Over 50 members of the Scottish Simmental Club recently enjoyed a trip to the Isle of Bute. They visited various farms belonging to the McAlister family. James and Marie McAlister of Bogany Farm and their 5 sons (all who farm in their own right) make up probably the largest farming family on the island.

The main port of call was to Langalbuinoch Farm where 4th son Robert and his wife Paula farm. Robert and Paula moved into Langalbuinoch in November 1998 and at the same time they took over the Bruchag herd of Pedigree Simmentals from Roberts father James. The farm is tenanted from Bute Estates and extends to 170 acres and is run alongside 140 acres of rented ground at Stravannan next door. Langalbuinoch rises from sea level to around 200 feet and is mainly very light sandy ground. 70 acres of silage are cut annually, with 30 acres of 2nd cut, 20 acres are cut for hay if the weather allows, if not it is baled into silage. There are also 45 acres of barley which is used for stockfeed and 12 acres of oats are grown also for stockfeed.

The Bruchag herd of Simmentals was established by Robert’s father James McAlister in 1976 with the purchase of a Simmental heifer from Germany. The herd currently numbers nearly 30 pure cows plus youngstock. Numbers have been built up gradually with the use of bulls by Artificial Insemination. Over the years those of particular influence on the herd have been Stuartslaw Joseph, Dirnanean Nugget, Sterling Parliamentarian, Sacombe Wishful Thinking, Sacombe Shamus, Brinkton Brilliant, Brinkton Bonzo, Salisbury Triumph, Agardsley Clinton and Wroxhall Extreme. Breeding was all by AI until the purchase of their current stockbull Woodhall Klinsman. Klinsman was purchased at the Perth Bull Sales in February 2001 for 4,200 guineas. The herd is run on a commercial basis with all the cattle being outwintered.

Robert has enjoyed considerable show success in recent weeks with his show cow Bruchag Wendy 1st, an 11 year old cow by Stuartslaw Joseph. This cow has taken the Purebred Beef Cattle Championship at Bute Show and at Campbeltown Show. This cow was first shown as a heifer and was Champion of Champions at Bute Show in 1994. Alongside the pedigree herd Robert runs 80 Commercial cows which are put to the Simmental bull. Heifers are kept as replacements and all the bull calves are finished on a bull beef system. The bull beef calves are sold to Highland Meats and John Scott Meats, over 40% of these killed out as U grade cattle in the last year and have been reached prices of £1.75 - £1.80 per kg.

As well as the cattle Langalbuinoch carries 300 mule and blackface ewes and 50 mule ewe hoggs. All lambs are finished at home. Robert also has a small flock of pedigree texels and this year lifted the Champion of Champions title at Bute show with a 1 crop texel ewe.

The visitors from the Scottish Simmental Club also enjoyed viewing Bruchag Farm, which is where the Simmental herd was established. Bruchag is now farmed by James McAlister’s oldest son (also James) and is a dairy farm with 140 Pedigree Ayrshire and Holstein cows. All the milk from here is sold to 5th son Ninian who runs the island s only milk pasteurizing plant. All the milk is then retailed on the island. They also toured 2nd son Duncan’s farms Nether and Upper Adroscadale on the West of the island. This is very productive stock rearing country, with Duncan and his wife Janie running 160 commercial cows which are mainly Simmental and Limousin crosses. Again to indicate the quality of the cattle on the island, Duncan already has a calf picked out for Smithfield later this year. Last stop was at William and Marion McMillan’s Cranslagvourity Farm to view their herd of 15 Pedigree Limousin cattle and their Pedigree Suffolk and Blueface Leicester sheep.

Article & Photographs from "The Butesman"

Farms visited

JAMES & MARIE McALISTER,
BOGANY FARM

Bogany Farm was purchased in 1978. It lies approximately one mile south of Rothesay and rises to 400 feet above sea level. The farm extends to 96 acres and is mainly grazing with one field kept for hay or big bale silage. The annual rainfall here is 68 inches.

James and Marie originally farmed at Bruchag Farm (taking over from James father) from 1961 until 1990. In 1990 sons James Jnr. and Robert came into partnership and James and Marie moved to Bogany Farm.

The Simmental herd under the prefix Bruchag was established in 1976 with the purchase of a Simmental heifer from Germany. The herd moved to Bogany in 1990 with James and Marie, and three years ago the herd moved again to Langalbuinoch and is now run by 4th son Robert and wife Paula.

James retired in October 2000 and son Ninian and his wife Rhona who live next door now own the land at Bogany and rent it to brother Robert. Ninian retails the milk which is produced at Bruchag, as well as being a haulage contractor and running a potato business.

