| Shows
The UK’ s biggest technical beef event returns
The National Beef Association’ s( NBA) renowned Beef Expo event is heading to the Welsh Borders for this year’ s celebration of British Beef. Spanning two days, the event kicks off with its traditional day of farm tours.
V isitors are invited to join the NBA for a day of Beef Expo farm tours on Thursday the 24th of May, giving guests the opportunity to view three exceptional beef farms handpicked from across Shropshire and the Welsh Borders.
The first farm tour is at James Evans’ Partridge Farm. The farm spans just over 800 hectares and is home to his 300 Stabiliser performance recorded suckler cows and 1,000 Lleyn ewes. The sucklers are split into 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.
The Midlands NBA committee will be running a Beef Farmer competition, open to all
Trefnant Hall farm is the second farm tour. A 500-acre tenanted farm on the Powis Estate, run by Marc Jones in partnership with his parents David and Jane. The farm runs 800 Lleyn and Romney ewes which lamb outside and 300 Angus and Hereford calves which are reared on grass and outwintered on forage crops through to 20-24 months at approx. 250- 320kg DW. A further 450 calves a year are contract reared. The farm now aims to produce 1 tonne of live weight per hectare and profit which is three times the single farm payment.
Jonny Cornes is the final farmer to welcome visitors to his exemplary mixed farm just outside Shrewsbury. Here, he finishes approx. 1800 store cattle and 15,000 store lambs. Cattle
20 | Farming Monthly | May 2018 are bought in from local markets, vaccinated on arrival, housed in straw yards and fed on home grown grain and forage. Muck is then utilised on the 1000 acres of arable ground.
This forum for knowledge exchange sells out every year and is not to be missed- early booking is highly recommended!
The farm tours will be followed by the prestigious Beef Expo Industry Dinner, held at the beautiful Netley Hall, the dinner is the ultimate networking event for all those with the beef and supporting industries. The dinner will include a welcome drinks reception, three course dinner, guest speaker and after dinner entertainment.
Show day will take place on Friday 25th May at Halls Auction Mart, Shrewsbury
This key industry event which celebrates the British Beef industry and all who work within it, will once again be displaying the very best of British pedigree and commercial cattle under one roof. Over 20 breed society displays will showcase the pedigree sectors advances in genetics and the National Commercial Cattle Show( NCCS) will, as always, be kicking off the showing season with the ultimate podium for breeders from across the UK to showcase their stock and compete for their share of over £ 6,000 of prize money.
In line with the event theme‘ Beef Up Our Future’ the show will encompass the entirety of the beef industry and its ancillary industries with over 120 indoor and outdoor trade stands and demonstrations, covering nutrition, genetics, machinery and technologies, highlighting the strength and progression of the industry.
An array of technical seminars and debates will continue this theme investigating how we, as an industry can work together to make our farms and supply chains more economically viable, integrated and transparent as we prepare to leave the EU. Covering Brexit, Genetics, Health and the future government policy.
The South Devons’ will once again be holding their Technical Performance Championships after the success of its debut at Stoneleigh last year. The competition judges cattle on both performance figures and inspection with entries from herds that are Breedplan Performance recorded.
The Midlands NBA committee will be running a Beef Farmer competition, open to all. It involves a one-hour challenge putting beef farmers knowledge to the test with the chance to win a variety of prizes, including a plate meter worth £ 400. The challenge will test farmers on carcass evaluation, health, genetics, conformation and much more.
Please visit www. beefexpo. co. uk to buy tickets.
Farm tour tickets are £ 30 for NBA members and £ 36 for non-members and are inclusive of all transport and a hot lunch on farm.
Dinner Ticket prices are £ 48 for NBA members and £ 54 for non-members.
Visitor tickets for show day will be £ 10 prior to the event or £ 15 on the day. NBA Members can apply for a free ticket by emailing katie @ nationalbeefassociation. com
The NBA is a member led charitable organisation with a key focus on representing beef farmers in policy. There couldn’ t be a more crucial time than NOW to join the National Beef Association, the true voice of British beef Farmers. For less than £ 1.50 a week know someone is fighting your corner in policy.
Visit www. nationalbeefassociation. com and click‘ JOIN NOW’ today!
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