Livestock farming in England
Wales and Northern Ireland
Ivor Ferguson - Deputy President Ulster Farmers’ Union
Vicky Scott and Kate Moore – pig farmers
Simon Bainbridge – organic beef and lamb farmer
Ivor Ferguson
Deputy President
Ulster Farmers’ Union
Livestock farming in Northern Ireland
Personal background
• Farming in County Armagh, Northern Ireland.
• The main enterprises on the farm are pigs, sheep and
cereals production.
• Originally qualified from Harper Adams with qualifications
in Agriculture and worked in the fertilizer industry for 8
years.
• First generation farmer and have been farming for over 30
years.
• As a young man I spent a lot of time on my grandfather’s
farm and from that I developed a passion for it, which is
why I decided to farm myself.
Agriculture in Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland has a long tradition in agriculture
production.
• Diverse range of commodities are produced – beef, lamb,
pork, dairy, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, cereals, chicken.
• Agriculture and food production is the biggest industry
and largest employer in Northern Ireland.
• Significant contributor to the NI economy - £4.5 billion.
• We consume 15% of our produce in NI and export 85%.
• Our food is produced to world leading standards in
conjunction with quality assurance schemes such as Red
Tractor and NI Farm Quality Assurance.
Livestock farming in Northern Ireland
• Definition of livestock – generally associated with
cattle, pigs and sheep.
• Cattle – beef and dairy cows:
• Beef cows breed high quality beef cattle for meat
production
• Dairy cows are dual purpose, producing both milk
and beef animals.
• Sheep – predominantly bred for meat and wool
production in Northern Ireland.
• Pigs – primarily a meat producing animal.
Breeds of cattle
• 260,000 beef cows and 310,000 dairy cows in NI.
• Produce 400,000 cattle for meat each year.
• Two types of beef cattle:
• Native breeds – origin in the British Isles:
• Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, Shorthorn
• Maternal, early maturing breeds.
• Continental - breeds from continental Europe.
• Limousin, Charolais, Simmental, Belgian Blue
• Terminal Sires – fast growing and well muscled animals –
maximises meat production.
• Cross breeding:
• Farmers will cross cattle breeds which gets the best attributes of
different breeds to improve animal performance.
The lifecycle of cattle
Growing beef cattle
• Calves reared on beef cows remain with their
mothers 6-9 months before being weaned.
• Dairy calves are separated from their mother shortly
after birth.
• Milk is the main source of nutrition for young calves.
• As they grow older – predominantly a grass based
diet.
• Diets will often be supplemented using cereals or
pulses to supply energy or protein.
Finishing the cattle
• Prime beef animals are normally slaughtered between
the ages of 12 months and 30 months.
• Slaughter will be conducted in high welfare abattoirs.
• Finishing age dependent on market requirements and
farm production model.
• Beef cattle produce a wide range of products from high
value steaks to mince, sausages and offal.
Sheep farming
• 2 million sheep in NI, 900,000 of which are breeding ewes:
• Producing 1 million lambs for meat production per annum
• Ewe lambs kept for breeding.
• Sheep enjoy what is largely a forage based diet of
predominately grass.
• Farmers select breeds based on a number of factors:
• Land type – lowland, upland and mountain
• Climate
• Production technique
• Marketing strategy.
Breeds of sheep
• Two breeds of sheep:
• Native breeds – origin in the British Isles
• Suffolk, Blackface, Blue Faced Leicester
• Continental – breeds from continental Europe
• Texel, Charollais, Beltex
• Terminal Sires - well muscled animals, maximising meat
production.
• Farmers cross the breeds to produce commercial lambs for
meat production and to produce ewe lambs for
replacement ewes.
• Sheep are sheared to gather their wool in early summer,
producing wool for clothes, carpets and rugs.
Lifecycle of a sheep
Pig production
• Pork is one of Europe’s favourite meats:
• EU consumption of 40kg per person
• UK consumption 24kg per person.
• 42,000 sows in Northern Ireland:
• Provides a base for NI to market 31,000 pigs for
meat each week.
• Due to weather conditions and to generate maximum
farm efficiency, most pigs in NI are reared indoors.
• Pigs consume a mixed diet of feed including barley,
wheat, corn and soya.
Pig lifecycle
Quality assurance standards
• In Northern Ireland, farmers voluntarily
participate in quality assurance standards
Quality assurance
• Key components of quality assurance:
• UK born, reared and slaughtered pigs, sheep and
cattle
• Full traceability from farm to fork
• High standards for animal health and welfare
• Care for the environment
• Food safety through the supply chain.
• All independently assessed for compliance.
TRUST THE RED TRACTOR!
For further information go to:
www.beefandlambni.com
www.redtractor.org.uk
Happy to take questions at the end.
Pig farming in England and Wales
Vicky Scott & Kate Moore – Pig Farmers
The history of pig farming
• Today's pig industry has been influenced
by 6000 years of history.
• From the start pigs were bred to consume
waste products, fertilise the land and
obviously provide essential meat.
• Farming has progressed; everyone used to
have backyard pigs however this is very rare
now and pigs are generally reared on
specialist pig farms.
Pig breeds over the years
Pig breeds now
Glossary
• Sow – Female pig
• Boar – Male pig
• Gilt – Female pig which has never had any piglets
• Weaner – Piglet after being taken off its mother at 28 days
• Finisher – Pig which is getting fattened ready for slaughter
• Farrowing – When a sow or gilt gives birth
• Serve – get the female pregnant
• A I – Artificial insemination
• Wean – Take the piglets off the mum
Indoor breeding
unit
• 1,700 breeding sows in this
unit.
