His main interests were in education, especially in applied botany. He was a member of many College and National curriculum development groups. He was instrumental in leading honours degree courses at WSAC with the launch of the MI Biol (Plants and Animals) in 1995. This heralded to progression from OND - HND to Hons Degree. This is the model of progression that SAC has followed for decades but of course MI Biol has been replaced by the Glasgow Degrees.

In addition he had his own research work, particularly into the diets of hill sheep, the control of bracken and the sustainable development of the hills. He was involved in Scotland-wide field trials for improving the uplands through the introduction of legumes (especially Lotus spp and clovers), grass mixtures and weed control measures. 

He retired in October 1988 as Deputy Principal of WSAC, having been made a Fellow earlier that year. Following his retirement he maintained his links as a College Director and the author of the History of Auchincruive and an authority on related histories. He was also very much involved with the development and international success of the Scottish Fiddle Orchestra as both a player and administrator. 

The Fans and Legends event involved fans paying to play along with and against legends of Ayr United Football Club on the hallowed turf of Somerset Park. The “legends” included Henry Templeton, Davie Kennedy, Davie Craig, David Purdie, John Traynor, Andy Lyons, Isaac English, Neil Duffy, Stevie Evans and Kenny Wilson. The respective management teams were Sanny McAnespie & Gordon Burns v Robert Reilly & Robert Connor.

Alongside the main event there was an AUFA tournament for the 9s, 10s, 11s age groups. In addition there was an appearance from cult hero Somerset Boab and a more recent fans favourite, Ryan Stevenson. After the match there was a strip presentation to the fans with an auction and buffet. 

The five SAC students who formed the organising committee and have become Ayr legends in their own right are Declyn Cooper, Ross Armour, Sarah Jackson, Scott Cook and Allan Bell. While the project was part of their Sports Event Management module they went above and beyond the call of duty and are to be congratulated.

The final sum of money will be distributed equally between Ayr United Football Club & Ayr United Football Academy.

The 6 SAC Garden Design Students have spent three weeks assembling their prefabricated design in Edinburgh and have now driven it to London and the show site in the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital. The plants for their Plant Explores Garden will travel a little later. Despite some excellent preparation work they will find, like every other entry, there is a lot to do before the show opens on 22nd May.

They have over 140 plants, most of them sourced from Scotland. There are alpines from Stella Rankin (Kevock, Lasswade), herself a Chelsea Medal Winner and giant Gunneras, from the Botanics. Progress on the project, which forms part of the team’s HND Garden Design Course, can be followed on their new website and blog.

We wish them well.

One key feature of the £200.00 prize is the focus on the impact of the work. It is in line with the SAC approach to the subject. Entries were judged by a panel including George Gunn, the SVEPM Senior Vice President and Junior Vice President, based on a 20 minute presentation with 10 minutes of open questions from the meeting. The concept, of shifting the emphasis away from methodology to practical impact was well received by the international grouping of senior academics.

Dr Anne Relun works with Oniris-INRA in France. Her paper was “Estimation of the relative impact of treatment and management factors on the prevention of digital dermatitis by survival analysis”. She received her award at the SVEPM Annual Dinner.

As usual, classroom and field sessions were held for current modules (which include Soils & Nutrient Cycling, Organic Forage & Livestock Production, Organic Farming Case Study and Issues in Organic Farming) taught by both SAC staff and an external expert, Dr Kirsten Brandt of Newcastle University. She gave a lecture on food quality and standards via an online conferencing system called Go-to-Meeting.

Two external experts who were there in person had flown in from Denmark and the Netherlands. Mette Vaarst (Research Centre Foulum, University of Aarhus,) and Gidi Smoulders (Wageningen Agricultural University, Lelystadt) are specialists in organic animal health and welfare. They gave lectures on “Approaches to the reduced use of antibiotics in livestock, specifically dairy cows” and the “Principles and potential of farmer groups improving health and reducing anti biotic use on dairy farms.

