farmingscotland.com Issue 147

MACHINERY

EDUCATION

AROUND

Eilidh MacPherson Editor

Happy New Year to one and all I hope it is a productive and successful year for everyone

We have a few interesting articles this issue, with the new Ayrshire Monitor Farmers – James and David Andrew of Rowanston, Maybole–up first on page 4

Young Dairy farmer, Andrew Taylor, who farms Lochhill in Robert Burns country is next in line. He is just back from a Young Farmer excursion to Canada and full of enthusiasm for implementing change on the family farm Page10

A day out at Eurosheep at Andrew Elliot’s Borders based farm –Blackhaugh was an interesting and informative event – see page 16

John Scott at Fearn farm writes about his Helmsman style Shorthorn sale I first came across this type of auction while writing for the NZ Farmer An Australian introduced this ’silent auction’ and helped set the first one up

in NZ at Haldon Station in the MacKenzie Country in 1990 Ten years on I interviewed and attended the sale It gives buyers time to select, ponder on how much they are willing to spend, without the pressure of making snap descisions before the drop of a hammer

Several sheep shearing records have been broken since the last issue of this publication went to press and several more are in the dairy in the next six weeks See page 34 for details

With the Golden Shears World Championships coming to Scotland this year, we have caught up with a couple of the organising team to see how things are coming along Page 33 Chris McCullough, as ever has produced a fantastic latest machinery roundup, starting on page 42

And last but not least our travelling reporter, Petra Jacob writes about the Upper Bavarian cows coming home by boat in her piece on page 56

New Ayrshire Monitor Farm – Rowanston

The Andrew brothers – John and James – of Rowanston, Maybole, Ayrshire are well known across the region and further a field as sheep shearers, sheepmen and grafters Their dawn to dusk work ethic over the years has paid off, with the brothers now farming independently with their respective families

Elder brother John, has kept the home farm of Rowanston (above) and the tenanted hill farm, Blair, while James bought Monkwoodmill Farm at Minishant

John and his son David (23) are the new Monitor Farmers for Ayrshire, joining another eight farms across the country.

The inaugural meeting, at the end of November, saw around eighty farmers from near and far and local suppliers converge on the beef and sheep property, which lies on the B7023

between Crosshill and Maybole, south of Ayr.

Quality Meat Scotland Chair, Kate Rowell, who has been through the Monitor Farm process at her own farm near Peebles, opened the meeting

The new, four-year Monitor Farm programme is farmer-led and farmer-driven, with support from s pecialists and experts to assess farm performance, explore opportunities and develop solutions to the challenges faced by the nine farms taking part in the initiative Funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB, it aims to help to farms reach full economic, social and environmental sustainability by optimising production

“Agriculture is going through challenging times with spiralling input costs,” says John. “It is important to build a sustainable yet profitable business going forward and we hope the

Monitor Farm programme can help us achieve this.”

Rowanston, which was purchased by John’s grandfather in 1950 operated as a dairy farm until 1990 Suckler cows were introduced at that juncture

By 1996 the Andrew family had secured the tenancy of Blair, a 1350 hill farm rented on a Modern Limited Duration Tenancy from Kilkerran Estate

Over the years John and his brother James used contract sheep shearing as a means to significantly increase sheep numbers They were renowned for putting in long hours on the hand-piece

A further 101 neighbouring acres were purchased in 2009 – Knockroon Numerous other holdings and fields across Ayrshire were also rented to graze their ever increasing sheep flock.

“We split up the business two years ago for the next generation,” explained John “As James was left with mainly

Eilidh MacPherson

rented land, we paid him out so he could buy his own farm.”

Many farming families will be aware of the difficulties entailed with a farming business split – with the need to rebuild stock numbers and the financial burden

Fittingly, son David, an Accounting and Finance graduate has been full time at home for the past two years He has followed on the family tradition of sheep shearing, taking out the Young Farmers Title at the 2022 Royal Highland Show He has some of his own sheds but also shears with Cammy Wilson of the Sheep Game

David is the driving force behind the move to join the Monitor Farm program, but is fully supported by his father “We look forward to making use of new technologies and fine tuning cattle and sheep diets to make our business more efficient and share results with other farmers. If at the end of the programme we have developed a business with an improved carbon footprint while still producing quality Scotch produce, which leaves us a good profit for doing so, then the whole experience will have been a great success, ”commented David

Pedigree Charollais sheep were lambing when I returned in early December to take photographs at

Rowanston “We breed our own Charollais tups, which are used as the terminal sire on both the hill and lowground ewes. We sell a few select tup lambs at the main society sale at Worcester with most of the commercial tups sold off farm as natural grass fed shearlings Logie tups are now used on the Lairg type Cheviot ewes to produce replacements for the lowground flock,” informed John as we drove the couple of miles up to the hill farm – Blair

Cross ewe lambs from the hill flock are used as replacements to run on the low ground, numbering 450 ewes All lambs are fattened at Rowanston, aiming to finish as many as possible off grass Root crops and feed hoppers are then brought into the picture

But it was the cattle enterprises that were under the microscope on day one of the four-year Monitor Farm programme. John and David headed a group each, discussing their beef farming practices

On the cattle front, the 150 strong herd is split 50:50 for spring and autumn calving The majority are housed on durable slats from Irish firm Woolsey Concrete and mats for comfort

All offspring is finished and the bulk heads direct to hang up at Highland Meats at Saltcoats, while handy weight

heifers are sold to the local butcher trade through Ayr market.

The Andrews also buy in 200 head of store cattle to finish from Craig Wilson at Ayr. They weigh the bought in cattle and last year the bullocks averaged a daily live weight gain of 1 3kgs and the heifers 1 25kgs Bullocks hang up at 360-380 kgs and mainly fall into the R4L bracket

The farm has a cattle handling system, but there were suggestions that it could be streamlined for ease of use, while the crush, which has weigh cells, is waiting for repair after being damaged The farmers present suggested integrating the crush and weighing technology with an improved handling system and Cattle Electronic Identification (EID) It would help the Andrews to record and assess where efficiencies could be made And that they should also record the homebred stock not just the purchased stores

The hill at Blair is fully utilized but David and John feel at certain times of year, such as when the bull is out and when the heifers are calving, time is wasted on such large tract of land Suggestions to use No Fence technology were put forward, to keep the herd tighter.

The Andrews, who run a variety of breeds, including the hardy Luing,

breed their own replacements “For the first turn we use Simmental or Saler bulls and then Charolais or Limousins,” said John

Previously when using first cross dairy cows they scanned a high barren percentage. This has improved significantly by keeping homebred heifers from the hardier type breeds including the Luing

The farming contingent present, thought that there were too many cattle breeds on farm and reckoned that they should pick the best 25% of the herd and put them to a maternal bull and use a Charolais or similar on the bottom end

On the feed front John has concocted his own pre-mixed feed, using mainly home grown feeds including draff and breadcrumbs Farmers noted that spending a couple of days preparing the feed mix in the summer, really saved on man hours in the short winter days Given the rising cost of feed and variance in daily live weight gains, it

was recommended that the silage should be analysed for energy and protein content so nutrition could be better targeted

The Andrews enjoyed their first taste of their Monitor Farm journey and look forward to the interaction and feedback from farmers and suppliers over the years to come

Farm businesses at the Rowanston meeting were encouraged to sign up to be part of the Management Group who would supply data, information and ideas that will lead to change and better resilience for the Monitor Farmer and themselves Over the next month or two the Monitor Farm project at Rowanston will be:

• Collecting and collating data and information on the Monitor Farm;

• Establishing the Management Group, a wider Community Group who will provide support, and collaborating with two other Monitor Farms in its cluster, which are in Argyll and

Stirlingshire;

• Aiming to have the next meeting in February/March, where attendees will be given a fuller picture of the aims of the Andrew family and will begin introducing ideas, which will improve their bottom line and achieve their ambitions for the farm.

For further information on the next meeting when it is released, and for more detail on the programme and each Monitor Farm visit

www monitorfarms co uk or contact the farm’s regional adviser, Christine Cuthbertson on 07769 366671 or email monitorfarm@qmscotland.co.uk

by Eilidh MacPherson

Talking, Travel & Tractors

Enthusiastic young dairy farmer, Andrew Taylor, who farms in Robert Burns Country, near Mauchline, is certainly making his mark on farm and in the Young Farmers. He has introduced a crossbreeding programme on the family farm and holds his own speech making and debating at National and International YFC level

Andrew had just returned from a Young Farmer Speech Making trip to Canada when I caught up with him on Lochhill Farm, which lies a mile from Mauchline and a mile from Kilmarnock

“Since joining young farmers at 15 I have taken part in many competitions Speech making has to be my favourite It has been the most beneficial as it has given me the confidence to convey and debate a subject in front of an audience.”

Andrew along with three other Crossroads Young Farmer members had won the Senior Speech Making at

National level in Scotland and headed across the Atlantic in November to compete in the Canadian Young Speakers in Agriculture event at the Toronto Winter Fair.

“Unfortunately David Smith of Deacon Hill dairy farm and I were too old to compete, but Fiona Cuthbertson, who is a primary teacher and Scott Anderson, who works for Carrs out of Ayr flew the flag for Scotland ”

Scott went on to win the individual title The four farmers toured round Toronto and visited Niagara Falls, before flying to Calgary, hiring a 27-foot RV and heading for the Rockies Stops included Banff National Park, Crazy Creek, Kamloops and Whistler Three dairy farm visits in the Fraser Valley followed

“Rosedale Holsteins was first, with 300 cows and six robots, averaging 14 500l. It is a family farm run by a brother and sister. They were securing

five cuts of silage and maize A very tidy farm, using a leaf blower to blow feed passages! The second property was run by Dutch who moved in the 90’s. They were attaining 37litres at 4.7% fat, by feeding a lot of fat supplements And the last was Gracemarr, a 1000 acre farm, milking 1200 cows on a GEA 50-bail robotic platform They were averaging 40kgs at 4 2% fat The units were flood washed and very labour efficient I enjoyed our time out there and we saw a diverse range of farming systems,” shared Andrew, who spent a couple of years as an SRUC Consultant at Ayr following his graduation

Back on home turf the Taylor family have been tenant farmers on Hill Farm since 1848 and neighbouring Lochhill Farm from 1911 “My Great grandfather had been a cattle dealer and farmer at Hill Farm and Lochhill had lain empty for a number of years so was pretty run down when he took it on. ”

FARM FACTS

Farming: Lochhill & Hill Farms

Interviewing: Andrew Taylor

Location: Mauchline, Ayrshire

Area: 420 acres rented in 2 secure tenancies including: 90 acres on Mossgiel East rented own 15 acres next door and two fields rented on a seasonal basis

Cattle: 100 dairy cows 35 sucklers finish 130, buying in some dairy cross calves

Sheep: 10 pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters winter 240 hoggs

Other: Grandfather still working Cross breeding

Three generations of the clan Taylor farm this Ayrshire holding these days – Andrew, his father Alistair and his grand father Jim They have added a further 105 acres to the mix –the rent of historic Mossgiel East (90 acres), part of Mossgiel, which was taken on by poet Robert Burns and his brother Gilbert in 1783. And in 2016 the family purchased an adjoining 15-acre block

“The 420 acres we farm all run in one long narrow strip,” said Andrew

Some aspects of the business are still steeped in tradition, like the wintering hoggs from the Kilpatricks of Barr Farm, Sanquhar, which have been coming since the days of arriving by train Others are bang up-to-date with Andrew into the second year of a Carbon audit using Agrecalc.

Currently there are 100 dairy cattle, 35 suckler cows and 10 pedigree Bluefaced Leicesters at Lochhill But young Andrewis planning on doing away with the sucklers and increasing

Farmer: Andrew Taylor farms in partnership with his parents

the dairy herd

“When we took Mossgiel on it was in poor heart and we have been draining and reseeding My grandfather is a great believer in not borrowing and has worked away over the years slowly building up the farm from cash flow, “ explained Andrew

“When building sheds for example we try to do as much as we can ourselves internally ”

Currently the dairy parlour is a 1982 Fullwood 12/12 direct line and is a bit ‘tired.’ “Ideally I would love a GEA robotic rotary – but that’s not going to

happen! I bought a second hand De Laval 16/32 online The electronics are good and it will go in in a couple of years when we have a new shed erected ”

Three old buildings were recently replaced by a Robinsons 75’ x 75’ shed

Other recent improvements include a dribble bar and a slurry store cover, which were both bought with the aid of a Sustainable Agricultural Capital Grant The JT Cover from Irish firm Linton and Robinson comes in the form of plastic hexagonal discs, which fit together to form a ‘floating carpet’ – see page 15.

