Lowland flocks tend to benefit from comparatively better climate, improved soil type and better grazing which combine to produce quality prime lamb. Upland flocks usually produce mule ewe lambs which are sought after by lowland breeders to cross with meat breed ‘terminal sires’.

Hill flocks are in the main breeding flocks with the majority of ewe lambs retained as flock replacements for older ewes, which are generally sold on to farms on the slightly lower ground after four lamb crops. The industry is organised into three tiers: hill upland and lowland. The UK has the largest sheep flock in the EU – over a quarter of the total EU flock. Scotland has more than 20% of the UK breeding flock.The average flock size in Scotland is just over 200 ewes. Breeding sheep were kept on around 12,700 holdings. Breeding ewes made up 39 per cent of the Scottish sheep flock and their numbers decreased by four per cent to 2.6 million in 2018. The number of ewes used for breeding also hit a record low.‘The Beast from the East’ snow storm hit during lambing season and is likely to have contributed to the lower numbers. Lambs made up 48% of the total sheep flock in Scotland and in 2018 their numbers fell by 8% to 3.1 million.In 2018 there were 6.59 million sheep in Scotland.The majority of beef production operates through a quality assurance scheme with beef sold under the Specially Selected Scotch Beef brand Sheep Some lowland farmers only keep cattle for fattening or “finishing” and do not have any breeding animals.īeef is also produced from the male calves and unwanted female calves from the dairy herd. Farmers in the North West of Scotland, for example, tend to rear beef cattle until they are between 6-12 months old and then sell them as “stores” to farmers in lowland areas for fattening. Some farmers rear beef cattle from birth until they are ready for slaughter. The UK beef herd is the second largest in Europe, after France.Scotland has almost 30% of the UK herd of breeding cattle and 4% of the EU herd.Total production of beef is worth more than £675 million.In 2018, there were 1.76 million cattle in Scotland, a two per cent drop on the previous year and the lowest count since 1957.Scotch beef is world renowned for its quality and welfare standards.Many of these farms are in the LFA (Less Favoured Area) and the combination of beef and sheep, sometimes mixed with a small area of cropped land, brings various benefits in terms of biological and landscape diversity. In Scotland, cattle and sheep are usually reared extensively - they are mainly fed outside and on grass and they are only housed in the worst weather or when they are lambing or calving. Some farms specialise in either cattle or sheep production, but many farms keep both. The total number fell by 400 workers to 66,600 in June 2018. The total number of people working in agriculture dropped over the past year.

Less Favoured Areas – Delivering for Scotland.

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.

12-week straw and feed campaign – how do you plan for the future?.

How do you plan under financial pressure?.

Farming's Contribution to the Countryside.

Greenburn HR advisory and consultancy service.

Jira client setup