Stock Talk

Welcome to Stock Talk. On today’s episode we hear from James Orr who will be taking over from Kirsten Williams’s role as the host on Stock Talk. James talks about his career highlights as an agricultural consultant at SAC Consulting, his key areas of expertise and Kirsten reflects of some of her favourite projects from the past 20 years. James looks to continue Stock Talk with more interesting farming stories as well as discussing more technical aspects. ResourcesLivestock Resources -https://www.fas.scot/livestock/Poultry Resources -https://www.fas.scot/livestock/poultry/FAS Connect - https://www.fas.scot/connect/For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Dr Basil Lowman who has been a beef specialist with SAC Consulting for 55 years. Kirsten describes Basil as a legend in the beef industry. We hear about Basil’s varied career, his passion for the industry, how he thrives on challenge and is a pioneer of new ideas.  Episode Timestamps  01.37 Let’s go back in time 09.13 Body condition scoring of cattle 16.38 The development of silage and straw-based rations 24.24 The Green Shed 29.43 Beef farming in 10 years’ time  Related FAS Resources   Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS Body Condition Scoring - Maintaining condition (FAS)   Other Related ResourcesThe Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 1 (QMS) The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 2 Greenshed Graphic - SRUC  GreenShed video - SRUC - YouTube   For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot  National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode, Kirsten is joined by Ross Robertson, a Farm Technology Specialist at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Ross collaborates with a network of farms to create practical solutions and demonstrate use of technology on farm to increase productivity. Ross draws on his practical farming experience and knowledge gained through visiting systems in other countries to bring about innovative change at a farm level here in the UK. Episode Timestamps  00.20 Introducing Ross Robertson, Farm Technology specialist and sheep farmer  04.34 Sector technology: dairy, arable robotics and precision farming, pig and chicken technology and animal health 09.00 Return on investment  10.36 Understanding how to handle and understand the data – the importance of training  13.32 Applying dairy technology to the beef sector  15.41 Main driver for introducing technology: labour, cost saving, health monitoring, increasing productivity  19.11 Ross’s background 24.28 Biodiversity sensors 27.42 LoRaWAN – Long Range Wide Area Network 30.15 Connectivity - a barrier to the uptake of technology?  32.01 ONE AgriTech survey – broadband, apps and expert help 43.30 What motivates Ross  Resources    The UK Agri-Tech Centre | farming & food innovation Ross Robertson contact: 07858309293, ross.robertson@ukagritechcentre.com  Opportunity North East (ONE) The University of Edinburgh - The Power of Data in Farm Animal Practice  For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot  National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot  

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Turkey Farmer Paul Kelly. In 1971, Paul’s parents started the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’. The cycle starts with eggs going into incubators in April for 28 days. When they hatch, they go into brooding sheds, then by 5 weeks of age they are ready to go to the woodland where they roam freely. At Kelly Turkeys they have complete control over the whole production cycle, making them very unique in the industry and one of a kind in the UK. The business has developed resilience to deal with issues like Brexit, labour, marketing and work by the motto ‘change is the name of the game’.   Episode Timestamps  00.31 Introducing Paul and the turkey cycle 02.41 Inseminating vs running with stags 03.24 Genetics and breeding lines 09.43 Hatchery business: 1.8 million chicks a year 12.48 Kelly turkeys: 100,000 turkeys reared through to Christmas 18.38 Split between whole turkeys, crowns and butterflies  27.36 Bringing resilience into the business 33.32 Avian influenza (bird flu)  37.44 Markets, trends and online sales 39.09 Weighing turkeys, sources of protein (acorns!) and organic  44.36 Succession  46.50 Marketing and celebrity chefs!   FAS Resources Poultry | Helping farmers in Scotland Other Resources    Kelly Bronze Turkeys  Farmgate Hatcheries New GB avian influenza wildlife interactive map and data dashboard launched | SRUC Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot  For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot  National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Ben and Harriet Lowe. HB Farms in Aberdeenshire consists of Newseat of Dumbreck, an arable farm on tenancy and Pitmillan Farm which is home to 450 breeding sows and a finishing unit. In addition to grass, forestry and land for environmental schemes, they grow 397ha of crops, with the grain used as feed for the pigs whilst manure is recycled back onto the fields. Soil health, circular agriculture and long-term biodiversity are priorities for HB Farms. Episode Timestamps  01:05 Introducing Ben and Harriet Lowe 05:38 Farm stats 06:38 Pigs, from breeding to finishing and managing a weekly system 09:15 Knowledgeable staff 10:46 Creating a circular farm 11:36 Saving on inputs due to pig FYM 14:04 Ration changes throughout the cycle 15:53 Data driven decision making 19:19 Genetics and feed conversion 21:14 Target carcase weight and spec 23:36 Processing pig meat 26:13 Managing cashflow 27:31 Protein in the pig diet33:18 Nuffield: closing the loop in pig production: the 5-mile pig 39:30 LEAF demonstration farm 41:09 Resilience in the business 47:35 Advice for New Entrants FAS Resources FAS Case Studies - Gaining A Tenancy As A New Entrant  Other Resources    Instagram - HB Farms Nuffield scholar - Ben Lowe  Leaf demonstration farms - HB Farms   For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot  National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot 

