Farmers Guardian Scottish 29th December 2023

INSIDE: A REVIEW OF 2023 AND A LOOK AHEAD TO 2024 December 29 2023 | £4.10 | Become a member from £2.09 | farmersguardian.com

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THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE

SCOTTISH EDITION

MACHINERY

LIVESTOCK

BUSINESS

Closer look at classic Leyland 285 and 2100

Major feed cost savings for beef farm

Key market trends of 2023 explored

PAGE 58

PAGE 65

PAGE 12

INDUSTRY OF OPPORTUNITY

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industry, it is vital to look at those who are already farming or working in the sector and the opportunities for them to be able to develop.

Enhancing skills and training is essential to create a strong, stable and motivated workforce, and one which is fit for the future.

Acknowledgement In the livestock section, there is the perfect example of this, looking at how share farming can get new entrants a foot on the ladder (see p62).

This week’s Farm Profile (pictured, right) shows how fresh ideas have reinvigorated a farm business.

What is clear, though, is that moving into a new year brings a fresh perspective, and hopefully this issue of FG will inspire you, whatever your chosen career path, all told by those who make agriculture the innovative, forward-thinking place it is.

MORE ON CAREERS Throughout this issue of FG.

PICTURE: JOHN EVESON

BRITISH agriculture has a proud story to tell and the people who make it tick are its most valuable asset. In this special careers edition of Farmers Guardian, we feature some of the people who are forging new pathways in the industry and giving new starters a leg-up.

Whether it is those from non-farming backgrounds forging their own successful paths; those who are keen to preserve the more traditional roles, or those who are doing all they can to highlight what the sector has to offer, all are shining a light on the variety of jobs – and people – within farming.

This issue also sees the launch of FG’s new Jobs in Agriculture platform (see page 5), the go-to for job adverts, careers advice, plus regular insightful and in-depth content, supported by a handful of diverse ambassadors who each have their own unique story to tell.

Although one of the industry’s focuses has to be on attracting fresh talent from outside the

27/12/2023 09:42

‘We did not want to be the reason for the reindeer running out of puff in Cornwall’, says Alan Carter. See p78.

INSIDE

December 29 2023 2

SCOTTISH EDITION

NEWS

76 #FARMINGCAN

10 COMMENT

78 IN YOUR FIELD

Investment needed to ensure longevity of organic sector

11

LETTERS

12

BUSINESS

16

FARM PROFILE

19

A look at market trends throughout 2023 New entrants build meat box business in Holywell, Flintshire

ARABLE

Sugar sector shows where income is being invested

TikTok farmer Will Young is inspiring those outside the agriculture industry Including an update from Alan Carter, Cornwall, and the first column from new writer Jono Hughes, Cardiff

79 CROSSWORD 80 FARMING MATTERS

‘Technology can tempt people from outside ag into the industry’, says Prof Matt Bell

24 SALES

Record breakers and sale toppers from 2023

58 MACHINERY

A closer look at the classic Leyland 285 and 2100

62 LIVESTOCK

Share farming opportunity provides first step on ladder

68 MARKET PRICES

All the latest prices and trends from around the UK

6 2 PAGE S

ads of classified r e ft a s start p31

Arable

19

INSIDE THE FACTORY

Farmers Guardian takes a closer look at British Sugar’s Wissington operation.

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Value for money from meat and dairy

By Alex Black THE cost of a basket of vegan or dairy alternative products offered a 40 per cent reduction in the number of calories (kcal) for every £1 compared to a basket of comparable meat and dairy products.

That was the message from an 18 month long study commissioned by dairy consultancy firm Kite and AB Dairy, which compared two baskets of a random selection of vegan foods and brands alongside their conventional ‘twins’ from three supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.

The kcal per 100g were recorded and the total in each pack was determined from the weight.

The cost of each product then allowed the cost per kcal to be calculated.

Averaging up the data from all of the products across the three supermarkets showed consumers

Suckler scheme shut down for maintenance SCOTTISH Government have shut down online applications to the Scottish Suckler Beef Scheme (SSBSS). Online applications are closed until January 4, 2024, in order to carry out essential maintenance.

The deadline for applications to SSBSS – a scheme worth £40 million to support the production of beef calves – has been extended to midnight on January 14, 2024.

Many beef producers would have been working towards the traditional deadline of December 31 for applications, and the late notice was an ‘unwelcome surprise’, according to NFU Scotland.

NFUS livestock chair Hugh Fraser said: “The value of this scheme to Scotland’s iconic red meat sector cannot be underestimated as it ensures producers around the country are encouraged to keep producing beef calves to underpin the production of quality Scotch Beef.”

buying the manufactured vegan foods and brands paid about 42p/kcal, compared to those buying conventional foods and brands who paid 30p/kcal.

On a percentage basis, the cost per kcal of a conventional diet was found to be 28 per cent lower than that for the vegan basket.

Regarding how many kcal £1 would buy, a conventional basket would buy 340 kcal, and the vegan basket would buy 240 kcal.

Nutritional density John Allen, founder of Kite Consultancy, said: “We hear a lot about plant-based diets, and how we should eat more of them. But what we do not hear a lot about is the cost of them, especially when it is looked at on a nutritional density basis.

“We just hear about the environmental side of dairy and livestock and not the whole package. Our very simple but long-term study has shed light on this, and it clearly shows that when it comes to buying calories – which is effectively what we do when we buy food – meat and dairy products give consumers far more bang for their buck than the vegan and dairy alternatives foods and brands.”

Mr Allen added he was confident that as dairy and livestock sectors continued on their net zero journey, livestock agriculture will produce ‘even more value for money calories’ with an ‘ever lower carbon output’.

Broughton mart will be run by Barnard Castle THE directors at Barnard Castle Auction Mart have confirmed it will be running all livestock sales and collections at Broughton Mart from January 1, 2024.

It comes after H&H held its last sale at Broughton-in-Furness on December 11, citing falling stock numbers and a dramatic increase in running costs as its reasons for stepping away from the mart. farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:43

NEWS PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES

Defra Secretary looks to make farmers’ lives ‘easier’ DAWN OF A NEW YEAR

AS a New Year dawns for UK farmers, many will be reflecting on the political landscape, weather challenges and volatility of 2023, and looking forward to what 2024 might have in store for agricultural businesses.

Following another year of volatility which has touched all aspects of farming — farming leaders have shared their hopes for a more peaceful and sustainable New Year.

New Year focus on business resilience rUnion leaders plan

priorities for 2024

By Jane Thynne

FOR NFU president Minette Batters, the coming weeks will see her hand over the leadership of the union.

But the priority for the organisation remained the same for 2024 — ensuring food security and delivering the best produce.

She acknowledged the ups from the year, including the Farm to Fork Downing Street Summit and Buy British Online shopping button, as well as the downs such the Government being

a ‘long way behind on its commitments’.

Ms Batters said one great takeaway from the year had been ‘unwavering support’ from the public.

She said: “This New Year, let us build on the momentum... and forge a path towards a resilient and thriving British agricultural sector so we can continue what we do best — producing great British food.”

In Scotland, growing concerns over future agriculture policy, species reintroduction and budget cuts have left their mark. However, recently appointed NFU Scotland chief executive, John Davidson, said what he will be taking into 2024 was not just the

Tenant Farmers farmersguardian.com

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issues, but the knowledge that the union will continue to make a positive difference.

He said NFUS will have a ‘laser focus’ on the need to drive more profitability into the industry.

“Everything we do as a union will have this at the core,” he said.

Next year will, according to both NFU Cymru president Aled Jones and Ian Rickman, president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, be a ‘momentous year’ for Welsh agriculture.

Mr Rickman issued a call for members to engage with the Welsh Government and the union to ensure family farms and the Welsh way of life remain on the agenda of those in power.

chris.day@abfltd.co.uk

AFTER taking the reins at Defra in November, Secretary of State Steve Barclay has paid tribute to the nation’s farmers and insisted he will put, ‘farming back at the heart of rural policy’.

He said his key aims were to make life easier for farmers, looking particularly at technology and the flexibility that is built in to the Sustainable Farming Incentive.

Addressing Farmers Guardian readers directly, Mr Barclay said: “You play a key role in keeping our nation fed and protecting our countryside for future generations, producing the best food in the world with the highest animal welfare standards.

“So I want to do everything I can to make your lives easier and raise productivity in our vital agricultural sector.”

For Mr Jones too, the role farmers play in rural communities was something which must be kept at the forefront of the Welsh Government’s minds.

He said one key focus was the need for ‘long-term’ stability mechanisms to underpin the production of safe, high quality and affordable food in Wales.

Ulster Farmers’ Union president David Brown said 2023 had ‘been one of the most turbulent, weather-related years on record’ pointing out that the challenges did not end there.

But despite ongoing issues, he said the ‘potential and importance’ of the region’s farming and food production remained undefeated.

Chris Day on Tel: 07769 705004 DECEMBER 29 2023 | 3

27/12/2023 09:09

Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ Editor Olivia Midgley, 07787 240 750 olivia.midgley@agriconnect.com Head of News and Business Alex Black, 01772 799 409 alex.black@agriconnect.com Chief Reporter Rachael Brown, 07974 039 778 rachael.brown@agriconnect.com News and Business Reporters Jane Thynne jane.thynne@agriconnect.com Chris Brayford, 07773 110 733 chris.brayford@agriconnect.com Business Reporter Cedric Porter cedric.porter@agriconnect.com Arable Technical Specialist Ash Ellwood, 07786 190 188 ashleigh.ellwood@agriconnect.com Head of Machinery and Farm Technology Toby Whatley, 07583 054 831 toby.whatley@agriconnect.com Machinery Reporter James Huyton, 07787 242 185 james.huyton@agriconnect.com Head of Livestock Katie Jones, 07786 856 439 katie.jones@agriconnect.com Head of Livestock Sales Angela Calvert, 07768 796 492 angela.calvert@agriconnect.com Livestock Specialists Ellie Layton, 07814 997 407 ellie.layton@agriconnect.com Katie Fallon, 07815 003 227 katie.fallon@agriconnect.com Online Editor and Features Editor Emily Ashworth, 01772 799 446 emily.ashworth@agriconnect.com Head of Creative Services Gillian Green, 01772 799 417 gillian.green@agriconnect.com Picture Editor Marcello Garbagnoli, 01772 799 445 marcello.garbagnoli@agriconnect.com Sales Director Stephanie Ryder, 07917 271 987 Stephanie.ryder@agriconnect.com Group Publisher Ben Briggs ben.briggs@agriconnect.com Circulation Subscription hotline 0330 333 0056 help@subscribe.farmers-guardian.com Newstrade enquiries 01772 799 434 UK print subscriptions £189; Europe: £226.80; RoW: £283.50.

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4 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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NEWS rWeather conditions

will affect transmission

By Rachael Brown FARMERS were warned that while positive bluetongue cases continued to be found, temporary control zones (TCZs) would be here to stay, with ‘still a long road’ ahead.

That was the message from Sascha Van Helvoort, contingency veterinary head of field delivery at Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA), who was speaking to farmers alongside a panel of experts in a seminar hosted on December 20

by National Sheep Association and AHDB. When probed about how long the TCZs would be in place for, Ms Van Helvoort said it was ‘a very difficult question to answer’, adding APHA would continue to undertake surveillance to see whether the disease was circulating, and that the answer lied with epidemiologists.

Within TCZs, livestock cannot be moved unless farmers have an approved licence.

Ms Van Helvoort updated farmers about a new licence in place which allowed movement of live animals from premises inside the TCZ to outside specifically for welfare

PICTURE: JOHN EVESON

THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE

Sascha Van Helvoort from APHA said it was ‘very difficult’ to ascertain how long temporary control zones would be in place for.

‘Long road’ ahead with bluetongue reasons, alongside the necessary pre- and post-movement testing.

However, she warned the licence was not guaranteed approval.

“If the risk is too high, the move

Farming is ‘the best job in the world’ BBC Countryfile presenter and Gloucestershire farmer Adam Henson still believes farming is ‘the best job in the world’, which offers ‘rewarding and varied careers for young people’, but said the industry must do more to reconnect with the general public.

Speaking on the Farmers Guardian podcast about his new rural mental health podcast ‘Keeping on Track’, Mr Henson emphasised the need to be ‘more closely connected to the consumer’ and for them to better understand not only what farmers do and where their food comes from, but also the multiple pressures that farmers face right now.

He said it was not only the farming community that needed to come together and champion one another, but also the country as a whole, adding the aim was for the general public to

be ‘passionate and proud of what farmers produce and how we manage the land, and to be sympathetic to the journey we are on to improve’. He added education was key, particularly from a young age, calling for for the introduction of an optional GCSE in agriculture, land use and education.

“Agriculture as a whole is an incredibly vibrant, exciting, business-minded industry to be in, and we should be at the forefront of success,” he said.

But Mr Henson said that with so many farmers struggling with their mental health, it was difficult to say that farming is ‘all brilliant’, adding it was incumbent on the industry to change that.

MORE ON CAREERS Read on for more information about careers throughout this issue of FG.

Adam Henson with Farmers Guardian chief reporter Rachael Brown.

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To hear more from Adam Henson, scan the QR code:

might not be allowed. We will need to do a risk assessment on each application,” she said.

Blood testing of animals is part of ongoing surveillance work in TCZs and farmers have raised concerns about the testing of pregnant ewes.

Sharminda Lockwood, from Westpoint vets in Kent, said she would ‘not want mass testing of pregnant ewes any closer than four to six weeks of lambing’, and encouraged farmers in the control zones to leave plenty of time to get their licence for moving sheep back to their holding ahead of lambing.

Data In addition to blood testing, taking a look at historical livestock data was particularly important, including medicine, mortality, fertility and movement records.

Ms Lockwood said: “I think some farmers are worried about this process; that there is going to be comeback if anything was missed from medical records.”

Ms Lockwood reassured farmers there would be ‘no comeback from these visits’ and that vets were happy to take information verbally, adding it was important all available information was handed over.

Looking ahead to the next three months, Prof Peter Mertens, professor of virology at University of Nottingham, said the weather conditions would be important.

“If you get low temperatures in winter, onward transmission is going to be curtailed,” said Prof Peter Mertens. farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:09

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19/12/2023 16:17

NEWS FG had it covered

January

February

March

April

Political uncertainty and wea th As the year draws to a close, Jane Thynne reflects on the highs and lows of 2023.

A

fter a difficult 2022 blighted by a global outbreak of avian influenza, storms, floods and record-breaking input prices, 2023 began on something of a positive note.

Defra unveiled a raft of financial incentives to boost the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) uptake, and the Oxford Farming Conference returned to an in-person event for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, any joy was short-lived as the energy crisis began to bite and farming was left out of the Government’s support scheme.

February launched with a fresh campaign for a fairer supply chain as supermarkets sought to ease the cost of living crisis for consumers by slashing farmgate prices.

It was a hot topic at the NFU Conference, with union president Minette Batters demanding Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered a better deal for the industry. The event played host to Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer and then Defra Secretary Therese Coffey,

who was booed for her comments on the egg sector.

In Wales, the row over Nitrate Vulnerable Zones heated up as Welsh Government opened its consultation on the unpopular policy. Meanwhile in Scotland, pressure grew on the Cabinet Minister for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon to release further details of the long-awaited Agricultural Bill.

Everybody’s favourite farmer Jeremy Clarkson returned to our screens in March, with Amazon Prime Video revealing the second series of Clarkson’s Farm had pulled in the most ever viewers for the platform.

Hopes were raised in Scotland and Northern Ireland as details of the Windsor Framework were released, and Wales’ Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths opened discussions on a change in bovine TB policy as the country saw incidences rise.

On Dartmoor, there was fury from upland farmers as Natural England was accused of ‘rewilding by the back door’, while poultry

July

August

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producers continued to battle bird flu amid claims from the Animal and Plant Health Agency the organisation would not cope with another animal welfare outbreak.

Inflation In April, the Government celebrated a trade deal win, with the UK due to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, while consumers faced food inflation of 19.1 per cent. The horticulture sector also continued to suffer as supermarkets showcased empty shelves following poor harvests in the UK and overseas.

The month also heralded a growing number of attacks on livestock.

In Scotland, it marked growing concerns about species reintroduction and control as rows raged over lynx, sea eagles and beavers.

It was a damp start to May and the Coronation of the King, as well as for the Conservative Party following huge local election losses.

However, the Prime Minister hosted the long-promised Downing Street Farm to Fork summit.

Meanwhile, farmers in Wales railed against the 10 per cent habitat creation plans, and Scottish farmers hit out at Ms Gougeon for a

September

series of ‘no shows’ at key events.

There were positive steps as the UK Government committed to 45,000 seasonal worker visas for 2024, but there were warnings over the future of the meat industry as small abattoirs continued to close.

June arrived with good news for upland farmers following inclusion to various Environmental Land Management schemes.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer announced the scrapping of the Animal Welfare Bill, with its hopes of livestock worrying clauses.

AHDB touted a levy rise, while Ms Coffey gave her backing to a continued badger cull.

Flaming June The month also lived up to its ‘flaming June’ moniker, becoming the hottest on record.

The Royal Welsh Show took centre stage in July, with the Welsh Government urged to reconsider its Sustainable Farming Scheme.

NFU Cymru said the demand for 10 per cent tree cover and habitat creation would force farmers out of business.

A significant increase in rural crime was revealed in August, with thefts and damage amounting to £49.5 million. While a study

October farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:49

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a ther extremes showed 10 per cent of dairy farmers were planning to quit, arable farmers continued to battle tricky harvest conditions.

There were further rumours of chaos in Defra as delays were announced to Countryside Stewardship and SFI applications.

Farmers Guardian’s Farm 24 Campaign was a huge success, winning support from industry, politicians and celebrities.

September arrived in a blaze of glory as temperatures soared to the mid-20s, offering hope crops could be salvaged. However, by the end of the month, Storm Agnes arrived with heavy rain and strong winds.

Steve Reed, MP for Croydon North, was introduced as Shadow Defra Secretary, while Ms Coffey was told to do more to support farmers as industry gathered for the Back British Farming campaign.

More storms added to farmers’ woes in October as millions of pounds of crops were washed away. Scottish farmers were finally given sight of the new Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bill, but Tory ministers were in the firing line after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced at the Conservative Conference the next phase of HS2

would be scrapped, and Jacob Rees Mogg was branded ‘morally bankrupt’ after suggesting the UK should import hormone-treated beef from Australia.

The NFU also found itself in hot water after initially backing Red Tractor over its Greener Farms Commitment before bowing to member pressure and ordering a review of the assurance scheme.

War While war has continued to rage in Ukraine, November brought fresh conflict in the Middle East. A decision by British Sugar to reveal its contracts without agreement with NFU Sugar sparked outrage, and farmers were given a new Defra Secretary – Steve Barclay – amid a hastily arranged reshuffle.

Instances of bluetongue began to emerge in Kent.

December brought further bad news for both Scotland and Wales as rural budgets were slashed and the Red Tractor debacle rumbled on. Early successors to Ms Batters began emerging amid talk of a possible coup from a group of ‘social media’ luminaries.

Back in Dartmoor, Natural England had its knuckles rapped over its treatment of farmers.

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27/12/2023 09:49

NEWS After a challenging year in the organic dairy sector, Rachael Brown takes a look at the prospect for the market going forward.

Investment needed to ensure longevity of organic sector rOrganic milk delivery

Farmers and processors need to be thinking about how to reconnect consumers with organic.

ORGANIC dairy farmers have been urged to ‘hold their nerve’ with ‘better times ahead’ after a challenging year, with their premium squeezed and a milk price that for the majority did not reflect their high input costs.

While there have been financial pressures across the UK dairy market this year, for some organic farmers there have been greater challenges with organic feed costs and availability, forcing some farmers to scale back production.

Latest figures from the AHDB showed that in the week ended December 9, GB organic daily milk delivery was 14 per cent lower compared to the same week last year (see graph).

Soil Association organic sector adviser Adrian Steele warned retailers and processors to invest in the ‘long-term growth of organic’, adding his concern about hearing a number of farmers either switching to conventional or quitting altogether.

He said farmers have seen their incomes fall by 20 to 30 per cent but the price differential at retail had increased disproportionately, creating a big disparity between organic and non-organic.

“Something does not add up here.

Clearly the processors, wholesalers and retailers need to make a profit, but

PICTURE: RUTH REES PHOTOGRAPHY

14 per cent lower

something in the supply chain economics is distorting the market and leaving many shoppers blind to the benefits of organic for the environment, animal welfare and nature,” he said.

Demand for organic has been hit by the cost of living crisis, with farmers questioning how long this would last.

Some were optimistic and encouraged that demand was starting to pick up.

But farmers and processors need to be thinking about how to reconnect consumers with organic.

Farmer Dan Burdett looks after a 480-head dairy herd across two farms in West Sussex, supplying milk to Arla as part of an autumn calving system.

Mr Burdett said messaging was key, adding organic can ‘no longer justify the moral high ground on animal welfare’ as it was high across most farms. Instead, he argued the focus should be promoting organic as a system which does not use chemicals, but admitted there were challenges around this.

“Marketeers are reluctant to put ‘we do not do this’ on packaging as it then puts into question what everyone else does,” he said.

He added seasonality was a challenge for milk prices, saying something needed to be done with additional spring milk other than downgrading it.

GB ORGANIC DAILY MILK DELIVERIES (SEVEN-DAY ROLLING AVERAGE) SOURCE: AHDB

1,500

‘000 litres per day

1,400 1,300 1,200 1,100 1,000 900

2023/2024

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2022/2023

Mar 23

Mar 6

Feb 18

Feb 1

Jan 15

Dec 29

Dec 12

Nov 25

Nov 8

Oct 22

Oct 5

Sept 18

Sept 1

Aug 15

July 29

July 12

June 25

June 8

May 22

May 5

April 18

April 1

800

“We should be pushing organic in springtime,” he said.

As farmers wait for domestic demand to build up again, export opportunities would be another area for the organic sector to explore.

Organic Herd, a processor formerly known as Omsco, has offered its farmers a headline milk price of 49ppl for the last 16 months, and part of that success has been its ability to export organic cheese to the USA and other major markets.

Adam Westaway, an organic dairy farmer from South Molton in Devon, supplies Organic Herd. He milks 140 cows and, 18 months ago, like many organic farmers, he was deliberating whether to stick with organic. But he was glad he did not, adding he felt the organic market was ‘starting to strengthen’.

He said to drive organic forward, collaboration between all sector representatives was important, adding the industry needed the equivalent of Red Tractor for the organic movement: a logo, its set of standards and some money for marketing.

He was frustrated over the historic lack of recognition for organic. He said he received about £10,000 each year under his organic maintenance payment.

But if he put his farm into herbal lays and clover under new Sustainable Farming Incentive agreement, he said he could increase that to £50,000. farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:00

NEWS rLoopholes used

to reduce security

By Rachael Brown TENANT farmers with an Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) agreement have been warned about the pitfalls of diversification.

Many farmers were finding it increasingly difficult to secure permission to diversify, as landlords do not want to ‘perpetuate their security’ and, instead, push tenants to ‘less favourable’ short-term Farm Business Tenancies (FBT).

Tenant Farmers Association chief executive, George Dunn, said often landlords ask tenants to consider a move to a short-term contract in return for consent for diversification.

He said: “Sometimes things are done on handshakes without proper written consent, which can cause problems later down the line.”

He added that consent was not always easy to come by and that it came with considerable caveats and costs.

Mr Dunn outlined how agricultural tenancies were routinely let out on the basis of being used for agricultural purposes only. Therefore, diversification into letting farm assets

farmersguardian.com

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Diversification ‘at the whim of the landlord’ such as cottages and buildings were considered outside the scope of the majority of agricultural tenancies and could only be done with prior consent.

With increased emphasis on the need for farmers to supplement income, tenants were urged to tread with caution around subletting, with some landlords ending generational tenancies over breaches and offering a less favourable FBT instead.

Changed “As an example, one tenant farmer that I have worked with and, who has chosen to stay anonymous, is now paying double the rent after having their AHA tenancy removed and changed to a fixed term FBT. “They were caught in a loophole and entirely ambushed by the whole thing. They had relied upon a previous hands-off and flexible approach from the landlord which suddenly changed.

Diversifications such as subletting can pose problems for tenant farmers.

“No matter what they offered in attempts to rectify the situation so that it was fair both to the tenant and the landlord, it was not accepted.

“In the end, although I advised them to fight it, they simply did not have the financial resources to do so against a

large landlord. I know how heartbreaking the whole situation has been for them. Having felt that they had worked to improve the farm, they have ended up paying a heavy price because the landlord took an opportunity to end the AHA,” said Mr Dunn.

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 9

27/12/2023 09:12

LEADER

Emily Ashworth, Online and Features Editor – emily.ashworth@agriconnect.com

Our resolution must be to speak up about farming

And finally...

Find out how one young farmer has got a foot on the ladder through a share farming agreement. See pages 62-64.

HERE we are again, heading into the New Year and poised for reflection.

So, looking back, what is it about this farming year that stands out?

A lot has happened — the political landscape is as rocky as ever, the new support schemes that are meant to enable farmers have been met with some uncertainty and there has been Red Tractor turmoil.

It is easy to get lost in that negativity when, instead, what we should be doing is remembering who we are as an industry and building on the value we offer to wider society.

It was good to see farmers unite on social media, coming together as a collective to tackle the Channel 4 documentary about beef production. And it is in these moments that a real sense of pride truly shines through. As a force, farming is strong.

So, let us move into 2024 in such a way. When our voice is at its loudest, keep shouting.

To do that, though, we need to ensure we have the people to deliver it and that is what this issue of Farmers Guardian is all about.

Our industry can offer many people many opportunities — we just need others to recognise those opportunities. #FarmingCAN, our consumer facing campaign (showcased on pages 76 -77) features farming’s social media star, Farmer Will. At just 24 years old, he is aware of the stereotypes that are still attached to the sector and he is campaigning for agriculture to be taught in schools. Education allows choice and we might just end up being someone’s choice given the chance.

It is also important to note the value of more traditional roles, such as those of auctioneers. It is a job which is truly at the heart of the rural community and which young people can, and are, embracing.

While we are making some noise, it would be good to use it to showcase what we are doing; look at the incredible people who are in the industry and look at what it has to offer.

And if this issue of FG is anything to go by, the future of farming, if left to those who are making it work day in, day out, is in good hands.

YOUNG FARMER FOCUS ‘YFC has played a big part in my journey’ Background: I grew up in Kent in a rural town, and although I had no previous experience in agriculture before starting secondary school, I did have an interest in animals.

Once I started secondary school, I immediately became involved in the school farm and its Young Farmers’ Club (YFC).

I found myself gaining knowledge through partaking in everyday tasks on the farm and attending agricultural shows, such as the Kent County Show where the farm showed their livestock in a competitive environment.

After a few years, I decided to gain some work experience on a commercial farm to build my knowledge in the industry, which led me to volunteer at a local dairy farm every Sunday for a number of years.

Education: After finishing my A-levels in biology, chemistry and maths, 10 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p10 Dec 29 OM EA MB.indd 2

I decided to study agriculture with animal science at Harper Adams University (HAU), where I am currently on my placement year working on a local organic farm.

During my first two years at HAU, I extended my experience by completing courses such as agricultural tractor driving, pesticide courses, milk recording and ATV driving. These allowed me to gain valuable skills that are helping me during my placement and will continue to help me in the future.

Young Farmers: I am keen to raise awareness about how young people can get into the agricultural sector, even without coming from a farming family. YFC has played a big part in my journey, and I urge people to search for their local club and attend the new members evening or any meeting they have coming up.

Unlike the title ‘Young Farmers’

Amie Bridge Tenterden, Kent Amie Bridge, 20, is studying agriculture with animal science at Harper Adams University, and is currently working on a local organic farm for her placement year.

Amie Bridge suggests, many members of YFC are not from farming backgrounds. By getting involved in this community, you can learn about all different parts of the agricultural industry in a fun, safe and social way. Being part of YFC can also provide really useful connections.

Through being part of YFC, I have been able to take part in competitions such as Young Farmer of the Year,

Situations Vacant, stockjudging, and craft competitions such as scrapbooking, cooking and even some photography. I have also had the privilege to be the club chair a few years back and I am currently treasurer for the 2023/24 year.

I am still actively involved in my YFC and support them in any way that I can to encourage the next generation of farmers.

Future: Once graduating from HAU, I hope to one day be able to own a smallholding and supply locally reared meat to the community.

MORE INFORMATION If you would like to be featured, email chris.brayford@agriconnect.com farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:14

Write Letters to the Editor, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ Facebook facebook.com/FarmersGuardian Twitter @farmersguardian Email fgeditorial@agriconnect.com

LETTERS

Consider the history of bTB TURN the clock back 70 years to when only accredited cattle herds were regularly tested for bovine TB, and for others, testing was voluntary.

Having submitted their herd for testing, the owner could – usually based on the number of reactors found – decide to proceed towards accreditation, starting by selling the reactors in the open market, or to continue as they were, milking both reactors and clean cattle together.

Some farmers replenished their herds with reactor cattle that usually sold more cheaply in the market.

There was no compulsion for sellers to declare their reactors as such, but buyers could usually discern the reason they were being sold when several cattle of varying ages and stages of lactation from one herd came in together.

The incentive to farmers whose herds became accredited was an extra old penny per gallon on their milk price. Yet, with these ramshackle arrangements (by today’s standards) the incidence of bTB in cattle was so reduced that compulsory testing of all cattle and slaughter of all reactors could be introduced in 1960.

In the 1950s, the Government introduced vaccination against bTB with the BCG vaccine for young people – do not forget that the drive to rid cattle of bTB was a public health issue.

Before vaccination, each person was tested for their reaction to bTB. I was tested and reacted to the test. If I had been a cow, I would have been shot.

But firstly, I have never developed bTB nor passed it to any person with whom I have been in contact.

And secondly, I was not vaccinated

Contact us ■ IF you would like to send us a letter for consideration, please note that our email address has now changed to fgeditorial@agriconnect.com

FG CLASSIC ★★★

1959

Animal feed and other farm goods being delivered in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, 1959. Sent in by Henry Pirie, whose late father-in-law is pictured.

If you have a classic picture you would like to share, please email it to marcello.garbagnoli@agriconnect.com

because it was known that vaccinating an infected person was potentially dangerous because it could stir up the infection. How does this reconcile with the demands being made in some quarters for evermore frequent and severe testing of cattle and also with the attempts to vaccinate badgers with no knowledge of whether they are infected or not?

Despite the protestations of the Badger Trust, the Wildlife Trust and others, there has never been a cull of badgers which has failed to reduce the incidence of bTB in cattle.

Former Defra Secretary Therese Coffey recently said: “This is not about some shoot up badgers fest; this is about trying to make sure we use science and epidemiology appropriately.”

Happily, we can note that she does not preface ‘science’ with the definite article. Those who do are almost always referring to the science

of which they approve and ignoring the rest. There will be those who question her science because there is one vital link missing.

Without it, there are almost certainly bTB-infected badgers being vaccinated and healthy badgers being shot: both being actions are likely to make the situation worse rather than better.

There is a PCR test, developed at Warwick University with the aid of taxpayers’ money, that can be used on badger latrines, so is non-invasive to the animals themselves. It can identify setts where there are bTB-infected badgers and, more importantly, setts that are inhabited by healthy badgers.

Why is the Badger Trust not making more fuss about this being employed?

Much is made of the supposed suffering of badgers shot but not killed in the cull of free-running badgers.

