The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2020 - Issue 67 | Page 66

66 LINGHAMS FEB/MAR 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk Dedicated team of farm animal vets 24-hour emergency cover 365 days a year Bishopton Veterinary Group & RAFT Solu�ons Ltd are delighted to support Billy Turner & the team at Linghams. www.bishoptonvets.co.uk www.ra�solu�ons.co.uk Proac�ve approach to ca�le & sheep health, welfare, produc�on and sustainable farming Prac�cal farm based training, delivered by vets and industry experts Ca�le advanced breeding services Charolais consistent prowess from Billy’s Brampton herd Consultancy services available Committed to long term partnerships supporting British livestock farming. Pleased to be a long term supplier to the Turners at Linghams, Ripon      CHRIS Berry talks with Billy & Sarah Turner and Michael Dumbreck. It is highly likely that if you were asked to name Charolais breeders Billy Turner of Skelton on Ure would invariably come out in the first two or three. Billy has been at the forefront of the breed for nearly 50 years. He started with them when he took on his first pedigrees following a fatal accident to his old school friend John Lister in 1971. ‘What tempted me to the breed was that during the late 60s and early 70s I’d been fairly big into fattening cattle commercially, at one time we were fattening over 1000 a year, and the Charolais X out of the Friesian did ever so well, weighing tremendously.’ Billy recalls that a Charolais cross steer out of his Jersey house cow was particu- larly impressive. ‘You will, even today, never beat a Charolais for either weight gain or as a grazing beast. It’s still the number one sire to put on to crossbred cows. Whatever you put to it will work well.’ ‘We took on nine in-calf heifers and two maiden heifers in 1971 and they formed the herd’s foundation. We got the job going fairly well in the second and third years. It was my wife Jane who encouraged me. Jane had a family farming background in pedigree Friesians and Shorthorns, she’d also been a top veterinary student at college. She told me ‘you know a good beast, go and pick out the best bull you can find and buy its semen’ and that’s what I did.’ ‘Our first bull, through buying the semen, was Bent Carabinier, which turned out to be the number one bull in the country. He was a bull of great style             Jon Burgess FURNITURE AND COLLECTABLE SALES Wishing the Turners & Michael Dunbreck continued success FUR & FEATHER AND COLLECTIVE SALES *TUESDAY FORTNIGHTLY* *1ST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH* Entries day before sale 8:30am - 1pm Sale Box lots & electricals 4pm, collectables 5.30pm, Furniture 6pm (2 auctioneers) Collective entries Friday before sale 8am - 3pm.  Fur & Feather entries on the day 7am-8.45am.  Sale starts @ 10am BREEDING AND STORE SALE *EVERY ALTERNATIVE TUESDAY* Sheep at 12 noon. Cattle at 1pm PRIMESTOCK *EVERY THURSDAY* Pigs at 9am. Sheep at 9.30am. Cattle at 12.30pm Livestock Containers jonburgess.co.uk Jon Burgess has been trading in both new and used livestock transporters for over 30 years, and wishes Billy Turner continued success. As the oldest established agent for Houghton-Parkhouse livestock transporters in the country, Jon has a wealth of experience in the specification of new & used bodies for all types of livestock. SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS OF DATES & SPECIAL SALES www.thirskmarket.co.uk | [email protected] | 01845 523165 Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre, Blakey Lane, Thirsk, YO7 3AB Should you require any advice in sourcing a suitable transporter please do not hesitate to get in touch on 01904 607908 or 07860 913691 at anytime.