In Conversation With...

Welcome to In Conversation With… hosted this month by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs (Principal Consultant) and Kirsten Williams (Senior Sheep and Beef Consultant). On today’s episode Mark and Kirsten reflect on their highlights from 2024 and are joined by David Ross (Principal Consultant, SAC Consulting) to discuss integrating livestock and arable. They explore options for integrating livestock, share top tips and farmers experience as well as the benefits this can bring to both the arable and livestock farmer. 

Episode Timestamps  

00.45 Kirsten’s 2024 highlights 

01.24 Mark’s 2024 highlights 

05.15 Integrating sheep into arable systems 

06.42 Grazing cover crops and catch crops 

09.09 Pest management and drawing moisture out of the soil 

12.20 Biodiversity benefits 

16.58 Soil compaction and deep rooting crops 

21.00 Opportunities and new entrants 

22.35 Things to be aware of (possible issues) 

27.50 Temporary grass leys 

31.55 Farmers’ experience 

34.46 Grazing winter cereals 

42.48 Marks top tips 

44.05 Kirsten's closing thoughts 

FAS Resources 

Sheep grazing winter crop - what you need to know 

Winter grazing cereals - an alternative forage source  

Whitriggs - winter grazing of crops   

Practical guide - use of cover crops 

Regenerative agriculture integrating livestock 

The benefits of grass leys in arable rotations    

Other Resources  

Grass leys for the arable rotation - AHDB 

An introduction to cover crops - AHDB 

Cover crops for additional forage | AHDB    

Outwintering Strategies 

The benefits of sheep in arable rotations (NSA)   

MIXED projects (Efficient and Resilient Mixed Farming & Agroforestry)  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to In Conversation With… hosted this month by Senior Sheep and Beef Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Willie Budge (Senior Consultant, SAC Consulting) and Kythe Mackenzie (Veterinary Investigation Officer, SRUC). They will discuss trends from the year, what’s coming into the labs, tips on preparing for sheep inspections and how to keep meaningful records. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government.

Episode Timestamps

01.42   2024 health highlights – using them to plan for next year

04.14   Top tips for sheep inspections

08.20  Tagging records

14.00   Using records to review performance

15.19    What’s coming into the vet labs

21.16     Funded Animal Health and Welfare interventions (PSF)

24.00  Notifiable diseases and the risks to Scottish flocks

28.08  Biosecurity and quarantine

30.58  Nutrition, winter budgeting and housing

34.48   Kythe’s top tip for winter stocktake

35.58 Willie – Animal Health and Welfare Plan and benefits of up to date records

FAS Resources

Record Keeping

Growing and finishing lambs in autumn and winter

Preparing for Sustainable Farming full guidance (Animal Health and Welfare Interventions)

Cull Ewe Screening

Ice-berg Diseases in Sheep - Caseous Lymphadenitis (CLA) (youtube.com)

Ice-berg Diseases in Sheep - Maedi Visna (MV) (youtube.com)

Ice-berg Diseases in Sheep - Ovine Johnes Disease (OJD) (youtube.com)

Ice-berg Diseases in Sheep – Ovine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma (OPA) (youtube.com)

Ice-berg Diseases in Sheep - Border Disease (BD) (youtube.com)

Iceberg Diseases In Sheep | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) Iceberg diseases of ewes | AHDB

Other Resources

Livestock identification and traceability guidance pages sheep and goats (gov.Scot)

Ruminant Health & Welfare

Bluetongue Virus - RuminanHealth & Welfare

Iceberg diseases of ewes | AHDB

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: [email protected]

Welcome to the October episode of In Conversation With… hosted this month by Principal Consultant Mark Bowsher-Gibbs.  On today’s episode Mark is joined by Sebastien Mallet, CEO at ODA (Offre & Demande Agricole). They discuss the UK and European harvest, how UK grain prices have changed and what drives price change, the best time to sell into the market and selling strategies going forward. 

Timestamps:

03.17 Harvest 2024 in Europe

04.40 Getting market messages/analysis to farmers

06.05 Where the UK sits in the global supply and demand picture

06.45 “The world market is a village” (freight costs)

10.24 US influence on wheat market (record yields and surplus export volumes)

14.28 Factors influencing UK market ex-farm prices

21.55 Malting premium

23.10 Where might wheat market prices go next

25.36 Selling strategies

28.05 Weather effects on the market

29.24 Oilseed Rape – UK a net importer

FAS Resources

Agribusiness News September 2024 - Cereals and Oilseeds | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Other Related Resources

ODA Connect - The independent grain marketing consultancy for Farmers

Corn Returns: Ex-farm prices and volumes | AHDB

Cereals and Oilseeds markets | AHDB

Welcome to In Conversation With… hosted this month by Senior Sheep and Beef Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Lorna Shaw (Ruminant Nutritionist, SAC Consulting) and Jonny Williams (Joint Business Director, Farm Stock). They discuss marketing the 2024 lamb crop, preparing for mating and nutrition of purchased stock. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government. 

