The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is set to host a farm walk just outside Caledon, Co. Tyrone, on David and Joanne Wright’s suckler farm.
The event will take place from 7:30p.m on Wednesday, July 3, with CAFRE advisers on hand to discuss the technologies and targets of the business.
The Caledon farm walk is one of a series of CAFRE farm walks under the theme of ‘Profit from Pasture – Striving for Sustainability’, highlighting best practice on beef and sheep farms.
The walks aim to highlight and showcase good grazing management, cow fertility and cattle performance to help maximise farm margins and reduce carbon emissions.
The Wrights work with a herd of 50 Sim X Lim cows with all the progeny being finished at 24 months or less.
CAFRE said the couple’s impressive calving index of 369 days reinforces the focus on good cow fertility.
“An efficient paddock grazing system is in place with an emphasis placed on achieving maximum animal growth from grass and silage with minimum meal consumption,” CAFRE said.
“David is a firm advocate of calving heifers down at two years old and breeding his own replacements.”
CAFRE beef and sheep adviser, Brian Hanthorn, said the event will be a great opportunity to see a “very efficient suckler system”.
Farm walks
The remaining beef farm walks will take place on sites in Co. Tyrone and Co. Down.
Oliver McKenna will welcome visitors to his farm at 12 Tulnafoile Road, Eskra, Omagh, Co. Tyrone on Friday, July 5, from 7:30p.m.
On Friday, July 19, Michael Griffith will host a CAFRE farm walk at Saintfield House Est, 71 Old Belfast Road, Ballynahinch, Co. Down.
A sheep farm walk will take place at William Egerton’s farm at 64 Dernavilt Road, Mullaghlass, Rosslea, Co. Fermanagh, on Wednesday, July 3.
On Monday, July 8, Clement Lynch will host a CAFRE sheep farm walk at 42 Tireighter Road, Co. Derry, and on Wednesday, July 10, Paraic McNeill will host at 20 Millvale Road, Annaclone, Banbridge, Co. Down.