In addition there was a farm visit to Newton Dee biodynamic farm and SAC Consultant Caroline Shahin presented an organic sector update. Local farmers were invited to attend the lectures. One students commented:

“Exceptional, a real privilege to have speakers of this calibre”. 

During a BBQ after the lecture sessions two presentations were made. Former SAC consultant  David Younie, who has played a big teaching and knowledge transfer role in the OF programme, and is retiring in the summer. Dr. Norman Stephen, former Programme Leader, who ran the programme very successfully from its inception in 1999, has also recently stepped down from this role, although remaining on the Core Team and teaching staff for the programme.

The SAC visit followed a scoping report by consultant Dr Andreas Wilkes who had been asked to help focus SAC’s activity in China and identify where SAC could offer the best value to potential Chinese partners. He had recommended Inner Mongolia Agricultural University (IMAU) and Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU) as a particularly good fit. Geoff Simm (Academic Director and Vice Principal Research) and David McKenzie (Vice Principal Learning) arranged the signing of Memoranda of Understanding with the two organisations.

Discussions at IMAU focussed on exchange visits by staff and post-graduate students with interest in distance learning courses – especially in organic farming, sustainable systems and some areas of animal science. IMAU are very interested in SAC’s expertise in Knowledge Exchange and outreach. They want to identify joint research programmes in subjects including range grassland management and sustainable systems, meat sheep breeding and genetic resource management, dairy systems, including forage production and management, potatoes, barley and climate change.

In Nanjing Agricultural University the group visited the National Centre of Meat Quality and Safety Control where the main interests were in meat safety, traceability, carcass grading and meat quality assessment. Key SAC staff already have good working relationships with NAU, especially research into soils and carbon management. There were fruitful discussions on exchange programmes and a MoU was signed by Shen Qirong and Geoff Simm. NAU has also won the first research project on animal welfare standards funded by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and welfare is another obvious area for mutually beneficial collaboration.

SAC maintains three grass variety trial sites at Auchincruive in SW Scotland, The Bush at Edinburgh and Craibstone outside Aberdeen. The results gathered at these sites so far show the variation across Scotland and the value of the trials network.

At Auchincruive, where conditions are always milder, there have already been two “cuts”. Principal Technician Lawrence Baker reports a higher than average yield in April (1.9 t/haDM) but balanced by a poorer result in May (0.85 t/haDM). Together the two results show reasonable growth but he believes regrowth will be slow. However, he notes ear emergence on control varieties is likely to be around 20th May this year, in line with 2008 to 2010.,

The only cut in Edinburgh yielded 1.84 t/ha DM, which is similar to the 2010 results, but well below the exceptional 3.3 t/ha DM of last year. However Trials Team Manager Alastair Drysdale notes that there has been almost no ear emergence, a real sign of a late spring.

Further north, in Aberdeen, there are also clear signs. Trials Officer George Carr says the mild autumn encouraged grass growth which then got badly scorched during a winter with no snow cover, biting winds and frosts. Growth has been 80% of normal although it was worse in 2004 and 1999 (30% and 25%). In those years silage yields were depressed by 10-15%.

According to SAC Grassland Consultant Peter Shipway the north-south variation is indicative of the patchy growth this season.

“Some places will have no real change, others a great deal. It can even vary across farms in the same locality. Under those conditions the old rules of thumb go out the window. Farmers wanting quality silage may well be cutting around the same time as usual, but getting lower yields. Those going for bulk will have to wait longer than they usually do. Although there will be some compensation in grass growth if and when the warmth arrives, there is no doubt that overall grass yields will be significantly below average this year. Contact your local SAC Farm Business Service Office for advice”.

For livestock the consequences of a shortage of grass are obvious –

• Poor fertility in spring calving herds.
• Lighter leaner store cattle/sheep with less animals finishing at grass.
• A shortage of winter forage.

