Crops oust cows in revamp
AFTER SELLING its 230 milking cows and followers in 2000 and overhauling its arable enterprise, Southill Estate is set to meet this season”s projected budget.
Several factors led to the change, not least falling milk prices and the prospect of a hefty bill to modernise dairy buildings and milking system.
At the same time an estate tenant retired, making 250ha (620 acres) available to take the cropping area to 810ha (2000 acres).
The plan was to concentrate on wheat, expanding it to over half the area, aiming for a milling sample on at least 50%. Last year”s crop averaged 9.5t/ha (3.8t/acre).
Drainage, structure and fertility needed improving, and a serious grass weed infestation had to be tackled, says owner Charles Whitbread.
“It was a high capital cost. But then serious investment would have had to be made if we were to continue in milk, and even three years ago that didn”t stack up.
“By selling the cows and using casual labour in summer we have reduced staff from nine to three, so labour costs have fallen by 60%.
“Based on the past three years” trading, and despite difficult conditions and poor commodity prices, switching from cows was the right policy change. It has enabled us not only to achieve our anticipated targets, but to remain in a strong position to develop the business further.”
The farming enterprise, operating as Whitbread Farms, is not subsidised by the estate.
Jeff Elston, brought in to handle the restructuring, has to make it pay. He is not helped by areas of woodland patchworking the fields. “Pigeons and rabbits give us problems with oilseed rape and limit its use as a break,” says Mr Elston. “On this land we are unlikely to achieve a malting sample, so barley is out.”
He grows winter beans, and after half last season”s rape crop was lost to autumn drought, decided to sow 130ha (320 acres) of spring beans. Their performance encouraged him to have 100ha (250 acres) more this spring for human consumption.
Plenty of lime, at 35/ha (86/acre), has been needed to address acidity, and the heavy land is regularly sub-soiled and mole ploughed.
To cut compaction, two 300hp tracked tractors – a John Deere 8520T and a Caterpillar Challenger 55 – were introduced, and a new min-till system keeps establishment costs under 50/ha (20/acre).
A John Deere 9780 CTS combine that can cut 40ha (100 acres) a day, a Bateman RB 25 self-propelled sprayer and a Bredal K45 twin-disc fertiliser spreader were all added to allow optimum working.
“I believe that getting the timing right for all the operations is absolutely vital,” says Mr Elston.
Now the company is seeking more land to spread fixed costs further.
