BCCS September Newsletter 2022

and 7th place went to David Miller with Crookdake Romance.
The Charolais team won the Reserve Beef Interbreed Senior
Group.
These are the only summer shows to have been held at the
time of writing.
Club Outing
For the day outing this year we took a coach over the Border
to join the Congress Visitors on the herd visits to Roscoe
and Allanfauld, organised by Chris Curry. We had some
coach problems at Wigton which delayed our depature,
and consequently our arrival at Roscoe Herd was later than
anticipated. Thanks go to Mrs Ross who quickly sourced
another tractor, trailer and driver and we quickly caught up on
the tour around the farm.
The Ross family have been at Wester Middleton Farm since
1945 and it is now farmed by Michael and Fiona, Mark and
Lindsey and their families. The first Charolais Bull purchased
came to the farm in 1975 and was from a sale in Edinburgh.
£580 on a farm
over the Border
where they had
gone to see
some Charolais
cross calves.
Their next
purchase was
the bull Kirkgate
Ferdinand
bought for
2000gns at the
first Society Sale
for Charolais
held at Perth. He bred a calf named Fizz which went on to
with the Royal Smithfield Show Champion in 1976. Their
success with commercials encouraged the family to start
breeding pure cattle in the mid 1970’s, and the bull Allanfauld
Vagabond is one that was widely used and admired. Today
they breed what their suckled calf customers are looking for
– an easy fleshed animal with length, a good top and loin, all
from a medium sized cow.
The farm has 25 Charolais Cows, 10 Limousin Cows, 35 Luing
Cows, 1300 Scottish Blackface Ewes, 250 Mule and Suffolk
cross ewes, 30 Texel ewes and 30 Bluefaced Leicester ewes.
Again another trailer ride round the farm to see all the cattle
and sheep and take in the fantastic views. The heifers were
running with Maerdy Norseman, the cows were mostly
sired by Balmyle Jasper, Woodpark Elgin and the homebred
Allanfauld Lachie.
The farm now carries 350 commercial suckler cows of which
215 are autumn calving and the remaining 135 are spring
calving. The majority of the calves are sold as stores. Five or
six Charolais stock bulls are used on the cow’s and they have a
small herd of pure females. Their best home bred bull to date
is Roscoe Rumble which sold for 10,000 gns at Stirling.
There were some fantastic views when we got onto the hills
round the farm and we enjoyed some refreshments whilst
we admired the scenery. After seeing more cattle it was back
down to the steading and our hosts had lunch ready which
was enjoyed by all. Our thanks were given and it was back
onto the coach for travel to our next herd.
The farm also has diversified with a Hydro Electric Scheme,
220 acres of woodland planted and run Bed and Breakfast
accommodation. Back at the farm we looked round the young
bulls and then into the shed for a supper of Roast Beef with
the trimmings, followed by Strawberries and Ice Cream. We
also admired the display of photographs that had been taken
of cattle and sheep over the years.
Our thanks go to the host families for allowing us to visit their
farms. They both kept us well informed of their breeding
and farming policy with commentaries in each field, and their
hospitality was much appreciated. It was a great day out.
Club News and Future Events
Congratulations go to Will
Cleasby (Cleaden) and Lizzie
on the birth of their son Struan
Geoff Malcolm Cleasby, born on
4 February 2022.
Next stop was to Allanfauld to visit Archie and Libby
Macgregor who farm with their son John and Bryony. They
have kept Charolais within their herd for 50 years. Their first
purchase of a Charolais bull was Mindrum Elite bought for
Friday 28 October – Agri Expo
to be held at Borderway Mart,
Carlisle. We will have our
usual stand with the Society
with cattle on show and
refreshments.
Monday 7 November –
Interbreed Quiz with Pie and
Pea Supper at The Stocksman,
Wigton. Team of 4 needed –
anyone wishing to volunteer
please let me know !
Struan with his big sister
Quinn
- No bull works harder for the farmer, the plate and the planet - 99
September newsletter 22.indd 99 16/09/2022 15:02:00