There is scant evidence of this other than the time it takes the licensed, trained shooter to put down their weapon safely, don the protective clothing necessary to handle a potentially hazardous specimen and establish that it really is dead – when, in fact, death was probably instantaneous.

The criticism of shooting freerunning badgers comes entirely from people who neglect to make any criticism of the thieves and vandals who steal or damage badger traps, which makes the shooting of free-running badgers necessary.

Please can this subject be discussed with proper consideration of the facts, the history and the science – without the appeals to emotion.

John Tuck, Swindon, Wiltshire.

Privacy Statement and Terms & Conditions Farmers Guardian is part of the Arc network (we, us, our) and we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We are registered under company number 07931451 and have our registered office at Unit 4, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ. For the purposes of this policy, we are the data controller of personal data provided to us. We are a UK company specialising in providing information services including news, analysis, data, pricing, insight and market intelligence to agribusiness professionals across the globe. This policy sets out how we do this and applies the use of your personal data that you disclose to us by entering into our competition to win £200 for the Stockjudging Competition or £20 Love2Shop vouchers for the weekly Crossword Competition, referred to throughout this statement as the “Competitions”.

How we collect your information: We collect the personal data you have provided to us by filling in the form on our website www.fginsight.com OR printed form when entering the Competitions. If you have entered the Competitions via our site we may also collect some technical information about how you use our site, for example, the type of device you are using, your operating system, IP address, uniform resource locator (URL), clickstream and length of visit. How we use the information you provide: We will use your personal information: • to administer the Competitions, on the basis that the use of your personal data for this purpose will be necessary to enter you into the competitions and, if you are successful, contact you to notify you of your prize; and, • if you are new to Farmers Guardian and where you have agreed to this, to provide you with news and updates from time to time about our services; and, if at any point in the future you do not wish to receive any news and updates from us or from, you can unsubscribe from our marketing list at any time by following the steps below. To unsubscribe from any communications using the link on the email we send you or by emailing us at dataprotection@farmersguardian.com. We will not use your information for any purposes except those listed in this policy without letting you know and getting your permission, if necessary, first. Who do we share your information with?

We will not disclose your information to any third parties without your consent, except where: • it is necessary to enable any of our staff, employees, agents, contractors, suppliers or commercial partners to provide a service to us or to perform a function on our behalf; • we have a legal obligation to disclose your information (for example, if a court orders us to); or • there is a sale or purchase of any business assets, or where Farmers Guardian or any of its group companies are being acquired by a third party. Where we use third parties as described above to process your personal information, we will ensure that they have adequate security measures in place to safeguard your personal information. For how long do we keep your personal information? We keep your personal information for 36 months for the purposes for which it was collected or for any period for which we are required to keep personal information to comply with our legal and regulatory requirements, or until you ask us to delete your personal information. Your rights: You have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. These include the right to: • find out how we process your personal information; • request that your personal information is corrected if you believe it is incorrect or inaccurate; • obtain restriction on our, or object to, processing of your personal information; • ask us not to process your personal information for our own marketing purposes; and • obtain a copy of your personal information which we hold about you. We will take steps to verify your identity before responding to your request and will respond as soon as possible and in any event within a month. If you would like to exercise any of your rights or find out more, please email us at dataprotection@farmersguardian. com. Complaints: If you have any complaints about the way we use your personal information please contact us at dataprotection@farmersguardian.com and we will try to resolve the issue. If we cannot resolve any issue, you have the right to complain to the data protection authority in your country (the Information Commissioner in the UK). If you need more information about how to contact your local data protection authority please let us know. Contact us: Please read this policy carefully and if you have any questions, concerns or comments about this policy or, specifically, how we might use your personal information, please contact us by email at dataprotection@farmersguardian.com.

farmersguardian.com

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DECEMBER 29 2023 | 11

19/12/2023 14:20

BUSINESS

Edited by Alex Black – 01772 799 409 – alex.black@agriconnect.com

Agricultural markets have not quite been on the same rollercoaster ride as 2022, but they have still been volatile in 2023. Cedric Porter takes a look at what lies ahead for 2024.

A year of up horn and down corn rAvian flu remained

PICTURE: MARCELLO GARBAGNOLI

threat for poultry

In the first nine months of 2023, the UK exported 63,140 tonnes of sheepmeat; up 12 per cent on last year.

PERCENTAGE PRICE CHANGE IN 2023 SOURCES: AHDB. DEFRA AND BFREPA

40

Milk

Barley

10

Oilseed rape

Wheat

20

-20

Carrots

Lamb

Pigmeat

Beef

Apples

-10

Poultry meat

0 Eggs

Percentage (%) change

30

-30

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LAMB, beef and pork prices have all ended the year on a higher footing than they began, with milk prices down.

For the first three months of the year, deadweight lamb prices were below the year before, but since then they have been similar or above.

They ended the year at 586p/kg deadweight, according to AHDB, which was 6 per cent higher than in December 2022.

Total sheep slaughtering between January and the end of October was 1.1 per cent higher than in the same period last year at 11.407 million head, Defra figures showed. October numbers were down 3.2 per cent, and total lamb and mutton production for the 10-month period was down 1.3 per cent at 235,000 tonnes. Earlier in the year, AHDB expected total 2023 UK sheepmeat production to be 2 per cent higher at 297,000t.

It also expected a 0.5 per cent increase in the total breeding flock.

In the first nine months of the year, the UK exported 63,140t of sheepmeat; up 12 per cent on last year. Imports were down 21 per cent to 43,650t, according to HMRC figures. The volume of retail lamb sales was down 2 per cent, with value up 5.9 per cent.

For pigs, prices at the start of the year had already risen from the disastrous lows seen in 2022 and were at 200p/kg deadweight, but they ended the year on the slide at 215p/kg; down from an all-time high of 225p/kg in August.

Months of losses have led to a big contraction in the national pig herd, with total meat output in the first 10 months of 2023 at 770,000t, which is 11 per cent less than in the same period the year before. Slaughter numbers were down 9.8 per cent to 8.542m head in the same period.

A small increase in breeding numbers was taking place, but producers were nervous of overproducing.

After 10 quarters of losses, AHDB's average cost of production index has been in profit for two quarters, but lower pig prices threaten that picture.

Beef Beef prices have been remarkably resilient, with farmgate prices at record levels throughout the year, hitting all-time highs in May at 494p/ kg deadweight for steers, according to AHDB. Avian flu remained a threat to the poultry sector and, along with poor margins, led to a reduction in egg output. Prices have responded to shortages with average free-range values up a third in the last year, according to the British Free-Range Egg Producers Association. Although, prices do appear to have peaked.

Egg production in the first nine months of 2023 was 615m dozen, according to Defra; 7.5 per cent less than in the same period in 2022.

Poultry meat production fared better than eggs – numbers of birds killed were up 1.4 per cent to 973m, but production was down marginally to 1.660mt.

DAIRY THE fall in milk prices during 2023 has been shocking, dropping nearly 30 per cent in the first half of the year – eroding all the rapid gains made in 2022 – with UK milk production dropping in response. There has been a little more cheer as the year draws to an end and dairies have announced

small increases, based on rising wholesale prices across the world.

Average prices are now above 37ppl.

The Global Dairy Trade index, which is seen a barometer for the dairy industry, was still 37 per cent lower than its peak in March 2022, but has risen 18 per cent since August.

farmersguardian.com

19/12/2023 14:20

2023 TRENDS BUSINESS

Costs ease but still high dominated the economy this year.

The annual CPI inflation rate was already falling a little at the beginning of the year, but was still at 10.1 per cent. By October it had fallen to 4.6 per cent. It was as low as

INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES SOURCE: BANK OF ENGLAND AND OFFICE OF NATIONAL STATISTICS

12

Bank of England base rate percentage

10

CPI inflation

8 6 4

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THE eye-watering costs seen in 2022 have eased, but they remain historically high.

The oil price ends the year at about $70/barrel (£54.74/barrel), $5 (£3.91) lower than at the start of the year. It peaked at $90 (£70.38) in September.

This translates into a red diesel price of 85ppl, as quoted by Boiler Juice, 15ppl less than in January and 60ppl less than at the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In December 2022, the spot imported ammonium nitrate price was £700, calculated by AHDB. By October it was almost half of that, but

Dec 22

By Cedric Porter

Nov 22

dominate economics

there has been a small increase since the middle of the year.

It is a similar picture for other fertiliser. Feed prices have eased as grain prices have fallen, but pressure on livestock production means feed manufacture has fallen.

Inflation and interest rates have

Oct 22

rInflation and interest

Red diesel has been quoted at 85ppl, 15ppl less than in January.

0.7 per cent in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bank of England base interest rate continued to rise steadily from 3.5 per cent to 5.25 per cent in August and has been holding there since.

A drop is not expected soon, with HSBC thinking it will be the beginning of 2025 before rates fall. Current rates look very high compared to almost 13 years ago, at below 1 per cent, but they are more in line with where they were before the financial crash in 2008.

Economic growth remains marginal. It was up 0.2 per cent in September, but then fell 0.3 per cent in October, according to the Office for National Statistics. Currently, £1 will buy you €1.16, with a small strengthening over the year. It will buy you $1.27, whereas a year ago it was $1.24.

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19/12/2023 11:54

BUSINESS 2023 TRENDS Feed wheat prices began the year at £225/tonne and ended the year at £187/t.

2023 grain prices trend lower rDrop despite falling

apart of grain corridor

By Cedric Porter TIGHT supplies were insulating the UK from global patterns, with

prices dropping back underneath £200/tonne in 2023.

Feed wheat prices started the year at £225/t and feed barley at £212/t, according to AHDB. They end the year at £187/t and £162/t.

That drop is despite the falling apart of the Black Sea grain

COMING SOON Lantra has developed an Agriculture Apprenticeship Toolkit designed to help guide farmers through the process of hiring an apprentice.

We hope with this support we can help bring more young adults from non-farming backgrounds into the industry, and help pave the way for the next generation through mentorship from industry professionals.

Launching at LAMMA 17–18 Jan 2024

www.lantra.co.uk 14 | DECEMBER 29 2023

P14 Dec 29 MB AB OM.indd 2

corridor which allowed safe passage of Ukrainian grain.

Global supplies are relatively plentiful, although stocks of all grain are only 27.3 per cent of usage, the lowest ratio since 2016.

The UK is not so affected by a weaker global market, because of its own tight supplies.

Analysts CRM Agri said: “London prices are insulated from the battle for trade by the UK’s modest export needs for 2023/24, following a disappointing harvest. While it is early days to be forecasting harvest 2024 prospects, there is the potential for an even smaller crop, given the sowings setbacks.”

Higher prices from the 2024 and 2025 harvests can already be locked in, with November 2024 wheat trading at £208/t on the London ICE futures market and November 2025 at £211/t in the middle of December.

Bearish outlook AHDB has a bearish outlook for rapeseed amid larger Australian supplies and the prospect of a large Brazilian soya crop.

For horticulture, extreme weather, high costs of production, low prices and labour shortages made for a challenging year. There are no figures for 2023 production yet, but Defra figures show the 2022 vegetable area was at its lowest on record at 107,400 hectares, with a contraction in the fruit area at a time when there is pressure to eat more fruit and vegetables.

It was almost inevitable the fruit and vegetable area fell to a new low in 2023. This from an industry which has always outperformed.

John Pelham, of Andersons Farm Business Consultants, said: “Homegrown fruit and vegetables account for some 10 per cent of financial

London prices are insulated from the battle for trade by the UK’s modest export needs for 2023/24, following a disappointing harvest CRM AGRI output of the UK farming industry, but that is achieved from less than 1 per cent of the farmed area.”

UK potato production was at its lowest level ever as the smallest planted area ever and the wet autumn combined to hit output.

Newsletter World Potato Markets estimates a crop of 4.2 million tonnes – down from 6.7mt as recently as 2017. Open market prices have doubled over the last year, but a lack of seed and increasingly volatile weather may mean there is little appetite to increase plantings in 2024.

Negotiation A protracted harvest and price negotiation have made sugar a difficult crop to grow this year. High yields mean there is still a profit to be had, but there could be another reduction in beet area which was at its smallest level ever in 2022 at 87,300ha – a drop of a quarter in a decade. farmersguardian.com

20/12/2023 10:33

MORE INFORMATION For more from the auction marts, see pages 24-25 and 28-29.

2023 TRENDS BUSINESS

Demand for quality across auction marts rYoung auctioneers

look forward to 2024

By Alex Black QUALITY was in demand throughout 2023 at livestock marts, according to young auctioneers at H&H. Joe Bowman, 29, who joined H&H aged 21, is the store lamb and breeding auctioneer at Borderway and also sells at Lazonby, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Kirkby Stephen.

He said the trade for breeding sheep had been ‘really positive’.

“The price between good stock and lesser stock is more obvious,

and people are moving toward the better end, which is a good thing,” he said.

Store lambs had remained buoyant, with numbers up substantially at both Lazonby and Borderway.

Mr Bowman said: “Everything has been easier to sell than anticipated, particularly at the back end of the year.

The Lazonby Mule gimmer lamb sale was the dearest ever and the Alston Moor sale saw the highest average for a Mule gimmer lamb sale ever seen.”

Joel McGarva, 26, joined H&H eight years ago and is responsible for the sales of young store cattle and calves at Borderway Mart.

He said trade had been good and consistent in 2023.

Joe Bowman is the store lamb and breeding auctioneer at Borderway.

He said: “It has not dropped too drastically and there has not been the fluctuations which can make it difficult for farmers to cover their overhead costs, which is particularly helpful at a time when everyone is obviously concerned about big rises in the costs of inputs and the cost of living.”

Challenges He added that despite the challenges in the sector, 2023 had proved ‘quality is easy to sell’.

Looking forward to 2024, Mr Bowman said the ‘bluetongue’ issue would impact the pedigree trade, particularly exports to Ireland, but he believed breeding numbers would remain

positive as the decline in sheep was reducing numbers.

He said: “Store lambs will always have a market as long as the fat prices remain positive.”

He added his personal goals were to ‘get in among the drama’ of the Swaledale tups sale, continue to build store lamb numbers and ‘raise my game’ doing a job he loves.

For his own career, Mr McGarva said he wanted to maintain on his ‘development trajectory’.

“I am now selling a lot of pedigree sheep and pedigree cattle. I am raring to take on more responsibility in my role as an auctioneer,” he said, adding the best part of the job was the people.

TIME FOR A BREAK! 2024 FARM TOURS

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23 Jan - 6 Feb

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10 May - 27 May

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12 May - 19 May

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20 May - 4 Jun

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www.fieldfarmtours.co.uk farmersguardian.com

p15 Dec29 MB BB AB.indd 2

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 15

19/12/2023 11:55

SECTION SECOND BROW FARMHERE PROFILE Edited by Emily Ashworth – 01772 799 446 – emily.ashworth@agriconnect.com

With a passion to farm, young couple Hollie Blockley and George Sturla have built up their business bit by bit. Emily Ashworth meets them to find out more.

S

ometimes, as the saying goes, you have to take what you can get, and in this case, it has worked out well for new entrant couple Hollie Blockley and George Sturla.

Both have farming connections, but nothing has been handed to them from family.

Hollie grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Flint, Wales, and George’s uncle farms nearby.

But the pair, who live in Holywell, have set out on their own path, which has seen them take on various parcels of land and establish a successful meat box business, Beeches Meats.

Hollie had a small involvement at lambing time at home on-farm, but apart from her horses, was not really involved.

16 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p16 17 18 Dec29 MB BB EA.indd 2

New entrants build meat box business She says: “I went to Cambridge to study psychology. I only got back involved with farming when I met George and I had to come along otherwise I would not see him.”

Hollie has recently left

her role in the NHS and, alongside the meat box business, she is a maths tutor. But you could say that she has come full circle.

She says: “I was not enjoying the NHS job, but

I was enjoying the farm so decided to prioritise it.”

George, on the other hand, has always wanted to farm, spending much of his childhood with his uncle and grandad on the tractor.

After studying

farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:19

FLINTSHIRE FARM PROFILE “Last year we got a pedigree Longhorn, so the goal is for the sucklers to turn into Longhorns eventually.”

The end goal is, of course, to farm full-time. They have toyed with the idea of fully renting a farm, but the numbers, they say, do not stack up and they would be leaving themselves at a disadvantage.

Prices In their area, prices are high. George also loves the idea of a farm shop, but with thoughts on cost, their meat box enterprise serves them well. They focused on lamb to start with.

Hollie says: “We were fed up with fluctuating prices, so one weekend we just thought let’s try meat boxes.

“We shared it to Facebook groups and local community groups and the lamb boxes went really well.

“With the beef boxes, we did not know where to start

really, so we had help through Farming Connect and used its mentorship scheme. We had one-to-one sessions and started beef boxes in August this year, with our Aberdeen-Angus crosses. Next year will be our suckler bred ones.”

Most boxes are sold in advance – people can send a deposit and reserve.

Whole lamb boxes are sold at £175, including delivery to North Wales, and beef boxes are sold at £140 for 10kg.

It is the business’ 21- to 28-day-aged produce which is always something receiving positive comments.

They deliver from Wrexham up to Anglesey and have just launched a website and are hoping to deliver further afield.

Marketing is key too.

Farm facts ■ About 24 hectares (60 acres) in various places ■ Both work off the farm to be able to fund their farming and meat box venture ■ Most stock now goes into their meat box enterprise, with cull ewes, rams and cows going through local markets ■ Business runs Lleyn cross ewes and produce own Beltex rams

PICTURES: JOHN EVESON

land management at The Royal Agricultural University, he worked as a surveyor for a while.

He says: “I thought there was no way into farming until I went to university and realised I could rent.

“I also went to New Zealand working as a shepherd and came back and did some contract shepherding.

“But I needed something to support myself and grow my flock. I had 10 sheep which I kept on about 10 acres at home.”

He has since worked at KW Feeds as a rep and, in the meantime, built his acreage up slowly.

It began with another four hectares (10 acres) which family friends let him have, in return for some lamb in 2017. But in the last four years, they have secured a further 16ha (40 acres) on a local estate.

The couple now rear beef and sheep and have switched up their processes over the years to suit their farming needs. With each having full-time jobs, flexibility is key.

George says: “We used to rear calves from local dairy farms. We kept some for fattening and some to start our suckler herd.

Customers get information about Hollie and George’s story inside the meat boxes, and they are part of the Welsh protected geographical indication scheme, which gives them marketing materials such as recipes to include.

Hollie says: “We are convenient – you do not have to go to a farm shop, people can message me on Facebook and get it delivered it to their door.

“There are some misconceptions and people ask me about

We were fed up with fluctuating prices, so one weekend we just thought let’s try meat boxes HOLLIE BLOCKLEY

George Sturla and Hollie Blockley have established successful meat box business, Beeches Meats. farmersguardian.com

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FARM PROFILE FLINTSHIRE baby lambs. It is a 40kg animal, not a cute little lamb.”

Connecting to consumers is something they both enjoy. They even appeared on Channel 5’s hit series On The Farm.

For the boxes, they use a local family-owned abattoir in Wrexham, which is a butchery too, and cull ewes and rams go through Ruthin, while cattle go through Mold.

George says: “They are familyowned and so grateful for your business. Marts are still important, even though we do not use them for everything. As a farming community, we cannot do without them.”

The couple run around 120 Lleyn cross ewes, using a Beltex ram.

George has a small flock of Beltex and produces his own rams.

About 90 per cent are lambed outside, which suits them given their extra workloads, and the Beltex is a good lamber, says George.

Hollie also has her own flock of her beloved Blue Texels; most of which run to her when she enters the field and they all have names.

She says: “The boys I do let go into the meat boxes, but with the girls, I have sold a few privately. It is more of a hobby now I do not have horses.”

Most cattle are Aberdeen-Angus crosses, which the couple have reared themselves, and they have been put to a Parthenaise bull using artificial insemination.

This has partly been down to their easy calving traits. They calve outside from May.

Genetics George says: “I got a Longhorn and now have three, so gradually want to increase those genes. The meat is known for its taste.

“Being native bred they do well from forage too. But previously we

Some of Hollie Blockley and George Sturla’s Highland and Longhorn cattle.

would have been producing cattle for the market to be sold as stores.”

Hollie and George have reseeded with red clover, so when cattle are inside in winter, they are just on red clover silage with barley which comes from just five miles away.

All the fields have also been soil tested and a lot need lime spreading on so they can then look at rotational grazing.

Both have made their situation work, with sheer determination and by adapting their business, but they have also had support.

George says: “We have very good neighbours. The amount of times

I have rang someone up and asked for this or that.

“I would always say to new entrants that if your neighbour asks for help, never say no because you will always need that help back.”

Security The hardest thing, they say, is getting more land and then the security with that. There is also the logistical side of things – moving from selling store cattle to finishing cattle means a break in cashflow and they have to manage a steady stream of lamb and beef all year round to meet customer needs.

But they enjoy it. Hollie says: “It makes you feel proud. You also feel a bit more appreciated when people eating your produce say thank you.

“They send you photos and it is almost like they know you and become connected with the farm.

“I have a bit more of an outsider view and it felt frustrating with so much fluctuation.

“The meat boxes mean we can plan more for the future, because we are not dictated by prices. Ultimately, George and I have jobs offfarm and we run our farm and meat box business alongside this.”

The ewe flock consists of mainly Lleyn crosses.

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ARABLE

Edited by Ash Ellwood – 07786 190 188 – ashleigh.ellwood@agriconnect.com

The 2024-25 sugar beet season may have got off to a shaky start, but behind the scenes Britain’s beet buyer and processor is keen to underline its commitment to the country’s crop. Martin Rickatson reports from British Sugar’s Wissington plant.

Sugar sector shows where income is being invested

S

ugar beet has recently made agricultural press headlines for more reasons than simply this year’s harvest progress.

But while negotiations between British Sugar and the NFU on next season’s contract had reached

Over the past 15 years, beet yields have risen 21 per cent, and in the past three decades by 50 per cent, through better varieties, chemistry and husbandry ANDREW DEAR

an impasse back in late November, the former sought to show it is investing a significant proportion of recent increases in income at the processing stage, and how it believes this will benefit the industry in terms of efficiency and environmental obligations.

With 2,300 farmers growing 90,000 hectares producing eight million tonnes, sugar beet retains an important place in the rotation on many farms in eastern, mid and northern England within economic transport distance of the three East Anglia factories and the Newark plant.

Higher growing costs But with higher growing costs, many farmers seeking to reduce movement-intensive soil practices across arable crops, and the energy-intensive process of producing sugar from beet coming under scrutiny for both environmental and cost reasons, there is pressure at both ends of the beet sugar production chain to improve the crop’s

INVESTMENTS AID ENVIRONMENTAL OBLIGATIONS THE high energy consumption process of beet processing and sugar manufacturing means it has a significant carbon footprint, but British Sugar says it is investing heavily to help cut back both.

According to Phil Macnaughton, head of decarbonisation, since making a 2018 commitment to cut its carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, the business has reduced them by 42,000 tonnes across its facilities.

“With beet being 75 per cent water, there is a significant energy requirement in removing most of this to produce our end products, from sugar itself to dried pulp feed products,” he says.

“Ultimately, we are changing a product that is 16 per cent dry matter during processing to one that is 32 per cent at the pulp stage, and to convert pulp to dried animal feed we then need to double that again, requiring significant dryer usage and coal or gas fuelling, depending on the factory and the stage of our renewal process.

“But over the past four decades we have halved the overall energy needed to produce a tonne of sugar.

In recent years we have invested heavily in energy reduction and fuel switching to reduce CO2 emissions and steam demand, and here at Wissington we are now using 25 per cent less steam thanks to installation of an eighth evaporator, which as well as reducing the factory’s energy

environmental credentials and ensure the production of environmentally sound and economically viable beet and sugar.

Phil Macnaughton

consumption cuts our carbon emissions by 10 per cent. That is one of a number of recent energy use and CO2 reduction investments across our factories.”

Challenging But taking beet sugar and dried pulp feed production to the next stage of reductions in energy usage and CO2 production is more challenging, adds Mr Macnaughton.

“The temperature and pressure at which we operate our evaporators can only be reduced so much and the next step – alternative energy usage – will not be easy, with the primary alternatives of electrification or hydrogen both being complex and expensive.

Work is ongoing in this area.”

Andrew Dear, British Sugar head of technical support, says: “Over the past 15 years, beet yields have risen 21 per cent, and in the past three decades by 50 per cent, through better varieties, chemistry and husbandry.”

Reduced beet area

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While difficulties agreeing a 2024/25 deal between the NFU and British Sugar have delayed some from committing to the crop, the processor is keen to show growers where it is investing in returns.

The company adds it produces as much sugar as it did 20 years ago despite the beet area having shrunk by 90,000ha.

“While only 4 per cent of the area is irrigated, UK yields are consistently in the top quartile of European averages. In addition to the efforts of growers and our field team, the BBRO, which we co-fund, plays an important role here, particularly in areas such as virus yellows research.

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ARABLE the rotation including a broader spread of crop types and of labour utilisation, and a contribution to soil organic matter levels, we believe the crop has an assured future, but we do recognise that we as processors and the growers we work with face challenges we need to address, from soil conservation and pest and disease control to energy consumption and CO2 emissions.”

Neonicotinoids Mr Dear says the continued use of neonicotinoid seed treatments on an emergency authorisation basis based on aphid forecasts was key, with about 60 per cent of this year’s beet area sown with seed treated with Cruiser (thiomethoxam) for protection against virus yellows transmission by aphids.

“Thankfully we ultimately saw minimal impact this year, the prolonged cold and wet spring spell knocking back aphid activity. If we had a bad year again like 2020, it is still hard to see any alternative, but we do want to move away from neonics as an industry, and through

British Sugar says it wants to help at both ends of the beet sugar production chain to ensure the production of environmentally sound and economically viable beet and sugar.

the BBRO we are working particularly with varieties and genetics to look at plant resilience to the problem, as well as other ideas such as camouflage cropping. Further work with Norwich biotech firm Tropic is assessing the value of

gene editing to help, but this is longer term research from which conclusive results are unlikely until around 2030.

“Elsewhere, through development of our beet delivery service and field to factory partnership we

aim to help maximise flexibility and efficiency for growers, harvesters and hauliers during the campaign, and at the request of growers we have also restarted harvester evaluations to ensure we all benefit from best performance.”

2007 and the UK’s first such facility, now producing 75m litres annually.”

stones removed, washed and sold.

Soil is transferred into settlement ponds, where it is dried naturally over time before being conditioned and sold, joining the Limex byproduct of the sugar production process as part of British Sugar’s range of ‘co-products’. Washing water is cleaned to a standard sufficient for discharge.

A further area of ongoing research to help maximise production efficiency is finding the optimal slice or ‘cossette’ shape and dimensions at the beet slicing stage of the process.

If they are too thick, water volume and temperature will both need to be higher in order to begin the juice extraction and crystallisation processes. Too thin, and the slices may break up too promptly during processing.

EUROPE’S LARGEST BEET FACTORY WHEN Wissington sugar beet factory was opened in 1925, it could process 600 tonnes/day of beet. Today it is the largest beet processing site in Europe, handling 840t/hour, with the capacity to hold 50,000t of beet on the site’s flat pads at any one time. With a staff of 350, the plant has an annual sugar production capacity of 400,000t from three million tonnes of beet supplied by 720 growers.

Andy Dilks, senior operations manager, says: “It is not only sugar the site produces.

“Further integrated facilities

include an ethanol production plant and a combined heat and power plant that generates steam for the factory and enough electric to power a town the size of nearby Kings Lynn – although it goes into the National Grid.

“Heat and power produced by an on-site combined heat and power plant are utilised by an adjacent 18-hectare pharmaceutical crops glasshouse, while an industrial gases supplier also has a plant on the site which captures all CO2 produced by the on-site ethanol plant, opened in

Research into optimum ‘cossette’ slice shape helps maximise factory efficiency and throughput and minimise processing issues.

Lorries With about 900 loads a day from Monday to Friday and 500 on Saturdays, some 5,000 lorries arrive at Wissington each week at the height of each campaign, with 27-28t of beet aboard, equating to 138,000t weekly. Some 35 per cent are sampled, with a 120kg sample taken from each lorry, from which a 20kg small sample is selected.

The beet is first transferred into a water flume for cleaning, with any

Further integrated facilities include an ethanol production plant and a combined heat and power plant ANDY DILKS 20 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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ARABLE On returning to his farm after working abroad, one Leicestershire landowner has found that treating carbon as a crop is almost as profitable as commercial wheat production. Farmers Guardian reports.

A herd of 60 Aberdeen-Angus suckler cows now supports the arable rotation of wheat, OSR, winter beans, spring oats, spring barley and rotational grassland.

How carbon became a key crop

B

laston Estate is a mixed arable, beef and sheep farm based in the south east of Leicestershire, where landowner Hylton Murray-Philipson says the revenue from sales of carbon certificates is now only second to winter wheat in terms of income.

The estate has also recently been recognised as carbon-positive

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thanks to production changes made in recent years.

Mr Murray-Philipson originally followed a career in investment banking in Brazil and the United States, before returning to the estate.

During his banking days, he became aware of the extent of rainforest loss in the Amazon.

When returning to the farm, his first priority was to sort out the financial balance sheet, but he later came to realise that its ecological balance sheet also needed some close attention.

He says: “I have worked on the preservation of the Amazon in various capacities, including founding Canopy Capital in an attempt to make the forest worth more alive than dead.

“We acquired the rights to the ecosystem services of 360,000 hectares in Iwokrama, Guyana, and through that project I learned how carbon markets work.”

And one aspect that astonished him was that the virgin forest was considered to have no value from a carbon credit perspective.

As it was not under immediate threat of logging, there was no departure from business as usual, and no ‘additionality’.

The only way to generate market

Soil can store more carbon than the rainforest and the atmosphere combined HYLTON MURRAYPHILIPSON value was to begin cutting it down.

“I focused on trying to preserve the rainforest as a means of buying time to transition to a more sustainable relationship with the planet and became a trustee of the Oxford-based NGO Global Canopy.

“Only later did I realise that soil can store more carbon than the rainforest and the atmosphere combined – – yet conventional arable farming depletes soil organic matter and releases carbon to the atmosphere,” he says.

That turned his mind to how farming operations impacted the situation.

“I thought about the amount of diesel burned and the compaction caused pulling a five-furrow plough uphill through heavy clay and the damage it caused to soil structure.

“It also exposes your best friend – the worm – to its worst enemy – the seagull. But given half a chance, those earthworm populations can rebound, and ours have risen from 7/cu.m of soil to 50/cu.m.

“They turn over about 10 per cent of the soil every year – for free – and they are there for the farmland birds too,” says Mr Murray-Philipson.

Black-grass In addition to low earthworm counts, he realised that soil organic matter was as low as 2 per cent in some areas and black-grass was spreading through the crops.

“We were also suffering erosion and run-off. There is no life without soil and no soil without life – and our soil was pretty lifeless,” he added.

He wanted his activities to be part of the solution rather than the problem, so he began work with Richard Sanders from Fisher German to set a new course.

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ARABLE cent to nearer 10 per cent soil organic matter, to prove the ‘additionality’ that had been so hard to prove in the rainforest.

He says: “In our woodland, the soil was rich and friable, but in the adjacent field we might struggle to get a spade into the ground.

“Blaston is dominated by heavy clay soils and, in extreme weather events, topsoil would wash into the roads and rivers.

“Soil is the most valuable resource we can leave the next generation, so things had to change.”

