Beef Shorthorn offers the perfect fit on the Somerset Levels
A rich biodiversity of national and international importance
255 acres rented and owned grassland
50 pedigree Beef Shorthorn breeding females
50 Beef Shorthorn cross cows
Ross and Clare Whitcombe with five-month-old Henry
We travelled to Glastonbury, Somerset to meet with Ross Whitcombe who racks up a hectic 50 to 60-hour week working as a livestock auctioneer and chartered surveyor whilst he also farms. Together with his wife, Clare and baby son, Henry, Ross manages 100 cows including the pedigree Brue Valley Beef Shorthorn herd on the Somerset Levels. The majority of land lies at or just above sea level and within the Higher Level Stewardship agreement for species rich grassland and water meadows.
Farming and auctioneering?
Yes, I was bought up on a livestock farm here in Somerset, with my dad, Trevor and uncle, Robert farming around 500 cattle, the majority being suckler cows, and whilst I had an ambition to go in to livestock auctioneering from a young age, I also had a passion to farm in my own right, after studying.
When did the Beef Shorthorn journey begin?
After graduating from Harper Adams University back in 2009 with a degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management, the first thing I purchased was a Beef Shorthorn stock bull, with the plan being to put him on the existing suckler cows and retain all heifers as replacements.
Why Beef Shorthorn?
Our suckler herd then comprised mainly native cross dairy bred cows which were not suited to the land I planned to rent. Farming the Somerset Levels is extremely challenging; the land all lies at or just above sea level, it’s very wet, of peaty soil type and the grassland whilst species rich, unfortunately is not nutrient rich nor fast growing, and it’s a challenge to keep on top of the rushes.
I’d been struggling to find a modern functional suckler cow; she would have to thrive on a very low value forage based diet - overall, a low input system and rear one calf every year.
My grandfather used to keep Dairy Shorthorns which thrived on our land, consequently it was a natural progression to think Beef Shorthorn. After research, I was aware that the Beef Shorthorn was a medium sized cow which is known for being hardy, able to look after herself and provide a lot of milk to grow a quality suckled calf. I was also interested in the breed’s colour markings, further adding to the excitement when they calved.
Equally important, Beef Shorthorn had a good temperament; if I was to have a full-time job and farm cattle, they had to be easy to handle and virtually look after themselves. Beef Shorthorn soon proved to tick all the boxes.
Finally, the Somerset Levels I planned to farm were within a designated SSSI and RAMSAR Site being highly desirable for HLS agreements which offer a supplementary payment in return for stocking a pedigree native breed.
One of the herd’s home bred heifers, naturally reared on traditional grassland
Favourite cow in the herd, the 11-year-old Holtlodge Woodruff
How have you grown the pedigree herd?
After purchasing my first bull, I decided that I should also start investing in pedigree females. I bought my first heifer and the Brue Valley prefix was registered. We’ve gradually built up purchasing pedigree cattle from dispersal sales and by retaining virtually all the heifers as replacements. We’ve invested in new sires and started making the 850-mile round trip to Stirling in my quest for a choice of quality bulls starting with Chapelton, followed by Lowther, Stonehills, and in February 2019, the latest from Willingham.
What’s the Brue Valley breeding strategy?
We are breeding a modern functional suckler cow, one that’s sustainable on our hard land. We are selecting for milk and frame. We are aiming for a mature cow ranging from between 500kg to 600kg and weaning a calf 50% her body weight; that’s efficiency. In my opinion, a heavier cow eats too much in winter, she simply costs too much to feed, isn’t able to convert our poor grass and will poach our peaty soil structure. Sires must be polled and within the breed’s top 10% for calving ease EBV – those are my most important criteria.
We don’t calve the heifers until they reach 32 to 36 months of age. We allow them to grow naturally in order to sustain their future lifestyle. I like a heifer that will hold her condition well, it’s an indicator of her future potential, I want one that is going to last for at least 10 years and still have a value as a barren cow. Any pedigree heifers or cows that don’t meet our standards are transferred in to the commercial herd
I’ve had various enquiries for heifers, but for the time being I am still trying to grow numbers in both herds and we have decided that all heifers should be retained for either herd.
The Brue Valley Beef Shorthorn herd grazing the Somerset Levels, a designated SSSI and RAMSAR site and within the HLS
Performance?
In the last 12 months, the herd achieved 93% calves reared, 80% of the herd calved within the first two cycles, 5% required calving assistance.
What’s going on in the commercial herd?
We apply the same breeding policy to our 50 commercial Beef Shorthorn cows as we do the pedigree herd; they are medium sized, efficient cows, all served to the Charolais and in my opinion, produce some tremendous suckler calves; we aim to wean at an average of eight months, 250kg and 350kg off milk and grass.
We sell the entire crop through Frome livestock market in November, where they are noted for being ‘honest cattle’, not being pushed, and one which will go away and thrive in their new homes. We have many repeat buyers who tend to take these calves through to finishing.
What’s your management strategy for both herds?
It’s low input all the way for me, cows can be very expensive to keep if you are not careful, and this can affect the profit margin. Our cows have to be tough and they are; in fact, the cattle we breed ourselves seem to be hardier than those we’ve bought in. Both herds graze from April through to November, sometimes to December depending how kind the autumn months are; they can thrive outdoors on an autumn flush of grass which keeps them going until weaning in November. The rest of the year is spent in woodchip corale type accommodation with a covered area offering shelter from the rain. The cows are fed second quality hay - we are not allowed to cut until after 1 July and hay is an HLS agreement requirement. Both herds calve outdoors over a tight six to eight-week period in April and in to May.
What are your future plans for the herds?
My ambition is to grow the pedigree Brue Valley herd to 180 breeding cows by 2025, and phase out the all crossbreds.
...and for Beef Shorthorn?
I believe the breed has a huge future role as a modern functional suckler cow as its profile and respect continues to grow in the South West. Beef Shorthorn - pure and crosses are also meeting demand from finishers realising they are quick to finish and within spec whilst processors are looking for that smaller carcase.
Overall, Beef Shorthorn are proving they are conducive to the type of farmland that could in future be eligible for green support payments.