According to SAC livestock experts there are many options producers can take, providing they start planning ahead now. One of the most important decisions will be to protect the performance of grazing animals and particularly first and second calvers, by giving top priority to grazing and planning ahead now for any forage shortfall next winter. 

Gavin Hill, SAC Assistant Regional Manager argues there is no profit in having pits full of silage to over-winter barren cows and ewes! 

“Parts of fields which have already been shut up for silage could grazed in an emergency if the grass height is below 25 cm. I know farmers will be tempted to cut silage early but they should  remember the grass must have been given the chance to take up all the applied nitrogen.”

There are also health concerns. Gavin recommends farmers keep magnesium levels up, as the risk of staggers is high. The bulling period is not far off on many units and cows needing a good plane of nutrition with high energy levels might require supplementary feeding with cobs etc. or fodder from ring feeders. 

“This may lead to heavy poaching”, warns Gavin. “So watch out for signs of Coccidiosis in the youngest calves and discuss with your vet. Coccidiosis risk increases in older, wet, poached areas”.

SAC Sheep specialist Dr. John Vipond is also concerned about health.

“Stressed ewes will have dropped more worm eggs and lambs pick up more on short grass swards when milk is in low supply” he reminds farmers. Check lamb faeces for worms and coccidiosis at 6-8 weeks and dose accordingly”.

“In most years I am encouraging farmers to increase ewe numbers to control grass in May. This year, with 25% less grass growth on the best of land and substantially less on wetter farms, it’s a case of, is there enough to go round?”.

John Vipond believes that as ewes meet peak lactation demands they will need sward heights of 4cm now, rising to 6cm by July. Without heat to drive growth lambs will be lighter at weaning and sale dates delayed.

“Farmers should check swards for height and supplement with 0.5kg/day of cereal or roots if below 4cm”, he says. “They might consider introducing creep feed, but avoid creating foot problems by moving troughs in wet weather”.

Farmed by David Martin and his family Lords Plain is a Monitor Farm in an initiative delivered by SAC via Rural Skills Cumbria and Funded by DEFRA through the Rural Development (RDPE) Programme which is managed by LEADER Local Action Groups in Cumbria. Monitor Farms were first developed in New Zealand with a volunteer monitor farmer who is willing to discuss new ideas with his neighbours and then try them out.

David Martin wants to improve the energy and water efficiency on his farm. He has already taken some steps such as recycling water from the apparatus he uses to cool his milk and  has installed a borehole. A water audit completed by Kendal- based SAC Environmental Consultant Ruth Kendal indicates there are opportunities to make further savings up to £3,000. 

At the farmers meeting Ruth will explain how she made those calculations and what kind of things other farmers might consider to cut costs and reduce reliance on mains water. David Martin is also interested in the possibility of generating renewable energy on farm. SAC’s Renewable Energy Team Leader Jim Campbell will outline the opportunities for alternative energy projects, including current new build options.

Another SAC specialist adviser Gillian Reid will explore the wider business benefits and potential savings to be made by farmer’s understanding more about their farms carbon footprint.   
There will also be an opportunity to hear about the water resource management and energy efficiency items that are eligible for funding under round 2 of the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS).

The free meeting begins at 11.00 am and ends with a free lunch at 1.00 pm. To book a place please ring SAC’s Kendal office on 01539 566987 or email emily.maclean@sac.co.uk.

Geoff Forest, of Sustainable Designs, near Dalmellington, is confident he can build the horn in the time each entry is allotted before judging begins on the Ingliston Show site. Around it the team of 7 students will build a natural landscape, complete with water feature and populate it with a host of fruit plants celebrating the fun and health benefits fruits and berries offer gardeners and all of us. The team’s own contribution to wicker weaving will be the baskets scattered around their garden displaying some favourite fruits.