Raising soil organic matter levels was a crucial first goal, so it could return to acting as a sponge to reduce run-off risks in wet conditions and enable it to better support crops in drier seasons.

Indigro agronomist Roger Davis replaced a wheat and oilseed rape dominated rotation with a more varied one to include winter beans, spring oats, spring barley and rotational grass-grown to support a sheep flock and 60 Aberdeen-Angus suckler cows.

Tillage Cultivations also changed, with ploughing being dropped in favour of non-inversion tillage and direct drilling.

Catch, cover and companion crops are also included within the rotation, the latter including berseem clover and buckwheat grown with oilseed rape.

A permanent understorey of white clover is maintained under cereal crops, which helps fix nitrogen and provides permanent ground cover, protecting the soil and maximising carbon sequestration.

Mr Davis stresses the importance of helping the farm’s soils become more resilient so they can hold nutrients and water, while also draining well.

The improvements thus far have had other benefits, enabling the farm to reduce fertilizer and spray

Indigro agronomist Roger Davis.

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Blaston Estate is now sequestering enough carbon to enable it to be carbon-positive. Pictured are walnut saplings.

applications, the latter being aided by selecting varieties with good resistance levels.

Base-lining is an important part of the process, says Mr Davis: “We needed to know where we were starting from, and ensure the soils were right before we went regenerative.

“One of the things that scares me most is when a farmer buys a direct drill with the aim of going regenerative and their soils are not yet ready for it,” he says.

With careful management Mr Murray-Philipson soils were ready for transition and can now achieve yields of 11.8 tonnes/ha off 180kg N/ha.

Fertiliser applications are being steadily reduced as the contribution of the understorey of white clover grows.

The estate is also sequestering enough carbon to make the estate carbon positive.

Mr Murray-Philipson works with independent measuring firm Ecometric, which proved that, in 2021/22 the estate sequestered 6,500t of carbon.

Having deducted on-farm emissions (calculated by the Farm Carbon Toolkit) and placed 20 per cent in a buffer pool, the farm had 5,000t of surplus carbon certificates to sell.

To market the carbon Mr Murray-Philipson teamed up with Respira, who underwrote the transaction at a minimum price of £20/t.

As there is no Soil Carbon Code to work with, they linked the price to the Woodland Carbon Code, so the first year’s income was £100,000 – more than the farm used to receive under the Basic Payment Scheme.

How those figures might change in future is a matter of conjecture: carbon sequestration rates might be expected to reduce as the level secured in the soil rises; but many in the business expect the price of carbon to rise.

For Mr Murray-Philipson, the carbon payments fit alongside others he is already accessing.

It all makes me feel happy. I now feel I am part of the solution and no longer part of the problem

Stacking

HYLTON MURRAYPHILIPSON

He has also entered many areas of the farm into either Countryside Stewardship or the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and ‘stacking’ those schemes where permissible.

He also has an agreement with Severn Trent Water, under which he gets payments for helping protect the Medbourne Brook for actions to protect water quality, such as planting field margins to prevent run-off reaching the stream.

He is happy to sell carbon certificates as they accrue, as they help ensure the farm is profitable and he has the resources he needs to continue running it.

“Brexit was a major driver for me and I re-examined everything to find a replacement for the Basic Payment

Scheme, which I am now doing by selling carbon certificates,” says Mr Murray-Philipson The carbon agreement does come with a few rules, including a ‘permanence’ commitment of at least 10 years.

He is also restricted from doing any cultivation more than 10cm deep, except where subsoiling, mole draining or other deeper work is considered justified for agronomic reasons.

And there is another, major personal benefit.

He says: “It all makes me feel happy.

I now feel I am part of the solution and no longer part of the problem,” Mr Murray-Philipson says. farmersguardian.com

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SALES

Edited by Angela Calvert – 07768 796 492 – angela.calvert@agriconnect.com

GALLOWAY BULL IS NEW RECORD HOLDER WALLETS MART, CASTLE DOUGLAS

BRITISH BLONDE RECORD OF 12,000GNS MATCHED HARRISON AND HETHERINGTON, CARLISLE

GALLOWAY bulls peaked at 26,000gns at Castle Douglas, setting a new breed record for Blackcraig

HALLFIELD Scotty from James and Peter Weightman, Peterlee, equalled the British Blonde breed

Dyker from John, Ann and Iain Finlay, Corsock. The buyer was Ian Campbell, Glenrath Farms, Peebles.

record of 12,000gns when selling to Sean Mitchell, Penrith.

Farmers Guardian takes a look back at some of the highlights from sale rings acr

Record breakers and sale topp er TEXEL RAMS PEAK AT 170,000GNS LAWRIE AND SYMINGTON, LANARK

SIMMENTAL BULL SMASHED BREED RECORD UNITED AUCTIONS, STIRLING

KNAP Grumpy, a Texel ram lamb from Robert Cockburn, Crieff, topped the Scottish National Texel sale at 170,000gns when selling to Charlie Boden and family, Stockport.

THE October Stirling bull sales saw a new Simmental breed record of 46,000gns set by Overhill House Neo

from Richard McCulloch, Armadale, which was knocked down to Reece and Andrew Simmers, Keith.

ROUGH FELL IN-LAMB EWE RECORD ACHIEVED NORTH WEST AUCTIONS A NEW market record for a Rough Fell in-lamb ewe was set at J36 for a gimmer shearling by Brownber Dambuster, in-lamb to Birkshaw Emerald from T.L.B. and J. Knowles, High Borrowbridge, selling for 3,000gns to Stephen Dickenson.

HIGHLAND CALF SETS NEW RECORD UNITED AUCTIONS, OBAN SETTING a breed record price for a Highland heifer calf was Capleadh Ruadh of Cladich from Messrs

Strickland’s Cladich fold, Dalmally.

The buyer was Angus MacGillivray Highland Cattle Service, Dalmally.

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SALES

HOLSTEIN BREED RECORD EQUALLED THE UK Holstein breed record of 90,000gns was matched by Riverdane KD Hannah at the Riverdane Theatre of Dreams

on-farm sale for the Nutsford family, Middlewich. The buyers were John Sherratt, Pankymoor, and Neale Evans of Heatherleigh Holstein.

WELSH SENSATION SALE PEAKS AT 40,000GNS NORTON AND BROOKSBANK DULAIS Silver Lustre headed the trade at 40,000gns at the Welsh Sensation sale of pedigree Holsteins - which was hosted on-farm by the

Wilson family of the Tregibby herd, Cardigan - when selling to a syndicate of the Howni, Iscaway, Logan, Shambles and Wiltor herds.

ngs across the UK throughout the past year.

pp ers from 2023

HEIFER SETS NEW JUNIOR BRITISH BLUE BREED RECORD HARRISON AND HETHERINGTON, CARLISLE HARELAW Star from Jean Mackay, Glasgow, sold for 23,000gns to Blair

Duffton, Huntly, setting a British Blue junior heifer record for the breed.

COLOURED RYELAND FEMALE ACHIEVES NEW HIGH McCARTNEYS, LUDLOW A NEW Coloured Ryeland female record of 1,500gns was set when Moss Rose Dora, a ewe lamb from M. Varmen, Macclesfield, sold to Rachael Dilworth, Bradford, for the Otis flock.

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SWALEDALE RECORDS BROKEN TWICE HARRISON AND HETHERINGTON, KIRKBY STEPHEN NEW heights were reached at Kirkby Stephen when two Swaledale rams sold for £105,000 each. First was Ghyll House Notorious from John and Dorne Richardson, Dufton, which sold to Paul and Suzie Hallam, High Birkwith, and Mark Nelson,

Clapham. This was followed by the same price for Gillside Keeper from the Lightfoot family, Glenridding, which sold to John White, Middleton-in-Teesdale, and John Tully, Eggleston, with the Lightfoots retaining a share.

Ghyll House Notorious from John and Dorne Richardson, Dufton.

Gillside Keeper from the Lightfoot family, Glenridding.

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 25

20/12/2023 14:18

STOCKJUDGING COMPETITION To be in with your chance of winning up to £200, test out your judging skills by entering our annual beef stockjudging competition.

Test your stockjudging skills and win up to £200

T

his year’s beef stockjudging competition is now open for entries. Our annual competition is once again sponsored by Show Time, supplier of specialist livestock products for cattle, sheep, horses and other animals, covering the UK and Europe.

How to take part Take part by pitting your judging skills against those of our professional judge to be in with the chance of winning one of three cash prizes.

The first correct entry to be drawn at random will receive our top prize

of £200, while two runners-up will each win £50. To be in with a chance of winning, you need to rank the four animals pictured (one being the animal you rate most highly), in the same order as our judge.

Complete the entry form opposite and return it to: Showtime Stockjudging Competition, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ, by January 15, 2024.

ENTER ONLINE Alternatively, you can enter the competition online at farmersguardian.com/showtimestockjudging

Could your stockjudging skills win you one of three cash prizes?

ANIMAL

A

26 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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SPONSORED BY

www.showtime-supplies.co.uk

Return the form opposite, scan this QR code or enter online at farmersguardian.com/ showtimestockjudging

ANIMAL

B

farmersguardian.com

19/12/2023 16:23

HOW TO ENTER Return the form below or enter online at farmersguardian.com/showtimestockjudging

ANIMAL

ANIMAL

X

Y

Stockjudging competition entry form

Fill in and return this form before January 15, 2024, or go to farmersguardian.com/showtimestockjudging

Completing Section A of the form enables you to be entered into our free prize draw. However, we’d like to know a little more about you to help us provide information about relevant products. Fill in Section B if you would like to provide this additional information.

Section A Title:

First name:

I think the judge will select:

Surname:

Address:

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Section B Are you the main decision maker on farm?

Primary occupation (tick one box only): Farm Owner Contractor

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Beef (livestock numbers): Sheep (livestock numbers): Privacy Statement: Data protection – your personal data will be collected and processed in accordance with our Privacy Statement which can be viewed (see p11). From time to time, Agriconnect would like to use the personal data you have provided in this form to contact you via email, post, phone and text about Agriconnect goods and services that we think will be of interest to you. If you would like to receive this communication, please confirm this by ticking this box. Your personal data will not be shared with third parties. If you have any queries or concerns about how we hold your data, please write to the Data Protection Co-ordinator, Agriconnect, Unit 4, Caxton Road, Preston, PR2 9NZ, or email dataprotection@farmersguardian.com.

Please return by January 15, 2024, to: Showtime Stockjudging Competition, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ. Terms and Conditions: 1. The competition (prize draw) is open to UK residents (aged 18 years or over), with the exception of ‘employees’ or ‘relatives of employees’ of Agriconnect. 2. Inclusion in the prize draw is subject to entry to the competition. 3. Entry to the draw will close January 15, 2024. 4. Only one entry per person is permitted. 5. Winners will be selected at random from all valid and correctly answered entries. 6. The judge’s decision is final. No correspondence or discussion shall be entered into. 7. Prize is non-refundable and no prize alternative is available. 8. Completion of the entry form implies acceptance of these terms and conditions.

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DECEMBER 29 2023 | 27

19/12/2023 16:24

AUCTIONS STANDING THE T The latest in the Mart’s the Heart Standing the Test of Time series, Shearwell Data, looks at careers in auctioneering and how to

F

or anyone with a passion for livestock, auctioneering can be a rewarding career, but with a lack of young people coming into the industry, auction companies are looking at new ways of recruitment.

Although there are now significantly fewer livestock markets than there once were, there is a shortage auctioneers, meaning there are great opportunities available for anyone keen to take up the role.

There is no set route into livestock auctioneering, although good livestock and farming knowledge is essential. Many auctioneers are from family farms or have family links to auctioneering, but this is not always the case.

Historically, many auctioneers split their time between selling in the market and undertaking professional work and, as such, are qualified chartered surveyors or land agents.

This is still the case in a number of markets, particularly in the south of England, which is not as heavily populated with livestock and where they can spend one or two days selling and the rest of the time focusing on professional work.

But especially in the North and the Welsh borders, where there are more markets and more livestock, many auctioneers, even if they have other qualifications, spend all of their time selling and on market-related business.

The livestock market operations

Auctioneering offers c and management course run by Harper Adams University, in conjuction with the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association (LAA), is the route to membership of either the LAA or the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers of Scotland (IAAS).

The LAA also has its Next Generation Group for young auctioneers and fieldsmen up to the age of 40 working in livestock markets in England and Wales.

Its chair, Greg Christopher, of Hereford Market Auctioneers, says: “The Next Generation Group is somewhere younger auctioneers can share their views, ideas and concerns with their peers, as well as socialise. It is also great for networking – getting to know other auctioneers from all parts of the UK – meaning you can just pick up the phone and chat to any of them.”

Next Generation Zanna Dennis, LAA development officer, says: “As well as the academic side, a big part of the Harper Adams course is getting to know other auctioneers, which is backed up by the Next Generaton Group.

“But we are aware that there are not a lot of new auctioneers coming into the industry and a focus for the Next Generation Group in the future will be how we attract people.

“We all know that agriculture and

There is no set route into livestock auctioneering, although good livestock and farming knowledge is essential.

related jobs are not high on the priority list of career advice in schools and colleges, so we need to think how we can take a different approach.”

This is something which is already

being explored at CCM Auctions, Skipton.

Jeremy Eaton, auctioneer and general manager says: “There is a real shortage of good livestock auctioneers

not have professional qualifications.

I do not have any, apart from taking the LAA course, as all I wanted to do was sell livestock. You get one chance if life so make the most of it.”

Top tips for becoming an auctioneer ■ SION EILIR ROBERTS, auctioneer with Jones Peckover, St Asaph: “Having a good relationship with customers is the most important part of the job. Actually selling the livestock is only a very small part of it.

“You have to do your homework

before sale day and have to engage with customers so they have confidence and faith in you to sell their stock. You also have to know the buyers and get their feedback as to how stock has performed. To anyone thinking of wanting to be an auctioneer, I would say ‘give it a go’. Do not be put off if you do

■ GREG CHRISTOPHER, Hereford Livestock Auctioneers, Hereford:

“You have to have a passion for the job and live and breathe it, as it is not five days a week, nine to five, and you must have people skills.

“But there are opportunities out there. Young Farmers competitions are a good way to start and you can ask markets to take you on for work

Sion Eilir Roberts

Greg Christopher

Jeremy Eaton

Jack Walton

28 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p28 29 Dec29 MB AC BB.indd 2

sup att

farmersguardian.com

19/12/2023 10:06

E TEST OF TIME

ies, w to

MORE INFORMATION For more from the auction marts, see page 15.

supported the by the Livestock Auctioneers’ Association and attract new entrants.

rs career opportunities A focus for the Next Generation Group in the future will be how we attract people ZANNA DENNIS

and we have found that the conventional route of recruiting students from college or university has dried up. They tend to be snapped up by land agents and there is a general feeling

experience during holidays to get used to the market environment and see if it is for you.”

■ JEREMY EATON, CCM Auctions, Skipton: “As well as a passion for livestock and people skills, you have to have a certain level of confidence, but that will grow once you realise you can do it.

“You also have to be able to value stock – you are selling to a knowledgeable audience and have to be proactive on behalf of the vendor.”

■ JACK WALTON, Hexham and Northern Marts, Hexham: “Know your clients and know their stock. You have to be first on the dock in the morning with a smile on your face welcoming customers and then still be the last to leave at night. Start at the bottom and work your way up.” farmersguardian.com

p28 29 Dec29 MB AC BB.indd 3

that career opportunities are few and far between in the livestock sector.

“In the North, many markets are farmer owned and managed, with the main focus on providing a service selling livestock for local farmers, rather than professional work.

“Many current auctioneers worked their way up from the bottom, starting by working in the yards and becoming a good drover or fieldsman and then perhaps moving to an admin role and then started selling.

“One of the advantages of working your way up the ranks is you get to know the people in the area and the farmers, which helps when you come to selling. If you do not have other qualifications, the LAA course fills that gap, but I would always advise someone to get another qualification, such as a chartered surveyor, if possible, as an insurance policy.

“If we advertise for an auctioneer, we do not get a response, so we have decided to take a different approach by offering apprenticeships.”

This involves working in partnership with local farms and Craven College, with apprentices spending two days a week in the market, three days on-farm and one day every two weeks in college.

Mr Eaton says: “Each student has

an individual farm which has been vetted by us and then they spend time in the market learning about how it works, animal health and welfare, biosecurity and so on and then some time in college.

“They are employed and paid a salary accordingly and we try to make sure the work is interesting and beneficial to them, not mundane. We also give them formal training, such as getting a telehandler ticket.

“It seems to be working well and, since working with the college, it has generated a lot of interest amongst the students, who are beginning to realise there are a number of both full-time and part-time farming-related jobs.”

Because this has been so successful, the company is now using the same model with a graduate from a rural land-based course who is interested in becoming an auctioneer.

Mr Eaton says: “We do not do property work ourselves, but there is an independent land agency on-site, so the apprentice spends three days

in the market and two days with them, so this is another option for us going forward.”

At Hexham mart, the approach is to try and attract young talent even earlier, as auctioneer Jack Walton says: “We work with the Royal Countryside Fund in introducing children to livestock markets.

School visits “We host school visits on non-market days when we get some stock into the mart, explain to them how it all works and the process of buying and selling.

“They also get to have a go at auctioneering if they want to and find that they really enjoy it. We also host visits with university students.

“It is important we try to educate the wider public about farming and food production and the range of jobs available in the sector.

“When I told my careers adviser I wanted to be a livestock auctioneer, he had no idea what I meant, and that needs to change.”

Livestock market operations and management course CANDIDATES on the Harper Adams course start with the university foundation certificate, which involves studying six modules over two years, three each year.

This, along with practical experience, will achieve associate status with the LAA or IAAS and the course has been designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to be competent working in a livestock auction.

There is then the option to take the certificate of higher education, consisting of a further four modules over two years, and along with

practical experience, this leads to fellowship status with the LAA or IAAS. Study includes campus tuition, online study, group visits and assessments. Advanced entry options are available to graduates in suitable subjects. For example, agriculture graduates and graduates of courses with professional accreditation by the Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors.

MORE INFORMATION For further information, go to laa.co.uk/training/auctioneers-managers DECEMBER 29 2023 | 29

19/12/2023 10:07

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AUCTION MARTS

LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEERS & VALUERS

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LONGTOWN MART Tel (01228) 791215 Monday 8th January – Evening Sale at 5pm 156 “LONGTOWN LADIES” 156 Dispersals of the Lintalee (16) & Wallace (26) Pedigree Texel Flocks for M.S. Hardy-Bishop Esq & June Scott.

Important Annual Show & Sale of 82 Pedigree Texel in-lamb Females & 12 Geld Hoggs from Allanfauld, Auldhouseburn, Broadstone, Castlecairn, Cowal, Drumbreddan, Ettrick, Harestone, Hilltop, Knap, Lauder, Midlock, Milnbank, Orchilmore, Sportsmans, Strawfrank, Topgun & Yarrow.

10 Pedigree Dutch Texel Shearlings & 2 Pedigree Beltex Ewes ex Thacka; 3 Pedigree Dutch Spotted Shearlings ex Lou`s & 5 Pedigree Suffolk Ewes ex Topgun.

Show at 3.30pm. M.V. only Tuesday 9th January at 10.30am Annual New Year Sale of 5,000 Cast Rams, Store Hoggs & Feeding Ewes Tuesday 16th January at 10.30am Special January Sale of 400 Store & Breeding Cattle & Suckler Calves 2nd Sale of 5,000 Cast Rams, Store Hoggs & Feeding Ewes.

In-lamb Ewes of all classes Tuesday 23rd January at 10.30am 4,000 Store Hoggs, Feeding Ewes & Breeding Sheep of all classes Monday 29th January Tractors, Quad Bikes, Commercial Vehicles, Implements, Machinery, Small Tools & Equipment.

In the mart & live online via Marteye.ie

46-49 Buildings & Building Materials

Penrith Auction Mart 01768 864700 Wednesday 3rd January 8am – Sale of Cast Ewes & Rams & followed at 10am with Prime Hoggs (Ballot 10am) Wednesday 3rd January 2pm- Sale of 800 Store Sheep of all classes Friday 5th January 10am- Sale of 250 Rearing Calves and Weaned Stirks Monday 15th January Bonanza Prize Show and Sale of Store Cattle and Feeding Bulls of all classes Entries close Noon Monday 8th January

www.penrithauction.com Andrew Maughan 07717 611952 Paul Gardner 07552 589141

Telephone: 01824 705000

THURSDAY 4th JANUARY 2024 Sale of In Lamb Ewes

To be sold In the Exhibition Hall @ approx 2pm

Catalogues available on line @ www.ruthinfarmers.co.uk This sale is held in conjunction with usual weekly sale of all classes of Store Stock including the Sale of Ewe & Lamb Couples @ 11am

Leek Smithfield • Barnfields • Leek • Staffordshire • ST13 5PY • www.leekmarket.co.uk

Weekly Market NEXT MARKET TUESDAY 2ND JANUARY 2024

Store Cattle Sales 400 STORE CATTLE SATURDAY 6TH JANUARY 2024 - Entries Invited Fat/Barrens: Graham Watkins 07976 370894 Dairies: Meg Elliott 07967 007049 Stores: Mark Elliott 07973 673092 Sheep: Robert Watkins 07929 946652 Visit us at www.leekauctions.co.uk

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| December 29, 2023

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Friday 5th January - Show 8:45am Sale 9.45am Show & Sale of 1100 Store Cattle Please note this will be an outstanding sale of top-quality stock For all enquiries contact John Wharton - 07912946549 FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:24:01

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today TM

E’S NATIONAL CLASSIFIEDS

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today 50 Property

49 Finance 49 Motors 51-57 Tractors & Machinery

Wishing everyone a very happy new year

BENTHAM AUCTION MART

NORTH WEST AUCTIONS LIVESTOCK AUCTIONEERS � VALUERS

www.nwauctions.co.uk

info@nwauctions.co.uk

LANCASTER AUCTION MART Tel: 01524 63308 Monday 1st January *NO SALE* -------------------------------

Friday 5th January 10.15am 150 REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS 10.15am 150 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11.15am 300 STORE CATTLE -------------------------------

Monday 8th January 10.30am PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP Followed by STORE HOGGS

J36 RURAL AUCTION CENTRE Tel: 015395 66200 Tuesday 2nd January 1pm 2000 PRIME HOGGS & CAST SHEEP -------------------------------

Thursday 4th January 10.30am Fortnightly Sale of 4000 STORE HOGGS -------------------------------

Tuesday 9th January 10.30am ALL CLASSES OF PIGS -------------------------------

Thursday 11th January NEW YEAR SHOW OF STORE CATTLE 10am REARING CALVES & WEANLINGS 10.30am 100 CAST / OTM CATTLE 11.15am STIRKS & STORE CATTLE Entries Close Wednesday 3rd January -------------------------------

Saturday 27th January DIAMOND DELIGHTS Rough Fell Females on behalf of the RFSBA Swaledale Females on behalf of the SSBA Bluefaced Leicester Females Also this day Multi-Breed Sale of Individual In-Lamb Breeding Sheep & Commercial In-Lamb Sheep Entries Close Friday 5th January

ONLINE MACHINERY SALES Online Sale of Large Items of Machinery Delivery: Monday 8th & Tuesday 9th January To Commence: Fri 12th Jan & Conclude: Mon 15th Jan Viewing: Friday 12th & Saturday 13th (am only)

Saturday 6th January 10.30am Show & Sale of 104 Pedigree Texel Females On behalf of North West Texel Breeders Club -------------------------------Beltex Society Show & Sale of 46 Pedigree Beltex Females AUCTIONEERS CONTACT DETAILS Society Sales of Pedigree Females for Gary Capstick 07970 830518 6 Blue Texels & 8 Badger Face Texels Matthew Probert 07540 446667 Bradley Thompson 07867

015242 61444 - Sale Days 61246 Stephen 07713 075 661 Greg 07713 075 664 Will 07590 876 849 www.benthamauc on.co.uk

Wednesday 3rd January 10.30am FORTNIGHTLY DAIRY SALE 11am 100-150 REARING CALVES 2.30pm 2000 Cast Ewes followed by 2500-3500 Prime Hoggs

Tuesday 9th January Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle Suckler Breeding Cattle NEW YEAR SALE OF STORE CATTLE FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE HOGGS Entries for catalogue close Tuesday 2nd January Wednesday 10th January 11am 100-150 REARING CALVES 2.30pm 2000 Cast Ewes followed by 2500-3500 Prime Lambs Tuesday 16th January Feeding & Cast Cows & OTM Cattle MONTHLY SALE OF FARMERS STIRKS & YOUNG STORES Entries for catalogue close Friday 5th January Wednesday 17th January Cogent Winter Dairy Day Tuesday 23rd January 1st Winter Sale of In Lamb Breeding Sheep Fortnightly Sale of Store Hoggs Saturday 3rd February Annual Multi Breed Sale of Individual Breeding Sheep Inc. Dalesbred, Swaldale, Herdwick, Cheviot, Blue Faced Leicester & Teeswater

RTS Richard Turner & Son AUCTIONEERS VALUERS & ESTATE AGENTS

BROUGHTON AUCTION MART We are pleased to announce that commencing 1st January 2024 All Livestock sales & collections held at Broughton Mart will be operated by Barnard Castle & Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart Co.Ltd Tel Libby Bell Auctioneer on 07818 435728 FGbuyandsell.com

p033.indd 33

Tuesday 2nd January @approx 4.00pm Usual Fatstock Sale GATES OPEN 1PM Friday 5th January @11.00am Opening Sale of Store & Breeding Stock Inc Store Cattle Show Sponsored by Nigel Slater of Laverton Finance & Martin Ellis Feed Solutions 900 Ordinary Auction Mart Shares To be sold in the Main ring at 12.00noon

HappyNew Year!!

Ian Smith - Mart Manager 07738043771 Office 01943 462172 wfam@auctionmarts.com

Est 1803

The Livestock Auctioneers Association Where price

trends are set CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LIVESTOCK MARKET AT www.laa.co.uk December 29, 2023 |

33

27/12/2023 10:25:42

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27/12/2023 10:26:41

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today Auctions

SEDGEMOOR AUCTION CENTRE 01278 410250 | livestock@gth.net Derek Biss 07850 932555 | Andrew Clements 07769 904704 | Sally Mitchell 07764 817998 | Tom Mellor 07929 649195

EXCITING TIMES FOR SEDGEMOOR IN 2024 A new parlour and investment in our facilities at Sedgemoor Auction Centre and more Collective Machinery Sales across the South West and further afield COLLECTIVE DAIRY SALES

COLLECTIVE MACHINERY SALES

Thursday 18th January Thursday 15th February Thursday 21st March Thursday 18th April Thursday 16th May Thursday 20th June

Thursday 8th February Friday 15th March Thursday 11th April Wednesday 29th May Thursday 13th June Thursday 15th August GREENSLADE TAYLOR HUNT www.gth.net

Bakewell Market

Wishing you a very Happy New Year from all at Bagshaws Store Cattle Entries now being taken for Monday 8th January Deadline 12 Noon on 5th January Call 01629 812777 Watch the livestreamed cattle sales on www.streaming.auctionmarts.com ********************** Monday 1st January - CLOSED Tuesday 2nd January - MARKET OPEN THURSDAY LUNCHTIME WEEKLY SHEEP SALE Entries/Enquiries, contact Peter Oven: peter.oven@bagshaws.com or 07973 982443 *********************** A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY - Friday 19th January: HPLS Store Cattle Sale

Farm Dispersal Sales FORD VALLEY FARM MARSH LANE, ECKINGTON, S21 5RE Friday 12th January 2024 at 10:30am 4 New Holland & Ford Tractors, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, Trailers Arable & Potato Equipment, Workshop Items, Spares Garden Items & Mowers, Straw & Grass Seed Livestock Equipment, Sundries & Effects Catalogues are available to download at www.bagshaws.com, Email: Deb.scholes@bagshaws.com Tel: 01629 812777

FGbuyandsell.com

p035.indd 35

www.bagshaws.com

The Livestock Auctioneers Association Where price

trends are set CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LIVESTOCK MARKET AT www.laa.co.uk

December 29, 2023 |

35

27/12/2023 10:27:32

FGBuyandSell.com Auctions

FARMSTOCK AUCTIONEERS, BROKERS & VALUERS BORDERWAY MART, CARLISLE Tel: 01228 406200

NEW YEAR SALE ARRANGEMENTS Monday 1st January

NO SALES – MART and OFFICES CLOSED Tuesday 2nd January

“Classy Lassies” show and sale of registered crossing type inlamb

BLUEFACED LEICESTER Monday 15th January Entries close Tuesday 2nd January Show and sale of

PEDIGREE HOLSTEIN CATTLE Wednesday 17th January On behalf of Border & Lakeland Holstein Club Entries close Wednesday 3rd January

Sale of PRIME SHEEP – 1.00pm

Show and sale of

Sale of PRIME CATTLE & BULLS – 11.00am

PEDIGREE BRITISH BLUE CATTLE

Wednesday 3rd January 11.00am STORE CATTLE followed by

WEANERS & YOUNG BULLS 10.00am CALVES BORDERWAY MONTHLY DAIRY DAY Wednesday 3rd January Entries close Tuesday 2nd January

54 TEXEL SHEEP On behalf of the Solway & Tyne Sheep Society Friday 5th January Show 3.00pm Sale 5.00pm Comprising 24 gimmers and 4 ewe lambs and dispersal sale of the Callerton flock On behalf of MD Sym, comprising 20 ewes and 6 gimmers

BORDER LEICESTER FEMALE SHOW & SALE OF 39 REGISTERED FEMALES Monday 8th January Show 10.30am Sale 11.30am 4 ewes, 17 gimmers and 18 empty ewe hoggs

“BLUE BELLES” BLUEFACED LEICESTER SHOW & SALE OF 125 REGISTERED FEMALES (Traditional Types) Monday 8th January Show 11.30am Sale 12.30pm 40 ewes, 75 gimmers and 10 empty ewe hoggs Includes Dispersal sale of the adult portion of the MV accredited High Craig Flock And Major reduction sale from the Burndale flock Special January sale of

STORE CATTLE Wednesday 10th January Entries close Thursday 4th January

Friday 19th January Entries close Tuesday 2nd January

ONLINE SALE

SKIPTON AUCTION MART

Tel: 01756 792375 www.ccmauctions.com

Auctioneers: Jeremy Eaton - 07747 780481 Ted Ogden - 07855 958211 Kyle Hawksworth - 07538 539077 Rob Cloughton 07496 278828

Wednesday 3rd January New Year Opening Sale of 600-700 YOUNG FEEDING BULLS, BEEF FEEDING CATTLE, STORE BULLOCKS & HEIFERS & BREEDING CATTLE Sale 10.00am Monday 8th January SALE OF REARING CALVES Sale 10.30am PRIME, CAST & FEEDING CATTLE Sale 11.30am (TB exempt section available) SALE OF PRIME LAMBS Sale 12.30pm followed by CAST EWES Wednesday 10th January STORE HOGGS & FEEDING EWES (Entries close Tuesday 2nd January)

Genetic Selection sale of

Dairy Cattle

SEMEN & EMBRYOS of BEEF CATTLE & SHEEP

Monday 8th January Show & Sale of DAIRY CATTLE Sale 12noon Monday 22nd January Show & Sale of DAIRY CATTLE Entries and Enquiries to Sarah 07710 795585

Bidding starts 10am Wednesday 24th January finishing from 10am Thursday 25th January Entries close Friday 5th January

KIRKBY STEPHEN MART Tel: 01768 371385 New Year show and sale of

STORE CATTLE Also cast/feeding cows & OTM cattle Monday 8th January Entries close 10am Tuesday 2nd January

MIDDLETON MART Tel: 01833 640281

STORE CATTLE Tuesday 16th January Entries close 10am Monday 8th January

ON SITE SALE Major Production sale from the

CLEENAGH FLOCK of Dutch Spotted, Badgerface & Blue Texel inlamb females Friday 5th January At Ballymena Market, BT42 4QJ All sheep are for immediate export to the UK mainland and will be delivered free of charge to Borderway Mart for collection on Saturday 6th January from 8am Online bidding available

PLEASE SCAN TO VIEW OUR ONLINE CATALOGUES

GISBURN AUCTION MARTS Auctioneers, Valuers, Agents Tom Greenow - Market Manager 01200445376 Rachel Capstick 07713075659 Jack Pickup 07710708326 Eleanor O’Neill 07706347505 Matthew Middleton 07860659803 Ammended festive sale dates SATURDAY 30TH DECEMBER – NO SALE TUESDAY 2ND JAN – NO MACHINERY SALE Office reopens Tuesday 2nd January Thursday 4 January 10.30am PRIME & CULL CATTLE 10.30am REARING CALVES 11.00am DUGDALE with LELY SHOW & SALE OF DAIRY Entries emailed or texted to Eleanor by Tuesday 2nd

Saturday 6 January 9.30am OPENING NEW YEARS SALE OF CAST SHEEP & PRIME LAMBS 10.30am BREEDING & STORE SHEEP SALE

Entries emailed or to the office on Tuesday 2nd January

Thursday 11 January 10.30am PRIME & CULL CATTLE 10.30am REARING CALVES 11.00am WEEKLY DAIRY 12.30pm STIRKS entries to the office by 12noon Tuesday 9th Saturday 13 January 9.30am WEEKLY CAST SHEEP & PRIME LAMBS 10.00am OPENING NEW YEAR SALE OF BREEDING & STORE CATTLE entries by Tuesday 9th

www.gisburnauctions.com | 01200 445376

Visit www.harrisonandhetherington.co.uk or follow us on Facebook & Instragram

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| December 29, 2023

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27/12/2023 10:33:47

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today Auctions

BLUE TEXEL

SHEEP SOCIETY

WEEKLY SALES PRIME SHEEP Every Thursday at Thrapston STORE & BREEDING SHEEP & CATTLE, CALVES, PIGS & GOATS Every Saturday at Thrapston ALL CLASSES OF SHEEP & PRODUCE Every Tuesday at Stratford

Thrapston Livestock Market Saturday 6th January Smallholders Sale To include: Goats, Pigs & Sundries No Pets

Thrapston Collective Machinery Sale Friday 26th January Entries close Tuesday 16th January

For further information contact: Alastair Brown: 07885 804450 Jake Wagstaff: 07487 526803 01832 732241 or visit the website for weekly listings of sale entries THRAPSTON

www.bletsoes.co.uk

IN-LAMB SALE DATES KENDAL - Saturday 6th January 2024

........................................................................

