An Introduction to Balnellan Farm

Balnellan is farmed with the neighbouring unit at Lochliesk and their land at Weser Gauldwell, coming to ~148 hectares. They also rent some 130 hectares of cropping land and about 12 hectares of grass in the surrounding area.

The main enterprise is suckler cows. They run a herd of about 170 cows which are a mix of cross breeds and are put to a selection of bulls (Aberdeen Angus, Limousin, Salers, and Shorthorn). They keep their own replacements and the rest of the calves are sold as stores at about a year or finished at 18 to 22 months old.

Due to the cropping land out and about, they are mostly grass at home. Roughly 40 hectares of conserved forage are made every year.  With the dry summer, about 8 hectares have been used to make hay.

Digestate, Distillery sludge mixed with their own slurry and FYM are used in place of some of the chemical fertiliser.

James and son Scott work full time in the business, taking on additional casual labour at busy times e.g. silage and harvest. This year they are also taking on a young intern through Ringlink.