Stock Talk

In this podcast we hear from David Whiteford who has drastically changed his farming system over the past few years. He used to have a traditional system of sheep grazing on the hill and cattle housed over the winter period. Nowadays, he has crossbred sheep on the in-bye land and leaves his hill to grow grass over the summer to be utilised by the cows as deferred winter grazing.  This reduces wintering costs for the cattle. He has changed his breeds of cattle and sheep along the way to suit this system. He also speaks about his experience of growing crops for cattle to graze in the winter, with this year’s crop of choice being fodder beet. 

Related Resources

Thrill of the Hill - Virtually Stockproof | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)  

FAS meeting at Maxwelston on 13th December: Collars, Crops & Costs | Events helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

Virtual Fencing | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

In this podcast we hear from Lorna MacPherson, SAC Dairy Consultant, and Jimmy Goldie, Technical Manager at Carrs Billington. They speak about the dairy market outlook for the winter season including milk price and input costs. They discuss the importance of nutrition rationing dairy cows and trying to get the best value diet without compromising on performance. They also speak about sustainability of the dairy industry and the role of carbon auditing. The future of the dairy industry is discussed including the challenges ahead and the opportunities.  

Hosted by Robert Ramsay, edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Kirstyn Blackwood, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond. In association with The Scottish Government.

In this podcast we hear from Hugh Grierson who runs an organic farm and butchery business, direct selling his meat to customers.  Hugh tells us about how his organic business has developed over the years. 

Linked FAS resources: 

Hugh Grierson Organic | High quality organic meats delivered to your door 

Organics Discussion Group from the Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)

In this podcast we hear from SAC Veterinary Investigation Officer Megan Fergusson. Megan talks to us about how to give your flock the best chance of a successful lambing next year as we discuss issues that lead to barren ewes and how to prevent them.

During this podcast we discuss enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis; trace elements; ewe body condition scores; and tups including tup power required.

In this episode we hear from a well-known face and voice, Michael Blanche.  Michael is a first generation farmer and consultant with a passion for pasture and low-input livestock systems.  In recent years, Michael has developed the PasturePod, a series of podcasts that is not to be missed.

Related Materials

The Pasture Pod on Apple Podcasts

In this podcast we hear from Argentinian farmer Allan Cameron. Allan talks to us about farming in Argentina including cropping and beef production. He covers the importance of soil health and the need for increased production to feed the increasing population. Government policy and climate change are also discussed with the differences in the farming industry between the UK and Argentina.

Linked FAS resources:

Finishing Options for Beef Cattle

Cover crop information note

Sustainable Beef Systems Series Flyer

External resources:

Farming For A Better Climate - Use of Cover Crops

In this podcast we hear from SAC’s livestock ruminant nutritionists Lorna Shaw and Karen Stewart. They discuss beef and sheep nutrition from grazing at grass through to planning winter rations and the silage you should be aiming to make for your class of livestock. They discuss opportunities to reduce concentrate feed use and the importance of prioritising classes of stock at certain times of the year who require a higher level of nutrition for maintenance and production.   

Linked FAS resources: 

FAS Beef Nutrition: 

Beef Nutrition | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

FAS Ruminant Nutrition and Forage Analysis: 

https://www.fas.scot/downloads/ruminant-nutrition-and-forage-analysis/  

In this podcast we will hear from Graeme Parker aka the Hoof GP. Graeme tells us his story about his background and how his ‘Hoof GP’ online social media business has expanded alongside his cattle foot trimming work. His main aim is to share his knowledge of cattle foot health through these social media videos to farmers to allow them to make more informed choices around foot health.  

Hosted by Robert Ramsay, edited by Malcolm MacDonald, Produced by Kirstyn Blackwood, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond. In association with The Scottish Government.

Linked resources: 

The Hoof GP - YouTube 

In this podcast we will hear from Martin Beard from the Rare Breed Survival Trust. Martin tells us about what the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST) does and the importance of genetic diversity within species. He also talks about the importance of marketing and the supply chain working well. He highlights the RBST conference which will be held on the 23rd March.

Linked Resources:

Rare Breeds Survival Trust (rbst.org.uk)

In this podcast we will hear from Michael Shannon from Damn Delicious. Michael tells us his story from working in the seed business to where he is today running his mixed farm and has diversified his business to include Damn Delicious which direct sells his homegrown produce. Michael talks about his business goals and the influence New Zealand systems had on him and his business. Michael is passionate about food production and gives his opinion on its future in the UK. A relatively new enterprise he speaks about is the Christmas turkeys. He talks about the challenges running that enterprise and the satisfaction he gets from feedback on his produce.  

Linked Resources

HOME - Damn Delicious Butcher and Farm Shop Scotland 

Turkey Production | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

Delivering Quality Produce | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)