The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is offering sheep farmers the opportunity to take part in a farm innovation visit.
The study tour is part of the Farm Innovation Visits Scheme, which is being delivered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).
The visit will focus on innovative approaches and technologies delivering sustainable low carbon sheep systems.
Sheep play an important role in meeting sustainability challenges across a wide range of land uses including upland, lowland, and arable, according to DAERA.
Improved performance driven by genetic selection, feed efficiency, animal growth and disease resilience will support low carbon livestock systems.
Sheep farms
The tour will include visits to the Scottish Rural University College research farm, to see ongoing work quantifying emissions and genetic selection for lower methane ruminants.
Also on the visit agenda is Moredun Institute, where students will hear about high animal health systems, focusing on animals with increased resilience to parasites.
Visits are planned to several progressive sheep farms that are implementing high health systems and incorporating technologies to reduce reliance on anthelmintics.
Further visits will focus on efficient grazing systems looking at improved soil health, maximising production from forages, including legumes and multi-species swards to reduce reliance on fertiliser and concentrate.
The group will travel to Scotland at the beginning of May for three days and will stay for two nights.
Applications are open to one member or employee of a farm business that has over 3ha of land with a minimum of 150 breeding females.
The Farm Innovation Scheme, which is part of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme, will cover the costs associated with setting up the visit, accommodation, travel and meals.
Participants will be expected to meet any additional costs, including farm relief and travel insurance.
15 places are available on this visit. Applications close at 4:00p.m on Friday, February 14, 2025.
