Future focus for Banff and Buchan Monitor Farm
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Making greater use of the opportunity for faster genetic gain in the suckler herd was one of the key topics of discussion for visitors to the Banff and Buchan Monitor Farm’s summer meeting earlier this month.
The farm, Sauchentree, near Fraserburgh on the north-east coast, is run by Bruce Irvine.
He farms 265ha (650 acres) with cereals, sheep and cattle, and believes the three enterprises are as important as each other, with livestock providing fertility for the arable side.
Attendees said that while the farm might be low input as it is organic, its output, both stock and crops, was high quality.
Bruce is one of nine Monitor Farmers across Scotland taking part in the programme run by Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB, and funded by Scottish Government.
This aims to help to farms reach full economic, social, and environmental sustainability by optimising production. Over the next four years, other farmers and experts will be brought together to help the Bruce assess his farm performance, explore opportunities, and develop solutions to the challenges he faces.
The open day was an opportunity for visitors to hear about progress since the launch meeting six months ago, and to discuss key issues with technical specialists such Alison Taylor of Buchan Vets, who discussed bull health and fertility, and SRUC vet Tim Geraghty, who spoke about managing replacement heifers.
“Bruce is doing an excellent job already, but the herd’s genetic gain could become even faster by keeping a higher proportion of his herd as replacement heifers – roughly 15-20 each year for his herd size of 100-110 cows,” said Mr Geraghty.
The farm’s crops were also discussed, with AHDB specialist Adrian James talking about mechanical weed control – an essential on organic units – and cover crop options.
Bruce has already drilled plantain and chicory into his grass silage in an attempt to improve rooting on his drought-prone soils. “I am also wondering whether we have a compaction issue, and this was a big topic of discussion.”
Since becoming a Monitor Farm, Bruce has received the results of an Integrated Land Management Options report undertaken by SAC, a stock health management plan, as well as being prompted to look at farm data in much greater detail.
“We have also had some specialists come on farm and suggest improvements to things such as our cattle handling and grazing systems.”
Peter Oosterhof, chairman of the Monitor Farm’s management group, said the day was full of ‘positives, enthusiasm and ideas’.
“There was a lot of praise for the farm and the stock, especially the bulling heifers.”
Monitor Farm regional adviser Peter Beattie added: “The theme of this meeting was low input-high output, and what came out very strongly was how impressed visitors were with how Bruce runs the organic system.
“It was great that visitors could also speak to RSABI, who will be at all nine Monitor Farm meetings this summer, and the BBQ, with beef which co-incidentally came from Peter Oosterhof’s farm, was supplied by local Fraserburgh butcher Ian J McIntosh with sponsorship from Aberdeen City and Shire Agency NFU Mutual.”
For more information about future meetings and to join the Banff and Buchan Monitor Farm Community Group, visit www.monitorfarms.co.uk or contact Monitor Farm regional adviser Peter Beattie at pbeattie@qmscotland.co.uk, tel 07769 366614.
