Arable Enterprise

The following information gives a clearer insight into the way in which the arable crops are cultivated on the Estate:

Oilseed rape

• Sown in mid-August (or immediately after final harvest of winter barley)
• Swathed in late July/early August
• Combined in mid-August
• Primarily sent to Liverpool or abroad for crushing (about 42% by weight is oil, which is either refined to make cooking oil, margarine or, increasingly, used as a biofuel)

Winter barley

• Sown in mid-September
• Harvested in early August
• 150t stays on the estate for cattle feed
• Remainder sold for cattle feed or exported

Winter wheat

• Sown in late September/October
• Harvested in September
• 50t goes to gamekeepers
• Remainder sold, primarily for animal feed (chicken/egg producers, game rearers and pig finishers) and malting
• Roughly 30t of Invercrombies (residual wheat malt pellets) purchased each year as a source of protein for growing calves

Spring barley

• Sown in late March/early April
• Harvested late August/early September
• Primarily sold to whisky distilleries for malting (420-550t)
• Remainder sold as feed barley