Back in 2015 when Andrew was on a study tour, in Germany, with SRUC, while doing his Degree in Agriculture, the Fleckvieh breed caught his eye “At that time the milk price had taken a dive –12-13p/l We decided to put all the cows to a beef bull and we bought 20 bulling heifers from Auchincruive.”

Andrew admits that he has a couple of friends in a similar situation and who are also cross breeding to produce a more resilient cow with less hassles “I am happy to lose 1000l/cow if there are no issues with feet, mastitis or fertility!

We are finding that the cattle are

coming back in calf quicker, with a calving interval of 380 days ”

So far the Fleckvieh are proving their worth, but pure Fleckvieh cattle can be very large so Andrew is also dappling with Norwegian Red genetics

The cattle are grazed out at grass all day in 12-hour paddocks, with the fence moved before milkings The electric fencing is all removed before the Blackies come for winter grazing! A TMR mix; silage, Arran draff, molasses and a blend are fed along side cake from JB Nutrition, during housing

Currently the Lochhill milk heads to Girvan as part of the Nestle supply group through First Milk at 45p/l

Andrew has been involved with the Princes Countryside Trust Farm Resilience and Benchmarking Group since 2015 and finds great for bouncing ideas around with like- minded farmers

The beef cattle are all home bred Simmental crosses out of dairy cows, with the heifers covered by Aberdeen Angusbulls and Simmental bulls used on the cows.

The Taylors send young stock to Drongan for summer grazing, where they also procure their straw “We work with them for silage making too, along with one other farmer, filling seven silage pits between us One has the chopper, another the baler –it works well” explains Andrew

But it’s the fleet of tractors that are the real talking point for this farming family The International and McCormick enthusiasts currently have twenty-two red vintage machines on their farm, with 10 still in working operation.

They are a fanatical about the Doncaster-built machines, which they believe just kept improving upon each new model produced

A prized machine in their possession is the 1949 Farmall, which is run on petrol paraffin, produced on the first production run – 105th off the line

Another is a 1939 W14, one of

only 1100 ever built The family are also the owners of a Farmall H 1945 edition, with only one previous owner, which was loaned to the Scottish National Museum of Rural Life for an exhibition

Alistair ’ s interest in vintage tractors was ignited in 1982 when he ended up acquiring a tractor from each grandfather He was one of the first members of the Ayrshire Vintage Tractor and Machinery Club

Andrew is now carrying on the tradition, in possession of grandfather Jim’s 434 International, bought from new for £856 in 1969 and retired from farm work on Christmas Eve in the year of the millennium It has now been restored and resprayed

“We don’t stick to the exact shade of red for each tractor as the colours have changed a lot over the years, ” explains Alistair

“Instead, we have found a particular red that we really like and we use this for nearly every red tractor we respray ”

While Andrew’s firm favourite is the McCormick MTX150, top of Alistair ’ s list is the CX90 As for grandfather Jim, he would opt for the

MC115 every time – “It’s well laid out, and everything is where you need it,” he explains

The family are renowned in the area for their love of the International vintage tractors and McCormick working tractors and are often contacted if a special model is coming up for sale in the area “We prefer working with older tractors as they don’t depreciate and

easier to sort with minimal electronics and should I breakdown, we have another to swap in,” said Andrew

“The problem is now that we are running out of space to store them,” points out Andrew “We can now just squeeze them all into one shed at lambing time but this requires precision parking with only a few inches to spare!”

Breeding at Blackhaugh

In the backend a group of sheep enthusiasts, as part of the Eurosheep project, visited Andrew Elliot’s Blackhaugh Farm, near Clovenfords in the Scottish Borders.

“Over the last 30 years we have simplified and consolidated our farming with the aim of evolving a profitable system of farming sheep,” started Andrew, who is the 7th generation to farm Blackhaugh

“Through a lifetime of trial, error and observation – common traits in sheep were identified, which I now think of as profit traits – sheep which were robust, resilient, fertile, moderate sized and maternal

“I believe in ‘population genetics’ –large numbers of breeding stock from which you then select the best or more often deselect the poorer end that fall out of the system

Cheviot gimmers from the Balnakeil flock in Sutherland come down country

and are crossed with Easycare rams

He continued; “We first introduced wool shedding in 2002 and quickly recognised that this was reducing our work-load considerably allowing us to run more sheep – I firmly believe that wool shedding is part of the solution to profitable sheep farming “

Teasers were introduced to the Suffolk flock on the 24th October –about 90 Signet recorded ewes – and then to his son ’ s 15 Cheviots and tups went in on the 4th of November once they had sorted them into tupping groups

“In the commercial flock we run a 5 family system and ewes are marked and shed into these families for tupping and again at lambing and we move tups between families ”

Teasers went into the wool shedding flock on the 10th November for 12 days and the wool shedding tups were liberated on 21st November for 17 days.

There is not much action for the first 5 days - and then they are replaced by Suffolks for a second cycle It makes for a sharp short lambing, with very few in the second cycle. Only about 1% of the Easycare sheep require assisstance.

“We winter the ewes mainly on silage on rough areas, scan in mid-February and after that feed accordingly and as necessary Hopefully grass is coming in late March when nutritional demands ramp up at which point multiples are brought into the fields and moved around ”

The Elliots lamb Suffolks from April 1st inside, to allow for easier weighing and tagging, and wool shedders outside from April 16th – marking at about 1 month old – no tailing or castration just a family ear mark, drench and vaccination

“We rotationally graze grass – the aim is to graze in paddocks of 6 – 7 acres so we have planted quite a few hedges

to split fields and provide shelter We put in 5 water systems, over 180 water troughs and use a lot of temporary electric fencing Generally we run approximately 250 ewes with twins in a mob and 350 singles The cows tidy up ”

“There is no shearing, apart from Suffolks, but there still seems plenty to do !?” laughed Andrew “We have eliminated many of the costs associated with wool by reducing time spent checking sheep, eliminating shearing, and reducing flystrike and dagging to a minimum ”

Lambs are weaned about 100 days –in early August. They are grazed on grass and about 125 stock ewe lambs are selected per family and the remainder of ewe lambs are sold for breeding in early September

“The best Wool shedding twin tup lambs are kept for breeding – replacing the 2 shear tups ,which are sold along with approximately 35 Suffolk shearlings on farm in mid-September

All the Suffolks are all are in the top 10% for Terminal Sire Index

“We started killing lambs at 38 kgs off grass then introduce to rape early October We have had issues with Yellowsis if they are put on the rape too early We shut them in the dark for 48 hours Last year the lambs averaged about 19 5kgs with mostly R grades with about the same number of Os as Us The aim is to sell all the lambs by mid-December

“Having had a challenging summer for grass growth we needed a ‘safety net’ and in mid-August, after drafting off the sale 5 year olds, we moved the majority of the stock ewes 30 miles east to a hill block. It has been a success and we plan to repeat this next year “

“Coming off the wagons the ewes were drenched with fluke & worm and with minerals, marked for families and shed into tupping groups

“We also have a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle – using mostly American

genetics we line up about 50 recipients annually for an embryo programme We use EBVs, ultrasonic scanning and genomics to aid selection with the aim to sell around 50 forage based bulls off farm each year They are very commercially orientated – all heifers calve at 2 year old and grow into moderate sized, thick, fleshy, easy calving, milky cows with great temperaments If they don’t fit the system they go for mince!”

“Generations of breeding, enhanced by embracing advances in modern technology, has allowed us to breed a herd delivering huge consistency and performance. We produce low cost, low maintenance stock, reared in commercial conditions on upland and hill farms, which can hold flesh well into the winter and slash feed costs ”

A classy portfolio of farm and country houses supplements the income at Blackhaugh and Balnakeil www elliothouses co uk

FAO's Statistical Yearbook for 2022 Goes Live

Policy makers, researchers, analysts and anyone interested in the past, present and future paths of food and agriculture now have an updated all-in-one tool to peruse the major factors at play in the agrifood systems of the world

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) published its annual Statistical Yearbook, comprising hundreds of pages of organized data covering themes from agricultural employment, agrifood trade, fertilizer and pesticide use around the world as well as environmental and climate factors. This is a lot of key policy-relevant information at a glance, easily and quickly accessible.

The Statistical Yearbook World Food and Agriculture 2022 is available in a digital version, in a downloadable version and as a pocketbook printed edition

"FAO assigns tremendous importance to data and statistics as a global public good at the core of our efforts to advance sustainable development," said José Rosero Moncayo, Director of FAO's Statistics Division, "FAO is committed to ensuring free access to current, reliable, timely and trusted data, necessary to chart a course towards more sustainable and equitable agrifood systems and a world free of hunger."

The 2022 edition is built around four thematic chapters: one on economic dimension; one on production, trade and price of commodities; one on food security and nutrition; and one on the sustainability and environmental aspects of agriculture Along with assessments made at global and regional levels, it contains detailed data taken from the more than 20 000 indicators covering more than 245 countries and territories that the freely accessible FAOSTAT data platform contains Dietary energy supply, a key

indicator for food security, went up in all regions since 2000, and did so the most in Asia The world average is now 2 960 calories per person per day, up 9 percent, with the level peaking at 3 540 calories per day per person in Europe and North America

Today, some 866 million people work in agriculture, more than a quarter of the global work force, and produced $3 6 trillion in value-added Compared to 2000, those figures represent a 78 percent increase in economic value, produced by 16 percent fewer people, with Africa posting double that pace of growth.

Since 2000, the production of primary crops, such as sugarcane, maize, wheat and rice, grew by 52 percent from 2000 to 2020 to reach 9 3 billion tonnes Vegetable oil production increased by 125 percent over that period, with palm oil output growing by 236 percent Meat output, led by chicken, grew by 45 percent, while the growth rate for fruits and vegetables was 20 percent or below Sugarcane is the world's largest crop by volume, with 1 9 million tonnes annually Maize is next at 1 2 billion tonnes

Global food exports have risen to $1 42 trillion, up by a factor of 3 7 since 2000

Worldwide, the largest food exporting countries in gross terms are the United States of America, the Netherlands and China. The largest exporters in net terms were Brazil, by far, followed by Argentina and Spain The largest net importing countries were China, Japan and the United Kingdom

Some 4 74 billion hectares of the planet's surface is agricultural land, including meadows and pastures as well as crops That figure is down 3 percent from 2000, but down six times as much in per capita terms, with Africa again in the lead

Worldwide pesticide use peaked in

2012 and began declining in 2017 The countries with the highest pesticide application per hectare are Saint Lucia, Maldives and Oman

The Statistical Yearbook also taps on FAOSTAT's rich and growing information sets about climate and environmental factors that impact on and result from agrifood systems

Average temperature in 2021 were 1 44 °C hotter than the average from 1951 to 1980 Europe has had the highest temperature change, followed by Asia, with Oceania reporting by far the least change

Greenhouse gas emissions on agricultural land declined by 4 percent between 2000 and 2020, with 70 percent of them generated within the farm gate.

Cattle and sheep meat account by most carbon dioxide emissions, with cattle averaging 50 times more than chicken The emissions intensity of cereals is much lower, although rice emits more than five times than wheat and coarse grains

The rate of greenhouse gas emissions changes significantly across regions, reflecting large differences in efficiencies of production For instance, the emissions intensity of cattle meat in Africa is almost four times as great as in Europe

Article 1 of FAO's constitution states that the Organization shall "collect, analyze, interpret and disseminate information relating to nutrition, food and agriculture, including forestry, fisheries and aquaculture "

Information such as that reviewed above, and found far more abundantly in the Statistical Yearbook, can help identify how and where to craft and implement initiatives with higher impact in terms of achieving the Four Better: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life – that lie at the heart of FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-2031

Deteriorating and unreliable lifeline ferry services to Scotland’s island communities are increasingly impacting on the farmers and crofters who depend on them

With most island farmers and crofters reliant on ferries for both receiving inputs and delivering goods, NFU Scotland is now in the process of gathering evidence and case studies across all island communities quantifying how much of an impact poor ferry services have had on those who are farming

It will build on the response NFU Scotland made to the Scottish Parliament Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee’s ferry inquiry earlier this year, led by the Union’s Crofting, Highlands, and Islands Committee

Problems of an aging fleet, lack of investment, unreliability and poor planning have impacted members from Shetland to the West Coast, affecting both mainland and inter-island ferry services.

The Union is calling on Transport Scotland to invest significant resources as a matter of urgency to improve lifeline services to ensure the economic viability of these island businesses and communities It is also calling on the Scottish Government to improve the fleet or invest in fixed links for the viability of Scotland’s remote island communities and rural businesses

Plans are also underway for NFUS to work with other impacted sectors early in 2023 to highlight concerns directly with Transport Scotland, the Cabinet Secretary for Islands and Rural Affairs and Cabinet Secretary for Transport to underline fleet resilience and the impacts of the inadequacies in the current service.

