farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

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CONTENTS

Eilidh MacPherson

3

farmingscotland

EDITOR: Eilidh MacPherson Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn,Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE

Tel: 016444 60644Mobile: 07877897867editor@farmingscotland.comwww.farmingscotland.com

PUBLISHER - Eilidh MacPherson

ADVERTISING –Eilidh MacPherson – 016444 60644Fiona McArthur – 01583 421397Alison Martin – 01292 443097Wendy Clark – 01575 540209

Cover - David Ferguson Scottish Blade TeamMember at the Highland ShowText and photography by Eilidh MacPhersonunless otherwise stated

Page 4- Wendy Patterson

Page 7 - Bayden Wilson

Page 8 - Caithness Shears

Page 18 - Andrew Arbuckle

Page 23 - Agrovista

Page 24 - Hugh Stringleman

Page 25 - Malcolm Morrison

more, probably at 48, his last time asan NZ team member. He ran a shearing school last week at Auch,Crianlarich for invited shearers. I hadplanned to visit and take a few photosen route to Skye, but plans change.

Wendy Paterson of Dunstan PeaksStation, Omarama, recently travelledover to Australia to take part in the re-enactment of Tom Robert’s painting– The Shearing of the Rams. She tooksome photos and also e-mailed some ofthe tough winter in NZ this year. Theyhad to snow rake and lift some sheepout by helicopter.

Well the Highland Show is done anddusted for another year. It was great tobe showing for the first time, but itmade a long week from the Tuesdaynight till midnight on the Sundayevening. I towed the caravan home,while Richard managed to take a wrongturning and ended up driving throughthe Gorbals of Glasgow. I worried thatif he stopped at lights, the sheep wouldquickly be converted into kebabs!!

On the features front I caught upwith Moniaive farmer, Robert Hall,who has another string to his bow as awool marketer for the Falkland Islands.Nigel Boyd of Rockhillhead farm,Collin is another farmer with an interesting story to tell on pages 14 & 15.

Hugh Stringleman covers the NZField Days, while Andrew Arbucklecaught up with the new Young FarmerChairman – John Owen. I shore atMuirpark once or twice when John wasquite young. He was always very keenand capable on farm and I wish himevery success in his new position withthe Young Farmers.

Growing maize in Aberdeenshire isanother coup. But I chatted with MrNicholson of WA Geddes at theHighland and he said that maize wastrialled in Caithness and was a disaster.

Well our house ran out of watera couple of days ago. Itmakes one wonder are we

going to have to take a leaf out of theAussie and Kiwis book and start collecting rain water off our roofs during the rest of the year for usingdomestically? Being new to the area, Ihad been warned how wet it got inCarsphairn, but not so this year!

A neighbour, who measures the rainfall annually, says that we shouldget between 60-80 inches in a normalyear. Half the year has gone and therehave only been 12 inches so far.

The oil ran out yesterday and thepower was off today – beginning tothink I am jinxed!

One story, which hit the headlinesthis past month, was the twin girlsbeing attacked by a fox in their bedroom. I wonder if this incident willactually make the general public moreaware that foxes are vermin and doneed to be controlled, not just roundedup and dumped in the countryside.

Bring back fox hunting! At homewe always managed to kill around 30-40 a year and there are always as manyto be had the following year.

Another, issue which hit home waswhen Sea Eagles were to be introducedinto England, in Suffolk I think, theproject was abandoned due to lack offunds. Why are more still being introduced to Scotland? The only benefit is for bird watchers to come fora look, but they would be better heading to Norway to see them in theirnative country? It has been a hardenough winter this year without losingmore stock to eagles and foxes.

With the build up to the WorldShearing Championships in Wales thismonth, I have covered the sheep shearing competitions around the country. David Fagan is over once

farmingscotlandIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

24 World Marketswith NZ correspondent

Hugh Stringleman

612

Sheep

2526

Rural Round-up

1213

NutritionNWF

2021

ATV’sJCB Groundhog

45

Wool

1819

YoungFarmersJohn Owen

22 ArableMaize

27 Team Talk

1417

Dairy

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FEATUREfarmingscotlandIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

At the beginning of June 2010history was repeated at TuppalStation in the Riverina NSW,

Australia.Each day the machines in the 72

stand shearing shed were silenced andblade shearers from Australia andNew Zealand re-enacted the painting– Shearing the Rams – by TomRoberts (1890), shearing 5000 rams.

Kiwi station owner, wool classerand blade shearer, Wendy Patterson ofDunstan Peaks Station, Omaramatravelled over to Australia to take

part. She was the only female bladeshearer on the boards.

“I was just blown away with theamount of visitors. The Aussies arefascinated by the blades, as they onlyuse them for stud rams, and couldn’tbelieve the speed of NZ blade shearers,” reported Wendy.

“Their gear was dire and our boysspent a lot of time helping them withit. During the day the runs were halfhour sessions. It wasn’t a race and wehad to make sure the woolroom was handling it ok. There were 14 blade

shearers and 58 machines going it wasvery impressive. It was like showshearing in front of heaps of peoplebut no judges and no hurry, so wasvery enjoyable. People would be clapping their hands as you finished asheep!!”

The wool industry played a hugepart in Australia’s past. Shearerswould walk or ride a bicycle for milesto the next shed in the hope of securing work. Apparently they couldcover up to 5000km in a year.

The owner would select his team

when they arrived at the station and‘bush’ those that he rejected. Theshearers either camped by a creek orclaimed a bund in the shearers quarters. Despite the poor living conditions shearers were regarded aswell paid. A good shearer could earn£3- £4 a week in the mid 1880’s – theequivalent of what a shepherd earnedin a couple of months.

It was a hundred years ago, in1910, that all 72 stands of this iconicshearing shed were last in action onthe then 170 000acre station.

Re-enactment of Tom Robert’s painting - ‘Shearing the Rams’

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Looks like Kiwi farmers in theHigh Country are having a similar winter to ours was.

Wendy Patterson e-mailed me thesephotos at the beginning of June, justbefore she headed to Australia for there-enactment.

The photos were taken on LongslipStation, near the Lindus Pass. Herbrother air lifted some ewes to safety

Snowraking in NZ

farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

FEATURE

www.farmingscotland.com

Ireland’s Leading WoolMerchants since 1972

are taking new customers for the 2010 shearing season

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Dumfriesshire farmer – RobertHall of Craiglearan, Moniaive,is not just an ordinary hill

sheep and beef farmer. He runs 1000ewes, mainly Blackies and 75 cows,which are a mix of Galloways andBlue Greys and three Luings he purchased from the recent reductionsale at Castle Douglas.

He wears another hat – as a woolmarketer for the Falkland Islands.

Robert read Agriculture at WyeCollege, London and once graduatedhe saw that the Falkland Islands wererecruiting for people to work in therural sector.

“In 1988 I went to work on asheep grazing trial as a Junior SheepScientist at Fox Bay, West Falkland,”explained Robert, who after 18months was sent off to LincolnUniversity, near Christchurch, NewZealand on a five-month wool course.

“On my return to the Falklands Iwas employed as a wool adviser, basedat Stanley.”

“I helped set up a National Stud ofPolworth sheep, imported fromTasmania. Five hundred ewes wereflown in along with 25 rams for theflock. More were flown in privatelyin 1992.”

“The guys marketing wool had nosuccessors,’ continued Robert, “theysaid they would train one. So I wasseconded to Colin Smith of DS & CoFalkland Farming Ltd based nearHarrogate from 1992-1994 and spentthe Falkland summers as a wool adviser.”

By August 1997 Robert set up hisown company – Falkland WoolGrowers and now markets 43% of thewool from the Falkland Islands. Heoperates, as an agent, representing 50out of the 80 farms – most of thesmaller properties, so doesn’t have ahuge outlay on the wool.

“The Falkland Islands have half amillion sheep – 460 000 were shronlast year and I market 43% of that,”informs Robert, who heads out to theFalkland Islands, with his Falklanderwife, for a few weeks in November/December.

“They are shearing then so I tryand go round most of the farms to seewhat wool is coming. Like in NewZealand the wool is cored by NZWool Testing or by Wool TestingEurope.”

These tests give Robert the micron,vegetable matter % and yield andsometimes colour testing.

“I then set about marketing it.Some is shipped direct to customersin the Far East and Eastern Europe,but a greater proportion of my woolcomes to Britain. It is stored in abonded warehouse in Bradford –nothing to do with the British WoolMarketing Board.”

The wool ranges from 21-28micron. “It is a slightly wider bandbut getting finer all the time as theFalkland Islands have been importingembryos and semen from Australia,New Zealand and South Africa overthe years.”

“When I started we could sell thewhole clip within Bradford, but markets are changing and the wholeindustry is now based around lowwage countries.”

Wool from the Falkland Islands issold as ‘snow white’ as due to theweather – low rainfall and a lot ofwind – the wool is kept relatively dryand therefore does not have muchyellow in it.

It has a high yield and low vegetable matter, which is good in thewoollen trade as no combing isrequired.

“I’m not competing with woolfrom the UK as my product is finer. Isee Australia, New Zealand and SouthAfrica as the main competitors.”

The wool is skirted to a high standard and traded as a world standard wool product, sold greasy.“On a clean basis, the wool has beenprepared and can be tipped into a binat a mill with no further sorting.Some customers might blend it.”

“They have gone to pre-lambshearing in late September/October.The hoggs and shearlings, which havefiner wool are shorn first, then thewethers are done just beforeChristmas and the ewes in January.”

Previously farmers used to runabout a third of their flock as largemature wethers, but an EU approvedabattoir was built and they are nowkilled there.

The islands are now carrying 200 000 less sheep than they used to.

Robert has to put in some longhours lotting up different lines beforethe shipments of wool arrive in theUK between December and June25th. “The wool has been sorted intofine, medium and course, AABBCC,off-line, low yield, oddments, bellies,pieces, necks and locks on farm. Theaverage farm has 3000-7000 sheep,”says Robert who has to batch lotsfrom different farms together to makethem into saleable lots.

