26 GARROWBY FARM JUN / JUL 2021 • farmers-mart . co . uk
Clive wants his bull and heifer calves to grow to their optimum which is achieved through milk , grazing and creep . They go out in the spring . Autumn born calves are wintered with milk , silage , maize and creep .
‘ Once the calves are weaned the bull calves go on to a growing ration and are fed 2-3 times a day .’
‘ At 12 months we put the bulls on to a grower ’ s ration so that we ’ re not pushing them too much . We don ’ t want too much muscle on that affects their legs , growing ability and fertility . At 14-15 months we put them on a slightly higher energy feed to put on muscle and condition . Prior to a sale they are moved on to a show mix that is a bit more pokey to help them reach sales in top condition . We ’ ve taken on Ian ’ s ration that worked for his bulls .’
‘ We are looking at growing better forages and feeding less concentrate . We are growing Lucerne this year , a higher protein crop and we ’ ve introduced maize into the diet as well as better silages of red clovers .’
Clive ’ s initial move he made towards Limousin nearly 20 years ago was the platform for all that has happened since .
‘ Having bought my initial bulls and having run them with the commercials I could see they were adding value . It ’ s a breed for me that ticks all the boxes . It produces a suckler cow that has plenty of milk and an animal that is ready for slaughter at the optimum
time and weight . They have longevity and are fertile . Their temperament is also so much better than when they were first imported from France .’
‘ It ’ s now my job to keep all of the herds – the Gunnerfleet , Garrowby and the commercials moving in the right direction . And that direction is to produce bulls that go into herds that will produce those optimum cuts of meat – and maintain our repeat buyers .’
Garrowby Farm now runs to 750 acres . More of the estate has been taken back in hand since Clive arrived . He now has 200 cows plus 700 breeding ewes . 130 acres is down to arable land with the rest down to grass .
The sheep are split evenly between Mules and Texel X Mules and are up on sheep country on the chalky Wolds land . The cattle are on lower land around Bugthorpe .
‘ We have been selling two-thirds of our lambs off grass during summer and autumn , with the other third going as either breeding gimmers or stores . Mostly our stock is going to market through York and Malton . We get a good trade of people coming to the farm for three-quarter bred Texel gimmers .’
‘ Our arable crop this year is spring barley . Where we grow is heavy land and sometimes well-nigh impossible to establish . Last year we grew spring wheat . It all helps with a bit of straw .’
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Clive is trying to eliminate blackgrass and now all the muck from the cattle and sheep goes on to the arable acreage , as well as the grassland .
‘ Because of blackgrass we ’ ve been trying to put leys down for 4-5 years then take them out and put in a first wheat , second wheat and then maybe a spring barley if we can ’ t get another winter crop in . A neighbouring farmer
looks after it on a stubble-to-stubble arrangement .’
Clive has one full-time stockman – Patrick Shipley ; and brings in additional help at lambing time and for sale preparation . Clive ’ s from the North Essex / Suffolk border . He went to Writtle College . His mother was a farmer ’ s daughter from Scotland . Stock breeding runs deep in his blood and now in Garrowby ’ s too !
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