Rural Business Policy Advisor Rhianna Montgomery said: “Many of our members in island communities are being let down on a weekly, if not daily basis by ferry services that are not fit for

Ferry Service Crisis Hits Island Farmers and Crofters

purpose As a result, economic growth is suffering

“For farms and crofts, a reliable, resilient ferry service is required for access to markets and to receive essential deliveries such as feeding, fuel or contractors coming on to the islands Many of our members have also diversified into agri-tourism and are suffering a double whammy from the decline in the service.

“Cancelled sailings, vessel breakdowns, lack of tonnage along with the inability to secure a ferry booking are increasingly becoming the norm and are causing negative financial impacts and frustration within the farming and crofting sector This has a knock-on effect to the wider community and could ultimately result in depopulation of these fragile communities

“Whilst the issues have been ongoing for many years, they are becoming more frequent and the impacts on individual businesses and island communities have been more pronounced in recent years Between November 2021 and February 2022 there were 961 cancelled sailings from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay alone. In addition to this, the Ardrossan to

Brodick route experienced 414 cancelled sailings between January and May of 2022 How can you plan when services are so unreliable?

“This deteriorating picture has resulted in farmers, crofters and livestock haulers being unable to secure bookings, even months in advance, to transport livestock on or off the islands. The number of situations in which small livestock trailers are being refused passage are increasing. It is an unsatisfactory situation both from an animal welfare perspective and simply adds additional costs to hauling stock

“We believed that the issue of inconsistent ticketing of agricultural vehicles had been addressed by CalMac in July, but this has now gone back with the finger of blame pointed at Transport Scotland because of a delay in reviewing ferry rates for commercial vehicles And the new CalMac ticketing system that was to be going live in October this year is still not ready

“The dossier on how poorly Scotland’s island communities are being served by ferries continues to grow and it is way beyond time for Scottish Government to do something about it.”

One of the best known characters in the Scottish agricultural show scene is stepping down as Secretary of Perth Show after 18 years Neil Forbes, who has administered the two-day agricultural showcase in Perth since 2004, retired from the post with Perthshire Agricultural Society (PAS) at this week's AGM

Following a spell of ill health, Neil (76) from Auchterarder, believes the time is right to hand over the reins after becoming the Show's longest-serving secretary

"I have loved every minute of it," he said "I've seen the annual event through its highs and lows and built up a wealth of happy, stressful, emotional and hilarious memories."

Neil's lifelong association with Perth Show began when he was a small boy but his earliest memory was as a seven-year-old helping out a family friend by leading their prize-winning Clydesdale round the show ground in the Grand Parade

"The excitement of doing that was just amazing," he recalled "Then as a teenager I helped stockmen at a local farm halter train the calves for shows

"Perth Show has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember "

The son of a farm manager, Neil opted to go into the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, which saw

Perth Show's Longest Serving Secretary Retires

while our usual site at the South Inch underwent flood prevention work

Then we were flooded out in 2002, more Foot and Mouth in 2007 and reduced to one day because of torrential rain in 2012 And one year it was so hot that we had to bring electric fans into the tented barns to keep the cattle cool

him work within the agricultural community throughout Scotland

In 1990, Neil was asked to join the board of PAS and moved from director to Junior Vice Chairman in 1999 having embraced many different roles - from gate duty to stewarding - during the annual Show

"I was keen to do every job and learn all about the running of the Show as I moved through to become Chairman in 2001," he said

Sadly, for Neil and the farming community, 2001 brought devastating Foot and Mouth to the country and, while Perth Show went ahead, it had to do so without any cattle.

"There was an understandably gloomy air in the industry that year –farmers were really suffering – and Perth Show helped to bring people together and support one another through tough times

When Neil retired from his job in 2003, the opportunity to apply for the job as Perth Show Secretary came up and he was in post for the 2004 event

"I intended to do five years in post," he laughed "What happened?"

During his 18 years as secretary, Neil has been at the helm through some testing times

"We had a few challenges over the years," he said "We had to decant to Scone Palace for two years in 2000/2001

"I remember 2007 was particularly challenging as we had over a hundred Charolais cattle on site when Foot and Mouth broke on the Friday night," explained Neil. "We had to cancel all other cloven hoofed animals for the Saturday and clear all the cattle with the local vets so that we could get them home There was no sleep that Friday night!"

As he retires, however, Neil looks back with affection on overcoming the challenges, riding the highs and enjoying the many and strong friendships built up over the years

Neil's appointment as Vice President of PAS last year ensures his association with the showcase event will continue

"I'm looking forward to Perth Show 2023 and taking time to lean on the fence and watch the stock judging in the show ring instead of being too busy to enjoy the event," he said. "As secretary, you never get time to draw a breath on show days."

Commending Neil for his lengthy tenure as secretary, PAS President David Armstrong said he had "steered the ship" with a steady hand for many years and would be missed

"Neil has been a stalwart member of the team and can look back with pride on his years of service to Perthshire Agricultural Society and – in particular–to Perth Show," said David "Neil is the face that everyone associates with our showcase agricultural event and I know he will continue to support the entire team from the sidelines as we move into a new era for the organisation "

L ooking For ward - Farmin g in Scotlan d in 2023

by Brian Richardson, Head of Agriculture, Virgin Money

“It is that time of year when I am asked for my thoughts on what’s likely to happen in farming in the next 12 months This is a slightly thankless task given all the variables to foresee and unexpected challenges that will inevitably happen I don’t think many were predicting a full-scale war in Ukraine a year ago or foreseeing the challenges that would follow in energy and food consumption – not forgetting the tragic consequences for the people of Ukraine

Farmers in Scotland have been awaiting new policy from the Scottish Government so they can plan effectively for what’s to come. This policy has been slow to emerge and the policy document that appeared toward the end of 2022 was met with much gnashing of teeth and brouhaha from some quarters!

Given any change in support arrangements will inevitably create winners and losers, that is perhaps not surprising, but the lack of alternatives makes it difficult to see where this will end, other than clarification that new support arrangements are on the way with a greater focus on environmental and net zero measures Food security has of course moved up the agenda given Covid and the war in Ukraine, but I suspect the focus on the environmental agenda will return with policy designed

to move this agenda forward

Farming is changing In England that change has been marked with a greater focus on productivity and efficiency and it is important Scotland does not get left behind That said, perhaps letting England ‘test’ new policy and how it works in practice may not have been entirely bad We can learn from this and build more robust and workable schemes to achieve environmental goals that are unlikely to go away

Getting these in place sooner rather than later will be helpful and avoid a lot of change happening at once Hopefully more progress can be made on policy development in Scotland in 2023 to set a clearer path for the future

The impact of Ag inflation, now quoted at around 30%, has been softened in 2022 as farmers have used up old stock and made some temporary savings on usage. That will change in 2023 as the full effect of this extra cost hits farms, with no immediate sign of any reductions At the same time, output prices, which had in many sectors increased during Covid and at the start of the year, are now again being squeezed both by reduced household spending and by the supermarkets looking to keep prices down

I suspect next year will be a tough one for many in agriculture. The

squeeze on farm incomes seems pretty inevitable Despite concerns over food security, Government seems to view this as a supply chain issue the market will sort out, so we are reliant on food manufacturers and supermarkets to do the right thing, not something that has shown to be effective in the past!

Hopefully the squeeze on incomes will not be as bad as many fear but it is certainly the time to look closely at all aspects of your business Farmers need to focus on what they can control; an iron hand on all costs, testing the market where possible and reviewing all inputs. It is a time to review business efficiency and productivity What does the farm do well and what could be better?

There has never been a more important time to sit down with your professional advisors and review your business, both in terms of where you are going with support payments but also taking a deep delve into how you run your business and the longer term plans you might have. There is some grant money available via the Farming Resilience Fund for professional advice on planning and business efficiency so you can get any advice paid for

So perhaps more a year of uncertainty, but no doubt once again unforeseen ‘events’ will shape what happens in the coming year ”

Innovation is Key to a successful 2023

War, strikes, seasonal worker constraints, energy hikes and a growing change in our climate have put a tremendous strain on the fresh produce industry

The challenges faced mean that now, more than ever before, we need to look to innovation to not only solve the issues but to help our sector to thrive in the future

Doctor Rosemary Collier and Professor Kate Seers of the university of Warwick believe that a stark power asymmetry exists between suppliers and retailers, whose policies have led to a "defensive" innovation culture and lack of trust They note that innovation platforms are needed to bring together otherwise closed groups around common problems and the use of road-mapping should be utilised to provide a guiding vision for the future of the sector

Retail-led grower groups also provide a means to improve trust between suppliers and customers in the sector and promote new technological trajectories (not sure I agree!)

In August 2022, the government announced £16 5 million more funding for research and development in farming innovation

Artificial Intelligence technology, agri-robots to help speed up vegetable harvesting and automation to increase fruit crop yields are just some of research and development projects that have already received funding through the Farming Innovation Programme and this boost is set to continue in the year to

come

Former Farming Innovation Minister Steve Double said of the scheme: "We need to help unlock greater potential in our already brilliant farming and horticulture sector This move to boost the adoption of agri-innovation demonstrates how – with the right funding and support – there are great productivity and environmental sustainability gains to be made

"Our £270 million investment in farming innovation is designed to help take the UK's world-leading research ideas and turn them into practical solutions to support healthy soils, abundant pollinators and clean water alongside profitable food production."

In a report produced for the Food Standards Agency by Cambridge University, researcher Shima Barakat found that six key technology fields were identified and their implications for industry, consumers, food safety and the regulatory framework explored

These fields are:

* Food Production and Processing (indoor/vertical/aquaponic farming, 3D food printing, food side and by-product use, novel non-thermal processing, and novel pesticides)

* Novel Sources of Protein, such as insects

* Synthetic Biology (including lab-grown meat and proteins) Genomics Applications along the value chain (for food safety applications, tracking and sustainability)

* Novel Packaging (active, smart,

biodegradable, edible and reusable solutions)

* Digital Technologies in the food sector

"Education is key," explains Nigel Jenney, Chief Executive of the UK's Fresh Produce Consortium He believes the adoption of technological solutions throughout the supply chain is a major part of the solution

"Through agritech, we can target those areas of the industry that face both short-term and long-term challenges and grasp the untapped potential of our sector.

FPC FUTURE & CAREERS will take place this year on 16 March at the East of England Arena and Events Centre, Peterborough Jenney wants it to be open to everyone, with free entry available to all who register on the website

#HowToRobot is collaborating with the FPC to help farms and other fresh produce businesses explore their automation options and find suppliers and solutions They will be showcasing their services at FUTURE & CAREERS on Stand S3

"Many of businesses are dipping their toes into the robotics and automation industry for the first time and are seeking advice on where and how to begin and what solutions are available to them," added Jenney.

Indeed, FPC encourages suppliers with relevant solutions to consider demonstrating their innovations at FPC Future in March

Students at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) will be offered free legal support to progress business ideas as part of a new partnership with one of Scotland's largest independent law firms

The partnership between Morton Fraser and SRUC's Enterprise Academy – which was set up to help students develop enterprising mindsets – will also include presentations on relevant legal topics

In addition, the law firm will become one of the sponsors of the SRUC Enterprise Challenge – a competition,

High-tech drones are being deployed across Scotland as part of an innovative project to estimate the carbon stored on the country's farms

Environmental specialists at SAC Consulting, part of Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), are using drone-mounted LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors to estimate above-ground carbon storage in hedges and trees

Combined with laboratory soil analysis, the project will deliver an estimate of farm carbon stocks as part of the drive towards net zero

The sites comprising Scotland's first Farm Carbon Storage Network represent five of the country's main farming systems: upland beef and sheep, sheep, dairy, arable and crofting, which together account for nearly 90 per cent of agricultural land use.

It is hoped data from the project, which has received money from the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF), could support future projects where carbon sequestration

Free Legal Advice for Enterprising Students

which offers students from any programme the opportunity to develop their ideas, win prizes and upskill

Dr Carol Langston, SRUC Enterprise Academy Director, (on left) said: "We are delighted to announce this important partnership which brings considerable benefits to the Enterprise Academy and SRUC's students

"Morton Fraser is a highly respected and experienced law firm, which is at the forefront of industry and is keen to collaborate with us as we build an institution-wide enterprise culture for all SRUC students."

