Page 11 - Commercial Suffolks 2019

uthill farm is situated in the heart of
the Northumberland countryside
T and has been farmed for four
generations by the Johnson family.
Allan Johnson’s philosophy is to drive
maximum value by breeding and buying
top quality stock which delivers the same
return as some larger enterprises. “We
use Suffolks extensively in our farm
sheep enterprise because we like a
fast growing lamb that quickly reaches
a saleable weight at a young age. The
Suffolk provides a hardy active lamb that
is quick to suck, and finish faster than Mule ewe. They also find that the Suffolk
other breeds. Being finished of grass, ewe out of the North of England Mule is
We talk to the latest generation of a farming dynasty who there are minimum input costs and they an exceptional breeding sheep when
find that Suffolk provides a hardy and active lamb are ideal for our approach” Allan said. crossed with any terminal sire producing
quality lambs with
The farm has 450 tight skins.
ewes of which 220 “Suffolk provides
North of England Lambing starts at the
Mules are put to a hardy active end of March and
the Suffolk to breed continues through
finished lambs lamb that is April. Ewes are
and ewe lambs lambed outside and
as replacements. quick to suck and the Suffolk lambs
70 ewe lambs are finishes quickly” do not receive any
also privately sold supplementary
each year to regular feeding as they
customers. Allan Johnson easily finish off the
grass and their
Suffolk tups are purchased at Kelso Ram mothers’ milk. Allan said “Our aim is to
Sales in September. Allan looks for good sell the majority of finished lambs at 14 to
skins and a silky black hair to breed quality 18 weeks. The lambs are sold at 20 – 22kg
ewe lambs from the North of England deadweight to Dawn Carnaby and the
Suffolk meets this specification easily due
to the fast growth rate and consistently
grading U and R2/3L. We take the heavier
lambs to Scots Gap Mart”.
Aberdeen Angus store cattle are
also finished on the farm and it won
the Scotbeef Aberdeen Angus grass
finishing competition in 2017. The judges
commented that the grass management
Allan, Alexis, Archie
and James Johnson on the farm was excellent and Allan
pointed out that Suffolk sheep fit into the
farm enterprise perfectly. ■
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