limb in rural Morayshire, but hisUncle Latt with his video camera andnumerous Blackie cohorts keep him upto date with what is hot and what is not.

Rab has full control of the sheepenterprises at Glen Rinnes and will bebuying and selling tups in NewtonStewart this week. “A £1000Blackcraig tup was a big influence withhis first two sons making £4000. Idon’t always give all the best ewes thebest tup. A good breeder should alsoclick with commercial ewes.Blackcraig was a breeder – both malesand females. He was put back to ewesof Plenderleith daughters andMilnmark daughters – the better ewesare all related to that family.”

At tupping time shearlings are presented with 60-70 ewes while

lambs get 35-40.The property has been classified as

organic for over seven years. “On thegrassland management side there isplenty clover in the swards as pastureshave to be renewed every five years.Nettles, thistles and docks can be aproblem though as we can’t spray.”

Lambs are normally sold fat toMacIntosh Donald or Mey Select,averaging over 18kgs dead. “They cancome to as much as a Texel lamb.They are finished off reseeds withhoppers of home-grown barley, withadded vitamin E as propcorn is low init. All lambs are normally away by

the end of Feb/March but we had tosell stores this year as there was nograss.”

Plans are afoot to reintroduce sheeponto the 3000 acres of hill ground,which is currently only used for shooting, so Robert will be increasingnumbers. “There is a major tick problem now, even in the fields, butwe will be able to use Crovect to rectify the situation.”

Robert intends to improve thestock to the best of his ability and hisambition is to sell a pen of old ewes at£200/hd and a pen of ten tups to average £500.

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FARM DETAILS

Farmers: brothers Billy & Donald Laird

Farming: Lochhead Farm

Location: Coaltown of WemyssKirkcaldy, Fife

Area: 250 acres, full tenancyfrom Wemyss Estate100 acres STDT

Cattle: 24 pure Blonde cows57 Blonde followers60 cross cows

Crops: Potatoes 20acSpring Barley 90acWinter Barley 30acOats 40acWinter Wheat 58acGrazing Grass 110acSilage 50ac

Labour: Billy - cattlemanDonald - cropsLiam - general & pedigree cattle

Blonde breeders, Billy Laird ofLochhead Farm, Coaltown ofWemyss and his wife Brenda

MacKay have secured £30 000 SRDPfunding for a business diversificationwith a difference – PAWS – R.I.P.

They have converted a couple ofcottages on the farm into a PetCrematorium and Funeral Parlour.

“Brenda’s daughter is a humanundertaker and we asked, ‘why not doit for pets?’ She wasn’t up for it buther mother and I thought it was agreat idea,” informed Billy, as we satin the reception room of the funeralparlour.

The couple, who used to stay inthe cottages, have transformed theminto a Chapel of Rest, a receptionroom, preparation rooms, a storeroom, office and toilet. There are acouple of other pet crematoriaums inScotland, but Paws – R.I.P. is the onlyoutfit to offer bereaved pet ownerseither a coffin with full burial servicein their graveyard, if required, or a casket with ashes.

“We have been going now for twoyears but it took us two and a halfyears to go through all the hoops withthe authorities before that. We hadto obtain licences from SEPA for thecrematorium and the graveyard. Theyare checked once a year. TheMinistry vet comes quarterly and theEEC Vets also visit.”

Records have to be kept of the

weight of each animal and then theashes have to be weighted and recorded as well as the smoke emmissions and temperature of theincinerator.

‘Local farmers thought we were offour heads when we told them whatwe were up to! They have quiteaccepted it now. Brenda and I decided to run it as a seperate business so if it didn’t work it wouldn’t affect the farm.”

Initially the couple did a lot ofadvertising in local papers, but nowBilly has bill board signs placed onvarious farms across Fife, which hasproved very efficient. The websitehas now clocked up 5000 hits and ‘ofcourse word of mouth works wonders.”

Billy also took four advertisingboards to the Royal Highland Show,with one on the Sellars stand, wherehis brother Lyle works.

A lot of custom is derived throughSinclairs Vet Group and Ingles VetCentre. The Lairds offer a pick upservice from the vets or individualhouses in their ‘hearse’ – a black Fiatfive door van.

“So far we have had budgies, cats,dogs, rats, tortoises, snakes, guinea

pigs, but no goldfish yet. They havecome from all walks of life, from asfar afield as Shetland in the Northand Kelso in the South.”

When diversification ideas werebeing branded about, a golf range wasconsidered initially. “But this is abusiness that not everyone could do.”

“We are now dealing with five orsix customers a week. People payaround £180 for a cremation and acasket. There is a wide range ofcastkets or biodegradeable coffins forthem to choose from.

Billy goesBlonde

BEEFfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

Who deals in 0.1 of a penny?No other commodity otherthan milk is calculated and

paid in decimal points of a penny saidBilly Laird, who until April was milking a flying herd, on his Coalheadof Wemyss property.

That was just one factor that madehim ‘pack up his troubles,’ and gototally Blonde instead!

“Dairy cows increased in value,feeding increased and the milk wasn’tpaying. I was falling asleep at thecomputer at night with the amount ofred tape and paperwork to be done.

Scunnered withlow milk prices,red tape and highinputs, Billy theBlonde breederhas quit dairyingand is goingtotally Blonde.

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This space

should be

selling for

you!

We would have also needed to investin an new parlour as it was 35 yearsold and we weren’t prepared toupgrade it and the figures just didn’tstack up as a good dairyman is now on£35 000,” explaind Billy, who waspreviously milking 75 cows.

“I’m not missing the dairy al all.” “The younger cows were sold

privately to local farms and the oldercattle are being multi-suckled, giving

me Blonde cross calves in the future.”Belgian Blues and Limousins were

originally tried out at Lochhead, butthe former didn’t perform and the latter caused problems. The firstBlonde was purchased in 1993 tocover Friesian heifers.