Morton Fraser Chief Executive Chris Harte said: "Given our long-standing relationship with SRUC, we are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Enterprise Academy to help develop the business skills of the next generation and enable our rural communities to grow

"We see this as an agile and evolving partnership to support SRUC with the development of the Enterprise Academy and would be pleased to offer other support as the needs of the participants evolve."

from different management practices can be estimated, including rotational grazing, cover cropping, integration of livestock, hedge planting and minimum tillage

Seamus Murphy from SAC Consulting said: "While we all understand that trees, hedges and soils on farms make a positive contribution to climate change mitigation, this project

will give us a greater understanding of the scale of this contribution

"By improving estimates of carbon stored on farm and improving our understanding of base carbon storage, it will help to support work to quantify the impacts of certain agricultural management practices "

To find out more about the project, visit www sruc ac uk/carbonstorage

Call for Change to Tree Planting Due to Storm Damage

As the extent of the damage from last year's winter storms on trees across Great Britain is revealed for the first time, woodland owners are encouraged to plant and manage more diverse and resilient forests of varying ages and species in the face of climate change

Updated Forest Research assessments show almost 12 750 hectares of tree loss was caused by storms last winter in Great Britain, with approximately 3350 hectares of damage recorded in England The majority of the damage was as a result of Storm Arwen, a powerful extra-tropical cyclone, which brought significant windblow and woodland damage to the United Kingdom, Ireland and France on 26-27 November 2021. The damage overall is relatively modest equating to around 0 2% of England's tree cover and will not impact on tree planting targets Over 90 percent of trees, which fall as a result of storm damage will be replanted, meaning only a small percent of forest is actually lost in the long term where it is not possible to restock

In light of the findings, Sir William Worsley, Chair of the Forestry Commission, has called for landowners and forest managers to consider planting more diverse and resilient tree species and better designed woodlands in the face of a changing climate. Their long-term prosperity will depend on their resilience to threats caused by climate change, such as stronger gales, drought, emerging pests and diseases, evolving weather patterns and more frequent, severe weather events

Chair of the Forestry Commission, Sir William Worsley said: "The figures released today highlight the challenges we are facing with a changing climate and more frequent and extreme storm events The woodlands of the future need to be planted and managed differently if they are to not only survive but thrive in the future

"Now and in the long-term, we need a wider range of tree species and age profiles across the country. This targeted approach will ensure the long-term resilience of our precious woodlands

"At a national scale, the level of loss is comparatively modest, but the loss of trees can also have a devastating impact on individual woodland owners and we continue to support the forestry sector and partners with their recovery from winter storms "

The tree loss figures are made up of assessments of the damage using a combination of satellite imaging techniques and machine learning An additional citizen science project was then carried out, where foresters, land managers and landowners could report the damage on the ground This project, combined with improvements to the machine learning algorithms used within the satellite data and mapping work, allowed smaller areas of damage (less than 0.5ha) to be captured. This significantly improved the accuracy of the damage assessment

The Forestry Commission advice is for a greater variety of tree species to be planted to build our forests of the future In addition, to counter future storm risk, forests and woodlands should have a broad range of trees at different ages, from seedlings to those more fully grown to foster a variety of sizes Larger, more mature trees are more susceptible to severe winds than younger trees; so promoting the growth of trees of varying ages helps to strengthen their collective resilience

In addition, woodland managers, landowners and the forestry sector need to consider the most suitable trees for conditions now and in the future, as well as how they can alter thinning regimes to ensure the optimal structure of their woodlands This will help to avoid situations where storms topple large areas of woodland in coming years These measures are key to secure precious wildlife habitats and a vital supply of sustainable, domestic timber for future generations

It is not anticipated that the storms will have any significant impact on tree planting targets, as new trees will grow from seed naturally and many woodland owners will replant their woodlands, particularly where timber production is an important part of their business. The damage from Storm Arwen in England occurred predominately in commercially important woodlands in the North East of England and in and around Kielder Forest £700,000 of additional funding has also been allocated to Forestry England in the North of England to help support the repair of damaged recreation infrastructure which is vital to supporting local tourism and the leisure economy in the area

Scottish Dairy Herds & Cows Decrease

The 1st of January 2023 dairy herd statistics for Scotland, released by the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association, show a decrease in dairy cow numbers and herds, with 799 less cows and a net loss of 28 herds compared to January 2022

The average herd size continues to rise and now stands at 222, up 6 on the year, with the total milking cows at 178 562

In Scotland there are now 804 dairy herds, a decline of 223 over the last 10 years Scottish Herd Analysis

Lanarkshire had the highest decrease in herds, with a net loss of 7 Ayrshire and Wigtownshire 4 fewer herds each However, these counties, also saw new dairies start up along with considerable investment from established herds in new milking parlours or robots

Cows officially milk recorded are 73% of the dairy cow population with an average herd size of 236 cows.

There is also an increase in cows being monitored, through milk samples, for somatic cell count, pregnancy diagnosis and disease testing, with

farmers, milk buyers, and industry partners all aware of animal health and the financial benefits of improving milk quality and reducing disease.

Commenting Janette Mathie, the secretary of the SDCA said:

“Milk price stabilised in 2022, mainly due to a shortage of milk, however energy costs and shortage of labour still prove a great challenge to Scottish dairy farmers, who are committed to producing high quality milk and dairy products and breeding superior dairy cattle”

Aberdeenshire 14 2994 214 2120 9 236 71 Angus 7 1797 257 1597 5 319 89 Argyllshire 8 1530 191 1140 6 190 75 Arran 1 55 55 55 1 55 100 Ayrshire 210 36080 172 23457 123 191 65 Banffshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Berwickshire 2 1177 589 1177 2 589 100 Caithness & Sutherland 3 192 64 0 0 0 0 Clackmannan 3 285 95 285 3 95 100 Dumfries-shire 148 36615 247 32238 118 273 88 Dunbartonshire 10 1418 142 993 7 142 70 East Lothian 2 796 398 416 1 415 52 Fife 18 3387 188 3387 18 188 100 Inverness-shire 1 143 143 143 1 143 100 Kinross-shire 3 649 213 639 3 213 100 Kintyre Peninsula 25 3397 136 1992 13 153 59 Kirkcudbrightshire 59 23805 403 14918 41 364 63 Lanarkshire 79 14721 186 12470 67 186 85 Midlothian 5 759 152 574 3 191 76 Morayshire 3 1699 566 527 2 264 31 Orkney 16 1837 115 663 5 133 36 Outer Hebrides 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Peeblesshire 3 1095 365 728 2 364 66 Perthshire 4 995 249 995 4 249 100 Renfrewshire 18 2805 156 2176 11 199 78 Ross & Cromarty 1 120 120 0 0 0 0 Roxburghshire 5 2925

Helmsman Auction at Fearn

Beef Shorthorn cattle have been a feature at Fearn for almost 30 years with the original cattle being sourced from the Calrossie dispersal and subsequently female lines have been added from Dunsyre and Glenisla and via ET from New Zealand

Our herd now numbers 100 pure bred cows and in-calf heifers and all three generations of the family have a say in its management

Over the years the focus has always been on building a herd of functional cows, which suit our farm and the way we run it. They must be able to out winter only coming in for the calving period and spend the summer on a grazing rotation, which complements our sheep enterprise

In the past we sold bulls either privately or through society sales and enjoyed a degree of success with this method, but Covid changed and we needed to think out of the box and come up with a different way to sell bulls

A chance encounter with the Giddings in New Zealand gave us the opportunity to try something different Fiona and I had been to a wedding in Twizel and as we approached Mackenzie Country we saw some cracking Angus bulls at the side of the road and hit the brakes to have a closer look. George Giddings came along and we spent an hour blethering cattle, as you do and caught up with him and his father David the following week at Christchurch Show.

We kept in touch and in 2020 when we were trying to work out what to do with bulls and tups we got in touch to see how they were marketing their stock

They had successfully developed

Yourbid an online selling platform, using a Helmsman style auction, which allowed customers to bid from wherever they wanted, with internet coverage. It’s not a sequential sale, the whole sale finishes at once, which means you can move around bidding on your chosen lots then falling back to second picks if required making it very fair for buyers and sellers.

We used it for our ram sale and it worked, so the natural progression was to use it for cattle as well In 2022 we held our first cattle sale and it worked a treat for the beef Shorthorns.

We present cattle for sale fit not fat Stepping away from the feed bucket, which was used for multiple feeds a day for bulls sold through conventional methods has been liberating.

In the last few months pre-sale we feed all of our bulls outside on a TMR mix, which is mainly silage with a little home grown oats, peas and barley and they come in for viewing days and the sale. This balanced approach lets the bulls develop naturally and aids longevity

Whilst it’s great to get the odd bull away to a stud herd, we have a very strong commercial focus and want to encourage more commercial beef farmers to consider the beef Shorthorn, which crosses really well with most other breeds, produces an excellent breeding heifer and the steers command a premium with Woodhead’s and make excellent eating.

Health status has always been a priority, we have been Johnes level 1 for 13 years, vaccinate for BVD and test annually for Neospora giving us a level 2

status with one more clear test to attain level 1. All cattle are vaccinated for BD and heifers are vaccinated for Lepto

In our first two Yourbid sales bulls have peaked at £9600 and averaged over £5000 and although we have achieved a higher individual price selling through the auction ring we would struggle to hit that average especially after costs, which are growing rapidly year on year

It’s not for everyone however and we appreciate that but for us it’s the future, being able to sell our stock from the farm lets us look after them and our customers

Our ‘Northern Lights’ sale this year is on 20th January with 22 bulls, 9 in calf heifers and a cow with calf at foot on offer, we look forward to welcoming everyone onto the farm, roast beef rolls and hot soup will be waiting www fearnfarm com

by

C hristmas Sparkle at Lanark

Alfie Taylor ’ s Heatheryhall Flock proved to be the star attraction at the Beltex Scotland Club sale at Lawrie and Symington’s Lanark Mart on Saturday, 10 December She not only claimed the Supreme Champion ticket but also the top price of 5800gns and a new female centre record to boot

A larger entry than the previous years sold well, led by shining star, Heatheryhall Glitter ET, which first led the 14-strong gimmer class before taking out Supreme Champion by judge Nick Gill, of the Nikay Flock near Keswick A daughter of the noted Buckles Dark Dawn that has bred exceptionally well in the local flock from Pettinain, Lanark and bred from the Quarrymount William Wallace-sired Heatheryhall Diamond, Glitter was part of the show team this year After a flurry of bidding, she was knocked down to Grant Maxwell for his Faughhill Flock near Melrose due with

quads to Woodies Hulk.

Christmas also came early for local breeder, Andrew Baillie and son, Cameron, of Calla, near Carstairs Selling for the second highest price of 3600gns was Callacrag Gissel – ET bred from the flock’s most prolific ewe, the Clary Navy-sired Callacrag Rana Gissel is by Glenpark Ebay In-lamb with a single to Clary Dumfries, she caught the eye of Neil Laing and joins his children, Euan, Fiona and Kirsten’s Perryflatts Flock near Thankerton, Biggar

Not far behind on 3000gns was Kingledores Gina Gee ET from Richard Wood’s Biggar-based Flock A full sister to the 11 000gns Kingeldores Godzilla, her pedigree features Skiddaw View Endurance on to the Broxty Boxer-sired Withy Trees Champagne She was one of several to sell to new breeders and sold to William Dunlop, Elmscleugh, Dunbar, carrying a pair to Borderesk Finders Keepers

Richard welcomed a strong trade throughout, selling eight to average £1280, with his next best also selling to William Dunlop for 1800gns Kingledores Gypsophila, again carrying a pair to Finders Keepers, is this time by Ryder Dick Turpin and out of Kingledores Esmerelda, a Clary Chancer daughter

Mr Dunlop paid a further 1100gns for Kingledores Geranium, another by Dick Turpin but this time out of the Tiree Benchmark daughter, Kingledores Cathy She was also due twins to Finders

Keepers

At 1300gns when sold to David Padkin for his Muirhouse Flock near Auchenheath was a full sister to Gina Gee, Kingledores Gloria ET, which was again carrying twins to Finders Keepers.

The last to break to four-figure barrier was the Reserve Champion, Lurg Girls Aloud ET from Alan Miller, Midmar, Inverurie, which sold to Mr Gill for

Kayleigh Kennedy

1000gns Scanned with a single to Midshawtonhill Gypsy King, her pedigree features Bailey Brook CR7 on to Woodies Currency, a Double O Seven daughter.

