Oilseed rape is the standout crop for breeding progress over the last number of years. When I first started growing it many years ago, it was always difficult to have a yield of more than 1.3t or 26 CWT per acre. Over the weekend, after two days intensive combining, we finished the 2020 crop of oilseed rape for an average yield of just at 1.9t per acre. This, apparently, is not exceptional for 2020, as I have heard of over 2t.

I have desiccated the autumn-sown commercial wheat – it’s a poor looking crop

Nevertheless, I am happy with this as an outcome. It was a new semi dwarf variety, spotlessly weed free and came in at a moisture of 7.5% - 9.9%. However, expect that to be the peak of this year’s harvest. I have desiccated the autumn-sown commercial wheat – it’s a poor looking crop. A second wheat after beans with too many weeds, too thin a stand in too much of the field and too many heads that seem to have take-all. The aim is to cut it next week – by that stage I expect that the autumn-sown oats will be ready, though it has a lot of late-emerging green tillers.

The Continentals killed out at a higher weight and obviously at a much better grade

On the cattle side, it is striking how similar the gross margin is between the dairy-bred steers and the small number of Continentals I bought in as a comparison. The Continentals killed out at a higher weight and obviously at a much better grade, but they cost much more coming in. This extra price at purchase was only just recouped at slaughter, provided the comparison is made with Angus and Hereford crosses that qualify for the breed bonuses, as well as the full quality assurance payment and grade at least O=. Those grading P do not, at least in our experience, even cover the cost of feed.