Andy and Debbie Duffus - Mains of Auchriachan

The herd at Mains of Auchriachan consists of:

• 100 Shorthorn x Highlanders
• 55 Highlander
• 15 Simmental cross cows (all Spring calving, April, May and June)

The Highlanders are put to Whitbred Shorthorn and Luing bulls, the rest to Shorthorn bulls - with the calves sold as stores.

Why Trees?

Andrew and Debbie were keen to expand the woodland cover on the farm for a combination of benefits, including:

• production of timber and biofuel for the farm
• the opportunity of improving the landscape of adjacent woodlands
• providing more shelter for livestock

They worked with the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) Landscape Partnership.

This has led to two new areas of woodland being created under the small/ farm woodland and native Scots pine option.

Both new woodlands will create shelter and, in return, reduce the need to supplement feed and increase carcass weights of cattle.

There are future plans for creating more woodlands to provide shelter for their stock. 

• having trees on the farm, has helped diversify the nature of the business to become more adaptable
• in the future this will provide much needed shelter
• rushes and heather are not productive, planting the area with trees means you get more back
• know who is responsible for what: know what you’re doing and what the contractor is doing
• you can do the work yourself - you don’t need to rely on contractors
• it can be a steep learning curve and there are challenges - but time and planning and support, you can do it
• monitoring of the trees is required as part of the process for the next 5-10 years
• it’s important to have a good management plan in place
• create a habitat for wildlife - life’s pretty boring without wildlife!