Farmland Magazine March 2017 by FarmLand Magazine

FARMLAND

FREE PRINT & DIGITAL FARMING MAGAZINE M a r c h 2 017 |

Spring

W W W. FA R M L A N D M AG A ZI N E .CO M

Cover by Suzanne McNally

NEWS, STORIES INTERVIEWS, EVENTS, MACHINERY AND MUCH MORE

Practical lambing

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Specialist advice from XL Vets

GIFTS

FARMING MOTHERS WILL LOVE

NEW! 'WOMEN IN AG' PLUS - 'FINDS IN THE FIELD', OUT OF THIS WORLD CABBAGE AND HORNLESS HOLSTEINS

Electric fence

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8 page pullout. Handy tips from our experts. PLUS Brand new discount codes

Farmers voice

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Opinions from Ben Eagle, Solway Shepherd, Richard Bower and James 'JR' Robinson

MARTFINDER PAGE 38 >

M AI L @ FAR M L AN D PR E SS .CO M | T W EE T @ FAR M L AN D U K | FR EE

farmland farmlandmagazine.com

inside this

issue.

Let’s

Connect. twitter.com/ farmlanduk

March 2017

pinterest.com/ farmlanduk

top tweets

Farming News.

I started writing a blog post about Spring last night & it looks like I've thereby cursed the whole country to another 3 months of Winter..

Cabbage that's really out of this world (Page 4). Farming, Brexit and the UK Economy. BBC Milkman and American scientists breeding 'Hornless' Holstein cows.

04.

facebook.com/ farmlanduk

@willpenrievans “What a day"..........

A cow with character is a wonderful blessing!

Special Features.

@mclfarmservices

Falls in FBT Rental growth 'tempered' by the scarcity of available land. Soil anaylsis with Ben Eagle, Avian Flu from St David's Poultry and Rural crime focus with North Yorkshire police.

@Jasloanfarm

Contributors Emily Hickman.

Women in Ag

12.

21 year old Emily grew up in North Wales and is currently a studying a Bsc in Agriculture at Harper Adams University. Emily runs her own blog ‘Life and the cows’ Tweet @Lifeandthecows

What should Farming mums expect on Mother's Day? Lorna Sixmith shares her humorous outlook. Emma Lander on 'The role of the Farmers Wife' and young farmer Katie Smith

Chris McCullough. Chris is a multimedia journalist who has worked in the industry for 15 years. Although based in Northern Ireland, Chris has enjoyed a thrilling career travelling the globe for the best farming news & stories.

Lambing Time Brand New to Farmland Magaizne Animal health section supported by XL Vets. March brings Lambing time so seek some practical guidance from the team at Carlisle.

Emma Lander. Emma Lander is better known as Farmers Wife & Mummy, she runs one of the UK’s top food, parenting, farming & lifestyle blogs and contributes regularly to Farmland Magazine. Tweet @Emmalander2

28.

Farmers Voice.

NEXT time.

Hear from the NFU’s own Richard Bower about entering Agriculture from a non farming background. Solway shepherd shares his views on British Ag and James Robinson on the biggest threat to Farming.

09. A day on a mixed farm 13. Promoting good Cattle health 19. Wellies - Tested by REAL Farmers 23. Spring Events 26. Electric Fencing 'How to' 28. Young farmers 30. Hot Livestock Sales 33. See you next time

farmland farmlandmagazine.com

Farmland News The latest news and stories - Read it as it happens at www.farmlandmagazine.com

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5th March Springwood Hall, Kelso. The 22nd Potato Day DOORS OPEN 11AM

SHIRE HORSE SHOW

17th - 19th March The world's largest gathering of Shire Horses held at Stafford County Showground shire-horse.org.uk

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Centered on food, farming and everything countryside, Plenty of both indoor and outdoor activities at The Three Counties Showground from farm animals to the livestock ring and much more threecounties.co.uk

BORDERWAY DAIRY EXPO 2017

11th March Borderway Mart Carlisle. The 6th annual leading dairy event in the UK returns to Cumbria this Spring. Admission is FREE.

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Events

Cabbage that's really out of this world NASA harvest cabbage crop on International space station

rowing vegetables comes naturally to many people, but now astronauts have recently harvested their first crop of cabbage on the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson planted and grew Tokyo Bekana cabbage seeds as part of the Veg-03 investigation.They have been tending the plants for the past month but Whitson harvested some of the cabbage recently, and the remainder of the crop is being saved for a scientific study back at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. NASA says it’s important to understand how plants respond to microgravity which they see as an important step for future longduration space missions, as crew members will be required to grow their own food. As an extra benefit, the data from this investigation could benefit agricultural practices on Earth by designing systems that use valuable resources, such as water, more efficiently.

But this isn’t the first time astronauts have grown vegetables in space, as they also have grown lettuce and flowers in the Veggie facility on the International Space Station.

plants grow and supports a variety of plant species that can be cultivated for fresh food as well as for experiments for educational purposes.

The cabbage crop was chosen after evaluating several leafy vegetables on a number of criteria, such as how well they grow and their nutritional value. The top four candidates were sent to Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre’s Space Food Systems team, where they brought in volunteer tasters to sample the choices. The Tokyo Bekana turned out to be the most highly rated in all the taste categories according to Nasa.

NASA is planning to send a second Veggie system to the International Space Station later in the spring to be positioned next to the current one.

This is actually the fifth crop grown aboard the station but it is the first Chinese cabbage grown there. This facility provides lighting and necessary nutrients for plants in the form of a low-cost growth chamber and planting pillows, which deliver nutrients to the root system. All the pillows require is a special light to help the

Dr Anna Lisa Paul, the principal Investigator from University of Florida in the US, said: “These experiments will provide a key piece of the puzzle of how plants adjust their physiology to meet the needs of growing in a place outside their evolutionary experience. “And the more complete our understanding, the more success we will have in future missions as we take plants with us off planet,” said Paul. See more news, stories and interviews at farmlandmagazine.com

Get your

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Farm Advice Service

The Farming Advice Services aim is to help farms get to meet and comprehend the requirements for Cross Compliance, Greening

Farmer Stress Study Needs you

esearch indicates that farmers and crofters may be particularly vulnerable to stress and/or low POULTRY mood but that they may not want to, or be able to access formal health care services for support. The University of Glasgow are keen to find out how best way to support the mental health of members of the farming community. have launched a Farmer Stress Study which aims to aims to help farmers and crofters learn a variety of practical life skills in order to help improve symptoms of low mood and anxiety.

and European Directives. such as water protection and sustainable pesticide use. The FAS is a FREE to use service. Register for FREE updates on 03000 200301

or by emailing bookings@ farmingadviceservice.org.uk and using ‘Register for newsletter’ in the subject.

Farming delivers over seven times investment value to UK economy

n order to highlight the importance of UK

For centuries farms have been deeply rooted

farming ahead of any Brexit negotiations the

in the rural community, stimulating the wider

value of the industry’s contribution to the

economy. Today’s report shows farming spends

economy and to society has been calculated for

Updates. . . Arla announce further Amba price increase

£15.3billion on goods and services.”

the very first time. Mr Raymond continued: “With farms operating A new report from Development Economics

on 70% of British land, we must ensure these

commissioned by the National Farmers Union

farms are viable businesses in order to carry on

found that for every £1 invested in farming in

delivering this. “With this report, we can look

the UK, a £7.40 return to the economy was

at the economic impact agriculture has already

achieved. This is the first time such a monetary

made. But it’s clear that farming, and with that,

value has been calculated for agriculture and the

food, could have a very different path carved

return it delivers to the UK economy.

for its future, and it will be up to government to do this in the formal negotiations. To increase

The study aims to help prevent or improve symptoms of low mood and anxiety

LAST MONTH IN MILK

It is being deemed as vital information to relay

the vital contribution farming makes to the

to the UK government ahead of the triggering

economic, social and environmental well-being

of Article 50 to highlight the importance of

of the UK, government must ensure we have

agriculture. The seven fold figure was achieved

the best possible trade deals, access to a

by researchers who weighed up the costs of

competent and reliable workforce and farm

agriculture, such as subsidy payments, soil, water

support that is fit for purpose.”

The study focuses on 5 key modules; problem solving; improving confidence and mood; and challenging negative thoughts.

and air costs and greenhouse gas emissions

Harriet Bower, Trainee Clinical Psychologist (pictured above) commented; "Our research suggests that online life skills training can help with low mood and anxiety, and that it works best if it is relevant to the people that are using it. That’s why our project has been designed specifically for the farming community!" The team are looking for UK-based adults from the farming community (male and female) aged 18+ to try out the online tool. They do not have to be experiencing mental health difficulties. Participants are invited to undertake a brief online survey in the first instance by visiting www.tinyurl.com/farmermh You will then be sent an email with a link to the online resource. This study has been reviewed and approved by the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences Ethics Committee at the University of Glasgow (ref: 200160003).

‘wisely’. He said: “With the right trade and labour

against the value of tourism, renewable

Steve Lucas, managing director of

energy production, carbon sequestration and

Development Economics, said: “This is an

habitat and species protection. It also took

important moment in the debate around EU

into consideration more easily measured

negotiations.”

contributions such as agriculture’s Gross Value Added to the UK economy and the sector’s

He added; “For the first time we have

purchase of goods and services.

calculated the total contribution of agriculture to the UK economy and society. This shows

NFU President Meurig Raymond said the

how critical farming is to the country and why

report demonstrates that money invested by

the government must prioritise the sector

government into UK farming is money invested

during Brexit negotiations.”

conditions, this sector could deliver an even greater return to the country. “Farmers are proud to produce food for a growing population, but also go above and beyond this, playing a huge role in contributing to the wealth and prosperity of the country. Decision-makers in government can take this important message to the formal post-Brexit negotiations.

work seen

Farmer Owned Arla foods have increased it’s price to owners by a further 1/2 eurocent per litre equating an upward movement of 0.38 pence taking the liquid price to 27.45 ppl.

Muller announces new contract terms to 1900 suppliers The Dairy Giant issued new contract terms to it’s network of suppliers that aims to deliver a ‘competetive pricing over a longer period of time. The contracts new terms include a penalty of 0.025ppl for every 0.01% for butterfat less than 4% and a bonus of 0.025ppl for every 0.01% above 4% butterfat.

farmland farmlandmagazine.com

American scientists breed 'safer' hornless Holstein cows

Updates. . . LAST MONTH IN SHORT

Chris McCullough

British Sugar expecting huge profit boost

There are only a few cattle breeds in existence that have no horns naturally but now American scientists are developing the trait within Holstein cattle.

Due to this fact, these newly bred cattle will not be arriving anytime soon as regulators have not agreed that genetically engineered animals can be allowed in the food chain.

Horned animals provide a threat to other animals, farmers and dog walkers and only a handful of breeds such as Aberdeen Angus and Hereford have no horns.

The first calves, which were created using IVF techniques, are called Spotigy and Buri and the team at the University of California are hoping that their offspring will also be hornless even if they are bred with horned cows.

The Beet processor is expecting a 'substantial' increase in it's profits due to lowered beet costs, higher sugar prices and a weaker, against the pound, Euro. The company reported £34m profits last year alone.

If successful, it will allow the industry to bypass decades of breeding hornless cows.

From Hill Farmer to Milk Parlour.

he number of Dairy Farmers in Wales has halved over the past 15 years - and on average 3 Farmers a month are leaving the industry. In a new three-part TV series Gareth Wyn Jones - Milk Man, the hill farmer from Llanfairfechan is on a mission to explore the dairy industry - “from the cow to the consumer” - to find out if there’s a future for the Welsh dairy farm.