“Most marketing is now done by e-mail and on the phone. The marketpeaked in April with a top of£6.15/kg clean for Merino/ Polworthwool at 19 micron.”

“My farmers are looking at a significant increase in income this year– a 30% increase. 90% of theirincome is from the wool clip,” saysRobert, who is paid a commission asagent on a percentage of sales ratherthan weight.

Robert follows the Australian auction prices three days a week as aguide to determine pricing when bartering with customers both here inthe UK and in the Far East from hisfarm office in Moniaive.

SHEEPfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

6

From the Falklands to Moniaive

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Tuesday 10th August viewing 5pm – sale 6pm

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and 10 Lleyn Hybrid ShearlingsSignet Performance Recorded

and selected for easy care traits

with the fat lamb in mind.

Shearlings are mostly April/May born and will not be pushed or dressed.Rams can be kept on farm 'till a later date if required

Contact: W & C Ingram Tel.01467 681579E-mail: office@logiedurno-charollais.co.uk

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Rissington Breedline

As a contract farmer, in for thelong term, Ayrshire farmer,Francis McMillan, is focused on

making a sustainable business profit. He needed to be selling more kgs

of lamb (+ 25%) off the farm withoutincreasing his farming costs. The farmis a balance of unfertilized hill andlower ground somewhat complicatedby being in 3 separate blocks 11 milesapart. By simplifying and specializingproduction on each of the farm blockshe is creating efficiencies, giving himeconomies of scale. Francis is the solelabour unit running 1950 breedingewes with a part time shepherd tohelp at lambing. Wife Marion is apracticing vet.

Francis's +25% production goalsare being met by:o Increasing numbers and kgs of lamb

weaned off the hillo Increasing the grass value of the

lower ground for lamb breeding and finishing

o Lower labour and sheep depreciation offset by higher pasture improvement costs

The hill sheep performance was amajor constraint, whilst hardy, barrenrates, spread out lambing and lowmultiple births meant a poor performance in terms of 'kgs of lambweaned per kg of ewe mated.'

Middle Farm: To increase maternal performance Francis purchased Lleyn ewes for the MiddleFarm, which has a good mix of Hilland lower ground. The increase inlamb produced was significant andsuited the outdoor spring lambing atno extra labour cost. Whilst still inthe process of coverting the flock, thefuture for this block is a self replacingflock of 700 ewes with around 1/3rdof ewes mated to a terminal sire tofurther increase lamb growth and allimportant speed to market.

The extra lamb production hascalled for the need to accelerate thefertilizer and pasture renewal including forage crops in order toboost wintering and finish lambs tomarket. In addition some areas of thelandowners cropping land is leased forshort term grass to the benefit of

future crop yields and the sheepenterprise.

The Hill block, which runs to900ft is predominantly unfertilizedwith limited cultivatable land. Thereare a mixture of 850 Blackies, Cheviot,Mule, LleynX and HighlanderX ewes.To bring this in to line all these eweshave been mated to the Highlander,chosen based on the ram breedersclear breeding objective to 'maximizeweight of lamb weaned per kg of ewemated'.

“The Highlander comes from alarge scale breeding nucleus, grass fedwith minimal lambing intervention,which is relavent to my breedingobjectives. To date results have beengood with lambing now more of awelfare inspection rather than a hardslog, and good growth rates from thelambs. The Hill block produces ewereplacements for the lowland flock.”

The Lowland Block:Predominantlyfertilized and cultivatable, running400 Terminal Mule ewes plus 100HighlanderX mated ewe lambs. Theearlier March lambed ewes have been

historically lambed indoors, to Suffolkand recently Primera, with plans tolamb – outdoors this year and beyondperhaps all outdoors. Twin lambsgrowing fast to market is the goalfrom this flock. The Primera will suitthe outdoor lambing flock and also hasa contracted end market. Ewereplacements come from the Hill block.

Francis is developing a sustainablefarming system that is good for bothLandowner and Farmer. He isincreasing, the productive value of theland, the genetic value of the flockand profitability at the same time.He is using high welfare genetics andutilizing a natural grass based systemto produce a great tasting end product. These combined will represent value to the future lambcustomer. In addition to the on farmefficiencies he is an early adopter witha group of farmers that are workingtogether with breeding companyRissington Breedline to develop aunique lamb supply chain for a targeted end market.

SHEEP farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

FARM DETAILS

Farmer: Francis and Marion McMillan

Farming: Contract sheep farmerThree separate farms, 11 miles apart

Location: Coastal, Girvan, Ayrshire

Area: 2100 acres of which,1600 acres unfertised hill to 900 feet, 500 acres cultivatable lowland

Stock: 1950 lambing ewes plus replacements

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RICHARD NIXON SHEEP SHOWERING& SHEARING

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Shearers from across Scotlandmade the sojourn north onSaturday 5th June, for the 3rd

Caithness Shears event at Quoybrae,Watten, courtesy of Aberdeen &Northern Mart. Hoggs from regularcounty consignors were presented forthe 37 well-travelled competitorswho took part in the four classes.

With additional prizes of singletsand combs from W&M Horner shearing supplies, the entry of onlyfour for the Junior was disappointing.The afternoon final saw local ladsJohn Macauley and Alan Mackay finish behind Charles MacCrombiefrom Huntly and clear winner EuanMacKinnon of Lanark.

The Caithness Beef & LambIntermediate class saw 11 entrantsshear Texel and Suffolk cross hoggsfrom Lynegar, Watten. Local contractor Andrew Sinclair, fromWick, who shore well all day, qualified strongly for the final buteventually had to settle forsecond place. Edinburgh based, winner – Rowan Forrest – collected£120 first prize and the DouglasTrophy.

The Senior section, sponsored byIntervet Schering Plough AnimalHealth, attracted the highest entry of12. Intermediate winner in 2009,Sandy Douglas, bowed out at thesemi final stage, as did Patty Wilsonfrom Watten, while Andrew Sinclairraised his game considerably from theIntermediate to reach the Seniorfinal. He took third place.

Commentator Dave Clark fromLesmahagow switched the microphone for a handpiece and lethis hand do the talking, finishing insecond place.

Deserving winner John Gibsonfrom Alexandria, who won the‘Golden Ticket’ to New Zealandsponsored by the Scottish SheepShearing Association, showed theclear benefits of a season shearing inNew Zealand to collect the £200 firstprize and the Wallace Boyd trophy.

The strong entry of 10 for theCaithness Oil Open reflected theimportance of accumulating possible

qualifying points towards a place inthe Scottish team at the WorldChampionships in Wales in July.

Charolais sheep farmer and shearing contractor, Alan Kennedy ofDumfries was unlucky with his pen ofsheep and unfortunately failed toqualify from the heats. GoldenShears Top 30 qualifier and the onlyfemale competitor – Una Cameronof Jedburgh – just failed to make itthrough from the semi finals.

Last year’s winner, Grant Lundie,Dundee, started brightly in the finalas did Ian Kirkpatrick from NewZealand but both fell off the crackingpace set by Simon Bedwell of Garve,Ross-shire.

Simon finished the 20 Cheviothoggs from Geise, Thurso in exactly16 minutes, 40 seconds ahead ofGavin Mutch from Forgue,Aberdeenshire. However Simon wasdenied a maiden Open victory assuperior quality both on the boardand in the pen saw Gavin lift the£350 first prize and his own perpetualtrophy.

Junior Final Results1 Euan Mackinnon, Lanark - 41.952 Charles McCrombie, Huntly - 45.453 Alan MacKay, Caithness - 46.954 John Macaulay, Caithness - 51.15* Best Pen - Alan MacKay

Intermediate Final Results1 Rowan Forrest, Edinburgh - 39.392 Andrew Sinclair, Wick - 46.063 Steven Knox - 47.064 David Gibson, Alexandria - 49.94* Best Pen - Andrew Sinclair

Senior Final Results1 John Gibson, Alexandria - 48.532 David Clark, Lesmahagow - 54.903 Andrew Sinclair, Wick - 58.324 David Gibson - 62.80* Best Pen - David Clark

Open Final Results1 Gavin Mutch, Huntly – 57.852 Simon Bedwell, Garve - 58.303 Ian Kilpatrick, New Zealand - 61.854 Grant Lundie, Dundee - 67.95* Best Pen - Jordan Smeaton

Professional job guaranteed

Caithness

Shears

SHEEPfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

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Golden Shears shearing champion Cam Ferguson haslaunched his preparations for

the World Championships in Wales bywinning a major title in England.Ferguson won the Royal CornwallOpen, his first victory since winningthe 50th Golden Shears in Mastertonin March. Ferguson shore in Italy forabout six weeks before heading forthe UK at the end of May.

In his first Northern Hemispherecompetition he was fourth in a six-man Royal Bath and West Showfinal on June 4, being beaten byNorthern Ireland’s hopeful KieranMcCullough, South Island basedIrishman Ivan Scott, and fellow NewZealand shearer Jason Win, fromIkamatua on the West Coast. Twoother New Zealanders featured in thefive-man Cornwall final on Friday –with Far North shearer MatthewSmith third, and fifth place going toPaerata Abraham, from Dannevirke.

Ferguson was first off the board inthe 14 sheep final, finishing in 10min7sec, with Smith next nine secondsaway.

Meanwhile, Fagan left his Te Kuitihome today (Sunday) headed for theUK to team-up with Ferguson andlater the four others making upShearing Sports New Zealand’s teamfor the 14th World Championships atthe Royal Welsh Show on July 19-22.The others are the woolhandlers,

reigning champion and Taihape schoolteacher Sheree Alabaster and KerynHerbert, from Te Awamutu, andNorth Canterbury blade shearersBrian Thomson and Allen Gemmell.

