Short notice hits BSEcull
Short notice hits BSEcull
A slow start to tupping and
depressed lamb prices are
doing little to cheer the
Dalrymples. But their
biggest concern of the
moment is the BSE selective
cull and how it might delay a
resumption of beef exports.
Allan Wright reports
THE LETTER from MAFFs selective cull unit arrived only last week. It talks of good progress to date and asks for help in drawing the cull to a rapid conclusion, one of the conditions for the lifting of the beef export ban.
"Here we are in October and this is the first approach we have had. Our records are all computerised and we were able to identify 91 animals in our herd of 180 cows that meet the cohort search criteria. They are the bought-in animals born between July 1989 and June 1993. We have had a couple of cases of BSE on the farm so we suspect that some of these cattle could be cohorts," says Robert Dalrymple.
"Most suckler herds in Scotland are based on bought in heifers from English dairy farmers so there will be thousands of people in the same position as ourselves. They may not all be able to provide MAFF with the information it requires at the press of a button and it is difficult to imagine that the cohort exercise is going to be completed very soon.
"Where does that leave all the brave talk about beef exports being resumed by the end of the year?" he asks.
A telling sentence in the letter received by the Dalrymples states: "The ear-tag numbers of cohort animals are held on our selective cull database. It is important to note that any reply we give you reflects the database at the time of reply – cohort animals are still being added to it."
"Dealer batching of calves in the south which then go on to rearers is going to make this a very difficult exercise to complete," says Robert.
However, hopeful that farm gate beef prices can only improve, this years crop of suckled calves has, as usual, been creep feeding from the beginning of September. There continues to be no shortage of grass but supplementary feeding is deemed essential not only for calf growth but to ease the suckling pressure on the mothers.
Both Robert and Caroline agree that, while capital investment can be cut, there is no point compromising feeding, health, and welfare of animals. "A start down that route only means lower output and income at the end of the day. We have a system that demands quite high inputs but they must be maintained unless we are to change the whole farming pattern," says Robert.
Calf creep feeding is one example. Another is the worming and vitamin and mineral dosing of all the ewes before tupping. Every ewe has also had her feet and udder inspected. They were then flushed for a fortnight on the best of grass. Similar care and attention was lavished on the tups.
"Despite all that, we have had one Texel tup die on us for no apparent reason, and a very slow start to tupping, only 63 in the first week. It was the same two years ago but that was a drought year. It is a bit frustrating and means that there will be hundreds all being tupped on the same day with the consequent workload at lambing time," says Robert.
Lamb sales are drawing to a close which is just as well with prices down to £32 a head. Caroline has averaged lamb prices for the past four seasons to the end of September. In 1995, the 305 sold live averaged £41.03 and 1131 sold deadweight £43.78. In 1996, the 282 at auction averaged £51.80 and 1059 sold deadweight for £55.56. Last year, virtually all the lambs were sold deadweight and more than 1500 averaged £49.55. This year, 1790 have been sold at an average £47.23.
"The drop of £2 on the year is a lot less than most are suffering and it shows that early lambing and creep feeding do pay by getting the premium that is available in the early part of the season," says Robert.
The seasonal spread of prices proves his point, especially in a year like this when the May peak of £55.70 compares with an end of September price of £32.30, a slide of 42%.
Carolines first scan of end of financial year outputs shows lamb income up by £3400 despite the £2 drop in average price. Extra ewes and a higher percentage of reared lambs were responsible. Suckled calf income, however, has dived by £8600 for the same number sold.
"The bald figures may show that we have made a small surplus but that is only because, for the first time, we have made no machinery or other capital investment. It just cannot be justified on present farm incomes," says Caroline.
FARM FACTS
• Kings Arms and Crailoch Farms, at Ballantrae on the Ayrshire coast, run as one 262ha (650 acre) unit by Robert and Caroline Dalrymple.
• Grass the only crop – for grazing and high quality silage. It is an early area but land near the sea is sandy and burns easily in summer.
• Suckler herd of 180 cows mated to Charolais sires and progeny sold as yearlings.
• Sheep flock of 900 Mule and Texel-cross ewes lambing from mid-February. About 300 hoggs are also lambed.
• Farm staff of three.