Cheviot Mules do the business for Ian Smith at West Bolton

“The Mule is everything to us. She works well in our system due to her mothering ability, ease of lambing and high lambing percentages.

“Cheviot Mules help us produce strong lamb prices at the end of the day, which is what it is all about,” said Ian, who buys 150 Cheviot Mule ewe lambs every year at Longtown, at an average of £100-plus per head.

Until recently, all Cheviot Mules were put to Texel shearling rams. However, the Smiths have recently been buying Texel ram lambs to use with the intention of turning them over the following year as shearlings.

One of the Cheviot Mule with her twin lambs born in April Ref:RH140720180 

“The majority of the ewes were tupped by ram lambs this year, which worked well and I could see there being potential to make a bit of money from selling them again, rather than buying in shearlings all the time,” said Ian, who used to buy in three or four Texel shearlings each year, generally at Kelso or at local markets.

Commenting on his preferred type of Mule, he said: “I look to breed from good square sheep with nice tight skins that will produce a mature ewe weighing 75kg. I am not obsessed with heads and ears, it is the body and strong conformation that outperforms appearance and makes the money.”

Some of the 50-ewe flock of traditional Bluefaced Leicesters, with lambs born in April, around 18 ewe lambs retained each year for breeding  Ref:RH140720171  

He also runs a 50-ewe flock of traditional Bluefaced Leicesters, with around 18 ewe lambs retained each year for breeding, with the remainder of females culled. All tup lambs are sold as shearlings at Kelso Ram Sales, averaging around £800 per head for about 25 each year. On the flip side, a shearling will be bought in every few years at Kelso, or Builth Wells.

traditional Bluefaced Leicesters shearling rams bound for sale later in the year  Ref:RH140720170

“We look to keep the pure ewe lambs with good conformation, skins and good mouths. We have been recording particularly on mothering ability and performance traits and look to retain ewe lambs from good milky mothers.

“Performance recording is something I always fancied and it is becoming increasingly popular, as a growing number of people are now looking for sheep with figures which always helps when you are selling shearling rams. At the end of the day it is performance that everyone wants,” said Ian.

Lambing takes place inside at the beginning of April when there’s sufficient grass levels to get them out quickly. All lambs are tagged at birth and ringed before they leave the shed.

“There is nothing to stop the Cheviot Mule from lambing outside, but it just suits my system to keep them inside – it saves having to catch the lambs out in an open field!” said Ian, who double tags breeding ewe lambs and puts slaughter tags in the wedders, to simplify the weaning process.

Cheviot Mules are just naturally prolific and always produce a good number of lambs Ref:RH140720177

Ewes are fed round bales of silage at the end of January through until lambing, depending on the weather and a month prior to lambing are introduced to ewe rolls fed via a snacker. The Cheviot Mules normally produce scanning percentage of 205-210%, with almost 185% at sale time.

“Ewes are not flushed. Cheviot Mules are just naturally prolific and always produce a good number of lambs. We try and rub as many triplets onto singles as possible, thereafter we just lift them and rear the lambs on their own,” said Ian, adding that orphan lambs not twinned on are fed via an automatic feeder.

“We do leave the odd one running as triplets, but it can just lead to a lot of issues, and doesn’t really work in our system. It’s just not practical in the long run,” said Ian.

some of the 550 Cheviot Mule ewes with their April born Lambs Ref:RH140720178

Ewe lambs are vaccinated only for abortion, and none of the lambs are wormed to reduce costs of production. Instead, the business relies on a clean grazing system to keep worms at bay, and fly treatments are used when necessary.

“Wedder lambs would do fine off grass, but I want them away as early as I can, so I do push them with creep feeding to finish them quicker. I have other jobs to be getting on with, so I don’t want to be tied to the lambs later in the year,” said Ian, who also runs a large arable unit with help from the rest of the family.

The first batch of 110 Texel cross lambs achieved prices £10-£15 per head up on the year. The best scaled 45kg, which worked out at having gained 500g a day since birth when sold at just 12 weeks of age, selling for £100.

Most, however, weighed around 40kg, having gained 450g a day, and sold to £95. Wedder lambs are sold either live, through Wooler, Acklington, or deadweight through Woodhead Brothers. Two-thirds of the wedder lambs were away by the middle of July.

All ewe lambs are sold through C and D’s Longtown Auction Market, which last year saw 350-400 Texel crosses balance out at £101, averaging around 47-48kg.

