Balmoral Show 2024: hitting all the right notes

Poor prices, even more challenging weather conditions and the uncertainty regarding the role that farming will play to mitigate the impact of climate changes have all combined to put all our rural sectors into a genuine tail spin.

As the month of May beckoned, farmers were searching for a boost. And boy, Balmoral Show delivered in spades where the matter is concerned. Let’s be honest: one event in its own right will not sort out the challenges facing most farming businesses across Northern Ireland at the present time.

However, by common consent, Balmoral Show 2024 has helped to significantly lift the gloom that has been engulfing the local economy’s largest sector for quite some time. Record crowds enjoyed what has to have been the most successful farming event held here in living memory.

The aforementioned statement is not an official comment from the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society. Rather it is a perspective volunteered by so many over recent days.

Balmoral Show is always an important venue for seminars, which give industry leaders an opportunity to reflect on the farming and food sectors while also looking to the future. And Balmoral Show 2024 fully lives up to its reputation in this regard.

Dairy: the future is goat and sheep’s milk

The opportunity to develop a vibrant goat and sheep’s milk sector in Ireland is immense, according to 2024 Nuffield Farming Scholar, Cormac White.

The Belfast native, and now practising veterinarian in Somerset, has assessed the potential of small ruminant dairy production as the focal point of his Nuffield Farming Scholarship report. Making this happen has required White to travel throughout Europe and South America.

He explained: “Goat and sheep’s milk is much more nutritious, relative to what is the case with dairy cows. Demand for products made with milk from small ruminants is growing in countries around the world.

“The myriad cheese products made from either goat or sheep’s milk is a case in point.”

White spoke at a Nuffield Farming reception, held at this year’s Balmoral Show.

He continued: “Southern Europe has been the traditional heart land of sheep and goat production. However climate change is now acting to make ruminant-based agriculture a very marginal enterprise in this region.

“And this trend is likely to gain further momentum during the period ahead. For example, grass production can now only be guaranteed in parts of the Mediterranean region for a maximum of two months in the year.”

These changes open up tremendous opportunities for small ruminant-based dairy operations in Ireland,” he said.

“All of these businesses can be totally grass-based, adding to the value of the dairy output they produce.”

White added: “Goat and sheep production systems also lend themselves to small, family farms.”

The Nuffield Farming Scholar pointed to the case of Kiwi Fruit production in New Zealand as an example of a food idea that can be quickly developed into a large scale production-based sector.

“What started out as a very small venture on a restricted number of farms is now adding significantly to New Zealand’s farming and food economy,” he said.

“There is no reason why small ruminant dairy production can’t take off on the same basis here in Ireland.”

Cheeses made from goat’s milk include: Feta and Halloumi. The list of options produced from sheep’s milk includes: Roquefort, Manchego, Pecorino Romano and Ricotta.

Courtesy of his presentation, White made the point that many consumers regularly eat these products without actually knowing the source of the milk used to make them.

All of the goat breeds kept on Irish farms are suited to milk production. Where sheep are concerned, East Friesland is the most productive milking breed. Ewes can produce up to 400L of milk cross a 250-day lactation.

M&S remains committed to meeting its climate change targets

Marks and Spencer (M&S) remains committed to meeting key climate change targets into the future. In turn, this will challenge its 8,500 farmer-suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint of their operations.

But, according to M&S head of agriculture – Steve Mclean- developing technologies will help these targets to be met. Speaking at this year’s Balmoral Show, he profiled the inclusion of the methane inhibitor, Bovaer, as a case in point.

He explained: “The product works and we are already specifying its inclusion in dairy rations.”

But McLean recognises that the current format of the product does not allow its use in grazing scenarios, adding: “I am confident that research will deliver a feasible methane mitigation option for grazing livestock in the very near future.”

Again, where new technologies are concerned, M&S is helping to pioneer the use of new, environment-compatible fertilisers in the UK. Known as Impact Zero, the product range is manufactured by Fertiberia in Spain using green hydrogen.

The fertilisers contain a mix of nitric and ammoniacal nitrogen (N) as well as plant-available sulphur (S) for effective plant growth and to drive nitrogen-use efficiency.

In addition, they contain an exclusive biodegradable regulating polymer coating that reduces leaching losses. Overall, this delivers a level nitrogen-use efficiency that is 22% higher than normally secured from conventional fertilisers.

This figure is supported by preliminary data from trials on M&S dairy farms, which show that the product applied at a rate of 150kg/ha (equivalent to 36 kg of N/ha) leads to 31% higher yields over two silage cuts than an NS 27:12 product at the equivalent application rate.

In addition, the inclusion of green hydrogen in the fertiliser manufacturing process brings about a 3t reduction in carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per tonne of ammonia used.

These comparisons relate to the use of a conventional fertiliser. This sees the production of ammonia move from utilising natural gas to produce hydrogen, to using only water and renewable energy, there significantly reducing the environmental impact of the fertiliser manufacturing process.

Steve McLean commented: “As a business, M&S has set bold targets to reduce our carbon footprint and become a net zero business across our entire value chain by 2040. Seventy-two per cent of the M&S Food’s emissions come from agriculture and around half of these are from livestock, primarily ruminants.

“As such, it is critical that we work with our farmers to deliver meaningful change. We believe that the use of these fertilisers will enable our farmers to maintain productivity whilst playing an important role in helping to decarbonise milk production.”

Food output levels can be maintained in Northern Ireland

Agriculture can meet its climate change targets while still maintaining current levels of food output. This was one of the key messages communicated by Ulster Bank’s agriculture manager, Cormac McKervey at Balmoral Show 2024.

He explained: “Improving efficiency will drive down carbon footprint levels while, at the same time, delivering improved profit margins for individual farm businesses. It’s a win: win scenario, which can also allow farm businesses to maintain current output values.

“There is a sustainable future for agriculture in Northern Ireland, one which does not involve a reduction in cow and livestock numbers.”

The Ulster Bank representative confirmed that ruminant agriculture does have a large carbon footprint, in relative terms.

“But new technologies are delivering major benefits in this regard. Carbon dioxide and methane levels are reducing. The current climate change targets will be met: farmers are open to change.”