I finish my heifers at 21/22 months and my steers at 24/26 months of age. I use Hereford AI for breeding and have used Kentucky Kidd and GPZ in the past. The cattle on the farm are kept in a paddock grazing system which is ideal for ensuring that they get the best quality grass possible. In the winter we house them in slatted sheds with rubber mats. We believe in only feeding the best silage possible and we test the crop before cutting to ensure optimal timing for to make the best possible quality silage. This silage is tested again in the Autumn ahead of feeding, to ensure good fermentation occurred.
On this farm we soil sample every five years and spread lime according to the sample results. I am finding the nitrates rules and the new regulations in general difficult to implement and they are a big challenge on the farm, but I plan to make some adjustments to adhere to these new regulations.
As a family we grow our own vegetables on the land, so we know all about the importance of good quality soil. Crops of cabbage, red cabbage, peas, strawberries, and beetroot are grown in the fields alongside broccoli, onion, turnip, carrots, potatoes, and parsnips. Kathleen freezes any excess fruit and vegetables so as to have access to them all year round. We also have a polytunnel where we grow tomatoes, lettuce, sweetcorn and peppers and have apple trees, rhubarb and blackcurrant bushes.
Kathleen is looking forward to growing garlic, leeks, marrow and squash this year so the family will be fully self-sufficient when it comes to vegetables.
