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Welcome to Stock Talk. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Gordon Whiteford who farms at Lower Mill of Tynet in Banffshire. In 2012, Gordon and June Whiteford began Lower Mill of Tynet Farm. They built an egg business, then a micro-dairy in 2020, selling milk and now ice cream directly from their 24-hour farm shop. They have brought together traditional farming practices with innovative direct-to-consumer strategies and are proud to have won Sustainable Farm of the Year 2024. Timestamps 01.10 How it all started for Gordon 10.23 Organic hens and starting out with poultry 13.14 Lower Mill of Tynet 15.40 Nuffield Scholarship – Organic 22.16 Brown vs white hens 31.49 Micro dairy – milk and ice cream 48.46 What’s next for Gordon Related FAS Resources Organics in Scotland - Lower Mill of Tynet Case Study | Helping farmers in Scotland Getting Started with Organic Farming – How to Convert to Organic | Helping farmers in Scotland Managing Grassland Under Organic Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland Getting Started Growing and Grazing with Organics | Helping farmers in Scotland Other Related Resources Lower Mill Of Tynet.co.uk Direct Retailing from a Poultry, Dairy, Beef, Sheep & Arable farm – Lower Mill of Tynet - FAS Video For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: [email protected]

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Dr Basil Lowman who has been a beef specialist with SAC Consulting for 55 years. Kirsten describes Basil as a legend in the beef industry. We hear about Basil’s varied career, his passion for the industry, how he thrives on challenge and is a pioneer of new ideas.   Episode Timestamps   01.37 Let’s go back in time  09.13 Body condition scoring of cattle  16.38 The development of silage and straw-based rations  24.24 The Green Shed  29.43 Beef farming in 10 years’ time   Related FAS Resources    Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS  Body Condition Scoring - Maintaining condition (FAS)    Other Related Resources The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 1 (QMS)  The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 2  Greenshed Graphic - SRUC   GreenShed video - SRUC - YouTube     For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by two industry experts to discuss the beef industry. It’s a lively discussion covering many topics, including: replacement strategies, where the market is it at just now, sustainability and the future of the Scottish herd.   Gavin Hill is a Senior Beef Specialist with SAC Consulting and Robet Gilchrist is Chief Executive of the Aberdeen-Angus Society.   Episode Timestamps   02.30 Cattle replacement strategies   10.03 Where should the end price be?  13.26 Changing eating behaviours and changes in the industry  17.05 Future of the Scottish herd   27.45 Cow of the future   43.08 Matching the sire   50.07 What will the Scottish beef industry look like in the next 10-20 years   Resources     Livestock resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service  Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS  Sustainable Beef Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland   For more information, visit www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode, Kirsten is joined by Ross Robertson, a Farm Technology Specialist at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Ross collaborates with a network of farms to create practical solutions and demonstrate use of technology on farm to increase productivity. Ross draws on his practical farming experience and knowledge gained through visiting systems in other countries to bring about innovative change at a farm level here in the UK.  Episode Timestamps   00.20 Introducing Ross Robertson, Farm Technology specialist and sheep farmer   04.34 Sector technology: dairy, arable robotics and precision farming, pig and chicken technology and animal health  09.00 Return on investment   10.36 Understanding how to handle and understand the data – the importance of training   13.32 Applying dairy technology to the beef sector   15.41 Main driver for introducing technology: labour, cost saving, health monitoring, increasing productivity   19.11 Ross’s background  24.28 Biodiversity sensors  27.42 LoRaWAN – Long Range Wide Area Network  30.15 Connectivity - a barrier to the uptake of technology?   32.01 ONE AgriTech survey – broadband, apps and expert help  43.30 What motivates Ross   Resources     The UK Agri-Tech Centre | farming & food innovation  Ross Robertson contact: 07858309293, [email protected]   Opportunity North East (ONE)  The University of Edinburgh - The Power of Data in Farm Animal Practice   For more information, visit www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot   National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected]   

