Organic Beef and Sheep Study Tour to Scotland

A group of Northern Ireland organic farmers and advisers visited four organic farms in the West of Scotland during a recent study tour in October. The tour was part funded by Supply Chain Development Branch and organised with assistance from SAC advisory staff.

The group learned about the importance of establishing and maintaining clover swards in organic production and the inclusion of home grown cereals in feed rations as an aid to reducing costs.

Derek Bathgate farms 320 ha of mixed farmland in an upland LFA area. The farm has been organic for 10 years and is registered with the Soil Association.

The farm contained 120ha of improved in-bye ground and 200ha of rough grazing/hill ground. The farm currently carries 500 commercial Texel X and Lleyn X ewes. Tups are selected from ewes in the Top 10 percent for Maternal traits. Ewes lamb from April onwards and lambs are finished into local abattoirs at 21KG deadweight. Current organic lamb price is 300p/KG.

46 pedigree Luing cows are currently managed on the farm. The Luing breed was stabilised in 1964 from ¾ Shorthorn / ¼ Highland. They were described by Derek as hardy, milky and easy calving. They are out-wintered and calve down in the springtime.

Heifers are bulled at 400KG to calve at two years old.  Organic beef achieves a 10p/KG premium and an additional premium if Angus bred.

Fodder beet is grown on the farm after oats. White clover reseeds are under-sown along with the oat crop. No red clover is used on the farm at present.

The group’s next stop was at the farm of Mr Alan Brown who farms 250 acres close to Newton Stewart.

The main enterprise on the farm is a flock of 120 Friesland Sheep which are used to produce milk for cheese making. Alan aims to increase this flock to 150 next year. Ewes lamb in February and are weaned in May, milking takes place once a day through until September.

Beltex and Charollais rams are used on the flock with a proportion of the flock bred to Friesland for replacements.

The milk is made into a hard cheese called Cairnsmore, which is available in various flavours. 30 batches of cheese are made which equates to approx 2 tonne. Cheese is sold all year round at £10/KG wholesale.

Alan and his wife operate a farm shop selling cheese and other organic products. In addition to this enterprise Alan runs 60 sucklers bred to an Angus Bull. He grows his own cereals on farm which includes oats and peas. Rape is included in the rotation.

A very generous lunch was provided by Alan and his family and after further discussion the group made their way to their overnight accommodation at Castle Douglas.

The group set off early on Wednesday morning to the farm of John and Helen Jamison, Dumfries. Upper Locharwoods was described as a mixed farming unit consisting of 680 acres the main enterprise being organic milk production from a herd of 200 pedigree Holsteins.

Conversion began in October 1999 and became fully organic in 2004. The aim was to have a more sustainable business which added value to the produce on the farm, mainly milk, grain, beef and lamb.

John commented on the slow development of the organic market at first, but found it interesting and rewarding with a strong demand at present.

All milk is marketed through their own Scottish Milk Co-operative (SOMPA), which has 30 members.

John’s aim is to produce 1.5 million litres of organic milk each year. Current yield is 9000 litres per cow with milk currently selling for 30p/litre, reaching a peak last year of 37p.

John aims to grow as much of the cows diet on the farm supplementing the ration with organic concentrates from BOCM Pauls. Surplus grain and forage is sold to other organic producers.

Barley and triticale make up the bulk of crop along with Nitouche peas. Organic soya is purchased at £460/t.

John also runs 25 pedigree Angus cattle and 100 registered Lleyn sheep. All beef and lamb is marketed through Caledonian Organics.

The final stop on the tour was to the farm of Ross Paton outside Castle Douglas.

Ross described the farm as 337 ha of full symbol land certified by the Soil Association. The farm is run in partnership with his sister Lee.

The farm is extensively drained with clay tiles, the bulk of which was carried out in the 1840’s.

The main enterprise is 160 dairy cows plus followers. All calves are reared and finished on farm. Ross hopes to move towards the Montbelliarde breed in order to secure a more valuable bull calf which will not compromise milk production in his dairy stock.

Milk price has varied over the past year with an average price of 34p/litre.  Concentrates per cow averaged 1.9 tonnes last year with a yield of 7500 litres per cow. Butterfat averaged 4.06 percent and Protein  3.29 percent. Average cost per tonne of concentrate was £366.

Approx 50 Ha of cereals are grown mainly for feeding stock on the farm. Crops include spring barley, arable silage and occasionally wheat.

Grass is a mixture of five year clover/PRG leys and permanent pasture.

Full use is made of slurry and dung as there is a large slurry store on the farm. This is spread by tanker and umbilical system in February, March and after first cut silage.

After some discussion the group made their way back to the bus and the short journey to Stranraer.

Overall the study tour was considered enjoyable and informative and this was evident from the feedback received on the ferry back home to Belfast.