Dr Van Eenennaam said: “Geneediting is a technology that can seamlessly combine the desired traits of two unrelated animals without crossbreeding, thus preserving the present day production from dairy cattle while eliminating horns with genetic methods.” For now, the experimental cows produced by the University of California cannot yet be used in farming. However, scientists in California have come up with a way to splice the ‘hornless’ gene from the Angus breed into the Holstein dairy breed in a move they say will make farming safer.

Scottish Government extend prevention order

Animal geneticist Dr Alison Van Eenennaam, of the University of California, discovered it is possible to splice the ‘hornless’ gene from Aberdeen Angus cattle into the black-and-white Holstein dairy cows so that they are born without protrusions.

The Avian Flu prevention order has been extended by the Scottish Government until 'atleast 30th April'. It permits keepers in all areas of Scotland to let their birds outside provided that they have enhanced biosecurity in place.

Calves from dairy breeds and most other beef breeds normally have to be dehorned days after birth which can be quite a traumatic experience for them. Breeding hornless cows would also make it easier to sort them into pens and trucks, potentially saving the industry millions of pounds a year. However, there is a glitch as effectively these cattle are classed as being genetically modified.

“It’s not yet clear what regulatory status food-animals produced with gene editing will have,” added Dr Van Eenennaam. “The prospect that gene-edited animals would be subject to regulation as an animal drug, even though their genetic modifications might be indistinguishable from those obtained through conventional breeding, is a concern for animal breeders who see the potential to employ genome editing to complement traditional genetic improvement programs.” The team of scientists at the University of California are also hoping to perfect a technique to genetically design cattle so that they only produce male offspring, which grow faster than females. And, they hope to engineer cows which are less prone to pneumonia, which would reduce their need for antibiotics.

In the show, Gareth takes to the streets of Wales to educate consumers about the true cost of a pint of milk

“I don’t think people understand how much time and how much commitment goes to having milk on their corn flakes and in their tea,” says Gareth. He added “Cheap milk is a good thing, but we must always remember when the cost of production is higher than the final price farmers are getting for milk, it’s only a matter of time until these hard-working people go out of business. Cheap food comes at a big cost.” The 3 part series is available on BBC iPlayer

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Exmoor Farmers state their postion Exmoor Upland Farmers have united to put forward their ambitions to help sustain people and the environment through a reshaped agricultural policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

Vic Uttley (Pictured) says that if everyone relied on seasonal produce, there would be no crisis.

Smaller producers using ‘veg crisis’ as an advantage MEGAN ALLEN Farmers and producers across the UK are disproving the belief that there is a vegetable crisis. Bad weather in Spain has affected courgette crops and salads which are imported to the UK at this time of year because they do not naturally grow in colder weather. Vic Uttley, who runs Rutland Roots, a local produce delivery scheme based in Langham, Rutland, sources most of her fruit, vegetables, eggs, flour, meat, milk and honey from Rutland or the neighbouring counties and says that if everyone relied on seasonal produce, there would be no crisis. “There’s something really lovely about eating seasonally. It makes me look forward to the summer when I can eat courgettes as I know they’re at their best,” she explained. “The same applies to Britishgrown asparagus in May, apples

in September and squash in October. There’s always something to choose from and look forward to.”

swapped for leeks and broccoli is swapped for celeriac, their seasonal British counterparts. Riverford Organic Farmers, based in Devon, grow and deliver organic produce nationally.

Vic has backed a campaign by the National Farmers’ Union to encourage buyers to swap their imported goods for their seasonal alternatives.

Founder Guy Watson said: “We need to relearn the potential of great British veg, and embrace seasonal British winter crops instead of relying on imports. A lack of lettuce isn’t a big deal.

NFU’s spokesman, Alison Pratt, said: “It’s a fact of modern life that we, as consumers, have got used to having seasonal foods all the year round, such as salads, and fruit such as strawberries on the supermarket shelves.

“In my experience, when I was growing for supermarkets, up to a half of all veg was often left in the field due to unnecessarily tight cosmetic specifications. Because we grow, source, pack and deliver our veg ourselves, we have the flexibility to widen our specifications.”

“But our parents and grandparents wouldn’t have had those “luxuries”; they enjoyed the variety of home-produced winter vegetables that were available and probably grew their own, too.”

CONNECT +

The NFU suggests that courgettes are swapped for carrots, lettuce is swapped for kale, aubergines are

@ruralrootsPR www.rural-roots.co.uk

The “Exmoor Ask” is a request for a package of public and private investment, overseen by the National Park Authority, together with expert advice, local monitoring, binding contracts and a focus on innovation to develop new market opportunities. These ideas are being put forward by the Exmoor Hill Farming Network. The priorities of Exmoor farmers are two-fold, firstly to keep the benefits for the public and society from Upland areas such as clean water, carbon storage, diverse wildlife, recreation and tourism; and secondly to support viable farm businesses that also maintain the special landscape of the national park whilst taking into account revised trading and support poilices. Upland Beef & Sheep Farmer James Taylor, commented on the move; “The paper was produced to show where we are, what we do and what we would like to see in the future. I think it's important that we, as a group of upland farmers can put forward our requirements for the post Brexit package. This is just the start of the process, more detail will be added as the process progresses More information can be found at exmoorhillfarmingnetwork.org.uk

UK losing €76million a year due to fake pesticides A recent report from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shows that 13.8% of legitimate revenues are lost each year due to counterfeiting of pesticides. Those lost sales translate into 2,600 jobs directly lost across the pesticides sector in the

in the EU with an estimated 200 jobs lost in the UK alone, as manufacturers employ less people than they would have do in the absence of counterfeiting.

EU-28 in terms of taxes and social contributions is estimated at €238 million.

The total yearly loss of government revenue as a result of counterfeit products in this sector across the

“As our reporting series has shown, counterfeiting can affect every economic sector, and the pesticide

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

António Campinos, Executive Director of the EUIPO said:

TWEET US @FARMLANDUK

manufacturing industry which includes a large number of small and medium enterprises, is no exception. This report in our study series, outlines the economic effect of counterfeiting on sales and jobs, and how legitimate producers are impacted by the presence of counterfeit products in the market.”

IN THE FIELD farmlandmagazine.com

Farmers learn how to investigate life beneath our feet Soil is perhaps the most precious resource on the planet. Everything that humanity has ever achieved has been reliant on a six inch layer of top soil, which acts as the living skin of the Earth. Our understanding of soil has increased fundamentally in recent decades, although there is much that we still need to learn. For much of the twentieth century, the key focus was on soil chemistry and maintaining fertility in soils through a balanced and quantifiable programme of external inputs. However, there has been a growing broad awareness of the importance of not only soil chemistry and physics, but soil biology, for sustaining healthy soils. These are the three pillars of agriculture. They cannot be isolated and must all be accounted for in farm planning. Most farmers carry out regular soil surveys, gathering a range of data to enable them to increase output. Many farm managers see a healthy ‘living’ soil as part of the answer to affordably sustain yields and profitability in the long term. With better affordability of good quality laboratory equipment such as microscopes, some farmers are taking soil analysis into their own hands, working to understand the soil biosphere, albeit supported by a network of public and private researchers. A few weeks ago I went along to a workshop at Rushall Farm near Reading, organised by SoilBioLab, which aimed to give delegates the confidence to collect soil samples and undertake basic qualitative and quantitative analysis under the microscope.

“Some farmers are taking soil analysis into their own hands”. Picture credit Jennifer Ings

Six of us attended the course, including farmers from Ireland and Essex, all with slightly different agendas, but all wanting to improve their knowledge and skills with regard to soil microbiology. We were introduced to a world that few usually see. After a general introduction, including information on the soil food web and the main species groups, we were shown samples under the microscope, vibrantly bringing to life what some perceive as an inert substance: from nematodes, darting from place to place, to more sedentary fungal threads, bacteria and various protozoa, all moving around differently depending on structure and species.

It was clear how vibrant the soil biosphere is, when it is healthy. We spoke about the effects that various actions can have on soil microbiology, such as cultivations or ready availability of organic matter. After lunch it was time to stretch legs and go out into the field, taking soil samples from the nearby woodland which we could then individually analyse under the microscopes in the classroom. This mix of practical and theoretical was a great way to learn and the support offered by course leader Simon Parfey and the rest of his team was invaluable. Simon said to me afterwards: ‘’we consider it vital to provide farmers,

On Farm with Yara

growers and those who manage land, with knowledge as directly as possible, ideally, in a hands-on fashion. The courses that we have been delivering, teach skills that an individual can apply at ‘ground level’ - back at their business. The workshop format allows people from different backgrounds to come forward, share experiences and ask experts questions in an open and friendly environment.’’ SoilBioLab are hoping to run more courses later this year and beyond. Article by Ben Eagle @Benjy_eagle

Philip Cosgrave, Grassland Agronomist

YIELD AND QUALITY ARE NOT INCOMPATIBLE BEDFELLOWS WHEN IT COMES TO GRASS SILAGE. Producing high yields of high quality first cut silage reduces the need to maximise second cut silage, whilst allowing you to substitute expensive bought in concentrate feed with higher quality silage to achieve comparable levels of performance. The potential exists to produce 6 – 7 t/DM/ha from a first cut ryegrass sward if the proper fertilizer program is in place. Nitrogen drives crop growth but also crude proteins levels in grass silage. Some of the crops N requirement will be met from slurry but the inconsistency in slurry N levels and the losses experienced during application usually result in over estimating available N supply. The optimum application rate for first cut ryegrass sward is 125 kg/N/ha, so you need to subtract your slurry N contribution from 125kg to obtain the quantity of purchased N. Sulphur is being under applied on all grassland, but particularly for silage. Sulphur deficiency is compromising grass DM yield and silage protein levels. Soil supply is inadequate and 40 - 50 kg/SO3/ha should be applied for first cut silage. Low soil phosphorus and potassium will reduce herbage yield and N use efficiency. A high yielding crop requires 55 kg/ha of P2O5 and 180 kg/ha of K2O. Cattle slurry can supply a large portion of this requirement with the balance coming from purchased fertilizer. It’s a false economy applying too little P and K. Check out Yara’s silage programs by visiting www.yara.co.uk/crop-nutrition

Yara UK

www,yara.co.uk

@YaraUK FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

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FARMERS VOICE farmlandmagazine.com

@BENJY_EAGLE

The Uncertainty of British Agriculture Anybody involved in British agriculture could give you a list as long as a goose’s neck when it comes to current problems and concerns for the future. What will agricultural policy look like post-Brexit? How best to maintain animal health? Will glyphosate be banned? How to increase yields whilst also reducing environmental impact? How will agriculture embrace and adapt to new technologies in the future and what will the effect of this be on rural employment? The list is seemingly never ending.

Ben Eagle is an agricultural and environmental writer at www.thinkingcountry.com

However, for me, the biggest problem for agriculture at the moment, especially in a UK context, can be summarised with a single word: uncertainty. There are lots of questions and very few concrete answers. Farmers, whether tenants or owner-occupiers intend to be in the job for the long game, and it takes time to plan and implement changes within farming businesses. Uncertainty doesn’t help and it becomes increasingly difficult to make decisions about the future. Is it worth investing in a robotic milking system, a new building or new tractor this year or can it wait? Should you risk diversifying the farm and starting a new enterprise this year or can that wait?

In a policy context we face months, perhaps years of further uncertainty, as the politicians and civil servants work out between them what Brexit really means. We know we are leaving the single market but we don’t know what our relationship with Europe will be replaced with. Whilst some farmers will be choosing to take risks, most will be bedding themselves in over the next few years, not making major changes to business structure, as uncertainty bites. Uncertainty is the problem. The challenge is how to deal with this uncertainty and to come out on the other side in a position of strength.

