OSGODBY GRANGE FARM 55
• JUN / JUL 2023
OSGODBY GRANGE FARM 55
“ They can be up to 30 months old and just be like sticks and that ’ s fine because they will grow away . I just don ’ t want little tiny things . We need something to hang the meat on to . You can ’ t work properly with them until you ’ ve got the frame size otherwise you end up with little podgy things that don ’ t make you any money .
“ I don ’ t want anything under 450 kilos in the yard and we ’ ll hang another 120 on to that . We want to get to a good kilo carcase of 300 kilos .
Doug says he ’ s found that there is no honour in showing loyalty to any buyer .
“ I ’ m selling to everybody . I don ’ t show anybody any loyalty because there ’ s no point . They don ’ t give a chuff about you . I just put the cattle where they grade the best and suit that operation .
“ The whole beef industry is changing because although there is a place for a suckler cow it ’ s difficult and we ’ re doing far more dairy X now with the vast majority being Angus with a few Herefords thrown in .
“ Everybody ’ s putting the Holstein back to the Angus . We ’ ve also got on very well with helping Wagyu through Warrendale , that seems like it has a lot of potential for growth as well .
“ We ’ ve also got really progressive dairy farmers supplying us now that have packed in with Holsteins altogether . They ’ ve gone to Montbeliardes which are then crossed backed to the Angus . You wouldn ’ t believe how good those cattle are .
Doug charges his farmer customers for getting the cattle to achieve the weight and conformation the buyers require .
“ All of the feed is weighed in and out of the Keenan and apportioned to each customer and charged as an as-fed rate . Whatever they eat , that ’ s what they get charged for along with a fixed cost for all housing , wages , breakages .
“ We feed around 52 per cent homegrown and 48 per cent by-products coming out of industry , but that is subject to change because if wheat is £ 170 per tonne there ’ s no point me feeding bread , Yorkshire puddings and pasta and stuff when I can feed my own wheat .
Doug was close to the switch-on of his latest venture as this edition went to press .
“ We have full planning for solar panels on 114 acres on our land and we have teamed up with Stephen Hedley next door , my accountant . We put in a joint bid and got it together . We are now just waiting for connection . That ’ s on some of my worst land and if anyone wants to come and have a look at what I call the horrible land they are welcome because it really is grim stuff and that is the best option for that land .
“ It will power 14,000 homes . It ’ s half a megawatt , a good rent and we are taking out land that wasn ’ t particularly good . We will probably run sheep on it most likely in between the panels , so that ’ s the next enterprise going forward .