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Jilly Duncan Grant, Founder & CEO of Herd Advance Ltd.  Jilly has a real love for agriculture and her varied career led to a focus on data driven decision making and developing Herd Advance with her husband to improve herd performance, profitability and wellbeing.    Episode Timestamps   00.42 Introducing Jilly Duncan Grant – a Jill of all trades!  09.18 What is Herd Advance?  23.49 The family farm – managing ‘boom and bust’ fluctuation in the marketplace  27.55 QMS board member role  31.03 What motivates Jilly to keep pushing forward  FAS Resources  Data Driven Decision Making for Finishing Cattle | Helping farmers in Scotland  Data Driven Decision Making for Suckler Herds | Helping farmers in Scotland  FFBC_Case_Study_Improving_weight_data_capture_Glenkilrie_  Other Resources     Herd Advance     For more information, visit www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Turkey Farmer Paul Kelly. In 1971, Paul’s parents started the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’. The cycle starts with eggs going into incubators in April for 28 days. When they hatch, they go into brooding sheds, then by 5 weeks of age they are ready to go to the woodland where they roam freely. At Kelly Turkeys they have complete control over the whole production cycle, making them very unique in the industry and one of a kind in the UK. The business has developed resilience to deal with issues like Brexit, labour, marketing and work by the motto ‘change is the name of the game’.    Episode Timestamps   00.31 Introducing Paul and the turkey cycle  02.41 Inseminating vs running with stags  03.24 Genetics and breeding lines  09.43 Hatchery business: 1.8 million chicks a year  12.48 Kelly turkeys: 100,000 turkeys reared through to Christmas  18.38 Split between whole turkeys, crowns and butterflies   27.36 Bringing resilience into the business  33.32 Avian influenza (bird flu)   37.44 Markets, trends and online sales  39.09 Weighing turkeys, sources of protein (acorns!) and organic   44.36 Succession   46.50 Marketing and celebrity chefs!    FAS Resources  Poultry | Helping farmers in Scotland  Other Resources     Kelly Bronze Turkeys    Farmgate Hatcheries  New GB avian influenza wildlife interactive map and data dashboard launched | SRUC  Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot   For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Colin Mason (Veterinary Centre Manager, SRUC). This episode focuses on livestock health and covers BVD eradication, show biosecurity, dairy beef calves, TB, Bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus.     Episode Timestamps   00.44 BVD eradication (phase 6)  10.08 Top tips for biosecurity of show animals  16.20 Health of dairy beef calves   18.23 Colostrum management   20.45 Blood tests for calves  25.05 Weight for age and average DLWG  27.29 Lung scanning  28.53 Tuberculosis (TB)   31.42 Bluetongue   35.36 Schmallenberg  40.23 Managing calf groups to reduce disease risk   FAS Resources   BVD Eradication Scheme Update (YouTube.com) Other Resources     BVD Guidance | ScotEID  GOV.scot - bovine viral diarrhoea - bvd  Dairy beef booklet - SAC Consulting  GOV.uk - bluetongue information and guidance for livestock keepers  Bluetongue Virus Hub - Ruminant Health & Welfare  Schmallenberg virus - GOV.UK    ibTB - Mapping bovine TB (bTB) in England and Wales     For more information, visit www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Ben and Harriet Lowe. HB Farms in Aberdeenshire consists of Newseat of Dumbreck, an arable farm on tenancy and Pitmillan Farm which is home to 450 breeding sows and a finishing unit. In addition to grass, forestry and land for environmental schemes, they grow 397ha of crops, with the grain used as feed for the pigs whilst manure is recycled back onto the fields. Soil health, circular agriculture and long-term biodiversity are priorities for HB Farms.  Episode Timestamps   01:05 Introducing Ben and Harriet Lowe  05:38 Farm stats  06:38 Pigs, from breeding to finishing and managing a weekly system  09:15 Knowledgeable staff  10:46 Creating a circular farm  11:36 Saving on inputs due to pig FYM  14:04 Ration changes throughout the cycle  15:53 Data driven decision making  19:19 Genetics and feed conversion  21:14 Target carcase weight and spec  23:36 Processing pig meat  26:13 Managing cashflow  27:31 Protein in the pig diet 33:18 Nuffield: closing the loop in pig production: the 5-mile pig  39:30 LEAF demonstration farm  41:09 Resilience in the business  47:35 Advice for New Entrants  FAS Resources  FAS Case Studies - Gaining A Tenancy As A New Entrant   Other Resources     Instagram - HB Farms  Nuffield scholar - Ben Lowe   Leaf demonstration farms - HB Farms     For more information, visit www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Beef and Sheep Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Craig and Claire Grant who run a mixed farming enterprise across 1,300 acres arable and 400 acres grass (owned and rented) along with their team of 20 full and part time employees. The business has poultry across five sites with a total of 225,000 laying hens, in addition to 330 bulling heifers that are sold privately with high health off farm to producers throughout Scotland. Craig and Claire regularly engage with the public, sharing information about where food comes from.  Episode Timestamps   00.35 Introducing Craig and Claire Grant  04.30 Business components, systems and staff  07.44 Finding and retaining labour  11.20 Enriched colonies and free-range birds  14.50 Egg markets and Kindrought Egg Hoosie  19.03 Cooperation in farming   21.37 Audits  23.47 Cattle: marketing on farm, scoring charts, high health, certification packages  32.10 Buying young stock  35.57 Building relationships and trust  37.05 An award-winning business (Young Farmer of the Year, Mixed Farm of the Year, Overall Farm of the Year)  FAS Resources  Contract Farming Agreements Explained | Farm Advisory Service  Business planning and financial management: An introduction | Farm Advisory Service  Other Resources     C J Grant | Facebook   For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot  Facebook: @FASScot    National Advice Hub  Phone: 0300 323 0161  Email: [email protected] 

