28/03/06
Three leading Cumbrian beef farms will be the subject of farm
visits as an optional part of the UK’s national beef event,
Beef Expo 2006, to be held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Friday,
June 2.
The visits will take place the previous day, Thursday, June 1,
and will be followed by a conference and pre-event dinner.
The farms to be visited are Scratchmere Scar, Plumpton, Penrith
(Brendan and Brian Atkinson), Walloway Farm, Penruddock, Penrith
(Robin and Peter Edmondson) and Barrockside, Carleton, Carlisle
(John and Raymond Timperon).
“These are three outstanding beef units and we are greatly
indebted to the farmers concerned for kindly agreeing to host visits
by delegates attending Beef Expo,” said Ian Watson, Newlands
Farm, Carleton, who is chairman of the local committee organising
Beef Expo on behalf of the National Beef Association.
“The farm tour is sure to attract a great deal of interest
and I would urge those who wish to visit these farms to make their
reservations as soon as possible as places will be limited.”
Coaches for the tour will leave Carlisle at 8.30 a.m. and return
in time for the conference at 4.00 p.m. The cost of the farm tour,
including lunch, is £10 + VAT and reservations should be
made with Beef Expo organiser, Euan Emslie, Tel: 01430 441870,
Fax: 01430 448432, Mobile: 07718 908523, E-mail: info@beefexpo.co.uk
The three farms to be visited are all commercial beef farms producing
store and finished cattle for the quality beef market.
SCRATHMERE SCAR
At Scratchmere Scar, father-and-son Brendan and Brian Atkinson
run a suckler herd of 400 predominantly Belgian Blue and Limousin
cross cows on 600 acres, all but 90 acres of which is classed as
severely disadvantaged. The farm has recently moved to the use
of Stabiliser bulls. Steers are sold by auction through Harrison
and Hetherington Ltd, Carlisle, at 18 months of age and heifers
finished deadweight on a total mixed ration (TMR).
WALLOWAY
Robin and Peter Edmondson run 150 Limousin and Belgian Blue cross
suckler cows on their 550 acre Walloway unit and also buy in Limousin
cross heifers for finishing. Most of the farm is in ESA and rural
stewardship schemes and business expansion scheme grants have been
used in recent years to add new buildings and refurbish existing
ones.
Cattle are weighed every 14 days and a daily liveweight gain is
being achieved on a diet of Dugdale Nutrition’s concentrates
and straw. All cattle are sold deadweight, with most going to St
Merryn Meat. The farm also carries a flock of 270 Cheviot cross
ewes which are put to Texel rams.
Timber grown on the farm is used for gates and posts and an extensive
fencing programme has been carried out in recent years.
BARROCKSIDE
Barrockside extends to 500 acres on two units and is run by John
and Raymond Timperon and John’s two sons, Andrew and Peter.
Around 300 acres is in permanent grass and 150 acres of barley
and 50 acres of maize is grown for feeding on the farm.
The 200-cow Holstein Friesian dairy herd is crossed with Belgian
Blue and Limousin bulls. All progeny are finished on an ad lib
diet of crimped barley, soya, bread, straw and minerals. Bulls
are kept entire. A further 200 store cattle are bought-in for finishing.
All cattle are sold deadweight to Rose County Foods with a target
deadweight of just under 400kg at 13 – 17 months of age.
A feature of the farm is the modern range of buildings with concrete
yards.
Strong Trade
Support For Beef Expo
Opening
of beef export markets will break supermarket stranglehold on
price
National Suckled Calf Show At Beef Expo 2006
|