Breeding quality livestock of any sort is never easy and producing some of the best pedigree cattle on a regular basis requires dedication, ability, passion, and a keen stockman’s eye.
Having bred Charolais cattle for 50 years, that appears to be second nature to pedigree enthusiasts, Ian Campbell and his sons, Andrew and Bruce.
Now running a 100-pedigree cow herd of Charolais and Aberdeen Angus across 600 acres on the tenanted farm, Thrunton alongside a commercial flock of 450 sheep.
Ian’s father, Colin was among the first in the area to introduce the Charolais as a terminal sire in the 1970’s and as demand for Charolais took off, the family started to breed a few pedigree cattle and eventually replaced the entire commercial suckler herd.
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Having purchased their first two Charolais heifers 50 years ago, one from James Anderson of the Mearns herd and one from Neil Massie’s Blelack herd, the family have managed to grow their herd of Charolais cattle to 70 females.
Just 15 years ago, the Campbells made the decision to go into the Aberdeen Angus world, purchasing the odd female at dispersals to make a start to their now 30 female herd.
“Breeding only Charolais we had all of our eggs in the one basket, the Angus were beginning to get more popular for breeding good suckler replacements, so we made the decision to breed both.
“Breeding pedigree cattle is extremely time consuming and very costly but if done correctly the rewards make it worthwhile,” said Bruce.
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A small number of heifers will be retained for breeding, with some sold for breeding privately and the remaining sold store through Hexham auction market, with last month’s batch of Aberdeen Angus heifers averaging £1780.
On the bull front around 45 pedigree bulls will be sold annually, with the ones not making the cut sold for bull beef through various auction markets.
“We want to support auction markets as they determine a fair price, there are a vital part of our industry,” said Ian.
With 45 pedigree bulls sold annually between United Auctions, Stirling and Harrison and Hetherington, Carlisle, and privately off farm approximately 40% of bulls will be sold on farm.
This May the team have a team of seven Charolais bulls and four Aberdeen Angus bulls heading up to Stirling, with three bulls and one female heading to Carlisle for the White Gold Sale.
“Physically they need to be well structured and sound on their legs and feet, showing both breed character and shape in both breeds,” agreed both Ian and Bruce, breeding consistency is very important for the team.
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With calving taking place from April through to October the family have various aged bulls to sell throughout the year, ranging from 18-24 months of age before they take to the sale ring.
“Ours bulls are outside for as long as possible in groups of 10 plus throughout the year we feel they do well and are hardier for our breeders,” said Bruce, with 20 acres put aside during the summer for the grazing young bulls.
Ian added: “We want bulls to be able to go straight out to cows and that do not melt once they leave here. Our bulls are not the fattest at sales, but they need to be fit and in the right conditions. Most importantly in May as bulls will be used in a month.
The majority of the Charolais bulls will be sold into Scotland. During Covid, Bruce advertised bulls via social media to help on farm sales, which worked well for the team along with a lot of repeat customers.
A top price of 55,000gns was achieved in February 2006 for the Charolais bull, Thrunton Voldemort.
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Having sold their top priced Aberdeen Angus to date in February at Stirling at 20,000gns was the reserve senior champion, Thrunton Best Man, sold to Alistair and Graeme frazier, Idvies herd.
On the flip side, the first Angus stock bull was purchased in February 2020, previously selecting the best AI bulls, due to the increase and numbers and to save time AI’ing throughout the summer the Campbells decided to get their own stock bull.
This came in the form of Tonley Kasper at 11,000gns, which is shared with Hallington and Saville herds, with his first crop of calves averaging in excess of £10,000.
Unfortunately, the loss of Kasper meant the Campbells had to purchase another Angus bull just last February in the form of Tonley King Paco, which stood reserve champion before being bought for 16,000gns, with his first crop of calves just hitting the ground now.
There are several factors that come into play when the Campbells are selecting their next stock bull: “First of all they have to look good, the pedigree of the animal is essential for us, we want something from a line that is breeding consistently well,” said Bruce, who will also use home-bred bulls within the herd.
Ian added: “Knowing the myostatin status and EBVS is also a consideration.”
Andrew takes entire responsibility for all the feed rations and the arable side of the business. Bulls and calves are fed a home-grown ration, maxamon barley and oats, protein pellets, beet pulp and flaked maize. This is fed from two months of age and fed as needed until time of sale.
Up to 200 acres of wheat barley and oats are grown and extra straw is baled from neighbouring farms. Silage and hay are made in a pit and baled, some will be cut twice to provide good quality silage for heifers and sheep.
When housed cows will get a diet of silage and straw, dry cows are out wintered on a stubble field and fed baled silage and straw, whilst the heifers are strip grazed on kale, supplemented with hay or silage.
Charolais heifers calving in the Autumn will be put to the Angus bull, with Charolais heifer in the spring going to the Charolais.
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“When heifers are at grass it is hard to control the size of the calf, and Angus tend to have a smaller calf at birth which is better for the heifers,” said Bruce, with cattle housed inside on straw bedded courts during the winter.
The family also run 450 commercial sheep, which are a mixture of Cheviot Mules, Mules and Texel crosses.
Just finishing up lambing now, which commenced in mid-March all indoors, the majority of the flock will go to the Texel terminal sire, with the hoggs going to the Beltex tup.
The Texel cross ewe lambs will be retained for breeding, with the Mules and Cheviot Mules bought in annually from various auction markets, aiming to get 60 replacements a year.
The ewes tend to achieve a scanning percentage of 190% with the hoggs at 120%.
“It has been the worst winter for rainfall we have ever seen here, and even right through April it has been cold and wet,” said Bruce, who admittingly says he has experienced more losses than the average year.
Ian added: “We have had to try and accommodate by converting the hay shed into a nursery to allow us to keep ewes and lambs inside just a little longer.”
Lambs will be fattened mainly on grass aiming to sell them between July and November through Harrison and Hetherington’s Wooler centre. Some of the lamb crop will go onto Kale, which the in lamb hoggs will follow. The tail end of the lambs will be sold through Hexham auction markets’ store ring to get them off farm.
“We need to get lambs off grass as soon as possible to allow for the cattle to follow on, which is why our mixed farming enterprise works well.
“There is no doubt farming is a tough ‘job’, but you have to love it and be committed to it. The number of suckler cows is reducing, which you can understand why as the cost of keeping them is very expensive.
“I believe there will always be a market for the best bulls, but we need to keep it a mixed farming enterprise to spread the risks,” said Ian.
“With farm subsidies phasing out, the future is a bit unknown, but it is going to be a tricky one. The whole point in bringing the farm subsidies in many years ago was to provide the nation with cheap food, so whether that means food prices will go up, who knows…
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Bruce added: “Producers are struggling yet supermarkets are making large profits, there isn’t the balance there needs to be in the food chain.
“However, we need to continue to be as productive and efficient as we can be. Breeding bulls for 50 years has its advantage, and we need to continue breeding consistency for our future,” concluded Ian and Bruce.
Farm Facts
Involvement: Ian and his two sons, Andrew and Bruce.
Livestock numbers: 100 pedigree cows split 70:30 to the Charolais and Aberdeen Angus alongside a commercial flock of 450 sheep.
Acres: 600 acres rented at Thrunton, with a further 50 acres of grass on summer lets.
On the spot questions
Best investment: A good stock bull, if you can find one.
Best advice: Don’t forget the basics when it comes to breeding livestock.
Favourite quote: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
All time purchase: The Charolais bull, Burradon Talisman, which was champion at Carlisle when purchased for 15,000gns, which has bred the top priced 55,000gns to date.
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