Craigens

Farming is challenging at the best of times but farming on the islands of Scotland brings its own unique set of problems. Without hardy Blackface ewes, Craig Archibald would struggle to produce any lambs at all on the Isle of Islay due to the pressure on grazing from geese.

A few years ago geese numbers were at a record high and 47,000 were counted on his land. This meant lambing percentages were down as low as 60 per cent and he could not even produce enough female replacements.

A switch to the north type Blackie meant the flock became viable again. Craig said, “We find the north type a more commercial type of sheep, not so prone to fashion. We rarely have a problem with tups surviving and the horns are not so big so our smaller gimmers lamb easier.”

Craig, wife, Petra and their three children tenant the 4900 acre Craigens Farm on the west coast of the island from Islay Estates where they run 220 suckler cows and just over 1000 ewes.

Since 2022 Craigens has been the Argyllshire monitor farm and Craig has found the experience worthwhile. Through detailed discussion and accurate recording, he has changed quite a lot on the farm in the last two-and-a-half years.

However the decision to switch from south to north type Blackies was made about eight years ago when the gimmers were struggling to give birth to lambs with big horns. Craig said, “Having used a few Swale tups, we knew not all breeds come out with big horns, so we bought both Hexham and Perth type shearlings with finer, backward facing horns. The Perth type seem to suit our farm best and are easily lambed so since 2020 all we have used are Perth type shearlings.”

He continued, “Now we seldom have to chop ingrowing horns, lambs are finishing a bit heavier and we are able to sell more four-crop ewes which are correct in their mouths.”

Although the farm is low-lying and mostly blankt bog, it would not be a particularly hard place if it was not for the geese. They arrive in October and leave in April and graze everything bare. He has to feed rumevite blocks from tupping right through until June, when the grass finally takes off, but he said, “Only a Blackface ewe could survive and produce a lamb on so little.”

Ewe hoggs are also snacker fed with barley and a balancer through to June and they try to give them as much grass to eat as possible over the summer but it is still a struggle getting gimmers big enough. Through the monitor farm process he has weighed all his gimmers this year and found too many under-weight which accounts for the number of empties, black loss and second cycle lambs in previous years.

Since changing to the north type ewe, lambing percentage at marking has improved to 110 to 120 per cent and that is despite predation from greater black-backed gulls, ravens and sea eagles.

Craig said, “We lamb over about 3000 acres, and although we try to cover it all three times a day, it is impossible to be everywhere at once.” Petra and daughter Niamh help with the lambing.

Now the lambing percentage has improved, Craig can afford to be more selective about the ewe lambs he keeps. He said, “Any ewes we have to handle have the ends of their horns taken off and their ewe lambs get a slaughter tag.”

All the Blackface lambs are fattened on summer grass then forage rape and turnips. Average weights are 36/37kg and they are sold through Longtown Mart. Craig said, “We have our own lorry with a sleeper cab and now there is only one ferry, we drive them to Longtown, have a break and drive home again within legal hours.”

He finds there are a good number of buyers at Longtown and customers know the lambs and come back each year.

As a result of discussions through the monitor farm, 100 ewes were put to an Aberfield tup and 100 to a Logie tup in November 2023. This will be a flock of mule type ewes for the better fields and once numbers are established only 50 ewes will go to each tup for replacements. The lambs from this flock will be sold store in August which will free up more forage for the rest of the sheep.

The cattle enterprise is also seeing change as a result of the Monitor Farm, with cows being weighed, condition scored and their performance recorded in order to find out the best type for the system. Craig said, “It’s not easy – it’s a warren! Some cows are weaning a calf which is close to half their bodyweight, while some cows are fat and have calves which are not that big. We sell store calves so they have to look good to sell.” Craig is also experimenting with cows grazing some of the more marginal land during the summer to see if that will improve it for the sheep.

The family has diversified in recent years, opening a café in 2022 which is run by Petra and Niamh. They are also oyster farming. Eldest son, Kieran works part time on the farm but is a mechanical engineer on the island, while 14 year-old Innes is keen on the farm and also helps out.

Craig worries however about the future of sheep farming on the west coast and islands of Scotland. Without hardy, easy-care Blackface sheep, he would not be able to carry significant ewe munbers. With pressure from geese and predatory birds he said, “It is going to be hard to farm sheep here in 10 to 15 years time.”