Between Bogany and Bruchag we will pass Mid Ascog Farm where 3rd son Charles farms. This is a 350 acre dairy farm where he milks 150 cows and followers.

JAMES McALISTER Jnr.
BRUCHAG FARM

Bruchag extends to 320 acres and is approximately 250 feet above sea level, with a similar rainfall to Bogany. 120 acres of grass is kept for silage (2 cuts), and 50 acres of barley is grown for stock feed.

James milks 140 Pedigree Ayrshire and Holsteins here. The majority of the milk is sold to brother Ninian and goes through the pastuerising plant at Bruchag to be retailed on the island. The remainder of the milk goes to the local creamery for cheesemaking.

All the bull calves from the dairy herd are kept and finished as bull beef and heifers are retained as replacements.

ROBERT AND PAULA McALISTER
LANGALBUINOCH FARM

Second son Duncan farmed at Langalbuinoch for 10 years before moving to Nether Ardroscadale. Fourth son Robert and wife Paula have now farmed at Langalbuinoch for the last 3 years. The Bruchag Simmental herd is now run here.

Langalbuinoch is 169 acres and is run alongside 140 acres of rented ground at Stravannan next door. Langalbuinoch rises from sea level to around 200 feet and is very light sandy ground. 70 acres are cut for silage, with 30 acres of 2nd cut. 20 acres are cut for hay or big bale silage. There are also 45 acres of barley for stock feed and 12 acres of oats.

The Bruchag Simmental herd numbers around 60 and bulls used in the herd over the years have included Stuartslaw Joseph, Dirnanean Nugget, Sterling Parliamentarian, Sacombe Wishful Thinking, Sacombe Shamus, Brinkton Brilliant, Brinkton Bonzo, Salisbury Triumph, Heywood Scorpio, Agardsley Clinton and Wroxhall Extreme. The current stockbull is Woodhall Klinsman, purchased at Perth in February 2001.

As well as the pedigree herd there are 70 Commercial cows which are crossed with Simmental bulls. All the calves are finished at home, with bull calves on a bull beef system. There are also 300 ewes (cross and blackface) and lambs are all sold fat.

DUNCAN AND JANIE McALISTER
NETHER ARDROSCADALE FARM

Duncan farmed initially at Langalbuinoch for 10 years from May 1989, where he started of with 50 cows, 75 ewes and 1 pure Simmental in calf heifer Stathisla Helli. The ground was in very poor condition when he first went into Langalbuinoch, there were no fences, buildings had to be re-roofed and, a new cattle shed erected.

In November 1998 Duncan took over the tenancy of Nether and Upper Ardroscadale Farms which extend in total to 640 acres, 480 acres of this are permanent grazing (180 acres being rough grazing); 80 acres are cut x 2 for Pit Silage and there are 80 acres of Spring Barley. The farms lie approximately 300 feet above sea level.

Duncan runs 160 commercial cows which are Simmental and Limousin crosses. One third of the herd is artificially inseminated and a Simmental and Limousin bull are used over the remaining cows. All the spring born male calves are finished on a bull beef system, and all the autumn male calves are finished as steers. Around 30 heifers are kept annually for replacements and the aim is to eventually increase the breeding numbers to 200. All other calves are finished and are sold through John Scott Meats, Paisley and Stirling Markets.

As well as the cattle there are also 200 Greyface ewes which are crossed with Suffolk and Texel tups.

WILLIAM AND MARION MCMILLAN
CRANSLAGVOURITY FARM

Cranslagvourity extends to 500 acres, the soil is sand-clay type and lies approximately 400 feet above sea level. 220 acres are permanent grazing, 100 acres hill ground, and 140 acres are cut for Silage and 40 acres of Barley are grown.

The farm is mixed dairy/beef/sheep, with -
150 Friesian cows
30 Friesian heifers which run with a Limousin bull Oct-Nov
30 Limousin X Friesian heifers which run with a Limousin bull Oct-Nov, these are then sold with calves at foot the following October.
20 beef cows of which 15 are pure Limousin, these run with their 2 stockbulls Hartcliffe Osiris and Lumbylaw Parsimonious and 5 pure Aberdeen Angus cows which are AI’d.
150 fattening cattle, two thirds of these being bull beef and the balance heifers. All finished beef animals are sold at two years old.

300 ewes mainly Suffolk and Bluefaced Leicester. Approximately 100 pure tups are sold annually as lambs and shearlings. All finished lambs are sold between July and December.

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