Top Charollais Breeder Remains Optimistic
18th September 2019
A familiar face at the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales, Worcestershire sheep farmer, Geoff Probert, is optimistic about the future of the industry – which he says is now in the hands of the Government. He has been trading at the sale on the Royal Welsh Showground since he sold his first Charollais ram there as an 11 year old boy.
He got a taste for the breed, and for the sale, after the first ram out of one of the four ewes, purchased for 280 guineas each, sold for 750 guineas as a ram lamb. Four Charollais and four Texel ewes purchased as a hobby with his brother John have today grown into a flock of 300 Charollais and Texel ewes, both under the prefix of Mortimer.
Geoff is a reknowned Charollais sheep breeder and regularly judges at some of the top shows in the country, including the Great Yorkshire and Royal Cornwall shows. This year he judged the Charollais sheep classes at the Royal Welsh Show.
One of the new faces on the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sales Committee, he is passionate about the sale. He says it’s an important shop window and feels that even when buyers source rams from him at home they like to know how the other rams go on to do at the NSA Wales & Border Ram Sale in Builth.
He says: “We made 4,000 guineas for a ram last year, one of our best years, and we sold 30 yearlings to an average £983. It is an expensive place to sell them, but when it comes together it’s a great place to sell your rams
“It’s an excellent venue to show your rams off to their full potential and to compare your stock to fellow breeders. It’s an advert for your breed, especially if you enter the show section as well.
“It can be a long day, but it’s a one stop shop for the buyers, there is a high standard of sheep across several breeds. It’s important socially, allowing sheep farmers to integrate, promote and market their stock.”
Geoff farms in partnership with his wife, Bridget, at Northingtown Farm and both are responsible for the day to day running of the 600 acre farm, together with sons, William 14 and Alex 11. Enterprises involve 1000 commercial ewes and 300 hoggs on 600 acres, along with beef from the dairy herd and dairy replacements. Two hundred acres of arable are integrated with a four shed turkey site supplying Avara Foods all year around.
The family sell 1200 spring lambs, born from the 20th January onwards, the rest are finished off roots in the early Autumn and Winter. They are produced from home bred Texel X mule ewes, put to a Charollais tup.
Brother John is responsible for the dairy herd at the original farm, Covenhope, in Herefordshire, where some of the pedigree sheep also run. The two farms are 30 miles apart, with Geoff having moved to Worcester in 1996 at the age of 24, taking full responsibility for the Worcester farm.
The political situation is a concern, but Geoff says many other industries in the UK are under just as much pressure. He feels that in the event of a No Deal Brexit, it will take time but other markets will develop and opportunities will unfold.
He is confident that Europe wants our products. It is up to UK farmers to maintain high quality and welfare standards.