Farming For a Better Climate

In this episode SAC Consulting sheep specialist Poppy Frater speaks to farmers Alex Brewster of Rotmell Farm and Graham Lofthouse of Bankhouse farm about their own respective grazing strategies. Both Alex and Graham are on a journey to improve their grazing but have done so in different ways while dealing with the different challenges of soils, weather and animal behaviour thrown up over the years on each of their farms. Both farmers highlight the importance of finding a system that suits your farm business and that one size doesn't fit all when it comes to grazing strategies.

In this Farming for a Better Climate podcast environment consultant Séamus Murphy and dairy specialist Dr.Lorna MacPherson speak to dairy farmer Alistair Marshall and farm manager Ken McFeely of Hardgrove Farm. The discussion looks at how Hardgrove Farm has managed to increase efficiency in production, which can ultimately reduce emissions, through an increased focus on health and fertility planning over the last few years. There are lots of take away points for any farmer looking to improve efficiency in the dairy herd and reduce their carbon footprint.

In this episode Poppy Frater, SAC Consulting's Sheep & Grassland Specialist chats with Nikki Yoxall, from Grampian Graziers and Finn Weddle, a farm advisor and director within Reforesting Scotland.

Poppy, Nikki and Finn have a really interesting discussion about the many benefits of Agroforestry systems, from improved animal welfare with the improved shelter, nutritional benefits from grazing access to different tree species and other health benefits, e.g. parasitic control from the naturally occurring chemicals ingested with the range of plants found within a woodland flora.

Nikki farms rare breed, native cattle in Aberdeenshire and provides interesting updates and posts on the #TheWeeMob on her Twitter page @Howemill. (Photo credit for this podcast image goes to Nikki Yoxall)

Finn can be found on Twitter at @DesignAndConker where you can access his regular 'Regenerative Livelihood Podcast'

In this episode, we hear from Lorna MacPherson, Senior Dairy Consultant with SAC Consulting, and Megan Fergusson, Veterinary Investigation Office with SRUC Veterinary Services.  The topics discussed include improving herd health, fertility and nutrition as ways to improve efficiencies within the dairy herd.  

In this episode we listen in as Beef Specialist Consultant, Robert Ramsay, chats to Sam Parson, the Farms Estate Director at the Balcaskie Estate, Fife.

Sam explains that the farm has a 50-year outlook for the business and as a result both economic resilience and climate change led farm management changes. The estate is now transitioning the in-hand farm enterprises to a fully organic status incorporating a more regenerative system.  We hear more about the grazing management employed on the estate, including the practicalities of managing bale and rotation grazing systems.

In this episode, we revisit Woodhead near Newmilns in Ayrshire and chat with dairy farmer John Kerr and agricultural consultant Alexander Pirie.

John was a Climate Change Focus Farm host from 2014 - 2018 and made significant financial savings whilst reducing his farm carbon footprint by 6%. We hear his thoughts about the project, what he gained from his time as a host and how he has continued to make further improvements to the farm business to further increase business efficiency.

In this episode, we hear Professor Davy McCracken (SRUC Hill & Mountain Research Centre at Kirkton & Auchtertyre) chat to Séamus Murphy (SAC Consulting) about Climate Change in Agriculture and Rewilding.