ST ASAPH - Saturday 13th January 2024 ........................................................................

Sale updates will be posted on the Blue Texel Website and Social Media

www.blue-texel-sheep.com E: office@bluetexelsheep.co.uk

BELTEX

BELTEX IN-LAMB SALE

Kendal Jct 36

Saturday 6 Jan 2024

(46 Entries) Show: 9.00am Sale: 12noon Details: NWA 015395 66200

office@beltex.co.uk

www.beltex.co.uk Personal

FGbuyandsell.com

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Browse. Sell. Buy at FGBuyandSell.com

A New Route to Market

FGBuyandSell

Catalogues & Information Tel: 01788 564749 7 – 11 Albert Street, Rugby, CV21 2RX www.howkinsandharrison.co.uk/auctions

T: 01768 870523

Office: Holme House, Dale, Ainstable, Carlisle CA4 9RH

ALONE NO MORE

(3 Miles from Junction 20 of the M1 Motorway)

HORTICULTURE Every Wednesday FURNITURE Next Sale 3rd & 4th January PRODUCE Special sale of produce Tuesday 2nd January at 12.30pm MACHINERY Next Sale Tuesday 9th January - Delivery on 2nd January info@ashleywaller.co.uk www.ashleywaller.co.uk www.easyliveauc on.com

Personal HOUSEKEEPER Mature

STRATFORD

THE 91st MIDSHIRES PRODUCE AUCTION. Approx 5,000 Tonnes on Farms and Estates in the Central Midland Counties.

To include a comprehensive selection of HAY, STRAW, HAYLAGE & SILAGE. in all sizes, easily accessible to towns including Banbury, Coventry, Daventry, Hinckley, Lutterworth, Northampton, Nuneaton, Rugby, and Warwick.

Together with: 200 Round Bales Organic Silage, 200 Tonnes Maize Silage at Cosby, Leicester, 200 Tonnes Maize Silage at Sapcote, Leicester, 200 Tonnes Grass Silage at Rowington, Warwick, 50 Tonnes Fodder Beet at Anstey, Coventry.

Plus: Hay and Straw for delivery.

TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION ON Tuesday 2nd January 2024 at 2.30pm.

Lutterworth Rugby Football Club, Ashby Lane, Bitteswell, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 4LW

ASHLEY WALLER AUCTIONEERS

Are you Christian and On Your Own? You may be surrounded by family but still missing your own someone special at this time of year. Perhaps the rest of the year feels the same!

It doesn’t have to stay like this. If you have a Christian faith then we can help find you a loving partner to share your life and way of life. You don’t need to be alone any more.

Call us - ‘Friends1st’ on 0121 405 0941. For detailed information and our membership options view www.friends1st.co.uk/ join-now

Call 01772 799500 and place your advert today Personal

person required to help out & join a team for a retired Farmer.

Must be able to drive & cook. Excellent private accommodation provided. I am a Shropshire farmer with a small team around me and I am looking for someone to help out when required. All replies answered in confidence.

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Mid four es Bull with no baggage, seeks Heifer with show ring poten al and a Jersey type of calmness.

6 , privately educated, shaven head, well built with own agricultural business. Gives the impression of tough, physical working, confident, with fire cracking personality, whereas in reality I am more of a fireplace, shy and reserved pen pushing type. I’m looking to build an old fashioned, long las ng rela onship with a no nonsense feet on the ground, common sense homemaker who will possibly enjoy holidays and a glass of wine.

Please reply sending a map of land ownership, latest set of accounts, number of your siblings & udder size, joking apart preference will be given to kind, considerate, caring, gentle & understanding lady with good sense of humor, even if she comes penniless.

Please send replies to: jonathan500sl@hotmail.com

We take a farmer-centric approach to media.

Our job is to help farmers run their farms more efficiently and make better purchasing decisions December 29, 2023 |

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It is never too late to explore a career in agriculture! That’s why we will be there to help you find the right path for your future at LAMMA 2024.

Scan here

Begin your journey with Jobs In Agriculture by joining us at the brand new LAMMA 2024 Career Zone.

t! ou t i

Che

ck

To learn more, scan the QR code or visit, LAMMAShow.com/career-zone

gu ardian.com Jia DPS.indd 3

27/12/2023 10:12

FGBuyandSell.com

A G R I C U LT U R A L L I A I S O N OFFICERS (ALO)

Scan me to view our full services brochure.

FGP are recruiting individuals with basic agricultural knowledge in farming operations. As an Agricultural Liaison Officer you’ll work on Energy and Renewable Projects and advise on the interaction of agriculture with development projects. Salaries start from £32,000 subject to experience.

Apply today, visit fgplimited.co.uk/careers

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FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:32:59

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today Brand new website Visit jobs.farmersguardian.com for the latest job vacancies in agriculture

APPOINTMENTS TO THE AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY PANEL FOR WALES

Business Development Manager Agriconnect is a business unit within the Arc network, a global events, data, and media platform. Arc is a fast-growing global events, data, and media platform with a varied portfolio content led portals, magazines, and events.

Since 1844, the brands of Agriconnect have been the trusted source of information for farmers and with brands like Farmers Guardian, events, like LAMMA and Farm Business Innovation, and digital platforms, like FG Insights, Agriconnect continues to bring together the British farming community.

THE ROLE: • •

• • •

We are now looking for a motivated and driven salesperson to join our Sales team.

The main function of the role is to develop business through growth in revenue, yield, and to increase customer numbers. You will be required to identify new opportunities and influence companies’ media buying habits within the agricultural sector. Due to the ever-changing nature of the industry, this person will have the ability to spot new avenues and exploit market trends.

Hours: 35 hours per week – Mon – Fri Location: Preston – temporary hybrid remote Salary: Competitive, dependant on experience.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE: • • • • • • • • • •

Own, support and fully develop specific market sectors Conduct sales presentations by telephone, email or face to face to existing and prospective clients in order to develop existing business and generate new business wherever possible.

Advise existing and new customers on the most effective solution to meet client needs within the Agriconnect portfolio.

Continually seek and develop new sales & opportunities.

Ability to accurately forecast future sales Keep abreast of all current trends, activities and relevant news within agriculture and specific sector An interest in agriculture Highly motivated & driven, with an ability to meet ambitious performance goals Be enthusiastic and motivated to continually explore new opportunities, whilst possessing a natural inquisitive nature Excellent communication written and interpersonal skills

We offer an excellent package including: • • • • • •

A competitive basic salary 25 days holiday increasing to 27 after two years An extra day off on your birthday Free life assurance Contributory pension scheme Employee assistance programme

Arc has ambitious plans for growth, and this is an opportunity to be part of our continuing success story whilst enjoying a fabulous work/life balance.

We strive to create a culture that is open and respectful, where differences are valued and celebrated. We want everyone to be able to reach their full potential, so we are committed to cultivating a company that promotes inclusion and belonging.

To apply for this role, please email amber.tabiner@agriconnect.com

1 X INDEPENDENT MEMBER Remuneration: £250 per day plus reasonable expenses It is envisaged the Panel will meet approximately 10 times per year.

The Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales recommends rates of pay for agricultural workers in Wales and advises on skills and development requirements for development within the agricultural sector to the Welsh Ministers. The independent member should have a background in agriculture.

The closing date for applications 26 January 2024.

For further details and to apply go to https://gov.wales/public-appointments or for queries contact by email publicappointments@gov.wales.

A large print, Braille or audio version of this advert can be obtained by request from publicappointments@gov.wales.

Ednaston Estate near Ashbourne, Derbyshire is seeking a mo vated Contract Farmer to oversee the management of their 345ha organic holding. The owners have a strong desire to deliver environmental and ecological benefits, alongside opera ng a commercial farming business.

Currently 265ha is under arable produc on, with a mixture of cereals and short-term leys and 80ha is permanent pasture. A store livestock enterprise has been developed incorpora ng sheep and ca le. Significant investment has been undertaken to ensure that every field is fenced and has water, excellent internal tracks and there is a modern 1,200t grain store.

Applica ons will be considered for either the arable Enterprise, livestock Enterprise or the whole.

You will be our ideal candidate if you have: • Experience of opera ng a Contract Farming Agreement • Organic experience (advantageous but not essen al) • Strong a en on to detail • Proac ve and efficient a tude • An interest in farming alongside the environment • Agricultural qualifica ons A viewing day will be held on 9 February 2024 and must be booked with the viewing agents. Closing deadline for applica ons: 5pm on 1 March 2024.

Please Contact Ian McKenzie 07880389577 or ian.mckenzie@fishergerman.co.uk

LKL’s CURRENT VACANCIES

We currently have a wide range of positions available nationwide to include:• Head Herdsperson, North Devon, 420 cows • Calf Rearer, Shropshire, 600 cows • Stockperson/Calf Rearer/GFW, Berkshire, 500 cows Relief Herdspersons Nationwide LKL provides the perfect solution for finding the very best herd carers and managers.

Visit our website for a full list of our current vacancies.

Web: www.lklservices.co.uk Tel: 01722 323546 FGbuyandsell.com

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Call 01772 799500 and place your advert today December 29, 2023 |

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27/12/2023 10:35:12

FGBuyandSell.com Brand new website Visit jobs.farmersguardian.com for the latest job vacancies in agriculture

Recruiter Spotlight Recruiter National Milk Records PLC

Latest jobs from National Milk Records PLC About Us

About Carrs Billington Every day we provide rural and agricultural communities with the support they need to succeed. Whether they are after a healthier herd or flock, increased yields, faster growth rates, a decent return on their land or even just a helping hand. We have the people, products, and services to help our customers get from where they are now to where they want to be. This is why every role at Carr’s Billington is hugely important to our shared success and why we welcome talent from across all different backgrounds to work across our retail, feed, machinery, fuel and central support divisions.

Carr’s Billington Agriculture is a subsidiary company of The Billington Group, who are also the proud owner of Criddle & Co., English Provender Company and Billington Foods. For more information about The Billington Group please visit our website at: www.thebillingtongroup.com Sales Manager At Carrs Billington Safety we have an opportunity to enhance, expand, and optimise sales within the Arborist and Forestry Markets across the country.

• Nationwide • Competitive Salary • Carrs Billington Location: Nationwide Closes: 31 Jan 2024 Job Sector: Management, Sales & Marketing Contract Type: Permanent ATV Sales Person At Carrs Billington we have an exciting opportunity within our specialist ATV sales department, covering the North Yorkshire area.

• Kingstown, Carlisle • Competitive Salary • Carrs Billington Location: Kingstown, Carlisle Closes: 7 Jan 2024 Job Sector: Management, Sales & Marketing Contract Type: Permanent Parts Assistant Every day we provide rural and agricultural communities with the support they need to succeed. Whether they are after a healthier herd or flock, increased yields, faster growth rates, a decent return on their land or even just a helping hand. We have the people, products, and services to help our customers get from where they are now to where they want to be.

• Spennymoor, Durham • Competitive Salar • Carrs Billington Location: Spennymoor, Durham Closes: 07 Jan 2024 Job Sector: Machinery / Service / Technician Contract Type: Permanent

Send CV’s to people@carrs-billington.com

carrs-billington.com/joinourteam

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It’s an amazing time for you to join the NMR team as we continue to enhance and progress our business. Since its formation in 1997 and subsequent flotation in 2006 as a plc, NMR has grown and developed into an integrated service provider, working for farmers and milk buyers, as well as being an independent source of data for advisors including vets, farm consultants and breed societies. Our Strategic Plan and Core Values are embedded in our organisation and are the framework of the daily activity.

Working for us Working at NMR is so much more than just a job! We offer a wide range of career opportunities, particularly to those who are attracted to the ever-changing and modernising farming industry. Our teams are dedicated in providing high levels of value and customer service.

We do this by both retaining our existing experienced people and by attracting and developing the next generation people. As an employer, we are committed to providing opportunities to:

Laboratory Technician (Hillington) The Laboratory Technician (Hillington) will provide the knowledge and skills to assist with the ongoing testing and registration of samples as well as basic maintenance of instruments that are fundamental to the laboratories operation. Carrying out your duties you will be required to work a shift consisting of five days on including weekends with two off during the week.

From time to time training and cover may be required during the laboratories operational times on the night shift.

Location: Closes: Job Sector: Contract Type: Salary:

Glasgow City 30 Dec 2023 Dairy Permanent £23,100.63

Area Coordinator (Cumbria) The Area Coordinator/Shuttle Technician (North Devon) will be responsible for delivery of a full milk recording service in a defined area as allocated by their AFM. This involves visiting the farms on an approximately monthly basis and collecting event data about the individual cows and updating the NMR database. It will also involve taking milk samples from each cow as they are milked as and when required.

The role may also involve supporting and providing the robot shuttle hire service in terms of organising, transporting, setting up, taking down, cleaning and storage of robot shuttles, holiday cover and box deliveries/collections.

The role will be salaried and home based. You will need to be based within the area or willing to re-locate. Your weekly hours will be flexible to allow early morning starts/late evenings and milking patterns of customers.

Location: Closes: Job Sector: Contract Type: Salary:

Cumbria 3 Jan 2024 Dairy Permanent £22,560.23

For more information on any of these vacancies or to see all our current roles, please go to: JobsInAgriculture.com

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:36:32

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today

Contractors

• Borehole Drilling • Treatment &

Filtration • Water testing

01625 878411 www.blairdrilling.co.uk

FGbuyandsell.com

p043.indd 43

M&D

Everglades Nurseries Ltd Specialists in Borehole Drilling

• Borehole and Geothermal drilling • Agricultural borehole drilling • Water treatment solutions • Borehole Installations • Borehole Maintenance

M&D Drilling Co. Ltd

07930 823645 or 07976 634802 www.md-drilling.co.uk • mail@mdboreholes.co.uk

WASTE TYRES and other waste removed from farms

• 25 years experience • Registered waste carrier • All farm tyres & tyre bale removed in bulk • Competitive prices

For free quote call Chris Ingram on 07860 670 201 or email chris@intowaste.co.uk www.intowaste.co.uk

THE QUICKTHORN NURSERY

Quickthorn (hawthorn)

20/40cm 0.32 40/60cm 0.43 40/60cm bushy 0.83 60/90cm 0.59 90/120cm 3ft /4ft bushy 1.41 Blackthorn 40/60cm 0.41 60/90cm 0.50 Beech 40/60cm 0.82 60/90cm 1.19 90/120cm 1.90 Privet 40/60cm 0.60 60/90cm 0.95 Hornbeam 40/60cm 0.55 60/90cm 0.80 90/120cm 1.75 Box 20/30cm 1.28 30/40cm 1.62 English Yew 30/40cm 2.15 Cherry Laurel 40/60cm 1.95 60/90cm 2.45 Rabbit Guards 0.28p Canes 0.12p Trees, Specimen Plants, Hedging, All Sizes Available. A standard delivery charge may be added.

Quotes given for Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

Ring for native tree whips availability and prices.

Delivery will commence the week of the 13th November.

All Prices Exclude VAT. Prices are subject to change.

269 Southport Road, Ulnes Walton Leyland Lancs PR26 8LQ

www.evergladesnurseries.com sales@evergladesnurseries.co.uk Tel: 01257 450533

Milking Equipment

Complete new/used cooling solution Our brands reach deeply into all the

NEW / USED TANKS FROM 50-50,000 LITRES, HORIZONTAL OR SILO

Complete solutions from milk storage tanks, to ice builders, plate coolers, condensing units, heat recovery systems, glycol systems, tank wash systems. We also buy used tanks & part exchange.

Quality used milk tanks available along with refurbished ice builders & condensing units.

We also supply quality batch & the latest flow pasteurisers.

This allows you to add more value to your milk in the way of vending or creating your own branded cream & milk.

KRISTAL D&D LIMITED ESTABLISHED 1978

major

ADDRESS

agricultural

CONTACT

3 Porthouse Industrial Estate Bromyard, HR7 4NS Tel: 01885 483576 | Email: info@kristaldd.co.uk

WEBSITE

sectors -

www.kristaldd.co.uk

Our ice builders & plate coolers are built in our factory along with our condensing unit & heat recovery systems

arable, J.P WHITTER (WATER WELL ENGINEERS) LTD

WATER WELL DRILLING

Trees & Shrubs

Contractors DRILLING

Orders for Insertion of advertisements in Farmers Guardian are accepted subject to the following conditions: 1. Advertisement copy shall be legal, decent, honest and truthful, and shall comply with the British Code of Advertising Practise and all other codes under the general supervision of the Advertising Standards Authority: and shall comply with the requirements of current legislation.

2. While every endeavour will be made to meet the wishes of advertisers, the publisher does not guarantee insertion of any particular advertisement.

3. In the event of any error, misprint or omission in the printing of an advertisement or part of an advertisement the publisher will either reinsert the advertisement or relevant part of the advertisement as the case may be, or make a reasonable adjustment to the cost. No reinsertion, or adjustment will be made where the error, misprint or omission does not materially detract from the advertisement. In no circumstances shall the total liability of the publisher for any error, misprint or omission exceed a) The amount of a full refund of any price paid to the publisher for the advertisement in connection with which liability arose. OR b) The cost of a further corrective advertisement of a type and standard reasonably comparable to that in connection with which liability arose.

4. The publisher reserves the right to withdraw, amend or alter any advertisement it considers necessary.

5. Cancellations or advertisements are accepted providing they comply with the cancellation deadlines which are published at regular intervals.

6. Advertisement orders are issued by an advertising agency as a principal and must be on the agencies official form (when copy insutructions not constituting an official order are issued they must be clearly marked at the head “Copy Instructions – not an order”.

7. Advertising Agency commission will only be granted to those Agencies who are currently recognised by the Newspaper Society at the time of placing an advertisement order and copy. The rate of commission is determined by the publisher.

8. When credit is allowed payment is due within 7 days.

Monthly accounts are due in full each month. “We reserve the right to charge additional costs and interest for non payment within our credit terms”.

9. Only standard abbreviations are permitted by the publisher. List available on request.

10. Classified display advertisements must be at least 3cms in depth for every column wide, and the minimum size of any advertisement is 2 lines.

11. Every endeavour will be made in order to forward replies to box numbers to the advertisers, as soon as possible after receipt by the publisher, but the publisher accepts no liability in respect of any loss, or damage alleged to have arisen through delay in forwarding or omitting to forward such replies, however caused.

Circulars and the like should not be distributed through publisher’s box number facility.

12. The placing of an order for the insertion of an advertisement, is an acceptance of these conditions and any other conditions stated on any type of order form by an agency or advertisers are not applicable if they conflict with any of the above.

• BOREHOLE DRILLING FOR DOMESTIC AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES • WORK CARRIED OUT TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD • WATER SYSTEMS INSTALLED • BOREHOLE PUMPING INSTALLATIONS • 24HR BREAKDOWN SERVICE • FREE QUOTATIONS AND SITE VISITS THE POTTERIES GARAGE SMALLBROOK LANE, LEIGH, WIGAN, LANCS, WN7 5PZ. TEL: 01942 871900.

FAX: 01942 896843.

Out of office: 01942 893660 Visit our Website www.waterwellengineers.co.uk Email: sally@waterwellengineers.co.uk

dairy, livestock, agricultural machinery, finance and equipment

December 29, 2023 |

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FGBuyandSell.com Livestock Services

Milking Equipment

MARTLANDS

PH TE

S

25,000 Ltr Roka Silo *New* - *Special Offer – IN STOCK* 20,000 Ltr Roka *New* - *Special Offer – IN STOCK* 16,000 Ltr Delaval 14,000 Ltr Fabdec 10,000 Ltr Fabdec 8,600 Ltr Delaval (holds 9,000 Ltrs) 6,750 Ltr Delaval (holds 7,000 Ltrs) 6,000 Ltr Roka 6,000 Ltr Fabdec 5,000 Ltr Packo 5,000 Ltr Mueller Model “O”, 5,000 Ltr Roka 4,000 Ltr Mueller 4,300 Ltr Mueller Model “P”, 2 x Refurbished 1T Ice Builder suitable for 10/12,000 Ltrs every other day Refurbished 1.3T Ice Builder suitable for 16,000 Ltrs every other day Refurbished 1.5T Ice Builder suitable for 18/19,000 Ltrs every other day

@

Plain, Cows & Bulls Wanted. Also casualty collection service with veterinary certificates direct to our own abattoir.

24 hours a day 7 days a week collection for emergencies BAMBER BRIDGE Lancs, Cumbria, Cheshire. Yorkshire.

YL O

New Roka Silos and Tanks available from 500 Ltrs to 50,000 Ltrs!

TEXT OR TELEPHONE STEPHEN: 07860 636 605 OFFICE: 01772 626 951

Livestock Equipment

W.Yorks (P)

Dogs & Pets PURE HUNTAWAY DOG PUPS 8 weeks, well marked Black & Tan. Good working parents with excellent temperaments. £450.

Tel: 07990 580075

01392 210344 or Paul on 07974 140949

Livestock Services

ROBINSON MITCHELL LTD

Call Simon 07767 437065

Daily collections of all types of fallen stock throughout the North of England.

Tel: 01524 261144 or 01524 263022 or 01274 833196

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Mid Wales Borders (P)

HEAVY DUTY replace-

Sheep Scanning across the North of England

CONCRETE GROOVING Neil O’Donnell -Tel: 01900 817009 or 07759 194600 Nationwide (T)

WYNNSTAY RETAIL Wales

& Purebreds now available. -Tel: 07768 790962

specialising in “On Farm cooling Equipment”

Livestock Services

Somerset

01963 370 044

NOVA RED White Star

For further details please call S.W Refrigeration

(T)

ND Jeans

Poultry

available to rent, main dealer for new Ro-ka milk cooling systems.

ment troughs, for any parlour. 01260 226261

Cumbria

0777 9444 174

www.vmacsilos.co.uk

Smaller bulk tanks available, emergency open & enclosed, loan tanks

Complete with Honda engine and Electric motor.

This unit is ready for work and can be delivered anywhere in the UK. Livestock Supplies LTD Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476 www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

A Winder & Son

01691 662690

CUSTOM BUILT HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS, TAILORED TO YOUR REQUIREMENTS

Portable Milking Machine

V-Mac Silos

EN T A R

NEW & REFURBISHED BULK MILK TANKS FOR SALE

COLLECTORS OF DEAD ANIMALS THROUGHOUT LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE Competitive prices PLEASE CALL: 01704 893161 or 07768 051800 (24 hrs) Martland’s the name, knackering’s the game Established over 100 years

Livestock Equipment

NEW STEEL BULK FEED BINS Weather and Vermin proof.

Central Bagging Chute, suitable for snacker.

• 10 Tonne

WELL TRAINED SHEEPDOG

• 6 Tonne

Telephone Thomas Longton 07970 836186 Lancs (P)

• 4 Tonne Tel: 01686 626007 or 07747 355782 Mid Wales

BRAND NEW & UNUSED Fibreglass

CALF-O-TEL

Calf Hutches. Complete with fencing.

A large selection of all animal and calf feeding equipment and all other associated products also available. Massive saving on list price Livestock Supplies Ltd. Ashley: 07831 887531 Office: 01829 260328

www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

for sale 2 years old

We take a farmercentric approach to media.

Our job is to help farmers run their farms more efficiently and make better purchasing decisions

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:07:11

Dairy Cattle

pedigrees.

John Procter, Waterbeck.

Further details can be seen www.lowergroveherefords.c Tel: 01461 600257 Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today or 07729 405369 Contact: Paul on 0773009506 paul@lowergroveherefords.

Lockerbie (P) Beef Cattle Feedstuffs &

FRESH REARING CALVES Available in suitable batches delivered to most parts of the country Continental Bull and Heifer calves 3-5 weeks old available now.

Quality store cattle sourced directly from Welsh/Shropshire Borders Farms, delivered to your farm.

Delivery Nationwide.

Livestock Supplies Ltd

Bedding

FOR SALE FRO FODDER BEET LEESEMANOR B

Cleaned,Quality, Competitive Prices, home-bred Limousin c Direct from the grower British Blue young cows and he Collect or Lim Delivered with x and BB x calves at in all sizes of loads Also two excellent Lim x British Blu Tel: 07843Eager 012225 for work, all quiet, Lancs TB tested and ready to go.

ALWAYS NEGATIVE FOR TB

BEST Wilf Lomas - 01606 832 QUALITY or 07769704628

Ashley: 07831 887531 Office: 01829 260328

www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

Animal Health

Five Red and Black Limousin stock bulls 17-22 months.

Some Semen tested.

TB4 area.

Younger bulls also available

Tel Edward: 07770 457453 N. Yorkshire (P) 60

| June 29, 2018

Feedstuffs & Bedding

FODDER BEET for sale. Delivered in 28/16 Tonnes loads.

Payment on delivery.

Tel: 07710 016442

LIQUID

F E E D S to encourage forage intake. Molasses and molasses blends plus additional minerals if required. J E Morten: 01663 734621 High Peak, Derbyshire (T)

CLEANED / WASHED

Fodder Beet. Carrots and Potatoes. All delivered I D Bailey & Son Tel: 01772 690002 / 07968 362227 Lancs

(T)

p060.indd 60

DAIRY CATTLE FOR SALE A weekly selection of freshly calved & in-calf dairy cattle sourced from the UK. All guaranteed and delivered anywhere in the UK Finance can be arranged.

Livestock Supplies Ltd Ashley: 07831 887531, Office: 01829 260328, Will: 07769 974476

www.livestocksupplies.co.uk

BIDLEA HERD

Holstein Freisian Bulls For Sale Black & White and some Red & White Plenty to choose from - first come first served!

Tel: Ray Brown 01477 532220 or 07885 652718 Cheshire (T)

Beef Cattle

SEAFIELD PEDIGREE ABERDEEN ANGUS BULLS Ready to work, delivered direct to your farm, very quiet, easy calving.

Also females available.

Health monitored, closed herd, full pedigree with each animal, Red tractor.

Semen Available.

Tel: 077157 64351

FGbuyandsell.com

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Feedstuffs & Bedding

R.F FIELDING Hay & Straw for Sale in all types of Bales.

Good quality.

Reasonable prices.

TEL: (01625) 531629 OR (01625) 522249

One Tonne Bags Delivered UK & Wales

Biscon Meal (Approx. 12% Protein/14 ME) £260 del Cereal Mixture (Approx. 14% Protein/13 ME) £275 del Cereal Blend (Approx. 16% Protein/13 ME) £295 del Mixed Pellets (Approx. 18% Protein/13 ME) £315 del

NEW STORE IN CUMBRIA

One Tonne Bag Collections Mixed Pellets (Approx. 18% Protein/13 ME) £275 ex store Biscon Meal (Approx. 12% Protein/14 ME) £225 ex store

CALL NOW 01949 844700 www.midlandfeeds.co.uk

CALL NOW 01949 844700 www.midlandfeeds.co.uk DAIRY, BEEF Nuts & LOWER YOUR VET BILLS WITH WASHED SILICA SAND CUBICLE BEDDING * Helps to eradicate mastitis problems and lowers your milk count * Equestrian sand also available

Tel 07730 897138 / 01484 603130

Tomlinson Bros Top Quality Hay & Straw.

All types of big bales delivered.

01829 782378 or 07710 933681

Blends. Fodder beet, Potatoes and Carrots now available Tel: 07837 485652 Cheshire

(T)

FODDER BEET

Clean & stone free. Ray Darley 07860 212800 Nationwide Delivery (T)

ABBOTT & CO (WESSEX) LTD HAY, STRAW & SHAVINGS BOUGHT AND SOLD trading for 130 years 01285 653738 abbottwessex@btinternet.com

Browse. Sell. Buy at FGBuyandSell.com December 29, 2023 |

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TOP PE REGIS HERE BULLS HEIF

All hom quiet to Delivery

07885 5 01394 (East A

FGBuyandSell.com Feedstuffs & Bedding

Building Materials

If it’s not our name on the bag, It’s NOT our salt!

