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British Simmental Monitor Farm Series: Insights from Our Beef Focus Farm

What are the secrets to success for a high-achieving beef producer?

Part 1

Quick Answer

The British Simmental Monitor Farm Series is a collaboration between Farmers Weekly and Harper Adams University, documenting suckler beef producer Ian Willson's farm management over 12 months. This series highlights successful beef production strategies, such as managing fertility for one calf per cow annually and achieving high weaning weights. It also covers efficient finishing strategies that beat AHDB targets by 48KG and achieving growth rates of over 1KG/day for heifers.

Farmers Weekly has teamed up with Harper Adams University for a new Beef Focus Farm Series. During the next 12 months, we will be following suckler beef producer Ian Willson of Warsop Vale…

Secrets to producing one calf cow every year

Part 2

In the second part of the Farmers Weekly/Harper Adams beef focus farms series, we take a look at how Nottinghamshire farmer Ian Willison manages fertility in his herd…

How does Ian Willison achieve high weaning weights?

Ian Willison achieves high weaning weights by hitting weights way above the national average. This is explored in Part 3 of the series, detailing the methods used by the suckler producer.

Beef focus farm: How cow size affects performance

Part 4

Running an efficient suckler operation hinges on good management of an appropriately sized cow, which for Nottinghamshire producer Ian Willson means leaving room for flexibility…

Efficient finishing helps to hit beef carcass specs

Part 5

A careful feeding strategy is paying dividends for one Harper Adams Beef Focus Farm in the East Midlands, where carcass weights now beat the AHDB targets by 48KG…

Good growrth crucial to calve heifers at 24 months

Part 6

The economic benefits of calving heifers at two years old are well known. Micheal Preistley finds out how ian Willison is achieving growth rates of more than 1KG/day to enable him to bull heifers at 13 months…

Why breeding values make a difference

Part 7

Careful attention to the figures has helped a Harper Adams Beef Focus Farm in Nottinghamshire get great results from both terminal and maternal bulls…

Reduce waste to help maximise beef margins

Part 8

Margins at Williamswood Farm, Nottinghamshire, are dictated by changes in farm management and not in beef price, Harper Adams Beef Focus Farmer Ian Willison tells Micheal Priestley in our final update..

Frequently Asked Questions

1 What is the British Simmental Monitor Farm Series?

The Monitor Farm Series is a collaboration between Farmers Weekly and Harper Adams University, focusing on suckler beef producer Ian Willson. It documents his farm management and strategies over 12 months, highlighting secrets to success in beef production.

2 What kind of beef farming practices can I learn about in this series?

The series covers various best practices, including managing fertility for one calf per cow annually, achieving high weaning weights, and optimizing cow size for efficiency. It also details efficient finishing strategies to meet carcass specifications and methods for achieving growth rates to calve heifers at 24 months.

3 Who is the beef producer featured in the Monitor Farm Series?

The Monitor Farm Series features suckler beef producer Ian Willson, who operates his farm in Warsop Vale, Nottinghamshire. The articles delve into his successful management techniques and the results he achieves.