• Every week 72 sows are
farrowed.
• The sows look after their
piglets until they are 28 days
old.
• All the animals in this unit
are kept inside in straw
yards until they give birth.
Outdoor breeding unit
England is the only country to have
pigs like this on a large scale – this is
perceived as the highest welfare
system to house pigs in as they are in
their natural environment.
40% of the UK’s pig farms are
outdoors.
There are 1,200 breeding sows in this
unit and the sows look after their
piglets until they are 28 days old.
Lifecycle of a gilt into a sow
• A gilt arrives onto our farm at 180 days
• At 230 days we serve her with A I
• At 21 days post service we scan her
• At 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days she will farrow
• She is now a sow
• She looks after her piglets for 28 days
• We then wean her piglets off her and re-serve her 5 days
later
• The cycle starts again
• On average each sow will have six litters in her lifetime
Nutrition
Good nutrition is vital and the
feeding system on the farm is
computerised. There is a liquid
feeding system in the indoor unit
using the waste products from milk,
distilleries and bakers. It is essential
that there is no meat in the waste
products.
Wheat, barley and soya are also
used for protein and fibre.
The outdoor sows are fed with
similar ingredients but as a dry
pellet.
Different housing systems
The computerised system picks up which sow is
in the feeder and feeds it a particular amount
of food depending on how far on in her
pregnancy she is.
Outdoor sows in fields with
huts for them to go in which
are bedded up with straw.
This image shows the housing
system that is used in other
countries with fully slatted
accommodation. Here the
sows and pigs are in a
controlled environment.
The service area - artificial insemination (AI)
The sows are artificially
inseminated.
Boars (male pigs) are used to
make the sows stand in the
correct place when she is ready
to be served (inseminated).
The sows are placed in the stalls
so that they can be inseminated
with the boar in front of them.
Maternity ward
A freedom pen – the sow can
move about and has access to
straw to make a nest
It is important to get the balance of welfare for
the sow and piglet. Sows are quite clumsy and
often lie on their piglets.
Outdoor sows farrow
in an ark
Traditional farrowing pens- the
sow can get up and eat and drink
but it offers more safety for the
piglets
Lifecycle of a piglet
• Piglets stay on their mums for 28 days.
• They are then weaned off and moved into
different accommodation.
• Some finishers stay in the same
accommodation until they are ready for
slaughter. Others will move houses part way
through. Finishers will have seven different
diets throughout their life.
• Generally finishers reach slaughter weight
in 6 months and will be 110Kg.
Finishing accommodation
The UK is the only country that put
finishers into buildings that are not
designed especially for pigs!
The naturally ventilated straw sheds are
perceived to be higher welfare as the pigs
can run around in the straw. However,
this system is less efficient as the pigs
have to keep themselves warm and can
burn more energy playing. Therefore, it
costs more to produce a pig like this.
Quality standards – welfare and
environment
In the UK we are not 100% self sufficient in
pork and so we have to import some meat.
However, this is more than likely not reared
to the same welfare standards as farmers
have to meet in the UK.
In order to know that the pigs (and therefore
pork, bacon and sausages) are reared to a
high standard, look for the Red Tractor logo
which is the UK’s minimal welfare standard.
The RSPCA logo shows that pigs have been
outside at birth and then finished on straw
based systems.
For further information go to:
www.meatandeducation.com
www.lovepork.co.uk
Simon Bainbridge - where am I, who am I
and what do I do?
•Northumberland
•Upland Farm
•Family Farming
•1968: £200, 2 Cows, 12 Sheep, 90 acres
Where am I, who am I and what do I do?
•Education
•Harper Adams
•Tenanted Farm 360 acres
•Aged 27
Where am I, who am I and what do I do?
16 Years on...........................
•
1650 acres
700 owned
950 rented
•Upland Farm
•Beef & Sheep
•Organic
Why am I a farmer ????
The history bit.....
•First Farmers
Farm Towns and Villages
•Medieval Forests
Enclosure
The history bit........farm animals
Sheep breeding systems
Stratified System
Hill Breed
Cross Breed
Terminal Sire
Longwool
Cattle breeding systems
Native breeds:
•Aberdeen Angus
•Hereford
Cattle breeding systems
Continental:
•Limousin
•Charolais
•Simmental
•Belgium Blue
•Blonde d’Aquitaine
Cattle lifecycle
Sheep lifecycle
Type text here …
Health & welfare.......cattle & sheep
•Worms
•Fluke
•Ticks
•Foot Rot
•Vaccinations
Health & welfare....cattle & sheep
•Vet 24/7
•Health Plans
•Farm assurance
•Health Schemes
•Certification
Feed
Grazed Grasses
Clovers
Lucerne
Oats
Silage
Brassicas
Winter
Environment
Higher Level stewardship Scheme
Pollinators
Birds
Soil
Water
Food & farming......opportunities
Field to Fork
Environment
Meat
Retail
Auctioneers
Sales
Vets
Milk
Farmers
Agronomist
Surveyors
Traders
potatoes
Food standards
Policy
Research
Processors
Beef burger
Cheese
Beer
journalists
Breeders
Nutritionist
Ham sandwich
Grain
Engineering
Bacon
Chefs
Energy
Whisky
Shepherd
Wine
Thank you for joining us
The next eSeminar will be at 1011am on 11November 2015 –
butchery techniques
For further information, go to:
www.meatandeducation.com