The plan now is to extend the beefherd to 400 with heifers and pureheifers.

“When we sold the first Blonde

bull and purchased at Carlisle – wetook Hillhead Lewis home. He wontwo or three overall show championships. Cogent took semenfrom him for selling to dairy herds.In a survey he was proved the easiestcalving bull of all breeds.

Cogent went on to buy one of hissons – Lochhead Tyson – and hissemen has been sold all over Australia.

Partners4farmersFor country minded folkwww.partners4farmers.com

1000’s of profiles online!

Share your passion – today!

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In the light of the announcement ofan eradication programme forBVD by the Scottish Government,

there is no time like the present tofind out about the health status ofyour own herd. If BVD is present inyour herd, it will be causing significant financial losses and it is inyour interest to get rid of it. Asdescribed in the Scottish Governmentprogramme, a simple 'check test' of 5homebred unvaccinated young stockfrom each separately managed groupin the herd will identify if BVD ispresent.

There is no need to be a memberof a health scheme to eradicate disease from your herd, but membershave access to preferential rates fortesting and your health schemeprovider will be able to give a summary of your current status whenever needed. Health schemeswill also provide a certificate ofaccreditation to show freedom fromdisease where appropriate. AllCHeCS (Cattle Health CertficationStandards) cattle health schemes follow the same protocols; theScottish Government has chosen tofollow the 'CHeCS' approach forBVD.

A number of breed societies havealso realised the value of the 'CHeCS'approach, insisting that breedersbecome CHeCS members to sell cattle at society sales.

Biobest is involved with twoCHeCS licensed schemes; they ownHerdcare and provide the testing andveterinary support for Hi Health.SAC operate the Premium CattleHealth Scheme which also adheres toCHeCS standards.

Currently, CHeCS have programmes for 4 diseases; BVD,Johne's disease, IBR and leptospirosis.Herds choose to test for any numberof these diseases and decide from theresults whether an eradication oraccreditation programme is appropriate.

Biobest is pleased to be workingwith the British Limousin CattleSociety on their progressive policiesregarding herd health. Mr Pitcher ofSigtoft Farm, with the CockleshellLimousin herd, has been a Herdcaremember since 2006. The Cockleshellherd are kept on the Lincolnshirecoast spending a large amount of theirtime on salt marshes. The herd hasbeen going strong for 39 years, originating from the very first Limousincattle to be brought into the UK.

Mr Pitcher started by testing hisherd for BVD. A check test showedthat there was no evidence of currentBVD infection. Spurred on by thisgood news, he tested all animals over2 years for Johne's disease and alltested negative. At the end of 2006,he was qualifying for both BVD andJohne's, the first step towards accreditation. Further clear tests the

next year allowed accreditation to beawarded for both Johne's and BVD. At this time Mr Pitcher also tested allanimals over 1 year for leptospirosiswith no positive results. After furtherclear tests for all three diseases thefollowing year, his herd was accredited free of BVD, Johne's disease and leptospirois; a fantastichealth status.

Annual testing and a firm adherence to CHeCS rules on biosecurity have allowed him to maintain this status. Since initial testing, Mr Pitcher has added onlyone animal to an otherwise closedherd. This animal came from aJohne's accredited herd and testedclear for leptospirosis, BVD and IBR.Mr Pitcher is happy with the way thehealth scheme 'gives [him] confidencewhen [he's] selling stock that they areof a good health status and also givesconfidence to the buyer'. He feelsthe only problem at the moment isthat there are not enough herds in thehealth schemes to allow him to buyfrom herds of similar health status.He was fortunate that all testing wasclear at the outset on his farm, particularly for Johne's diseasebecause eliminating this disease is along-term goal and the majority ofherds have positive animals identifiedon screening.

The Limousin society has broughtout a new health policy to ensure that

as well as aesthetics and breedingpotential, buyers have assurance onthe health status of an animal. Fromthe 1st May 2011, the society dictatesthat:

1 All sellers at society sales must bemembers of a CHeCS scheme andhave completed one whole herd testfor Johne's disease

2 All cattle at sales must be from aBVD accredited herd or tested BVDvirus free, and must be vaccinated;pregnant animals must be vaccinatedprior to service

3 Cash back for registered calves willdouble for CHeCS member herds

If you are interested in joining a herdhealth scheme then contact the relevant scheme, a membership packwill be sent out and testing can start!

ANIMAL HEALTHfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

Herd Health

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£800,000 to Tackle Johne's

SAC is leading a research initiative focussed on Johne'sdisease, a disease of major

concern to the Scottish cattle industry. Researchers will work closely with industry partners, led byQuality Meat Scotland, in the new“Paraban” project. It is funded by theScottish Funding Council, in partnership with ScottishGovernment. The aim of the industry-wide effort is to develop thebest and most cost effective approachto controlling the bacterium whichcauses Johne's infection,Mycobacterium avium, subsp.Paratuberculosis.

Announcing the project ProfessorGeorge Gunn, Head of SAC'sEpidemiology Unit in Inverness, said,

“This project is a response toindustry demands. There is anincreasing determination to understand how to tackle ParaTBeffectively, develop best practice andto pass that knowledge on. It is a disease with real economic, health andwelfare concerns for the livestockindustry and one the whole sectorwants to address.”

Johne's is often called a hidden disease. For every one animal showingobvious signs in a herd there can be10-25 others with sub clinical infection, capable of infecting others.Those with severe weight loss anddiarrhoea are the tip of the iceberg,less obvious are many more with poorproduction performance and infertility problems.

While existing National CattleHealth Certification Standards havemade progress the industry wants toimprove the tests for Johne's andneeds better information on how theorganism behaves here. Much of ourpresent knowledge comes from countries like Australia, yet it is

known that Scotland's wetter, colderclimate suits the organism better.

