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Organiser
Euan Emslie
Beef Expo 2008,
3 Briar Close,
Newport,
Brough,
East Yorkshire HU15 2QY
Tel: 01430 441870
Fax: 01430 448432
Mobile: 07718 908523
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Farm Tours
Opportunity to Visit Two Leading Perthshire Beef Farms at Beef Expo 2008
Visitors attending the UK’s national beef event, Beef Expo 2008,
at Perth Agricultural Centre on Wednesday, May 21, will have the opportunity
on the day before the event of visiting two leading Perthshire beef farms.
The pre-event tour on Tuesday, May 20, will feature pedigree herds of Aberdeen-Angus,
Charolais, Simmental and Luing cattle and large-scale commercial beef enterprises
on both farms.
Coaches will leave Perth Agricultural Centre at 9.00am on May 20 for the
visits to Ballathie Estate, Kinclaven, Stanley, courtesy of estate owner,
John Milligan, and Incheoch, Alyth, courtesy of farmers, Finlay and Judy
McGowan, son Neil, and daughter, Clare.
In addition to viewing two outstanding pedigree and suckler beef operations,
there will be a demonstration on cattle handling at Ballathie by world-renowned
expert, Prof Temple Grandin from Colorado State University, USA, and a
demonstration at Incheoch of the Luing Cattle Society’s pioneering
dam classification programme by the society’s breed development officers,
Robert McNee and Neil McGowan.
Places on the farm tour are limited and must be pre-booked with the event
organiser, Euan Emslie. The cost is £12 + VAT per person, including
a packed lunch, and coaches will return to Perth Agricultural Centre in
good time for the start of the pre-event conference at 4.00pm.
Beef Expo 2008, organised by the National Beef Association and sponsored
by Lloyds TSB Agriculture, is returning to Scotland this year for the first
time since 2004. Theme of this year’s event is “Engage with
Beef – Sustainable Systems”.
BALLATHIE
The 1500-acre Ballathie Estate is one of the most attractive lowland estates
in Scotland and the Ballathie herds of Aberdeen-Angus and Charolais, each
with 20 pedigree cows, have come to prominence in recent years, along with
the 200-cow suckler herd of Aberdeen-Angus cross cows which are crossed
with Charolais bulls.
Beef from the farm is sold in the farm shop and restaurant and the nearby
Ballathie House Hotel which is also owned by estate owner, John Milligan.
An extensive range of modern farm buildings completed five years ago will
be an additional attraction and is the base for Ballathie Livery Services
which offers a comprehensive range of flushing and embryo transfer services,
as well as the preparation of animals for show and sale.
The 1500-acre estate, located within a loop of the River Tay, is renowned
for its innovative conservation and environmental policies and benefits
from a wide range of wildlife habitats and diverse selection of flora and
fauna which has been actively encouraged as part of a five-year integrated
conservation plan.
The estate comprises a mix of amenities, including farmland, forestry,
residential, fishing, conservation and recreational facilities An Integrated
Crop Management (ICM) approach has been adopted to combine efficient, profitable
farming with the estate’s important conservation and environmental
objectives.
INCHEOCH
The emphasis at Incheoch is on easy-care cattle selected for growth rate,
eye muscle and ease of calving. The McGowan family run a total of 200 cows
and followers and a flock of 1100 ewes, including 700 Lleyn, on 1200 acres.
The Simmental herd was founded in 1973 and at Perth in February sold a
bull for 22,000gns to equal the UK record price for a Simmental. However,
most bulls are sold privately on the farm. The herd includes 30 polled
females following the introduction of a polled sire 20 years ago.
Luing bulls have sold for up to 14,000gns and 12,000gns and a bull from
the herd sold for the second top price of 8000gns at Castle Douglas in
February. The 100-cow herd is outwintered and the aim has always been to
produce long-living, easy-care cows.
Heifers are calved at two years of age and the average culling age is over
15, with some cows continuing to produce at 20 years of age. Steers are
finished at two years of age on grass, whole-crop silage and straights
and last year averaged 380kg deadweight to average more than £800/head.
A 40-cow strong herd of Sim-Luing cows produces steers and heifers for
the store and breeding markets.
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news
Comprehensive Seminar Programme
Beef producers attending the UK’s national beef event, Beef Expo 2008 will have the opportunity of questioning industry experts on a range of topical issues at a series of seminars to be held throughout the day. [more]
Twenty-Two Beef Breeds on Display
No fewer than 22 beef breed societies have reserved demonstration space
to promote their breeds and it is anticipated that more than 300 cattle will
be on display. [more]
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