Ewe lambs peaked at 750gns for Callacrag Flossy from Andrew Baillie, which was knocked down to Andrew Morton for his Mortons Flock near Denny This Wannop’s Firecracker daughter is out of the Clary Desperado-sired Callacrag Flossy John Cowan, from Auchincruive, sold the dearest of the aged ewes when his first prize Brickrow Etta sold to PJ and S Hammond, near Darvel, for 700gns Scanned with a pair to Faughhill Goldrush, she is by Beckbred Crusader and out of Brickrow Bank, a Matt’s Wild Son daughter

Averages: Two aged ewes, £525; 47 shearling ewes, £891 (18 x £1006 in 2021); four ewe lambs, £394; two recipients carrying embryos, £525

Farm Stock Scotland Member Meeting... Finishing lambs off early sown Winter Wheat

The benefits to both crop and animal of an old grazing technique are being trialled for a second year at an arable farm in the Scottish Borders Members of the farmer owned co-operative Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd recently met at Paxton South Mains Farm, Berwick for an update on the trial by farm owner Alex Home Robertson.

The members enjoyed the beautiful Berwickshire sunshine, headed out to see the field of 200 lambs, which were indulging in the succulent August drilled winter wheat crop Alex Home Robertson explained to everyone that; "It is a key objective of mine to reincorporate livestock back into the arable system, why use a tractor to add nutrients to my soil when I can get the livestock to do it for me "

He added, "I have been really pleased with how it has gone although it wouldn't have been possible without the support of the team who have really embraced the concept following on from a successful trial last year, which showed no distinguishable impact on yield."

The lambs come from an upland farm near Lauder also owned by Mr Home Robertson, which is managed by Joss Jones

Key findings from the trial so far Arable:

• Wheat was drilled after peas in late August in ideal conditions allowing for quick establishment.

• Earlier wheat sowing spread the Autumn sowing workload

• Minimum tillage establishment left firm ground conditions for grazing even after really wet weather

• Electric fencing system has been easy to use and suited the system well Small farm scale trial last winter led to no distinguishable impact on wheat yields even where wheat was grazed tightly

Sheep:

• Lambs grazed and performed well with lambs on the wheat into early March last year

• Smaller hoggs lambs or tail end performers have been finished without concentrates rather than sold as stores, adding value.

• Despite there being no significant permanent fences the temporary electric fencing, which are powered by solar energisers have performed well with no escapees, although lambs were electric fence trained before arriving

• There had been no losses, with lambs double vaccinated and dosed for

parasites before arriving.

• Farmer owns both the lambs and the wheat so a clear incentive to make it work

• Good staff buy in into the concept from both the livestock and arable team

Still to discover:

• How hard to graze off the wheat crop

• How early and how late to graze

• The change in soil organic matter and carbon levels

• The agronomy benefits from removal of diseased leaf by sheep

Jonny Williams, Operations Director for Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd who organised the meeting said "I believe that there is huge opportunity for arable farmers to boost soil health and margins by working collaboratively with our livestock farmer members who have high levels of attention to detail "

He added, "Alex, has demonstrated clearly that this innovative idea of coupling management practices not widely seen for a generation with new science and technology, can be a win-win for both arable and livestock systems "

Catriona Mclean, Precision Agronomy Manager for SoilEssentials discussed the importance and efficiencies, which could be made by d etailed soil testing across both arable and grazing systems Kev Bevan highlighted the results of a recent Scottish Government funded KTIF project on soil health, as well as sign posting the soil testing and carbon foot printing funding, which was available as part of National Test Programme

As shearers on the other side of the world are setting new records, the Scots are preparing to stage the Golden Shears World Sheep Shearing Championships 2023 at the Royal Highland Show from 22-25th June

This event will be the 19th World Championships since its inception at the Bath & West Show in 1977 The event usually alternates between Northern and Southern hemispheres, but the last one was held in France 2019.

So far twenty-nine countries have entered, but names and numbers have yet to be finalised. Most teams from the Northern hemisphere have been selected, following the 2022 circuit, but due to timings of competitions in other countries the selection processes are still on-going

Competitors and their partners will be mainly housed at the Heriot Watt University campus, which is a five minute drive/ bus ride or 15 minute walk to the show ground A couple of hotels are ear-marked for any overspill

World Shearing Champs 2023

All competition sheep for the World Champs will be native Scottish breeds, Scottish Blackface, Cheviots and possibly Scotch Mules Practice sheep will be available on farm prior to the event so shearers and wool handlers from different countries can become ‘acclimatised’ to the various breeds and wool types and of course Blackface horns!

The organising committee have laid on buses for the competitors and their families to travel to and from the show and have also organised sight seeing tours for them to show case Scotland. Each country nominates two shearing / wool handling judges They are encouraged to take part in training days, prior to the event, so they are all on the ‘ same page ’ on the scoring front Chief Referee for the event is Andrew Rankin who farms Edentaggart Farm at Luss, on the slopes above Loch Lomond Colin McGregor, who is now retired from his position of Shearing Manager for the British Wool Marketing Board is Chief Judge

Major sponsors of the Shears include Royal Bank of Scotland, Lister, Elanco, British Wool and Ulster Wool

Up Coming Records A

January 27, 2023: Amy Silcock, from Tiraumea, will, at Ross Na Clonagh, near Pahiatua, attempt the solo woman ' s 8 hour strong wool ewe record of 370, shorn by Marie Prebble, of England, at Trefrank Farm, Cornwall, England, on August 25, 2022.

February 4, 2023: Sacha Bond, from Woodville and living in the King Country, will, at Fairlight Station, Southland, attempt the Woman's 8 hour strong wool lamb record of 510, shorn by Pauline Bolay, of Canada, at Whitford Farms, Waikaretu, on December 7, 2019

February 18, 2023: Aidan Copp, from Christchurch but based in Gunning, NSW, will, at Gala Estate, Cranbrook, Tasmania, attempt to regain the solo 8 hour crossbred lamb record of 527, shorn by Floyde Neil, of Boyup Brook, West Australia, but from Taumarunui, near Kojonup, W A , on November 13, 2022.

February 25, 2023: Aidan Copp will, at Cranbrook, Tasmania, attempt the solo 8 hour merino ewe record of 497, shorn by Louis Brown, from Napier but based in Australia, near Kojonup, W.A., on April 27, 2019.

shearing record frenzy has hit the Antipodes the past few months with several more in the diary to come!

Ozzie based Kiwi shearer Floyde Neil set a new World record in November Neil, son of a record breaking King Country shearer – Roger Neil (still the joint-holder of a four-stand nine-hour strong wool lamb record shorn near Turangi almost 15 years ago) set a solo eight-hour Australian crossbred lamb record of 527, near Kojonup, West Australia

Now former holder Aidan Copp, from Canterbury, NZ, who shore 524 near Wagga Wagga, NSW, in August 2019, will hunt the record down again in the first of two record bids he'll make a week apart in Tasmania early in 2023

He'll make the attempt on February 18, and on February 25 will shear the lambs' mothers in an attempt on the crossbred ewes record of 497, set in April 2019 by Lou Brown, from Napier, but also based in Australia

They're among six more record bids on the books of the World Sheep Shearing Records Society for the summer in a post-lockdown flourish, which has already seen three new marks set in the last four months

On 20th December, possibly the youngest shearer to ever attempt a record – teenager Reuben Alabaster

(19) claimed the eight hour strong wool lamb shearing record of 744, set by Irishman Ivan Scott, at Opepe, near Taupo, on January 9, 2012, which had gone unchallenged for almost a decade.

Reuben shore runs of; 188, 183, 187 and 188 to out-do Ivan’s record by two sheep Unfortunately for Reuben, he only held the record for two days as shearing legend David Fagan’s son Jack took up the challenge on 22nd December Fagan shore successive two-hour runs of 191, 183, 190 and 190, an average of just under 38 32 seconds a lamb caught, shorn and dispatched at Ingleby Farms' Puketiti Station, west of State Highway 3 township Piopio. He tallied 754 on the counter, surpassing Reuben by 8 and Ivan by 10

Hawke's Bay shearer Cam Ferguson held the record prior to Ivan, setting it a few months after he won the 2010 World Championships final in Wales.

The record has progressed by 58 over the last 29 years since former Golden Shears Open champion Dion King shore 695 west of Napier in 2002.

Jack’s record came 30 years to the day after his father, the now Sir David Fagan, shore 810 in establishing a new nine-hour record – the ultimate goal in World records shearing

The nine-hour record now stands at 872, and Jack Fagan shore 811 during a five-stand record 12 months ago

R e co rd ani mal pe rf or man ce to make be tt er b usin ess de ci si on s

Weighing livestock is a powerful performance measurement tool and should not be regarded as a thankless task, begrudgingly carried out Done regularly, monitoring weight gain or loss can help:

• Assess if calf weaning weights are being achieved

• Determine the best time to sell finished cattle or lambs

• Monitor animal health – healthy livestock increases in weight throughout the season. Any that are going backwards need investigating

• Make sure the dosing of medicines such as anthelmintics is done accurately, to ensure the product works and to reduce the risk of increasing parasite resistance

• Assess if target heifer weights are being reached prior to mating

• Record and evaluate breeding performance for future genetic selection

The value of weight information goes further than just being able to make better decisions for the individuals or group of animals being weighed on a certain day The larger the database of weights and liveweight trends there are, for different classes of animals over many years, the better position the farmer is in for future decision making.

“We were recently at a farm open day where farmer visitors were asked to guess the weight of two or three animals of different sizes,” says Suzanne Potter, regional account manager for Gallagher in Scotland

“The range of results was staggering – with most farmers massively under and over-estimating This could have led to real issues in terms of future feeding, dosing with veterinary medicines or selection for market ”

While sheep EID is compulsory, and the likelihood of it becoming mandatory

for cattle in future, having a weighing and EID system that works together makes sense.

Writing down an ear-number on a piece of paper and then recording the right weight can be done well on some days on some farms. It is less easy on others, where, perhaps in poor weather, it can sometimes take several people to gets the animals into the race and crush, then weighed and recorded

Combined weighing and identification reduces time and effort, as the ear tag reader reads fast and efficiently, automatically matching weight to the animal ID number

Human error is removed so the figures are always complete and accurate With some models, the full weight history of the animal in the crush can be seen immediately with a display of weight gain performance

Gallagher Weigh Scales and Data Recorders range from an entry level

Estimating the weight of cattle and sheep by eye can never be as accurate or consistent as weighing them individually with a weigh scale. And with new technology, recording animal weights is becoming easier and easier

automatic weighing model through to the most advanced weighing and data collection system available

The weigh scales are automatic and accurate, even when weighing fast moving, lively animals like sheep. LCD touch screen navigation makes them easy to use even in direct sunlight and the unit has been designed and manufactured so it can withstand farm use and transport.

Wireless Loadbars

Loadbars are an integral part of a livestock weighing system, positioned under a platform or a crush to take the weight of the animal. Manufactured using heavy galvanised steel makes them waterproof and gives them long life, even in the harshest of environments With no moving parts, they ensure years of accurate weighing.

However, until now, the most common failure point has been the electric cables that connect to the weigh scale reader, which is usually mounted on the side of the crush

“Eighty per cent of loadbar failures are thought to be caused by damage to the cables,” says Suzanne “They can be chewed by rodents, caught and damaged in gates, suffer from exposure to water, mud or dust, or damaged by heavy livestock standing on them. So the inventors at Gallagher came up with an answer – the first ever Wireless Loadbars These were launched in the UK in 2022 ”

They are powered by a long-lasting lithium battery with up to ten years working life – based on four hours weighing a week Smart battery algorithms means the battery only works when the loadbar senses a weight

When an animal walks onto the platform, the wireless loadbar module turns on, measures and locks a weight, sends that data to the weigh scale or mobile app and then powers off again

The wireless design makes the platform or crush easy to transport and move to different weighing locations, as there are no wires to trail behind These loadbars can be connected directly by Bluetooth to a Touch Screen Weigh Scale or a producer’s mobile phone can be turned into a weigh scale with the Animal Performance mobile app see (Panel 1)

This app comes in two levels The free Every Day level gives a fully connected Weighing and EID experience, to enable easy animal data collection. Farmers can access their animal data on any device, wherever and whenever they need it

Animal Performance Plus, which is available by monthly subscription, is the upgraded version of the app, lifting data administration to a higher level Animals can be put into groups to track performance in different fields and performance targets can be set and monitored over time. Livestock and different management activities can be explored in hundreds of different ways

“Weighing and collecting animal performance data is an increasingly important element of any livestock business,” says Suzanne. “Many beef or sheep farmers may just want to weigh their animals at key points in the year

“For others, having individual life histories at the touch of a button, on

The Farm Stock Scotland Limited Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Robert Hall from Craiglearan, Moniave as the new non-executive Chairman Robert brings a wealth of global marketing and business experience to the role, having worked and studied in agriculture in various parts of the UK, Canada, New Zealand and the Falkland Islands He specialises in marketing premium Falkland wool, alongside farming sheep and cattle in Dumfriesshire.

