Lewis Barraclough

NFU Uplands Forum, Appointee

Lewis Barraclough farms in the North East on the North Yorkshire moors. He manages his family's 700ha sheep and beef farm that covers moorland, uplands and lowland ground.

They have 1200 sheep and around 50 suckler cattle - mainly beef shorthorn with Blue Grays wintered out on the hill. They aim for low production costs but high output.

Lewis performance records his Swaledales with signet. They weigh the lambs at birth, eight weeks and 21 weeks, then backfat scan to get an estimated breeding value. Their focus is on improvements to the carcass and also milk production in the ewes.

As the youngest member of the forum Lewis is excited to be able to give the next generation view and help shape hill farming at such a crucial time.