Tim Gue

21 December 2001




Tim Gue

Tim Gue farms 480ha

(1200 acres) near Steyning

in Sussex. In addition to

the arable enterprise which

includes wheat, oilseed

rape and 112ha (280 acres)

of maize, the farm is

stocked with 220 pedigree

Holstein dairy cows and

350 Mule ewes

SPRING calvers stayed out during the day until Nov 30, saving feed and straw, and are still milking well.

The autumn block are also milking well. High quality maize silage and crimped maize grain are producing good milk proteins and, hopefully, minimising negative energy balance. We have just started serving, so fingers crossed.

My wife Marion, herd manager Ron and I were due to go to Holland to look at rotary parlours, but at the eleventh hour we were told we were not welcome due to foot-and-mouth.

I pointed out that all Dutch farmers have been closer to F&M than us, but to no avail and I cant say I blame them. Instead, we hastily arranged a trip to Dorset and Oxon.

The Dorset unit was a 24-point internal milker. It had a relaxed atmosphere and good cows. One man was able to milk 120 cows/hour competently and effortlessly. The unit in Oxon was a 60-point outward milker with two operators. This is a serious piece of kit capable of milking 250 cows/hour and many more with an extra man. It was awesome. Many thanks to our hosts.

So, having seen several rotary parlours, decision time is near. The choice is low-tech, two-man very high output, or high tech, one man with lower output. At this stage we are leaning towards the inward milker, mainly because of the skilled labour shortage, particularly in the south-east.

The last of the lambs are due to go, along with cull ewes. We would still normally have half our lambs to finish on turnips, but lambs have done so well this year we havent sown any. They have finished on the abundance of autumn grass.

Marketing has been difficult because of F&M restrictions and an abattoir shortage in the south-east. Low prices and a two-and-a-half hour journey means filling lorries has been as important as premiums.

We usually buy tups at Kelso, but this year, instead of choosing from thousands we could only choose from 17. We look forward to being at Kelso next year and wish you a great Christmas and New Year, you deserve it. &#42

With building work almost finished, Tim Gues thoughts have turned to new parlours and its looking like an inward milker rotary.


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