Robert commented; "Farm Stock canvasses livestock outlets to achieve the best prices whilst minimising costs through direct sales, utilising cooperation to make for a highly efficient route to market Together with the Board, I will relish the promotion of these beneficial objectives "

With the retirement after 12 years of Ian Watson, Vicky Warcup, is an Executive Director on the board and is

Jeremy Riley, the majority shareholder and founder of long established Vervaet importer J Riley Beet Harvesters (UK) Ltd, has sold his remaining 50% stake in the business

The company ’ s current sales manager, Matt Carse, has taken over as managing director with the full support of both Jeremy and manufacturer Frans Vervaet BV to take the company forward into the future

Vervaet machines have been active in the UK since 1992 For the past two decades the company ’ s sugar beet harvesters have been the market leader in Britain, and recent new product introductions have seen the Dutch

now leading the procurement team and heading up all livestock marketing Vicky explained, "Supplying a wide range of abattoirs throughout Scotland, Northern England and the rest of UK, the cooperative aims to match lamb and cattle supply with best demand, maximising returns to our farmer members Whether it’s Texels, Easycares, Mules, Cheviots or Blackface lambs and Angus, Holstein or Charolais cattle All of the procurement team is dedicated 100% to achieving high values for members stock on the day they are marketed."

Jonny Williams, also an Executive Board Director, is now responsible for business marketing, financials and administration aspects "As a farmer owned business our primary objective is putting all our members interests first in terms of providing an at cost, transparent, honest and trusted livestock marketing service The core of our business is based upon deadweight

Stocks Ag has appointed David Blackwood to head up the sales team at Stocks Ag, both in the UK and across the globe.

David joins Stocks with almost 30 years of experience in the agricultural machinery industry A native of Northern Ireland, David grew up on a dairy farm and started out as a graduate engineer at the old Massey Ferguson tractor factory in Coventry

He spent five years at the Massey Ferguson Asia Pacific office in Singapore and six years in AGCO’s regional office in Melbourne Australia Most recently David worked for the Fella and former Lely Welger factories as export business

maker ’ s self-propelled slurry application machinery achieving considerable sales success

“I’ve dealt with sugar beet harvesters and slurry tankers for all of my working life, so as soon as the discussions started it felt right,” explains Matt “I’m extremely confident that we have the most experienced team and the right products in both the beet and slurry sectors to be able to increase our market share even further Our staff and customers can rest assured that it’s business as usual as we aim to maintain the same high standards that Jeremy has infused so well into the Riley team.”

marketing

"

development manager.

“David brings a wealth of experience to Stocks’, said James Woolway, MD “I am confident he will lead the sales team here in the UK, as well as develop our export business - we are lucky to have him ”

David said “I have come across Stocks Ag products in many parts of the world, from dual wheels in peat applications in Indonesia, to seeders in the far north of Japan, making this an irresistible opportunity Stocks is well positioned to build on an excellent reputation and I am excited to be part of the new growth phase both in the UK and the rest of the world ”

of sheep and cattle direct from farm to abattoir as well as a growing farm to farm store trading arm for store and breeding stock

Jean Nairn has been appointed Executive Director of Scotland’s Finest Woods, responsible for running Scotland’s ‘Tree Oscars ’

Having spent more than 20 years working in and around the sector, Jean is well qualified to take on the prestigious annual Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards, celebrating all aspects of woodland and forest management, from forestry to farming, community to schools.

Jean said: “We are promoting the work carried out by forestry and farming sectors including the additional Climate Change Champion award, which demonstrates best practice and innovation within the sector as well as schools and communities ”

She added: “The awards are a fantastic demonstration of the diversity of people we see across the forest and woodland management sector It is great to see how things are always moving forward with young and old being represented, something I want to continue and build on “Climate change is affecting every part of society and we want to promote the fantastic work being done across Scotland’s wonderful forests and woodlands to mitigate, adapt and educate the impact of a warming planet ”

With roots in the heart of ‘Big Tree Country,’ Jean entered the forest industry in Scotland after graduating from Bangor University with a degree in Agroforestry After working with Confor and Scottish Woodlands among

others she has trained as a Forest Therapy Guide, certified by the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy

She believes it is important to recognise the forests, woodlands and managers who create the landscape, managed to industry standards, which also manifest in wellbeing benefits which can be gained by people being among the trees

Jean added: “If we have great woodlands to enjoy, we feel better because being around trees has the ability to calm and restore us After all, as human beings we have lived in the woods for most of our lives.

Jean replaces Angela Douglas whose eight years in the role have seen the awards grow from strength to strength. Guy Watt, Chair, on behalf of the Trustees said “ we would like to thank Angela for her sterling efforts during her term We are delighted to welcome Jean who will carry on helping the awards to celebrate and recognise some of the great work being carried out across Scotland ”

Mhairi Dawson, Barenbrug UK's product manager for agriculture, has been appointed to the committee responsible for the Recommended Grass & Clover Lists (RGCL) for England and Wales

One of 12 voting members on the herbage committee, including farmers, retailers, wholesalers, plant scientists and breeders, Ms Dawson will draw on her own experience – as a livestock breeder and grassland adviser – to contribute to decision-making on variety selection for the RGCL, over a two-year term

"The RGCL is an invaluable resource for grassland farmers throughout England and Wales," she says, "allowing farmers to make evidence-led decisions about the varieties that are most suited to their farm – enterprise, farming system, soil and region.

"It's a tremendous undertaking to organise and produce the RGCL each year, ensuring the independence and validity of testing It sounds like a cliché, but it's true to say only the best varieties make it onto the list

"By choosing a listed variety, you're not only getting reassurance about how that variety will perform but an understanding of its performance that will allow you to get the most from your

grass," Mhairi points out.

"I'm delighted to be asked to contribute It's an important initiative to support, and one that can – if used to its full potential – significantly improve the country's grassland productivity "

The Recommended Grass and Clover

List for England and Wales testing programme is funded by plant breeders through the British Society of Plant Breeders and the ruminant levy boardsthe Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC/Meat Promotion Wales)

SHEEP

Overall Sheep Inter Breed Championship

Mr Ian Hunter, Crieff, Perthshire (above) Overall Sheep Pairs Inter-Breed Championship

Mr Keith Brooke, Newton Stewart, Dumfries Sheep Young Handler

Mrs Hannah Jackson, Rigghead, Dumfries (right) Blackface

Mr John MacPherson, Bailliemeanoch, Dalmally, Argyll (above right) Suffolk

Mr Pat Greaney, Usk, Monmouthshire Lleyn

Mr Roger Wells, Cardigan, Ceredigion Ryeland

Mr John Donovan, Whitland, Carmarthenshire Commercial Sheep

Mr Jimmy Taylor, Muthill, Crieff, Perthshire Border Leicester

Mr Clark Stewart, Cupar, Fife British Berrichon

Mr Adrian Bowen, St Clears, Carmarthenshire Jacob

Mr Robert Price, Churchstoke, Powys North Country Cheviot

Mr J Mackay, Wick, Caithness

North Country Cheviot Hill

Mr Hugh Wilson, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway Cheviot

Mr George Irving, Yarrow, Selkirk Texel

Mr Flor Ryan, Prosperous, Co Kildare Hampshire Down

Mr H Middleditch, Sudbury, Suffolk

Swaledale

Mr Malcolm Allison, Reeth, Richmond, North Yorkshire

Bluefaced Leicester – Traditional Type

Mr Frank Johnson, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham Bluefaced Leicester – Crossing Type

Mr James Cunningham, Biggar, Lanarkshire Charollais

Mr Arwyn Thomas, Whitland, Carmarthenshire Hebridean

Mr Jeffrey Moore, Gruline, Isle of Mull, North of England Mules

Mr James Herdman, Alnwick, Northumberland British Rouge

Mr John Gate, Lostock Green, Northwich, Cheshire Beltex

Mrs Mary Dunlop, Biggar, Lanarkshire Zwartbles

Mr Kevin Robinson, Upper Magna, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Scotch Mule

Mr David Gray, Kilsyth, Lanarkshire Bleu Du Maine

Mr Brian Buchan Snr, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire Shetland

Mrs Suzanne Meikle, Kirkliston, West Lothian Blue Texel

Mr Rhys Francis, Abergorlech, Carmarthen Dutch Spotted

Mr Allen Short, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland

Valais Blacknose

Mr Chris Slee, Bideford, Devon

Royal Highland Show Judges 2023

Beef Native Breeds Inter Breed Team Championship

Mr Colin Davidson, Skaill Farm, Orkney (pictured right)

Beef Breeder Competition & Junior Beef Inter Breed Championship

Mr Hamish Goldie, Ruthwell, Dumfries

Beef Inter Breed Team Competition and Overall Beef Inter-Breed Championship

Mr Keith Redpath, Heiton, Kelso, Roxburghshire

Beef Inter-Breed Pairs Competition

Mr William McAllister, Ballymena, Co Antrim Young Handlers

Mrs Lynwyn Emslie, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire

Beef Shorthorn

Mrs Jane Landers, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire

Aberdeen Angus

Mr Dallas Allan, Alnwick, Northumberland Galloway

Mr John McIlwraith Jnr, Puslinch, Ontario, Canada Belted Galloway

Mr Peter Hunter Blair, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway (right) Highland

Mr Robert Phillip, Skipton, N Yorkshire Hereford

Mrs Carolyn Fletcher, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria Lincoln Red

Mr John Elliot, Earlston, Scottish Borders

British Charolais

Mr Arwel Owen, Foel, Welshpool, Powys

British Simmental

Mr Simon Key, Loddon, Norwich, Norfolk

British Limousin

Mr Michael Cursiter, Arwick, Evie, Orkney

British Blonde

Mr Neil Brown, Hackleton, Northampton

British Blue

Mr Phillip Halhead, Cockerham, Lancaster, Lancashire Salers

Mr Donald Gilder, Winchcombe, Cheltenham

Commercial Cattle

Mr Stewart Bett, Fallin, Stirlingshire

DAIRY

Overall Dairy Interbreed

Mr Hugh Kennedy, Tarbolton, Ayrshire Ayrshire

Mr Ian McLean, Bushmills, Co Antrim Holstein

Mr David Hodgson, Carlisle, Cumbria Dairy Shorthorn

Mr Dan Stamper, Chichester College Red and White, Jersey & Dairy Any Other Breed

Mr Robert Fleming, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Annan Dairy Calf and Showmanship

Mr Andrew Kennedy, Ballymena

HEAVY HORSE

Clydesdales In Hand

Males

Mrs C Halliday, Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway Females

Mr Tom Clark, Madderty, Crieff

Clydesdale Young Handlers & Young Stockmen & Ridden Clydesdales Conformation

Mr Kevin Wilson, Blackford, Perthshire Ride

Ms Morag Snow, Leven, Fife Highland Ponies In Hand Males

Mrs Jean Ralston, Methven, Perthshire Females

Mr Dochy Ormiston, Ballater, Aberdeenshire

Highland Ponies Under Saddle Conformation

Mrs Gillian McMurray, Lockerbie Ride

Miss Kirsten McMurray, Lockerbie Shetland Ponies In Hand

Mrs Vivien Hampton, LLawhaden, Pembrokeshire

Miniature Shetland Ponies In Hand

Miss Abigail Hampton, Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire

The Sanderson Trophy

Mrs Beth Sibbald, Thorn Farm, Dollar, Clackmannanshire

by Chris McCullough

Young Irish engineer creates his own tedder rake combination

by Chris McCullough

An Irish agricultural machinery engineer has created his very own tedder rake combination, thought to be the only such machine on the market and hopes to make it commercially available by 2024

Based in Ballindine in County Mayo Michael Clarke, 27, has made a prototype of his Dualstar 6000E 20ft tedder rake combo that he says will save farmers and contractors significant costs

Michael, who works full-time as a mechanical design engineer for a machinery company, has always had desires to become self-employed and has formed Clarke Agri Engineering

While he also manufactures grass harrows it is the tedder rake combo that he hopes will be popular on the already bulging silage machinery market

Michael explained: “The Dualstar 6000E is a 20ft machine that works as a tedder spreading out the grass and then as a rake raking it into rows again

“This machine saves farmers and contractors from buying two separate machines and running them

individually on two tractors The cost saving here will be significant as there is only one machine to maintain,” he said

The Dualstar 6000E is hydraulically operated and is manufactured with a steel chassis and four steel rotors with a working width of 20ft

Michael advises the machine needs a tractor with at least 80hp to operate it. The machine has its own independent hydraulic system and can be easily switched between rake and tedder from the tractor cab

When the machine is in tedder mode, the axle folds up and the four rotors operate against each other Then they work with each other when rowing up

While the prototype machine has been completed Michael says he needs to make a few tweaks to it to produce a demo machine running in next year ’ s silage season

“I need to alter a few angles on the machine when tedding to make the grass shake out a bit better,” Michael said “I also may need to look at adding two bigger hydraulic motors to make it work faster when tedding.

