Breeding pedigree British Blues for their genetics is a real passion of Jean Mackay Parker who owns the Harelaw herd now based at Auchenairney Farm.
Although she runs a small herd mainly using AI to keep the numbers coming through, it certainly hasn’t stopped the herd achieving success in the sale ring.
Jean’s passion for British Blue cattle started in 2005, when her father started using the breed as a terminal sire for their suckler herd. Buying a bull privately from Andrew Woodburn, Netherwood, the bug for the blues began from there.
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The Harelaw herd was established 14 years ago when Jean purchased her first Blue calf, Todhall Ellie at the Club sale at Carlisle in May. With the help and support from her family and husband, David, she has managed to get it to where it is today.
“I went down with the intention of buying a heifer, but my budget didn’t stretch to what I wanted, however the calf did catch my eye,” said Jean, who brought the calf home with her recipient dam.
Now running just two cows and seven maiden heifers to be served this spring, she has 10 mature bulls set to be sold this year. The team also runs a small herd of commercial cows and uses Limousin and British Blue AI sires to breed potential show calves.
“Blues are nice and easy to work with having a good temperament which is a big selling point. They have a high killing out percentage and are popular in the store ring too.
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“The Blue will always have their place in the industry, they have a strong presence in both the beef and dairy herds. And as long as they are crossed with the correct female, they hit the ground and shape up really quickly.
“However, they can be a high maintenance breed at calving and we use Advanced Breeding Paragon for flushing as it is the best way to get the most out of the females and it still keeps our numbers up,” she said, adding that by using artificial insemination they can be more selective to ensure improved genetics come through.
“It is a huge investment, but it is clearly paying as I am still doing it now. Everything has to be making money here for it to stay. It has taken years to get to this stage and my full-time job has certainly helped finance what started as a hobby and has now turned into a business.
“It has come with blood, sweat and tears, the losses do take a toll on you physically, mentally, and financially.
“You need to be committed to the job, you only get out what you put in,” said Jean, who bought hi-health heifers as recipients for added security.
Although not in a health scheme as such, all cattle are individually BVD and tested for johnes.
Now that the Blues are at Auchenairney, the family also relies on individual dairy cattle from their herd as recipients.
“Now the Jerseys are well established we have the trust in them. We have got on tremendously well with Jersey cross British Blues as recipients females. We're really pleased with them as they are not huge but milk really well and have high quality milk,” said Jean.
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The pedigree Jersey herd is the family’s bread and butter, and is run across 215 acres at Auchenairney Farm with a further 200 acres rented.
They've invested heavily in the dairy too with three Lely robots and a new 200-cubicle cow shed just recently installed.
Ideally, they aim to keep everything outside as long as possible, with the herd brought inside around October/November including the bulls.
“I just feel it keeps them mobile and keeps their feet good and hardy,” said Jean, adding that bedding has been altered from straw to sand.
“The price of straw is just too expensive, so we had to try something new. The cattle seem to love the sand and it is certainly keeping them clean,” she added.
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Inside, cattle are fed round bale silage, straw, draff, and the concentrate, Crowhill from LS Smellie and Sons as calves. Nearer sale time they go onto a hard feed from Galloway and McLeod.
With a strict culling policy, anything not fit for breeding is fattened and sold through through Highland Meats, Saltcoats.
All pedigree calves fit for the sale ring head to Carlisle for the January or May sales.
Jean has her biggest run to date lined up for this month's sale at Carlisle, with six bulls destined to go all just approaching the two-year-old mark.
Last year, she achieved her top bull price of 6500gns although her star performer was Harelaw Star, which set a new female record at the time of 23,000gns.
“I had a lot of interest in her prior to the sale, and felt it was only fair to take her to the market and sell her through the ring. A day we will never forget,” she said.
Sired by the 21,000gns, Henlli Wishmaster, she is out of the previous show female, Woodend Leonna, which was bought in 2017 at Carlisle, and is proving to be a great flush cow, with 14 registered pedigree animals produced from her in seven years.
With this year really being the first proper summer for the family's Blues, there is a strong team of three heading to the Royal Highland Show too.
All are bred from Leona, and include two heifers and a young bull, which are also destined for the Great Yorkshire.
“Our main aim is to sell the British Blues, so we don’t tend to show them through the summer, however winning the overall championship at the Carlisle show and sale with Harelaw Star, was a huge achievement,” she said.
“Length and correctness would be the main attributes in a pedigree animal that I am looking for when buying. In the show ring you need something with style and a good head with plenty of breed character to catch people’s eye.
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“I love a good top on a beast with width, and square plates,” said Jean.
“It is very much quality over quantity here. You need to work with the best you have and build things up but it also needs pay its way.
“Unfortunately, we have got to be aware that beef herds are reducing dramatically, and we need to look at that trend and watch what people are actually looking for. There has to be a market out there for what you are doing before you invest heavily into any new venture.
“I am very optimistic about the future, because as hard as farming is at present, it has to get better.
"As long as there is a demand for what we produce we keep going and hope for the best,” concluded Jean.
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