SAC Research

The Cumbria Focus Group is centred on the Keswick area with 15 participating farmers predominantly located in the valleys radiating out from there.

Consequently most of the farms have limited mowing ground and often limited intakes (land between the open fell and the inbye).

All have extensive fell grazing, mainly commons but some fenced. Much of the fell grazing is severe, around 600-800 m altitude. The Group as a whole is typical of the central Lakeland area.

The whole area is included in the Lake District Environmentally Sensitive Area and all the focus group farmers participate in this scheme. Flock size varies from 440 ewes to 2,400 ewes with the Herdwick and Swaledale breeds predominant.

All the farmers breed their own ewe replacements and most of them still have a proportion of untupped shearlings – a traditional practice in Lakeland where grazing is particularly limited.

Only few of the farms sell more than 50% store lambs, the remainder selling more than 50% finished. Breeding stock is sold by some of the farms.

Only 2 of the farms have no cattle of any type. Most have a herd of sucklers (between 1 & 90 cows) and 2 have a small dairy herd (20 & 50 cows).

Most suckler herds are spring calving with calves sold as stores – only 2 farms produce finished cattle.

Contact:
John Rockliffe
ADAS
Tel/Fax: 01900 823 959
Tel. Secretary: 01522 521 298
John.rockliffe@adas.co.uk