The £800,000 SFC funding will beboosted in kind through the co-operation of key industry partners.Organisations like Quality MeatScotland and DairyCo will join theFSA, other industry representatives,major processors, retailers, vet practices, testing and a feed company.They will help researchers from SAC,University of Glasgow, University ofEdinburgh and the Macaulay Institutegather samples and new data.

Volunteer “Champion” farmers andtheir vets will play a key role, allowingtests on their cattle and communicatingnew ideas to others. One of those isJohn Lohoar who manages theAberdeen Angus herd at Macphies ofGlenbervie, near Stonehaven.

“Despite being involved in thehealth scheme for a number of yearswe are still not clear of Johne's whichmeans we cannot sell breeding heifers.We hope our involvement in this project will make a real difference tothe control of this disease”.

Prof Charlotte Maltin, QMSScience and Innovation Manager, saidthe involvement of “champion” farmers would play a very importantrole in bridging the gap between labscience and practical in-field steps totackle the disease.

“The project is also a strong example of the benefits of differentsectors of the industry workingtogether. As well as establishing efficient cost effective approaches toJohne's control the project should alsodeliver best practice guidelines andensure these are understood throughout the whole productionchain”.

“The result should mean betteranimal health, better animal welfareand much improved economic returns.”

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When splashing out hugeamounts of cash on expensive machinery

farmers expect good service and aftersales care. At Lloyds of Dumfries,customers are key and given the royaltreatment, as Lloyd Ltd of Dumfrieswere one of three finalists in 2010Farm Machinery Dealer of the YearAwards held at the Great Hall of theSavill Court Hotel, Windsor on 7September.

The Awards, organised by the trademagazine, Service Dealer, and sponsored by the AXA InsuranceGroup in association with brokerLucas Fettes and Partners, recognisessales and service excellence amongstdealers in the land-based equipmentmarket comprising farm machinery,garden machinery, professional

turf care and ATV/Quads across the UK.Manufacturers and suppliers

nominated the final three companiesin each category across the industryand the shortlist was assessed by an independent panel.

Chris Biddle, editor of ServiceDealer said, “The finalists reflect thehigh standard of service and commitment to customer care provided by farm machinery dealersacross the UK”.

The runner up award was presented to Stuart Dalton, branchmanager of Lloyd Ltd and his wifeLinda by Phil Worthington, BusinessDevelopment director of Lucas Fettes& Partners.

Established in Penrith in 1964 byRalph Lloyd, buying and selling second hand cars and machinery, thebusiness has flourished with sevenagricultural outlets – two in Scotland,Dumfries and Kelso and the rest further south at Alnwick, Carlisle,Newcastle, Bishop Auckland andPenrith – and about a dozen car outlets trading under Lloyd Motorsacross the north of England.

Ralph’s sons Barry and Brian nowhead up the agricultural sector and cardivision respectively.

Last year saw a £230M turnoverfor Lloyd Motor Group, who has AlfaRomeo, BMW, Fiat, Honda, Jaguar,Mini and Landrover franchises as wellas a specialist sports car outlet and aused car centre.

“The agricultural side turned over£50M,” commented Stuart Dalton,Manager of Lloyds of Dumfries, “with

£9M of that from this branch.”As well as a huge range of

agricultural tackle, the depot on theNewbridge Industrial Estate, Dumfriescaters for the construction and groundcare industries and offers forklift truckhire. “At the moment business istough as there are a lot of people inthe market looking for the same business. The farming side has beenfairly steady and there has been aturn-up in construction in the pasttwo or three months.”

“We try to sell on features and benefits, but some people will buy onprice and price alone. Farmers arewatching what they are buying at themoment as prices have taken a fairhike over the past five years.Everything is 25 to 50% dearer. It hasa lot to do with the Euro.”

Stuart has noticed over the yearsthat farmers are having to becomemore business orientated and watchtheir bottom line, they are alsoembracing technology.

“We used to sell 7-9t feed mixers,now farmers are buying 24 cubicmetre capacity Strauttman andSiloking models, with bluetooth weighscales, which can be sent direct backto the computer, so every load going inis accounted for and accurate. Everyslight deviation can affect cow performance. The bigger machines arealso saving time, man power and fuelwith less loads.”

“A lot more farmers, not just contractors, are purchasing theTrimbal and EZ-Guide GPS systems,which can spread to a wider distance.

A 40% grant was available through theSRDP funding, which probablyhelped.”

Lloyds in Kelso and other brancheson the East have seen an increase inRTK sales. “They can be spotted bythe wee white dome, satellite receiveron the tractors.”

Hot off the production line is asmall Manitou MT625, which is only 6feet wide and 6 feet high. “I’m stillwaiting on the demo to come,” saidStuart.

New Holland tractors are thebiggest seller at the Dumfries branch,with the T5000 and T6000 rangesmost popular with livestock farmersand the TO 6070 a favourite with thearable boys. “New Holland are probably the most fuel efficient tractors on the market, which is agreat selling point, as it takes so muchto fill a tractor tank.”

Internet sales are now a large partof the revenue for Lloyds, “We advertise a lot of our second handmachinery on a European website andhave sold as far as Egypt, Iraq, Franceand Bulgaria,” enthused Stuart. “Weare currently revamping our website –http://www.lloydagricatalogue.co.uk,changing the whole front page.”

The mobile phone has been a welcome tool for the business as salesmen can take a digital photo of machinery in the field and it canquickly be underwritten and placed onthe website, which is updated daily.

With 800 employees across thewhole business, 220 in the agri sectionand 32 of these based at Dumfries,Lloyds is a major employer inSouthern Scotland and NorthernEngland. “With modern technologywe find that we have to be on the ball,we are constantly learning and attending product courses and newproduct launches as at the last countwe have nearly 100 suppliers over thefour divisions.”