“With all the stress of completing our study projects, sourcing the plants and ensuring they will look their best for the judges, weaving the wicker work has been relaxing,“ says Anne Nurmiranta, whose design the group chose to enter.” It requires such concentration that everything else just goes out of your mind, for that time at least”.

Not that stress is ever too far away. Like everyone with an entry for Gardening Scotland the cold temperatures and rain of recent weeks, coming after an unseasonable warm spell, has played havoc with carefully laid plans and growing schedules. The group all acknowledge the tremendous help they have received from growers in Tayside, Angus and beyond, but even the professional soft fruit producers admit it is a real challenge getting fruit ready for harvest at showtime.However the plants themselves are looking good.

Their wicker designer Geoff Forest, who has sourced his wands from Ayrshire and Somerset, says the weather is less of a problem for him. Willow and water go together, although the beds in the South West of England have been particularly waterlogged. 

The seven HND Garden Design Students study at SAC’s Edinburgh Campus. Anne Nurmiranta is from Finland but lives in Edinburgh, Planting designer Bernice Keegan is from Livingston, fundraiser Monica Cessford comes from Dunblane, Christine Jones, web co-ordinator, is Glasgow based, while Paul Thomas, the hard landscaping specialist is from Perth. Daniel Harris comes from Morpeth and is one of the plant care group alongside Spaniard Roberto Arribas from Madrid.

Pictures are available from Ken Rundle.

For more information on the students see their details below or contact SAC lecturers:

Margaret Norton margaret.norton@sac.ac.uk or 0131 535 4079, 07779 219 123 or Colin Norton at colin.norton@sac.ac.uk or 07779 219 123.

For information from Geoff Forrest of Sustainable Designs contact 01292 550935 or 07412 443701, enquiries@sustainabledesigncrafts.co.uk.

• Event 1:   May 23rd; Overcairn Farm, New Cumnock, Ayrshire, KA18 4NW (beef)
• Event 2:   May 30th, The Tweeddale Arms Hotel, Gifford, East Lothian, EH41 4QU (beef)
• Event 3:   June 14th, The Northern Hotel, Clerk St., Brechin, DD9 6AE. (dairy)
• Event 4:    June 28th, Torr Farm, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas, D&G, DG7 1QN (dairy)

Johne’s disease, or paratuberculosis, affects the cow’s digestive system and can lead to severe weight loss and diarrhoea. Infected cows may show poor performance and infertility problems. Not all infected animals appear ill however; ‘sub-clinically’ affected cows are capable of silently infecting other cattle whilst showing no obvious signs of disease themselves.

All of the events will involve a morning session where farmers researchers and vets can discuss the research programme. After a free lunch there will be the opportunity for a farm walk, either on the host farm or one near the hotel venue for the morning session. All the meetings will start at 10.00am with those people choosing to attend the farm walks finishing at 2.30pm.

The four champion farmers and their vets play a key role in helping those attending find out more about deciding their testing and control strategies. The sessions cover an overview of the farm and management, the management of Johne’s disease, blood and faecal testing, post-mortem analysis and environmental measurement. There s also an opportunity to hear how new avenues of research are helping to shed more light on the disease, including its persistence in Scotland’s cool, wet environment. Much of what we know about it is based on experience in countries where the climate and other conditions are different. The hands-on perspective farmers and practice vets can offer researchers is very valuable.

The four roadshows round off the initial series of events to launch the Paraban programme. The next series is already planned for the autumn. An essential element of the programme remains the open discussion about Johne’s disease where farmers can describe the problems it brings to their livestock and businesses and researchers can explain how they are using the input from farmers to identify the best control strategies.

The three year PARABAN research project involves nine champion farmers and is funded by the Scottish Funding Council, in partnership with Scottish Government. It involves research and industry collaborators, including SAC, the University of Edinburgh, the James Hutton Institute and University of Glasgow.

For more information and to assist with catering arrangements, those planning to attend are asked to inform Jo Baughan on 01463 246061 or email jo.baughan@sac.ac.uk.