Over 3,000 people attended the Crops and Cultivation open day at Teagasc Oak Park earlier this week.
The profitability challenge facing the Irish tillage sector was at the centre of all the discussions and demonstrations. The latest technical innovations and research updates on a range of crops were also presented on the day.
The event’s trail brought attendees through numerous varieties of winter and spring barley, oats, wheat, beans and oilseed rape growing in Oak Park under a range of experimental trials.
Teagasc experts were situated throughout the site, presenting the latest research findings in areas such as integrated pest management (IPM), soil cultivation, varietal resistance, fertiliser use and disease control.
Other topics discussed on the day included: ecological focus areas; TAMS; soil quality; bee pollination; grass weed identification; afforestation; potato breeding; and controlled traffic farming.
There was also a major exhibition on farm safety, which reminded farmers and their families of the risks on tillage farms and the best practices to be adopted to avoid injuries and fatalities.
A diverse range of machinery and technology was also on display at the event for the machinery enthusiasts.
Teagasc research findings on crop establishment merged with a live cultivation demonstration, while machinery suppliers exhibited the latest equipment available.
For example, Amazone showed its latest-edition plough at the event – the ‘Cayros XM‘ – a four-furrow, reversible model fitted with a 200hp-rated headstock. A 30t chaser bin from Cross Engineering also featured at the event, as well as an unusual verge mower displayed by Anner Agri Farm Machinery.
Other exhibitors included: Kverneland; Lemken; Maschio; Pottinger; McHale; John Deere; Fendt; and many more besides.