Fagan won the World title inMasterton in 1988 and 1996, Englandin 1992, Ireland in 1998 and Scotlandin 2003, and is keen to win the title inWales, where he was beaten in the1994 final by lifelong friend and fellow King Country veteran AlanMcDonald. He has also won sixWorld teams titles, and is determinedthat New Zealand will successfullydefend the titles won by Taranakishearer Paul Avery and Hawke’s Bay’sJohn Kirkpatrick in Norway in 2008.

Fagan is also hoping to win his600th open competition title in a 28-season open-class career datingback to 1982, and along withFerguson expects to contest up toeight competitions before theChampionships, starting with theThree Counties this week. The pairwill also shear in five 5 matches, 2against Scotland and 3 against Wales.Fagan said he had done some shearingsince his New Zealand championshipswin on April 10, but the real work isahead in the UK, where he has been aregular since first competing in theNorthern Hemisphere in ‘83, returningevery year except ‘85 and 1987.

“Once you’re over there it’s on.You just get on with the job.”

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South of Scotland Shears

10

There was a buzz in the shearingshed at the Barony College –and it wasn’t just the shearing

machines! The build up to the WorldShearing Championships is on.

Thirty-two professional shearersfrom Australia, NZ, Spain, Wales,England, Ireland and Scotland competed in the electrifying Openheats.

Brian Simpson from Angus firedinto the five Blackface hoggs fromRobert Dalgleish of Kirkland,Sanquhar, like a whirlwind. He heldthe lead till sheep number three,when Welsh team member GarethDaniels found form.

Just two days in the country,Darrin Forde, the NZ Southlander,shearing hero, who features in the DBDraught adverts, took slightly longerto get into the swing, but was in forthe fourth sheep seconds afterDaniels. Englishman Steve Capstick

also found top gear by number fourand this was only the heats!

The third heat was another crowdpleaser, with Gavin Mutch, CamFerguson and Johnny Kirkpatrick onstands one to three. Gavin whistledhis out in record time – 3m 55secsand stood for 20 secs for stands twoand three to finish. Scots; GordonNichol, Jordan Smeaton and ArchiePatterson were on stands four, fiveand six and finished in that order.

Heat five saw Hamish Mitchellstart with a flier, whizzing up thelongblow while the rest of the boardwere still all on the hind leg! Luckilyfor Hamish, the top 18, not just 12 qualified for the semi-finals.

Simon Bedwell took the limelightin the first Open semi final, as hesped through his pen of eight Mulehoggs. But Northern Irish team member, John Buchanan, who hasshorn 70000 sheep this past year, was

hot on his heels by the third and wenthard out to take the time points.Mitchell and Mutch finished third andfourth.

Cam Ferguson was the main playerin the second semi-final with fellowNorth Islander Ian Kirkpatrick andPom Mark Fox chasing hard. Welshshearers Wyn Jones and team memberGareth Daniels were the speedsters inthe third and final semi.

Stands were drawn for the six manfinal, with Gavin Mutch on 1, JohnnyKirkpatrick on 2, Hamish Mitchell on3, Jordan Smeaton on 4, GarethDaniels on 5 and Cam Ferguson on 6.

Kirkpatrick was quick off the

starting blocks and was in first for thecatch but Mutch took the lead till hisfifth, when Mitchell and Fergusoncame into touch. From the ninthdraw it was these two who set thepace, with Kirkpatrick and Mutch notfarm behind. Gareth Daniels andJordan Smeaton were out paced.

Hamish Mitchell, who missed thefirst competition of the circuit, inCaithness had pulled out all the stopsto get the time points and the Southof Scotland title. Gavin was runner-up, adding to his first placingat Caithness. Kirkpatrick was third,Daniels fourth, Ferguson fifth andSmeaton sixth.

SHEEPfarmingscotland.com

Issue sixty-seven • July 2010

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The pressure was on in theScottish National on theSunday morning at the RHS as

the winning slot ensured a place inthe Scottish Team at the WorldChampionships in Wales in July.

Una Cameron of St Boswells, whomade the coveted NZ Top 30 earlierin the year gave it her all and qualifiedin second position behind GavinMutch and ahead of Hamish Mitchellin the 27 shearer heats.

The top dozen made it through tothe semi-finals. Unlucky for ArchiePaterson, who just moved up to shearin the Open this year – he was number thirteen.

The first semi-final initially saw athree-man race with Gavin Mutch,Willie Dickson and Allan Wright. Butby the third sheep Gavin was in aclass of his own. He was first into hiscatching pen throughout the eightsheep semi and finished in 6m,25secs, giving him the time pointsadvantage.

Wull Dickson and Allan Wrightwent blow for blow, both finishing 1m1sec behind Mutch. The others: IainMinto, Alan Kennedy and CallumShaw, were well behind on time – 8 06, 8 49 and 8 59 respectively.

Aberdeenshire shearer, JohnBlackhall gave Hamish Mitchell a runfor his money in the second qualifier.He was first in for the catch for sheepnumbers three, four and five, withMitchell in hot pursuit. JordanSmeaton and Gordon Nichol were inthird and fourth places till numberfour. Mitchell powered ahead andpulled his cord when Blackhall was onthe long blow, but was still 20secsover Mutch’s time. Blackhall was 25sbehind him with Nichol, Smeaton,Andrew Kerr and Una Cameron in hiswake.

The National Final saw Smeaton,Mitchell, Wright, Mutch, andBlackhall lined up on stands 1-5 and adelighted left-handed Iain Minto onstand 7, in his debut Scottish Final.

Hamish, who is now settled, dairyfarming, in Norway with his partnerJJ and their two young daughters hada quick start on the 18 strong pen.But Mutch musseled in first for number three. Mitchell, who seemsmuch more relaxed behind the handpiece, was quick to retaliate andtook a slight lead again by the fourth.Mitchell was well ahead then tillMutch caught him at number 13 andthey were then neck in neck all the

way, till the end, when the clockstopped on 13m 13sec for Mitchell,with Mutch only 3s behind.

The ‘M & M’s’ as commentatorFinlay Smith named them, wereshearing at world class level, havingboth represented Scotland before.They had a three-minute wait untilWright, Smeaton and Blackhallclocked off within 14s of each other.Iain Minto was slightly off pace finishing his 18 in 17m 32s. Mitchell

was declared winner, collected £350and secured his Scottish team slot.Gavin, who won the title last year,was runner up, with Smeaton, Wright,Blackhall and Minto in tow.

Contestants in the first threeheats, from the 52-strong field, in theOpen class were dealt a poor hand,with cotty, sandy sheep. Apparentlyonly one shearer from these heatsmade it through to the next round.

Kiwi Johnny Kirkpatrick toppedthe billboard, with quality shearinginto the 18 place semi-finals.

Record holder, Ivan Scott, Ireland,made a comeback from a slow start,leading the field by the 7th sheep,popping his ninth ovine down theporthole in 6 and a half minutes,while David Fagan was on the long blow, in the first semi-final.

Mutch was the clear ringer in thesecond semi. He was on the finalshoulder when his next rival,Northern Ireland team member,Kieran McCullough was just in for thecatch. The third semi saw Mitchelland Darrin Forde take centre stage.

My pick for the final showdownwas Wright, Scott, Mitchell, Mutch,Forde and Fagan. I was right on four

SHEEP farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

HighlandShears

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NUTRITIONfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

accounts. Forde and Scott came seventh and eighth, missing out on afinal shear, while quality placedJohnny Kirkpatrick in pole positionand Kieran McCullough came in fifth.

Having missed out on the ScottishNational and already with a first andtwo seconds from the circuit GavinMutch shore his socks off. He hadthe third on the board in 1m and50secs and the fifth by 2m 30s. Heled the race from the third sheep,where he out classed Kirkpatrick.

Mitchell had a slow start, beingunusally last in for his second sheep,but he played catch up and was backin the picture and usual flying form byhis ninth and was chasing Mutch forthe time points.

Mutch and Mitchell put on atremendous performance blow forblow over the rest of their twentyroughies. Mitchell managed to scoretop time points by pulling his cord 7seconds ahead, finishing in 13m 45s.The Kiwis – Kirkpatrick and Fagan –were also racing each other time wise.Kirkpatrick had an 11sec advantageover Fagan – 14m 22sec compared to14m 33sec. Kieran McCullough wasalmost a full minute slower and AlanWright the same again.

Once all the scores were pumpedthrough the computer program byMargaret Whiteford and her helpersin the office, it was Gavin Mutch,holding one of his wee blonde daughters, who picked up the £400prize money and Highland ShearsOpen Title 2010. With another firstplacing on the circuit under his belt,his position to represent Scotland atthe World Championships in Waleswas sealed.

Mutch and Mitchell returned to thestage in the team event to shear 15sheep each against the New Zealandteam for the World Champs – CamFerguson (26) and David Fagan (48).The Scottish boys went for speedagain, with Gavin gaining 0.93 pointson the board and pushing his 15 downthe porthole in 9mins 49 seconds.Mitchell was only 17 secs in his wake,with Kiwi and Golden ShearsChampion, Cam Ferguson, breathingdown his neck – just 4seconds in it.

A clean pen gave Cam Ferguson theedge and a total score of 39.77. Mutchwas placed second and Mitchell third.Their combined scores of 82.01 gavethem a 0.08 advantage over the Kiwisto take out the team class.

The Hand Shears Event or Blades as

they are known in other countries saweleven hopefuls compete for a place inthe Scottish team. Chairman for theBlackface Sheep Breeders for the SWof Scotland – David Ferguson,Drannandow, topped the heats aheadof Welsh team player Elfed Jackson.Willie Shaw, Donald McColl, WilliamCraig and young Jimmy Wright fromAberfeldy YFC, who was third in theYoung Farmers earlier in the week,were in third to sixth positions. FarmManager, Mark Armstrong just missedout on a shear in the final.

