PROFILE A J Lloyd >>
ter airflow, and the cattle will be fully, rather than partially, under cover, to save on straw. And more spacious handling facilities at one end of the building will make for easier management.
A third building has been or- dered for late 2019 to house a fur- ther 200 cattle alongside plans to take on more land for growing for- age crops and for grazing. “At the moment breeding and fattening cattle are together over winter, but I’d like them to be at separate locations to reduce the spread of any bugs: with April this year being so wet, the dampness did lead to higher calf mortali- ty than we’ve seen in previous years.”
Contracting
Alongside the beef enterprise, An- drew runs six balers and three chasers for silage, hay and straw production for customers as far as Wymondham to the south west and Martham near the coast. Some are specialist livestock producers who don’t want the re- sponsibility of looking after ma-
Rye, grown for silage, performs well on the farm’s light land.
chines and staff for baling; others are big arable farmers who want a contractor to look after baling, chasing and clearing while they get on with drilling. “I started contract baling in 2001 with one machine, baling straw for the farmer next door. Now I run two round balers, one Welder and one McHale, and four New Holland square bal- ers. I have my own muck for straw arrangement, mucking out four times a year for deliv- ery straight to a local farm, and collecting straw at harvest, but I buy a lot of additional straw off the field and move it directly to other customers’ farms.” Machinery and labour is shared with local potato grow- er Jeremy Leadley. They each own their own tractors and em- ploy their own staff – Andrew em- ploys three, a stockman, a driver and an all-rounder – with a fur- ther three on a self-employed ba- sis for the grass and straw – and then hire from each other. It’s a system that works well for both
Silage is the key feed ... I’d rather cut earlier than later to ensure good quality.
“
businesses. Andrew’s business has come a
long way since he was given those two calves. In 2013, he and his wife moved into a new house on the farm, and they have a young daughter and a baby on the way. What surprises might be in store for their 12th birthdays?
BUSINESS FACTS
• Beef suckler cows • Fattening enterprise • New cattle building • Contract baling
CONTACT
T: 07787 551081 E:
lloydnortonfarming@live.co.uk
72 ANGLIA FARMER • JULY 2018
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