Telephone: 01981 250301 www.ballofmadley-hereford.co.uk

SUPPLYING EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FRAME Working direct with British farmers British farming family owned manufacturer 30 year guarantee on all EUROSIX fibre cement sheets

­ ­ ­ ­

Fast 3-5 day delivery in the UK with offload included

Apply for an account

Supporting British farmers for over 40 years

01934 641 446 briarwoodproducts.co.uk sales@briarwoodproducts.co.uk

COSISAN

Ultimate Bedding Conditioner Containing a DEFRA APPROVED Disinfectant Drier Beds • Sanitised Beds 01387 750459 www.britmilk.co.uk

FGBuyandSell A New Route to Market

AINSCOUGH METALS

CUMBRIA CONCRETE PRODUCTS

New & Used Steel, Crash Barriers and Roofing Sheets for Sale

www.cumbriaconcreteproducts.com

01695 364210 Nationwide Delivery

Browse. Sell. Buy at FGBuyandSell.com 46

| December 29, 2023

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Please visit our website for our daily deals on the Farmers Corner

www.ainscoughmetals.co.uk

LIMITED

HIGH QUALITY PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE PANELS For a competitive price please contact

01228 674 561

or email: carlisle@cumbriaconcreteproducts.com

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:38:59

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today Building Materials

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Manufacturers BoxProfile Profile & & Corrugated Corrugated Roof & Wall Cladding · Vent Manufacturers of:of: Box Roof & Wall Cladding · Vent Air, Perforated & Anti-Con Sheets · Curved Sheets ·Purlins and Sections · Air, Perforated & Anti-Con Sheets · Curved Sheets ·Purlins and Sections · Folded Galvanised Guttering Folded Galvanised Guttering 01568 61 00 00 panelsandprofiles.co.uk

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FGBuyandSell.com

A1 Concrete Products

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• Quality and affordable concrete panels • 500mm, 600mm, 1000mm, 1200mm or 1500mm high • 100mm, 150mm or 180mm thick • Small or large quantities undertaken • All delivered on our own lorries artic or rigid

Call now for fast, friendly advice & a quote direct from a family firm member.

EST 2003

01267 233777 / 07979 533032 www.a1concretepanels.co.uk / a1concretepanels@gmail.com

INSULATED ROOFING AND SIDE CLADDING SHEETS MANUFACTURED TO YOUR LENGTHS Range of colours, thicknesses, 20mm, 30mm, 40mm, 60mm 80mm + lowest prices.

Composite Panels Made to order Choice of colours and thickness Nationwide Delivery Very Competitive Prices Full Range Of Accessories For Friendly Advice and a Quotation Call Tel: 01246 858222

ICP Ltd. Tel: 07702 701776 www.icproducts.co.uk

CONCRETE SECONDS PIPES AND RINGS

Various sizing and priced accordingly

Tel 07976 103807 jim@beaverfit.com

CRASH

BARRIERS

Telegraph poles, Sleepers, Concrete Panels, Security fencing. Henmans Tel- 07768 533741 Nationwide Delivery (T)

FREE HARDCORE Col-

lected. Must have U1 exemption. Ring Martlands 01704 893161

We take a farmercentric approach to media.

Our job is to help farmers run their farms more efficiently and make better purchasing decisions

Buildings

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FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:12:43

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today SPRAY FOAM INSULATION

Buildings

To Crop & Livestock Stores, Poultry Sheds, Cattle & Pig Buildings, Workshops & Barns.

Frost & Condensation Protection.

Temperature Control Energy Saving

Tel: 01405 812682 www.webstersinsulation.com info@webstersinsulation.com

Forestry/ Fencing CHESTNUT FENCING

Tanks

STAKES, mixed halves & quarters. 10/ 12cm tops. National delivery available. Mob: 079852 98221 colin@cwpfencing.co.uk Nationwide (T)

Diesel, Oil & Water Tanks

We manufacture, supply & build...

• Septic Tanks • Diesel Dispensers • Bunded Oil Tanks • Waste Oil Tanks • Water Tanks • Diesel pumps, hoses, filters & nozzles

• Cubicle Buildings • Lambing Sheds • Dairy Units • Equestrian • Workshops • Grain Stores • Industrial Units • Bespoke Design • Nationwide Coverage

BPS Entitlements, BNG, NN, Carbon & Water

FREE UK Mainland Delivery* Tanks For Everything Always BEST prices:

0800 0568 350

www.tanksforeverything.co.uk

01630 655 555 | sales@flgb.co.uk | www.flgb.co.uk

4 x 4s MITSUBISHI

BNG

L200

Titan, 67 plate double cab pickup, 79,500 miles, very good condition. Selling owing to new pickup purchase. £10,000+VAT. MOT September 2024. Tel: 07768 691 312 Lancs (P)

Design, fabrication and installation

1st National Open Market Tender ______

For further details and a no obligation quote, please contact us:

01829 423 123 info@acjackson.co.uk

www.acjackson.co.uk

S U P P LY I N G A N D E R E C T I N G S T E E L F R A M E D B U I L D I N G S F O R O V E R 3 0 Y E A R S

Agricultural buildings ACJ-FarmersGuardian-70x132.indd 1

Equestrian buildings

Agricultural, Equestrian and Industrial Buildings

Industrial buildings 26/01/2021 18:39

Office: 01630 409009 Mob: 07498 357997 Email - sales@bridgewater-construction.co.uk www.bridgewater-construction.co.uk

p049.indd 49

WANTED Toyota Hilux

______

Any condition. Best Price Paid Mobile: 07703 559621 (T)

Register your entry / interest in buying

01392 823935

• Specialists in Steel Framed Buildings • Design, Fabrication & Installation • The best quality materials are used within our manufacturing process for all buildings

FGbuyandsell.com

2nd February 2024

Advice /Consultancy

A www.arcadianestates.co.uk

DO YOU HAVE LAND?

Sites of 1- 1000 acres required for residential development.

If you think that your land has potential for development, or you have been approached by a developer, then you will need expert advice that is not available at traditional sources.

Michael Rutherford is a specialist agent acting and negotiating for landowners. Contact me for a confidential and expert consultation at no cost.

All areas of the UK covered.

Telephone: 01625 890000 Email: michael@arcadianestates.com December 29, 2023 |

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27/12/2023 10:43:36

FGBuyandSell.com

PROPERTY LANDSCAPE

A professional team is key to a successful farm sale Early planning can maximise value

W

hile winter is often a time of hibernation, we recommend those looking to sell their farm in 2024 to start preparations early to avoid disappointment.

As the farmland market tightens and becomes increasingly competitive, it is critical to set your farm apart from the competition and attention to detail can make all the difference to achieving not just a successful sale, but also maximising value.

Timing

Farms & Property

Agriculturally Tied Dwelling

The Cheese Press Chadwick Lane, Hartlebury, Kidderminster DY11 7YH • Detached 5-bedroom property • Subject to Agricultural Occupancy Condition • For sale by private treaty • Set in 1.12 acres with the opportunity to purchase additional garden area • Guide price £585,000

Please contact Chris Jones on 01743 267063 or email chris.jones@berrys.uk.com berrys.uk.com

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Timing is key to any successful farm or estate sale.

While the market has become much less seasonal, the opportune time to market most farms is from spring to mid-summer when crops are flourishing and stock farms and sporting estates look their best.

Identifying when you wish to sell and working back will enable you to formulate a plan and determine all the hurdles you need to overcome before a sale can happen.

Tax is a critical consideration and capital gains tax is likely to be the biggest issue.

The sale of land in a farming business will attract the standard rate of 20 per cent, but if the vendor qualifies for entrepreneurs’ relief, this is reduced to 10 per cent.

While you do not need to be a mathematician to work out the benefits, you will need a tax expert to ensure eligibility.

It is key to showcase a farm in its best light.

You will want to ensure that prospective purchasers see your farm at its best and as such, a ‘spring clean’ prior to marketing will benefit.

It is often good to put yourself in the purchaser’s wellies and ask yourself, ‘would I buy this?’ It is

Sam Johnson

critical to build a professional team who can move quickly.

Putting this team together at the earliest opportunity will ensue that your sale is considered from every angle.

Inspection of the Land Registry title and deeds at an early stage is crucial and, addressing any restrictions on title or title defects and resolving them prior to launch, will reduce the risk of a sale falling through.

A comprehensive information pack, which can be made available to a prospective purchaser’s lawyers, will help expedite the conveyance.

Planning While farmers and landowners are usually aware of planning potential on their land, they are not always aware of the latest regulations and highlighting untapped potential such as proximity to grid connection for developing renewable technologies could unlock significant latent value.

Careful use of development clawbacks can also protect your interests long term however, there is a fine balance to strike to ensure that it does not have a negative impact on a purchaser’s appetite Sam Johnson is an associate partner at Carter Jonas in Yorkshire.Call 01423 707 801, sam.Johnson@carterjonas.co.uk

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:44:55

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today

Tractors & Machinery Generators, Pressure Washers & Pumps

Parts & Servicing

BRAND NEW UNUSED

DIESEL GENERATORS FOR SALE

T: 01254 476679, 07595 116 466 or 07783 222 309

www.rotospiral.co.uk

All types of Augers for all machinery manufactured and repaired

We are specialists in the supply and repair of augers for all models of tub feeders, grain dryers and header augers for combine harvesters.

We also provide a cost-effective repair service for all makes of diet-feeders.

AG275-275KVA

50KVA

THE BIG ONE 70KVA AG50E - 50 KVA AG60E - 60 KVA AG70E - 70 KVA AG80E - 80 KVA

£19,995 +VAT

80KVA £4,750 +VAT £5,250 +VAT £5,495 +VAT £5,995 +VAT

100KVA

60KVA

150KVA

175KVA £7,995 +VAT £10,995 +VAT £12,995 +VAT £19,995 +VAT

AG100 - 100 KVA AG150 - 150 KVA AG175 - 175 KVA AG275 - 275 KVA

FULL STOCK OF PARTS AVAILABLE

COLLECT SAME DAY! NATIONWIDE DELIVERY AVAILABLE

www.affordablegenerators.co.uk Hot and Cold P.T.O. Pressure Available to Hire and Buy 3000 p.s.i. 16-30L/min 2nd Lance Available Fully Tractor Powered Hot & Cold Water Pressure Washers Find us landywashers

Tel: 01756 794291 Skipton. N.Yorkshire www.LandyPressureWashers.com

Agricultural Replacement Parts & Accessories

TELEPHONE: 01380 850001 EMAIL: sales@agrispares.co.uk www.agrispares.co.uk FGbuyandsell.com

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• 01244 520005 (Office) • 07761 292070 (Mobile) Roto Spiral (UK) Limited - Unit 33, Engineer Park, Sandycroft, Deeside, CH5 2QB Email: info@rotospiral.co.uk

Farmers Guardian

GENERATORS PTO & DIESEL P COWELL & SONS 01772 653569 PTO

& Diesel Generator Specialist. Quality new & used. Est 25 yrs.

JSPUK LTD. Tel: 01432 353050 (T)

Parts & Servicing

AGRISPARES

Contact the Roto Spiral team today and see what we can save you.

MASSEY FERGUSON

Replacement tractor parts Direct to your door Phone for best quotes Mobile: 07971 243668 or 01545 570 810

CAUTION Personal Details Please note when publishing personal details in your advert your details are available to the general public.

F.G. ROWLAND LTD Clitheroe Lancashire Tractor Hire & Sales New Tractor & Handler Spares for all Makes New Michelin & Kleber Tyres most sizes in stock

Tel 01254 826295

www.rowlandtractors.co.uk CLAAS John Deere, and

other makes, combine harvester 2nd hand and new spares. www.jmtcombinehire.co.uk. Tel: JMT Engineering 01926 614345 (T)

You may receive calls that are not legitimate.

Farmers Guardian can not be responsible for these calls.

ATVs SHEEP SNACKERS

Ground drive sheep feeders, all types of atv trailers single and tandem axle, Delivery anywhere Rob Astley trailers ltd Tel 01938 810393

We are the best weekly title at farms of all sizes in the UK

(T)

December 29, 2023 |

51

27/12/2023 10:15:54

FGBuyandSell.com Tractors & Equipment

Forklift Trucks

Strickworth 3 ton Diesel forklifts available

Townson Tractors Ltd, West End, Hellifield, North Yorkshire, BD23 4HE

New & Used Tractors, Telescopic Handlers, Machinery & Equipment RICHARD ECCLES. 07977 932948 ED TINKER. 07977 932950 STEVE BENNETT. 07770 890760 JOHN CRAIG 07971 599185

NEW HOLLAND T5.140DCT 140HP 24x24 DynamicCommand 40K 3 Speed PTO 110LPM Pump Mid Mount Valves Loader Ready.........0% Retail Finance 4+44 Months Subject To T&C,s ............POA

2021 NEW HOLLAND T6.160 EC 980 Hrs 135HP+ 6 Cyl 16x16 40K MX U410 P/Loader Excellent............ ....................................POA

NEW HOLLAND T7.210 PC DELUXE 165HP+ 50K F/Links Electric Spools & Mid Mounts GPS Ready 0% Retail Finance 4+44 Months Subject To T&C,s ....................................POA

2021 JCB 19C-1 MINI EXCAVATOR 355 Hrs Full Cab Q/H Excellent Ex Owner Driver...............POA

2020 JCB 538-60 AGRISUPER 145HP 3250 Hrs Full AGRI Spec 6 Speed 40K SRS PUH Air Con Q Fit..........POA

2021 JCB 8026CTS MINI EXCAVATOR 820 Hrs Full Cab H/D King Post D/A Q/H 3 Buckets Excellent .....................POA

2016 POTTINGER 6510 TORRO COMBI-LINE Auto-Cut 710 Tyres Steering Rear Axle Low Load Count OBOC .......POA

NEW JCB 403 AGRI PLUS Due In 50HP Full Cab Heater 2 Speed Full Spec LED W/Lights Counter Weight Euro ................POA

NEW SWALEDALE ROTA-SNACK 300 Feeder 5 Stud Axle 10/75x15.3 Tyres Fully Galv Mud Guards Hopper Cover...POA

3.0m & 4.5m models available c/w sideshift. Container spec.

12 months warranty

from £10,500+ VAT T: 07703 444341 www.strickworth.com

WALTER WATSON

12ft Rotating End Tow Silage Feeding Trailer

3m Spiral Aerator 6.3m Hyd-Folding Ballast Calf/ Bull Blade Beef Feeders 15x5 Bunker Feeder Greenfield Works, Ballylough Road, Castlewellan, Co. Down, BT31 9JQ, Northern Ireland

Please see website www.townsontractors.co.uk for full details Telephone: 01729 850374 Email: sales@townsontractors.co.uk

PAUL WHITTINGHAM WOODACRE PARK FARMS LTD, LANCS

CLAAS 970 + Grass CLAAS Liner 3600, 4 MF 7718S, 2019 reg, pickup, 20 reg, 1950 hrs, rota rake, 2019, very tidy .. 6400 hrs, very tidy............. excellent cond .......£POA ................................£POA ................................£POA

T: +44 (0) 28 4377 8711 W: www.walter-watson.co.uk email: agri@walter-watson.co.uk

DEUTZ-FAHR 5110G 4WD, 114BHP, No Ad Blue, StollFZ30 Loader, 2021, 40speeds, good tyres, shuttle valve, aircon, extending pickup hitch, only 200 Hrs, Sale due to lack of work, Location near Newark on Trent £38,000

Contact Peter 07766 475799

Row Crop Wheels and Tyres 480 / 80 R50, 10 stud, as new.

4 tyres/wheels in total.

Telephone:

07890028469 N.Yorks (P)

FG Buy and Sell 01772 799500 52

| December 29, 2023

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MANITOU MLT 841-145 MANITOU MLT-X 737NEW TSG Teramix PS+, 71 reg, only 60 hrs - 130 PS+, 69 reg, 2000 slurry stirrer, 9.5 meter.... as new, top spec ...£POA hrs, ex cond...........£POA .............................£20,000

MF 5470, 2007, 4300 hrs, MF 390, P reg, 6300 hrs, KRAMER Allrad 750T, 40k immaculate................. 40k turbo. Duncan lift-off 2012, 5600 hrs, 4 new .............................£36,250 cab, f/links..............£POA tyres ....................£26,750

PAUL 07713 128783 DAN 07791 527935

www.woodacreparkfarms.co.uk

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:46:29

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today Tractors & Equipment SIMON GILBERT: 07825 647986

PROCUT 210/240/280 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

GRASSLINE TECHNOLOGY FOR PROFESSIONALS

Quick Fit Blades Walterscheid PTO Shaft with Overrun Protection (Drive Shield Module) Protection in Cutter-Bar Galvanized Folding Frame Power Band Belt

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Quick Fit Blades Walterscheid PTO (Drive Shield Module) Protection in Cutter-Bar Direct Drive with Friction Clutch Hydraulic Floatation Suspension Swarth Wheels

*T&C’s apply

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

WWW.MALONEFM.COM

Hook Tine 7 Tine Arms Per Rotor Walterscheid PTO with Radial Pin Clutch Hydraulic Stabilisation Headland Management Light Kit Spare Wheel

0% FINANCE on all Grassline products for UK customers

Quick Fit Blades Walterscheid PTO (Drive Shield Module) Protection in Cutter-Bar Direct Drive with Friction Clutch Hydraulic Floatation Suspension Swarth Wheels Heavy Duty Cutter-Bar with 25mm Gears

PROCUT 3000 TC

TEDD-AIR 570/840 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

SALES: +353 94 9360 500

PROCUT 3000 MP

PROCUT 285/320 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

simon.gilbert@malonefm.com

Quick Fit Blades Walterscheid PTO (Drive Shield Module) Protection in Cutter-Bar Direct Drive with Friction Clutch Spring Super Floatation System Belt Driven Steel Tine Semi Swing Conditioner Heavy Duty Cutter-Bar with 25mm Gears Spreader Veins

TEDDER-AIR 846T

PROCUT 3000 MC

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Hook Tine 7 Tine Arms Per Rotor Walterscheid PTO Shaft with Overrun Cam Clutch Protection Light Kit Spare Wheel Excellent Ground Contour

Quick Fit Blades Walterscheid PTO (Drive Shield Module) Protection in Cutter-Bar Direct Drive with Friction Clutch Spring Super Floatation System Belt Driven Steel Tine Semi Swing Conditioner Heavy Duty Cutter-Bar with 25mm Gears Spreader Veins

Published January 12, 2024

Advertising opportunities now available in our next

MACHINERY AND TRACTOR MAGAZINE incorporating The Official

show preview

Speak to Eva Bailey today 01772 799 500 | fgclassified@farmersguardian.com FGbuyandsell.com

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December 29, 2023 |

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FGBuyandSell.com Unit 4 | Brook Mill | Wrea Green | Preston | PR4 2PH

01772 684222 | 07506 191880 | 07432 030594

Contact: Harry Boardman | www.hbmachinery.co.uk | sales@hbmachinery.co.uk www.hb-parts.co.uk for ONLINE parts Follow and like us on Facebook

NEW Bailey TB16 Grain trailer c/w roll over sheet and commercial axle ... POA

Teagle 1010 Trailer straw bedder c/w blue tooth controls ......................... £8250

Bailey 14T Root trailer c/w roll over sheet 500/45R22.5 Wheels ...........£POA

Bailey 9Ton Silage Trailer Year 2016 lovely condition ................................ £8250

Kramer 1245 Year 2015 2800hrs Hydraulic locking ................... £28750

NEW Bailey CT14 Stone trailer, Full commercial axle and 560 Wheels POA

NEW Bailey CD10 Dump Trailer in BLUE ................................................ POA

Major 2400g Year 2023 Hydraulic drive Galvanised tank................. POA

NEW Bailey Flat Trailer c/w hay racks................................................... POA

Bailey 27ft Trix axle Low loader c/w Air brakes............................. £POA

Star1500g tanker c/w Sludigator pump...............................................£1850

NEW Bailey Low loader Air brakes Hard Wood Floor Sprung Draw bar .........POA

John Deere 5100M 69 plate 1543hrs JD6120R TLS axle Cab Suspension 540/65R38 tyres ....................... £POA 4300hrs 600/540 Wheels £49750

MF135 5995hrs been resprayed in nice condition and ready for work .£7750 ono

Case Farmall 115 4wd Year 2018 Hours 2051 with 4 weights ..... £POA

Weidemann 1380 Year 2020 Hours 2957 and Pallet tines ............. £26750

JCB531.70 Year 2021 2235hrs, Air Condition, Joystick controls .......£44750

USED AVANY 635 Year 2022 c/w Bucket .........................................£28500

Teagle 2.8m Front/Rear Fails Mowers c/w Rollers ..................£POA

Bucket Brush 7ft JCB brackets ....... .......................................................... £1550

LWC Scraper c/w weidemann brackets ...........................................£750

LWC Bucket Grab 7ft6” Weidemann brackets ...............£1250

NEW Bucket 7ft c/w euro brackets ..............................................................£875

Teagle 8ft Topper Year 2017 ............ .......................................................... £1000

VEC Cherry picker c/w Multi lift basket with test and Iveco full MOT £6250 ovno

NEW Pallet tine c/w euro brackts.. .............................................................£750

NEW Alliance Wheels and tyres 560/60R22.5....................... £750 each

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FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:18:36

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today

FGbuyandsell.com

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December 29, 2023 |

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FGBuyandSell.com

Puma & Optum tractors

CASE 4830 very o

CASEIH FARMALL 90A

12x12 PowerShuttle 40kph. Air conditioned cab, 420/85 x 34 tyres. Pre registered from £42,000 +VAT. Case finance 6 + 30 at 0% subject to Terms & Conditions.

JCB 8 2017,

CASEIH FARMALL 100A

PowerShuttle Amatron PowerShuttle 12x12 40kph.

Loader ready, 3 speed PTO. Passenger seat, air conditioned, 2DA. Hyd trailer brakes. Pre registered.

From £45,750 +vat. Case finance 6 + 30 at 0% subject to Terms & Conditions.

OPTUM 340 CVX 50kph. AFS Connect, front linkage ‘73’ reg.

OPTUM 300 CVX 50kph. Front linkage ‘70’ reg. 2000 hours, Accuguide.

OPTUM 300 CVX 50kph. Front linkage + PTO. 2021, 4200 hours, Accuguide.

240 CVX 50kph. Front linkage, Accuguide ready, 2021, 676 hours.

240 CVX 50kph. Front linkage, Full Accuguide, 2021, 3144 hours.

240 CVX 50kph. Front linkage, Accuguide ready, 2020, 2500 hours.

240 CVX 50kph. Front Linkage & pto. Full Accuguide, 2018, 6636 hours.

260 CVX 50kph. Front linkage & pto. Lots of spec. 2023, Low hours.

200 CVX 50kph. Front Linkage, Accuguide ready, 2023, Low hours.

175 CVX 50kph. Front linkage & pto. 2021, 1776 hours.

160 CVX 50kph. Front linkage & pto. 2015, 5373 hours.

220 MultiController 50kph. Front weight, 2018, 3900 hours.

165 Semi PowerShift 50kph. Front linkage, 2019, 2067 hours.

165 PowerShift 50kph. Front linkage & pto. 2019, 5430 hours.

165 Full PowerShift 50kph. Front weight, 2020, 1973 hours.

165 Semi PowerShift 50kph. Front weight, 2018, 2160 hours.

160 Full PowerShift 50kph. Front linkage, 2016, genuine 1135 hours.

150 Semi PowerShift 50kph. Front Linkage, 2017, 6680 hours.

150 Semi PowerShift 50kph. Front Linkage & PTO. 2021, 4145 hours.

150 MultiController 50kph. Front linkage & PTO. 2021, 2971 hours.

CASEIH FARMALL 100C

24x24 PowerShuttle 40kph. Air conditioned cab, 420/85 x 34 tyres. Pre registered from £44,000 +vat.

Case finance 6 + 44 at 0% subject to Terms & Conditions.

CASEIH 633 TELESCOPIC FORKLIFT, 2022, 2100 hours, 6m & 3300kg.

Pin & Cone.

NEW CASEIH FARMALL 55 two wh eel drive, folding roll bar.

CaseIH Warranty. Case Finance.

STARTIN TRACTORS LTD

TWYCROSS CV9 3PW

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| December 29, 2023

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Tel: 01827 880088 Email: sales@startintractors.co.uk

*Finance offered subject to Terms and Conditions.

FGbuyandsell.com FGinsight.com

27/12/2023 10:50:14

ISEK with r

DEUT LOAD linkag

WEID 2019 3rd s

Call 01772 799500 and place your ad today

NEW SPEARHEAD TWIGA S55 Hedge / Verge cutter, 1.2m head, Pilot controls.

CASE 580 SUPER LE. 4830 hours, lots of buckets, very original machine.

JCB 2CX STREETMASTER, 2014, 4790 hours, Extendhoe, breaker & bucket.

NEW ISUZU DMAX Utility Extended cab automatic. £27,179 +VAT.

ISUZU DMAX UTAH Automatic, 2020, 40000 miles, very clean. £23,995 +VAT.

JCB 8 TON EXCAVATOR, 2016 & 2017, buckets, back fill blade.

JCB 18-Z1 Mini excavator, 2019, adjustable track width, back fill blade.

NEW ISUZU DMAX Utility Double cab Automatic, good spec. £28,995 +VAT.

ISUZU DMAX Utility Extended cab, Diff lock. Manual gearbox. £24,995 +VAT.

ISEKI 3265 HYDRO on turf tyres with rear leaf blower, 1125 hours.

JCB 520-40 TELESCOPIC FORKLIFT, 2017, 2783 hours, Pallet forks, 3rd service.

NEW ISUZU DMAX DL40 Double cab Automatic, lots of spec. £36,099 +VAT.

FORD RANGER Double cab Wildtrak EcoBlue Automatic, 2021, 21292 miles. £28,995 +VAT.

DEUTZ RC 6185 + FRONT LOADER, 2019, 2215 hours, front linkage, good spec.

JOHN DEERE 6120M + QUICKE Q4S LOADER, 2018, 2942 hours.

ISUZU DMAX V-CROSS Double cab, ISUZU DMAX V-CROSS Double cab 2022, 13130 miles. Too much spec to Auto. 2021, 25655 miles. list. £32,995 +VAT. £31,995 +VAT.

WEIDEMANN 6027 TELESCOPIC, 2019, 3200 hours, pallet forks, 3rd service.

KVERNELAND EXACTA - TL GEO SPREAD FERTILISER SPREADER, 2017.

MITSUBISHI L200 BARBARIAN X manual, rear canopy, 2020, 62000 miles, tow bar & liner. £20,995 +VAT.

e. uide.

s.

h eel

FORD RANGER WILDTRAK Automatic, 2021, 21292 miles, lots of spec. £28,995 +VAT.

STARTIN TRACTORS LTD

TWYCROSS CV9 3PW

FGbuyandsell.com

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Tel: 01827 880088 Email: sales@startintractors.co.uk

*Finance offered subject to Terms and Conditions.

December 29, 2023 |

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27/12/2023 10:50:48

MACHINERY

Edited by Toby Whatley – 07583 054 831 – toby.whatley@agriconnect.com

The Leyland 285 and the 2100 were among the first Original Equipment Manufacturer-production six-cylinder tractors manufactured in the UK. So why were they never popular? Simon Henley investigates.

Looking back at the classics: Leyland 285 and 2100

T

he six-cylinder Leyland tractor was developed in response to a demand for greater power from export markets such as Australia and South America.

Leyland engineers had reportedly considered (and later would adopt), turbocharging a

four-cylinder engine as a means of producing greater horsepower.

However, with a new six-cylinder engine at the engineers’ disposal, this seemed the most cost-effective and logical choice.

Launched in December 1973 at the Royal Smithfield Show in London, the two-wheel drive Leyland 285 (85hp) and the 2100

(100hp) models, were among the first original equipment manufacturer-production six-cylinder tractors made in the UK. Built at the Bathgate plant in Scotland, they were launched alongside the Leyland 485 (85hp) and 4100 (100hp) four-wheel drive models.

Leyland 285 Synchro ■ Engine: Leyland 6/98N (5.8-litre/six-cylinder) ■ Power: 85hp at 2,100rpm ■ Torque: 317Nm at 1,400rpm ■ Transmission: 9F/3R Synchro ■ Linkage Lift: 2,720Kg ■ Weight: 3,628Kg

The Leyland 285 was the first tractor in the company’s manufacturing history to feature oil-immersed disc brakes and epicyclic final drives.

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27/12/2023 10:31

MACHINERY SUPPLIED BY COUNTY

The four-wheel drive system used on the 485/4100 models, employed the same twin telescopic driveshaft arrangement County used on its own tractors, taking drive from either side of the rear differential, to hubs driving equal-sized front wheels.

Power for all four six-cylinder

models, was provided by a naturally aspirated 5.8 litre sixcylinder Leyland 6/98N engine.

Silky smooth with a generous torque curve and a frugal appetite for diesel, the engine was considered perfect by Leyland engineers for agricultural applications.

The same applied to the choice of transmission for the new models, which shared the venerable Leyland/Nuffield 10F/4R transmission, with a two-speed independent pto and a rated linkage lift capacity of 2,720Kg. Inside the tractor’s spacious cab, the six-cylinder vehicles were equipped with sidemounted gear levers, which provided an almost flat cab floor.

The new tractors also came with power-assisted steering as standard.

the line-up of later four-cylinder Nuffield/Leyland tractors, albeit with some minor upgrades, early six-cylinder models were beset by transmission problems.

Production developments within the Leyland portfolio, included a minor facelift and the introduction of quiet-cab in 1976.

However the biggest change was implemented in 1978, when Leyland introduced the Synchro gearbox. This was a brand new full-synchromesh three-speed/three-range transmission

design, which incorporated synchromesh on the speed ratios.

It would sadly represent the last major mechanical tractor development by Leyland Tractors before its demise.

Features of the gearbox included a new heavy-duty casting, with bigger input shaft, main-shaft and layshaft bearings for greater load capacity. In addition to this, the Synchro box used huge synchronisers, which were twice the size of those found in competitive tractors at the time.

PROMOTED as ‘The New Power in Tractors’, the four-wheel drive models were built using driveline components developed and manufactured for Leyland Tractors by County Commercial Cars.

County also supplied the oil-immersed braking system and the epicyclic final drives used on the new two-wheel drive Leyland models.

Driveshaft

The Leyland 485 and the slightly more powerful 4100 featured an equal-wheel four-wheel drive system developed by County Commercial Cars. This is an early-production 1972 Leyland 485.

This 1979 Leyland 285 Synchro was the last new 285 model sold in the UK.

PROBLEMS IT was soon discovered the engine side frames were inadequate for the power of the engine, causing them to continually flex under load.

This placed a great deal of strain on the tractor’s rubber engine mounts, which would eventually fail, resulting in the engine torquing itself out of alignment with the clutch and drivetrain, with catastrophic consequences.

As a result of this design flaw, County would not warranty its components on the 485 /4100 model which, in hindsight, was

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perhaps why only a handful were produced. Between 1975 and the cessation of four-wheel drive production in 1977, just nine 4100 tractors and two 485 tractors were sold in the UK, with five and three respectively finding homes on the export market.

Another problem which plagued the six-cylinder models, was the aforementioned 10-speed gearbox. This was essentially the same ‘five-two’ gearbox introduced in 1964, which debuted in the Nuffield 10/60 tractor.

Although widely used throughout

Continues over the page.

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 59

20/12/2023 11:44

MACHINERY

Leyland introduced a Q-cab to its tractor line-up in 1976. The six-cylinder two-wheel drive models famously featured an exhaust system which exited behind the cab (inset).

TORQUE LOADINGS UNLIKE most tractor gearboxes in the 1970s, the Leyland Synchro gearbox synchronisers were developed for installation on the transmission layshaft, instead of the traditional location on the transmission main-shaft.

Completely immersed in oil to dissipate heat, this design reduced torque loadings by half, resulting in quicker shifting times with less effort.

In fact, the design was so effective, Leyland engineers even installed a synchroniser on reverse gear.

Effortless This was virtually unique at the time, providing drivers with almost effortless forwardreverse shuttling, even while the tractor was still moving, using what was still a conventional manual shift transmission.

