Last chance to register for AgriSearch events

AgriSearch and the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) are holding a joint event “Parasite Control: A Whole Farm Approach” on Monday, 26th June at the farm of John Martin, Greyabbey. The sessions at 3pm and 7pm will be focused on the topic of building profits and reducing costs through conscious parasite control.

The conference and farm walk on “Multi-Species Swards – Science & Practice” will be held on Wednesday, 28th June starting with a conference in the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown followed by a farm walk on the nearby farm of Wayne Acheson.

You can register for both events via the AgriSearch website: www.agrisearch.org

Parasite Control: A Whole Farm Approach

John Martin is one of seven NI farmers who has been working with AgriSearch over the past two years as part of a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project looking at the practicality of implementing targeted and selective use of anthelmintics on commercial farms.

John will be joined by Professor Eric Morgan and Dr Chris McFarland from QUB who will provide an overview of the wider findings of the EIP project across the Dairy, Beef and Sheep sectors as well as providing an overview of the practical steps that can be taken when beginning to consider targeted selective treatment of anthelmintics on farm, such as taking samples for faecal egg counts.

Taking a whole farm approach to parasite control can be beneficial for many reasons and Phil Carson of NFFN will speak on how working with nature as part of a whole farm approach can reduce farm costs. Bruce Thompson, a Nuffield scholar from Portlaoise will join him and share his experience of how dung beetles have helped reduce parasite burdens and anthelmintic use on his farm.

Multi-Species Swards – Science into Practice

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.

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).

Following lunch, delegates will be taken by coach to the nearby farm of Wayne Acheson. This will give delegates the chance to view multi-species swards in practice. 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.