The mechanics and engineers atLloyds are on call 24hrs a day, on arota system. ‘Every phone call we getis different and things have changed asit is no longer a hammer and chisel tofix things, many jobs require factorytrained technical computer systems.”

Lloyds, who have been in the business for almost fifty years weredelighted to be nominated by theirsuppliers for their excellent service.

MACHINERYfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

Service Award for Lloyds

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10% DISCOUNT ON AGRIPRODUCTS

Pilots from the world famous RedArrows swapped their flying helmets for motorcycle helmets

last week to complete a charity challenge that took them from Land'sEnd to John O' Groats.

The journey across the UK mainland would normally take littleover an hour in their usual transport –the BAE Systems Hawk jet – howeveron their red Vespa 125S Scooters, ittook four days.

Saturday 2 October was Day 3 oftheir journey and took them to LloydLtd., Dumfries, where they stoppedbriefly at 09.30 for a ‘pit stop’ of teas,coffees and biscuits and a chat withthe Lloyd staff. Additional servicesprovided by Lloyd Ltd included a supply of latex gloves to keep theircycling gloves water tight in some torrential rain showers!

Joining the 10 Red Arrows pilotswere four members of another iconicaviation team, the Battle of BritainMemorial Flight.

The group raised money for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the Royal Air Forces Association, Helpfor Heroes, Whizz-kidz and Fly2help.

Red Arrows pilot Flight LieutenantMike Ling organised the challenge.

"I have always wanted to ride aVespa from Land's End to John O'Groats so decided to do it at the endof our display season. The forcescharities are close to all our hearts butI am especially keen to help organisations like Whizz-kidz andFly2help as I've spent time in a wheelchair myself and appreciate thegreat work these charities do to helppeople get around and fulfil theirambitions."

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Growers wanting an efficientand durable reel irrigator butwith no need for the higher

capacity and high-tech controls of theestablished Bauer Rainstar now havean alternative in the shape of the newProRain irrigator.

Available from A M Philip Agritechbranches throughout Scotland, theProRain comes in two sizes coveringmany of the popular hose configurations preferred by UK growers and can be quickly adaptedto cover a wide range of water flowrates and raingun sizes.

Key features include a self-loadingrain gun trolley for rapid moves;hydraulic stabiliser leg operation;optional hydraulic turntable rotation;and a fully galvanized finish for components needing corrosion protection.

“The ProRain is built to the samehigh quality standards as the Rainstar,with all major steel components galvanized to give the machine a longservice life,” notes Bauer UK sales

manager Adrian Tindall. “Growers rightly regard purchasing

a reel irrigator as a long-term investment and as with other Bauerequipment the ProRain will stay thecourse.”

While the more sophisticatedRainstar range offers bigger sizes and afully automated control and flow/pressure compensation system, theProRain uses much the same electricalsystem and a proven water turbinedrive system as its big brother.

Field experience suggests theProRain's turbine maintains efficiencyover a wide range of flow rates. ButBauer has, nonetheless, made it aseasy as possible to change injectioncones to cater for a wide range ofwater flows.

“On some irrigators, this is a two-man job because it involvesunbolting heavy hoses at the sametime as supporting them,” explainsAdrian Tindall. “On the ProRain, twosingle-lever Bauer couplings releasethe water feed flexible hose and rigid

pipe, and undoing four bolts toremove just a flange gives access tothe cone inlet to the turbine. It canbe done by one man in a matter ofminutes.”

The reel is constructed with aclosed inner drum to ensure that thefirst layer of hose sits correctly with-out distortion or overlapping. Thatway, subsequent layers will build upevenly.

“The Bauer hose itself is no lessflexible than others yet has thickerwalls for durability and long servicelife,” says Adrian Tindall. “That's animportant consideration when areplacement hose can cost half theoriginal price of the machine.”

In work, the ProRain is operatedusing Bauer's Ecostar 4000S controller powered by a 12v batterywith solar panel charging. In additionto irrigation stop/start, the Ecostar isused to set the hose retraction speed,which is displayed on a read-out.

The display also shows the timeremaining until the end of the run

and the length of pipe deployed – ameasurement calculated using sensorson the drive gearbox rather than thepipe to avoid errors caused by soil andother debris.

Individual water-testing of everyProRain irrigator that leaves the Bauerfactory is another measure of theAustrian manufacturer's attention todetail and something that dealersappreciate.

“As with the Rainstar, the ProRainirrigators are delivered from the factory pretty much complete andindividually tested so that they areready to go,” notes Adrian Tindall.

“Dealers have no fears of customers being held up while theirengineer spends time tackling leaksbecause they know it will be rightfirst time in the field.”

At around £18,300 for a base-specF40 110mm/500m, he also reckonsthe ProRain represents good value formoney. “It's competitively priced butnot built down to a price,” Mr Tindallmaintains.

RRaaiinnMMaakkeerr

17

AT A GLANCE

Company: Bauer – market leader of irrigation technology worldwide

Product: Rainstar – irrigator alone waters more than 800,000ha of crops all over the world

Exports: BAUER Group exports over 93% of production to more than 80 countries

Turnover: 145 million Euros in 2007/2008

Markets: Germany, France and other countries of the European Union, China, the USA, South America and Australia

Companies: The BAUER group currently comprises 20 companies worldwide

www.farmingscotland.com

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East of Scotland Farmers cooperative has been describedas “small and perfectly formed”

but that is not quite correct because itnow has a turnover of more than £15million and is currently rated the 68thbiggest co-operative in the UK.

However, general manager RobinBarron will readily agree to the “perfectly formed” part of thedescription as the co-operative hasquietly and successfully operatedfrom its base in central Perthshire formore than fifty years.

