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July saw nearly 300 visitors converge at Hillocks
of Clunie near Dunkeld, part of the Snaigow Estate for the Scottish
Simmental Club Open Day (held jointly this year with the South
Devon Cattle Society and the Beef Shorthorn Society). We were formally
welcomed to Snaigow by owner Viscount Edward Chelsea, and introduced
to Jim Walker (recently appointed chairman of QMS, and a former
NFUS President) our guest speaker at the Open Day.
 The purpose of the Open Day was to look at the 3-way cross beef
animal produced at Snaigow. Designed to make the most of the hybrid
vigor of the three breeds involved (namely the Simmental, Shorthorn & South
Devon), Snaigow’s breeding policy for a number of years now
has been to cross pure Simmental cows with Beef Shorthorn bulls,
then to cross these animals with the South Devon bull to give the
resultant three way cross female that is proving so effective for
Snaigow. This 3-way cross is then put back to the Simmental bull
as the terminal sire.
Ken Cannon, farm manager at Snaigow, believes
this 3-way cross is leaving the highest returns per animal due
to the hybrid vigor, better fertility, easier calving and faster
growth rates – ADAS, MLC and SAC have also shown the 3-way
cross leaves the highest returns per animal due to some of the
above factors.
The estate is owned by Viscount Edward Chelsea of the Cadogan family,
and comprises several small units taken back into hand over many
years. The estate extends to just over 2000 acres in a mixed livestock/arable
area with the ground rising from 160 – 800ft. The various
farms are managed by Ken Cannon who took on this position in 2001
(after Jim Webster retired). Ken is assisted on the estate by a
staff of 4; a grieve, stockman, tractorman and an agricultural
student.
Snaigow has quota for 210 cows. This is fulfilled with 160 cows
and 50 bulling/in-calf heifers. The herd is split into roughly
60% spring calving and 40% autumn calving outside. Stock are kept
in fairly small batches dictated by field size – the average
field size on Snaigow being 13 acres.
Ken breeds all his own replacements
finding this gives more control over the breeding policy, as well
as retaining a high health status and greater disease control.
Approximately 50 heifers are retained each year; all surplus heifers
are sold on for breeding. With fewer staff looking after larger
numbers of stock, Ken rates docility of the animals as particularly
important and this is a trait found in all three breeds.
Calves are mainly sold through United Auctions in Perth and finished
cattle to ABP Perth. Last year, batches of yearling stotts sold
to £640 and £545 in April and £550 and £540
in November respectively. Yearling heifers sold up to £480
for a pen of 6 sold in Spring 2003. One of Snaigow’s regular
buyers, who finished 70 stores last year, reported that they had
killed out at an average of 58%, impressive by any standards. In
future with proper accommodation it is hoped that all stock will
be finished at Snaigow.
Jim Walker stressed that the underlying theme for the Scottish
beef industry is quality, and the key to our success in the future
is the re-opening of the export market and the need for free access
to this market. He also commented on Snaigow’s closed herd
breeding policy saying how this helps us control an increasingly
threatened herd health status.
We then departed on tractor and
trailers for our tour of the estate with commentary throughout
from Ken. With pens of cattle on display at the steading and a
stockjudging competition, it was a very informative and interesting
day.
The Snaigow beef rolls and wine at the end of the tour were
also not to be missed!
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