Get advice on genomics and calf rearing at Farmers Weekly event

Farmers Weekly is hosting its third and final Rethinking Cattle Performance workshop for 2018 in Millom, Cumbria on 3 December.

Rethinking Cattle Performance is a series of free on-farm workshops, sponsored by Zoetis, Volac and XL Vets, which provide practical advice on how farmers can improve youngstock health and performance. 

The Cumbrian host farmer is our Farmer Focus writer Patrick Morris-Eyton, who milks a Holstein herd alongside his parents Robert and Rowena.

The herd is currently expanding to 320 and the family have been genomic testing for the past 18 months to help them select animals with the highest genetic merit to breed replacements.

See also: Rethinking Cattle Performance: 7 steps to better calf nutrition

On the day delegates will be advised on:

• Feeding calves colostrum and milk powder, from independent nutritionist Hefin Richards
• Disease prevention and vaccination, from vet Dan Griffiths
• Genomic testing, including a discussion about return on investment and whether or not it is suitable for your farm. There will also be a demonstration of genomic sampling.

Mr Morris-Eyton will share his experience of use genomics and will talk about the benefits he has seen so far.

If you’re considering using genomics or simply want to improve your heifer rearing practices then this event is not to be missed.

The day starts at 10am and is free to attend. All you need to do is register your attendance. To book a place go to the Rethinking Cattle Performance page.