Time seemed to count in the finaland the blade shearers were placed inthe order they finished. Jackson tookthe £100 first prize back to Wales andwill have been delighted to beat thenew Scottish team on their home turf.Second and third placed shearers –Willie Shaw of Saline in Fife and DavidFerguson will be travelling to Wales asthe Scottish Blade Shearers.

Willie was runner-up in 2008, butfor some reason only one shearer wassent to Norway to represent Scotland,while every other country had two.He naturally felt aggrieved. This yearhe and David Ferguson, who was thelucky sole Scottish blade shearer inNorway in 2008, will both be going.

The wool handling competition sawonly six compete, with just four vyingfor the two Scottish Team places.Leanne Bertram won both the heatsand final beating Kiwis Ngaio Braddickand current World Champion ShereeAlabaster into second and third places.Stacey Mundell, who was fourth, is theother team member. Kirsty Donaldand Audrey Lamb missed out.

Twenty-nine Senior shearers took tothe boards with a dozen making thecut for the semi-finals. John Gibson,Callum Shaw and Ewan MacKay wereup there in the top three through.

It was a good week for the SalineShaws as Callum went on to top thesemis and take out the Senior title following his Intermediate win at theHighland last year. Brian Simpson,who was third to Shaw in 2009, camein sixth this year. Wullie Hewitson,Gibson, Kiwi Tristan MacKay, andRichard Robinson were 2nd - 5th.

An Irishman – Robert Davidsonwon the Intermediate, while aWelshman – Ifan Prys took out theJunior Title. John Struthers came second again in the Intermediate, whileAndrew Houston of Blairgowrie, whomoved up from the Juniors was fifth.

67 MAG 8/7/10 9:59 am Page 12

Over the winter we have beendeveloping a much greaterunderstanding of rationing

and what dairy cows actually requirethanks to the new NWF RPM feedsystem. RPM has helped us be moreprecise about feeding and managingthe rumen to ensure efficient digestion combined with high rumenhealth. It has also allowed us to consider the nutrients the cow herselfrequires for milk production.

When evaluating diets in this way,one aspect that has become clear isthat many diets are short of 'metabolic glucose', also known asglucogenic energy, and this has amajor effect on milk yields.

Glucose is required for the production of lactose in the udder.Under normal conditions, milk has aconstant lactose concentration of typically around 4.6% for black andwhite cows. As more lactose is produced, more water is drawn intothe udder and so milk yield increases.Therefore, if we can increase the supply of 'metabolic glucose' it should

be possible to increase milk yields.Clearly then, the diets of high

yielding cows need to be high inglucogenic precursors, which aremetabolised into glucose. There is astrong relationship between the supply of glucogenic precursors andmilk yield.

The problem is that the mainsource of glucogenic energy is starch,either as starch fermented in therumen or rumen by-pass starch.Increasing the total supply of starchmight seem at first glance to be theway to increase the supply of glucose,but if too much of the starch is fermented in the rumen there is arisk of acidosis and reduced rumenfunction.

The rate and extent to whichstarches are degraded in the rumenvaries from ingredient to ingredientand the aim is to increase the proportion of rumen by-pass starch inthe diet.

The challenge was to find a way tocost-effectively increase the supply ofmetabolic glucose without causing

problems in the rumen. The principal sources of starch in diets arecereals and maize. Ingredients likewheat have lower glucogenic valueswhen compared to maize, but if thestarch is protected to allow it to passthrough the rumen, the supply ofglucogenic precursors increases greatly.

This led us to develop UltraStarch-W, a new feed ingredient available exclusively to NWF clients.Rolled wheat is treated at our Wardlesite using the same process as used toprotect proteins in Ultra Soy andUltra Pro-R. The result is that agreater proportion of starch is able topass through the rumen undegraded,in so doing increasing the supply ofglucogenic precursors without placingrumen health at risk.

The process increases the supplyof glucogenic nutrients in wheat byover 10% and makes wheat morecomparable to maize, but UltraStarch-W is a more cost effectivesolution, promoting higher glucoseproduction to drive greater performance.

by Tom Hough

NWF Technical Manager

NUTRITION farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

Ultra Starch-W, anew protectedstarch productexclusive to NWFcustomers canhelp drive milkyields withoutrisking rumenhealth.

Starch Story

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 13

14

Nigel Boyd of RockhallheadFarm, Collin, Dumfriesshirehas just fulfilled his lifetime

ambition – going dairy farming.As many dairy farmers across the

country pull the plug and get out ofthe industry altogether, others haveexpanded, but so far in this countryvery few have converted from beefand sheep or any other farming enterprises into dairying.

I was writing for the New ZealandFarmer Magazine during the dairyboom in the South Island of NewZealand at the beginning of this century. Many Southland sheep farmers, with no dairy expertise wereconverting their properties into dairyunits. Other professionals, who hadnever milked a cow before were jacking in jobs in the cities and theshearing sheds to take up share milking – a profitable future in thecountryside.

Nigel on the other hand has beenworking to this end all his adult life.He attended the Barony College onleaving school from 1983-1985, witha view to picking up as much dairyingexperience as possible. “But milkquotas were introduced in 1984 so itput the Kybosh on my plans as quotawas half the price of the farm,”explained Nigel.

“We did consider selling this farm20 years ago and buying a dairy farm,but decided to stay put. The road isthe main issue as it is steep and canget blocked in winter. But with modern machinery it is no longer aproblem.”

For the past fifteen years Nigel hasbeen biding his time. “Everything I’vedone over the years has been withdairying in mind.”

Two sheds were built 2 and 7 yearsago, which could be used for cubicles.

The Boyd’s initially started looking

at putting in a parlour when theystarted the business plan processabout three years ago. “But I gotwind that farmers were being grantedSRDP funding for putting in robots,so with the help of my friend whoruns Davidson Thorburn Consulting,we put forward 3 options for business

Once the business plans were complete, Nigel had his bank – theClydesdale Bank come out to thefarm. “My banker and a dairy specialist lady visited. I was unimpressed as they were very negative to the whole idea, so Imoved banks to the Royal Bank of

plans. The first was for 120 cows anda parlour, the second 120 cows and 2second hand robots and the third for120 cows and two new robots.

“The second hand robots wereruled out as the technology is so newthere are no second hand robots available, or very few,” said Nigel.

Scotland, who were prepared to backme whether I had grant funding ornot and I now deal with AlexUrquhart, who is based at Annan.”

“We were granted the funding inMay 2009 so were able to put up anextra shed.”

But it wasn’t all plain sailing as a

FARM DETAILS

Farmer: Nigel Boyd and his father trading as N Boyd & Son

Farming: Rockhallhead Farm

Location: Collin, Dumfries

Area: 170 acres owned

Stock: 120 Holstein Friesian cows20 pure Beltex sheep

Investment: Converted to dairy2 De Laval Robots50% grant on £420 000

DAIRYfarmingscotlandIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

BoydBucksTrend

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 14

15

DAIRY farmingscotlandIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

him that a cow was needing tubed formastitis. “The computer has a cowmonitoring system, which uses anumber of factors like; drops in yield,kick-offs, incomplete milkings,blood/colour, successful milkings,average milking period, to calculate anindex. If the score is over 2 the cowshould be checked and treated formastitis by 2.2. It is a big benefit ascows can be treated before they havefull blown mastitis.”

Initially Nigel found it difficult toobtain a milk contract but then hadthree offers on the table – CaledonianCheese, Milklink and First Milk. Hehas currently opted for CaledonianCheese and his first cheque was justunder 22p/l. He would rather a liquid milk contract, as with HolsteinFrisians he isn’t achieving the fat andprotein levels for bonuses.

During my visit De Laval salesman, Craig Kennedy (picturedleft) arrived with Chris Mathers, whoinstall and repair the dairy supplies inDumfriesshire, and a farmer and twosons, who are considering convertingto robotic milking. Craig, who livesin Glasgow, covers the whole ofScotland and reckons that there arenow 30 De Laval robots in operationacross the country, with many moreat the planning stage.

“It has been a very exciting timeworking for De Laval since the launch

the remains of a Saxon Chapel lie onRockhallhead Farm and excavationswere held up for 14 weeks while thepowers that be decided whether itcould go ahead or not.

“An archaeologist was sent in andany digging had to be at least 25mfrom the Chapel. Time was knockingon and we were dreading the fact wemight end up with an archaeologicaldig on the property. A digger came inand breeze blocks were unearthed soit was a huge relief,” sighed Nigel.

Cows were sourced through BACAcattle agency from a herd in NorthCumbria. “The farmer there wasoffered £480/acre to supply grass foran anaerobic digester so a deal wasdone and he sold all his cows to me.I’m also getting first option at hisheifer replacements till I can breedmy own. The first one arrived lastweek.”

The Boyd’s are no strangers to calfrearing, having previously reared andthen fattened at least 60 dairy calvesevery year, alongside 60 off-springfrom their suckler herd.

Previously sheep, numbering 200were also run on the hillside atRockhallhead and income was supplemented by running four lorrieswith palletised distribution.

While I was sitting in the dairycomputer room interviewing Nigeland his wife Alison, his phone alerted

of the Robots – it is the way ahead.The Forbes family, near Stonehaven,who own East Coast Viners have 5robots, milking 55 cows each and onlyhave one man looking after them!”commented Craig.

The farmer and his sons were suitably impressed, as was a CarrsBillington driver, who was deliveringfeed. Nigel spent a year and a halflooking into robots and visiting farms.Several factors led him to decide togo with De Laval. “The independentarm which puts the cups on has farmore flexibility for udders and teatplacement, whereas other makes arelimited. It is the only brand with aseparate wash cup. It circulates waterround and dries with air. It thenstrips the foremilk down so stimulatesthe cow and milks more. AlsoMathers is right on the doorstep andthere is a man at Carrutherstown.”

“They have been tremendous.He’s often here by the time I put thephone down!

