INDUSTRY EXPERTS AT BEEF EXPO FARM WALKS

The NBA have this week announced the series of insightful workshops that will be running as part of their Beef Industry Farm Tours across Shropshire and the Welsh Borders on Thursday the 24th May. An impressive range of industry experts are lined up to deliver short talks on topics from calf rearing to beef finishing systems and advances in all aspects of production from health to genetics.

Partridge Farm, Bishops Castle

James Evans will showcase his 300 head Stabiliser performance recorded herd of suckler cows, on a tractor and trailer ride around the farm. Here visitors will get an overview of James farm business consisting of two units, a 180-cow spring-calving herd and a 120-cow autumn-calving herd both producing quality maternal high health status breeding stock and bulls finished in a semi intensive system

James Daniel, founder of Precision Grazing will host a short talk and explain the increased performance that can be achieved from better managed grassland and the Kiwitech grazing system on the farm. This year Partridge Farm has converted to an organic system, but by implementing the precision system the farm is predicted to grow more grass than when bagged fertiliser was used, achieving growth rates of 1.6k/g for young bulls.

David Alvis Managing director of the Stabiliser Cattle Company, will be hosting the second short talk on the value of measuring performance to calculate EBVs and using these to make informed breeding decisions in suckler herds. The cattle companies new Profit Index has ta ken this one step further putting a monetary value on improved genetics.

Trefna nt Hall farm, Welshpool

Marc Jones to will run a tour of his 500-acre tenanted farm and explain its transformation from a traditional suckler farm which relied on subsidies to a modern farming business which now aims to produce 1 tonne of live weight per hectare and profit three times its single farm payment.  

Marc has diversified into rearing native cross calves through to finish on grass through the summer months and forage crops over winter. Clive Mahony, Ruminant Marketing Specialist for Meadow Quality who supply the calves will talk on the topic ‘Beef beyond Brexit’ focusing on the value of integration in the supply chain as we look forward to the future.

Marc also contracts calves for Dunbia. Ryan Law, Agricultural Research Manager for Dunbia will be on hand to talk about the specialist system and the importance of managing environment, health and nutrition simultaneously to maximise production and profitability.  Steve Glanvill a practising vet from Hook Norton Veterinary Group will narrow in on pneumonia management in a final short talk.

Lythwood Farm, Shrewsbury

Jonny Cornes will welcome visitors to Lythwood Farm giving an overview of his families exemplary mixed farm just outside Shrewsbury. Here he finishes approx. 1800 store cattle and 15,000 store lambs and managed his 1000 acres of arable ground.

Chris Mallon, Chief Executive of the NBA will speak to visitors about the value of mixed farming systems such as Lythwood farm have in moving towards sustainable and healthy soils. He will also talk on the importance of approved finishing units for the continuation of production and supply. Both topics are of high importance to the NBA with the organisation pushing for their inclusion in the future agricultural policy.

Simon Marsh, Principle Beef Lecturer at Harper Adams University will also be based at the farm throughout the day running short talks on beef finishing systems and nutrition and the recent findings from the beef efficiency trials conducted at HAU’s research facilities in Newport, Shropshire.

Tickets to the prestigious farm walks are running out fast! Book your tickets NOW by visiting www.beefexpo.co.uk or calling 01434 601005. Tickets are priced at £36 or £30 for NBA Members, and include all transport and a hot beef lunch, tea, coffee and cake kindly sponsored by Gold Mainline sponsor Caltech Crystalyx. Busses will depart from Shrewsbury Auction Market on Thursday 24th May at 9am sharp returning before 5pm.