Beef Expo NI aims to attract large numbers of livestock farmers in west

Editorial Department • Published 25 Feb 2010 09:56 Comments 1 Comment

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Local woman at helm of Beef Expo N.I.

One the biggest beef promotions for some time gets underway next Tuesday, March 2, with Beef Expo NI. The event which runs throughout the day from 9am to 6pm at Dungannon Farmers' Mart will have a mix of live stock displays as well as seminars on topics of interest to all livestock farmers. It is backed up by trade stands from commercial firms.

The 18 seminars will cover technical, marketing and business topics of interest to all earning a living from cattle breeding, finishing and processing. Speakers range from veterinary surgeons to research scientists, cattle exporters, accountants and auctioneers, allowing farmers to move from viewing trade stands and livestock displays to select seminars of most value to their businesses.

The technical seminars will be held at the various salerings at the Mart venue.

In Ring 1, the first talks will be at 10am when William Johnston of CAFRE in Fermanagh will speak about management of the suckler herd to optimise fertility. This will be followed at 11am by Maria Guelbenzu of AFBI on the "Benefits of a healthier suckler herd;" William Haire, a Nuffield Scholar on "Unleashing the power of genetics in your herd," Alistair Carson of AFBI on the cattle information service for Northern Ireland beef industry; Dr. Denise Lowe of CAFRE on "Beef from grass with a little added clover and Dr. Lynne Dawson of AFBI on "Options to reduce the carbon footprint of beef.

Marketing seminars will take place from 1pm with Conall Donnelly of the LMC speaking on the outlook for the beef market; Phelim O'Neill, of the Northern Ireland Meat Exporters' Association outlining cattle specifications for slaughter; Eamon Kelly of AAQB with Supply Chain Partnerships; Seamus Scallan of the Wicklow Cattle Co. on live export market opportunities and David Wright of DARD speaking on the new Video Image Analysis(Mechanical grading).

At Ring 3 at the Mart, a series of business seminars will be held. These will include Mairead O'Grady of Intervet Schering-Plough on BVD control in suckler herds; Paul McKenry of DARD on Benchmarking; Roger Dallas of Irwin Donaghey, stockman accountants on bookkeeping and tax issues; Stuart Boothman of Cogent about getting the best results from using A.I.; Mark McClean of DARD on the CAP after 2013; Justin McCarthy of the Irish Farmers' Journal on the business challenges ahead for livestock farmers and Fergal Morris of Intervet Schering-Plough on the control of bovine respiratory diseases.

Oisin Murnion, the National Beef Association NI regional chairman, noted that Beef Expo NI is organised by beef farmers for beef farmers.

"The emphasis at Beef Expo NI is on helping ourselves to become more cost effective, technically aware beef producers better able to compete. These seminars offer a unique opportunity to listen and learn followed by an 'Agricultural Question Time' where the audience sets the agenda," he said.

The Agricultural Question Time from 4pm at Beef Expo NI will allow farmers to put their pressing questions to a panel of experts, including Nuffield Scholar, Cormac McKervey from the Ulster Bank, the mainline sponsor of the event.

Cormac studied beef production in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay on a Nuffield Scholarship and is now senior agricultural manager with the Ulster Bank. Other panellists include Kim-Marie Haywood, the pro-active director of the National Beef Association; Oisin Murnion, NBA NI regional chairman; Trevor Lockhart, Fane Valley Co-op chief executive; Phelim O'Neill, representing NI meat plant owners; Owen Brennan, managing director of Devenish Nutrition; livestock auctioneer, Shaun Irvine and Mark McLean, DARD economist and policy maker. James Campbell, AgriSearch chairman will be Question Time chairman.

The Organising Committee of Beef Expo N.I. included Oisin Murnion (NBA NI Chairman), Euan Emslie (Event Organiser), Raymond Crawford (NBA), Dr Lynne Dawson (AFBI), William Haire (NBA), Stephen Heenan (NBA), Dr Steven Johnston (CAFRE), Rodney Magowan (Press Officer), John McSorly (CCBS), Phelim O'Neill (NIMEA), David Rankin (NBA NI Secretary), Ernie Ritchie (NBA), Elizabeth Rogers (NBA), Ian Stevenson (LMC NI) and Trevor Wylie (Dungannon Farmers Mart).

The events during the day will kick off at 9am when the venue opens to the public. Trade stands and beef breed societies open to the public as well as the judging of the best trade stand.

Stockjudging competitions are held in the morning and the seminars run throughout the event.

For the stockjudging competition, visitors have the opportunity of judging two classes of Continental cross heifers and steers on stand 16. The cattle will be supplied by members of the Northern Ireland Commercial Cattle Exhibitors Club. Entry to the competition is free between the hours of 9.00 am and 1.30pm. The judge is Dermot Small, Kilkeel. There is prizemoney of £100 for first, £50 for second and £25 for third in the open and YFC sections.

For further details visit www.beefexpo.co.uk/ni or contact event organiser Euan Emslie tel; 01430 441870 e mail info@beefexpo.co.uk.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 25 Feb 10

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Rodney Magowan
Unregistered User
Feb 25, 22:18
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Great to see the Impartial supporting this event run by farmers for farmers - many thanks

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