‘Learning by doing’ theme for farm walk

THE European Innovation Partnership (EIP) group ‘Multi-species Swards (MSS) for Beef and Sheep’ will be hosting a farm walk on Monday, June 13, at the farm of group members Paul and Frank Turley at Downpatrick.

Over the past year the EIP Group, whose activities are jointly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), has been establishing multi-species swards on each of the six participant farms, exploring the different est-

ablishment techniques and

determining the opportunities and challenges that arise as a result of incorporating MSS swards within a range of NI farming systems.

Paul and Frank Turley have established a wide range of multi-species swards on their farm and will lead groups through each, sharing their experience to date and discussing a variety of topics such as establishment, animal health, mixes for silage swards, management of MSS and animal performance. Additional members of the EIP group will be in attendance to share their own experiences, along with AFBI and QUB scientists and support staff from AgriSearch.

AgriSearch General Man-ager Jason Rankin said: “There is rapidly growing interest in multi-species swards amongst Northern Ireland farmers but there is a lack of practical information about how multi-species swards can be established, managed and utilised succ-essfully.

“The farmers in our group have been “learning by doing” and in a short space of time have accumulated valuable knowledge and experience which they will impart at this farm walk.”

There will be two farm walks on the day.

The first will start at 3pm and the second will start at 7pm, each lasting approximately two hours.

All attendees must pre-book and can do so by visiting the AgriSearch website www.agrisearch.org where full details of the day will be published.