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of struggling through hasn’ t given me the motivation to gallop about. There’ s always that chance that by attending a show you may also risk TB turning up in the herd too, so health status for what is a closed herd apart from the odd bull bought in and the downturn have been the major reasons. It also didn’ t help though that judges were largely on a totally different system to us and seemed to want a cow that looked more like a Holstein. We have to keep a cow that weighs no more than 500-600 kilos that can function on steep hillsides. They’ re not generally after those. All cows here have been born and bred on the farm as well as an occasional homebred bull. We have an 18-month old bull off one of our better cows who has had a group of heifers and we’ re just waiting for his first calves.’
Steph, who grew up in Rosedale, has been secretary
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for the Ayrshire Cattle Society’ s Northern region for the past 11 years. She’ s heavily involved with three shows at Rosedale, Ryedale and Danby looking after the fur and feather classes. Steph is also involved with school dinners at Rosedale Abbey school.
‘ We’ ve been very active in apprenticeships and we were quite involved in the North York Moors Apprenticeship Scheme’
While the dairy sector is proportionately more significant then the sheep at Low Thorgill and Wheat Ends the breeding ewes are still a major part of the farm operation.
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‘ We have a small flock of around 30 pure Texels for pure Texel breeding, but our main enterprise is Swaledales. We have around 490 that saw the Swaledale tup this autumn and another 50 or so that saw the Texel tup. The Texels lamb in late February and early March. The Swaledales start April 15. The majority are on the moor between here and Hutton le Hole.’
Breeding quality Swaledale tups is Alan’ s domain.
‘ They’ re more my dad’ s kind of thing. We take our tups to the Swaledale Sheep Breeders’ Association’ s E District sale. We’ re a closed flock and just buy in tups. Dad trails about to the other district sales and will buy anything that he feels fits our standard and budget. We sell stock at Ruswarp and the annual Fadmoor Sale. We bring the ewes in for tupping and lambing.’
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The Myers’ are in an HLS agreement on the moor on a roughly mile wide strip for five miles with 11 other graziers. Sean’ s brother, Rob farms in Bransdale. Rob’ s son, Dan has just started working with Sean as an apprentice.
‘ We’ ve been very active in apprenticeships and we were quite involved with the North York Moors Apprenticeship Scheme. Dan’ s with us now, which is good news as in the past few years with the downturn our paid labour had to be cut down.’
Whether Sean and Steph’ s sons will take over in years to come, like Sean has from Alan, is yet to be seen- but Mark may be motoring on!
‘ Mark’ s into motorbike trials,’ says Sean.‘ And he’ s doing very well. We have a neighbour who has taken him under his wing and reckons he has what it takes to go professional. We’ ll see!’
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