The potential role of multi-species swards on beef and sheep farms in Northern Ireland will be examined at a farm walk and conference later this month.
Over the past two years, six beef and sheep farmers have been working together to explore the feasibility and practicality of incorporating multi-species swards into their systems.
Farmers’ experiences will be the focus of an upcoming farm walk and conference on Wednesday, June 28 at the Glenavon Hotel in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.
This work has been part of a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project led by AgriSearch, with academic input from Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and Queen’s University.
Farm walk and conference
The conference at which Prof. Helen Sheridan from University College Dublin (UCD) will speak on the results of multi-species swards trials at UCD’s Lyon’s Estate, will commence at 10:30a.m.
Following this, speakers from AgriSearch and AFBI will present the findings of the EIP project, which will include a comprehensive panel discussion with the six farmers involved.
The farmers, namely Paul Turley; Dale Orr; Sam Chesney; Roger Bell; Crosby Cleland; and Andrew Clarke, will discuss their experiences of establishing, managing and utilising multi-species swards.
Following lunch, delegates will be taken by coach to the nearby farm of Wayne Acheson, which will give delegates the chance to view multi-species swards in practice.
The farm walk will include three stops focused on management, soil, and animal health, before delegates will arrive back at the Glenavon Hotel at around 3:30p.m.
Pre-booking is required for this event and can be done via the AgriSearch website. There will be a nominal £10 fee charged to help cover catering costs.
The EIP scheme is part of the NI Rural Development Programme (NIRDP), and is jointly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