UK, Brexit, Trump and Farming

RICHARD BOWER

Entering Ag from a non farming background

JAMES BAYLIS “Write about something that has concerned you recently.” That’s what FarmLand (Magazine) pitched to me before I sat down to write this piece. Despite being just over a month into 2017, it’s not like there’s a shortage of options. Brexit. Trump. Farming. I was spoilt for choice, so I opted to combine all three. With Brexit seemingly going ahead, and the UK quitting the single market, my biggest concern right now is undoubtedly the quality of trade deals that Theresa May and the UK government will be able to hash out. We’re hardly going into any negotiations in the strongest of positions, and my fear is Mrs May will be going around the world, cap in hand, and taking any deal she can make with the likes of USA and China, no matter what effect it may have on British agriculture. Not only will any exports to the continent now face tariffs, which could be very painful for the UK

I am very lucky to be the current Chairman of the NFU Next Generation Policy Forum a position which I didn't even dream about 5 years ago, this sums up my career to date.

When he’s not chasing his Lleyns down the Solway firth, James is penning his next blog post for solwayshepherd.co.uk

sheep industry who export large quantities of British lamb to Europe, we could soon find our supermarket shelves filled with American hormone filled beef and chlorine washed chicken too! Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Bob Young, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s chief economist, made it clear that any UK/US trade deal would hinge on Britain accepting beef from growth hormone-implanted cattle, chlorine washed chicken and unlabelled GM foods that had

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

previously been rejected under EU regulations. UK farmers have long held their heads high and pride themselves on having some of the highest welfare standards anywhere in the world. Now, that could all be undone if Mrs May et al choose to turn their back on British farming and open the flood gates to cheaper produce riddled with hormones, antibiotics or chemicals in a search for an answer to trade post Brexit. @Solwayshepherd

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I grew up on a farm always wanting to farm, when I finished school my family told me there was no money in farming and told me to go and work for the supermarkets. I applied to study for a degree in Agri Food Marketing with Business Studies at Harper Adams University, this then led to completing a post graduate scheme in Food and Fresh Produce Management before returning to the family farm and getting more involved with the NFU, who knows where I will be in 10 years time. I can only see the world through my eyes and experiences but I believe the current opportunities for younger people to better themselves, work together and take control of their future are very high. Farmers are respected professionals and there should be a career path, which allows new entrants while giving the older generation a chance to retire.

FARMERS VOICE farmlandmagazine.com

JAMES ROBINSON

Is the biggest threat to farming the family itself? 5th Generation Organic Dairy Farmer James Robinson works his family farm in Kendal, Cumbria and it’s very much a family business. At the recent Oxford Farming Conference it was successfully debated that the biggest threat to the family farm is the family itself, but this seems like a fairly brutal assessment of one of the things which make up the absolute fabric of UK agriculture. Family members take very little out of the business in terms of a wage, but put thousands of hours of work into it. Truth is, it becomes your life and there becomes precious little time for anything else. Within our NFU Next Generation Policy Forum we discuss the statistic that the average age of a farmer in 2013 was 58 years old and access to land and finance is very difficult for new entrants. We also believe diversity is key and just because I went to University that isn't the right option for everybody. We have also created links with National Federation of Young Farmers, Cheshire Young Farmers, CEJA European Council of Young Farmers and the World Farmers Organisation. The same issues are discussed globally which I think is positive as we are all in this industry together and need to put our heads together to identify the opportunities. I know the statistic is 58 years old

for the average age of a farmer but i also know that many young people driving our industry forward. The agricultural colleges and universities are full. Young farmers are stronger than ever and organisations such as the NFU are integrating with younger members. We have many future challenges, volatility, energy security, food security and reconnecting with the end consumer. You don't need to own land to be a farmer, there are many opportunities and I want the Next Generation to have more opportunities than I have had. Richard @rich_bower

I’m as guilty as anyone else of putting farm first and family second. When we were preparing for our wedding, Michelle and I met with the vicar, Rev David North (massive Mrs R brownie points for my recollection of his name!) and as we were leaving he said to Michelle, “You do realise you’ll come second to the farm don’t you?!” She still married me though! But we all do it, maybe it’s a bit of agricultural bravado, maybe its pride or maybe it’s just that we don’t have time to stop and think about the time slipping away. It was only after I’d been chatting to some friends on Twitter that my brain suddenly clicked into gear. Why should I work a seven day, 80+ hour week? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not work shy or lazy, but sometimes we try so hard to ensure that the farm will have a viable future for the next generation,

NFU Next Gen Conference breakout session, taking questions from the audience. Pictured NFU Next Gens Richard Bower, Simon Gadd and Alastair Wilson

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

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that we completely miss the whole point of why we are farming in the first place. My wife has been trying to persuade me to take some time off for years, but oddly it was only the intervention of someone from outside the farm that made me act.

“I’m as guilty as anyone for putting the farm first and the family second” What value should we put on the time spent with our families? Our boys are 11 and 13 years old and if I’m not careful they’ll be all grown up before I’ve even had chance to enjoy their childhood. So, there we are, we’ve got some help on Fridays and weekends, and if it costs a bit, so what. I’m really looking forward to some quality time away, without constantly glancing at my watch in trepidation of the next milking time. Follow James on Twitter @JRfromstrickley

WOMEN IN AG Celebrating our great Female Farmers -

See more at www.farmlandmagazine.com/womeninag LORNA SIXSMITH Irish Dairy Farmer, Blogger and Author of ‘An Ideal Farm Husband’ Lorna Sixsmith shares her light hearted look at Mother’s Day. Originally created to give working children a chance to visit their mothers, I often think if a farming family could have chosen the date, it probably wouldn’t have been put in the middle of the busy spring season. ‘Lorna farms with her husband Brian James and their children Will (14) and Kate (12) in Co Laois, Ireland.

Considering mothers are supposed to be treated like royalty all day now, do farming mothers get a breakfast in bed, the family dinner cooked, freshly baked cakes not to mention a gift? Hmm, pigs might fly around here regarding the breakfast in bed. The rest is up to luck sometimes. Most of our calves will be born by then so we may get a full night’s sleep. It is still a busy morning between milking cows, probably training in a couple of freshly calved heifers and feeding the calves. I am usually treated to cards and gifts made in school, a jug stuffed with

daffodils and a breakfast of as many pancakes as I can eat. Something always goes wrong to prevent or delay a trip out for dinner so we’ve given up on that!

“So would it be better if Mother’s Day was an autumnal date? To my own surprise, I’ve decided not. Despite the lack of a lie on and the slim chance of being spoilt for a few hours.” I think the spring date emphasises rebirth and nurturing. Women have

What is the real role of the farmers wife? Cheshire based Emma Lander, or Farmers Wife and Mummy to you and I, is an award winning Farming, Parenting and Lifestyle blogger at farmerswifeandmummy.com Farmerswifeandmummy Farmers Wife & Mummy @Emmalander2

been described as better calf and lamb rearers for decades and the presence of lambs gambolling in fields and calves in the sheds emphasises this. Rather than calling it Mother’s Day, maybe Mothering Sunday is a better name, a day that recognises the beauty and importance of all kinds of mothering. One Mother’s Day, Brian took his mum and the children out for lunch. I stayed at home to monitor two cows calving. Some might be horrified that I didn’t go along too. Yet I was in

The role of the farmer’s wife has changed beyond all recognition in the last century. Indeed up to the last 20-30 years, farming in general has changed but the role of the traditional farmer’s wife continues to evolve and adapt to the different challenges we are all faced with each day. Whereas some women of my motherin-law’s generation and earlier looked after children, cooked meals and did tasks on the farm, farmer’s wives now do so much more. The red-tape and paper work attached to farming means many wives now find themselves as impromptu accountants and pen

heaven eating chocolates and reading a book by the fire with one eye on the calving monitor. I couldn’t have been more content. It’s on 26th March this year by the way!

Lornasixsmith.com Lorna Sixsmith @Irishfarmerette

pushers. Writing invoices, filling out cow passports and sheep movement licenses. This is where the grey area lies. Just because a woman is married to a man who happens to be a farmer, does it actually make her a farmer’s wife in the traditional sense? Some women who are married to farmers now have their own careers off the farm-such is the economy of agriculture now. Farms which once sustained three or four farmilies at a time can no longer do so and, in order for farms to remain in families, it’s often down to the women to go out and earn money elsewhere.

I f y o u w o u l d l i ke t o f e a t u r e, e m a i l k i r s t y @ f a r m l a n d p r e s s . c o m The number of women involved in UK Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing since 2010.

% numbers indicate total of workforce. Figures rounded to nearest 1000.

2016 104,000 26.7%

2015 117,000 28.7%

Warwickshire based Katie is rural blogger and aspiring vet. Tweet @Woesofwellies

2014

Why are so few young girls considering farming?

106,000 24.9%

These days as young girls we are told that we can do anything. We can be teachers, lawyers, doctors, firefighters, anything we want! So why are so few young girls considering a future in farming? They say that farming is the biggest job on the planet so why leave women out of it?

2013 83,000 23%

2012 118,000 29.1%

2011 115,000 26.4%

2010 96,000 23.3%

Source. Office of National Statistics (ONS)

Many girls struggle to get into farming because they are told that it isn’t a woman’s job, it’s too demanding or they aren’t capable. When in fact, women can be just as strong and just as capable as men. Some of my friends say that when they’re out and about in their wellies and boiler suits that everyone presumes that they are horsey and not farmers, just because they are girls. It is important to open people’s

Many still come home and complete all of the tasks I mentioned above on top of their daily employment but it makes them no less of a farmer’s wife. Then there are also the women who farm in their own right and I honestly feel it is this group of women that the term farmers wife does the biggest disservice to. Years ago, connotations of a farmer would have been a male but, unlike some professions, a farmer doesn’t not mean male at all. According to good old Wikipedia, a farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. No mention of gender here.

I don’t want this article to become some kind of soap box for feminism but the truth is, there are many, many women out there who are farmer’s in their own right without a ‘husband farmer’ behind them at all. Women in agriculture in general it seems, still have a bit of a rough time. In a still, largely male-dominate industry, old-school workers still seem to discard women. I’ve known female vets be laughed off yards when they arrive to assist in a tricky bovine delivery. Likewise, feed reps and other visitors to farm yards across the country still

minds up to the idea of women in agriculture, so it becomes more commonplace and is more widely accepted.

I know that we are starting to break through the barrier but we are far from being rid of the problem.

Another friend of mine was studying Agriculture at College but decided to switch to doing an Animal Science degree specialising in Agriculture as it would give her more opportunities than she would have gotten as a female farmer. This way she can enter the sector at a higher level with a greater span of knowledge stemming from her scientific degree.

There are so many inspirational women to look up to in the industry doing great things for farming, especially in the UK. One of the women that inspires me is Amanda Owen but there are so many more out there! It is important for any girls interested in the agricultural industry not to be put off by antiquated responses towards a career in farming. If you are a young person trying to make your way in agriculture I would say don’t give up, you have to step out of your shell and show them what you can do!

Sexism definitely does exist in the industry in simple ways such as a lack of good quality, affordable and durable work clothes for women that are readily available for men.

ask many women they see (quite clearly employed in heavy-duty farm work) where their husband is, who they can talk business to etc. There are women shearing sheep, calving cows, driving tractors and running their own successful farm businesses in a way that would have been almost unheard of 100 years ago.

Katie Smith

Yes I have a few of my own animals and help at at lambing and doing paper work but I don’t make the decisions. I don’t use machinery and I don’t make life and death decisions like my husband does.

Our eldest child is a girl and it makes me so proud to think that should she wish to follow her father’s footsteps, she will be able to do so and I for one will be behind her 100 per cent.