In this podcast we hear from Kirsten Williams who will be taking over Robert Ramsay’s role as the host on Stock Talk. Kirsten talks about her farming system at home as well as her interests at work. Robert mentions some of his favourite Stock Talk podcasts and how they can develop into something bigger (e.g. the deer farming podcast has now turned into a FAS Deer Farming Group). Kirsten wishes to continue Stock Talk with more farming stories as well as discussing more technical aspects.   Related FAS Resources Kirsten Williams: Let your determination grow stronger | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

In this podcast we hear from Sam Parsons from Balcaskie. He talks about the organic farming system and the use of regenerative agriculture practices at Balcaskie and how it has helped reduce costs. He also talks about meat eating quality in their choice of cattle as they sell their beef direct to customers through the butchery. They are using Lincoln Red bulls across the herd.  Sam talks about the challenges he has faced with changing his system from 6-7 months winter housing cattle to outwintering them most of the year. He also discussed with Robert the importance of young people coming into the industry.  You can contact Sam by emailing [email protected]  Related FAS Resources Stock Talk - James Biggar & Lorna Galloway | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service

In this podcast we hear from Jock Gibson who is a farmer and butcher. He talks about his farming system at home and how his cattle are certified with Pasture for Life. This means they are on a grassland and forage diet and are therefore slower to reach finished weights than conventional finishing systems which feed concentrate feed. Jock has native breeds of cattle to suit this system. Jock also talks about the butchery side of the business and direct selling to customers and the importance of eating quality of the meat he is selling to customers.  Jock also talks about his Nuffield Scholarship focussing on eating quality of meat which included travels to other countries to experience different systems and abattoirs.  Jock is a trustee of Farmstrong Scotland and this is something he is passionate about. This is now setup as a charity and is designed to help people with their mental health and wellbeing and encourage the creation of positive habits.   Linked resources:  Farmstrong Scotland - Live Well, Farm & Croft Well 

In this podcast we hear from Bruce Wyper, Stockperson at SRUC Easter Howgate. He talks about some of the projects have been going on at Easter Howgate including GreenCow and Green Shed. He also discusses the move to running the herd more commercially than it has been previously although it is still a farm used for research projects. He talks about the challenges the herd has faced including Johnes and fertility issues and how dynamic health planning has helped them to improve the performance of the herd.

In this podcast we hear from Jan Vos, Agronomist from Agrovista & Lorna Galloway SAC Consultant from SAC Stranraer Office. They talk about soil health, agronomy, and sustainable practices to get the desired outcome – healthy crops and effective weed management. They also talk about the best way to establish and keep clover in the sward and a clover-safe herbicide that is undergoing trials and should be available to use soon. Rushes and bracken control is also discussed. Linked resources: GrassCheck - HOME - GrassCheck GB

In this podcast we hear from Vic and Jason Ballantyne, who are tenant farmers on the edge of Brora. They talk about their forage based farming system and the importance of their low input system to achieve a good a work-life balance. Vic and Jason are continually trying to improve the genetics in their livestock through a strict culling policy. They currently run 100 suckler cows and 400 ewes of their own plus they contract farm a further 230 ewes.  Related FAS Resources Livestock resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) Sustainable Sheep Systems - Clynelish Case Study | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service