“We’ve been very lucky as we’vehad no teething problems and havesome amazing stats. Mathers areimpressed with how the cows wentthrough. Most farms have 2.8 milkings on average after a year. Wehad 2.8 by day 4 and 2.95-3.1 after 3weeks. The high yielders milk 4- 4.5times in a 24hr period. When thecows came they were doing 24.1 litres

now they are at 30l.”The Boyd’s have their robots set up

side by side, which if there is a breakdown, all cows can get milkedon the other. As the cattle settle intotheir routine, Nigel and Alison shouldfind that they have more time tospend with their young boys – Ross(8) and Rory (6).

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 15

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67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 16

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This Father’s Day welcomesanother celebration, as PicstonShaker EX94 celebrates the

150k mark for the number of sexedsemen straws produced.

Shaker, nicknamed ‘the cheese-maker’ for his tremendouscomponents, +0.11% Fat and +0.05%Protein, has impressively now produced over 150,000 straws ofsexed semen, as his demand remainsas strong as ever. Shaker excels forLifespan (+0.3), Somatic Cell Count

(-9) and Temperament (+1.9).At a grand 14 years of age, this

99% reliable bull is still a bovine beauty and in extremely high demandfrom dairy farmers all over the globe –spanning from Italy, Australia, Hollandand Ireland.

Volumes of traffic are expected todescend on Chester, as Father’s Daycard deliveries from across the globeare delivered to the Cogent stud, asShaker fathers progeny ranging fromnewly born calves to 12 year old

cows. In fact, it is estimated he hasover 100,000 daughters worldwide.

As a Dombinator son, and half brother to Picston Shottle, Shaker isfrom the renowned 60-star broodcow, Condon Aero Sharon EX91. Thisunique outcross sire with no Blackstar,Mascot, Chief Mark or Belle in hispedigree brought something new andrefreshing to the dairy industry.

Cogent’s Sire Analyst, SimonMoseley adds, ‘Breeders have oftencommented that his daughters

develop into some of the best agedcows they have in the herd today –with fantastic udders and tremendousdairy character.’

As an EX94 bull, Shaker’s daughters are just as good-looking –with an impressive world record of 20Excellent first crop daughters andover 1,000 VG or EX registered progeny so far.

Shaker is available at just £10 astraw and £19 sexed.

Shaker is the Big Daddy

farmingscotlandIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

DAIRY

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 17

18

big financial loss and even if therecovery plan is now well in place,he does not expect the Association tobreak even this year. “It willtake another year to come throughand we end up making money.”

However, he saw the pluses in therecent financial exercise. Part of itwas a wide spread consultation withmembers and clubs all over Scotland.That reconnection with the grassroots was very helpful as it helpedformulate a strategic plan, he said.

His own roots are deep in farming– following his graduation fromStirling University with an honoursdegree in Ecology, John decided toreturn home to farm. He is now inpartnership with his parentsat Muirpark, a 1,100 acre upland livestock property outside Stirling.The main enterprises are cattle andsheep breeding units.

YOUNG FARMERSfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

Although he is only a few weeksinto his term of office as chairman of the Scottish

Association of Young Farmers Clubs,John Owen is looking forward to whathe considers to be the busiest week ofthe year in the young farmers’ calendar.

Speaking to farmingscotland.comprior to the 2010 show, John said,“The Highland show really is our shopwindow. It allows large numbers ofvisitors to come and see the widerange of activities that the modernyoung farmers club compete in.”

The Young Farmers pavilion at theshow was in many ways the focus ofthe work the Association carries outthroughout the year with a widerange of competitions taking place. As such, he wanted it to be not only ameeting place for members butalso somewhere where potentialmembers could be attracted into theorganisation. The many YoungFarmers activities and competitionstaking place also provided a showpiece for general visitors to theHighland.

John’s own involvement with themovement came about largely becauseboth his parents had been youngfarmers but also because being tooyoung to drive, he was taken along bya neighbouring young farmer. Initially he went to the Stirling clubbut then it amalgamated with twoothers in the area and became theSSS club where he worked his wayup to being chairman. From there itwas on to becoming West Area chairman and then last month takingover the top seat at National level.

His chairmanship comes at a timewhen the SAYFC is recovering from a

Owen takes Over

by Andrew

Arbuckleand Eilidh

MacPherson

The commercial cattle enterprisehas over one hundred AberdeenAngus and Limousin cows. These areall put to a Limousin bull. The calvesare all sold locally in Stirling at thesuckled calf sales.

The sheep enterprise is based on550 Blackface and Blackface crossTexel ewes, all of which are put to aBeltex tup. The lambs are thensold store in the Autumn.

The Owens also operate a contracting business, working on cutting roadside verges and otheractivities for several local authorities.At one stage, they had fifteen tractorsoperating throughout Scotlandinvolved in this work but that hasbeen cut back now to contracting withthose Councils closer to home.

Although John is deeply into farming, he accepts that the SAYFCmembership of the future needs to

come from a wider pool. “There arefewer and fewer people working onfarms and we have to put on a rangeof activities that will attract otherswho are living in country areas.”

He is already showing leadershipskills and along with a number ofmembers from across the regions he iscycling 135 miles from Aviemore toKinross, via Stirling in aid of theMercy Ships and to raise funds for theYoung Farmers. The cyclists starttheir three day mission from theNorth Region on the GloriousTwelveth, reaching Pitlochry on thefirst evening (55 miles). Black Fridaytakes them into East Region territoryto Bridge of Allan (50 miles) and thefinal leg on the 14th sees them wheelinto Kinross after 30 miles.

So 46 Young Farmers are signed upto get on their bikes. So dig deep forcharity and help the YF’s prosper!

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 18

Check out the web site for sale dates and news

www.scottish-blackface.co.uk

Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association

19

Mercy Ships

Farms waiting to give you the experience of alifetime!

AgriVenture Work Programmes for 18 to 30 year olds.

Call for a Free Brochure 0800 783 2186www.agriventure.net

AUSTRALIA OR NEW ZEALAND

Primary 6 pupils fromCummertrees School enjoyedtheir Maths lesson more than

normal this week when they visitedMaulscastle Farm to look at howmathematics comes into farming.They were there at the invitation ofKevin Watret, who is one of theNational Council members of theBritish Blue Cattle Society, who arebehind this initiative to introduceschool pupils to practical applicationsfor their mathematics curriculum.

Each pupil chose a year old bull,which they will adopt for the nextyear and follow its progress throughshows and sales. They will also trackit through the ABRI Breedplan system, where they can find its breedhistory and look at how mathematicsand computers allow pedigree farmersto assess the future potential of theirbreeding stock through EstimatedBreeding Values (EBV's).

Fiona Sloan, who organised thevisit on behalf of the British Blue

Society, said “EBV's are a very difficult thing to explain to farmers soit's been a real challenge finding a simple way to explain it to the children!

“The fact that they will be following their animals through thesystem will help them to understandand the pupils have so far taken it intheir stride.”

Andy Ryder, from Newton Farmnear Moffat, who is the currentNational Chairman of the Society,said; “We wanted to involve youngpeople to understand all aspects offarming and this is a great way of giving them some hands on experience, which they can take backto the classroom.”

The pupils will follow their bull'sprogress through the summer showand sale season and visit the farmagain in late autumn when their bullscome inside to look at feeding ratiosand the difference the seasons make.

No Bull at School

Mercy Ships is an internationalcharity that provides freemedical care, relief aid,

community development and long-term sustainable development insome of the world’s most povertystricken nations, via its hospital shipThe Africa Mercy and a number ofland-based projects focusing on waterand sanitation, education, infrastructuredevelopment and agriculture.

Working in partnership withSAYFC and Robert Wiseman dairies,Mercy Ships UK is inviting Clubsacross Scotland to get involved in raising vital funds for their peers atthe Food for Life Project in Benin,West Africa.

During an intensive 12 weekcourse, the project trains young farmers from across the country inorganic, reproducible farming methods designed to increase yieldsand provide them with long term ability to feed their families and earna living. After the course, farmersreturn to their villages to put intopractice what they have learned, but todo this they need basic equipment – ahoe, a rake, some seeds, a pair ofwellies, a watering can and a wheelbarrow. The total cost is around

£75.00 per farmer.We are appealing to Young

Farmers across Scotland to helpraise a minimum of £15,000(£5.00 per Young Farmer inScotland) towards this project –enough to help 200 farmers inBenin. Robert Wiseman Dairies issupporting this project and if, collectively, Young Farmers raise£15,000 or more, they will pay forthree Young Farmers to visit theFood for Life Project in Benin andexperience first hand what the project is all about.

If your Club would be interestedin supporting this project, pleasecontact our Scottish FundraisingManager, Susie Hope, to find outmore, on 01899 830 475 or emailsusie.hope@mercyships.org.uk.

Susie, a former member ofPeeblesshire JAC herself, can provide a speaker to visit your clubto talk about Mercy Ships, assistyou with the organisation offundraising events and provide supporting literature where appropriate. Your help in raisingthese vital funds really can helptransform lives and offer hopewhere previously there was none.

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 19

• Tier III compliant 19.5kW (26hp) diesel engine • Fully independent suspension at each wheel, with high ground clearance• 4x4 continuously variable transmission features a high/low gear ratio• All-wheel hydraulic disc brakes with split circuit and a twin-caliper parking

brake provide excellent stopping power• Top speed of 50kph (31mph) gets you around and between sites quickly

20

eyebrow when it managed to navigatehis obstacle course with no faults!

The only negative is that one has tobe aware when going down steep hillsthat there is no engine braking andthe foot brake has to be touched incombination with the throttle. Wedidn’t chance taking the Groundhogon the real hill, but round the in-byeand hill parks it couldn’t be faulted.

A 4x4 continuously variable transmission (CVT) features ahigh/low gear range with selectabletwo-or four-wheel drive and enginebraking for easy driving and control.

I was fair impressed with the topspeed of 50km/hr on the tarred roadsaround the farm but Nell, wasn’t sokeen as she needed go faster stripes asshe is still very reluctant to jump onand prefers her four feet and a heartbeat to wheeled modes of transport.

