• JUN / JUL 2021
ESPERSYKES FARM 31
K W FARM SERVICES
ROOT Chopper & Washer
‘ Proud suppliers to Andrew Allanson at Espersykes Farm .’
Video on www . kwfs . co . uk Contact Bob on 07836 721609
With STONE Spring System pigs to butchers Wilkinsons in Ayton and Turners in Rillington . The pig job going bad forced him out .
‘ All I ’ ve ever wanted was my own place and to do my own thing . I owned 20 acres of land at Seamer which I bought with the money I had after I sold the pigs . That ’ s where I put my first cattle in 1997 when I bought a Longhorn cow with a heifer calf at foot , which I kept to breed off .’
Longhorns became Andrew ’ s initial passion in cattle breeding . He bought another four pedigree cows from a Longhorn breeder in Folkton and he was under way .
‘ They were classed as a rare breed and I increased my breeding herd to 40 cows . I rented land that came up at Huttons Ambo initially for the summer but ended up staying there six years . I went up to 80 cows producing pedigree Longhorns and commercial crosses .’
Andrew had started fattening his Longhorns because he ’ d had word that a source could market as much as he could produce and at a premium , but it didn ’ t work out . Instead , he began marketing his own boxed beef and was very successful until the financial crisis of 2008 .
‘ Nobody had any money to buy a premium product like mine . I still sold some but when you end up with most of it stuck in a freezer you can only go on so long – and the minute they are in a freezer you are losing money .’
Fortunately , Andrew has always kept himself busy with alternative incomes . He has worked for the Forestry Commission which subsidised his farming interests , but that work has gradually tailed off over the years and now he keeps pigs on a bed and breakfast basis for Yorkshire Farmers Livestock as well as expanding his Parthenais herd .
He has gradually turned his herd over from pedigree Longhorn and Longhorn X to where it is today with the Parthenais .
‘ There are still a few cattle with Longhorn in them and some Simmental X Parthenais as I had a Simmental bull , but the last of the pedigree Longhorns went a few years ago . I ’ m all about Parthenais now .’
BASED IN NORTH YORKSHIRE
✔ Specialists in artic trailer conversions
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To discuss your requirements call 07818485109 info @ jamesbarracloughengineering . co . uk jamesbarracloughengineering . co . uk
Pleased to be associated with Andrew Allanson of Espersykes Farm .
SELBY LIVESTOCK AUCTION MART LTD
“ YORKSHIRE ’ S FRIENDLY LIVESTOCK MART ”
Weekly Sales of Fatstock - Wednesdays Pigs 9am - Sheep 9.45am - Cattle & Cows 10.30am Store Stock - Saturdays Pigs 9.15am - Sheep 9.45am - Cattle 10.45am On alternate Saturdays Fur , Feathers & Miscellaneous items at 9:30am Entries taken on the day and from 9am to 4pm on Friday prior to sale
Tel : 01757 703347 Email : info @ selbymart . co . uk www . selbymart . co . uk Auctioneer Richard Haigh 0776 8594535
Malton , North Yorkshire .
Pleased to be associated Andrew Allanson of Espersykes Farm , wishing him continued success