A farmer’s wife is not the same as a farmer-whether they be male or female. I suppose despite the advances in women across agriculture, my role is still traditional but I hope that isn’t something to be ashamed of. There is still a need for farmer’s wives in our industry. They just have to be more adaptable than ever before.

The truth is, I really am a farmer’s wife.

Emma x

TRENDING NOW

Gifts for Farming Mothers

It’s Mother’s Day on 26th March, Be inspired by our Gift Guide 1 - It wouldn’t be Mother’s Day without flowers.

Choose these pretty Tulips and Freesias. Free UK

Delivery. £22.99 www.bunches.co.uk 2 - Cowhead Brooch. Handmade in Scotland. 2 sizes from £20 www.tweedyourself.co.uk 3 - Alpaca Wellie Socks. Great Insulator and Odour repellent. £30 www.perilla.com 4 -Must Read - How to be a perfect Farm Wife by Lorna Sixsmith www.lornasixsmith.com 5 - Pure Candles produce beautiful soy wax container candles and tea lights in a range of gorgeous scents, all handcrafted in small batches from their studio in Northumberland. From £4.95 www.purecandles.co.uk 6 - Our Favourite - Genuine Icelandic sheepskin, oak nose and tweed pose-able horns, fully upholstered footstools that will create country living in any home. £200 - £250 www.tweedyourself.co.uk

Original Cow Art by Lauren Terry all available

from www.laurenscows.com 7 - Juliet, Minnie and Ted - 3 gorgeous calves available as a mounted fine art print for £40 8 - Little One - Fine bone china 1 Pint jug £18 and mug £8.50 9 - Posy - Especially for Mother’s Day available as a card £2.75 or fine art print £40

7 FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

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RURAL CRIME farmlandmagazine.com

A LOOK AT RURAL CRIME

This month we look at Selby, North Yorkshire. This specialist taskforce made over 100 arrests last year alone.

ORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE “We’re the lead in Rural Crime” This taskforce have set their sights on rural criminals. The unique squad of officers are tackling issues head on and dealing with everything from Machinery thefts to livestock offences. We speak to PCSO Matthew Lewis. DB Hi Matty, Thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Let’s start with how long have you been a police officer? ML We’re happy to! I have worked for North Yorkshire Police for eight years now. I started my career as a “Safer Neighbourhood” PCSO in the Acomb area of York, an urban estate bordering onto rural York. When I heard NYP were starting a Rural Taskforce, I couldn’t wait to apply! DB Great, we are in safe hands then. How many of you are there in the team? We are a team of 7 PCs, 7 PCSOs, a Sergeant, an Inspector and a few in vital roles behind the scenes. It’s quality not quantity, bear in mind! DB Quality does win. What are you doing differently as a taskforce? It does indeed! We are the national lead on Rural Crime and ANPR

A recent online poll suggested more than half those who took part felt safer in their rural community as a result of the Rural crime teams efforts this year. This means we are red hot on dealing with rural crime robustly, and using ANPR technology to hunt down travelling criminals, who target the more vulnerable, rural and isolated parts of North Yorkshire, and bring them to justice. DB How are you connecting with those who may be isolated in rural communities? We have recently trialled a Rural Taskforce Roadshow, and we attend all our big agricultural shows in NorthYorkshire. That way, it has the feel feel that “we come to you”, and residents of rural communities who

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“The ultimate solution for surplus produce”

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“Our objective is to create an efficient and sustainable alternative market for surplus produce encouraging farmers to full harvest their crop and increase their income” Pascale Martin

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Alternative platform for surplus produce

Finance industry, I wanted to be involved in the ‘real economy’.

Company founder Pascale Martin who has spent the past few months building up the network said; “After 6 years of working in the

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

DB So, you’re approaching your first year anniversary. How successful do you think it has been?

Agronomex is modelled on an online auction platform where the asking price is set by the seller allowing growers to sell their excess and unsold produce, as well as giving buyers an alternative portal to source an endless list of unsold fruit and veg.

www.agronomex.com Sell your produce

It’s hard to gauge success, but in the first year we have made over 100 arrests, seized more than 50 vehicles, and summonsed countless offenders DB What campaigns do you use to to court for wildlife crime. One of our raise awareness? recent successes has led to a man being sentenced to a year in prison We are currently running the ‘Call It In’ for breaking into vehicles in a rural campaign, encouraging the public to village. We will only work harder to contact us through the appropriate keep our status as the safest county channels to report anything they in the UK to live, and increase public deem to be “not quite right”. confidence in rural policing. Sometimes, something that might seem insignificant can be a big piece Thank you for speaking with us - how can people connect with you? of the jigsaw for us!

A B2B Marketplace for unsold produce is looking for growers to join its network.

07930 397 342

Set your asking price

may have previously been hesitant to pass any issues to us, are in a better position to approach us.

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I’ve always been sensitive to farming problems and edible waste cannot be ignored any more. I explored many ongoing B2C initiatives and felt this wouldn’t fully solve the problem regarding the large volumes of waste involved so Agronomex was born. The platform is simple to register on and offers many key features including different membership levels and guaranteed payment. Once your account is approved you can begin trading immediately. Visting www.agronmex.com to find out more

*: TESL

Energisers

How does an electric fence work? The heart of any electric fence system is the energiser. It is connected simultaneously to the fence conducting material and the earth. The energiser creates regular high-voltage impulses (every 1.3 sec), which last a matter of milliseconds and in turn generate a voltage between the conducting material and the ground. When an animal (or a person, vegetation or similar) touches the fence, the circuit is completed. A current then flows from the energiser, through the conducting fence material, through the animal and then finally through the ground to the grounding rod and back to the energiser. The electric shock is rather unpleasant and results in the desired deterrent effect. The fence does not have to loop back and can end at any point

+ + +

Technical specifications explained. Power source

Mains, 12 V, 9 V, 3 V.

Stored energy (J, joules)

The energy the energiser takes from the mains or battery and consumes itself. This value can be used to compare different energisers.

Output energy (J, joules)

This is the maximum energy that an energiser can provide to the fence. The higher the pulse energy, the less of an issue vegetation is and the more secure the fence is. Since 2010 it is compulsory for an energiser to have safety features ensuring that if a fence is touched by an animal or person (500 Ohms), the pulse energy will not exceed 5 joules.

Voltage in open circuit (V, volts)

This is the voltage as measured on the outputs of the energiser, when it is not connected to the fence.

Voltage at 500 Ohm (V, volts)

This is the actual voltage as measured on the outputs of the energiser under a normal load. e.g. when an animal or grass or a person are in contact with the fence. Since 2010 it is compulsory for an energiser to have safety features ensuring that if a fence is touched by an animal or person (500 Ohms), the voltage will not exceed 5000 volts.

Power consumption (W, watts / mA, milliampere)

Power consumption is measured in watts for mains energisers and milliampere for battery energisers. Our most powerful mains energiser NVi 15000 consumes around 18 watts per hour. This is much less than the power consumption of a conventional light bulb 40-100 W.

Min number of ground rods

This number works for the majority of situations. In some situations, where the soil is not moist enough, more rods may be required. We will discuss the importance of grounding in the future issues.

Number of connectable nets

For this purpose one net is 50 m (55 yards) long.

Fence length

The maximum fence length the energiser will power.

Optimal, lab (CEE 1500V)

This figure is based on the single strand of the conductor with the highest metal content and lowest resistance, like strand wire and assumes perfect fence conditions, which are not achievable in real life.

No vegetation

Real life achievable fence length using a single strand wire when no vegetation touches the fence.

Light vegetation

Real life achievable fence length with light vegetation.

Heavy vegetation

Real life achievable fence length with heavy vegetation.

* Voucher can only be redeemed online. Not redeemable for cash or credit. Cannot be combined with other vouchers. Can only be redeemed once per customer per purchase. Cannot be applied to previously placed orders. Expires 31 March 2017.

electric-fence.co.uk

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What do these specifications mean to you? The actual values of interest to you are • • • •

Output energy Voltage at 500 Ohm Number of connectable nets Fence length with heavy, light and without vegetation

These are practical values: Output energy - the maximum energy provided to the fence, Voltage at 500 Ohm - actual voltage when an animal touches the fence, Fence lengths - real life, achievable length, which are based on a single wire strand, which is important because it means if you have 2 strands in your fence the advertised fence length is halved. Nets have a low metal content in the polywires and are closer to the ground then other conductors, hence more leakage will occur through vegetation and shorter distances will be effectively powered. TIP: Other values are for comparison of energisers only and offer no practical use. Some sellers out there only use Stored energy, Voltage in open circuit and Optimal, lab fence length when promoting their items. While these numbers are correct, they are quite misleading from a practical point of view, especially to those who are unfamiliar with electric fencing. We use these values as well to stay competitive, but we emphasize the real fence length achievable, as you will notice it is significantly lower. Choosing the right energiser. Firstly, your choice should be influenced by the Power source available. Here are some Pros and Cons.

• • • •

lower start-up costs cheaper to run suitable for very long fences with heavy vegetation suitable for hard-to-keep animals

• • • •

mobile, do not require mains power suitable for long fences with heavy vegetation can run on solar power suitable for hard-to-keep animals

• • • •

lightweight highly mobile can run on solar power can run from a few weeks to a few months on 1 battery

• • •

extremely mobile suitable for gardens, mobile paddocks or trail riding lower power consumption (approx. 6 weeks)

230 V

Cons

12 V

Pros

• • •

affected by power cuts require mains power require lightning protection

• •

higher start-up costs batteries must be checked and recharged frequently

• • • •

short fences only only suitable for easy-to-keep animals batteries cannot be recharged costly compared to other energisers in the long run

• •

very short fences not suitable for nets

Some energisers can be powered by more than one power source. For example, one of our best-selling dual-power energisers HELOS 4 can be powered by a 12 V battery, solar or mains via an adapter. This adds to the energiser’s versatility. Our 9 V energisers can be powered by 9 or 12 V batteries, as well as mains. Another great feature is 2 fence terminals. All of our PROFILINE mains energisers and some others, like VOSS.farming TESLA 7 and the 12 V energiser AV6700, allow to power up 2 fences simultaneously. However, the power distribution is not equal, making them ideal for one long and one short fence. Finally, all of our energisers with a 12 V operation mode have a battery protection built in as standard, meaning you will never need to worry about your battery being completely depleted. Secondly, you should consider the type of animal the fence for. Easy-to-keep animals - horses, cattle, pigs, dogs, cats and other pest are generally used to electric fences, have short hair and therefore feel the shock pulse more clearly. The minimum effective voltage for the fence should not, however, go below 2,500 volts – these animals tend to escape otherwise. Free-roaming wild animals, but also sheep, goats and poultry are „more difficult to keep“. These animals are not generally familiar with electric fences and also have thick hair or fur which significantly reduces their sensitivity to electric shocks. In this case, a high-voltage electric fence is required to provide the necessary safety. This voltage should not be less than around 4,000 volts. Some energisers, like SIRUS 8, allow you to switch between 2 different power levels, thus allowing you to use it for both easy- and hard-to-keep animals. Thirdly, you should consider the Output energy. Energisers with low pulse energy (under 1 joule) are suitable for use with easy to keep animals. These energisers are also suitable for fencing with little or no vegetation. Energisers with medium pulse energy (up to around 5 joules) are suitable for use with difficult to keep animals. The electric fence should be of medium length with a normal to medium amount of grass vegetation. Very powerful energisers with high pulse energy (over 5 joules) are suitable for use with difficult to keep animals. These are good for very large fence systems with lots of vegetation. We hope this article answered some of the questions you may have had, for others give us a call or drop us an email. We have also added a check list which will help you identify the problem on the fence, as well as a convenient guide to our energisers. All of the 12 V and 9 V energisers can be powered by solar panels. In the next issue we discuss in which situations they are a better choice.

electric-fence.co.uk

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PROBLEM

NOT ENOUGH VOLTAGE ON THE FENCE!