The updated 285 Synchro and the 2100 Synchro models, would benefit greatly from the new transmission.

However the combination of a poor reputation for build quality and reliability, with the added threat from competing manufacturers including Ford, 60 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p58 59 60 Dec 29 MB BB TW.indd 4

MF, International Harvester and a newcomer to Europe called John Deere, kept sales figures of the Leyland models to a minimum.

Production of the blue-painted Leyland Synchro models ceased in December 1979.

The following year in December 1980, Leyland launched the Golden Harvest Range of tractors.

Subtly re-styled with a new golden livery, they debuted a new (optional) Sekura Explorer Q-cab.

Sadly, the six-cylinder models did not survive the Harvest Gold revamp.

The new range was topped by the four-cylinder turbocharged 802 and 804 models.

This makes the two-wheel drive Leyland 285s a rare sight, although they are not as scarce as their four-wheel drive equivalents.

The six-cylinder Leyland models should have been a major success.

But like so many other British Leyland vehicles at the time, which were conceived from potentially brilliant ideas, they were sadly underdeveloped and never lived up to the expectations of dealers or their customers.

The Leyland 285 Synchro cab interior was purely functional with cladding applied to the roof, fenders and floor mat to suppress noise levels. Note the gear lever to the side of the seat. farmersguardian.com

20/12/2023 11:45

MACHINERY Applications THE fund is open for applications through the Kramp UK website, with the fund value provided in amounts of between £500-£3,000 in the different categories offered.

MORE INFORMATION Further information can be found at kramp.com/shop-gb/en/l/ cultivate-a-generation

The support will mostly be provided in the form of credit with the part suppliers’ online shop, which holds a claimed 160,000 products at its Bedfordshire-based distribution hub.

Agricultural parts supplier Kramp has launched a fund to support the next generation of farmers and agricultural engineers. Toby Whatley reports.

Kramp launches new financial support scheme rSix grants available for RAU students

DUTCH-BASED agricultural parts supplier Kramp has launched a new fund to support those starting out in the sector, alongside some options for more established businesses.

The Cultivate a Generation fund will be provided with £30,000 a year by Kramp split into seven different categories, which include options for young farmers, agricultural engineers, livestock farmers and contractors.

The support will mostly be provided in the form of credit with the part suppliers' online shop, which holds a claimed 160,000 products in stock at its Bedfordshire-based distribution hub.

Speaking at the launch, Kramp chief executive Eddie Perdok said: “We are a family-owned company and it is important to me to invest in the next generation in both our own business and into the industry we supply.

“We are passionate about farmersguardian.com

p61 Dec29 TW BB MB.indd 2

We are passionate about agriculture and the creation of this fund fits the ethos and vision of our business EDDIE PERDOK the business supplies parts and tools to the agricultural, ground care and compact earthmoving sectors.

Eddie Perdok

agriculture and the creation of this fund fits the ethos and vision of our business.”

The Europe-wide business was

Supporting grants established in 1950 in the Netherlands and has expanded to cover the European market. Operating from 11 distribution warehouses,

Aligning with the launch of the scheme, there will be an additional six supporting grants to students at the Royal Agricultural University.

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 61

27/12/2023 09:24

LIVESTOCK

Edited by Katie Jones – 07786 856 439 – katie.jones@agriconnect.com

A share farming agreement on a North Wales estate has enabled a young farmer to further his passion for farming and get a foot on the career ladder. Ellie Layton reports.

Share farming opportunity provides first step on ladder

C

oed Coch, an estate in Abergele, faces a bright future thanks to a new share farming arrangement. This agreement is between the landowner Harry Fetherstonhaugh, Rhys Williams, a farmer and consultant from the Llyn Peninusla, and new business partner Dafydd Owen, who joined the partnership last November and is in charge of the day-to-day running of the estate’s 2,000-ewe flock.

Mr Owen hails from a mixed livestock farm near Llanrwst, but never saw himself being a full-time farmer after studying countryside conservation at Aberystwyth University.

Following his studies, he did a stint working and travelling in Australia and New Zealand and two seasons on a Cambridgeshire arable farm before coming back to Wales.

He was working for a fencing contractor before deciding on a change of career path, when he took on 12 hectares (30 acres) of grazing on a fiveyear agreement in 2019 and built up a small flock of improved Welsh ewes.

Skills Mr Owen says: “I believe my time away from home allowed me to develop skills which I would not have gained if I had stayed home. I had time to reflect and find what I wanted to do while continuing my personal development.”

Wanting to grow firmer roots in the industry, he began looking for a Farm Business Tenancy and share farming opportunities which would be suitable for himself, his wife Sioned and young daughter Megan.

Despite a few unsuccessful applications, Mr Owen saw an advertisement for the share farming agreement at Coed Coch, a 310ha (770-acre) hold-

ing and, following a successful interview process, he started his six-month probation in November 2022.

Mr Owen says: “This preliminary period worked well. It made sure I was the right fit for the farm and vice-versa.

I had time to find my feet and build up some plans with the team.

“From the off, we have had weekly meetings to discuss the day-to-day work and monthly board meetings to make management decisions and monitor performance and financial targets to make sure we are on track.”

Coed Coch runs a simple system. A UTV and a Rappa mobile sheep handler are the only machinery owned and no livestock housing is used.

This minimalistic approach allows Mr Owen to manage the flock of 2,000 Romney ewes and 400 replacements, plus 120 Jersey cross dairy heifers, contract reared for a local farm on a grazing agreement.

Ewes are lambed outside, mostly on some of the farm’s highest ground, which rises to 360 metres (1,200 feet).

There is 210ha (520 acres) of improved hill ground, some of which is vulnerable to bleak costal winds, but drops down to more sheltered areas suitable for lambing.

Maternal traits Romneys are a new breed to Mr Owen, but he says they are easy to work with due to their strong maternal traits, lamb survivability and their ability to thrive without any purchased feed.

Mr Owen aims to capitalise on grazed grass and forage. Continual investment in grazing infrastructure and careful grassland management allows the implementation of rotational grazing to maximise grass yield and quality without the use of inorganic fertiliser.

Ewes’ progress is monitored by body condition scoring three times

Dafydd Owen 62 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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19/12/2023 14:26

LIVESTOCK Farm facts ■ Coed Coch is part of a five-year share farming agreement between Harry Fetherstonhaugh (50 per cent), Rhys Williams (45 per cent) and Dafydd Owen (5 per cent) ■ Dafydd Owen lives on the farm with his wife Sioned and daughter Megan ■ The farm’s low input system is driven by grass utilisation, genetics and ease of management ■ Mr Owen has recently taken part in the Farming Connect Agri Academy scheme, which he says has opened his mind to new ideas and allowed him to build relationships This minimalistic approach allows Dafydd Owen to manage the flock of 2,000 Romney ewes and 400 replacements.

a year at scanning, pre-tupping and weaning.

Budgeting grass supply and demand is one of Mr Owen’s key roles. He measures average farm pasture cover with a plate meter every month and uses the information to make proactive management decisions.

Half of the ewes are wintered on the

home farm, while the rest are wintered off-farm for three months on tack agreements. The ewes graze locally while the ewe lambs graze an arable farm over the border in England.

Sheep breeding has a strong New Zealand influence, having used Wairere Romney genetics since the flock was established in 2016.

A new Romney breeding line will be introduced this year with the acquisition of a Kaiapoi Romney ram through the NSA Next Generation initiative.

Some Romney ram lambs are retained to capture and expand genetics which thrive on the system.

The ewes average 66kg and they are larger and heavier wooled ewes

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than the Welsh breeds Mr Owen is familiar with.

In a bid to develop ewe efficiency and introduce hybrid vigour, Mr Owen is trialing a Llandovery Whiteface ram. He says the breed boasts a hardiness and maternal quality of an upland breed, while also producing a lamb which meets market requirements.

A closed flock and selective culling are key to the flock’s development, says Mr Owen. There is a strict culling policy to eliminate lameness and other

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Call 0330 333 0056 and quote H302 DECEMBER 29 2023 | 63

19/12/2023 14:26

LIVESTOCK undesirable traits and replacements are retained from the most prolific ewes with body stature, length and depth also desirable traits.

Surplus ewe lambs are sold privately for breeding while male lambs are sold deadweight through ABP or as store lambs.

Introducing new breeding initiatives is just one of the fresh ideas Mr Owen has brought to the table at Coed Coch.

He says he is also passionate about making the system more environmentally sustainable and is promoting regenerative farming practices which build soil health and fertility while also maintaining production at low cost.

One initiative he has introduced is a change of winter feed. Traditionally the farm has grown swedes as a winter forage crop and this also played a part in the reseeding policy.

However, the increasing cost of crop establishment and the environmental impact of chemicals and soil disturbance made Mr Owen consider an alternative.

He says: “This year, we have reduced the area of swedes and we have shut off 35ha of pasture in June and deferred it to be grazed in January and February.

“The areas containing a high pro-

Surplus grass from productive leys was made into round bales and will be strip grazed.

portion of productive ryegrasses grew too strong and needed to be baled in late summer. Those bales have been placed in the fields and will be strip-grazed along with the deferred pasture.

“The older leys containing natural

NEW YEAR NEW EWE Looking for a new career change for 2024?

grasses, herbs and legumes have stood up well and are ready to be grazed behind an electric fence.

“The long grazing rest periods these pastures receive will help the plants develop deeper roots, providing more resilience and building soil organic matter.”

Looking forward he says he wants to keep developing his own skills, as well as the farm business.

He says: “I am fortunate my business partners want to keep the farm driving forward and are giving me the opportunity to invest in more shares in the company and to take more responsibility which will help me take a further step in my farming journey.

“I believe farmers should share what they do, even if it has not gone to plan. This can help farms move forward and learn from each other.

“I believe we have lost some of the co-operative working relationships our previous generations built.”

My time away from home allowed me to develop skills which I would not have gained if I had stayed home DAFYDD OWEN

Exciting opportunities have arisen to join our

FEED SALES TEAM Covering various locations across the UK.

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The acreage of swedes grown has been reduced this year.

farmersguardian.com

19/12/2023 15:52

LIVESTOCK

B

eef farmers Paul Evans and Risca Solomon started farming at Campbell Farm in April 2022. The farm is a 48-hectare (120-acre) holding near Wiston which had been farmed by Ms Solomon’s parents.

The couple set about stocking it with a pedigree herd of Charolais beef cows and dairy cross beef cattle, bought as bucket-reared calves from local livestock markets for rearing and finishing.

The system they established relied on feeding bought-in concentrates, and in the winter of 2022 they were spending £2,000-£3,000 a month across 75 commercial cattle and the offspring of the 14-cow pedigree herd.

Ms Solomon says: “What we were making did not even cover the feed bill, let alone the bedding, water and all the other costs.”

It was time for a rethink and, on the advice of their accountant, they were encouraged to make better use of the grass at Campbell Farm.

“Our accountant told us that the only farmers who were making money were those who were on the Farming Connect Prosper from Pasture Scheme,’’ says Ms Solomon.

Grassland managers This programme is designed to help farmers become better grassland managers.

The couple contacted the local Farming Connect development officer, Susie Morgan, and, through the Advisory Service, had a one-to-one surgery with grazing consultant Rhys Williams, of Precision Grazing.

Ms Solomon adds: “It was brilliant. In my main job as a behavioural analyst I am used to working with graphs and charts, so applying that Paul Evans and Risca Solomon started farming at Campbell Farm in April 2022.

A grassland management approach described as ‘transformational’ is enabling a Pembrokeshire beef farm to grow and finish cattle without concentrate feed. Farmers Guardian reports.

Major feed cost savings for beef farm to grassland management all made sense to me, that you cannot manage what you do not measure.’’

The couple applied for 80 per cent funding through the Farming Connect Advisory Service for Precision Grazing to produce a technical report, a ‘step by step guide’ on how to establish the grazing infrastructure and manage the grassland.

They set about sub-dividing fields with electric fencing, to create smaller paddocks, and followed Precision Grazing’s advice on establishing water infrastructure.

There was also advice on when to buy and sell cattle to maximise grazing and to avoid buying feed.

Ms Solomon is in charge of weekly measuring during the grazing season and uploading the information to an app to create a grazing plan.

She says there is no complicated science behind the system they are following.

“We have learned that grass grows grass, it is as simple as that,’’ she says.

“The more solar panel, as in leaves, a grass plant has the better the re-

growth, whereas previously we would graze it to within an inch of its life.’’

Rotational grazing also means there is less selective grazing, so grass utilisation is better.

Cattle would usually be housed on October 14, but it was November 7 this year and that was only because the weather was very wet.

“We were able to graze later because we had the grass and even when it was wet there was very little poaching because of the rotational grazing,” says Mr Evans, who moved cattle daily during that period.

In previous years there would have been tack sheep winter grazing the farm but that has stopped.

“We want to have the grass there to turn the cattle out in mid-March,’’ says Mr Evans.

Feed budgeting helps him to work out how many bales of silage the cattle need to see them through winter.

Regular weighing of cattle, since the business invested in a crush and weigh cells, has been useful too and is likely to mean more targeted use of wormer treatments.

“When there are one or two in the group that might be thinner than the others we will dose those rather than blanket treating everything,’’ says Mr Evans.

Rooting depths Through the Farming Connect South West Wales Grassland entry discussion group, Mr Evans and Ms Solomon are also learning more about the rooting depths of different grass varieties and soil health.

“It has helped us think more about a regenerative approach, rather than having a short-term quick fix by throwing a bit of fertiliser on perhaps. We are thinking more long term.’’

They have taken advantage of Farming Connect’s fully-funded soil sampling service which has helped identify one field with a nutrient status in need of improvement and others which do not require any inputs.

Although there has been a cost to installing the grazing infrastructure, Mr Evans and Ms Solomon calculate that the savings on feed and fertiliser in the first year alone could cover this.

We have learned that grass grows grass, it is as simple as that RISCA SOLOMON

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DECEMBER 29 2023 | 65

19/12/2023 14:27

LIVESTOCK Cumbrian dairy farmer, James Robinson, has recently entered into bTB restrictions and here he gives a first-hand account of the day the news was delivered as well as an insight into the stigma that is often attached to having a bTB breakdown in a supposed ‘clean’ area.

‘Dealing with our farm’s first ever bTB breakdown’

I

could tell Kirsty was going to say something I did not want to hear, she was spending a long time with the callipers on the bottom lump, reading the measurement and moving back up to the top for a comparison.

Finally, she said: “She is going to be an IR I am afraid, James.”

That was the first time I had ever heard a vet utter those words, and nothing had prepared me for it.

It hit incredibly hard.

I asked her to check it again, just to be absolutely sure.

It was the same reading.

Before we went in for breakfast, we had another four IRs, so five inconclusive results from that group of 90 milk cows.

Over toast and cereal, we asked the questions which came to mind first; do we have to isolate those five? When will we be retesting?

Are we under an instant movement restriction?

Obvious These sorts of questions probably seem so simple and obvious to farmers in areas of the country where bTB has been a major battle for years, but up here we felt like we would escape becoming members of the club that no one wants to join, but no, unfortunately we were now under restrictions.

The group of 40 dry cows and in-calf heifers were already waiting in the locking feed yokes when we came out from breakfast.

We had pushed up their silage so that they came forward from their cubicles and could fill their bellies while they waited.

We flew though the first three 66 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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I rang our neighbouring farms. I needed to tell them myself before the inevitable gossip began circulating JAMES ROBINSON

bays; 21 animals where the callipers only came out twice, and they were just reacting on the avian at the top.

Then Kirsty went quiet and I could see she was remeasuring both lumps on Barrington Dot 25.

“I am sorry James, this is a reactor.”

She checked the laminated score card for confirmation, but I already knew, so did Kirsty.

I wrote the measurements down on the recording sheet, I also added her tag number to the growing list on the top, but this time in a separate column with a big R in bold.

Out came the green DNA tag which was loaded into the pliers and then punched into Barrington’s right ear.

That was it, her fate was sealed.

I messaged Michelle, my wife.

‘Flipping heck’, was her reply.

It got worse. In a group of newly calved and older cows we had

another reactor and two more that were inconclusive.

My reaction was just one of resignation.

Resignation to the fact that bTB had reached us and had got hold of not just one cow, but two as confirmed reactors and a further eight inconclusive.

In total, almost 10 per cent of our adult animals had shown a reaction. And yet, only 12 months previously we had passed with flying colours, with Kirsty only needing to measure a small handful of cows.

I rang our neighbouring farms. I needed to tell them myself before the inevitable gossip began circulating around our parish.

It took me almost 24 hours before I spoke to the final farm and, by then, the news had already reached them.

The support I got from our near neighbours was incredibly humbling. I was not tutted at or chastised, or asked how we had got it.

Almost 10 per cent of the adult animals at the Robinsons’ farm have shown a reaction.

Instead I was asked how I was and how the rest of the family were too. It was similar to phoning them up to say a family member had died.

Shock Those thoughtful replies helped with the initial shock a great deal.

We do not know how we have got to this, from never even having an inconclusive in almost 90 years of bTB testing at Strickley, to 10 animals in one test.

We do not buy stock in, in fact the last animal we bought in was a bull 10 years ago and he was completely isolated and retested before moving up to the main buildings.

We do not attend many shows and have only been to our local county show over the past five years.

We have double fences next to our farm border to give us a buffer next to our neighbours, which protects our stock and theirs.

But our area is clean in the eyes farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:29

LIVESTOCK

of APHA, and we had been in a four-year testing regime until last year, when a nearby farm had a minor breakdown which quickly fizzled out.

In fact, until we had the bad news, no one else (to my knowledge) has had any failures.

APHA has told us that, because we are not in a designated hotspot, the eight inconclusive animals will not be taken as dangerous contacts, so they are remaining on farm in isolation until the end of January, when we will retest the entire herd again.

This seems a bizarre decision.

Why would they leave eight potentially infected animals on a farm when there has been an obvious change in their bTB status over a very short timeframe?

We are isolating them across the yard and in separate airspace, but they still have to be milked through the parlour after all the others have been through, mucking over the yard and eating from the same parlour troughs. farmersguardian.com

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If we were in a designated ‘hotspot’ the response would have been quite different, the eight IRs would have been taken and compensated for.

But instead of trying to nip the outbreak in the bud, APHA and its lacklustre policy seems to want to wait and see if it develops into a

hotspot before responding. The only reason I can think that AHPA will not take them is for short-term financial reasons, and that does not help the wider bTB eradication aim at all.

There are no doubt rumours buzzing about, with false facts and pure gossip.

Stigma

Why would they leave eight infected animals on a farm when there has been an obvious change in their bTB status?

JAMES ROBINSON

The stigma attached to having a bTB breakdown in a supposed clean area is real.

It comes from the mistaken belief that farms around here would always steer clear of the problems others face, it comes from a general ignorance of disease prevention at the individual farm level too and also with animal movements which are always deemed safe if they have had a clear premovement test.

The tests are obviously not good enough if the disease was undetected 12 months ago here and we, as farmers, should also realise that and think very carefully about

moving animals freely between farms both locally and from one area to another.

It is hard being the farmer when the news is delivered, but it is equally as hard for the vets delivering that news. bTB testing is a physically draining job, the mental strain is even greater though.

Those who have helped me so far have been incredible.

Kirsty our Vet from Yan Farm Health has been superb from the moment she measured the first cow, Helen Forrester from the NFU and Sarah Tomlinson from the TB Advisory Service have guided me through what will happen and how to deal with it.

Many farmer and vet friends, some of whom have been dealing with this pig of a disease for far too long, have been there with support and advice too. It all helps.

Talking about it removes the stigma and will help those who, in future, may find themselves having that bad bTB test day.

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 67

27/12/2023 09:29

MARKET PRICES PRIMESTOCK SCOTLAND All prices quoted in p/kg.

STEERS Market day(s) week ending Dec 21

Ayr Caithness Castle Douglas Dingwall Dumfries Forfar Huntly Kirkwall Lanark Lockerbie Newton Stewart Newtown St Boswells Stirling (caledonian) Stirling (ua) Thainstone

HEIFERS

YOUNG BULLS

Total cattle number

Light average

Medium average

Heavy average

Light average

Medium average

Heavy average

Light average

Medium average

16 7 6 38 93 6

211.20 280.00

222.33 259.60 -

175.20 295.00 -

262.00 129.40 285.33 -

301.88 281.00 306.67 238.60 313.62 231.00

309.14 271.50 270.65 307.24 250.79

-

23 103 65 4 121 4 4 32

260.50 226.00 297.00 241.25 228.00 267.67

262.93 290.93 309.80 243.00 243.50 276.50

261.50 271.69 268.50 229.50 -

258.00 240.50 227.50 275.10

257.00 291.69 290.55 150.00 282.00 273.90

275.50 287.25 274.70 202.67 256.05 222.50 297.50

102 15 7 11 11 11 4 2 12 95 69 53 11 We (wk) Tu\We 157 We Mo Mo\We 5 Mo 48 Mo 57 Mo 1 Tu 18 Mo 53 We 113 Tu Mo Th Tu We Th 87 Th We Tu 92 Tu 23 We We 30 Mo 166

237.50 249.50 242.00 290.00 239.50 239.50 272.67 326.00 242.33 206.25 216.00 240.17 320.00 331.50 263.00 269.00 313.50

296.29 242.75 261.00 280.00 267.50 310.78 265.36 295.33 271.67 282.95 190.75 260.10 316.00 324.30 281.85 259.67 303.92

296.50 261.50 242.00 259.00 265.50 308.50 239.00 289.82 254.80 276.33 164.00 261.12 204.83 320.70 277.33 289.50 297.70

304.00 170.50 203.83 262.50 169.50 227.00 285.64 163.67 226.50 240.00 229.00 226.20 186.50 205.00 292.70 331.50 261.50 248.00 275.10

321.12 246.90 242.50 188.00 267.00 277.94 289.00 199.50 193.50 284.47 314.67 203.58 226.50 294.05 255.09 276.70 224.17 251.35 306.68 315.50 284.86 285.30 255.60 292.86

315.50 233.83 240.33 269.00 282.00 277.00 204.50 266.59 292.50 218.75 278.00 231.50 255.18 279.20 171.00 175.50 257.50 305.28 314.94 280.91 295.65 260.67 283.50

Mo\Tu Mo\Tu Tu We We Mo Mo We Mo Tu Th

CULL COWS

Heavy average

Total cow number

Grade 1 average

Grade 3 average

Dairy sired average

Beef sired average

Total N lambs

-

242.00 -

89 51 26 64 52 24 38

-

-

115.90 137.40 -

156.70 168.50 136.50 162.60 178.70 144.80 186.80

2249 1850 321 479 756 447 3990 1293 1765 1795 1194

227.50 226.00 218.81 195.33 269.50

257.57 223.00 248.47 -

297.91 253.00 -

12 81 29 42 290 40 -

-

152.50 -

143.67 129.89 118.98 136.32 103.38 -

163.03 147.91 176.26 154.82 -

193 889 1223 318 2813 562 787 595 3210 821 310 1718 467

190.00 262.10 249.71 224.00 222.00 224.00 189.50 229.21 219.50 208.67 208.06

276.59 276.00 258.04 301.75 250.89 224.00 270.58 257.50 233.00 264.38 248.75 277.60 253.63

286.18 280.00 266.89 299.00 270.00 191.50 291.57 267.00 309.19 243.68 280.50 275.24

56 17 19 20 3 25 84 1 21 101 18 1 12 18 99 6 19 2 60 17 3 10 14 1 8 9 1 7 16 1 5

-

142.83 -

158.00 132.94 107.50 126.50 148.83 135.85 120.61 105.00 95.43 112.77 119.50 152.29 133.55 125.50 147.07 127.90 124.10 121.00

180.44 126.68 151.50 159.00 141.33 157.59 173.73 182.00 170.67 150.45 164.20 128.56 148.50 121.30 184.17 156.00 170.17 142.35 147.00 161.90 123.81 125.50 181.50 210.00 163.83 141.00 229.50

664 1105 492 153 2057 197 330 1832 2620 1247 568 453 1240 1834 3583 567 860 860 4294 219 1712 252 2080 130 2093 19 1130 2664 1052 2249 1159 1294 172 474 620 107 812 2926 792 166 303 1324 107 64 736 999 403 1381 75

ENGLAND Acklington Ashford Bakewell Barnard Castle Bentham Bishops Castle Bridgnorth Brockholes Carlisle Cirencester Clitheroe Cockermouth Colchester Cutcombe Wheddon Cross Darlington Exeter Frome Gisburn Hailsham Hallworthy Hawes Hereford Hexham Holmfirth Holsworthy Hull Kendal Kington Kirkby Stephen Lancaster Leek Leyburn Longtown Louth Ludlow Malton Market Drayton Market Harborough Melton Mowbray Newark Newton Abbot Northallerton Oswestry Otley Penrith Ross-On-Wye Rugby Ruswarp Salisbury Scots Gap Sedgemoor Selby Shrewsbury Skipton South Molton Stratford Thame Thirsk Thrapston Truro Ulverston Wigton Wooler Worcester York

We Tu Mo We Tu\We We Tu Tu\We Mo Th Tu We Tu We (wk) Mo\Th Mo We Sa\Th We Th Tu We\Th Tu (wk) Tu We Mo Tu\Th Th Tu Fr\Mo Tu We Th Mo Mo Tu Mo\We We (wk) Tu\We

68 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p68 75 Dec29.indd 100

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70

50

50 60

0 80

80

03

1

26

82

44 68 0 00 3

9 3 00

67

45

20

56

50

0

7

00 7 35 00

0

81 50

0

00 83

0 50

Where stated, data provided by AHDB.

Source: AHDB/LAA

WALES

SHEEP Total N/S lambs

N/S lambs light average

N/S lambs standard average

N/S lambs medium average

N/S lambs heavy average

N/S SQQ average

Total Ewes

Ewes average

2249 1850 321 479 756 447 3990 1293 1765 1795 1194

222.00 145.50 253.50 227.15 201.21 129.00 149.25 -

255.51 267.92 201.90 270.75 259.54 245.08 269.10 247.48 263.47 253.10 269.39

274.36 276.59 239.21 278.55 264.20 244.59 274.86 273.67 276.92 273.15 285.86

265.34 270.49 240.78 275.91 270.84 243.73 268.12 262.32 273.71 272.95 274.99

271.83 272.33 235.48 273.65 263.77 244.63 272.51 266.94 273.61 269.47 284.71

539 213 298 279 105 1912 129 616 421 -

67.52 68.92 90.27 84.94 66.38 74.58 60.66 93.58 68.52 -

193 889 1223 318 2813 562 787 595 3210 821 310 1718 467

128.00 269.24 257.43 171.70 232.96 256.00 217.00 274.00 267.00 300.00 293.50 226.51 200.00

209.70 277.05 276.52 239.41 274.52 256.00 265.85 265.59 299.49 293.78 260.57 286.55 266.22

254.23 264.40 280.11 272.37 289.10 282.50 280.20 265.53 288.37 277.34 256.71 287.97 286.54

244.38 266.14 272.30 263.69 284.76 271.52 271.00 253.89 275.56 272.54 262.50 276.06 293.54

243.77 267.08 278.70 267.61 283.59 279.53 277.64 265.57 290.03 281.08 257.94 283.42 281.02

23 309 565 201 2082 9 1059 101 727 110 102 388 46

72.04 79.83 105.61 63.59 94.56 81.78 105.25 87.33 92.39 78.23 102.62 68.43 78.04

664 1105 492 153 2057 197 330 1832 2620 1247 568 453 1240 1834 3583 567 860 860 4294 219 1712 252 2080 130 2093 19 1130 2664 1052 2249 1159 1294 172 474 620 107 812 2926 792 166 303 1324 107 64 736 999 403 1381 75

199.50 245.27 216.98 266.74 103.60 242.21 297.58 245.25 269.00 246.11 258.97 258.04 313.00 218.80 232.81 281.00 281.00 171.22 159.17 244.13 231.30 232.42 278.00 -

245.76 289.77 260.86 274.20 263.79 284.29 287.00 224.61 289.69 253.61 270.51 236.00 264.57 281.73 307.20 255.69 268.60 257.81 284.99 221.86 268.28 305.00 277.27 236.47 282.16 268.51 258.66 263.33 300.60 251.26 291.30 221.20 233.31 261.37 249.17 275.44 276.59 256.19 285.17 325.00 332.18 264.88 351.05 274.87 290.07 285.00

253.97 305.89 267.32 275.57 263.25 275.41 280.31 245.82 287.88 271.04 275.89 267.59 258.04 280.91 306.68 266.73 284.75 273.16 291.11 263.90 266.34 255.59 289.38 247.45 271.16 206.00 278.50 275.88 267.37 291.41 259.91 278.68 254.81 245.48 262.24 279.43 279.12 280.10 265.17 253.27 260.81 316.70 261.97 317.00 265.81 308.11 275.27 290.48 264.51

255.43 305.40 266.40 267.44 261.76 265.54 264.68 250.29 276.03 259.07 285.09 264.54 257.30 268.81 285.43 263.90 272.00 271.18 291.66 265.42 265.55 255.67 285.56 248.67 264.73 238.18 277.46 272.45 265.73 278.21 266.43 268.53 255.05 257.25 256.20 288.50 274.22 266.88 261.66 249.95 256.16 300.53 263.37 281.65 268.66 291.28 279.88 284.65 279.24

252.63 300.91 266.20 274.92 263.01 277.58 280.80 235.59 285.37 269.79 274.06 265.64 259.93 281.01 306.54 263.85 281.66 270.30 287.45 261.51 266.51 255.93 279.97 241.88 272.98 206.00 275.45 256.34 266.87 293.28 259.01 281.07 245.09 231.94 262.07 269.97 276.11 278.50 264.73 256.85 260.81 317.21 261.97 329.84 265.67 313.68 275.20 290.35 270.66

160 506 2 423 268 1813 4 129 124 749 275 426 63 327 233 3554 98 412 62 441 16 824 300 381 141 3525 252 522 100 68 12 8 687 554 231 31 614 44 19 36 30 275 1124 79

130.67 86.35 63.00 78.80 90.14 97.86 125.25 87.02 76.31 71.70 76.43 74.82 95.03 100.06 61.83 100.87 122.35 98.17 75.35 97.43 72.81 101.03 95.90 64.19 97.25 95.10 93.38 111.04 72.73 87.26 69.83 142.00 93.07 89.22 84.29 89.55 112.51 92.47 70.47 92.11 84.33 101.58 106.50 74.11

farmersguardian.com

p68 75 Dec29.indd 101

Bala Brecon Bryncir Builth Wells Carmarthen Crymych Dolgellau Gaerwen Hay On Wye Knighton Llandeilo Llanrwst Llanybydder Machynlleth Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Talybont-On-Usk Welshpool Whitland

Market day(s) week ending Dec 21 Th Tu We Fr\We Fr We Mo Tu\We Th Mo Tu Mo We Mo Mo\We Th Th Fr\Tu Th Fr Tu Mo Tu

All prices quoted in p/kg.