He contrasts the business model ofESF as completely different fromother farming supply organisationswhich simultaneously reduced thenumber of lines they work with andexpanded the areas they cover.

“Basically we try to give our 300members as wide a range of servicesand supplies as we can and we operate within a fairly tight areaaround our base.”

The original business of the company was the trading of maltingbarley and this continues to the present day with long term relationships built up over the yearswith some of the big names in themalting business.

Today its main customer is drinks

giant Diageo and it also sells a largetonnage to Boort Malt, who formerlyexisted at Greencore. Between themthese two companies take about40,000 tonnes annually from ESF.

“The key to our success is havinglong standing customers who take adecent tonnage.”

While others have moaned andgroaned about the attitude taken bythe malting trade to their farmer suppliers, Robin takes a different view.

“The Scottish whisky industry is aglobal success story and we may havehad a sticky year or two as the marketflattened out but I believe there willbe a good demand for malt in thefuture.”

When questioned on whatappearred to be the strategic importation of malt just before thestart of last year’s harvest, Robinpoints out that the maltsters had thisload bought many months before andat the time of the purchase there wasnot barley in Scotland that couldmeet the specification needed.

“I do not get too worried that they(the distillers) occasionally buy fromother countries. They mostly buyScottish.”

He stated that he was optimisticabout the future with demand for all

crops rising he believed that evenfrom this stronger base, there wouldbe a premium for malting barley inthe future.

ESF members either commit a tonnage or an acreage to the cooperative and they then bring this into the central storage and drying facilities at Coupar Angus.

This past season they have beenworking with Decanter and Oxbridgebut for 2011 they are moving on toConcerto and Belgravia. This hasbeen prompted by the buyers butRobin knows that some growers likethe dependency of Decanter even if ithas now been superceded.

Normally, the co-operative growsits own certified seed but this shift invarieties will mean it will, this year,have to buy from outside.

With the central facilities capableof storing some 40,000 tonnes, harvest delivery can be hectic andpressure is put on the intake and thedrying facilities.

Over the years, ESF have investedand upgraded these facilities butRobin admits that there are still partsof the buildings that are more suitablefor the three or four tonne trailers oftwo or three decades ago.

However, he added the ESF board

of directors have investment plansthat will include increasing the tonnage the co-operative can handle.The pressure to increase capacity alsocomes from outside with the co-operative having a waiting list ofmembers who want to join. This isan envious position but Robin wascautious. “We should only expand ifwe have the facilities to physicallyhandle the grain from these producers.”

Part of the attraction of membership might be the pooling ofthe price for the malting barley as ithelps take the highs and lows out ofselling on today’s volatile market.The pool has a base price and to thatis added quality bonuses based onNitrogen levels. There were alsodeductions for drying as the mainmalting barley buyers require thegrain to be at 12%. This is no easytask even although ESF have somefive dryers on site with a combinedcapacity of around 60 tonnes per hour.

“It is getting the grain down thelast percent or two that takes time.This cannot be done too quickly as itmight affect the germination of thegrain,” he stated. He also pointed outthat in a normal year, ESF buy inaround 500,000 litres of fuel for thedryers.

ARABLEfarmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

EEEEaaaasssstttt ooooffff SSSSccccooootttt llllaaaannnnddddGGGGrrrroooowwwweeeerrrrssss

by Andrew

Arbuckle

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Robin’s main job is to judge when to sell thecrop. No easy task with the market jumping upand down with hedge fund managers now usingcommodity trading as part of their business.He does not claim to sell all the crop at the topof the market but says the aim is to end up witha good price for members’ grain. He points outthat last year, his members were paid an averageof £118 per tonne.

Apart from malting barley, ESF also handleswheat and oilseed rape but in these crops, salesare made on a spot basis.

As part of their business, ESF also providecrop walking services so that members can enjoythe benefits of top quality advice. In fact, somemembers go further and ask the co-operative toprovide a stubble to stubble service which is alsoavailable.

“We have to remember that we have a rangeof members. Some are smallholders with lessthan one hundred acres while we also havemembers who supply us with thousands oftonnes. Our business works on both levels.”

As part of the overall service available fromESF, the company supplies fertilisers and agri-chemicals. For some of these deliveries theyuse their own vehicles

In 2007, ESF invested in their country store,which now carries a wide range of goods including animal medicines. This investment hasbeen very worthwhile as turnover in this part ofthe business had quadrupled in the past three years.

Looking to the future, Robin says the co-operative will continue to concentrate onmalting barley as the core business. ESF is looking at expansion but with its background anyincrease in size will be carried out carefully andafter full consideration is given to any consequences.

www.farmingscotland.com

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WORLD MARKETS

Red meats show signs of repeating the strong price risesof 2008, during the commodity

price boom when the soaring pricesfor grains drove beef, lamb and venison to record heights.

Whereas that price spike wasshort-lived, the latest increases lookto be more sustainable.

Feed grains are again appreciatingin price, somewhat of a knock-oneffect from disastrous harvests inRussia because of drought and fires,and red meat supplies in the UnitedStates, Canada, Latin America,Australia, and New Zealand are down.

European production is also fallingbecause of the Common AgriculturalPolicy reforms, and Eastern Europeancountries haven't yet responded withproduction increases after the collapseof communism or the inclusion ofsome countries in the EU.

Beef production worldwide fell 2%in 2009 and is forecast to fall a similarpercentage in 2010.

While demand has been muted bythe global financial crisis and recessionary effects in developedeconomies, higher quality meats arestill selling well.

Demand from Asia and the MiddleEast is growing rapidly and the traditional meat exporters are havingtroubles finding enough meat of alltypes to feed the newly emergingmarkets.

In developing countries without ahistory of red meat consumption, one

of the first signs of higher incomesand social aspirations is to eat moreprotein.

