Fermanagh Grassland Club members end their spring tour

Last week we reported on the first farm visit to the dairy holding of David Rowe who is joined on the farm by his son, Andrew. David is originally from Kesh.

The next stop was a few miles further towards the coast near Bushmills, to the farm of Victor Chestnutt, Past President of the Ulster Farmers’ Union who farms some 500 acres.

The farm carries 110 suckler cows, including pedigree herds of Charolais, Aberdeen Angus and Belgian Blue cattle, a pedigree flock of 250 Texel ewes and 250 store lambs.

David, his son, started a dairy enterprise in 2009 and milks 180 Holstein/Montbeliarde cross cows which calve from September to April.

Each February, Victor sells 12 to 15 pedigree bulls at his own bull sale where bulls are marketed “commercially” – with reduced meal feeding.

The livestock enterprises are managed alongside an extensive range of environmental features, complementing livestock health and welfare on an exposed coastal site.

Tree corridors and shelterbelts have been established, new hedgerows have been planted and watercourses fenced off. These measures have enhanced wildlife and biodiversity around the farm, highlighted by the return of the Irish hare.

In the dairy, David has installed a number of technologies to lower the business’ carbon footprint, including solar panels, heat recovery systems and rainwater harvesting. All this helps reduce carbon emissions associated with the farm.

The farm has grown significantly since Victor took over his father’s 100-acre hill farm.

Both farm owners displayed great enthusiasm for their enterprises with some longstanding members of the Club expressing their delight at such high quality farms visited on the Spring Outing.

The Club was led by Chairman, Roly Graham and Secretary, William Johnston and the visit ended the series of meetings from last autumn.

Later in the summer, they will be hosting a summer farm walk to a local farm, details still to be announced.