Speakers show route to profit

Next week’s North Beef event, hosted by Lilburn Estates, Wooler, Northumberland, is set to provide farmers with plenty of opportunities to learn from those at the cutting edge of the industry.

At the estate’s East Norton unit visitors will have the chance to take a farm tour and see the 1012-cow suckler herd, its 431 Stabiliser replacements and 1205 feeding cattle. Event organiser Peter Thompson, Berwick, says this makes Lilburn one of the largest commercial units in the country and provides visitors with plenty of ideas to take away from the day.

With such large numbers of finishing cattle in yards at East Horton, one of the main attractions for visitors will be learning how managers are coping with increasing grain prices and use of cereals in the feeding of so many finishing cattle.

A series of seminars will feature three speakers who have spent many years ensuring beef production is as effficient as possible.

Leading the line up will be Yorkshire beef farmer and Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year 2005, Mike Powley. Mr Powley of Green Hammerton, Yorkshire, will explain how he has bred a suckler herd to produce heavy bulls for export, which delivered an average slaughter price of £1012 a head in 2006.

Next up on the podium will be independent UK beef consultant David Hendy and independent judge of this year’s Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year, who will suggest how rising grain prices must be taken into account when assembling a balanced farm ration.

Visitors will also be able to hear from Hampshire beef finisher Graham Thompson, who will offer his thoughts on the lack of profit in the beef supply chain and how this can be addressed to provide a profitable future for all in the industry.

Alongside these speakers, the event will also feature a range of live demonstrations from EBLEX relating to selecting prime cattle for slaughter, correct selection of cull cows for feeding and using EBVs to select breeding stock.

Visitors to North Beef will have the chance to see Lilburn Estates’ extensive beef operation, including the suckler herd, which is moving towards Stabiliser cows.