“I’m only working on this at nights and weekends but I need to get the changes made and have a machine fully operational for trials next season

“It’s only when I get a few operational hours on the machine next season that I can think about launching it commercially by 2024 A commercial launch fully depends on the price of steel and how that may change over the next couple of years, ” he added.

When finalised, Michael says he can easily add a rotor to either end of the machine to make it six rotors with a working width of 30ft or even up to eight rotors covering 40ft

The 20ft machine is mounted on the two-point linkage, weighs 2200kgs, is 5m long and has a transport height of 4m

While there is no exact price for the machine currently, Michael is confident it will cost less than if buying a tedder and rake individually

“I need to sit down and think about how I can manufacture and distribute the machine commercially,” said Michael. “I have a few meetings set up to discuss these details soon. ”

DESIGNED for compactness and power Bobcat has added three new loaders to its already bulky R-Series range of equipment

Up first is the smallest loader in the range, the TL25 60, designed for those tight spaces and powered by a 75hp Bobcat Stage V engine The machine has a rated operating capacity of 2500kgs, offers a maximum lift height of 5 91m and a maximum reach of 3 31m

For adaptability, this machines uses the Bob-Tach carriage allowing it to utilise attachments designed for the Bobcat loader range

Florian Hilbert, telescopics product manager EMEA at Bobcat, said: “On top of this super compact format, the cab in the TL25.60 is the same as Bobcat’s top-of-the-range R-Series 18m model, so customers can be certain they have the most spacious cab in the compact telehandler market A complementary version of the TL25 60 aimed at the agricultural market will be launched in 2023 ”

Like all Bobcat telehandlers, the new engine hood has been designed to maximise visibility on the right hand side of the machine Together with the

new dashboard design in the cab and strong but slim cabin pillars, this provides excellent unobstructed visibility for the operator

The TL25 60 has an extra tough design with a robust frame and boom for working in every possible environment The shielded design provides protection for hydraulic and electrical components, including the pipes, harness and transmission, and a steel plate protects the base of the machine Like all Bobcat telehandlers, the TL25 60 has a box section layout and significant ground clearance for peace of mind.

New S86 and T86 compact loaders

Delivering a higher engine and hydraulic output, the Bobcat S86 and T86 are the most powerful compact loaders the company has ever built

Both machines use a well-proven Stage V compliant 3 4l Bobcat engine, producing 105hp at 2600rpm Just like all R-Series loaders, the engine is mounted

in-line with direct drive, which improves the cooling capacity of the engine and hydraulic components

John Chattaway, loaders product manager at Bobcat, said: “The S86/T86 follow on from the very successful introduction of the smaller S66/T66 and S76/T76 loaders

Bobcat Adds Three New Loaders to Portfolio

“The S86/T86 top-of-the-range models continue the same trend by setting new industry standards in every area, from in-cab comfort and safety to available power and attachment versatility The S86/T86 take what is possible with compact loaders to a whole new level ”

Three auxiliary options

One of the most exciting new aspects of the S86 and T86 is that both machines have for the first time a choice of three different auxiliary flow outputs

There is a standard flow configuration providing 87l/min for applications such as load and carry, or where low hydraulic flow attachments are used.

Bobcat also offers two additional hydraulic performance functions using the new Electronic Displacement Control (EDC) Pump: a high flow function giving 138l/min and a new, industry unique super flow function taking auxiliary flow to 159l/min

The five coupler block provides a flexible approach to running different attachments From one common source, the operator can attach both standard or high flow approved attachments to the smaller sized half inch quick couplers

Both high flow and super flow options come integrated with Bobcat’s unique attachment control device (ACD). The S86 and T86 machines also have Power Bob-Tach Attachment systems as standard.

The Power Bob-Tach is an added comfort and productivity feature that allows some attachments to be connected and removed without the operator leaving the seat

Lifting capabilities

The new S86 and T86 workgroup design increases the ability to lift more, carry more and reach further This is achieved by a new workgroup geometry that improves lifting capability throughout the lift arm ’ s range of motion

When combined with the high hydraulic performance and the lighter and stronger cast-steel lift arm sections, the loaders offer higher capacity throughout the lift cycle, even at full height

Cab comfort includes low noise and vibration levels inside the one-piece sealed and pressurised cab, together with the intuitive SJC controls as standard, and the informative displays.

The cab also has an HVAC system as standard and increased operator visibility, which can be further enhanced with the innovative clear side cab option

With the latter, 75% of the side windows are mesh-free, ensuring an unobstructed view from the cab Bobcat has also added a rear-view camera as standard equipment to the list In addition to the standard five inch in-cab display, Bobcat offers a seven inch display as an option

by Chris McCullough

BKT launches company s first rubber tracks for agriculture

INDIAN tyre manufacturer BKT has just entered a new market era by launching its first set of rubber tracks for tractors in the agricultural industry

Using the SIMA Show in Paris as its launch pad BKT unveiled the Agriforce BK T71 rubber tracks, the first of a brand new series for the company

BKT says the new tracks are “unstoppable on any terrain” and are particularly suited for high-power tractors working in soil tillage and row crop applications

The overall advantage of rubber tracks enhances productivity and performance, since track-driven tractors can run at higher speeds in the fields at the same power and show increased fuel efficiency.

BKT said it is aware that under some

circumstances, depending on usage and goals, tracks can be much more functional compared to tyres This is why the company has decided to further extend its already large product range by adding a new product category

Some distinctive features of this new Agriforce BK T71 rubber track include the tread, which is made of a high-performance compound highly resistant against cuts, tear and wear

The optimised tread pattern provides excellent traction and ride comfort, whilst the drive lugs of the positive drive system have an optimised shape to ensure extra flexibility

In addition, the track carcass has been reinforced with four layers of high-tensile steel cords.

The Agriforce BK T71 is launched on

by Chris McCullough

the market in size 18 x 6 x 44 inches. An additional four size versions are already under development.

Like all BKT products, this new range was developed from discusssions with users, their feedback and needs, but it is also a result of BKT’s goals to reach new customers

For this reason, the company has invested into the setup of a new specific track manufacturing plan on the Bhuj production site in India

The Agriforce BK T71 the first of a long series of tracks already scheduled in BKT’s development plan The company is working on the upcoming release of new rubber tracks not only for agriculture but also the construction sector

A

CLAAS has upgraded some of the key features on its range of Lexion combines including the introduction of the Lexion 8600 model from 2023 as a high-performance hybrid machine with a drum width of 1700mm

There will also be new Montana versions of the Lexion 5500 and 7700 models, plus all Lexions will have a new cab, increased engine power and greater grain tank volume.

New Lexion 8600

From model year 2023 two new models, the Lexion 8600 and Lexion 8600 Terra Trac, will be added to the Claas European hybrid combine

harvester product range

With a drum width of 1700 mm and powered by a highly efficient Man D26 six-cylinder Stage V engine with a displacement of 12 4l and an engine output of 549hp, the new 8600 is positioned directly above the 7700, which has a drum width of 1420 mm

With Dynamic Power, the engine output is automatically adapted to the operating conditions, thus saving up to 10 per cent fuel in the partial load range, for example when swathing.

More engine power

Lexion 8800 and 8700 models are also getting more engine power, with the

8700 gaining 41hp to 626hp, and the 8800 increasing by 47hp to 700hp The 16 2l Man D42 six-cylinder from the 8900 will now also power the 8800

The new cab generation introduced with the Trion in 2021 can also be found on all Lexion combines from the coming season

The 12-inch Cebis terminal with a high-resolution, high-contrast HD display guarantees excellent readability

under all lighting conditions and offers three individually adjustable main display areas

Three new Cemos functions

For model year 2023, Claas is expanding the Cemos environment with additional functionalities A new dialog-based loss measurement in Cemos Dialog enables the loss sensors to be calibrated more precisely This guides the driver step by step through

the entire calibration process so that measurement and input errors are prevented

Cemos Auto Header is a further innovation for Lexion and Trion that automatically optimises the table length, reel height and horizontal position of the reel based on the crop height measured by the Field Scanner installed in the cab roof

In addition, a sensor records the layer thickness of the crop flow in the feeder housing. The driver can therefore fully concentrate on checking all machine data and quality parameters in Cebis and on the crop in front of the combine

harvester, as well as on the transfer process when unloading while driving Two new Montana models

From 2023 the Lexion 5500 straw-walker and 7700 hybrid models will be available with Montana chassis slope compensation Starting at 258hp in the five-walker segment up to 549hp in the mid-range hybrid class, Claas can now offer farmers and contractors a choice of eight Montana machines for use on steeper slopes.

Lateral slope compensation of up to 18 degrees and longitudinal inclinations of up to six degrees can be achieved via the hydraulic adjustment of the chassis

by Chris McCullough

MORE engine and hydrostatic power are key features of the new 1285, 1611 and 1611 P models, introduced by Claas in the mid-range of Torion wheel loaders

After the two flagships of the Torion construction program, the Torion 1913 and 2014, received higher lifting and holding capacity as well as greater loading height in 2021, these performance-enhancing features are now also finding their way into the medium-sized Torion series.

Also, a newly developed Z-kinematic is characterised by reinforced and lengthened lifting arms with larger hydraulic rams and more powerful hydraulic pumps This increases the lifting power and transfer height, with 100% parallel guidance being guaranteed at the touch of a button

Thanks to the new Z-kinematics, there is significantly more lifting power, especially in the lower lifting range, as well as more holding power in the upper lifting range, so that larger shovel volumes and heavier bale grabs can be used

Lift volumes up to 4 5m3 with a high bulk density and up to 7m3 with a low bulk density are available with the light goods bucket, and up to 4 5m3 with the high-tip bucket

In order to be able to absorb the higher lifting and breakout forces, the steel construction of the front end has been reinforced. The new mast includes extra reinforcing, for example on the lift arms and the cross tube At the same time, the axles on the 1611 and 1611 P have also been reinforced The operating weight increases accordingly to 15 810 and 15 200kgs respectively The 1285 has an operating weight of 13 570kgs

All three Torion models in the middle series have greater engine power and larger drive pumps and hydrostats for the Varipower drive

The 1285 with its 157hp replaces the previous 1177 and 1410 models with 137 and 165hp respectively, while the 1611 has an increase in output to 207hp The 1611 P has an increase in output of 45hp to 252hp

by Chris McCullough

A mighty

FENDT has expanded its Katana self-propelled forage harvester range with its new 850 model

The Fendt Katana 850 is equipped with an in-line six-cylinder engine from Liebherr With a displacement of 18 litres, it has an output of 847 hp

The engine complies with the European Stage V emissions standard with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) without a diesel particulate filter or exhaust gas recirculation This protects the engine, reduces the required cooling power and fuel consumption while meeting all standards

If the full power of the forage harvester isn't required, it can be operated in fuel-saving Eco Mode, when the usual running speed of the chopping cylinder is maintained at reduced engine speed The design of the engine fitted to the Fendt Katana makes it possible to work fuel-efficiently, in both full-load and partial-load operation

As an option, the Fendt Katana 850, like the Katana 650, has a reversible fan with variable fan blade pitch technology fan The pitch of the individual fan blades can be adjusted as required which means that the exact cooling capacity is always achieved If the full cooling capacity is not required, the power saved

at the fan is fed into the rest of the machine

Optimal performance in large crops

When developing crop flow, the focus was on a uniform feed flow at high throughputs and, at the same time, minimal power requirements

In addition, the Kemper 490 plus a header with a12 row working width is available for the Fendt Katana The header is suspended on the pendulum frame of the Fendt Katana 850 and allows for variations of up to 14°

The six pre-compression rollers on the feed intake ensure optimum pre-compression of the forage. This ensures excellent chop quality and chop length consistency. Metal and stone detectors on the first pre-compression rollers prevent damage to the chopping cylinder

In the rear area of the feed intake, the crop volume is recorded via a sensor With a diameter of 720mm, the Fendt Katana 850 has the largest chopping cylinder on the market Optional chopping cylinders with 20, 28 or 40 knives are available for the forage harvester which cover chop lengths of between 2 6 and 41 4 mm

Various cutting lengths

Fendt offers three different roller crackers with a diameter of 300mm The standard R cracker with sawtooth profile is suitable for chop lengths of up to 20mm The optional RS cracker with V spiral groove has been developed for optimal processing with longer chop lengths

The speed difference of 30 or optionally 40 percent ensures thorough processing of the crop This ensures that all the nutrients can be extracted from the crop when it is used

The revised discharge chute can be precisely controlled and centred The crop is accurately blown into the trailer and losses during chopping are avoided. The loading height of up to 6.20 m ensures targeted transfer of the crop, even with large trailers

The Fendt Fill Control filling assistant is available as an option for the Fendt Katana 850 If the discharge chute swivels, the discharge flap is automatically controlled and trailers are filled more evenly

N ew F en dt K atana 85 0 e xp an ds mode l rang e

by Chris McCullough

Two new loaders launched by Avant Tecno in 600 Series

FINNISH loader expert Avant Tecno has introduced two new models into its 600 Series powered by a new engine.

