Livestock Plus Autumn 2016
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Sharing best practice from Scottish livestock businesses AUTUMN 2016 Updates INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE RISES TO THE CHALLENGES A LOOK AT CURRENT TRADING MARGINS FOR RED MEAT KEY MESSAGES FROM PIG PRODUCER WORKSHOPS FEATURES The Benefits of Using EBV Recorded Bulls and Rams Perthshire Farmer Sees Inside Latest news, innovations, Benefits of Rotational Grazing case studies… + more online at Borders Farmer Highlights www.qmscotland.co.uk New Breeding Project MARKET REPORT • GRAZING GROUPS • PIG MANAGEMENT • BREEDING • NEWS Scotch Beef Farm of the Year 2016 WELCOME In recent weeks I’ve attended a range of different agricultural events – open for entries! around the country and something which consistently shines Your farm could be the next Scotch Beef Farm of the Year through is the huge benefit of consumers meeting producers. There is no better way of inspiring the public about Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork than for them to hear direct from the farmers who look after the animals. The passion and commitment of Scottish livestock farmers to producing a quality product can be hugely impactful. It is fantastic to see agricultural shows starting to introduce food charters, showing their commitment to quality, local produce. One example of this is the recent Perth Show where, as well as introducing a Food How to contact QMS: Charter, the show organisers worked with the local Chamber of Commerce to visit www.qmscotland.co.uk deliver Perthshire on a Plate – a fabulous initiative bringing local producers, email: [email protected] chefs and butchers together to showcase the area’s larder. or call us on 0131 472 4040 This pioneering Perth Show initiative is a great example of what can be done by farmers and I very much hope that other producers around the country will insist For the latest, up-to-the-minute on Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork at the events in which information follow us on Twitter they are involved. or Like our Facebook page – Quality Meat Scotland. QMS has this month launched a marketing and PR campaign behind the Scotch Lamb PGI brand and, as part of that, we are again encouraging farmers and Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter at www.qmscotland.co.uk others to be “Lambassadors” and help to spread the word about how simple, tasty and quick it is to cook lamb. The potential benefit to the brand and the industry, of livestock farmers uniting behind their brands, is huge and QMS will be offering quality assured farmers a To see some of Supported by the latest videos “Lambassador toolkit” to help producers spread the word. we have produced Many thanks to all the farmers who will be giving us their time to help with supporting the industry please visit: sampling activities in retailers around the country in the coming weeks and visits www.qmscotland.co.uk/ by chefs, food writers and press. Your support is very greatly appreciated and video-library adds hugely to what we can deliver for the whole industry.+ QMS and AgriScot are looking for entries and Issue 9, Autumn 2016 nominations for the next Scotch Beef Farm Published by Quality Meat Scotland, 2016 All rights reserved. of the Year. The application process is simple © 2016 Quality Meat Scotland , Chairman, Quality Meat Scotland and the winner will play a valuable role in ISSN 2057-0368 Jim McLaren promoting the Scotch Beef brand. CONTENTS To enter, nominate a farm or find out more email “We were delighted to be nominated and having been [email protected] through the process, I would definitely encourage others 4 News 12 Industry Conference Rises to 16 Training Courses Highlight to apply and play a part in promoting Scotch Beef” Latest news from QMS. the Challenges Opportunities to Improve From left to right - 2014 winners The Tilson family from Wedderlie farm near Some of the take home messages Productivity Peter Watson of Darnford farm , 8 Rotational Grazing Boosts Berwickshire, 2013 winner Alistair Foubister from Netherton farm on Orkney from this year’s farming conference. Pig producer workshops and 2012 winner Robert Neill from Upper Nisbet farm near Jedburgh. 2015 Scotch Beef Farm of the Year winner Production Perthshire farmer sees benefits of 14 Borders Farmer’s Praise for promote efficiencies. rotational grazing. Innovative Breeding Project 18 Market Report Leading sheep farmer highlights 10 EBVs Deliver Results on North A look at current trading margins. opportunities of new RamCompare East Stock Farm project. Aberdeen farmers explain how EBVs help improve their bottom line. Front cover image: Robbie Milne of North Bethelnie Farm, near Old Meldrum. 