Beef Webinar Series 2021: Solutions to deliver sustainable beef production

The four webinars are specifically tailored for farmers and will focus on solutions that can be employed to further increase the sustainability of the beef industry in Northern Ireland.

Speakers will include farmers, industry representatives, researchers and advisers and the webinars will provide important messages for all involved in the local beef industry.

The first webinar, entitled ‘Grass – your best asset’ is on Thursday 20th May. It will be chaired by David Wright, Northern Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, and will highlight how the results of recent research can be implemented at a farm level to deliver sustainable levels of beef production from grass.

AFBI’s soil, agronomy and sustainable livestock production scientists will outline how nutrients can be best utilised within the farm gate to produce beef in a cost effective and environmentally friendly manner.

Dr Suzanne Higgins will outline the optimal soil conditions for growing grass on beef farms and will indicate how to best manage nutrients to ensure the maximum uptake of nutrients by the plant while minimising the loss of nutrients to the environment.

Dr David Patterson will discuss how clover can be introduced to beef production systems to replace the requirement for chemical nitrogen applications. David will highlight important tips on how to ensure clover is retained in the sward.

Dr Francis Lively will then present results from a recent project that aimed to maximize beef production from grass. Francis will indicate measures that can be taken to reduce the concentrate requirement on beef farms through maximising the days at grass and feeding high quality silage during the indoor periods.

The webinar will conclude with a presentation from CAFRE’s Ciaran Hamill and Kilkeel farmer James Henderson. They will indicate how James has adopted science within his beef enterprise to ensure the farm is productive whilst minimising its environmental footprint.

James will indicate how he manages his grassland to achieve high grass utilisation and livestock performance. James will also outline the steps he has taken to reduce his concentrate usage; whilst at the same time reducing the slaughter age of his animals.

The webinar will take place on Thursday 20th May at 8 pm online via Zoom.

Pre- registration for the event is essential.

To attend please register via the UFU website: www.ufuni.org/events