News

1st August 2011

Award winning Drinkstone Open day for Murray Trust

Identifying rams that seriously cut the mustard – or mint is key to achieving a profitable flock, together with a formula for sustainable production. These were the take home messages for more than 40 visitors to the award winning “Future farmer of the year” Drinkstone flock, at Hawick, on Wednesday 27th July.

Stuart Ashworth QMS; Sam Boon, Signet; Moira Gallagher SAC; Arnold and John Park, Michael Williams, Murray Trust co-ordinator and Harvey MacMillam, chairman Murray Trust

With top speakers triggering in depth discussion, Sam Boon of Signet, urged commercial producers to consider their current flock breeding programme and what ought to be changed when setting future breeding objectives.

He said: “With Drinkstones Suffolk and Texel flock Signet performance figures in the top one per cent in the UK it clearly demonstrates the rewards of setting breeding objectives. The genetic progress at Drinkstone is three times the rate of the national average – of those who do record.

Texel Gimmers

Sam urged lamb producers to do their homework on the internet: “All the information is in the public domain. Identify the traits which will be profitable for your flock and then locate the breeders that will cut the mustard.”

Commenting on Drinkstone’s pasture management, Dr John Vipond praised the Park’s approach to sustainability – targeting a bigger proportion of clover in the sward. Dr Vipond explained: “In order to achieve more clover in the sward you need to have compatible grass clover varieties, late heading tetra-ploids and small leaved clovers fit the bill.

High index genetics at the Drinkstone flock working hand in hand with sustainable grass production

“The Parks are using red clover and hybrid-rye grass in a specific mix for producing silage and aftermath grazing for lambs. Even the demands of the high performance Drinkstone flocks are satisfied by supplementing this high protein red clover silage with soya in late pregnancy, rather than feeding grass silage and concentrates.”

Dr Vipond concluded that the knock on benefit is reduced worm challenge: “Ewes don’t lose their immunity in late pregnancy, meaning that both the ewes and lambs are cleaner, further enhancing sustainable farming and profit.”

Chairman of the Murray Trust, Harvey MacMillam, which awards the Future Farmer of the Year, praised the combination of running the high index flocks while enhancing sustainability through grassland management and achieving sound environmental practices, benefitting wildlife through the Scottish Rural Development Programme.