Various religious prohibitions oneither beef or pork characterise someof these new markets, but in populousChina they will eat anything.

Different price indicators for beef,lamb and venison in European and USmarkets show 10-30% increases compared with this time last year.In the US and Canada, which are connected by a relatively free flow ofcattle and beef across the 49th parallel, beef prices have been highduring their summer.

The US cattle herd has shrunk toits smallest number since 1949, at atime when meat companies are keento regain export markets disrupted byBSE disease bans in recent years.

The Argentinean beef herd has fallen 15% in two years to 49 millionand in the first six months of this yearbeef production dropped 20%, whileexports dropped 50%.

The impact of drought and government restrictions on beefexports have driven down farm profitability and the reduced production means higher domesticprices. Argentineans used to be theworld's biggest beef eaters, but con-sumption has fallen by 30% and theirnumber one spot has gone to theUruguayans.

The meat industry in Argentina isin dire straits; the world's largest meatcompany JBS SA is considering

shutting three of its six Argentineplants.

Beef production in Brazil andUruguay has been expanding andtheir meat exporters are making volume gains in European markets,like Russia, where food safety andanimal health issues are not great concerns and their import prices arehigh.

However, all exporters to the EUnow have to cope with adverse movements in the Euro exchange rate.A switch to cheaper cuts of beef andsubstitution with cheaper pork andpoultry meat are also features of theEuropean markets.

Australian and New Zealand meatproduction is well down in 2010 andnot expected to recover quickly.Nearly a decade of drought inAustralia ran down the cattle herdand the sheep flock and widespreadrain this year has convinced farmersto begin rebuilding their livestocknumbers.

In New Zealand falling numbersappear to have bottomed out andhigher returns for beef, lamb andvenison have helped farmers balancetheir books and contemplate expansion again.

The biggest temptation has been togive up on sheep and cattle and turnto dairying or what is called “dairysupport,” grazing heifers or dry cowsfor dairy farms nearby.

But the future for beef and lamb ismuch brighter now. Lamb values on

world markets are the highest theyhave been for decades. Venison pricesare also very high.

Rabobank Australia and NewZealand chief executive Thos Gieskessaid recently he had confidence therewill be enormous future growth in thefood, beverage and agricultural industries around the world.

“This growth is driven by thetrends, which are inevitably resultingin an ever-increasing global demandfor agricultural produce and products,” said Mr Gieskes.

“Chief among these trends is worldpopulation growth, much of whichwill occur on our geographicaldoorstep in the developing Asiannations, which will not have theresources or capabilities to satisfytheir domestic demands.

“Populations will become moreurbanised, resulting in consumers whohave higher disposable incomes, anddietary habits will change to consumemore meat, dairy and processedfood.”

Experts expect the rebuilding ofcattle herds in North America,Australia, NZ and some LatinAmerican countries will take severalyears, and they forecast that growingdemand from new beef markets inAsia and the Middle East will keepprices high, encouraging farmers inexporting countries to retain heifersand grow their herds.

The outlook for all beef and lambfarmers is very bright.

Outlook Bright for Beef & Lamb

by Hugh Stringleman

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Quality Meat Scotland is bringing the Monitor FarmProgramme to Mull and

Kintyre for the first time and, supported by NFU Scotland, islaunching the search for two newmonitor farms.

Monitor farms are commercialfarms that are typical of other farmbusinesses in an area. They act as acentral point where local farmers cancome together and discuss improvements that relate to the farmin question and will also be relevant toother farms in the area.

The two new farms follow on fromthe success of the North Argyll andBute monitor farm projects which finished last year. Details of theseand all the other monitor farms can befound on the QMS website atwww.qmscotland.co.uk/monitorfarms

Two open meetings will be held inthe coming weeks at which potentialmonitor farmers and facilitators andothers can find out more. The first,hosted by the NFUS and QMS, willbe at the Argyll Arms Hotel,Campbeltown starting at 7.30pm onWednesday 29th September. A second meeting will be held at theIsle of Mull Hotel, Craignure, at7.30pm on Thursday 30th September.

Launching the search for two newfarms Peter Beattie, Technical ProjectsManager for QMS, said becoming amonitor farm is a great opportunity tostudy and improve the financial performance of a farm and try outsome of the ideas generated by thecommunity group of local farmers.

“Becoming a livestock monitorfarm is a three-year commitment for afarmer, supported by a facilitator, visiting specialists and the communitygroup. The first step for a new monitor farmer is a close look at thefinancial and performance figures ofthe business. Accompanied by a discussion to establish the long-termaims of the farm business, this provides the raw material from whichimprovements in performance andprofitability can be measured.

“Some of this information is thenshared and discussed at monitor farmmeetings, held every couple ofmonths. The changes in the outlookand confidence of the monitor farmerover the three years of the project canbe huge,” said Mr Beattie.

“Many monitor farmers changetheir approach to their business forthe better. New contacts are made,resulting in better collaboration and

they become more confident in marketing their sheep and cattle. It’sa win-win situation for the monitorfarm and the visiting farmers who cansee improvements that they can thenapply to their own businesses.”

Scotland’s monitor farms are alsodelivering major benefits to theScottish rural economy, with a recentstudy suggesting £6.50 was generatedon average by the monitor farm andlocal community from every poundinvested in the programme.

If you know someone who wouldmake a good monitor farmer inKintyre or Mull or if you are a livestock farmer who thinks your business could become the newMonitor Farm please contact LucySumsion, NFUS Regional Manager on01499 600154 or by email: [email protected] for moreinformation. Nomination forms canalso be downloaded from the QMSwebsite www.qmscotland.co.uk Theclosing date for monitor farm nominations is Friday 30th October.

The criteria for selection of aMonitor Farm include;

* The farm should be typical of livestock farms in the area

* The farmer must be an assured member of the QMS Cattle andSheep Scheme

* The farmer should be keen to discuss their hopes and aspirations for their business with a group of neighbouring farmers.