A high capacity 10-gauge steelcargo deck, which can carry 500kgsand tow the same amount at the sametime is a boon to any farmer, forester,fencer or estate. The sides can befolded down or removed and the deckcan also be tipped by hydraulics or

Aweek with a JCB Groundhog4x4 on farm, I must admit wasfun and enjoyable.

With two very comfortable seats, itmeant we could travel as a couple intotal comfort round the hill parks, tocheck the newly arrived summer grazing cattle and their calves.

The 4x4 is powered by a Tier IIIcompliant 19.5kW (26hp) dieselengine, which delivers impressivetorque for superb performance inarduous ground conditions, on hillyterrain or when road travelingbetween sites.

Richard was suitably impressedwith the Groundhog’s performanceover rough ground. The fully independent suspension at eachwheel, with high ground clearancegave a much smoother ride than traditional quad bikes.

A Macpherson strut on the front,trailing arm and variable rate springsat the rear all assist in the passengercomfort.

He trialled it over certain ditches,where he had bogged the quad duringthe winter and fairly raised an

manually– a versatile vehicle indeed! Derek Forster of Scot JCB, who

incidentally grew up on the farm nextdoor, says that since the cab wasadded the JCB Groundhogs havebeen selling like hotcakes and thedemo is constantly out and being purchased. Retailing at just over

Groundhog Day

farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

ATV’S

£10 000, is almost the cost of twoquads, but certain estates are tightening their belts and buying theseversatile 4x4’s instead of Landroversand quads for their gamekeepers andshepherds.

The cab can come with solid doors,roll down ones or without.

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 20

Royal Highland Winter Fair

Judges 2010

21

Quad Safety

Almost two thirds (62 per cent)of Scottish farms visited in anintensive inspection initiative

were found not to be using All TerrainVehicles (ATVs), such as quad bikes,safely.

The figures were released by theHealth and Safety Executive (HSE)on the opening day of the RoyalHighland Show – following inspectorvisits to 58 farms over a two-weekperiod earlier this month.

36 improvement notices wereissued – 25 for using ATVs withoutappropriate training, 10 for a lack ofsuitable head protection and one forpoor maintenance.

On average, two people die andover 1,000 are injured in ATV accidents each year.

Three agricultural workers died inincidents involving ATVs in Scotlandin the four years up to 2008/09 – thelatest official statistics available atwww.hse.gov.uk/statisitics

Visiting HSE's stand at the RoyalHighland Show, Michael Moore MPand Secretary of State for Scotlandsaid: “These results should act as asharp shock for the agricultural industry. Agriculture remains one ofthe most dangerous ways to make aliving in Britain and farmers must domore to protect themselves and theirworkers. Many incidents involving

ATVs, like so many other farmingrelated incidents that can result indeath or injury, are easily preventableif simple measures are taken.”

Paul Stollard said: “Transportrelated incidents are the secondbiggest cause of fatalities in agriculture in Scotland. Wearing ahelmet, or checking your vehicle's tyrepressure, brakes and throttle beforeeach ride costs just minutes, whereasfailing to do so could cost lives.”

To date, more than 2100 Scottishfarmers have made their pledge aspart of a wider programme of activityin the agricultural sector to helpreduce the numbers of people killedor injured on farms.

HSE's stand at the Highland Showfeatured the stories of farmers whohave been killed or injured during thecourse of their work. Visitors wereable to make their promise, pick upPromise Knots – a visual reminder oftheir pledge, and children will be ableto make Promise Knot key rings onwhich they can write a message totheir loved ones.

With almost three-quarters offarmers aware of the campaign, 'Makethe Promise' is increasingly beingadopted by the farming communityand it already has strong support fromthe NFU and the National Federationof Young Farmers Clubs.

Continental Classes and Overall Beef ChampionshipsAlistair Cormack, Annfield, Lundin Links, Leven, FifeNative Classes and Commercial CalvesRobert Scott, New Hall Farm, Gilsland, Brampton, CarlisleButchers Cattle ClassesJim Nesbit, Sorn Mains, Sorn, Mauchline, AyrshireSheep Classes, Overall and Breed ChampionshipsRobert Lawson, Eastmains Farm, Newbigging, Carnwath, LanarkshireRoots, Potatoes, Grain, Silage and HayRobert Neill, Upper Nisbet Farm, Jedburgh, RoxburghshireYFC Stockjudging - CattleRobert Aitken, Hillside, Easter Balrymonth. St AndrewsYFC Stockjudging - SheepJack Lamb, Burnton Farm, AyrPME Live CattleRaymond Smith, West Lodge, Binghill, Milltimber, AberdeenPME Cattle CarcasesBrian Glaves, 37 Cayley Lane, Brompton by Sawdon, Scarborough, YorkshirePME Live LambsScott Donaldson, c/o Harrison and Hetherington, Rosehill, CarlislePME Lamb CarcasesMichael Winchester, Woodhead Bros, Junction Street, Colne, LancashireHighland PoniesJohn Reid, 1 Jackstown Cottages, Rothienorman, Inverurie, AberdeenshireShetland PoniesIrene Spence, Suie Vale, Middle Steading, Alford, Aberdeenshire

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 21

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Anew cab giving drivers betterall-round visibility, improvedventilation and air conditioning

and a more modern instrument layouthas been unveiled for the McCormickMC four-cylinder tractors byMcCormick dealers in Scotland.The upgrade follows 'Tier 3' revisionsto the range that brought 7-12%power increases across the three modelrange and a longer wheelbase foradded stability with heavy implements.

Technical improvements this timeinclude a revised braking systemrequiring less pedal effort, the option

of independent front axle suspensionfor all three models, and the 'high vis-ibility' four-post cabin.

“The new cab gives the popularMC four-cylinder tractors a real lift interms of appearance and driver benefits,” says Paul Wade, productspecialist with McCormick distributorAgriArgo UK. “It completes a packageof changes that has maintained theappeal of this work-proven tractor.”

With power outputs of 101hp,110hp and 126hp, the MC four cylinder tractors combine the compact size of the lower-spec CX

New 'highvisibility'cab gives

McCormicktractor

drivers a lift

o New four-post cab with roof window gives improved all-round visibility

o New instruments and air conditioning system with revised ventilation layout

o Independent front axle suspension option, less braking effort required

o Completes upgrade started with 'Tier 3' engines and longer wheelbase

models with the transmission andhydraulics sophistication of the six-cylinder MTX line.

All have load-sensing variable flowpumps for economical use of thehydraulic system and a 16x12 or32x24 creep transmission with powershuttle and four-speed powershift.Headland power take-off managementis standard alongside electronic control of the three-point linkage anddraft/traction control system.

Front axle suspension is a newoption for the MC105 and MC115 –it was already available on the MC130

– that improves ride comfort on theroad and in the field, as well as helping front end traction over roughground.

The McCormick MC's new cab is avariation of the Deluxe four-postdesign introduced last year on thethree-model 83hp to 101hpMcCormick CX line. With no 'B' pillars to get in the way, drivers get aclear view to left and right, as well asthe extra light that comes from havingfully-glazed doors filling both sides ofthe cab.

“There's also a roof window for thefirst time, making it easier to see andposition a raised front loader,” notesPaul Wade. “The change has released alittle more headroom, which adds tothe light and airy feel of the interior.”

While the neatly laid-out side console needed no changes other thanadditional colour-coding of some controls to highlight related functions,McCormick designers decided to givethe tractor a more modern instrumentdisplay. There is also an improved airvent layout that will help clear theside windows on misty mornings.

More changes are apparent outside,where four work lights are set intobright corner panels on the shapelytwo-colour roof panel. The roof alsohouses a new air conditioning systemwith filters more easily removed forservicing through a side access cover.

ARABLEfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

TEN passionate potato growers,ONE aim: to increase potatoconsumption and sales across

the country. That's the role of the'Potato Ambassadors' who have beenrecruited and unveiled by PotatoCouncil.

The team, from across the country,will be helping with Potato Council'smarketing work to raise the profile ofpotatoes and demonstrate their manybenefits - they're naturally tasty, nutritious, versatile and easy to cook.Representing Scotland is AllanStevenson from East Lothian, a passionate grower and Potato Councilchairman.

Allan said: “Consumers eatinghabits are changing. Faced with morefood choices, less time and lessknowledge, younger consumers, inparticular, enjoy a wider range of carbohydrates, which presents a challenge to potatoes. Versatility, convenience and natural healthinessare strong messages to encouragemore people to cook and eat potatoes,but sustainability and local produce arealso generating more interest than

ever before. We believe that as potatogrowers, at the very heart of theindustry, we are ideally placed toshowcase why potatoes should be aregular choice for every shopper.”

The Potato Ambassadors will beinvolved in all aspects of PotatoCouncil marketing activity; attendingshows, engaging with consumersdirectly online or at shopping centresand hosting farm visits. They will alsoplay an integral role in the PotatoCouncil's schools project, 'Grow YourOwn Potatoes', educating youngstersabout how potatoes grow.

Allan Stevenson was born on thefarm at Luffness Mains, in EastLothian and after many years in business outside agriculture, hereturned to his roots and has been atthe helm of his own farming companyfor 9 years. The farm, where Allan'sgrandfather started growing potatoesin 1914, is LEAF Marque accreditedand produces a dozen different potatovarieties for supermarket. It is ideallyplaced to demonstrate Allan's passionfor the crop to local consumers andthe media.

Potato Ambassadors

Please mentionfarmingscotland.com

when replying to adverts

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 22

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Maize, a crop which is normallyassociated with warm humidclimates is advancing north,

and has now reached as far asAberdeenshire. Advances in varietiesand establishment methods over thelast 20 years have enabled the crop tomove much further north than previously thought possible. Ayrshireand Northern Ireland are seen as themost northerly locations growing significant acreages of forage maize, however a few growers further northare keen to evaluate the possibility ofgrowing the crop.

