Iestyn Richards, Farm and Estate Student

After exploring possible placement opportunities and coming across the estate advertising a position for two students, I felt strongly that this position would allow me to express my strengths in a new environment at a large scale, while also learning regenerative farming techniques alongside being organic.

Throughout the year my role varied significantly, mainly working within the livestock team alongside Ewan, Cameron, and Reece. Mornings would typically involve moving cattle to fresh pasture within the mob grazing system, or doing sheep rounds, ensuring that all sheep were fit and healthy, and not broken through any fences to fields or tree plantations that they shouldn’t be in! If all livestock were behaving and tasks were up to date, then lending a hand to Jim and Poul with ongoing projects or maintenance jobs was common. The clipex fencing that is now used across the whole estate was a new method of fencing for myself, which I quickly learnt from Jim and Poul and became comfortable with, which may well become a useful skill in the future as a more durable fencing method that can last longer than usual wooden fencing.

In September, a highlight for me was venturing to Kelso ram sales alongside the livestock team to look for this year’s replacement rams. Having never been to the sale before, the multiple breeds and rings created a real ‘buzz’ and atmosphere throughout the tents. On the day, we were after Texels, Suffolks, and Hampshire’s, with all being purchased for use as terminal sires (Offspring for slaughter) and maternal sires (Offspring for retained ewe lambs). So, selecting rams that were appropriate for both uses was a challenge, and possibly narrowed our selection list, but we managed to get most of the rams that we’d previously picked and agreed that would be suitable for use on the estate’s flocks.

Although back in September, I was very optimistic about Ewan’s purchase of three Hampshire’s. However, since the end of April, when the early flock were weighed for the first time, I have been very impressed by the Hampshire sired lambs, not only for their growth rates which gave them exceptional first weights, they also were naturally fleshy without any concentrates needed, meaning that they were ready early, with the first draw of lambs ready at 11 weeks. An exceptional achievement off the back of a challenging spring due to relentless rain, and a grass only diet for these lambs and ewes after being turned outdoors. The quality of the lambs has been evident in recent success in both local shows, at Fife and west fife show. Where in both shows the lambs won the best native sired lambs, promoting the quality livestock that the estate is producing.

Another highlight in the farming calendar for myself is shearing day, which provides relief for both sheep and shepherds due to flystrike at this time of year becoming an issue, where flies lay eggs in the sheep’s wool, which hatch and grow into maggots, and if not caught early, can create welfare issues as the maggots eat into the sheep’s flesh. Shearing day normally for myself means being one of the shearers, so this year on the multiple shearing days here at Balcaskie, loading the trailer was a challenge and a different task to usual on shearing day! However, doing the odd few while the shearers would be taking a well-deserved break had to done.

It has been a very enjoyable year at Balcaskie, except for the odd challenging day at lambing time! I’m very grateful to Sam and the team for the opportunities handed to us to learn and explore different things throughout the year and wish the new students all the best in the coming year.