Episode Timestamps  

00.41 - Introducing Lorna Shaw and Jonny Williams 

02.35 - What’s happening with the sheep market and why 

05.58 - Flexibility: farming what’s in front of you 

08.32 - Nutrition: protein and energy requirements for growing lambs 

11.20 - Prioritising grazing and assessing feed costs vs returns 

12.30 - Variations in feeding grain quality and the importance of grain analysis 

14.35 - Introducing lambs to supplementary feeding 

16.10 - Keeping current European buyers supplied 

20.58 - Marketing lambs of different spec  

23.38 - Diet transitioning for purchased rams 

27.10 - Urinary calculi in rams 

28.38 - Processing grain for sheep 

30.14 - Post tupping aftercare for rams 

32.16 - Lambs coming off forage crops 

34.26 - Jonny’s main message for marketing 

36.15 - Lorna’s main message for managing nutrition 

37.34 - Kirsten’s take home message   

FAS Resources 

Agribusiness News  

Management and selection of rams for efficiency  

Marketing lambs  

Other Resources  

farmstock.org.uk 

Lamb markets | AHDB  

QMS Scotland - market prices  

QMS Scotland - monthly market updates  

fas.scot - specialist advice  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to the August episode of In Conversation With… hosted this month by Principal Consultant Mark Bowsher-Gibbs.  On today’s episode Mark is joined by Julian Bell (Principal Consultant with Agrecalc) and James Bolesworth (Managing Director at CRM Commodities). They discuss global grain supply, demand and market influences and look at how prices have changed over the last 12 months. Closer to home, they discuss the UK position regarding stocks ahead of harvest, new crop markets and selling strategies.  

Episode Timestamps 

01.35 Global grain perspective 

04.30 Stock relative to demand 

05.19 US contract with UK and Europe 

09.33 Supply in Europe 

11.37 UK outlook 

17.57 European harvest update 

20.50 Malting barley expectations  

26.26 Futures market  

29.06 Marketing strategies  

FAS Resources 

https://www.fas.scot/article/grain-contracts-making-them-work-for-you/  

https://www.fas.scot/article/how-should-i-sell-my-grain/  

https://www.fas.scot/publication/marketing-the-crop-getting-the-best-outcome-for-your-crop/  

https://www.fas.scot/article/agribusiness-news-july-2024-cereals-and-oilseeds/  

Other Resources 

www.ahdb.org.uk/cereals-oilseeds-markets  

www.crmagri.com  

www.graintab.com  

https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde  

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/production.pdf  

https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/monitoring-agricultural-resources-mars/jrc-mars-bulletin_en#crop-monitoring-in-europe  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to In Conversation With… hosted this month by Senior Sheep and Beef Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Fiona Crowden (SRUC Veterinary Investigation Officer) and Ann McLaren (SRUC Research Associate). They discuss worm trends and how they are changing, the effect to the sheep industry, how targeted selective treatment works and how data recording can help. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government.  

Episode Timestamps  

01:42 Nematodirus – disease in lambs caused by the Nematodirus battus worm 

03:08 SCOPS (Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep) 

07:49 Hemonchous (tropical parasite) 

08:50 Targeted Selected Treatment  

11:28 Wormer resistance  

17:44 Fluke 

21:43 Ticks 

23:20 Scab 

26:28 PSF (Preparing for Sustainable Farming) funding  

29:13 Biosecurity for new stock 

31:36 Key message from Fiona and Ann 

FAS Resources 

Sustainable Worm Control Factsheet (fas.scot)

Faecal Egg Counts (FEC) to Monitor Parasite Load | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) - An Overview | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

Other Resources  

SCOPS | Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep

Liver Fluke | SCOPS

FEC Check | Moredun

Livestock Parasites | SRUC

Sustainable farming initiative: Sheep and cattle roundworms | SRUC

Making Worms Squirm: Sustainable Worm Control in Lambs through Precision Livestock Farming | SEFARI

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to the third episode of In Conversation With… hosted this month by Principal Consultant Mark Bowsher-Gibbs.  On today’s episode Mark is joined by John Stirling (Director at Arbikie Distilling Limited). They discuss how John draws on different strengths within the family business to sustainably produce a premium brand spirit, controlling the whole production process, starting with quality home-grown ingredients. Mark and John explore how to add value to the crops grown on farm, marketing of products and how to remain competitive in the marketplace. To finish, John outlines his vision for the future of Arbikie. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government. 