In this podcast we hear from Kirsten Williams who will be taking over Robert Ramsay’s role as the host on Stock Talk. Kirsten talks about her farming system at home as well as her interests at work. Robert mentions some of his favourite Stock Talk podcasts and how they can develop into something bigger (e.g. the deer farming podcast has now turned into a FAS Deer Farming Group). Kirsten wishes to continue Stock Talk with more farming stories as well as discussing more technical aspects.  Related FAS ResourcesKirsten Williams: Let your determination grow stronger | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

In this podcast we hear from Jock Gibson who is a farmer and butcher. He talks about his farming system at home and how his cattle are certified with Pasture for Life. This means they are on a grassland and forage diet and are therefore slower to reach finished weights than conventional finishing systems which feed concentrate feed. Jock has native breeds of cattle to suit this system. Jock also talks about the butchery side of the business and direct selling to customers and the importance of eating quality of the meat he is selling to customers.  Jock also talks about his Nuffield Scholarship focussing on eating quality of meat which included travels to other countries to experience different systems and abattoirs.  Jock is a trustee of Farmstrong Scotland and this is something he is passionate about. This is now setup as a charity and is designed to help people with their mental health and wellbeing and encourage the creation of positive habits.  Linked resources: Farmstrong Scotland - Live Well, Farm & Croft Well 

In this podcast we hear from Jan Vos, Agronomist from Agrovista & Lorna Galloway SAC Consultant from SAC Stranraer Office. They talk about soil health, agronomy, and sustainable practices to get the desired outcome – healthy crops and effective weed management. They also talk about the best way to establish and keep clover in the sward and a clover-safe herbicide that is undergoing trials and should be available to use soon. Rushes and bracken control is also discussed.Linked resources: GrassCheck - HOME - GrassCheck GB

In this episode, host Robert Ramsay speaks to Graham Lofthouse, beef and sheep farmer from Bankhouse Farm, in the Scottish Borders, and winner of the AgriScot Scottish Sheep Farmer of the Year award 2016. Robert and Graham discuss the strategies and challenges of rotational grazing systems, lamb growth, flock efficiency, genetics and how Graham established his wool-shedding flock.kglofthouse@tiscali.co.uk mobile 07708060236 Related FAS ResourcesSelecting the Right Ram for the Job | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Technical Note (TN767): Management and Selection of Rams for EfficiencyTupping | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Lamb Performance | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Sustainable Sheep Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

In this podcast we hear from David Kerr, ScotEID’s Technical Manager. He speaks about cattle EID tags and their importance in the future for traceability for food safety and disease control. David tells us about the technology and the differences between Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags which will be used for cattle tags, and Low Frequency (LF) tags which are used in sheep tags. David explains the minimal affect this will have on beef farmers once compulsory EID tagging of cattle comes into effect – the minimum is to tag the calf with a pink EID tag. The use of EID readers and performance recording etc is all optional and up to the farmer if they wish to use them to its full benefit as a management tool. Related ResourcesConsultation on cattle identification and traceability in Scotland - Page 1 of 10 - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen SpaceScotEid - 2024 - Board 7 - v1

In this podcast we hear from SRUC Veterinary Investigation Officers Megan Fergusson and Tim Geraghty. They talk about the importance of good husbandry and top tips to save time and to prevent disease spreading at lambing and calving time. They also talk about health planning and how recording lamb and calf losses can help when reviewing these losses and how to improve survival rates in the future.Linked FAS resources:Lambing | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Calving Heifers Vlog Series | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Losses at Calving – should I investigate? | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)Maximising Calf Survival | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

In this podcast we hear from Sean Cursiter who has featured on BBC’s ‘This Farming Life’ program. Sean Cursiter farms at Laga Farm, Orkney with his dad and his uncle. Due to his dad and uncle still being relatively young and fit to farm Laga, Sean decided to buy a farm for himself and his family’s future; Arwick Farm, Orkney. Sean tells us about his story and strong work-ethic which led to him being able to buy a farm. Although Sean still helps out at Laga, he now has his own farm business at Arwick and has aspirations to improve the farm and breed sustainable low-input livestock.  He also speaks about the wintering systems they employ at Laga (sheep slats) and at Arwick (feeding silage in the hill) to help the sheep get through the long Orkney winters. Linked resources: The Sheep Game slatted shed videos: These SHEEP got a NEW SHED (youtube.com) £70,000 UPGRADE to this SHEEP SHED - YouTube