Farmer Focus: Vision and drive inspire on reunion farm tour

Daylight hours are increasing and our young heifers are growing well, at 1.2kg daily liveweight gain, with weights suggesting we will hit our target for turnout ahead of schedule.

However, despite having vaccinated, the mild, damp winter so far has caused a few pneumonia issues.

The cows have wintered well out on the hills and are due to come in by 14 February for 1 April calving.

See also: Vaccination for beef suckler cow diseases: Why, when and how

About the author

James Playfair-Hannay

Pedigree Angus and Shorthorn breeder James Playfair-Hannay runs 400 suckler cows and 1,600 Lairg-type North Country Cheviots in the Scottish Borders with wife Debbie and son Robert. They farm 1,780ha (4,400 acres), of which 728ha (1,800 acres) is contract-farmed. They also have a 283ha (700-acre) farm contract-farmed for them further north.

Read more articles by James Playfair-Hannay

On housing, they will be fed a total mixed ration with which we hope to control calf size, while ensuring good colostrum and cow condition.

At the end of January, we had our annual college reunion of the Seale-Hayne Intellectual Talking Society.

This year, we went to Norfolk and Suffolk visiting businesses that had diversified into direct marketing.

The first was Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore at Fen Farm Dairy, near Bungay.

This farm had previously used Holstein genetics to produce milk – lots of it, with long working hours.

In 2001, after speaking with a farmer supplying eggs direct to the public, changes started to happen.

They began selling raw milk direct to consumers and installed a vending machine.

In 2012, further research into cheesemaking to add value to their milk resulted in the purchase of 72 Montbéliarde milking cows from the Jura region of France.

The following year, Baron Bigod Brie went on sale. The Norman baron that lived in the local castle loaned his name to the cheese, which has gone on to win several awards.

Other products have since been added to the production list including skyr yoghurt and raw butter.

The second visit was to the Yare valley near Norwich, where the Mack family are adding value to their oilseed rape by processing it.

They sell their award-winning cold-pressed rapeseed oil in various flavours from their on-farm shop.

A recent addition to the farm business has been a herd of Belted Galloway cattle, with beef also retailed through the farm shop.

The swimming pool is very busy and other ventures are being considered that will form a hub of related businesses, all benefiting from the increased footfall.

These two farms demonstrated that farmers with vision, determination and investment can actually make huge improvements to the profitability of their businesses (which is very rewarding).