Use fence tester to check fence voltage

9V: check the battery voltage / replace the battery if necessary 12V: check the battery voltage / charge or replace the battery if necessary Mains: test the energiser at a diﬀerent power socket

Check the output voltage directly at the energiser's terminals

hint 1

hint 2

Is the energiser getting suﬃcient power from the power supply?

Is the voltage over 6000 V?

YES

Turn on the energiser

min. 4000 V

hard-to-keep animals

min 2500 V

easy-to-keep animals

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Send for repairs

Connect the fence and grounding cables back to the energiser

Turn oﬀ the energiser

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Turn on the energiser

Disconnect the energiser from the fence and grounding cables

electric-fence.co.uk

Turn oﬀ the energiser

min. 4000 V

hard-to-keep animals

min 2500 V

easy-to-keep animals

Check the energiser

Please check fence voltage with a fence tester

YES

PROBLEM SOLVED

Turn oďŹ&#x20AC; the energiser

Turn on the energiser

hint 3

hard-to-keep animals min. 4000 V

electric-fence.co.uk

easy-to-keep animals min. 2500 V

Use fence tester to check fence voltage

Please re-attach the fence connection cable to the fence

YES

Is the voltage over 6000 V?

YES

hint 6

0145 234 62 04 (Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm)

PROBLEM SOLVED

The issue lies with the fence connection cable

The problem is with the fence system

hint 5

YES

hard-to-keep animals min. 4000 V

shop@electric-fence.co.uk

PROBLEM SOLVED

easy-to-keep animals min. 2500 V

Use fence tester to check fence voltage

Improve your grounding!

YES

Is the voltage over 1000 V?

Check the voltage directly at the grounding rod

Check the voltage at the end of the fence connection cable

hint 4

Check the grounding and the fence system

1 1

Check the fence connection

hint 7

3. Turn on the energiser.

3. Touch the fence terminal with the fence tester.

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Mains: LED does not ﬂash > check the power supply

0145 234 62 04 (Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm)

12 V battery: red ﬂashing > battery is empty > when tested minimum operational voltage is 12 V

9 V battery: red ﬂashing > battery is empty > when tested minimum operational voltage is 7.2 V

hint 2

2. Disconnect the fence connection cable from the fence.

2. Touch the ground terminal of the energiser with the fence tester’s ground rod.

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4. Test the voltage at the end of the fence connection cable with a fence tester.

1. Turn oﬀ the energiser.

hint 3

1. Remove the nuts from the ground and fence terminals.

hint 1

Useful hints from our experts

electric-fence.co.uk

grounding

fence connection

5. Damaged insulators > replace.

electric fence energiser

4. Knotted conductor material > never knot, always use connectors.

2. Test the voltage directly at the ground rod with a fence tester.

0145 234 62 04 (Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm)

apprx. 10 m

iron rod

3. Damaged/broken conductor material > replace.

ground rods connected to energiser.

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6. Improve conductivity > connect the fence lines vertically every 200 m.

2. Fence conductor material touching the ground > increase the tension or connect the broken material.

1. Lean a few iron rods against the fence approximately 10 metres away from the

hint 5

1. Vegetation touching the fence > remove.

hint 7

3. Only choose ground rods that will not rust: galvanised or stainless steel.

2. Ground rods should be positioned with a minimum of 3 m between them.

1. hint Place 5 the ground rods away from the building and hammer in to the ground almost completely.

hint 6

How to check the voltage directly at the ground rod?

hint 5

leakage and damage.

2. Overground fence connection: check the fence connection cable for

defective or not ďŹ t for purpose > use a high-voltage insulated cable.

1. Underground fence connection: the fence connection cable is

hint 4

Useful hints from our experts

0.04

5800

1560

Output energy (J)

Voltage in open circuit (V)

Voltage at 500 Ohm (V)

0.6

Light vegetation (km)

Heavy vegetation (km)

Cat

Rabbit

Badger

Marten

Heron

electric-fence.co.uk

Fox

Raccoon

Wild boar

Deer

Buck

Wild animals

Dog

0145 234 62 04 (Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm)

Poultry

Pig

House pets

x x

Sheep

Goat

4.5

140

7500

10000

Mains

43825.UK Tesla 7

x x

6300

11500

3.4

4.9

Mains

41830.UK NV 5700

4.5

5700

11300

2.9

4.7

Mains

43820.UK Delta 5

Galloway

1.7

4.5

4800

9800

1.6

2.2

Mains

41820.UK Xtra Safe 230V

Cattle

x x

1.2

3.5

3600

7800

0.9

1.2

Mains

41810.UK NV 1200

Horse

0.2

0.5

730

2360

0.1

0.15

Mains

30902.UK MiniSafe

Pony

Farm animals

0.9

Optimal. lab (CEE 1500V) (km)

No vegetation (km)

Fence Length

0.06

Number of connectable nets

Mains

Power source (V)

Stored energy (J)

Technical Specification

44772.UK NV 100

7.5

230

7900

11200

Mains

44869.UK NVi 9000

330

8500

11500

18.5

Mains

44875.UK NVi 15000

shop@electric-fence.co.uk

4.5

140

7500

10000

4.8

6.8

Mains

44865.UK NVi 7000

1.1

4100

9200

0.85

1.1

41915.UK AV 1000

Poultry

Raccoon

Badger

Marten

Heron

Fox

Wild boar

Deer

Buck

Wild animals

electric-fence.co.uk

x x

0145 234 62 04 (Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm)

Rabbit

0.3

2500

10000

0.15

0.22

9 / 12 / Mains

42010.UK Extra Power 9V

Dog

5.5

150

7200

10000

7.6

12 / Mains

44687.P.UK AVi 10000

Cat

Pig

House pets

Sheep

Goat

5.5

x x

4.5

150

7200

10000

7.6

12 / Mains

43805.UK SIRUS 8

1.8

110

7200

9700

3.5

12 / Mains

44853.P.UK AVi 8000

2.5

100

6300

11600

3.2

4.9

41935 AV 6700

Galloway

Pony

1.5

7300

9600

2.2

3.2

12 / Mains

43800.A.UK HELOS 4

Cattle

Horse

Farm animals

Heavy vegetation (km)

4.5

No vegetation (km)

5700

12400

Light vegetation (km)

Optimal. lab (CEE 1500V) (km)

Fence Length

Number of connectable nets

9000

5000

Voltage in open circuit (V)

Voltage at 500 Ohm (V)

2.1

1.5

Stored energy (J)

41925 XtraSafe 12V

12 / Mains

Output energy (J)

Power source

Technical Specification

44186.UK Green Energy

0.8

3.5

2900

10500

0.23

0.32

9 / 12 / Mains

42020.UK BV 2600

1.2

4.5

3300

10800

0.39

0.48

9 / 12 / Mains

42030.UK BV 3900

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0.3

2500

9600

0.16

0.28

9 / 12 / Mains

43850 AURES 3

0.2

0.4

0.8

580

9500

0.03

0.04

44194 BV 110

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Spring Advice. Ensuring Health and Safety Compliance on the Farm STEPHEN WHYLES As we increase outdoor farming activities after the Winter months, it’s important to keep safety in mind and be aware of common hazards present on your farm. To avoid accidents, make sure you and others you work with are aware of proper safety precautions. Children are especially at risk from farm-related accidents. There are typically 200+ deaths every year among children and many of these situations occur when they are innocent bystanders or passengers on farm equipment. Be sure to think about all the mechanical, chemical, and environmental hazards associated with your work.

Always follow the safest procedures to ensure safety for everyone involved. Remember that accidents can happen at any time and those at-risk range from youth to senior farmers. To help avoid accidents, communicate the importance of farm safety and practice safety every day. Another of the greatest hazards on today’s farms is the risk of electrocution. Before heading back into the fields this spring, be especially aware of dangers while working near overhead power lines. Know the location of power lines around the farm. Keep farm equipment at least 10 feet away from all overhead power lines. The minimum 10-foot distance is a

Whyles Safety are offering a FREE 30 minute site consultation (East Midlands area) Get in touch 0115 906 3335 or visit www.whyles-safety.co.uk for more information.

360-degree rule – below, to the side and above lines. Be aware of increased height when loading and transporting

larger modern tractors. Before transit, always be aware of your overhead clearance near power lines.

So what became of the Rural Planning Review? Tom Ogden BSc (Hons) MRICS MBIAC AssocRTPI. DIrector at Bloomfields The publication of the summary of responses to consultation published this February has, yes you guessed it, resulted in more consultation! But it shouldn’t be seen as bad news, arguably just delayed action (providing something ends up happening).

So whilst the rural review continues to be reviewed, we are working hard for clients to utilise planning opportunities that still exist for many able to capitalise on permitted development rights, exploit shortfall’s in housing numbers and outdated local plans. Should you be reviewing your options?

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...TO THIS

We were also pleased to see amendments to guidance to better support the development of farm shops, polytunnels and on-farm reservoirs is being proposed. Watch this space.

Clarifying the position on building operations will also be useful for those looking to benefit from the potential opportunities that exist for converting offices and storage premises to residential units and the new permitted development rights available this autumn for converting industrial units to homes.

VED AP O R P PP

APP

The latest proposals seek the views on extending the thresholds for agricultural permitted development rights to help farmers, and on a new agricultural to residential permitted development right to help provide housing for rural workers (with a possibility of allowing up to 750sqm of agricultural building to go to residential, for a maximum of 5 new dwellings, each with a floor space of no more than 150sqm). So don’t miss the opportunity to have your say by 2 May 2017.

The intention to clarify what constitutes building operations reasonably necessary to convert agricultural buildings to residential uses within permitted development rights should help Council’s be more positive towards delivering much needed housing and farm diversification.

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D A PR P

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Overall Farmland Prices fell by over 8.5% last year The Rural research team at Knight Frank reports

As reported in the Knight Frank Autumn 2016 Rural Report, the immediate impact on farmland values post the vote to leave the EU was less dramatic than some had predicted. According to the Q4 2016 results of the Knight Frank Farmland Index, the average value of bare agricultural land in England and Wales fell by almost 3% to £7,476/acre. Overall prices dropped by 8.5% last year. It would be easy to attribute the drop to the EU referendum result, but in reality the sustained fall in commodity prices – albeit we’ve had a post-Brexit rally off the back of sterling’s slump - and the inevitable mismatch between buyer and vendor expectations that usually follows any kind of property market bull run, is probably more to blame. As with all major political events, the EU referendum did have an impact on market activity in the preceding months, both in terms of the amount of land being put up for sale publicly and bids from potential buyers. Once the result was known, even though it was not the outcome many expected, we saw the majority of the deals that had been put on hold being wrapped up quickly. Given that feed wheat values last year were at one point almost half of their recent highs, the land market is actually

proving to be fairly resilient. The fall in sterling has helped to spur overseas demand – in dollar terms land values are over 20% down on the year – but the continued lack of supply is the main driver helping to keep prices from falling further. So far, there are few signs of any surge in the number of farms being put up for sale, while infrastructure projects such as HS2 mean there is a growing numbers of potential buyers with rollover funds looking for land. HS2 mean there is a growing numbers of potential buyers with rollover funds looking for land. Looking further ahead, some might argue that the farmland market will only react properly when the UK actually leaves the EU – until then at least farmers are still being supported by the Common Agricultural Policy. But making any kind of predictions as to what will happen when we trigger Article 50 in March and when we still don’t know the details of what kind of support agriculture will receive from the government post-Brexit, or what trade deals will be struck with the EU and the rest of the world. Much will depend on supply and demand.