2 www.qmscotland.co.uk www.qmscotland.co.uk 3 News Roundup One way we ensure that we continue The various committees we have in Delivering to punch above our weight in terms of place which feed into the planning Scotch Lamb PGI Campaign Farmers encouraged what we achieve for the industry with the process behind our activities also include Value for Money limited budget we have, is the work we do representatives from throughout the Focuses on Speed and Versatility to use SPECC behind the scenes to secure grant income Scottish red meat chain. Farmers are being encouraged to to support our activities for the industry. use the Scotch Potential Eligibility The involvement of so many people who Cattle Checker (SPECC) to check However, we also believe strongly in the work in the different areas of our industry their cattle before presenting benefits of working closely with other is crucial to the success of what QMS does them for sale or slaughter, or when organisations to magnify the reach of our and to ensuring the activities we deliver bringing new stock onto their farm. campaigns and other activities. are carefully developed to achieve what For example we are working with the is needed for our industry. SPECC is a free tool launched by QMS National Sheep Association and NFU last year, which allows farmers, auction The team of staff at QMS is very small so markets and abattoirs to check whether Scotland during our on-going campaign the involvement of others in our planning individual animals are potentially eligible behind Scotch Lamb PGI. process, and in the roll-out of our for the Scotch Beef PGI brand. Designed We are also working closely with partners, activities, is vital to allowing us to deliver THANK YOU THANK YOU with users in mind, SPECC is easy to use including Scotland Food & Drink, on a huge workload for our industry. and returns quick search results. activities such as Scottish Food Fortnight Our sincere thanks go to all those who Sex DOB Last Move Status (Sept 3 – Sept 18) which falls within the Female 18/04/2014 18/04/2014 Scotch Potential Eligible (SPE) support us throughout the year.+ Female 27/07/2015 27/07/2015 Scotch Potential Eligible (SPE) Scotch Lamb campaign. Tasty LAMB STIR-FRY cooked in 15 minutes. Tasty LAMB KEBABS cooked in 20 minutes. Get the recipe now. whambamlamb.com There is a simple two step registration One of QMS’s priorities Among the many other organisations we Get the recipe now. whambamlamb.com process in order to use SPECC. CAMPAIGN FINANCED WITH AID FROM work with on our activities are the Royal THE EUROPEAN UNION CAMPAIGN FINANCED QMS-346 95-La mb-2016-6-Sh WITH AID FROM 17:12 eets-1185 19/07/2016 x1750-AW-DI. is to ensure we deliver indd 2 THE EUROPEAN UNION Alternatively, an unregistered user can Highland Education Trust (RHET) and AW-DI.indd 1 heets-1185x1750- QMS-34695-Lamb-2016-6-S 19/07/2 016 17:12 manually enter the eartag number or value for money for the Scottish SPCA, where our focus is scan the short barcode at the top of the levypayers in the wide- on communicating the work undertaken passport. ranging activities we by farmers to look after their livestock Uel Morton, to a high standard and to achieve good Chief Executive, A high-impact advertising A range of new recipe videos for on-line and Margaret Walker of Newton of Lewesk undertake each year. animal welfare. Quality Meat Scotland social media use, created in simple steps using Farm, Aberdeenshire who finishes cattle campaign behind Scotch short, fast-motion videos which are optimized with her husband Bruce, cannot speak Lamb PGI has been for Facebook, will also be launched during the highly enough of SPECC. She said: launched by QMS. 11 week campaign. “Bruce goes to the market specifically to Following the success of last year’s “Love Lamb buy Scotch animals. Once the cattle have The 2016 Scotch Lamb PGI campaign - set to Weekend”, “Love Lamb Week”, which will run been brought home and I know the on reach over 88% of Scottish adults - is building from September 1st-7th, will incorporate move has been registered, I can log into Sixty Second Recipe on last year’s campaign which boosted retail To view the tempting a range of activities around the country to SPECC very quickly to check the cattle new video recipes, sales of fresh lamb in Scotland by 8%. are Scotch.” She added: “SPECC is really please visit the celebrate all that is wonderful about Videos Now Available! easy to use, I’d highly recommend it.” Good Family Food This year’s “Wham Bam Lamb” campaign Scotch Lamb PGI. + Facebook page. includes billboard, press and radio advertising Suzie Carlaw, QMS Marketing Controller, said: A free SPECC app can also be In less than 60 seconds as well as on-line and in-store activities such as New family friendly, “The target audience for the campaign is very downloaded on Google play or these snappy, fun sampling activities by Scotch “Lambassadors” much young professionals and busy working Apple App Store.