Managing rising costs on beef and sheep farms – CAFRE on-farm awareness events

With the impact of rising input costs being felt across the industry the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) are hosting a number of on-farm events.

Stephen Maguire with CAFRE Beef and Sheep Advisers Gareth Beacom and Darryl Boyd discussing the impact grass measurement can have on quality and yield in the run up to events on Stephens’s farm.

These events are designed to consider what can be done on-farm to mitigate rising costs.  Event will be hosting in four on-farm locations across Northern Ireland in mid-May and are open to the farming public. Pre-registration is essential.

Event topic discussion will include:

• Creating a fodder budget for winter and actions to ensure adequate supplies of fodder.
• Use of fertiliser and organic manures to maximise grass growth.
• Rotational grazing and benefits of better grazing management.
• Clover as a longer term strategy to reduce input costs.
• Cashflow management and budgeting.

Rural Support will be attending each event to outline the range of support that is available to farmers who have concerns about managing costs. AgriSearch, who have funded vital work around economic response to nitrogen fertiliser will review and conclude each event.

Encouraging farmers to attend, Mark Scott, Head of Beef and Sheep Branch at CAFRE stated: “Home grown grass and fodder is the best resource farmers have at their disposal to reduce costs.  Quantities of bought in energy and protein can be reduced and substituted by improving grassland and grazing management. Maximising the energy and protein from grazed grass and conserved forage will reduce reliance on purchased feed helping to alleviate the impact on-farm businesses costs.”

These events are supported by the Rising Costs Industry Taskforce.

Pre-registration and booking to attend an on-farm event is essential. To book visit the CAFRE website.

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