Studies are showing that the land market is proving to be resilient

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Falls in FBT Rental growth 'tempered' by the scarcity of available land Savills rural research team Ian Bailey and Johnny Dudgeon discuss.

Although there are currently a higher proportion of standstills and rent decreases than a few years ago the majority of reviews pursued still lead to an increase. The sum of these factors means the overall rate of growth across passing rents (annual rental income receivable on a property) has slowed considerably. The results of our Estate Benchmarking Survey show that, in 2016, average passing AHA rents increased by 4.9% and FBT rents increased by 2.2%. The average FBT passing rental growth on rural estates reflects a proportion of concessionary rental agreements. However the data behind the averages can vary widely, depending on individual circumstances, as illustrated in Graph 1. The graph presents the frequency with which AHA and FBT rents increased by each percentage (rounded to the nearest 5%).

AHA

FBT

35%

30%

25%

% of settlements

Savills Agricultural Rents Survey shows that, over the past three years, the size of rental increases and the number of reviews being undertaken has steadily fallen. However, average growth for rent settlements is still positive. Our analysis of rents settled in 2016 shows that AHA rental growth is now sub 10% and around 15% for FBTs. Johnny Dudgeon, Director, Savills rural management comments, “any weakening in FBT rental growth is tempered by demand exceeding supply due to the scarcity of land available to rent”.

Distribution of AHA and FBT rent review results in year to 31 October 2016

20%

15%

10%

-10% or more

-5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

% change at review (rounded to nearest 5%)

60% and above

The spread of AHA rents across the sectors is much narrower than for FBT rents with average arable and dairy FBTs being over 25% higher than FBTs for mixed and livestock farms.

What is the Outlook?

Although the average increase for AHAs was below 10%, the rent on the majority of holdings increased by less than this. FBT rent review results show a much greater variability in rent review results which reflect a wide range of agreements including high value crops such as field vegetables and salad crops.

The Government has guaranteed that Basic Payment income is protected until 2020 and Countryside Stewardship income until agreements expire. In the short term, Brexit’s impact on rents will be felt through the exchange rate. The weakening of the pound has played a significant role in increasing output prices and the 2016 Basic Payments. Conversely, the weak pound could work against farmers, increasing the cost of imported goods such as soya meal, fuels and fertilisers.

Where new tenancies were agreed, on average rents increased by more than achieved by rent reviews. This will be as some of the new tenancies were offered by open market tender. Johnny Dudgeon notes that, “exposure to the market generally leads to a higher increase in rent relative to the previous letting and there is a surprising amount of resilience in the market due to scarcity of supply”.

Whether these factors have a positive or negative impact on the earning potential of a holding, or a farmer’s attitude towards a rental tender, will vary according to the balance of enterprises

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and types of production system they are using. However, Johnny Dudgeon says, “this positive exchange rate outcome has, in the short term, helped support AHA rental levels”.

Contact Ian Bailey, Head of Agricultural Research ibailey@savills.com Johnny Dudgeon, Director, Rural Management jdudgeon@savills.com

@Savills

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Caroline Abbott, Paragon Veterinary Group

PREPARATIONS FOR LAMBING An estimated 10-25% of lambs are lost between scanning and point of sale, with the majority of losses occurring during pregnancy and the first few weeks of life. Whilst the groundwork for a successful lambing will undoubtedly have been laid as far back as weaning last year’s lambs, there is still much that can be done now to maximise your scanning-to-sale percentage. Production targets are shown in the table below: here are our top tips for achieving these figures.

Feeding Correct ewe nutrition is perhaps the single most influential factor behind periparturient losses – in terms of both lambs and adult sheep. Correct feeding optimises ewe health, resulting in higher lamb numbers and weights, and improving colostrum quality and yield. This in turn will optimise lambs’ growth and performance. Forage must make up the majority of the ration, and it should be analysed in order to avoid having to guess at the concentrate requirements. ENERGY is the most important nutrient, with a twin-bearing ewe’s requirements increasing from 12 to 18MJ/ day in late pregnancy. Concentrates should have an energy density of at least 12 MJ ME/ kg, and if necessary should be fed twice daily in order to avoid giving more than 0.5kg per feed, as the resultant acidosis would disrupt digestion. Protein content is also essential. A good concentrate will contain 18-20% crude protein (CP).

Whilst not individually listed, it is the quality, or DUP component (dietary undegradable protein) of this protein which is key. This can be inferred by looking at the ingredients: look for high levels (10%) of soya, rapeseed etc. Do not be fooled by the inclusion of soya hulls – these are a fibre source and are low in protein! Don’t forget that getting the diet right will only succeed if ALL the ewes are able to eat it, so allow enough space: 6” per ewe for ad lib feeding, 18” for restricted concentrate feeding. This should also help reduce the incidence of prolapses.

Scanning ewes enables grouping and feeding of ewes according to the number of lambs carried, and therefore their likely requirements. Close monitoring of (and response to) condition score is also essential, whether scanning or not. Ewes can be blood-sampled 3-4 weeks before lambing in order to monitor the diet: if deficiencies are detected, the appropriate dietary changes can be calculated.

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Abortions

LAMBING TOOLKIT

Isolate any aborting ewes and disinfect the area. If >2% abort, investigation is recommended: ideally submit fresh lambs and placenta for laboratory analysis, but if this is not possible, aborting ewes should be retained, and clearly identified, as they can be blood-sampled at a later date.

Even with the best laid plans, things can go wrong, so make sure you are prepared. Some things to consider: Lambing ropes/

Colostrum supply

Warming box for

Medicines,

head snare,

(e.g. frozen surplus

hypothermic lambs;

antibiotics,

disposable gloves, ewe colostrum,

also glucose for

anti-inflammatory

lubricant

artificial colostrum),

intra-peritoneal

injection, propylene

stomach tubes and

injections if required glycol for twin lamb disease, calcium

bottles

injection.

Lambs Step one in giving lambs the best chance of survival has already been discussed: ewe nutrition. Step two is colostrum. Colostrum is vitally important: not only does it contain maternal antibodies, which are a lamb’s major protection against disease for the first few weeks of life, but it is high in energy, vitamins and minerals. The minimum requirement is 50ml/kg in the first 4-6hrs of life. Watery mouth arises due to lambs swallowing bacteria from the environment, and diseases such as navel ill, joint ill and E coli diarrhoea can all also be largely avoided by preventing bacterial infection from dirty conditions. With this in mind, Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness, and is paramount to avoiding disease. Dryness is a factor here, so good drainage and ample bedding are required. A compact lambing period will help reduce disease build-up, and don’t overstock: allow 1.1sq m per ewe and one individual pen per 8 ewes lambed. Good colostrum intake goes a long way to providing protection, as does dressing navels with strong Iodine. Protection against Clostridial diseases (and possibly also pneumonia) should also be provided, by vaccinating ewes in late pregnancy.

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POULTRY farmlandmagazine.com

Avian Flu - Just what is it? Richard Jackson BVMS (Hons) MRCVS

News A case of H5N8 avian flu has been confirmed in a small flock of chickens at a farm in Haltwhistle, Northumberland. This is the 8th report confirmed by the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) since 16th December. In each case, a number of the birds died and the remainder were humanely culled to prevent further disease spreading. But, what is Avian Flu? We hear from St Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poultry Vet, Richard Jackson.

Bird Flu Avian Influenza is caused by an Influenza virus, of which there are several strains. Some of these strains infect only people, whilst others infect only birds. Some strains have the ability to infect more than one species; however, in these cases, the virus tends to have a preference for infecting one species, e.g. A strain of Influenza that infects birds may readily spread between poultry but may struggle to infect people and will only do so in rare circumstances. Why human health professionals become concerned about bird flu is that if there ever was a strain that could infect both people and birds readily, it would be a challenge to control. Not only do different strains vary in terms of which species they prefer to infect, they also differ in the levels of harm they do to infected birds. As such, AI is split into two groups: High Pathogenic AI (highly harmful) and Low Pathogenic AI (less harmful). Unfortunately, as with all things in nature, AI does not fit nicely into boxes and all strains lie on a sliding scale, whereby at one end, the viral strain is so harmful that affected birds are often found dead; through to relatively harmless strains whereby infected birds show mild sneezing. Only the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) can determine whether or not a given strain is classed as high or low pathogenic. The virus is often carried and spread by waterfowl that are remarkably resistant to disease and rarely show clinical signs. As waterfowl often migrate large distances globally, AI can move between countries readily. Furthermore, both people and contaminated objects can carry the virus long distances. Affected birds shed the virus in both their droppings and nasal discharge. Subsequently, other birds and perhaps mammals can pick the virus up by either inhaling or ingesting it. Once infected, birds can show clinical signs in as little as 24 hours.

Due to the symptoms being rather non-specific, any suspicion of AI must be notified to your local Animal Health office. From a backyard flock point of view, either the sudden and unexplained death of more than one bird or illness in the entire flock should be considered as a cause for concern. Diagnosis can only be made by a vet taking blood samples or swabs. Unfortunately when AI is suspected, Animal Health (a government agency) must be informed since Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease. They will visit the farm and take samples. If your birds are positive for the virus then sadly they would unfortunately have to be put to sleep. Next, Animal Health/DEFRA would look at birds on surrounding holdings to check for disease. Local poultry keepers will also likely be advised to keep all poultry indoors. In these circumstances, it is very tempting keep your head down, say nothing and pretend that everything is okay. However, not notifying Animal Health or DEFRA of suspected cases could allow for the spread of the disease across the country, potentially leading to the deaths of millions of birds and in extreme circumstances you may be putting yourself and your family at risk. Animal Health/DEFRA would use the GB Poultry Register to determine which holdings are near to a suspected outbreak. All poultry keepers with more than 50 birds are required to sign onto the register. Prevention of AI in your flock involves keeping wild birds away. Trees in ranges look nice; provide shelter and shade as well as encouraging ranging. However, trees attract wild birds which can defecate on the range below possibly spreading AI. Feeding birds outside also attracts wild birds. Keepers of waterfowl should especially try to discourage wild birds from swimming in their ponds.

Clinical signs include sudden death, respiratory distress, swollen face, sneezing (snicking), runny nose, runny eyes and nervous signs. Unfortunately, none of these signs are specific.

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

Currently, the strain that is across Europe and now in the UK is H5N8 and appears to be a very aggressive virus with high mortalities and even the waterfowl that are normally fairly resistant to it are dying. There have been confirmed outbreaks in poultry holdings and game bird farms. These sites have had a 10km surveillance zone set up around them and all poultry within this area will be traced. For the latest information on outbreaks, please visit the DEFRA website. Even before any outbreaks were confirmed the Government of England, Wales and Scotland gave a housing order to all domestic birds, which ended on 28th February. There are now controls in place for high risk areas, to find out if you are based within a high risk area, visit: www.gisdiseasemap. defra.gov.uk/intmaps/avian/map.jsp Whilst AI is easily spread, it is not resistant to disinfectants or soap. It is important to prevent contact between wild birds and poultry in smallholdings, we advise housing the birds or using netting to cover areas to prevent wild birds accessing your birdsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; food and water. Many people ask about vaccination. However, whilst there are vaccines available globally, there are several strains of AI and therefore, it is almost impossible to have one for every strain out there. To make matters worse, AI is constantly changing meaning that a given vaccine may be useless within weeks or months of being manufactured. There is also an argument out there stating that vaccinated birds may become infected with AI but not show signs thus they would not be identified and spread the disease further. Globally, AI is a problem mostly in the developing world rather than in the western world. Whilst DEFRA and Animal Health do their best to keep the disease out (including annual random routine testing), it is always possible that with migrating birds the disease may make its way into the UK. Poultry keepers are always advised to keep a look out for sudden death or severe respiratory signs in several birds in their flock. If you suspect AI, please contact DEFRA or Animal Health immediately.