* Farming must be the full time profession of at least one of the family members

* The farm, where tenanted, requires support for the project from their landlord

Commitment* A Monitor Farm is a 3 year

commitment* There will be up to 5 farm visits

per year* There will usually be one open

farm day per year.* The farmer should be willing to

open the books of the business to the facilitator who will explore key business data at MF meetings and publish occasional articles in the press.

Dealing with visitors* There should be at least one

person from the farm willing to speak at meetings

* Facilities should be sufficient to cater for up to 50 visitors; e.g. car parking, covered area.

QMS farmingscotland.comIssue seventy • October 2010

Monitor FarmSought on Mullor in Kintyre

FASTCLEAN SCOTLAND LTD

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SUPPLIERS OF DRAIN JETTINGEQUIPMENT LOW OR HIGH PRESSURE

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70 MAG 7/10/10 1:12 am Page 21

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Tourism accommodation in theStirling area just got that littlebit more interesting thanks to

local farmer Kate Sankey.Kate, who farms organically on

140-acres at West Moss-side byThornhill, has realised an ambition tointroduce three Yurts to the farm –with the help of a grant from theSRDP Rural Priorities Scheme.

The Krygyk Yurts (to give them their official name) are the result of a fusionbetween the skills of local yurt builder PaulMillard of Red Kite Yurts(www.redkiteyurts.com) and Krgykstan yurtbuilder, Nurlan from the southern village ofKyzyl Tuu.

As well as helping Kate target the broadertourism market, the Yurts will also enable herto offer residential craft courses. This willhelp build on the success of her first diversification venture, which saw a 19th century steading converted on the farm in2006 to form a high quality venue for meetings, seminars, educational visits, craftworkshops and IT training events.

With solar showers, a stunning locationencapsulating views of Ben Lomond, Ben Lediand Ben Vorlich and the Flanders Moss NatureReserve right on the doorstep, there is plentyto attract those with an adventurous spirit anda great love of the outdoors to stay atTrossachs Yurts – www.westmossside.com

SRDP Rural Priorities Workshop, 7pm onWed 24th November 2010The Harviestoun Hotel, Tillicoultry.

To book contact Caroline Brown on Tel:01786 463416 or e-mail: [email protected] £20 (inc.vat) attendance fee applies.

Trossachs Yurtsare out of this World

Book Review


RURAL

Understanding the potentialthat harnessing renewableenergy has, for us, is one

thing. Taking the next step, towards deciding which sources of energymake most sense for a particular situation, is quite another.

One of the services that theEnergy Saving Trust (EST) offers isfree impartial information and advicefrom a Household RenewablesOfficer. There is also a local businessadviser which performs the sameservice for businesses.

It's most reassuring to have a person knowledgeable in renewableenergy visit your property without anagenda, or to put it bluntly, trying tosell you something. Individual renewable energy companies tend tobe extremely knowledgeable in a specific technology or brand of equipment, so of course it's in theirinterest to recommend their approachand products. And let's face it, sometimes they seem to speak pure

'techno-babble.'Impartial advice from the EST will

help you to feel more secure in theinvestments you are about to make.In addition to free on-site energy,waste and water audits, they can helpyou to check calculations and comparequotes from potential installers.

Ensure your home is insulated anddouble glazed, before spending anymoney on renewable energy technology as if your house is leakingheat already, whatever new gizmosyou throw at it, you're fighting a losing battle.

Our household renewables officerrecommended the book “RenewableEnergy A User's Guide,' by AndyMcCrea.

Despite the author's impressivecredentials in power engineering andover 30 years of experience, this bookis not intimidating and is remarkablyeasy to read all the way through orsimply 'graze' picking up interestingmorsels as you dip in and out.

by Alison Martin

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Tom is 48. Just short of six feet.Fairly fit and healthy. Reasonablygood at his job. This is only his

second place since he left school andhe has been a tractorman with thisboss for ten years. A few folk haveremarked on why he never took thejob as manager but other than thatTom has just kept his head down andworked away quietly.

He never married and rarely willyou see Tom out at anything. Someonesaid he was seeing a girl a few yearsback but it never came to anything.

Before Jack turned up, who does abit of everything about the place, Tomwould go to the odd thing in the village but it was about that time whenJack appeared that Tom didn't seemto go out so much. Strange becauseJack and his wife are about the sameage; you would have thought theywould have been company for Tom,especially as it's a bit of drive to thepub.

When Jack first appeared the bossbought a two year old Hilux for himto get about, he'd have a bit of hillwork to do now again, it would comein handy. The kitchen was in a salebut the boss still thought it a bit ofstretch to put it in, but Jack did havefamily so the boss kind of felt heshould. Tom's cottage has a bit of akitchen unit that came out of thefarmhouse utility twenty years ago.

But really what Tom has becomeused to, as the boss never got roundto sorting it out, is the drain at Tom'sback door. It's blocked or collapsedand in the winter invariably floods,

probably twice a year it floods intothe kitchen through the back door.After the fourth time Tom never putthe vinyl back down, so for the pastsix years he's just lived with the concrete floor in the kitchen.

Jack was genuinely a bit shockedwhen he first saw things were a bitrough at Tom's cottage. He wasmaybe a little embarrassed. But Jackthought it a bit off when he took Tomto the curling meeting in the hall, justto meet a few of the neighbours, andTom was starting to rib Jack about itin front of the lads. But Tom hadbeen a bit hurt when Jack had started cracking jokes with the bossand Tom was becoming the butt ofmost of them. The boss was laughingand joking away thinking he was justhaving fun with his men.