Source: AHDB/LAA Total cattle number 1 112 11 6 -

STEERS Light average 221.44 -

YOUNG BULLS Bala Brecon Bryncir Builth Wells Carmarthen Crymych Dolgellau Gaerwen Hay On Wye Knighton Llandeilo Llanrwst Llanybydder Machynlleth Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Talybont-On-Usk Welshpool Whitland

HEIFERS

Medium average 260.61 309.50 -

Heavy average 256.90 -

Total cow number 4 43 3 25 5 9 -

Grade 1 average -

Light average 256.67 317.00 173.00 -

CULL COWS

Medium average 99.20 253.93 321.20 215.25 -

Heavy average 253.48 319.67 242.00 -

Dairy sired average 106.92 124.00 134.62 159.00 -

Beef sired average 172.25 132.02 129.50 165.89 165.25 182.22 -

Light average 217.64 -

Medium average 225.33 -

Heavy average -

Total N/S lambs

N/S lambs light average

N/S lambs standard average

N/S lambs medium average

N/S lambs heavy average

N/S SQQ average

Total Ewes

Ewes average

364 663 871 5927 252 205 251 2187 207 1250 734 403 207 1241 230 1671 5768 2294 1596 1574 6192 244

232.42 261.38 218.53 240.64 194.00 244.66 240.65 267.00 229.61 222.08 234.36 238.16 282.41 263.00 221.75 248.01 241.88 259.64 251.38 248.48 -

237.60 267.45 260.54 261.79 237.64 250.65 263.87 275.91 240.37 247.41 243.27 244.42 265.00 285.10 254.14 245.50 259.58 269.82 269.09 263.21 265.53 251.76

236.12 267.31 270.18 275.00 241.50 275.09 277.48 249.90 267.12 256.89 266.81 261.42 280.28 262.51 275.43 273.31 304.37 265.28 264.31 267.53 251.56

224.00 264.05 276.45 264.63 234.05 237.00 280.73 271.09 251.41 263.38 255.18 253.35 265.39 247.68 271.31 264.31 301.08 258.58 267.57 261.12 257.72

233.93 267.07 247.30 262.96 238.45 245.34 265.55 277.10 243.55 241.42 252.05 243.28 261.61 283.24 257.50 269.64 263.83 292.16 265.79 261.86 261.88 251.62

110 112 833 53 436 80 226 125 97 94 5 10 693 113 69 493 561 280 19 3029 107

68.64 79.66 60.52 64.53 61.78 109.81 79.47 75.86 37.30 67.64 61.50 58.20 68.14 80.29 32.01 72.80 79.33 85.52 75.53 82.41 60.52

Grade 3 average -

SHEEP

Bala Brecon Bryncir Builth Wells Carmarthen Crymych Dolgellau Gaerwen Hay On Wye Knighton Llandeilo Llanrwst Llanybydder Machynlleth Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Talybont-On-Usk Welshpool Whitland

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MARKET PRICES STORE CATTLE SCOTLAND STORES (CONTINENTAL-SIRED) Market day(s) w/e Dec 20

Ayr Caithness Castle Douglas Dingwall Dumfries Forfar Huntly Kirkwall Lanark Lockerbie Newton Stewart Newtown St Boswells Stirling (caledonian) Stirling (ua) Thainstone

Tu Mo

Th Mo

Th We Fr

6-12 month steers

12-18 month steers

18+ month steers

6-12 month heifers

12-18 month heifers

STORES

STORES (NATIVE-SIRED) 18+ month heifers

6-12 month steers

12-18 month steers

18+ month steers

6-12 month heifers

12-18 month heifers

18+ month heifers

6-12 mon steers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

1/450.00 -/4/780.00 -/-/-/5/1030.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/2/1200.00 -/-

-/-/2/1280.00 -/-/-/2/995.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/2/1110.00 17/1397.65

3/793.33 -/3/1233.33 -/-/-/4/863.75 -/-/-/-/-/-/35/1537.00 27/1452.78

6/356.67 -/-/-/-/-/6/935.83 -/10/693.00 -/-/-/1/900.00 1/755.00 -/-

2/480.00 -/-/-/-/-/1/1340.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/24/1134.58 4/1145.00

5/816.00 -/2/1155.00 -/-/-/6/913.33 -/1/600.00 -/-/-/-/22/1232.50 57/1540.35

5/686.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/3/820.00 -/-

5/584.00 -/-/-/-/-/1/885.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/6/1063.33 25/1080.40

5/880.00 -/-/-/-/-/4/958.75 -/-/-/-/-/-/50/1468.30 67/1173.58

6/498.33 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/3/436.67 -/-/-/-/2/640.00 -/-

3/720.00 -/2/925.00 -/-/-/2/885.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/22/1054.32 12/1064.58

11/621.82 -/2/755.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/45/1242.67 35/1168.43

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/10/580.0 -/47/984.7 13/1406.2 -/-/-/8/748.1 -/-/-/-/-

-/18/1074.4 -/29/1030.2 41/1481.3 -/17/1161.8 -/15/1190.0 2/633.5 -/-/-/-

2/1000.0 16/1256.3 -/5/1041.0 26/1402.9 -/1/1160.0 -/26/1169.6 11/1174.8 -/-/-/-

-/13/531.5 -/124/946.3 1/880.0 -/2/500.0 -/10/693.0 -/-/-/-/-

-/8/933.8 -/63/951.5 35/1269.9 -/15/900.0 -/6/1046.7 1/150.0 -/-/-/-

2/845.0 23/1300.0 -/17/1078.5 50/1136.1 -/12/780.4 1/1120.0 6/1158.3 10/1139.4 -/-/-/-

-/5/815.0 -/9/830.6 2/965.0 -/-/-/1/890.0 -/-/-/-/-

-/9/1028.9 -/34/1040.7 1/940.0 -/1/940.0 -/1/930.0 5/844.0 -/-/-/-

-/19/1169.5 -/6/813.3 6/1560.8 -/9/875.6 1/980.0 -/13/1042.1 -/-/-/-

-/2/580.0 -/21/692.1 -/-/5/357.0 -/3/215.0 2/466.5 -/-/-/-

-/5/804.0 -/53/943.6 1/600.0 -/8/670.6 1/945.0 4/635.0 3/702.0 -/-/-/-

-/18/1061.9 -/17/1064.4 8/1014.4 -/10/715.0 4/891.3 2/945.0 6/704.5 -/-/-/-

-/-/-/16/481.9 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/5/949.0 18/653.6 2/670.0 31/793.4 -/16/590.0 -/3/550.0 5/1404.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/18/727.2 2/1140.0 24/813.3 -/-/-/6/440.0 3/640.0 -/-/-/-/9/784.4 -/-/24/888.8 18/864.7 -/16/670.3 -/10/743.0 19/783.2 -/36/997.3 -/3/650.0 1/1100.0 -/-/-/8/890.6

-/9/1218.9 19/1096.6 2/390.0 12/1017.5 -/-/-/-/17/1475.3 -/-/-/-/-/-/6/1083.3 18/993.6 9/1359.4 -/2/1070.0 10/1408.0 11/968.2 -/-/-/-/5/1050.0 -/-/2/1120.0 7/844.3 29/1156.9 1/1370.0 10/1157.0 -/9/796.7 10/1153.0 -/1/1150.0 -/-/3/620.0 -/9/1247.2 -/1/855.0

-/7/1297.9 27/1316.9 4/538.8 26/1406.2 2/875.0 2/840.0 -/-/53/1501.1 5/1190.0 7/1107.1 -/-/-/-/26/1329.2 20/1089.5 13/1401.2 -/-/25/1230.6 11/888.6 3/845.0 -/-/-/10/1409.5 11/1323.6 -/5/1387.0 7/842.9 4/1168.8 8/1048.1 59/1352.9 -/-/37/1387.2 -/6/1120.0 -/-/4/1075.0 -/24/1527.9 -/-/-

-/12/968.3 11/540.0 13/723.1 26/741.5 -/9/430.0 -/6/283.3 9/1014.4 -/-/-/-/-/-/17/687.1 16/693.1 22/961.8 -/7/792.1 -/15/536.7 6/595.0 -/-/-/1/1150.0 1/450.0 -/8/517.5 5/660.0 27/736.1 1/710.0 20/599.5 -/4/662.5 19/696.1 -/19/696.6 -/-/-/-/-/-/6/639.2

-/18/1155.6 17/786.5 1/185.0 44/1050.3 1/920.0 1/200.0 -/-/28/1268.6 -/-/-/-/-/-/8/1222.5 8/933.1 6/1343.3 -/2/925.0 3/1056.7 9/1105.6 4/600.0 -/-/-/7/1004.3 1/820.0 -/7/1077.9 9/735.0 9/938.3 3/806.7 17/787.4 -/8/605.6 13/1018.1 -/-/-/-/3/360.0 -/26/1173.5 -/4/1053.8

-/16/1310.3 30/1057.0 1/470.0 35/1178.1 4/960.0 1/780.0 -/-/7/1391.4 -/10/971.0 -/-/-/-/31/1305.2 12/982.1 35/1331.1 -/2/1002.5 28/1083.0 16/1090.6 6/986.7 -/-/-/20/1206.0 13/1030.0 -/19/1278.7 5/786.0 18/1021.4 7/902.1 51/1012.1 -/1/595.0 39/1181.4 -/21/1116.4 6/1398.3 -/-/-/59/1304.2 -/3/1008.3

-/-/21/289.5 26/899.4 9/605.6 -/7/435.7 -/3/343.3 4/882.5 -/1/975.0 -/-/-/-/15/792.0 8/610.0 3/463.3 -/-/-/7/449.3 1/590.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/3/586.7 4/795.0 9/996.7 11/669.1 34/535.7 -/2/227.5 5/605.0 -/116/950.0 6/779.2 9/872.2 -/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/9/822.2 17/918.5 6/942.5 -/2/432.5 -/-/12/870.0 -/6/1074.2 -/-/-/-/2/995.0 28/876.4 5/1296.0 -/1/695.0 1/730.0 7/807.9 1/410.0 -/-/-/6/1218.3 -/-/2/707.5 7/1171.4 14/975.0 35/743.8 21/771.9 -/-/2/795.0 -/14/973.4 -/-/2/550.0 -/5/1085.0 -/-/-

-/4/1112.5 16/1015.9 5/970.4 16/1263.8 8/1127.5 11/841.8 -/-/56/1423.0 -/10/1087.5 -/-/-/-/48/1429.4 41/1040.5 5/1268.0 -/2/962.5 9/1150.0 8/892.5 3/1245.0 -/-/-/3/1385.0 1/1490.0 -/15/1178.3 9/851.1 9/995.0 50/1039.7 93/1240.8 -/-/7/1528.6 -/42/1282.4 -/1/1300.0 15/1025.3 -/6/1215.0 -/-/-

-/8/765.0 18/342.2 14/716.8 5/554.0 -/6/411.7 -/5/430.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/4/490.0 13/445.4 7/617.1 -/-/-/13/421.9 1/380.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/5/497.0 3/820.0 2/540.0 5/475.0 17/395.6 -/1/580.0 8/545.6 -/66/770.0 6/540.0 10/540.0 -/-/-/-/-/-

-/4/820.0 15/634.0 13/765.6 21/559.8 -/4/400.0 -/3/583.3 8/1068.8 -/14/857.1 -/-/-/-/13/716.2 14/653.2 3/671.7 -/1/700.0 6/746.7 8/542.5 2/690.0 -/-/-/1/930.0 -/-/2/1060.0 3/803.3 15/801.7 1/520.0 24/482.3 -/1/625.0 5/610.0 -/21/919.5 2/1095.0 -/2/420.0 -/9/865.0 -/6/855.0

-/3/1361.7 29/805.3 6/1164.2 17/1005.3 9/714.4 22/678.4 -/-/25/1214.0 -/4/941.3 -/-/-/-/16/1410.0 15/869.0 9/1184.4 -/5/865.0 10/1013.0 12/1085.8 1/680.0 -/-/-/4/1091.3 -/-/6/1121.7 13/811.5 15/728.0 43/987.0 52/986.8 -/-/6/1320.0 -/34/972.2 5/1218.0 -/1/975.0 -/8/1258.8 -/9/1127.2

-/-/-/-/18/469.4 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/1/310.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/3/350.0 -/-/-/-/-/1/360.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

ENGLAND Ashford Bakewell Barnard Castle Bentham Bishops Castle Brecon Bridgnorth Brockholes Carlisle Cirencester Clitheroe Cockermouth Colchester Cutcombe Wheddon Cross Darlington Exeter Frome Gisburn Hailsham Hallworthy Hawes Hereford Hexham Holmfirth Holsworthy Hull Kendal Kington Kirkby Stephen Lancaster Leek Leyburn Longtown Louth Ludlow Market Drayton Melton Mowbray Middleton-In-Teesdale Newark Newton Abbot Northallerton Oswestry Otley Penrith Ross-On-Wye Rugby Salisbury Sedgemoor Selby Shrewsbury Skipton Tavistock Thame Thirsk Thrapston Truro Ulverston Wigton Worcester York

Tu Mo Tu\We Th Fr Tu We Tu

Mo Fr Fr\We Th\Sa We Th Tu Tu Fr Tu We

Fr Sa\Tu Fr Mo Fr Th\Mo\We We

We We Fr\Mo Th Th\Mo Mo\Tu Sa Tu Sa\Mo\We Fr Tu Sa We Th Th

70 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p68 75 Dec29.indd 102

farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:40

Figures show livestock numbers first, then average price per head.

Where stated, data provided by AHDB.

LIVESTOCK AVERAGES STORES (HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN)

+ month ifers

6-12 month 12-18 month 18+ month steers steers steers

CALVES (7-42 DAYS) Black and Continental Continental Native white bulls bulls heifers bulls

Native heifers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

621.82

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/3/936.67 -/-

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/2/107.50 -/-/-/1/10.00 -/-/-

2/142.50 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/1/420.00 -/-/-/3/50.00 -/-/-

1/100.00 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

3/203.33 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

755.00

/1242.67 /1168.43

Source: AHDB/LAA

1061.9

1064.4 1014.4

/715.0 891.3 945.0 704.5

361.7 /805.3 164.2 1005.3 714.4 /678.4

/1214.0

941.3

1410.0 869.0 184.4

865.0 /1013.0 1085.8 80.0

1091.3

121.7 811.5 728.0 /987.0 /986.8

320.0

/972.2 218.0

75.0 258.8

127.2

-/-/-/16/481.9 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/44/627.3 -/-/-/-/2/900.0 -/-/-/-/-

-/2/970.0 -/11/736.4 -/-/-/-/7/1015.7 1/1052.0 -/-/-/-

10/43.4 3/43.3 -/8/55.6 -/-/-/1/50.0 16/52.2 -/-/-/-/-

3/331.7 12/315.8 -/3/268.3 -/-/-/2/210.0 15/297.3 1/85.0 -/-/-/-

3/155.7 6/185.0 -/5/205.4 -/-/-/2/130.0 16/186.9 2/202.5 -/-/-/-

10/290.5 6/111.2 -/4/248.8 -/-/-/-/9/158.9 6/91.3 -/-/-/-

15/140.3 7/52.1 -/5/216.0 -/-/-/2/87.5 17/126.8 4/97.5 -/-/-/-

-/-/-/-/18/469.4 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/1/310.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/3/350.0 -/-/-/-/-/1/360.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/1/660.0 -/2/430.0 1/37.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/7/565.0 1/800.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/2/780.0 -/-/-/5/466.0 1/500.0 -/4/375.0 -/-/11/633.6 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/5/740.0 7/665.3 5/614.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/15/853.3 8/790.0 9/988.3 -/-/-/1/340.0 -/-/-/-/1/1175.0 -/-/-/3/620.0 -/1/900.0 27/1071.1 -/-/6/1110.0 -/-/3/1080.0 -/-/-/1/1195.0 -/-/-

-/-/4/48.3 4/17.8 10/63.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/5/44.2 -/-/-/-/2/20.0 1/8.0 3/86.7 -/-/-/43/60.9 7/76.4 -/-/-/-/4/70.8 -/1/72.0 -/3/26.7 -/10/50.4 -/5/62.0 -/-/-/-/3/5.0 -/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/29/116.9 37/119.9 36/321.3 1/160.0 -/3/396.7 13/318.1 -/-/51/216.5 -/-/-/-/1/200.0 29/283.4 5/317.0 -/-/-/194/187.4 6/215.8 -/-/-/-/12/247.7 -/3/285.0 -/5/332.0 6/199.2 110/209.9 -/76/184.0 9/355.0 -/-/-/-/4/243.0 -/-/-/2/240.0

-/-/37/87.6 36/104.7 27/300.3 -/-/1/305.0 7/222.9 -/-/59/171.2 -/-/-/-/2/182.5 27/217.0 2/330.0 -/-/-/160/146.8 8/118.8 -/-/-/-/3/199.3 -/-/-/5/283.0 5/173.0 92/151.9 -/54/142.4 5/334.0 -/-/-/-/11/119.5 -/-/-/1/235.0

-/-/30/70.6 31/83.6 12/247.4 1/100.0 -/-/14/145.7 -/-/32/74.6 -/-/-/-/2/157.5 13/136.0 -/-/-/-/145/118.7 14/97.1 -/-/-/-/1/70.0 -/3/230.0 -/7/110.0 9/87.4 114/116.6 -/28/113.2 1/290.0 -/-/-/10/134.5 8/185.3 -/-/-/-/-

-/-/27/38.6 38/49.5 9/193.3 -/-/-/13/150.4 -/-/18/48.9 -/-/-/-/1/130.0 12/70.3 -/-/-/-/131/77.0 12/73.4 -/-/-/-/2/59.0 -/1/110.0 -/8/104.8 12/107.9 72/73.6 -/32/76.8 -/-/-/-/3/93.3 2/95.0 -/-/-/-/-

farmersguardian.com

p68 75 Dec29.indd 103

MARKET COMMENT

Primestock throughput, price and price change (p/kg).

Week ending December 19, 2023. Latest data available.

CATTLE prices remained

ENGLAND AND WALES Category

Throughput

Price

Change

Young bulls Steers Heifers All cattle NS/OS lambs (SQQ) Porkers Cutter Baconer Other Dairy cull Beef cull

929 610 1,123 2,662 73,011 175 222 330 63 830 721

261.27 270.98 278.51 270.77 263.94 153.05 196.89 194.13 149.14 130.13 158.46

0.96 1.43 -0.14 -0.09 1.77 -17.14 1.22 0.70 -10.85 -1.06 1.23

consistently above last years levels in 2023.

Sheep prices started the year underneath 2022’s prices before overtaking them in spring for the religious festivals and ending the year above.

For pigs, prices reached record highs in August, before starting to decline towards the back end of

GREAT BRITAIN Category

Throughput

Price

Change

Young bulls Steers Heifers All cattle NS/OS lambs (SQQ) Pigs Dairy cull Beef cull

948 664 1,347 2,959 89,287 790 916 1,241

261.04 271.10 280.30 272.06 263.94 182.22 129.61 163.88

1.61 -0.11 0.48 0.24 1.55 -2.43 0.01 2.45

the year. Unusually, APP fell behind the SPP as prices rose.

As Farmers Guardian went to press on Friday (December 22), UK LIFFE Wheat prices for May 24 were trading at £196.70/tonne after peaking

Source: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

above £210/t in summer.

WALES

Source: AHDB/LAA STORES (CONTINENTAL-SIRED)

Market day(s) w/e Dec 20

Bryncir Carmarthen Dolgellau Gaerwen Haverfordwest Knighton Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Welshpool Whitland

6-12 month steers

Fr\We Tu Fr Fr We Th Th

Sa\Tu

12-18 month steers

18+ month steers

6-12 month heifers

12-18 month heifers

18+ month heifers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

-/3/500.0 -/-/-/-/-/16/820.9 -/-/19/835.5 -/-/-/2/750.0

-/10/1083.0 -/-/-/8/1175.0 4/732.5 11/929.5 -/-/8/881.3 -/-/-/13/688.8

-/22/1192.0 -/1/900.0 -/11/1373.2 35/1217.9 15/1084.0 -/-/21/1278.1 -/-/-/25/1272.0

-/-/-/-/-/1/1015.0 4/787.5 13/760.0 1/430.0 -/5/706.0 -/-/-/-/-

-/11/931.4 -/6/938.3 -/19/1138.7 10/781.0 21/824.5 -/-/21/821.4 -/-/-/18/733.6

-/18/1126.7 -/-/-/47/1215.9 17/1066.2 14/1010.0 -/-/34/1073.7 -/-/-/9/976.1 18+ month heifers

STORES (NATIVE-SIRED) 6-12 month steers

Bryncir Carmarthen Dolgellau Gaerwen Haverfordwest Knighton Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Welshpool Whitland

12-18 month steers

18+ month steers

6-12 month heifers

12-18 month heifers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

-/-/-/-/-/-/20/497.3 2/820.0 -/-/4/650.0 -/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/5/776.0 -/2/977.5 3/865.0 1/940.0 -/-/1/940.0 -/-/-/15/738.7

-/2/1400.0 -/3/1040.0 -/-/27/1134.8 3/900.0 -/-/7/942.1 -/-/-/46/1058.0

-/-/-/-/-/-/6/437.5 12/501.3 -/-/6/555.0 -/-/-/2/320.0

-/5/476.0 -/1/1040.0 -/-/13/511.9 2/785.0 -/-/5/1063.0 -/-/-/3/398.3

-/13/900.8 -/-/-/-/2/1170.0 3/658.3 -/-/15/1019.7 -/-/-/30/833.3

STORES (HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN)

Bryncir Carmarthen Dolgellau Gaerwen Haverfordwest Knighton Mold Monmouthshire Newcastle Emlyn Rhayader Market Ruthin St Asaph Talgarth Welshpool Whitland

CALVES (7-42 DAYS)

6-12 month 12-18 month 18+ month steers steers steers

Black and Continental Continental Native white bulls bulls heifers bulls

Native heifers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av. No. / Av.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/2/325.0 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/1/850.0 -/-/4/740.0 2/900.0 -/-/1/250.0 -/-/-/2/555.0

-/21/1207.6 -/-/-/-/24/898.8 -/-/-/-/-/-/-/10/567.0

-/9/25.9 -/-/-/-/7/49.4 2/6.0 4/11.3 -/7/62.9 -/-/-/7/47.7

-/72/176.2 -/-/-/-/5/134.0 3/258.3 13/174.6 -/30/164.2 -/-/-/15/262.4

-/47/135.3 -/-/-/-/5/139.0 4/197.5 14/96.9 -/34/133.6 -/-/-/31/153.9

-/33/118.9 -/-/-/-/15/73.5 9/105.6 2/110.0 -/4/180.0 -/-/-/59/137.2

-/36/77.2 -/-/-/-/10/39.6 16/96.8 5/81.4 -/6/144.2 -/-/-/39/93.1

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 71

27/12/2023 09:40

MARKET PRICES DEADWEIGHT CATTLE STEERS Region

Throughput

Southern 2553 Central 3689 Northern 3707 Scotland 3211 HEIFERS Southern 2111 Central 3019 Northern 2880 Scotland 2548 YOUNG BULLS Southern 59 Central 766 Northern 274 Scotland 335 COWS Southern 2522 Central 4123 Northern 2208 Scotland 904

Deadweight prices for the week ending Dec 16, 2023. Latest data available.

Average

-U3

-U4L

-U4H

R2

R3

R4L

R4H

O+2

O+3

O+4L

O+4H

-O2

-O3

-O4L

-O4H

474.0 475.4 489.9 498.5

497.1 494.1 497.6 504.8

497.2 489.6 497.6 504.3

496.7 497.1 499.3 503.5

-

487.3 486.5 493.7 499.4

487.6 484.7 499.8 501.7

496.6 479.0 498.5 501.0

-

472.6 478.4 485.8 493.2

472.8 475.6 489.3 494.7

472.3 465.0 486.4 494.6

-

453.8 456.6 467.3 471.5

453.5 449.7 470.7 472.7

460.3 435.0 513.3 500.0

467.5 473.5 484.1 497.0

496.8 498.5 496.7 506.2

496.4 498.1 495.6 504.4

495.3 482.2 493.3 499.3

-

487.0 488.4 489.6 499.2

489.3 486.6 494.1 500.8

487.7 483.8 497.1 497.2

-

470.9 467.5 478.9 488.8

472.5 474.0 486.5 494.8

470.4 470.5 486.0 492.5

-

449.3 443.9 439.8 457.0

453.9 447.6 468.8 464.2

456.8 439.7 474.0 448.6

445.2 457.9 468.2 480.7

493.5 482.5 485.1 492.2

508.0 442.5 485.9

488.0

473.5 476.3 476.4 482.0

483.8 478.3 476.1 485.6

479.2 471.4 483.4

475.0 495.0 505.0

441.4 450.3 458.7 460.7

402.0 450.6 454.1 461.7

444.1 460.9 471.0

-

410.3 425.2 403.8 430.0

453.0 425.7 429.8 440.0

431.0 445.0 440.0

-

286.6 282.0 307.2 334.1

-

-

-

-

340.6 344.2 351.8 364.1

353.7 335.2 349.1 366.6

338.1 341.5 349.1 358.0

-

339.5 331.9 343.2 351.3

335.9 331.5 342.3 352.1

331.7 324.2 329.9 344.3

-

326.0 321.1 321.9 331.9

324.4 317.3 325.4 335.8

320.2 311.0 320.1 330.0

STORE SHEEP ENGLAND STORE LAMBS w/e Dec 18

Day

No.

Ave.

Ashford Bakewell Barnard Castle Bentham Bishops Castle Blackmoor Gate Bridgnorth Brockholes Carlisle Cirencester Clitheroe Cockermouth Colchester Cutcombe Wheddon Cross Darlington Exeter Frome Gisburn Hailsham Hallworthy Hawes Hereford Hexham Holmfirth Holsworthy Hull Kendal Kirkby Stephen Lancaster Lazonby Leek

Fr\Tu Th

4797 47 257 270 724 42

79.5 57.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 80.6 0.0 87.0 79.8 0.0 0.0 65.3

563 2245 129 255 90 577 3015 3982 16 100 31 2097 20 -

0.0 86.5 88.0 73.2 0.0 77.1 85.0 54.8 82.7 87.1 102.1 80.1 69.4 78.5 61.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Mo Th

Tu

Mo Fr We We Th Fr Tu Fr Tu We Mo Th Tu

STORE LAMBS

Source: AHDB/LAA

Day

Brecon Bryncir Dolgellau Fr Gaerwen Mo Knighton Fr Llandeilo Mo Mold Monmouthshire Mo\We Newcastle Emlyn Th Rhayader Market Ruthin Th St Asaph Sa Welshpool Mo

72 | DECEMBER 29 2023

Day

Leyburn Fr Longtown Tu Louth Mo Ludlow Market Drayton We Market Harborough Melton Mowbray Tu Newark Newton Abbot Northallerton We Oswestry We Otley Penrith We Ross-On-Wye Rugby Th\Mo Salisbury Sedgemoor Sa Selby Shrewsbury Skipton South Molton St Johns Chapel Stratford Tu Tavistock Thame Fr Thirsk Tu Thrapston Sa Truro We Ulverston Tu Wigton Worcester Sa York

No.

264 3301 15 34 711 220 26 409 691 2304 86 361 92 144 55 25 840 -

Ave.

74.3 70.0 55.1 0.0 61.0 0.0 83.4 0.0 0.0 79.1 82.8 0.0 84.5 0.0 86.7 0.0 88.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 85.8 0.0 81.9 49.5 72.4 85.4 69.1 0.0 85.4 0.0

SCOTLAND

WALES

p68 75 Dec29.indd 104

DEADWEIGHT SHEEP

Source: AHDB/LAA

Fr

Source: AHDB

No.

Ave.

838 10 1337 14 425 44 1021 560 760

0.0 0.0 50.0 42.2 89.2 82.9 0.0 66.2 70.2 0.0 66.1 70.6 77.6

STORE LAMBS

Source: IAAS/ScotEID

Day

Ayr Caithness Castle Douglas Dingwall Dumfries Forfar Huntly Kirkwall Lanark Lockerbie Newton Stewart Newtown St Boswells Stirling (caledonian) Stirling (ua) Thainstone

Mo Tu We Th\We Mo

We Th

No.

Ave.

475 196 35 466 267 -

89.2 51.3 69.9 85.6 65.8 -

1303 118

76.6 70.5

N/S deadweight prices for the week ending Dec 16, 2023. Latest data available.

Source: AHDB SQQ 2 3L 3H 4L 4H E 602.0 (197) 602.3 (668) 596.4 (178) 580.7 (22) U 597.4 (938) 595.6 (5002) 592.5 (1816) 569.8 (196) 553.1 (8) R 588.7 (5619) 587.4 (16801) 588.3 (7649) 567.2 (983) 537.8 (52) O 580.8 (6795) 579.0 (7187) 574.9 (1872) 552.6 (158) 510.0 (6) P 530.6 (133) 510.0 (9) 475.0 (2) Average: 585.3 (57,046) Medium E U R O P

2 602.2 598.1 591.5 582.9 459.0

(194) (879) (4140) (2057) (4)

3L 602.4 595.9 589.2 582.4

(658) (4858) (14241) (3590)

3H 596.4 592.8 589.8 576.1 475.0

(178) (1786) (6810) (1292) (1)

4L 580.7 569.8 566.6 550.1

4H (22) (195) (875) (135)

553.1 537.1 503.0

(8) (48) (5)

Average: 588.7 (42,216) Deadweight sheep prices are collected from a sample of GB abattoirs. The sample accounts for about one-third of deadweight sales; prices quoted p/kg are averages for all qualities 12-21.5kg.

DEADWEIGHT PIGS

Latest prices for Great Britain.

STANDARD PIG PRICE (SPP) Week ending December 16, 2023

ALL PIG PRICE (APP) Week ending December 29, 2023.

Weight Number p/kg Change Up to 59.9kg 369 162.61 -12.06 60 - 69.9kg 1,908 204.31 -3.05 70 - 79.9kg 10,235 216.06 -0.50 80 - 89.9kg 25,371 217.13 -0.12 90 - 99.9kg 20,590 215.82 -0.08 100 - 104.9kg 4,425 213.85 -0.13 105.0kg and over 2,728 193.15 -3.49 All clean pigs 65,626 214.65 -0.40 70 - 104.9kg 60,621 216.26 -0.13 EU spec average 214.65 -0.40 UK spec average 210.94 -0.40

Weight Number p/kg Change Up to 59.9kg na na na 60 - 69.9kg 2,751 212.60 2.68 70 - 79.9kg 12,604 217.54 0.82 80 - 89.9kg na na na 90 - 99.9kg na na na 100 - 104.9kg 4,002 212.54 1.35 105.0kg and over na na na All clean pigs 70,244 215.50 1.51 70 - 104.9kg na na na EU spec average 215.50 1.51 UK spec average 211.76 1.47

PIGS

Source: AHDB

Source: AHDB/LAA

Prices in p/kg.

Market day w/e: Dec 21

Leek Market Drayton Selby York

Tu Mo\We We Mo

Pigs total 173 95 108 60

Porkers average 203.43 110.43 166.88 195.00

WEANER PRICES Please note: AHDB weaner data has been suspended until further notice.

Cutters average 206.50 121.67 167.33 191.83

Cull sows Baconers average Total Average 183.62 0 0.00 180.00 1 100.00 211.42 4 72.50 191.56 0 0.00

SLAUGHTERINGS Estimates for GB (per head), W/e Dec 21, 2023 2023 %change (2022) Pigs 171,759.27 -18.98 Sheep 291,427.34 -13.83 Steers 16,816.68 -11.88 Heifers 13,960.28 -10.45 Young bulls 2,577.36 -15.49

HAY AND STRAW PRICES Latest data available. December 20, 2023 GOOSTREY: Mon, hay, square bale to £140/tonne, round bale to £106/t; barley straw, square bale to £122/t; wheat straw, square bale to £116/t, round bale to £109/t; mixed straw, square bale to £124/t; wrapped silage to £46/t; fodder beet to £42/t.

farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:40

GB AVERAGES

Where stated, data provided by AHDB.

