A high scanning percentage does not necessarily drive a productive sheep farm, but when ewe numbers have increased by a third, concentrate usage has more than halved and profit margins have improved by more than £22,000 per year, then there are undoubtedly dividends to be had.
Interestingly, the business' 165% scan is the only figure that has remained static over the past decade for 2022 AgriScot Sheep Farm of the Year, Mains of Murthly, Aberfeldy, owned by third generation farmer, Calum McDiarmid, who between him and shepherd Ed Munt have developed an extremely productive enterprise.
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Initially, Calum introduced rotational grazing to help bolster performance and farm output, and in the past seven-eight years he incorporated Innovis composite rams to the closed flock of Texel cross Cheviot ewes in a bid to reduce the farm's reliance on concentrate-type feeds.
New shepherd Ed Munt, who hails from Yorkshire but has also worked in New Zealand, joined the business in 2016 and has assisted in the management of the new type of sheep which in turn have also helped reduce costs.
Before Ed joined the team, this 600-acre unit which rises to 1000ft above sea level, was home to 1000 Texel cross Cheviot ewes, all of which were tupped with a Texel sire over two turns to produce home-bred replacement females and finished lambs sold off grass and concentrates.
Initially, they introduced 16 batches of sheep grazing fields for 16 weeks before weaning, which turned into five mobs, grazing fields for five days on a 30-day cycle, This has allowed for a 35% increase in ewe numbers and the concentrate usage has more than halved
Now however, following Ed's enthusiasm to use Aberfield rams and New Zealand-type Suffolks, ewe numbers have increased to 1350, with the flock now being predominately pure-bred Aberfields.
Ewes now all lamb within one three-week cycle, half to High Index Aberfield Rams purchased from John Scott at Fearn Farm, for around £1000 per head, producing the home-bred replacements. The remaining ewes lamb to the New Zealand-type Suffolk Rams bought from the same home. Such hardy, virile rams have also helped boost lamb vigour and daily liveweight gains, while the tups themselves appear to last with several rams going out again as five and six shear.
"Aberfields are really good mothers – if anything they can be too motherly as pinching can be an issue – and they have fewer health problems. They are also slightly smaller, and more suited to a forage-based ration which combined with rotational grazing has enabled us to increase flock numbers."
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While scanning results have remained similar throughout the changeover of the two breeds and grazing systems, Calum is confident such figures will improve. What is more impressive during this period is that margins per ewe have risen by more than £16 per head, while the margin has increased by more than £70 per acre.
Key to these improvements has been attention to detail at all times. From body condition scoring of all breeding females, recording problem ewes and culling repeat offenders, to splitting the ewe flock into various lots for mob grazing, has all helped to produce the perfect ewe. Also, grazing the grassland to the correct residual height before moving the sheep on, and the production of superior quality silages has helped to ensure the correct forage diet.
From weaning onwards, Calum and Ed strive to have all ewes in perfect condition, with body condition scoring taking place six times up until lambing. Those needing to lose or gain condition are taken out of the main groups and corrected accordingly.
Tups – split 50:50 between Aberfield and New Zealand-type Suffolks – are put out at a ratio of 1:70, having one full cycle with the ewes. This leads to a tighter, more compact lambing. Any ewes that fail to hold are culled with the exception of gimmers.
Ewes are all out wintered in hill paddocks with hard standing areas for ring feeders. In all, there are eight paddocks of about 10 acres each, where home-grown high quality round bale silage is fed to about 170 ewes in each paddock. Depending on the weather, silage is fed for roughly 10 weeks from early January onwards before lambing in April.
Not only does this feeding programme fertilise the hill for free, by the ewes spreading the dung from 600 bales of silage, it also provides 70-80 days rest for the low ground fields in preparation for lambing.
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The farm produces superior quality, high protein silage using the correct mix of white clover and rye grasses from Watson Seeds. Last year's silage crop boasted an ME 11.7, protein 125 and D value of 71%.
The business has also been able to reduce concentrate usage for twin and triplet-bearing ewes from 12 weeks down to just 4-5 weeks pre-lambing. With the lowland fields having been shut off pre-lambing, there is a good bite of fresh grass for ewes to produce high quality colostrum for their lambs therefore, concentrates are never fed at this time.
Lambing is a busy three weeks, however with the team of Ed, Calum, one vet student and a local school pupil there is well organised and professional system. All gimmers, triplets and any leaner ewes are lambed indoors, while all fit twins and single ewes are lambed outside.
The incorporation of rotational grazing has transformed the whole sheep farming process on Mains of Murthly. As Calum explains, "Rotational grazing with rest periods, allows the grass to see the sun and also allows the sun to see the grass, which in turn ensures increased grass growth."
This has also resulted in a dramatic reduction in the use of anthelmintics for both ewes and lambs due to increased use of clean grazing. On average, ewes are dozed 1.5 times per year, always pre-lambing with roughly 50% drenched pre-tupping. Lambs are wormed twice before weaning only.
The only vaccine used is Heptavac P pre-lambing and only on the breeding flock. Mains of Murthly also tests for iceberg diseases by taking blood samples from any lean ewes at weaning time every two years. To date, nothing has ever been found.
The flock's health plan is reviewed every year with the vet to review any issues and prevent future problems and reduce costs.
Another game changer at Mains of Murthly has been keeping all single-born male lambs entire. This has increased daily liveweight gains and enabled more lambs to be sold earlier.
Young people are the future of rural farming and the farm has six school pupils from Breadalbane Academy on farm every fortnight to learn and understand the productivity and positivity of farming and rural life.
Most of these pupils go on to get certificates in quad biking and chain sawing and end up with a qualification in National 4 rural skills.
Even at lambing time it is good to share the fun and failures of this period with the young. The birth of new lambs is the time to create the start of new shepherd and shepherdesses.
FARM facts
Farm stats: 600acres rising from 300ft to 1000ft above sea-level, with 310 acres of grass rotation plus 130 acres of hill parks. Mainly all medium loam with plenty rock plus some sandy loam beside the river Tay.
Ewe flock: 1350 ewes – all first cross Aberfield from Texel cross Cheviot ewe crossed to Aberfield rams to produce replacement females with the remaining half to New Zealand Suffolks to breed finished lambs sold off their mothers and or grass.
Lambing: 50:50 indoors and out with triplet-bearing and all gimmers lambed inside and single ewes and stronger twins inside on straw-bedded courts.
Staff: Three full-time staff to include shepherd Ed Munt.
Diversification: Farm Holiday cottages, 22 acres of fruit farming providing 80-100 tonnes of gooseberries, redcurrants and blueberries for supermarkets, Pig Boar Stud and Spirit of Wood, Furniture and Home interiors Retail outlet.
ONTHE spot
Best investment? "Biomass boiler which heats the houses, the shop and the office. This uses timber which is either grown on farm or comes from the next door forest. The carbon foot print must be minimal. There is no oil or electric heating at all."
Future of hill farming? "Hill farming is really going to struggle with so much support for planting trees on the mid hills which leaves the high hills unusable. Upland farms have to look at their systems to be efficient."
Best advice? "Many years ago the statement of 'Keep It Simple Stupid' was mentioned and it's still true today."
Where do you get your inspiration from? "Joint sheep farmer meetings and pub chat."
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