Two farmers in Aberdeenshire aregrowing maize this year – both withvery different end uses for the crop.

Neil Barclay, from Harestone,Banchory is looking for high qualityforage for his beef cattle, and is keento assess the forage quality and yieldof maize.

Magnus Sinclair, from Fiddesbeg,Ellon however is looking at maize asthe highest yielding gas producingcrop for a new anaerobic digestionplant that he is currently in theprocess of planning.

Overseeing the agronomy of thecrop is Agrovista agronomist LewisMcKerrow. To give the crop the bestchance possible he got in touch withSamuel Shine at Samco Engineering, acompany making specialist maize drills

that sow the seed under plastic. Samco kindly supplied a

demonstrator drill complete withplastic and Pioneer supplied a numberof varieties to assess in each situation.

“The benefit of the Samco systemis that it provides the crop with anearly ‘micro’ climate to germinate andestablish. It also reduces the risk of alate frost catching the crop, this givesit an excellent boost and the opportunity to be well establishedready for the milder weather” says MrMcKerrow.

In terms of variety choice Pioneerhas been at the forefront of development varieties suited to growing under plastic. Justina andPR39V43 are the two tried and testedvarieties already being grown commercially, whilst not the earliestvarieties on the list, they have provided consistent results in a rangeof conditions.

The other main variety beinggrown is Kaspian; this is the earliestvariety on the recommended list andis termed ‘Ultra early.’ This varietyshould cob earlier than others –important as the growing season isshorter.

“With some maize sown with theSamco system and the rest sown conventionally with a one pass air drillit provides a useful comparison.” Mr

McKerrow continues.The air drill was set up to sow

double rows at 75cm spacing, thedouble row minimising any variance orgaps that could appear with a single row.

The Early impressions were thatthe plastic was having a huge benefit;after 7 days the crop had germinatedwell and by day 14 the plants had 2leaves. Temperatures under the plastic on a normal day were measured between 25-35 degreesCelsius, with outside air temperaturesbetween 9-15 degrees Celsius. Asexpected the conventionally sownseed got off to a slow start and at anygiven point was approximately 3weeks behind the plastic.

Currently, after 5 weeks, the plantsare 50-60% emerged from the plastic,with the conventional sown plants atthe 3 leaf stage and physically muchsmaller.

With the Samco system, all of theweed control was completed pre-emergence. Products used wereCinder (pendimethalin) + Templar(bromoxanil + terbuthylazine) +Grounded (residual adjuvant). TheSamco drill has an integrated spraytank which applies the herbicideunder the plastic and to the ridgebetween bouts. This is an importantpart of the system as the plastic actsas a ‘greenhouse’ for weeds, quickly

smothering out the crop in weedysites.

Herbicide strategy with the opencrop was slightly different, Cinder +Grounded were applied pre-emergence,with a follow up spray of Calaris(mesotrione + terbuthylazine),planned to tidy up any broad leavedweeds remaining. As with manyspring residuals they rely on soil moisture to be most effective, therefore a mixture of residual andcontact chemicals is often necessary.

In terms of agrochemical input,once the weeds have been controlledthen no further passes should have tobe made. The only other inputsprayed on to the crop with the postemergence will be P-Kursor, which is afast acting foliar phosphite to improveroot growth and vigour.

So are these farmers being optimistic expecting maize to growthis far north? Mr McKerrow is keento point out that even in Ayrshire,maize is not a guaranteed success andstresses that the weather, specificallysunshine hours and warmth in themonths of June and July are vital to‘make or break’ the crop regardless oflocation. He believes that the cropwill grow but does question whetherultimate yield and quality will be highenough to justify the cost and risk ofthe crop.

byLewis

MckerrowAgrovista

MMMMaaaaiiiizzzzeeee iiiinnnn tttthhhheeee NNNNoooorrrrtttthhhh

ARABLE farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

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farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

WORLD MARKETS

Nations keen to secure theirfuture food supplies flockedto the New Zealand National

Agricultural Fieldays this year, led byChina, whose imports from NZ arerocketing upwards.

Chinese vice-premier Xi Jinpingheaded a large delegation whileFieldays was on, which included manycompanies that already have strongbusiness relationships with NZ companies, including investments inthe primary sector.

Among other countries representedthis year at Fieldays were delegationsfrom France, Ireland, Australia,China, Chile, America, Italy, Belgium,and Argentina.

Mexico's Minister of Agriculture,Francisco Xavier Mayorga, also led a20-strong delegation keen to see moreof New Zealand's renowned pastoralfarming practice.

With 50 million hectares of pastureland, water shortages and the effectsof climate change already being feltparticularly in the North of the country, Mayorga said Mexico neededto promote sustainable grazing.

Not all of these countries look toinvest in NZ land or processing, butinstead are keen to access the productivity and efficiency improvements offered by NZ pastoraland horticultural technologies.

NZ trade minister Tim Groserwelcomed the Chinese delegation toAuckland with a review of the freetrade agreement between the twocountries, signed in 2008. NewZealand was the first developed country to do so.

Groser said the increase in NZexports to China in the 12 months toApril 2010 was $860 million and thatthe effect was like adding anothermid-level market to the export statistics in just one year.

Exports of dairy products are nowworth $1 billion a year, as Chineseconsumers seek safe dairy products

following the deaths and illnesses ofbabies when domestic dairy companies added melamine to infantformulas.

Ironically, the giant NZ dairy co-operative Fonterra had to blow thewhistle on its joint venture partnerSan Lu and then write off its $300million investment, and has now benefitted by a dramatic surge indemand for NZ-made milk powder.

But exports across a wide range ofproducts have also grown strongly –such as wood, wool, kiwifruit andwine. Forestry exports to China grewby 80% in 2009.

“China has played a major role insheltering New Zealand from the fullimpact of a global recession,” saidGroser.

“What's more, our largest tradingpartner, Australia, has also done aswell as it has because of China and astrong and growing Australia, whileposing challenges for NZ, is good for us.

“In that sense, NZ benefits twicefrom China's economic success andgrowing global importance.

“First, we benefit directly throughour rapidly growing exports to Chinaand second, because Australia is by farour largest export market, we benefitindirectly from Australia's similar success in participating in the Chinesegrowth story,” he said.

New Zealand's largest meat company, Silver Fern Farms, recentlystudied the Chinese market and cameto a surprising conclusion.

Chief executive officer KeithCooper said the opportunity for SilverFern Farms lies in supplying highervalue products into specialty nichesegments, not the commodities it hasbeen supplying until now. He putthat comment in perspective by outlining what the “mass market”means in China.

By 2025 it will have 15 cities withpopulations of over 25 million, 22cities with greater than 10 million

people and 23 cities with more thanfive million people.

Mass migration from the countryside to the city is increasingthe spending capability of consumersbut also reducing the productivecapacity, forcing China to lookbeyond its own borders for alternativesources of food supply.

“At a government level China isabsolutely focused on the security ofits food supply and food safety, andNew Zealand is well positioned inthis regard.”

The Chinese have some very traditional eating habits that are notgenerically aligned to NZ meat production, particularly when itcomes to added-value products.Chinese people will eat almost anything – accordingly the proteincontent of a meal may be met bypork, fish, chicken, beef, lamb or anyvariety of offal or animal derivativeslike turtle, frogs, chicken feet, orshellfish.

Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency responsible forthe development and promotion ofthe indigenous business sector, is nowa regular exhibitor at the NZ Fieldays,promoting the world class capabilityof Ireland's agribusiness sector.

This year there were six participating Irish companies,

Keenan's, Easyfix, Quadcrate,McHales Engineering, Dairymaster &Glen Dimplex.

Paul Burfield, director ofEnterprise Ireland for New Zealand,commented on the opportunities forcloser collaboration, not just in tradebut including areas such as technologytransfer.

Behind the pastoral and horticultural productivity records inNew Zealand is a long-time culture ofhome-grown adaptation and innovation.

The theme of this year's NZFieldays was innovation for futureprofit, with more than half of 1000exhibitors choosing to unveil somenew product or process.

More than 120,000 people attended four days of Fieldays, making it the largest event of thatkind in the southern hemisphere.

Belgian polyurethane bootmakerBekina attended NZ Fieldays for thefirst time and sold all of its first consignment of products in the firsttwo days.

Sales manager Didier Vervacke wassurprised by the demand for the bootsin a country which has long producedand worn mostly rubber “Red Bands”made by Skellerup Industries.

Bekina has appointed a small NZdistributor, Kaiwaka Clothing.

World Markets –NZ Field Days

by HughStringleman

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Belgian company Bekina NV, oneof the world's largest wellingtonboot manufacturers, has

appointed Brecht Debruyne, pictured,sales manager for the United Kingdomand Irish Republic. Brecht, who studied Marketing and InternationalSales at Bruges and Ghent Universities,is also responsible for the Austrian,Hungarian and Czech markets.

A former Belgian under 18 international, Brecht played for CercleBruges before injury ended his careeras a professional footballer.

The Bekina Steplite X wellingtonboot launched last January has provedespecially popular with farmers andvets across the British Isles. Fordetails visit website www.bekina.be

These Bootswere Made for Walking!

Acouple of pairs of Bekinawellies arrived by courier thefirst week of lambing. I gladly

swapped my tight-fitting, buckle-topped navy wellingtons for the newarrivals and must admit I haven’tlooked back.

The Belgian based Bekina, have gotit sussed when it comes down to comfort. The Steplite X Greenwellies are as light as a feather.Apparently the polyurethane they aremade from is 40% lighter than rubberor PVC.

Each pair came with a pair of limegreen insoles, which improve comfort.Made from a thick top felt layer, theyare slip-resistant thanks to a rubber

underlay and do not curl up. As a woman who always seems to

have cold feet it is a blessing to find apair of wellies that are both warm andcomfortable. They have thermoinsulating properties – cool in summer, warm in winter.