“Our crosses are not a known breeding type, so I am quite happy with the trade we are getting for them, we cannot complain! It is a profitable part of the business that works well for us,” he said.

some of the gimmers that are bought as ewe lambs every year at Longtown and put to the Texel tup  Ref:RH140720183  

Buying in Mules and putting them to Texel rams, as well as running their Bluefaced Leicester flock works well for the Smiths, although Ian admitted, there is potential to breed their own Mules.

“If we had enough ground to produce Mules, I would jump at the chance. I have always wanted to do so, but unfortunately we just don’t have enought suitable ground at present,” he said.

Outwith the sheep enterprise, the Smiths also run a 60-cow suckler herd of Beef Shorthorn and Aberdeen-Angus crosses. Store bullocks are also bought in for finishing from Hexham, or privately. In general, 250 are bought annually and fed a home-grown cereal ration inside.

Store bullocks are also bought in for fattening from Hexham or privately. In general, 250 are bought annually and fed a home-grown cereal ration inside Ref:RH140720173

“The bullocks tend to be Simmentals and Charolais, purely because we can get increased weight gain from them,” said Ian, who is looking for the cattle to gain 1.75kg-2kg a day, with each beast being kept roughly for 100 days.

“Up until the last couple of months, the profit on them has been miserable, however the recent lift in deadweight trade has helped slightly. It has not been an easy couple of years for the beef industry, we just have to hope the price keeps rising to get us back on track,” said Ian.

one of the cows and calf from the 60-cow suckler herd of Beef Shorthorn and Aberdeen-Angus crosses Ref:RH140720174

Sadly, however, he believes the industry faces an unstable future due to increasing awareness of greenhouse gas emissions and Brexit, which are likely to have huge implications for the industry.

“I can see huge restrictions coming on the use of artificial fertilisers and other chemicals … but who knows. It is all a guessing game for us farmers!

“Add to that big ongoing debate that has been sitting in the shadows, Brexit! If the deal isn’t good for farming, things will be very tricky.

“Single Farm Payments are on the way out, and only time will tell what the replacement will hold. We just have to stick together and hope,” concluded Ian.

Higher performing mothers and fewer days on farm for the lambs is the way forward  for Ian Smith Ref:RH140720185  

Farm facts

Livestock – 550 Cheviot Mule ewes, 50 Bluefaced Leicester ewes as well as a 60 suckler cow herd

Crops – 700- 800 acres mixed arable between – wheat, spring and winter barley, which is all done in house although contractors come in to attend to silage and manure spreading work.

Acres – 1250 acres farm, around 400 acres of grass for cattle and sheep, across West Bolton Farm as well as renting a neighbouring unit.

Who is all involved in the business – Ian is the main man in the business, after his brother, George, retired last year. Full time employee, George Virtue, and nephew, Matthew Grundy, are also there to lend a hand. Matthew is a ski instructor in winter, so is just summer based.

Ian’s wife, Amanda, has a separate farm, which she runs herself.

Established – Ian’s great grandfather started the flock in the 1890’s so it has been very much a family affair since.

some of 60-cow suckler herd of Beef Shorthorn and Aberdeen-Angus crosses with their calves Ref:RH140720176 

On the spot:

Best advice ever received?: Measure twice and cut once …

Best return on investment?: A biomass boiler.

Biggest achievement to date?: My two children, Laura (24) and Duncan (22)

If you could change one thing what would it be?: Wind the clock back, if I knew then what I know now it would all be very different … there was so may great opportunities to immigrate over to New Zealand when I was younger.

Any hobbies out with farming?: I enjoy watching rugby.

How has Covid-19 impacted your business?: It has been very difficult and caused a number of issues! Seed delivery and fertiliser caused us all sorts of problems – we just couldn’t get it when you wanted it, so that caused a week or two delayed crops. Getting spare parts for breakdowns on kit took a while to come in. Sheep and cattle prices were hit at the start with the hospitality industry closing down, and the uncertainty of it all. Having said that, there will be a lot of people worse off than us, so we have to be grateful.

some of the cows that make up the 60-cow suckler herd Ref:RH140720175 

some of the lambs from the 50-ewe flock of traditional Bluefaced Leicesters, around 18 ewe lambs retained each year for breeding.All tup lambs are sold as shearlings Ref:RH140720172