Fermanagh Grassland Club’s summer farm walk was an interesting and informative event hosted by Ian Browne at Cavanaleck, Fivemiletown.

Ian – who is well known to many farmers from his former role with DAERA, mostly in Countryside Management – took the opportunity to return home to farm where he established a pedigree Aberdeen Angus herd and also constructed a number of poultry houses.

In recent years, assisted by his son, Harry, he has expanded his farming operation by acquiring the Strule Aberdeen Angus herd established by Jim and May Jack, at Cavanaleck, Fivemiletown.

The late Jim was a former President of the Aberdeen Angus Society in Scotland.

Ian, who started off with 15 pedigree AA cows in his Clogher Valley Herd, has now built this up to 100 cows, with about 30 red Angus alongside the traditional black Angus.

Ian and Harry also keep a number of pedigree Herefords.

Ian said that Mrs. Jack has been very supportive, and by taking over the Jacks’ herd, he also acquired the services of their stockman, Richard Smyton.

In the herd bred by the Jack family, Ian has some particular favourite bloodlines, such as Mayflower and Lady Heather.

He said they don’t bring the cattle to shows any more, and treat them as working cows to produce a calf each year to sell progeny from the farm. He gets repeat business from dairy farmers.

The top pedigree bulls produced are selected for selling, with those not making the grade being castrated, and sold as stores.

Ian explained that the benefit of the Angus is that 95 per cent of the herd calve themselves unassisted, and they also prove to be good mothers.

Stock bulls are selected on various traits including milk figures, and Ian likes to buy bulls locally if he can.

One bull he particularly likes is from Alan Morrison’s Drummeer herd at Maguiresbridge, Drummeer Blackburn.

Most of the Cavanaleck farm has older grass swards but in recent years Ian has been incorporating clover to significantly reduce the amount of artificial fertiliser used.

Most of the ground comprises reasonably dry, free-draining soils and in some parts of the farm there are species-rich swards.

Ian has made good use of the environmental grant schemes to improve features of the farm.

There was a good turnout of members, who were taken on a tour of the farm on tractors and trailers.

The first meeting of Fermanagh Grassland Club winter programme takes place on Tuesday next, October 8 in the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen.