12 RAINSCAR FARM AUG / SEP 2022 • farmers-mart . co . uk
Graham tells of how the market for Blues has changed in more recent times . “ I think people have got more of an eye on keeping females for replacements now as the heifers have improved and people have thought they have got to calve them . That has led to a bit more demand for good quality heifers .
Rainscar has been farmed by the Coates family for just short of 100 years . Graham and Alan ’ s grandfather John started the dynasty on his arrival at the farm which is made up today of 1900 acres and runs between 1400-2200 ft above sea level .
Graham says it is basically the same farm size since their grandfather arrived apart from an additional 100 acres taken on from just outside of the village about 20 years ago - and still has a breed of sheep that has always been on the farm .
“ That ’ s our other enterprise . Our Dalesbred go back to the year dot and we have just over 500 breeding ewes that all go to the horned tup with lambing from mid-April onwards . Our prolificacy was 184 per cent last year . We produce our own replacements around 200 a year , and Bentham Mart is our major sale for tups and all things Dalesbred . Our best price for a tup at Bentham is 4500 guineas .
“ We sell ewes going as three-crop . Many of our sheep end up going to the
Ripon and Harrogate area for breeding the Masham . Anything that we don ’ t keep as replacements for ours or surplus for gimmers sold privately will end up going through Bentham market .
“ Dalesbred are a lot bigger , heavier , stronger sheep than the Swaledale because of how they have been bred and we always aim to breed to provide something with a bit of power .
The farming operation is still very much a team effort between all three .
“ Alan and I make all decisions together with mum who has masses of experience . I ’ m more with the cattle while Alan is more with the sheep but we work together on all jobs .
“ We are on the side of Pen-y-Ghent here , which isn ’ t where you ’ d expect to have a breed of pedigree cattle . They go out in mid-May and dependent on the weather can be in mid-October . They are fed on silage and minerals , nothing fancy .
In fact , Graham and Alan are still not ones for such as performance recording .
“ Sires are selected by eye and on their pedigree . Our aim is to breed bulls with a bit of size and plenty of length to avoid calving difficulties . We want calves that have growth in them when they hit the straw .
Proud to support Graham & Alan Coates of Rainscar Farm
Bentham Auc�on Mart , High Bentham , Nr Lancaster , LA2 7HF
A first choice for Dalesbred Breeding Sheep & Gimmer Lambs Also selling from Local Farms
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