Episode Timestamps  

03.34 Arbikie – a historical family business 

07.00 Drawing on family skill sets  

10.23 Lightbulb moment! 

12.34 Varietal resilience  

14.35 Different crops and the processing calendar  

18.20 The world’s first climate positive spirits 

20.34 Intercropping  

22.57 The premium market – quality over quantity 

25.06 Producing base spirit at Arbikie 

28.51 Unique selling points – locality, short supply chain, sustainability 

29.43 Emissions – sequestering more than emitting 

34.00 World’s first green hydrogen distillery 

35.40 Water – conserving a valuable resource  

FAS Resources 

www.fas.scot/crops-soils/soils/regenerative-agriculture/ 

www.fas.scot/news/legumes-in-rotations-benefits-for-the-environment-and-your-budget/  

www.fas.scot/news/grant-funding-to-help-scottish-agri-businesses-reduce-emissions-and-improve-sustainability/ 

Other Resources    

www.arbikie.com  

www.hutton.ac.uk   

sustainable creds SINGLE PAGES).pdf 

Elsevier Science Article Nadar .pdf 

Arbikie_Nadar_G&V_A5 Brochure_Jan21_WEB.pdf 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to the second episode of In Conversation With… hosted this month by Senior Sheep and Beef Consultant Kirsten Williams. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Poppy Frater (Senior Consultant, SAC Consulting) and Kerr Adams (Research Scientist, The James Hutton Institute). They discuss grass and water management and look at how to build resilience into a system. Also, the wet winter, late spring and how to manage grass growth and maximise productivity. To round off the discussion, our panel look ahead to the summer months, trends and how to plan for possible drought problems.  

Episode Timestamps  

00.00 Introduction  

01.29 Making best use of pasture 

02.35 Three leaf rule 

04.19 Grass target heights – hitting the sweet spot 

05.45 Value of rest 

10.30 Effect of a changing climate on water availability  

11:55 Climatic water balance projections 

15.23 Water footprint 

18.52 Strategies to increase water holding capacity  

21.59 Sheep are the solution! 

22.15 Building resilience into the system 

25.45 Learning from others 

28.18 Software to help manage supply and demand. Scenario planning. 

32.42 Forage crops 

33.16 Cashflow 

34.35 Change one little thing 

38.50 Key message for managing grass supplies 

39.34 Key message for managing water supplies  

41.17 Kirsten's take home message  

FAS Resources 

www.fas.scot/publication/resilient-technology-options-for-water-management-on-farm/  

www.fas.scot/article/water-scarcity-and-rising-temperatures/  

www.fas.scot/publication/feast-or-famine-water-on-your-farm-water-scarcity-video/  

Other Resources  

www.hutton.ac.uk  

www.crew.ac.uk/  

www.sruc.ac.uk/business-services/sac-consulting/agricultural-production/grassland-management/grazeup/ 

www.farmingandwaterscotland.org  

www.rsabi.org.uk 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to the first episode of In Conversation With… hosted this month by Principal Consultant Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government. On today’s episode Mark is joined by Gary Catto (Head of Merchanting at Scotgrain Agriculture, part of Bairds Malt Ltd) and Robin Barron (General Manager at East of Scotland Farmers). They provide business insights and discuss grain marketplace, how the last 12 months have been, grain quality, supply and demand and what does 2024 look like as a trading environment.   

Episode Timestamps  

00.00 Introduction – background and business operations 

04:26 Increasing demand for malting barley 

05:15 Steps in the supply chain 

06:29 Global whisky sales and investment at malting level 

08:29 Procuring grain and how a cooperative works  

09:52 Grain varieties 

10:33 Current planting situation and growers aommitments 

11:30 Grain storage and movement throughout the year 

15:10 Do end users drive when processing occurs and tonnage targets? 

17:39 Dealing with variable grain quality 

20:42 Expectations for 2024 

23:14 New varieties on the horizon 

26:33 Supply chain – priorities for the next 24 months 

30:29 Lower carbon barley 

33.01 Next month – Kirsten Williams discusses sheep health and welfare 

FAS Resources 

https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/  

www.fas.scot/problem-solver/all-arable/  

https://www.fas.scot/article/agribusiness-news-april-2023-cereals-and-oilseeds/ 

Other Resources  

www.scotgrain.co.uk  

www.bairds-malt.co.uk  

www.eosf.co.uk  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Credits:

Hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs  

Guests; Gary Catto (Bairds Malt) & Robin Barron (East of Scotland Farmers) 

Produced by Heather Stuart 

Edited by Cameron Waugh 

Executive Producer Kerry Hammond