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.

photo courtesy of www.jennifermackenzie.co.uk

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.”

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