According to Avant, its new 645i and 650i models are the most powerful loaders in their size class in the world

Although the dimensions and lifting power of the new machines are in the same range with the previous 600 series models, the new models have a new, more powerful engine

These two new models feature Kubota's 33kW/44hp diesel engine, which provides plenty of power and torque for work, which requires high pulling force and/or is speed intensive Avant claims that other loader manufacturers do not have nearly as efficient machines in the same size range

The current EU Stage V emission standard for diesel engines in non-road mobile machinery requires a catalytic converter and a particulate filter for engines above 19kW Avant is the first manufacturer to bring such loaders to the market in this size class

The single speed 645i and the

two-speed 650i are equipped with a Kubota V1505CRT diesel engine The 4-cylinder 1498 cm3 turbocharged common rail engine has a power output of 33kW/44hp. The oxidation catalyst and particulate filter handle the exhaust aftertreatment, and no additives (AdBlue) are required

The maximum oil flow of the auxiliary hydraulics is 75 l/min, which is unique to a loader in this size class The new loaders can run almost any of Avant’s hydraulically driven attachments

Hydrostatic transmission with a hydraulic drive motor on each wheel is a familiar feature of Avant compact loaders The Avant 645i is equipped with one-speed motors and has a maximum driving speed of 13 km/h, while the 650i has two-speed motors and a maximum driving speed of 25 km/h.

Due to their low weight (1620kgs/ 1630kgs), the loaders are easy to transport and gentle on turf surfaces

The new loaders have a certified ROPS/FOPS open cab as standard Both the L-cab and Avant's latest GT cab,

which is completely unique in this size class, are available as an option The noise and vibration isolation of the spacious and modern GT cab are excellent and the efficient heating and ventilation, good ergonomics and the large windows provide superior comfort for the operator. Air conditioning is also available in the GT cab.

The telescopic lifting boom comes as standard for the new models. The length of the telescope is 600mm, and the maximum lifting height is 2 84m to the hinge pin of the attachment coupling plate This enables, for example, loading on trucks and unloading loads from high up The hydraulic boom self-levelling system automatically keeps the load horizontal when the boom is lifted and lowered

The 600 series has the Avant specific quick attachment plate for attachments, and hydraulic quick locking of the locking pins is also available The hydraulic hoses of the attachment are conveniently connected to a multi connector as in all Avants. Over 200 attachments are available for the 600 series.

by Chris McCullough

Kuhn’s latest mixer wagons fills model gap

KUHN’s latest Profile M series of mixer wagons fills the gap between its Profile S and L range of trailed machines

Fitting neatly between the narrow and wide-bodied machines and aimed at medium sized farms, the M series will be produced from 2023 onwards in five mixing capacities from 16 to 25 cubic metres

The 20 cubic metres capacity machine has an overall height of less than three metres, making it well suited to housing with lower access

The largest machine in the range at 25 cubic metres can feed 200 cows in a single pass, making it perfectly positioned for the average UK dairy herd, which is estimated at 212

Two feed out options are available, a cross conveyor in the CM model can be positioned at the front of the machine, and a chute or tilting slide conveyor is offered on the DM models

Plus models are specified with a straw-blowing turbine capable of

blowing 158kgs of straw up to 18 metres per minute and all models can be upgraded by adding a selection of tub extensions

All models in the range feature Kuhn’s patented five-load cell weighing system that is well suited to both small and full-load mixtures This is coupled to Kuhn’s unique C-Drive system, which, with a 1 10 metre distribution door, offers fast and well-balanced distribution of forage.

The twin augers can be specified with Kuhn’s long-life K-Nox coating This increases the life of the auger by up to six times by acting as a corrosion resistant layer to protect against the abrasion of acidic silica contained in forage

For farms looking to distribute forage into troughs or raised feeders, Flexilift can be specified This tilting cross conveyor will distribute forage evenly and does not protrude from the body of the mixer wagon

Coming Home by Boat

by Petra Jacob

In Upper Bavaria in Germany clocks tick differently: there are still many small dairy farms and cows that come by boat from their alpine pasture in autumn

For two hours, onlookers and a Korean television team have been waiting at the Königssee (King's lake) boat dock not far from Berchtesgaden It is mid-October, the time when the cattle return from their summer pastures These alpine pastures are idyllically situated on the southern shore of the Königssee and Obersee But they are difficult to access The Königssee meanders like a fjord through the valley and is surrounded by steep rock faces, no path leads along the shore and the paths over the mountains are laborious The easiest way for humans and animals is over the water

At last Almost silently, the "seacows" and their farmers approach over the water. The transport ship is called Landauer and has a flat floor, flat boarding and a railing made of wooden slats The load of Pinzgauer cows and the people in traditional costume are a feast for the eyes The landscape around it is also magnificent: the trees of the mountains wear autumn colors, the

mountain peaks are reflected in the crystal-clear lake. The Königssee is located in Berchtesgaden National Park, the only German national park in the Alps

Almost an hour ago, humans and animals departed from the Salet, which is also the final stop for the electric boats that transport hikers and visitors to the southern shore of Lake Königssee This year, around 250 000 people have come to Salet over the lake Most of them get out and walk to the mountain chalet of Salet, where there are cows during the summer There is now a ‘closed’ sign as the cows left a few days earlier

The mountain hut and pasture Fischunkelalm is another good hour's walk away on the southern shore of the Obersee. This Saturday mid-Octoer the cows were milked one last time at five o'clock in the morning At eight o'clock, farmer Hans Leitner locked the door of his hut Family and helpers who have worked on the alpine pasture during the summer, accompany the twelve cows

along the rocky and very stepped hiking trail along the Obersee. For the calves the way is too strenuous, they come by boat over the Obersee At the Salet boat dock, they are all loaded together for the boat trip across Lake Königssee The boat is pushed by a motorboat and was built especially for the cattle transport The animals buck and don't like to get onto the boat voluntarily Cows can swim, but their instinct tells them that they would have no chance if the boat capsized There are steep walls and the lake is 190 m deep and very cold It needs many experienced hands and good persuasion

Fischunkelalm is open from mid-May to mid-October. The mountain pasture has been around for over 500 years! Since 1486 it has belonged to the Leitner family. Their small farm with 6 hectares of grassland is located about 2 km outside of Berchtesgaden Farmer Hans Leitner (52) comes to the alpine pasture every day, brings fresh bread, takes care of repairs and helps with catering when

there is a large crowd. At peak times, the ships sail up to 4000 people a day across the Königssee and up to 300 guests are entertained on the Fischunkelalm Popular are bread and butter (4 €), milk (glass 2 €), buttermilk (glass 2 50 €) and the cheese platter

For the alpine cows, 25 hectares of pasture are available; the freshly milked milk is used to make butter, buttermilk and cheese At 10 o'clock the first guests appear, around 5 pm the last leave Since the Fischunkelalm is located in Berchtesgaden National Park, overnight stays are not allowed and all visitors come and go with the ferries

It is 8 km across the Königssee before the cows have solid ground under their hooves again. Upon arrival on the mainland and behind a cordoned-off area, the cattle are decorated It consists of crowns of spruce and fir trees, whose branches are decorated with handmade flowers and rosettes made of colorful wood shavings The cows are only decorated when the summer on the alpine pasture has been accident-free Staying on an alpine pasture is not without danger: a cow can fall or give birth to a dead calf When such an accident happens, the animals are quietly brought from the pasture

If everything went well during the alpine season, the cows wear magnificent crowns and garlands around their stomachs – as on this Saturday – on their one-hour march back to their home farm. Friends, neighbors and farmers are joined by many tourists who – before boarding their boat across the Königssee – do not

want to miss this spectacle. Not every cow likes to have a crown tied on her head and as soon as the herd is released, they storm away Past souvenir shops, where the cow is marketed in every way and with cowbells for 520 € a piece for sale The cows dash past restaurants, pretzel and meatloaf stalls to the main road, where they bring the busy traffic to a standstill

Now you have to trust in drivers and animals and have good cowherds and helpers, because barriers or warning signs, as they are common in Switzerland, for example, can not be found here Many drivers get out of their cars and take the opportunity to take pictures. The date of the cattle drive was deliberately not announced, says Christina Stanislaus from the Bergerlebnis Berchtesgaden office It would only attract more onlookers, she says, and they often do not know how to handle livestock, which could endanger a safe cattle drive

Unusually, in the case of the Fischunkelalm (at 619 m), the valley operation is at 800 m above sea level and thus higher than the mountain pastures itself The march with boat trip – the last part through a residential area, then steep serpentines up through a forest –takes a total of over four hours This makes the tour certainly one of the most elaborate cattle drives in Bavaria At the very top of the forest is the Leitner farm, underneath lush, very steep grassland. Here the young cattle graze during the summer and hay is made. "Around three cuts are possible," says farmer Hans Leitner The cattle will be outside a few

more weeks, then they will go indoors for the winter

With the animals back on the farm, the Leitners also start delivering the milk to the Berchtesgadener Land dairy in Piding, 26 km north of Berchtesgaden. His Pinzgau cows produce an average of 4000 to 5000 litres of milk per year This is not a lot, because they only get grass, no concentrated feed, says Hans Leitner Small farmers like the Leitners are in good hands at the Berchtesgadener Land dairy "Small family farms with an average of 27 cows are owners of the dairy The farmers work along the northern Alpine ridge all the way to below the Zugspitze, Germanys highest mountain

From the Zugspitz region, 145 farmers supply around 20 million litres of milk to the Berchtesgadener Land dairy, which is half of the milk produced in the region. Typical representatives are Annemarie Noder (34) and her brother Josef Jais (38), who each run a farm outside Mittenwald Annemarie Noder is a lively woman and the head of the local womans farmer association She is trained as a bank clerk and farmer She runs 230 laying hens, some sheep, guest rooms and eight dairy cows with offspring Her brother Josef runs

the family business with 25 dairy cows and 50 young cattle, he also works in forestry. Both welcome the fact that even the smallest mountain farmer can deliver milk to the Berchtesgadener Land dairy. Every other day the milk truck comes and collects the milk

"A woman in the village has only two cows and delivers only about 80 litres of milk," says Josef Jais He delivers 500 l every two days, his sister's farm around 300 litres They are also satisfied with the milk price, which is currently at 49 40 C/l "The price does not fluctuate so much, as a farmer you have more planning security and there was even a bonus during Covid," explains Josef Jais

Three-quarters of farmers in the Zugspitz region work part-time, according to Lisa Loth from the Zugspitz Region Economic Development Agency. The official economic output is only 2 %, she says.

"But the contribution for society is priceless," she emphasizes. There is, for example, the care of a special landscape with humpback meadows with the traditional barns where hay is stored

Once a week, she posts something agricultural related on social media, because, “they have the highest clicks," she says

Information and visiting the region:

www.berchtesgaden.de/en/home https://bergbauernmilch.de/en https://zugspitz-region.de (also in English)

BOOK – 200 Farmers of Scotland – NOW £20 when ordering direct

Every farmer has a story to tell This book covers the diverse range of Scottish farmers and crofters from those farming the rugged hills of the Highlands to the sandy loams of the Lowlands. From owner occupiers, tenant farmers, share farmers, crofters, farm managers, starter farmers, to new entrants, farming from 10 acres to 31 000 acres – the people are as diverse as the landscapes and environment in which they work Scotland covers 7.8 million hectares, of that 5.7 million or 73% is farmland, or 79% if common grazing is included.

This book has photographs of 200 farmers and interviews with 109 from across the country from Orkney to Berwick and Durness to Stranraer within its 288 pages It is available from individual bookshops and farm outlets or direct from the author To order direct: drop an e-mail to Eilidh MacPherson at editor@farmingscotland com or private message on facebook – farmingscotland com for details