Tom had just got sick of it. Sonow he does his work and headshome. It's easier that way. But latelyJack's kids and their pals have startedshouting taunts across the close whenthey see Tom and for some reasonthat can really get to him. Maybe itreminds him of his days at school.They weren't the happiest of times;the boys were pretty rough on himand he was an only child so there wasn't even a brother or sister around.Tom always wished his Mum didn'tmeet him at the gate every day. Noneof the other mums did that. And itjust made things worse.

When Jack's wife had brought overthe lasagne she had cooked but theirfriends didn't turn up, that was theend. Jack had lost it. What the hellhad she done that for ?

The boss did nothing, left it to themen, he wasn't actually sure what hadhappened that caused Tom and Jacknever to speak, but when Tom hadleft it was a blessing really. The bossdidn't need to deal with anything butJack was never as good as Tom at a lotof things.

Years later the boss wondered if heshould have maybe done more for Tom.But he was such a quiet lad you neverfelt you could say much, like youwere intruding, Tom had become soprivate in the end. But he knew inhimself he probably would never havehad to let the place go if Tom had stillbeen about. Jack was all about ‘me.’Thought he was climbing the ladderwhen he moved on only a year afterTom left. The boss struggled for awhile but the overdraft just got out ofhand and the only answer was to closethe gate at the end of the road.

If you think bullying is a black eyeforget it. You could lose more than agood man if you're not a good boss.Thoughtlessness is often tougher totake than a black eye and in the endeveryone suffers.

Black shadow - tonne weight

WoollyMinded

Each of the following technologiesis covered in separate chapters: solarwater heating, heat pumps, biofuels,wind energy, solar photovoltaic (PV)and hydroelectricity.

The author explains each technology in terms of how it worksand notes the general direction inwhich it is developing. The components of current equipment aredescribed to a level that will enableyou to understand them and converseconfidently with a technology salesperson.

There's a useful glossary of termsfor each technology, plus good diagrams and photographs of the technology in use. There are alsohelpful tables advising for example,indicators of wood pellet quality orPV installation 'golden rules.'

“Renewable Energy A User'sGuide,' by Andy McCrea. £16.99.Publisher: Crowood. ISBN: 978-1-84797-061-9

by Wendy Clark

The launch of the first evernational Wool Week (11-17thOct) will see wool make the

biggest statement it has ever donebringing together a series of partnerships from manufacturing toretail and wool communities and fromthe Orkneys through Central Londonand on to Wales.

“It is a huge promotion of wooland it is wonderful that so many haveput their energy and power behindit.” Ian Hartley, CEO at the BritishWool Marketing Board (BWMB) said.

The catalyst for the week long promotion is the Campaign for Wool(CfW), a five-year cross industry initiative convened by HRH ThePrince of Wales in January this year.Now the official Patron of the CfW,the Prince has brought attention tothe global issues facing the global woolorganisations and the sheep farmer.At the same his support has levied thenatural sustainable properties of woolto reposition it within the retail sectorand with the consumer.

British Wool, which marketedthrough auction 29 million kilos lastseason from 50,000 producers, hasseen prices rise over the last tenmonths and whilst there are other factors which affect the industry MrHartley is clear that wool has beengiven a trend opportunity like noother.

“The CfW has repositioned woolwithin fashion, pushed it up the consumer’s green agenda and firmlyadvanced its position within interiors.The aim is to give it lifestyle status,which prompts greater understandingof its properties and a marked understanding of its value.”

The greening of Savile Row, complete with grazing sheep launchesthe event on Monday (11th Oct) andretailers have pledged windowsthroughout the week includingHarvey Nichols, Debenhams, Jigsaw,and Liberty and the launch of an on-line auction of designer wool itemswill finish it on Sunday 17th.”

“Retailers and manufacturers have

been busy with new products andretail events. But there are manyparticipants, both large and small, thathave just decided to get on-board andpromote wool and this has undoubtedly boosted British Wool’sprofile and usage,” Mr Hartleyexplained.

The key funders of National WoolWeek are: the British Wool MarketingBoard, Australian Wool Innovation,New Zealand Wool Council,International Wool TextileOrganisation, Viking Wool of Norwayand the National Sheep Association.

In Scotland Jamieson & Smithfrom the Shetland Islands promotesthe Campaign for Wool witha Week-long Open Doors event incorporatingguided tours of their iconic premisesat the hub of the Shetland Woolindustry. Spinning and knitting workshops, Felting workshops, talksand demonstrations, judging of theShetland fleece are taking place at theShetland Mart.

Brintons carpets and iconicScottish design house TimorousBeasties have recently pooled theirextensive design skills to create aunique Tree of Life design and havedonated a room size rug to Campaignfor Wool online auction.

Vi-Spring – The luxury bed makerhas committed to using only the highest quality pure British fleecewool across its entire collection.

Rowan Yarns, Yorkshire, has linkedwith the Royal College of Art Libertyand British Wool for a student competition to inspire innovation withtheir collection Purelife – BritishSheep Breeds. Prizes will be awardedon Monday 11th October and twowinning entries will appear in theLiberty window during Wool Week.

Rowan has also launched a selection of online homewares using100% British Wool and will be hostinga series of in-store promotions at JohnLewis stores throughout Wool Weekand speakers from the British Woolteam will give talks to consumers onthe fibre at London Oxford Street,Cardiff and Manchester.

Award winning gift company basedin Lake District –Herdy – has developed a fantastic knit kit for WoolWeek to be sold at Liberty.

Cherchbi – Lake district companymanufacturing stunning provenanceled designer holdalls using Herdwickwool in a tweed called ‘Herdwyck ‘– anew 100% un-dyed Herdwick wooltweed specially developed will provide its unique holdall and matching cap to CfW online auction.

The Wool Clip are running ademonstrations on how to use Britishwool and learn a new skill. Spinning,weaving, knitting and felt making willbe taking place each day.

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Issue 70