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Greenhouses - Making the right choice for your smallholding If a smallholding is defined as a farm of under 50 acres growing vegetables, fruit and breeding livestock, then every square foot must be productive throughout the year, and a greenhouse is definitely necessary to maximise productivity whatever the season. Free standing or lean to, greenhouses are available in various styles, made from a number of materials. What they all have in common is that they allow you to grow a wider variety of plants throughout the year. Budgets naturally constrain your choice but however much you can afford will turn out to be a smart investment. If the greenhouse is well planned and managed, depending on its size there will be enough for domestic consumption, and more to sell at a profit.

Lean tos can be accommodated on the side of your house or against a sturdy wall that will retain heat and can also be used to support climbing plants. The smallest ones can be a useful place to over winter plants or grow vegetables for the kitchen, but don't be under the impression that they are all modestly sized. The largest Swallow Heron lean to is 20ft long by 8ft wide and is built from unique heat treated timber that won't warp or decay and is easily maintained as it doesn't need treating with preservative. A high quality structure, staging and automatic vents are included. An Elite Titan lean to is also very well appointed, the largest version is 20ft long by 8ft 5ins and in theory this can be extended even more, it's a very strong structure that benefits from innovative engineering. Predictably there's a huge choice of free standing greenhouses, ranging from 6ft x 4ft to the mighty 37ft x 13ft Swallow Falcon which is again built from thermally treated timber, includes staging and no less than 12 automatic vents. Other impressive greenhouses include the 19ft x 12ft Juliana Gardener. Then there are the 20ft 6in long Elite Classique and Supreme models which are British built with an imposing list of features and options including the opportunity to extend their length even further.

Gardensite supply a wide range of Greenhouses. Model shown is the Palram Bella Greenhouse 8ft x 16ft

For easy access, the Eden Bourton 20ft x 10ft boasts zero threshold technology and is designed by one of the UK's oldest established greenhouse manufacturers with a reputation for quality and value for money. All these ranges of course contain a large selection of smaller greenhouses built to similar excellent specifications. Aesthetically, the appearance of timber greenhouses is thought to be more pleasing than metal but there are many other considerations that a small holder must take into account. It's true that timber offers superior insulation and lower heating costs, but aluminium is more affordable, lighter, easier to assemble and will let in more light. Nowadays both offer excellent weather resistance, timber can be heat, pressure or dip treated, on the other hand aluminium that has been powder coated or anodised is very corrosion resistant. Positioning and glazing are also important considerations. Clearly the amount of light received by a greenhouse is vital, so don't locate a free standing greenhouse adjacent a building, on the other hand it shouldn't be in an exposed position or frost pocket.

FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

The longest side should face south and the door away from the prevailing wind. Your greenhouse needs to be sheltered from high winds, easily accessible, away from trees that block light and may cause damage, and preferably near a water source. Light transmission is governed by the type of glass that is installed. Standard Horticultural glass is the clearest for maximum light however it is easily broken into dangerous splinters. Toughened safety glass is also very clear and disintegrates rather than forming shards while twin wall polycarbonate transmits around 85% of light but filters out UV rays, diffuses the light better, and offers superior insulation and durability. To extend the growing season, increase the variety of plants and achieve all year round production, you'll need heating. Electricity will probably need professional installation, however it's reliable, efficient, accurate, and clean, with a thermostat limiting expense. Butane and propane gas cylinders are simple to use but condensation and fumes may be

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a problem. Paraffin is cheap but temperature control is difficult and daily maintenance essential, fumes and condensation are also a negative. Solar energy and wind turbines will be future alternatives. Vents that control high temperatures and allow good air circulation during the summer are an essential design element. Other features such as integral guttering, glazing systems, double or single doors, zero threshold etc depend your individual requirements, as do the accessories that you choose including staging for sowing seed and potting plants, water butts, blinds and bubble wrap insulation. A large greenhouse is certainly a gift that keeps on giving. With everything in place, you can look forward to growing large quantities of cucumbers, aubergines, peppers and grapes, exotic produce such as yams, okra, even bananas as well as extending the season for staples such as salad leaves, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes.

Halls Gardensite @Hallsgardensite gardensite.co.uk

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Exeter Market announce new appointee Kivells Professional are delighted to announce the new appointment of Devon YFC chairman, Claire Bellew as a rural chartered surveyor to head up the professional office at Exeter Livestock Market. Kivells has been at the heart of the rural community in the West Country since 1885 and lead the way in providing reliable, professional advice so Claire will complement the expanding professional department within the firm. Claire has a strong farming background having grown up on the family farm in Bideford and after studying at Harper Adams she returned to her roots in Devon where she has has been working as a rural surveyor for many years.

Claire says “I am very excited to be working with the well-respected Kivells team and as many aspects of the farming world are constantly changing, I will be reinforcing the professional team and helping farmers and landowners with a range of matters from BPS applications, grants and stewardship applications, planning and diversification queries, tenancy matters, compensation claims and professional valuations.

As we go into the Spring everything comes to life in the agricultural world with lambing, calving and spring crops. Alongside this, the BPS deadline gets closer, grass keep agreements need drawing up and grants become available.

“I am also looking forward to building up the farm and land sales department within Kivells working alongside Simon Alford.”

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The hedgerows and boundary grant application window has recently opened with up to

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£5,000 available and the Rural Development Programme for England is open with £12.4m available in Devon and Somerset to increase growth and productivity in rural businesses.’ said Claire. Claire can be contacted at Exeter Livestock Market on 01392 252262 or claire.bellew@kivells.com

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SHEEPDOG SPECIAL

Farm Business Consultancy and Agronomy The Strutt & Parker Farming Department is continuing to grow and we are looking to recruit additional members to the team. Our focus remains on providing the best independent advice to our clients on all aspects of farm management, business consultancy and agronomy. UK agriculture is going through some challenging times and we are looking for individuals who will be proactive, innovative, have a relentless pursuit of detail and enjoy engaging with progressive farmers and clients. There are opportunities for a wide range of positions with various levels of skill and experience. The positions we are currently recruiting for include: Cambridge – Graduate or recently qualified Perth – Agronomist/Consultant with at least 2 years of experience in the industry Newbury – Farm business consultant If you want a challenging career, full of opportunity, in an environment which, whilst fun, is focussed, determined and highly energised then we would like to hear from you. Please apply to richard.means@struttandparker.com or call on 07802 846835 if you would like a confidential discussion. struttandparker.com

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Sheepdog Training with... Nij Vyas. The use of Border Collies on the farm has been declining over the past 10-15 years Although farmers still have a great affinity with the collie, in many areas the use of machinery has taken precedence. The collie has been revered throughout the world and became popular in the 70’s through the hugely popular One Man and His Dog TV show. Indeed there are some 26+ countries that have embraced the collie and have sheepdog trial competitions. Yet there are few countries that farm sheep as prolifically as we do here in Great Britain. Despite quads and cars taking precidence. The use of a Border Collie remains the most economical and efficient way of managing sheep. Collies now demand the highest price at auctions and they are in great demand, particularly abroad, as is the knowledge we have to offer. British handlers are renowned as the very best in the world and farmers and trials competitors across the world want to learn from the best. Many farmers simply want a dog that can bring sheep in for routine tasks, which is fine but the border collie has so much more to offer than just bringing sheep in. Many of my clients comment “ I don’t want to teach the dog anything fancy like your dogs because I don’t want to compete in sheepdog trials” - By their very nature sheep and the terrain in which they graze offers the biggest trial of all. The very idea of any manager in any industry accepting that their staff don’t need to be trained and skilled to their potential and maximum, is unthinkable, yet many embrace this idea as being normal. I recall a young farmer and his 6 friends at Agricultural college being asked to come one weekend to help round the sheep up for drenching. He stood up, quite rightly so, to his tutor and refused arguing that this job could be done by him and his dog alone and it was unnecessary to involve so many people, especially in their spare time. A Border Collie working sheep on a hillside is undoubtedly one of the finest and most poetic sights anywhere, and even I stop my car to watch and admire a dog working on the Welsh mountains whenever I see one. On the whole most collies have a natural ability to bring sheep back to the handler and although in their enthusiasm problems can arise. The task of training a collie to herd sheep in a calm and stress free manner requires 5 - 10 minutes daily,

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sometimes repeated 2-3 times a day and can bring great benefits. Though many young farmers state they don’t have this time, they nevertheless find time to walk up a big hill with their untrained dog to merely come back down again with the sheep.

“A Quad Bike can’t replace the Border Collie” A collie pup is like a child, it needs guidance, love fairness and food. Yes they will make mistakes but who doesn’t. Mistakes offer the opportunity for learning. Common problems in training collies are that they can grip or bite sheep, or they can be too enthusiastic or direct. A dog needs to be taught to understand English, and what the words mean. Shouting or raising ones voice merely serves to destabilize a dog, cause fear, resentment and confusion. Working with a dog needs to be seen as a partnership and often when training a young dog or indeed an apprentice you will have to do more in the early stages yourself so you are leading by example. If a dog or child cannot understand what you are saying, no amount of shouting or threatening will bear any fruit. There are many misconceptions when training not just dogs but other animals about showing them who is boss. This approach is antiquated and misguided and lack logic. Training a dog needs to have an element of logic. You do not have to have experience or prior knowledge but what actions you take must make sense or have reasoning. This approach to sheepdog training is detailed both in my book Sheepdog Training and Trials and my new DVD Practical Shepherding. A collie is a friend and a companion you can talk to and rely on, a quad bike cannot replace a collie and is more expensive to run and less safe.

MACHINERY farmlandmagazine.com

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An ideal Machine for 'Hard Pressed' Dairy Farmers McCormick tractor distributor AgriArgo has come up with the ideal machine for hard-pressed dairy farmers needing a reliable power unit for the daily cleaningup routine – the 74hp X4.35M. Likely to be available for less than £17,950 on-farm in two-wheel drive form and £19,950 with fourwheel drive, the tractor is from the new McCormick X4M Series, so it benefits from the manufacturer’s latest transmission, axle, and hydraulics.

Locate your nearest McCormick dealer by visiting mccormick.farmgear. co.uk

“Argo developed the new X4M Series for markets where very simply-equipped tractors such as this are commonplace,” explains Sales Director Ray Spinks, AgriArgo. “It’s not the sort of tractor we would normally sell here – but we recognised what a great low-cost, mid-size scraper tractor the X4.35M would be.” It has a straight-forward mechanical clutch and 12x12, 40kph shuttle gearbox with 540rpm pto. Radial rear tyres (14.9R28) are included for good grip and long service life, with a 12.4R36 no-cost option on the four-wheel drive version. A dual element hydraulic pump provides 20-litre/min dedicated to steering and 45-litre/min to supply the 2700kg rear hitch and either one or two single/double acting spool valves.

One of the keys to the tractor’s low on-farm price is the 4.4-litre Perkins 1104D-44 engine, which is built to Stage 3 / Tier 3 emissions rules. “It has mechanical rather than electronic fuel injection and doesn’t even have a turbocharger, so it’s about as simple an engine as you can get,” notes Ray Spinks. “Turbo charging and electronic fuelling have their place, of course; they’re essential for more powerful tractors that must meet tighter emissions rules and the electronics bring speed control features and other advantages. “But for a scraper tractor, you want something as simple as possible for low purchase and running costs; you get that with the X4.35M plus the reliability and low maintenance demands of a modern, new tractor.”

