Scotland-Wintering cattle outdoors.

SCOTLAND-WINTERING CATTLE OUTDOORS.

A JOINT project between Quality Meat Scotland and the Scottish Agricultural College suggests savings can be made by wintering beef cattle outdoors.

At 73p a day, the savings may seem marginal, but that equates to about £130 per animal during a 180-day season.

QMS has been collaborating with SAC over the past four years examining the possible use of out-wintering as an option for some farmerwith a focus on reducing feed and labour costs on six farms involved in the trial.

A free booklet based on the findings of the trials has now been published. The research was conducted in various locations throughout Scotland and over 1,800 people have visited the farms and have generally been impressed. Out-wintering systems can be based on deferred grazing, which frequently sees hill pastures carry no livestock during the summer. Cattle are then wintered on this ground and usually need minimal additional feeding during the winter months.

Other options involve the growing of brassica crops such as kale and stubble turnips supplemented by roughage in the form of silage, hay or straw.

Andy McGowan, the head of industry development with QMS, said: "Out-wintering can give farmers the opportunity to gain significant savings and help improve margins."

The booklet is available from QMS or local SAC farm services offices. It can also be downloaded from the QMS website.