“Air is an excellent insulator: thepolyurethane in our boots is a foamedmaterial consisting of millions of tinyair bubbles. Your feet will be warm inthe winter, while the material'sbreathing features will keep your feetfrom transpiring profusely in summer,” say Bekina.

Other plus points for me are thatthey are easy to pull on in a hurry anddon’t flop over so are easy to store.

Richard says that they have a goodgrip, are comfortable and light.

The boots, which are suitable forboth men and women and are available in sizes 35 through to 49. Aswell as traditional agricultural green,the wellies can be bought in black,white or yellow.

Apparently they have great resistance to oil, fats and manure soare proving popular in the meat trade.

“The PU used by Bekina withstands organic fats, hydrocarbons,mild chemicals, as well as animal fats,oils and industrial greases. Tests provethat polyurethane boots last up tothree times longer than PVC boots.”

Steel toecaps are an optional extra!

The Clydesdale Bank staff fromthe Dumfriesshire AgriculturalBusiness Banking sector

recently took to the hills on a mission.They walked the 83 miles alongHadrian’s Wall in support of theirbanking cohort – Malcolm Morrison –who tragically lost his wife Elaine toMelenoma Cancer last July.

Elaine (nee Vivers) and Malcolmstarted their married life farming inSutherland, before moving toLanarkshire, where Malcolm took upa position with Yara and Elaine joinedthe team at Robert Wiseman Dairiesin East Kilbride in the computer section.

Malcolm went on to take up aposition as a Consultant with Smiths

Gore in Dumfries, before being head-hunted by the Clydesdale Bamkto front the Agricultural team inDumfries. The couple and their twosons – Fraser (16) and Lewis (14) –moved from Strathaven to live inDumfiresshire, where the boys arepupils at Wallacehall, Thornhill.

Robert Wisemans Daires hasteamed up with farmingscotland.com

magazine and has taken the back pagespace for £1000. All proceeds havegone directly to Malcolm’s appeal – toHelp the Hospices.

Malcolm and the rest of theClydesdale bank have raised a grandtotal of in their endeavourto Help the Hospices and raise awareness of the wonderful, caringservice they provide

Wiseman Supports Cause

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Toggi clothing is normally associated with horsey circles,but Heather Wildman,

Development Officer for Dairy Comodelled some of the summer range,proving that the clothes are suitablefor all walks of country life.

Using one of her clients’ dairyunits as a backdrop, Heather is pictured above in the Newmarketfuchsia ‘stand-out in a crowd’ jacket.

It is a cosy, summer, waisted jacket, with a light fleecy lining, bothwind and shower proof. It has an85% polyester, 15% nylon shell with a100% polyester lining, making it easy care. A 30% wash and drip-drykeeps this jacket looking fresh.

An invisible internal zip at backallows for additional embroideries andpersonalisation. Toggi is embroideredon the chest and at the back of theneck. Other features includeelasticated adjustable cuffs with internal storm cuffs and welt pocketswith zips for security and an internal

zip pocket. The Newmarket blousonjacket is on the market at £65.

Underneath, Heather is sporting a Castaway fuchsia graduated pink andpurple striped polo shirt. It is a slimfit polo shirt with stretch, made from92% Cotton, 8% Elastane Jersey andis available in sizes 6-20, priced £18.99.

Heather is modelling the Pirateblack and turquoise stripe ladies threequarter sleeve rugby shirt below. It ismade of the same mix as theCastaway. It boasts embroidery andappliqué number detail on the chestand retails at £22.99. It teams wellwith the Bondi black, ladies full ziphoodie (not pictured). This 100%cotton hooded top has a black andturquoise stripe lined hood. Toggielettering is embossed at the cuff ofone sleeve and a toggi emblem on thechest. A black draw cord at the hoodopening and patch pockets with additional concealed security pocketsalso decorate this comfortable product, which retails from £42.50.

RURAL ROUND-UPfarmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

RURAL ROUND-UP

For the first time, Cogent's HeadOffice ladies pulled together andcompleted a 5k run for the

Cancer Reasearch campaign 'Race forLife' in Chester on the 13 June. Thenine-strong team flew round thecourse and finished with a remarkableteam average of thirty six minutes,

which, considering one team memberwas dressed in a cow outfit – was particulary impressive.

The team, which consisted ofladies working in Sales, Marketing andAccounts – collected an impressive£1,500 and encourage any charitablecustomers to also contribute to the

Cogent Girls

Toggi Gear

cause. Their sponsorshipmoney was kindly matchedby the WestminsterFoundation, which helpedthem to reach their grandtotal.

Mark Evington, Cogent'sManaging Director commented that, 'I am veryproud of the team's acheivements and I am verypleased that they have supported such a great cause.The funds that they have collected are a credit to themand their hours of traininghave most definitely paid off.'

67 MAG 8/7/10 10:00 am Page 26

Taking someone on. Long ago that was a

handshake and a nod. No-oneelse involved and an understandingboth boss and man could walk apartand that was that.

In many respects it worked.Paperwork was non-existent and thelook in both men’s eyes – all they needed to know if the deal struck,was going to work.

I sat at a funeral of a neighbour, anumber of years ago. The coffin infront of us was John’s last rest. Hisboss rose to the lectern to give himhis last orders. Whenever that nodhad taken place that set man to manon a farm, here was the end of theroad. The boss was never as strong ashe claimed and here he had to saygoodbye. “There were days whenJohn was right and there were dayswhen I was right. But there wasnever a day when either of us waswrong!”

Everything was in those lines. Theunderstanding, the authority and therespect. Now what of all of that hasbeen improved by the endless formfilling from local, central andEuropean government, when you takea man on?

That’s lazy of me. I’ve won mostof you round to my scratchings withthe power of sentiment. How theyears soften the memory. For thoseof you who have been in the bothy orthe farm cottage you may well havememories of dreadful damp walls andpoor heating in places that no man orwoman should be living, let alone raising their families, so the attemptsto redress such inadequacies werealways necessary no matter what our

opinion is of how successful theseadvances have been on the farm.

But what really keeps two men tothat handshake? The house, the job,the farm? Why do some seem tokeep their position yet he may not thebest tractorman? Worse, why doesthe odd good lad get the heave whilea shirker seems to be safe?

What legislation will never controlis the ancient constant that we are alldifferent and as such what works forone may not for the next and woventhrough it all are the intricasies ofpersonality.

Like any family everyone has toplay their role, the farmer has theimpossible task of being fair, or atleast being seen to be fair, like anygood father. Even a piece of machinerycan cause ructions. Remember theoperator is almost handed a promotionwhen that set of keys is handed over.

Rarely is the need for the farm considered by the men but that theboss sees fit to let that “bugger” looseon a hefty lump of the farm’s annualexpenditure, is much more likely tobe the general response. That’s not tosay the boss isn’t showing favouritismbut even then he sees fit to try andkeep someone on the place for whathe feels is good reason.

But the men and women, in alltheir guises, also need to play theirpart. This too can be very tricky.How many of us have asked a man orwoman why they are putting up withtheir boss or another man and beentold, “oh just keeping the peace.” Isit weak or strong for a man to keephis head down; see nothing, hearnothing, say nothing? That’s no monkey’s game. Has the fire gone

out of a man’s belly or has his ageinghead grown a bit of wisdom?

The farmyard can be a battle fieldwith as much politics as DowningStreet; everyone manoeuvring fortheir place, their cut, what theydeserve and in the process makingsure the boss sees what’s “going on.”And of course all of this is furthercomplicated by what’s going on overthe dyke at the next place. To hellwith them doing any better!

So what droplet of wisdom am Iabout to hand down? None.

My ageing head does its best tohang on to what little wisdom I haveleft before I tried to improve it. ButI’ll say this. A good man is rare andbefore that new piece of machineryshould be looked after, the menshould be thought of, even occasionallylistened to and regularly thanked. Ifsomeone feels valued they are muchmore likely to learn their lesson whenthey are wrong. If they live in a placethat they know their boss is lookingafter, they might just do the same andthat is not all about money.

The boss might pay attention to aman if he is honest and reliable. If hewalks with his eyes open and stops,just for a moment, and thinks beforehe once again declares the boss abloody idiot for his latest decision. Itcould just be that not all the facts andreasons for his decision are known.And like most of us even the boss hasa family to think of, particularly on afarm, with the next generation hisbiggest critic and his biggest liability.We all know that is never an easytask.

Being on a farm these days can bea lonely pressure cooker. The one

thing that has changed is that machineryhas left farms sometimes with onlyone man; the boss. But if there stillare staff, then they are even morevaluable than before. Men rarely canor want to keep their sons and daughters on a place and it is sad tohave agree with them that they mayneed to think elsewhere. But not allwould go if they saw a good life aheadof them and that thought is kindledby our example and encouragement.

This hit home for me recently. Ihave very little to do with the dairyindustry but not so long ago I went tosee a fully mechanised unit with itsrobots etc. It was undoubtedlyimpressive. But what shocked mewas that 30 years ago I spent manyhappy milkings on my uncle’s farm,contented cows, men with banter anda buzz and a crowd that to a youngsterseemed perfect. But there in thatshed, purpose built, all singing alldancing, one man pushed feed intotroughs that had already been filledfrom a tractor, no dairymen required,surrounded by hundreds of cows andnot a soul to speak to for good or bad.That affects a man. All the more reason for his boss to look after himand for the man to understand theenormity of the boss’s task, which this“improvement” demands of them bythe forces of economics.

So, where are we?Back at that handshake. Boss or

man, maybe an extra handshake nowand again wouldn’t go amiss becauseyou can be sure, for all the forces ofimprovement, an extra form filledisn’t going to mean anything like a little bit of respect and a pat on theback.

farmingscotland.comIssue sixty-seven • July 2010

TEAM TALK

Who’s the Boss?by

Wendy Clark

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