John Deere innovation awards John Deere’s latest research and development work has been rewarded with one Silver and two Special Mention Awards at the SIMA 2017 show. The Silver Award is for the Smart AutoLube system, which automatically greases all the lubrication points on the tractor along with its ISOBUS controlled implements. Innovative products such as the SIMA 2017 award winners are the result of John Deere’s commitment to research and development, reflected in expenditures of more than 6 million US$ per working day. “With our ongoing efforts to provide our customers with advanced technology and innovative intelligent solutions, we are confident about addressing all the important agricultural market segments,” says Helmut Korthöber, John Deere’s Marketing Director for Region 2 (Europe, CIS, Northern Africa, the Near and Middle East).

Get the full story online at farmlandmagazine.com FARMLAND MAGAZINE 2017

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ROYSTON, HERTFORDSHIRE DEMO DAY 10th & 11th of March introducing the Bigger TMK Tree Shear Extension beam

@Ncdequipment 07535 211338 07956 087549 ncdequipment.com

Original TMK Tree Shear “It is an outstanding piece of kit. Making Other machines Please call for details

Making money from idle Machinery A new trading platform labelled as the ‘The Air BnB’ of Farm Machinery rentals has launched in the UK. Farm-R.com allows ‘on-demand’ farming – where farmers just pay for the use of machinery rather than the need to own it and renters no longer have to source seasonal equipment.

Dan Robinson, Founder of Farm-r said; “There has never been a better time for Farm-r, with return on capital invested at an all-time low in agriculture, coupled with Brexit causing both uncertainty over future subsidy payments - as well as the likely increase in many farm input costs caused by the weak pound.” Farm-R is now live and trading and has already gained extremely positive feedback from users. Log on to www. farm-r.com to find out more.

a vast difference to our work here” Roy Gamlin

Offering Quality and Choice ATVs, Garden Tractors, Lawnmowers, Chainsaws, Brushcutters, Hedgecutters & Rotavators.

Scots Gap, Morpeth NE61 4DT Tel: 01670 774603 & 774676 Dan Robinson says the platform allows farmers to make more money from unused machinery

@robsonandcowan_ Opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm, Saturday 8.30am to 5pm

MACHINERY farmlandmagazine.com

DEALER FOCUS AGRIPLUS Limited

Unit 9, Rosedale Court, Ellerbeck Way, Stokesley Business Park, Stokesley, North Yorkshire, TS9 5GB www.agriplusltd.com | 01642 712965 | agriplusltd@hotmail.com

NEW X7 EFFICIENT AVAILABLE FOR DEMONSTRATION McCormick X5 READY FOR DEMO

McCormick X4 60 - 107 hp. "Revolutionizing McCormick’s low- and mediumpower range."

The new X5 tractor series offers a fully revamped four-post cab with flatdeck platform and rear hinged doors that provides ease of access to the driver’s seat and unequalled all-round visibility. Designed with painstaking attention to detail. Contact Dave Trewhitt on 07870 400 505 to arrange a demonstration.

WE'VE GOT THE BRAND NEW X4 SCRAPER RANGE

FULL MCCORMICK X6 RANGE NOW IN STOCK

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WANTED - MCCORMICK TRACTORS, DEAD OR ALIVE Sales and servicing of most makes and models. Contact Rob on 07870 400 507 New & Used Sales. Contact Dave on 07870 400 505

NEW AND USED SALES OF MACHINERY, TOOLS AND PARTS SO

McCormick GM Series 35-54 hp. restyled design and ergonomically improved controls

McCormick CX95 Extrashift Powershuttle, Only 4600 hrs, Grab not for Sale. 16.9x34 GY 30% Rears. SOLD

McCormick X5 Range 85-113 hp. offers a fully revamped four-post cab. 4 Models available

FEATURED

West Trailer 2017 Full range of Grain Trailers, Silage Trailers, Tipping Trailers £POA

Teagle 8100 Tomahawk 2017 8100 Tomahawk Straw Shredder/Bedder. Demo in Stock £POA

McCormick X7.650 Efficient 2017 150hp 6cyl, Manual spools, 50k. DEMO IN STOCK £POA

McCormcik Front Linkage Zuidberg 3.9t Front Linkage. Ex Demo, Hardly Used. £1,850

McCormick Front Loaders BRAND NEW IN STOCK

View entire stock range online at www.agriplusltd.com

Vicon Bale Wrappers Turntable wrapping. Available in 3 models. BW 2100, BW 2400 and BW 2600.

Vicon Sprayers 85-113 hp. offers a fully revamped four-post cab. 4 Models available

Maschio Power Harrows Strong, powerful and exceptional build quality. 1.5m- 4m

Combination Drills Turntable wrapping. Available in 3 models. BW 2100, BW 2400 and BW 2600.

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Vicon RV5216 ROUND BALER New Focus 3 Screen, Supercut Rotor, 14 Knives Can Be Retracted. Finance Avaialble

Vicon Spreaders Full range of rear mounted disc spreaders from Vicon. SAVE £££'S

Vicon precision drills Internally filled precision drill for normal and mulch sowing with Seed placement monitor

Maschio Rotary Cultivators 1.05mtr - 3.12mtr. Synonymous with the name Maschio

Flail Mowers 45 - 200hp. Maschio offer one of the largest Mower ranges available on the UK market

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LAKELAND LIVESTOCK CENTRE, COCKERMOUTH, CUMBRIA, CA13 0QQ Tel: 01900 822016 www.mitchellslivestock.co.uk Friday March 10th Special March show & sale of 1,000 store cattle. Competing for the Mr & Mrs T Baxter Shield. NO OTHER STOCK THIS DAY. For further details on any of our sales or to request a catalogue contact the office on 01900 822016 or the auctioneer John Wharton 07912 946549

SOUTH EAST MARTS Ardingly Showground Sussex Collective Auction of

Thirsk Rural Business Centre Blakey Lane Thirsk YO7 3AB

Tel: 01845 523165 Fax: 01845 526604 E: info@thirskmarket.co.uk W: www.thirskmarket.com

EVERY OTHER TUESDAY FORTNIGHTLY SALE OF STORE STOCK Young bulls, cattle, store & breeding sheep EVERY THURSDAY WEEKLY DEDICATED SLAUGHTER SALE Pigs, Sheep & Cattle of all classes

Gave lB Resta ar & u 01845 rant 52741 6

Market Manager W. Andrew Roberts 07787517379 Auctioneers Tony Thompson 07860766571 Emma Coupland 07711124443

1ST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH @ 10.00am MONTHLY COLLECTIVE SALE OF MACHINERY, FUR & FEATHER.

AGRICULTURAL & GARDEN MACHINERY, BUILDERS’ & CONTRACTORS’ PLANT, TOOLS, ETC. Dates this spring SATURDAY, 25th FEBRUARY SATURDAY, 18th MARCH SATURDAY, 22nd APRIL

Thirsk Auction Mart facilities & Showground are available for hire, Contact events@thirskmarket.co.uk

and NORTH WEST AUCTIONS (J36) Wyresdale Road, LA1 3JQ

HERSTMONCEUX COLLECTIVE SATURDAY, 13th MAY

COLLECTIVE SALE OF TRACTORS, MACHINERY, IMPLEMENTS & SMALL TOOLS Wednesday 15h March at 10.00am Visit www.nwauctions.co.uk

For more information visit our website www.southeastmarts.co.uk Tel: (01323) 844874 or Email us - info@southeastmarts.co.uk

Office: - 01524 633 08

WHARFEDALE FARMERS AUCTION Chevin lodge, Leeds Road, Otley LS21 3BD Sales Fixtures Fridays (Fortnightly) from 10.45am Store Pigs & Sheep, Dairy Cattle at 11.00am

SPRING SALE OF WORKING SHEEPDOGS SATURDAY 11th MARCH 2017 at 10am AT HAMMERLANDS, MOFFAT, DG10 9QL

Saturdays at 10.00am Collective sale of Farm implements and Sundries

Early Entries are NOW being sought Fee - £40 plus VAT per dog Closing Date for Catalogue Friday 24th February 2017. Please contact our office or website for information and entry forms C & D Auction Marts Ltd, Dumfries Mart, Huntingdon Road, Dumfries, DG1 1NF Tel. 01387 279495 Fax. 01387-251456 Email – dumfries@cdauctionmarts.co.uk Website - www.dumfriesmart.co.uk

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Farmers Store Cattle Sales Friday 10th & Friday 24th March Office 01943 462 172 www.wharfedale-farmers.co.uk TWEET US @FARMLANDUK

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Finds in the field detecting on farmland Each month - Meet a new enthusiast. This month, we are with keen Birmingham based detectorist Scott Bevan . I've always had a passion for history. However, it wasn't until late in 2015 that I decided to take up my new hobby, metal detecting. I joined a local club, but one dig every 2 or 3 weeks didn't satisfy my desire to detect, so I began contacting farmers asking them for permission. Along with plenty of farmers who understandably had reservations about allowing me to detect their land, I also had several farmers who were happy for me to search their fields. Over the past 14 months I've travelled to Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Wales, Gloucestershire and many other parts of Britain, to visit my new farming friends and to metal detect their land in the hopes of finding long lost pieces of history. I've been fortunate enough to find some truly amazing items during my time detecting such as a Bronze Age axe head and a medieval key. I've found a silver Roman denarius, medieval silver hammered coins and Roman brooches. Musket balls, Victorian pennies and buttons as well as buckles from almost every era of our past. The earth is full of remnants left by the people who walked these lands for centuries before us. I find that the vast majority of my farming friends take a keen interest in the items that I unearth and are sometimes surprised by what I discover on their land. There's been many a time when I would have been welcomed to search but warned by the farmer that there's probably nothing to find, only for me to recover at least several coins from the reign of some long forgotten monarch. As well as recovering these ancient items I believe that there can be many benefits to a farmer by allowing a metal detectorist on to their land.

Firstly, it's an extra set of eyes. In my time detecting, I've alerted farmers to escaped livestock, let them know about broken gates and fences, noted any suspicious behaviour, to name but a few instances. Secondly, as well as the good things that I find, I also remove a lot of scrap metal. Shards of aluminium, rusty bits of iron, misshapen lead, absolutely everything is removed from the land and disposed of. If a farmer has ever lost a sentimental item of jewellery or maybe a part off a piece of machinery, a detectorist could help to locate it. There's also the chance that something of value may be recovered which is a potential profit if a museum opts to purchase the item. Also, if you have a problem with illegal detectorists trespassing on to your land, removing items without both your permission and your knowledge, it's the perfect way to make sure that they leave empty handed. Before allowing anyone to metal detect on your land there are certain things to keep in mind. Genuine metal detectorists should be affiliated with the NCMD (National Council for Metal Detecting) or FID (Federation of Independent Detectorists) & will hold a valid liability insurance card. You can ask the detectorist to provide a contract for you both to sign clarifying how any potential profit from a significant find will be split. I also offer the farmer a fee or I offer to donate to a charity of their choice for a days detecting, although not all detectorist will offer this.

King William III silver shilling (1697)

A silver denarius of the Roman Emperor Augustus (2bc-4ad)

A penny of King Henr y VII (1485-1500)

My most crucial piece of advice is this, get to know the detectorist. During my time detecting, I've found some amazing items. I've learnt a lot about the farming community. I've seen some breathtaking parts of these beautiful lands. But on top of all of this, I've made some truly wonderful friends. I'm always looking for more land to detect contact me via twitter @Scottylar Medieval key (1150-1400)

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Find us on Facebook: Regton Ltd Follow us on Twitter: @RegtonDetectors Watch us on our YouTube channel: RegtonMetalDetectors

Regton Ltd

Metal Detection Specialists Order & Enquiry Hotline 0121 359 2379 Our shop is open Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 5.00pm

Visit our website www.regton.com

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*All prices are subject to change without prior notice