LIVEWEIGHT STEERS

DEADWEIGHT STEERS SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

SOURCE: AHDB

290

520

280

500 480

260

p/kg deadweight

250 240 230

460 440 420

220

400

210

380

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

Jan

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

LIVEWEIGHT HEIFERS

2022

Mar

2023

360 May

Feb

Jan

190

2022 Mar

2023

Apr

200

Feb

DEADWEIGHT HEIFERS SOURCE: AHDB

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

300

520

290

500 480

270

p/kg deadweight

260 250 240 230

460 440 420 400

220

380

210

360

2023

2022

LIVEWEIGHT SQQ LAMBS

DEADWEIGHT SQQ LAMBS SOURCE: AHDB

SOURCE: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

780

380

2023

360

2022

740 700 p/kg deadweight

320 300 280 260

660 620 580 540

CULL COWS

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

2022

Mar

Feb

2023

Jan

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

460 Feb

500

220 Jan

240

PIG PRICE INDICATOR SOURCE: AHDB

215

230

200

140

farmersguardian.com

p68 75 Dec29.indd 105

170 160 150

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

Feb

Dec

Nov

Oct

SPP (2022) APP (2022)

SPP (2023) APP (2023)

140 130 Sep

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

Feb

Jan

110

Aug

Dairy-sired (2022) Beef-sired (2022)

Dairy-sired (2023) Beef-sired (2023)

Jul

125

180

Nov

155

190

Oct

170

210 200

Sep

185

Aug

p/kg deadweight (EU spec)

220

Jan

p/kg liveweight

340

p/kg

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

Feb

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

340 May

Apr

Feb

Jan

2022 Mar

2023

200

Jan

p/kg liveweight

280

Dec

p/kg liveweight

270

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 73

27/12/2023 09:40

MARKET PRICES UK DELIVERED PRICES – SUMMARY Thursday, December 14, 2023 (£ per tonne). Latest data available.

Delivery East Anglia / London (BW)

Northamptonshire

North-West grains/ Liverpool OSR

Avonmouth feed /South bread

Yorkshire

Fife/Edinburgh

Dec-2023 Jan-2024 Feb-2024 May-2024 Dec-2023 Jan-2024 Feb-2024 May-2024 Dec-2023 Jan-2024 Feb-2024 May-2024 Dec-2023 Jan-2024 Feb-2024 May-2024 Dec-2023 Jan-2024 Feb-2024 May-2024 Dec-2023

Bread Wheat Price Change 253.50 -1.00 257.50 -1.00 262.00 -0.50 256.00 -1.50 258.50 -1.50 260.00 -1.50 264.50 -1.50 271.00 -1.00 272.50 -1.50 277.00 -1.00 271.00 -1.00 -

Source: AHDB Feed Wheat Price Change 188.00 -1.50 193.50 -1.50 188.00 -2.00 189.50 -2.00 191.00 -1.50 195.50 -2.00 -

Feed Barley Price Change -

Oilseed Rape Price Change 365.00 -4.50 366.00 -5.00 367.00 -5.00 371.00 -5.00 365.50 -6.50 366.50 -7.00 367.50 -7.00 371.50 -7.00 -

UK DELIVERED OILSEED RAPE PRICES Dec-2023 365.00 366.50 365.50 -

Source: AHDB

Jan-2024 366.00 367.50 366.50 -

Feb-2024 367.00 368.50 367.50 -

May-2024 371.00 372.50 371.50 -

Hvst-2024 373.00 374.50 373.50 -

FUTURES MARKETS (WHEAT) Wednesday, December 20, 2023 (£ per tonne). Latest data available.

Price LIFFE £/tonne MATIF Jan 24 Mar 24 May 24 Jul 24 Nov 24 Jan 25 Mar 25 May 25 Jul 25 Nov 25

184.85 189.45 195.50 201.30 207.15 210.30 213.35 215.75 213.65 210.35

Mar 24 May 24 Sep 24 Dec 24 Mar 25 May 25 Sep 25 Dec 25

Last updated Dec 20, 2023 BPS ENTS English Deadline – Early 2024* Price at deadlines

Average prices (2023)

Non-SDA SDA Moorland

£80.59 £99.41 £24

-

BPS ENTS Welsh Deadline – May 15, 2024 Price at deadlines £50**

Price €/tonne 223.50 228.00 231.50 235.25 236.00 236.25 231.00 236.00

CME

Price US cents/bushel

Jul 22 Sep 22 Dec 22 Mar 23 May 23 Jul 23

915.50 930.00 944.00 953.25 957.00 940.25

Average prices (2023) £65

BPS ENTS Scottish Regions 1, 2 and 3 Deadline – April 2, 2024 Price at deadlines

Average prices (2023)

Region 1 Region 2 Region 3

£149.47 £40.34 £15.44

£130** £35** £10**

BPS ENTS Northern Irish Deadline – May 3, 2024 Price at Average deadlines prices (2023) x 1.0**

Thursday, December 7, 2023 (£ per tonne). Latest data available.

Oilseed Rape East Anglia / London Erith Liverpool Hull / Selby

BPS ENTITLEMENTS, BNG, CARBON AND WATER

x 1.0

*For trading Delinkage ref amounts; £1 per £1 of Delinkage reference amount. ** Estimates.

ENGLISH DELINKAGE REF AMOUNTS: average of 2020/21/22 claims. Seller’s 2023 claim not needed. Estimated return £1.46/£1 ref amount with buyer’s delink payment less than £30,000 post-transfer at 4% interest. Subject to Delinkage values 2025-27. BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN: English: Defra estimates £20,000£25,000/unit post-November 11. Current market £15,000-£90,000/unit excluding VAT and associated fees. NUTRIENT NEUTRALITY: Long-term sales of all types agric man excluding specialist habitat creation. Nitrates £3,000£4,000/unit (£18,000-£206,000/ha); phosphates £50,000-£65,000/unit (£2,000-£169,000/ha).

CARBON: Woodland Carbon >£30/WCU >£20/ PIU. Nov 2022 WCG reverse auction average £22.61. WATER: English abstraction licences less than £3-£15/cu.m.

Source: Townsend Chartered Surveyors

SUPERMARKET RED MEAT PRICES Week ending Dec 23, 2023 (prices in p/kg).

Late

CORN RETURNS EX-FARM PRICES Thursday, December 14, 2023 Latest data available. (£ per tonne).

South East South West Midlands Eastern North East North West England & Wales South Scotland Central Scotland North Scotland Scotland Great Britain Northern Ireland United Kingdom Change on last week (£/t)

WHEAT Milling Bread -

Source: AHDB

Other

Feed & Other

BARLEY Malting Premium

Other

Feed & Other

197.90 188.30 192.00 193.40 193.40 -2.10

187.30 184.20 189.90 187.30 194.00 187.60 187.60 +1.40

-

-

167.80 166.90 152.60 165.80 160.00 160.40 160.40 -0.60

OATS Milling

Feed

-

-

FIELD PEAS/BEANS

Browse. Sell. Buy at FGBuyandSell.com 74 | DECEMBER 29 2023

p68 75 Dec29.indd 106

Dec Jan Feb

Micronising peas

Dec 22, 2023 All prices £/tonne ex-farm Feed Feed peas beans

£331.00 £333.00 £335.00

£246.25 £249.25 £251.25

£236.08 £239.08 £241.08

This week Last week

BEEF Roasting Joint Sirloin Steak Rump Steak Fillet Steak Diced Braising Steak Lean Mince Standard Mince

1016 2027 1611 3335 1088 0 707 500

1016 2027 1611 3335 1088 0 707 500

LAMB Whole Leg Shoulder (Bone-in) Shanks Steaks Chops Diced Standard Mince

1254 1026 1349 1593 1559 1873 1085

1223 1026 1349 1593 1559 1873 1075

PORK Leg (Boneless) 553 553 Shoulder (Boneless) 445 445 Fillet (Tenderloin) 819 819 Loin Steaks 880 880 Chops 789 789 Diced 809 809 Belly Slices 804 804 Ribs 750 750 Lean Mince 577 577 Latest data available. Source: AHDB

farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:40

CURRENCY WATCH

Last updated Dec 20, 2023

€1=£0.8656

£1=€1.1551

$1=£0.7907

Where stated, data provided by AHDB.

£1=$1.2646

UK DELIVERED WHEAT PRICES

NATIONAL STRAIGHTS PRICES

Thursday, December 14, 2023. Latest data available.

1. FEED WHEAT Avonrange Central Scotland East Anglia East Devon Lancashire London North Humberside Northamptonshire Oxfordshire South Humberside Southampton Tyne & Wear West Midlands East Midlands

DEC 188.00 -

JAN 189.50 -

FEB 191.00 188.00 -

MAY 195.50 193.50 -

NOV 208.50 207.50 -

2. FULL SPEC. BREAD WHEAT North-West Northamptonshire South London / Essex Yorkshire

DEC 256.00 253.50 -

JAN 271.00 258.50 -

FEB 272.50 260.00 257.50 -

MAY 277.00 264.50 262.00 271.00

NOV -

3. FULL SPEC. BISCUIT WHEAT North-West Northamptonshire South London / Essex Yorkshire Scotland

DEC -

JAN -

FEB -

MAY -

NOV -

DAIRY CATTLE PRICES GREAT BRITAIN Ayr Lanark Stirling (ua) Bentham Carlisle Exeter Frome Gisburn Holsworthy Lancaster Leek Leyburn Market Drayton Norton And Brooksbank Otley Sedgemoor Shrewsbury Skipton Wigton Mold Whitland

Tu

We Fr Fr\We Th\Sa We Sa\Tu We

Sa Tu

Last updated Dec 22, 2023 Source: AHDB/LAA/IAAS

Last updated December 20, 2023 Commodity Hi Pro Soyameal – North Hi Pro Soyameal – South Soya hulls Maize distillers Maize gluten Non-GM HP sugar beet pellets (delivered) Whole maize PCR Negative Palm kernel expellers Rapeseed meal basis Erith Kent Rapeseed meal basis Humber Distillers dark grains

January 497.00 497.00 230.00 293.00 305.00

February - April 471.00 471.00 230.00 293.00 305.00

268.00 N/A 200.00 304.00 N/A 292.00

270.00 N/A 200.00 281.00 N/A 292.00

COLOURED

Newly-calved Newly-calved

Newly-calved Newly-calved

heifers

cows

heifers

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

No. / Av.

15/1501.30 -/-/18/1801.1 -/22/1651.8 5/1964.0 27/1514.8 27/1615.6 -/50/1954.0 -/26/1881.2 -/-/57/1596.7 12/1756.7 -/-/-/-/-

1/1420.00 -/-/5/1944.0 -/43/1432.3 1/1700.0 4/1470.0 21/1278.1 -/15/2212.0 -/14/1683.6 -/-/4/1465.0 8/1876.3 -/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/1/1150.0 -/15/1436.0 -/2/1690.0 -/-/10/1337.0 -/2/1250.0 -/-/2/900.0 -/-/-/-/-/-

-/-/-/2/1985.0 -/21/959.5 3/1676.7 -/7/1235.7 -/-/-/8/1526.3 -/-/3/960.0 -/-/-/-/-/-

cows

N/A 200.00 270.00 ✧ 250.00 ✪ N/A 288.00

Key: All prices in pounds sterling. Currency, £/$1.2575; £/€1.1511 Guide prices indicated include delivery charge of £6/tonne. ✸ = After safe arrival; F = First half; S = Second half; =Sept; ✥ = Oct; ✦ = September/October; ◗ = November; ▲ = December/January; ✧ = May/June; ✪ = August/October

MILK PRICE LEAGUE TABLE December 2023

Source: AHDB

Aligned liquid milk Müller Milk & Ingredients M&S Müller Milk & Ingredients TSDG (Tesco) Müller Milk & Ingredients Sainsbury’s Arla Foods - Sainsburys Müller Milk & Ingredients Co-op Dairy Group

Monthly price 46.18 42.27 41.33 40.96 40.35

Annual average 46.12 42.27 41.27 40.78 40.29

Standard Liquid Milk Lactalis - Caledonian Cheese First Milk Manufacture2 Barber’s Cheesemakers Wyke Farms Belton Farm Leprino Foods South Caernarfon Creameries4 UK Arla Farmers Manufacturing1

Monthly price 36.23 35.97 35.67 35.63 35.00 34.21 34.14 33.64

Annual average 36.23 36.04 35.67 35.56 35.00 33.88 33.51 33.43

A&B

Monthly price

Annual average

36.66

36.46

Freshways

HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN

Source: Straights Direct May - October 422.00 423.00 225.00 293.00 -

1. This contract will receive a 1.33ppl guaranteed minimum payment.

2. This contract will receive a 0.50ppl member premium payment.

2. This contract will receive a 1.78ppl Tesco cheese group payment.

3. This contract will receive a 1.00ppl direct premium payment.

4. This contract will receive a 0.40ppl actual 13th payment.

5. Formerly Glanbia - Llangefn.

Retailer price supplements are included where applicable. Supplements listed are in addition to listed milk prices.

UK MONTHLY MILK PRODUCTION UK milk deliveries in September 2023 were down 1.2 per cent on the year at 1,137 million litres. Cumulatively, this was 0.3 per cent up on the year to date.

September 2023 GB milk deliveries down 1.3 per cent for the same period at 963 m litres. GB milk deliveries for the year to date were 0.3 per cent up.

In print, in pocket, informed, in profit.

HAY AND STRAW: REGIONS Week ending Dec 24, 2023. Latest data available.

Big bale hay Quality North East E Yorks N Mids E Mids C Mids E Counties S East South S West S Wales SE Scotland

Trade comment: Increased demand for barley straw.

Pickup baled hay and straw Seed Meadow Barley hay hay straw

Good 85 80 100 80 75 75 80 90 100 95

Good 130 100

Good 120

125 130

100 100

130

120

Wheat straw

Good 100

Good 80

90

90

75

65

80

80

Big sq. baled straw Barley Wheat straw straw Good 75 66 65 65 80 65 65 74 90 80 78

Good 65 51 55 55 75 50 50 64 75 75 70

App Edition

farmersguardian.com/app

Source: British Hay and Straw Merchants’ Association

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DECEMBER 29 2023 | 75

27/12/2023 09:40

Being able to connect to the general public is quite a talent and one Will Young has mastered. Emily Ashworth pays him a visit.

TikTok farmer inspiring those outside the industry

H

aving taken social media by storm and appearing on hit ITV series Love Island, Will Young, the 24-year-old farmer better known as Farmer Will, is certainly not doing it all for show.

With 1.9 million followers on TikTok, he has caught the nation’s eye with his enthusiasm and humorous videos, all of which are focused on farming.

Earlier in 2023, on one of TV’s most-watched reality shows, Will once again captured the audience’s heart by, quite simply, being himself.

The Will you see on social media is the Will you get in real life, and that, in a nutshell, is someone who has heaps of energy and is using it to get people interested in farming.

It is working, too. Combined, he has a following of more than 2.5m – many who may never have entertained agriculture in any sort of way.

Farming runs in his blood though – Will is the sixth generation to farm at the family farm in Aylesbury, with its roots reaching back to the 1850s.

He says: “It is all down to Gilbert – my great-great-great granddad, who bought the farmhouse.

“It was mainly dairy with a little beef and sheep, but I am talking small-scale.

“All the farms in the village were dairy, but around the year 2000, when

Watch the full video TO watch the full video go to the Farmers Guardian’s YouTube channel at farmersguardian.com/ farmerwill or listen to the podcast by visiting farmersguardian.com/ farmerwillpodcast, or by scanning the QR code below.

76 | DECEMBER 29 2023

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the milk price crashed, my dad got put in a position where it was either sell or diversify.

“We sold a yard for property to be able to get up and running again and now have sheep.

“But there needs to be more support – there used to be 12 farms around here when my dad was my age and now there are two.

“And it is all down to not having the right support and the economic pressures.”

Will came back properly to the farm when he was 17, but it is where his heart is.

Freedom For his dad, Andrew, he says it was different, as he was almost expected to farm. But for Will and his brother, they were given the freedom to spend time away and both have naturally returned.

Will says: “My dad took a different approach with me and my brother. We were encouraged to go out, get an education and see what we wanted to do.

“I have always loved the farm – before school, after school, holidays. I was always out on the farm.

“The thing I love is being outside with nature and that connection with your animals. That is the biggest thing for me. I take so much pride and joy coming out and seeing the animals.

“And secondly, I love working with my family. We are all working towards the same goal; we all want the same thing.

“I have my granddad next door; I have my family in the farmhouse and I am so close to them. It is all because of this family farm.

“If you asked me what I would be doing if I were not farming, I could not tell you. I have no idea.”

The social media stardom was, however, by complete chance, and Will admits he was apprehensive to post content at the start, especially about farming.

His friends encouraged him and, after a conversation with his dad, he posted a lambing video which instantly blew up.

Will says: “People loved it. There were a few negative comments, but you are always going to get that. There were more comments saying ‘this is great, we love seeing this’ and loads of good questions. I just thought, there is a niche here.

“It is a lovely way to connect non-farmers to our industry because I think people mostly go to a supermarket, buy food and that is the only connection they have.

“I film the farm, the treatments we give the animals, the lambing process and I try to make these videos as simple as possible. I had to think of a way to show someone how to trim a foot without using difficult wording.”

Will has managed to encourage conversation by using terminology he is now known for – he refers to the sheep as ‘boys and girls’ and treats them to time in his ‘salon’ when it is trimming time.

No matter who you are, young or old, Will wants to invite you to learn about what he is doing, and more so, why.

Breaking down farming stereotypes is also key.

So much more He says: “I always say, when people think of [agriculture] they think ‘dirty old farmer’ – an old man, in his wellies, covered in mud. But it is so much more than that.

“And that is what is good about social media – a lot of the younger generation are on it showcasing farming.

“Agriculture is not just farming.

There are so many different routes.”

In the run up to #COP28, Will ventured out to farms in Scotland – the dairy unit part of SRUC – and headed off to Kenya to learn more about carbon emissions and what is being done on-farm and on the ground to help tackle this.

Knowledge exchange is something he is keen on, whether that is learning from farmers across the globe or by ‘working on neighbouring farms’.

He is, he laughs, always looking at what others are doing and implementing new things at home.

If you asked me what I would be doing if I were not farming, I could not tell you.

I have no idea WILL YOUNG

Will says: “All my knowledge I have learned from dad and he learned from his dad, so actually my knowledge is limited. To be able to go to these different places is amazing.

“Every farm can do a little bit more, because at the end of the day we are the future, but farmers should take a bit more credit. Give yourself a pat on the back for how far you have come.

“Take a step back and think about what you have done.”

Will and his family have taken part in a scheme which preserves hedgerows, and there are sections that have been left to ‘wild’ to encourage natural habitats. Go out into the fields, he says, and you will clearly see them.

And what all this snowballs into is education – climate change, the environment and food production.

This is an ‘exciting’ industry that youngsters should know more about.

Will says: “We need to get [farming] taught in schools. The more I think about it the crazier it is.

“Agriculture is such a huge part of the day to day. It should be taught up until year nine and then when you do decide on subjects, if it is not for you, fine, but at least you have had that offer.

“For me, if I had not come from a family farm, I probably would not have known it was an option. If you have never been on-farm, go and have that experience and see.” farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:30

How to participate THE #FarmingCAN campaign is a consumer-facing initiative which aims to tell the public of the value of agriculture across society.

TAKING PART If you want to take part and share farming’s story, visit farmersguardian.com/FarmingCAN

FARMING AMBASSADOR WILL YOUNG IS ON #FARMINGCAN AM E OF OUR BASSADORS, HELPING TO SPRE AD FARMING’S MESSAGE TO TH PUBLIC; MAKE SU E WIDER RE TO FOLLOW #FARMINGCAN AN D FARMERS GUARDIAN ON SO CIAL MEDIA TO FIND OUT MO RE.

Will Young, the 24-year-old farmer better known as Farmer Will.

Another huge achievement is his book, For the Love of Farming, which documents life on the farm throughout the year – the highs, the lows and the seasons.

Will says: “I was never good at English, so it is still a ‘pinch me’ moment.

“It is for everyone, but my main focus is for those outside the industry to get them to understand the farm a bit more.

“It also talks about important Partners

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matters such as mental health and economic pressures.”

For some in the industry, social media is a scary place, and understandably so, says Will.

Insight He says, though, you have to believe you are doing something good. It is also a great place to get an insight into what other farmers are doing.

He says: “Everything I have done

I am proud of. I have a sheep farm, but someone else on social media will have pretty much the same farm and do it differently.

“I see things on social media and try new things.”

Will is obviously doing something right and has managed to connect to consumers. He still gets questions directed at him through social media and he is more than willing to take the time to answer. Scroll through

his comments and you can see that he directly responds.

So, what is the one thing he wants to tell consumers?

He says: “Agriculture is on its own then there is the rest of society; there is a divide and what we want is for it to be a whole. Ask questions and be curious.”

FIND OUT MORE To find out more about #FarmingCAN, visit farmersguardian.com/FarmingCAN

Supporters

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 77

27/12/2023 09:31

IN YOUR FIELD

Every week we follow the ups and downs of farmers around the UK

NEW WRITER

JONO HUGHES

South Wales Jono Hughes is a new entrant growing vegetables under the Blas Gwent Veg brand, on the Gwent Levels, between Cardiff and Newport. Together with his wife and business partner Holly Tomlinson, they started farming in spring 2022 and focus on innovation in ecological horticulture and developing pathways into farming for young people from urban areas. They use organic methods and are working towards organic certification.

I

am a new entrant and began training as a professional vegetable farmer 10 years ago, begging the question; why would I choose to work this hard to impoverish myself in this profession?

My tales of farming woes begin with religion. As a Baha’i child, I was part of an international community intent on establishing a world Government for peace and justice. I lost conviction in the theology years before the political vision, but never the participation in a global effort to save the planet.

Justice In my mid 20s on a permaculture farm in Bethlehem, I adopted the belief that our relationship to nature through food is deeply connected to international justice.

Back home in Gwynedd, I was trained by an elderly farming couple, who later sold their organic vegetable box farm and business to my friend and colleague, who himself

‘It feels like a myth our land is incapable of supporting any use beyond grazing’ ultimately sold it to the workers’ co-operative that we named Tyddyn Teg. For many years, this community farm provided a supported sheltered environment for me to gain experience and, in many ways, would have been a fine place to settle. However, my wife and I decided to leave.

We wanted to stay in Wales, partly for my sentimental attachment, partly because the political horizons seem less bleak than in England.

I enjoy mountains, beaches and waterfalls on my doorstep, but choose to prioritise urban proximity, partly for market access, but also

to enable direct engagement with urban communities. In February it will have been two years since we purchased nine acres of grade 4 land between Cardiff and Newport, named it Blas Gwent, then began investing labour and money.

We have a near perfectly rectangular, flat, stone-free, silt loam on a blue clay subsoil. Its response to subsoil cultivation and cover cropping is convincing me of its potential to become a highly productive mixed vegetable farm.

It often feels like an a-historical Welsh myth that our land is incapable of economically supporting any

agricultural use beyond grazing.

I did not set out to prove that profitable vegetable farming is possible on grade 4 land, but with golf occupying the good land, I chose to accept the challenge.

Starting on a blue clay subsoil compacted by winter grazing after decades of being cut for hay, without infrastructure, equipment, colleagues or customers, I dramatically underestimated the challenge.

Keep reading my column for the story of some initial successes, a subsequent season of catastrophe and the appearance of some light at the end of this tunnel.

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Call 0330 333 0056 and quote H304 farmersguardian.com

27/12/2023 09:23

NEXT WEEK Scottish Borders Kate Rowell Lancashire Amy Wilkinson

‘I have catching up to do as I was poorly last year’ Cornwall Alan Carter farms in partnership with his parents, Paul and Christine, on a 162 hectare (400-acre), 400-cow dairy unit at Constantine, Cornwall, with 130 milking cows, supplying Saputo.

Alan, also a Parish Councillor, and his wife Sarah, have two children, Ross and Dana.

I

hope everyone reading this has had a good Christmas. I am sure there will be plenty of you that, like us, will be missing someone at the dinner table this year, but we have special memories to keep hold of.

I have a bit of catching up to do this year, as I was very poorly last year with flu. I started going downhill on Christmas Eve and could not milk in the evening. I worked on Christmas

Day, but was not with it at all, struggling to concentrate on anything the children were doing.

I did manage to help the children put carrots out for the reindeer on Christmas Eve. But we had to bring them in as Dana got very upset about the carrots being left outside by themselves all night.

Hopefully we get the carrots out this year, and we are not the reason for the reindeer running out of puff in West Cornwall.

Surviving I ran out of energy by Boxing Day breakfast time and was just surviving on a mix of paracetamol and ibuprofen.

I did feel very guilty missing out on the children’s memories and putting extra work onto Dad and Robert over Christmas. I was still feeling really bad all week, with a terrible cough, so I phoned the doctor before the New Year weekend.

I got a phone call, and she did not want to give me anything as she said, ‘I think the best thing that can help is some rest, and you are all right because you can relax over the New Year weekend.’

I did explain that was not possible on a farm. If only I could breed the 9-5 cow that does not work on weekends or Bank Holidays.

The Hereford cross calves are now being born and the first 51 dairy calves have recently been moved into a larger house and on to baled silage.

We use the house at the start of the calving season to house pens of three calves, which makes it easier to feed a

CROSSWORD 1225

lot of calves, as you can just move the feeders along the pens.

We have also had a new breed arrive on the farm. To go with the pedigree Holstein Friesians and Jerseys, we now have a pedigree Dairy Shorthorn milking heifer.

This was a birthday present for dad from his cousin, John Rowe’s Cargenwen herd. She is settling in well and will be adding another bit of colour to the milking herd.

I would like to finish by wishing you all a happy and successful New Year. No one knows what is ahead for any of us and that is probably a good thing, so see you in 2024.

The first correct entry received by next Friday will receive £20 worth of Love2shop vouchers. Send to: Crossword No. 1225, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9NZ.

ACROSS

1 Attentively study expression of gratitude daughter supplied (11) 7 Posing for a portrait — something you cannot stand doing! (7) 8 Navigable passage of couturiere introducing first of novelties (7) 10 Longs to drop last of Latin classes (5) 11 Paying attention, enlisting in a tumult (9) 12 Relatively inexpensive young bird heard (7) 14 If Turkish, this could give extreme pleasure (7) 15 Conforming to the law, losing head dreadfully (7) 17 In two minds over a celebration; violent stormy event (7) 19 Two thirds of men opposing meeting (9) 21 Horrid escalators incorporate these US lifts (5) 22 Tales of southern right-wingers (7) 23 Countless seeds scattered including odd bits of land (7) 24 Muddled so guessing essentially blatant hints (11)

DOWN

1 Dwelling too much inside prison (7) 2 Northern troubles; manicurists’ concerns (5) 3 Professional soldier with heartless lady on habitual basis (9) 4 Supports defence players (5) 5 Bank employee embracing teacher, a voyager (9) 6 Dingy monarch dipping into water (7) 7 TV company conflicts about essentially soaring New York giants (11) 9 Empty space in crossword accommodates beacons for ships (11) 13 Corrupting voting Austrians not oddly abnegated at heart (9) 14 Cleansing agent to discourage man of wealth and leisure (9) 16 Agents of fine performers (7) 18 Put written direction on a primarily dandy lady’s garment (7) 20 Brief experience of unsteady state (5) 21 Way of communicating publicity in city (5)

NAME ADDRESS

POSTCODE

Answers to crossword 1223: Across: 1 Piglet, 5 Setups, 10 Liver, 11 Blackbird, 12 Congenial, 13 Sushi, 14 Sloughs, 16 Woofing, 18 Instead, 20 Awkward, 22 Chest, 24 Answering, 26 Messenger, 27 Toast, 28 Closed, 29 Annoys.

Down: 2 Inventors, 3 Large, 4 Tabbies, 5 Swallow, 6 Take stock, 7 Pairs, 8 Blocks, 9 Edging, 15 Greatness, 17 Imaginary, 18 Income, 19 Dragged, 20 Austria, 21 Digits, 23 Easel, 25 Eaten.

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CROSSWORD COMPILED BY CHALICEA. SOLVERS MAY EMAIL COMMENTS TO CHALICEA.CROSSWORDS@YAHOO.CO.UK

ALAN CARTER

DECEMBER 29 2023 | 79

27/12/2023 09:23

FARMING MATTERS

Forthright opinions from throughout the world of agriculture

‘Tech can tempt people from outside ag into the industry’

A

griculture has always moved with the times and proved to be innovative and adaptable.

Over the past 60 years or so, we have experienced a remarkable increase in food production to meet growing demand. This can largely be attributed to improvements in breeding, nutrition and management.

A prime example was the work of Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution that saw greatly increased crop yields worldwide.

This was also supported by advancements in machinery and monitoring technologies to increase scale of operations.

New developments in precision or smart technologies are transforming our education and farming systems.

It is envisaged the rise in digital solutions and artificial intelligence in our farming systems will allow researchers to make further incredible strides towards building a more productive and resilient global food system.

From precision farming to data analytics, and robotics to unmanned aerial vehicles, these technologies are empowering farmers to make datadriven decisions, optimising how they use their resources and enhancing productivity from fewer resources and, producing more from less land.

For example, precision farming techniques such as GPS-guided equipment and soil sensors allow farmers to precisely apply resources such as fertilisers and sprays, reducing waste and enhancing crop yields.

Meanwhile, the use of drones and

Technology can provide new opportunities for careers in agriculture.

PROF MATT BELL

Director of Agriculture at Hartpury University

satellite imagery provides farmers with valuable insights into crop health and field conditions, allowing for proactive interventions to address issues.

The shift towards innovation and potential for safer, comprehensive training has not only transformed the efficiency and sustainability of farming, but it is also helping to attract young people to pursue a career in agriculture, even those without a farming background.

The integration of agri-technologies has made the industry more appealing to those with a passion for innovation.

Non-farming This has certainly been the case here at Hartpury University and College, where we have seen an increase in students enrolling from non-farming backgrounds.

Many of our degree students are also opting for research projects involving agri-technologies associated with sustainability, identifying its potential and limitations in solving today’s challenges.

The students are also more inclined to explore novel areas and diversification within the agricultural industry, which is reflective of changes that are happening.

Technology presents an opportunity to improve farm safety, too.

Learning to use new innovative equipment takes time as the systems

Tell us your views Post Letters to the Editor, Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Caxton Road, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ Email fgeditorial@agriconnect.com

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become embedded within farm operations, potentially slowing down its adoption and reducing the potential benefits. Future generations of young farmers will bring a greater skill set from their educational experience.

Within a learning environment, we are benefiting from new ways of doing things. Simulation, augmented reality and virtual reality provide a unique opportunity for students and industry professionals to train on the latest technologies in a safe and realistic environment.

Hubs such as our own Hartpury Agri-Tech Centre can show farmers and industry how effective these technologies can be, before they make an expensive purchase or make profound change in their businesses.

This provides an opportunity to discuss and evaluate opportunities.

This younger generation is more vocal on climate matters too and our industry offers them a chance to make a real difference with more sustainable practices. Excitingly, this generation is less reluctant to change, so farming has the potential to adopt innovation even faster than before.

In next week’s

Don’t miss our Backbone of Britain feature on a photographer who has captured life on northern hill farms.

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20/12/2023 08:53

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