The first farm visit of 2010 to the Wellatree Herd
saw the majority of the Cornwall Club members enjoy the hospitality
provided by Jim and Jean Buckland assisted by their sons Steven and
Edd. Following coffee and biscuits on arrival, served in the
recently purchased Club hospitality tent, Jim entertained members
with a humorous account of the transition from being a dairy farmer
to part time beef producer subsidised by Jean’s teaching salary.
The realisation that dairy cross Hereford beef
cattle did not suit the butcher led to the decision, generated by
Edd, to hire a pedigree Limousin bull for 10 weeks. Nicknamed Keith,
the bull won everyone over with his wonderful temperament and the
trial period has developed into a six year stay.
The foundation pedigree cows have been sourced
mainly from established Cornish herds. Jim explained that he
preferred to buy females from the same source in pairs. Wellatree
has also provided a retirement home for several of Chyanhal’s older
cows. A cow from the Hanndante family purchased from Ralph MacDuff
produced Wellatree Simeon by Blackford Harvester. Unrelated to the
females already in the herd it was decided to retain Simeon as a
stock bull and many of his offspring are marked with the striking ‘Hanndante
Roan’ touches in their coats.
The bulling heifers are served around 18 months of
age with an optimum weight of 600 kilos. A.I. is used on the heifers
with emphasis on proven calving ease. Dinton Nautical has been used
successfully and there are now several daughters in the herd. Jim
and Steven regularly monitor the weights of all the cattle and
demonstrated their safe and efficient cattle handling system.
As Jim and Steve both have full time jobs off the
farm they have been fortunate to gain additional help from younger
members of the family at weekends and therefore having docile cattle
is very important. Applying an education analogy to the
management of the beef enterprise Jim explained the pecking order of
the pedigree Simmental, cross-bred and purely commercial cattle on
the farm.
All the bull calves are ringed and housed at
weaning. They are then sold as stores or finished cattle dictated by
the demands of cash flow and are known as the rent boys. Jim also
shared his approach to grass management favouring strip grazing or
dividing fields into small paddocks over allowing cattle to roam
larger areas requiring topping to maintain grass quality.
The cattle looked in great condition following a
long, challenging winter and after a pleasant, if somewhat chilly,
stroll around the farm; which included meeting Jean’s horses;
visitors, neighbours and family returned to the tent for a piping
hot pasty lunch.
