Andrew Burleigh supports Balmoral Show move
We have just had a month of very changeable weather – very cold and frosty at night, with some bright and sunny days along with very wet and cold days. The only thing we were certain of in the last month was that there was very little grass growth here in Fermanagh. All our stock, except a few springers, have had to be re-housed and we are grateful now to have silage instead of having to buy some – it is making £20 a round bale.
Ground conditions are pretty good, and although we never grow any arable crops, our neighbours have been busy putting them in. Lamb prices have tumbled by £20-25 a head. This is being blamed on the unrest in France and the fall in value of the beleaguered euro. The dairy men have also taken a hard hit, with the last live auction down 5-7ppl but still the cost of overheads keep rising – meal has hiked by £15-20/tonne.
With the silage season on the horizon, none of the local contractors will commit to a price an acre for the complete job – this is because of the volatile fuel prices and rising wear and tear costs. By the time you are reading this, the Balmoral Show will be over. It will be the last time for it to be held at King’s Hall and we are all looking forward to next year’s at the 65-acre site at the Maze prison site – this move will only happen if the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society membership vote to sanction the move in the next few weeks and I would urge all who have a vote to go for it.
Alan sold an 10-year-old grazing cow last week – she was 710kg and made £185/100kg. Matthew had eight Beltex entries at Balmoral and had a busy few days getting them ready. Alan finished his year at Greenmount on 24 May and he has started work with Erne Veterinary in Lisnaskea, as well as helping with the pedigrees.
Andrew Burleigh farms a mixed farm and runs a traditional butchers shop in south-west Fermanagh with his wife, Rosalind, and sons Alan and Lee. The home farm is run by his brother and nephew, and is home to a Beltex pedigree flock along side a commercial flock, suckler cows, stores and beef cattle.