Northern Farmers Updated On Bull Management
14th October 2006
The importance of looking after a newly purchased bull on the first few days following
it's arrival at the farm was one of the main messages to emerge from a bull
management day, held on an Invernesshire farm this week, and attended by over fifty
local beef producers.
This was the first in a series of events, "Farming for the Future", organised by SAC in
collaboration with NFU Scotland and supported by European Social Funding which aim
to help producers adapt to changes following the introduction of the Single Farm
Payment. Speakers were SAC Vet Sandy Clark, SAC Beef Specialist Gavin Hill, Ian
McCulloch, a vet from Orkney and Orkney farmer Terry Coghill
The focus for the day was bulls and their selection, maintenance and management for
efficient herd fertility - including housing and feeding of bulls, bull health, understanding
estimated breeding values, bull fertility and semen testing and what to look for when
buying a bull.
The event was held at Druid Temple Farm on the outskirts of Inverness, on Tuesday 10
October, courtesy of farmer Brian Grant. The 630 acre farm carries 160 beef cows
including 40 pedigree Simmental cows with Simmental, Charolais and Limousin stock.
The second event in the Farming for the Future series, attended by 25 farmers, was
held on Wednesday 11 October at Forise Farm, Westfield by Thurso, courtesy of Mr.W
R Mills.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
High Prices and High Costs Make Business Planning Essential The continued high costs of livestock feeds mean merchants no longer have stocks of materials available at discount (as many did last winter). In the new 32nd edition of SAC's Farm Management Handbook the budgeted cost of feed and forage for beef finishers is 35% higher than anticipated this time last year.
TIME: 1.00pm on Wednesday 18 October 2006 VENUE: Stemster Farms, Georgemas Steading - opposite the Georgemas junction of the A9. The future for sheep farming in Scotland will be the main topic at the first meeting of the North Sheep Discussion Group, a group set up by SAC's Thurso-based farm business consultants to support local farmers.
Lamb grading, sheep health, production systems and easycare sheep are among the topics to be discussed at North Sheep an open day for the sheep industry which is due to be held on Thursday the 10th August 2006, at Kirkton Farm by Melvich, Sutherland, by the kind permission of Messers W Findlayon. This free event which starts at 1.00pm has been organised by SAC and is supported by European Social Fund (ESF), Highlands and islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
The change in farm support away from direct headage payments means that livestock producers need to improve efficiencies in production and not rely on the single farm payment to prop up the business. Learning new ideas and implementing these ideas is the way forward.
SAC has been awarded nearly £152,000 by the European Social Fund (ESF) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to fund the continuation of a training project in the highlands and islands area. The renewed funding will support the project from August 2006 to July 2007.
SAC is organising a series of meetings throughout the Highlands and Islands which aim to help farmers and crofters understand how the new Single Farm Payment Scheme works. The meetings will take place over the next six weeks (see below for times and venues) prior to the deadline for IACS applications on 16 May 2005.
