Perched high on the cliffs at St Abbs in eastern Berwickshire, I feel privileged to farm in what I consider one of the most picturesque places I know. I am farming 325 acres of grassland of family farm and I rent 150 acres from The National Trust for Scotland; they are my neighbours as they own St Abb’s Head. I have seasonal grazing rights for the head, of which there are 124 acres of some grass, and a lot of rock and scree too.

There are two flocks: 300 North Country cheviots are put to the Blue-faced Leicester to breed replacements for the 750 Cheviot Mule flock. The Cheviots are bought in as four- and five-year-old drafts, and if we’re good to them we get a couple of years out of them. Suffolk and Texel tups are used as terminal sires with a Berrichon used over the gimmers for their ease of lambing and good vigour. Lambing starts on 26 February for the mules indoors; there is only room for 300 at a time so the tupping dates are staggered.

Also, teasers are used to produce a compact lambing. The Cheviots lamb from 5 April outside and it is always a nice change after the intense period of indoor lambing.

This year we had a great spring for the lambing although it was very dry; some lambs have never had rain on their backs until just recently. However, things did get a bit too dry and we were very short of grass, which prompted me to put the creep feeders out earlier than normal. This decision worked in my favour as more lambs have been sold to date than previous years at this time. All lambs are sold through Farmstock (Scotland) with the majority going to Dawn Meats. The price has been pleasing, with some reaching £5.35/kg/dwt. The first load away were achieving a daily liveweight gain of 570g; recent lots are 460g/dy.

We also have a herd of 80 Limousin and Friesian autumn-calving cows. The heifers calve in April and May, which gives them time to pick up before going to the bull end of October. A Limousin bull is used over the heifers and after that a Charolais and an Angus are used.

Angus

This is the first year we have had an Angus so we are looking forward to seeing these calves on the ground. The idea is to breed a few heifer replacements if we like them. All progeny are sold as stores at 12-14 months.

The cows were late going out in the spring; 22 May was turnout date and they came in earlier on 21 November. Their time outside seems to get shorter, which is not ideal. I always enjoy seeing the transformation of the cows from when they go out and then after a few weeks with the sun on their backs.

We’ve had plenty rain for the time being and are now enjoying a wee heatwave.

Last week we had 64mm in a 24-hour period so this has pushed the grass on nicely, and the weeds. It looks like a good week weather-wise for the Highland Show, so let’s enjoy it.