AgriSearch Conference and farm walk planned

​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 (MSS) on Northern Ireland Beef and Sheep farms via a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project led by AgriSearch along with academic input from AFBI and Queen’s University.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th May 2023, 08:00 BST
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​Their experiences will be the focus of an upcoming conference and farm walk on Wednesday 28th June to be held at the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown.

The event will start with a morning conference commencing at 10.30am (with registration/tea and coffee from 10am). The special guest speaker at the event will be Professor Helen Sheridan from University College Dublin who will speak on the results of MSS trials at UCD’s Lyon’s Estate.

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 in the project (Paul Turley, Dale Orr, Sam Chesney, Roger Bell, Crosby Cleland and Andrew Clarke (who manages Wayne Acheson’s farm).

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Cattle grazing a multi-species sward on the farm of EIP group member Paul TurleyCattle grazing a multi-species sward on the farm of EIP group member Paul Turley
Cattle grazing a multi-species sward on the farm of EIP group member Paul Turley

Following lunch, delegates will be taken by coach to the nearby farm of Wayne Acheson. There will be three stops at the farm walk on establishment, management and soil and animal health. Delegates will arrive back at the Glenavon Hotel at around 3.30pm for an optional cup of tea or coffee before heading home.

All are welcome to attend but pre-booking is required, this can be done via the AgriSearch website. There will be a nominal £10 fee charged to help cover catering costs.

Related topics:AgriSearchSheep