Dan and Catherine Mercer
Aiming to grow their 140-cow suckler herd by improving the grazing system and retaining more home-bred heifers, Dan and Catherine Mercer have transformed their beef business.
The Mercers have been implementing an adaptive multi-paddock (AMP) system for just a year and, despite denouncing themselves as experts, have made massive leaps in pasture productivity for their Hereford cross Aberdeen-Angus suckler herd and halved their grassland nitrogen use.
Within a group of beef farmers being supported by McDonald's UK & Ireland, and sustainability experts FAI Farms, the couple are being guided on their regenerative transition.
The Mercers had considered altering their system since taking over Mrs Mercer's 400-hectare (988-acre) family farm in 2021, of which two-thirds is rented from the Ministry of Defence, and another 800ha (1,977 acres) grazed on licence across the chalky Salisbury Plains.
Drought
It was the knock-on effects of recent summer droughts that prompted the couple to shake things up.
"When the grazing pastures have been like a concrete floor in summer with no vegetation there, it has impacted cattle health and productivity, causing us stress too," says Mr Mercer.
"That was the driving point to change our system – it was not working for our suckler herd or the business."
Breeding factors at the centre of their intensive system also contributed to this decision, he adds.
"For the past 20 years, I have reared purely continental breeds, predominantly Limousin and Charolais.
"They were hard work; wild-tempered stock with high forage demand that required a labour-intensive system.
Youngstock
"On the Salisbury Plains, there was a huge worry the continental youngstock might take off and never come back, so we used to keep them in during summer."
Having long bought in dairy calves, the Mercers decided to solely fatten these rather than retaining any for breeding, instead pursuing more native breeds.
Mr Mercer says: "We always carry between 400 and 500 animals, and in time, are hoping to push cow numbers up a little more, introducing home-bred Shorthorn cross heifers to boost beef traits within the herd's genetics."
With the freedom and flexibility to make changes after taking over the Westhill Farm business, Mr and Mrs Mercer were keen to explore how a switch to more native breeds would work in tandem with a regenerative approach.
Soils
The Mercers invested time in understanding soil science and the ecological principles behind AMP grazing as part of on-farm and online workshops, training sessions and one-to-one consultancy provided to the group of farmers.
A change in mindset was the biggest obstacle, says Mr Mercer.
"We initially felt apprehensive about implementing an AMP system and were a little overwhelmed by the changes involved, but we were reassured by the team at FAI and the consultants that it was doable," he says.
Fundamentally, an AMP system uses short duration grazing followed by long periods of rest to help protect pastures, improve recovery rates and increase plant biomass.
Paddocks
The Mercers were encouraged to start by splitting a few fields up into paddocks to graze groups on, making regular moves.
"It took considerable time for us to set up a grazing plan to start with in the spring, but gradually the principles have clicked into place and we can see the benefits on-farm – cutting costs while maintaining productive and healthy cattle," says Mr Mercer.
"We are now moving the cattle at least once a week, sometimes twice. Before, we were letting one group graze the same field for three months without moving them.
"We also saw it as wasteful to leave longer grass, and would always go back to mow it or top it, but last summer we left the grass long and six weeks later there was even more grass there."
In stark contrast to the previous year, Mr Mercer says they still had six or seven weeks' worth of grass available for the sucklers throughout the summer, despite it being very dry.
Nitrogen
With such success, the family are aiming to cut N use again this year and, long-term, establish more herbal leys to finish the cattle on a 100 per cent pasture diet.
"It is working really well together; the switch to AMP grazing and breed changes," he says.
"The native breeds are built for our climate, and we can graze a lot more of our livestock outside now. The suckler cows look so much healthier, with cracking calves at-foot."
The native breeds seem to cooperate well with the regular moves embedded within the AMP system, says Mr Mercer.
He says: "Now it is part of the day-to-day routine, we can move the cattle much more easily following the quad bike, and they are quieter, whereas before it was a big worry."
Regular movement should not deter farmers from adopting a paddock-based system, he says.
"It is not as labour-intensive as you think – we actually need fewer members of staff now than we did before implementing AMP grazing."
Although it is not easy to start with, Mr Mercer encourages others to have a go.
"Within our farmer group, everybody is on a learning curve – there is always the opportunity to ask the FAI experts and other farmers questions," he says.
Infrastructure
"For us, the biggest challenge has been working out the infrastructure needed; mainly water supplies and electric fencing.
"We bought a big bowser to ensure we can always get water to cattle.
"Once you get your head around a grazing plan, you can get prepared, ensure you have got enough fencing equipment and water pipes in place, and start with trialling the AMP system on a small scale.
"You have to be adaptive, take the principles and adjust them to the land you farm on to make it work for your business."
