New Sustainable Livestock Village to feature at Tullamore Show
The Tullamore Show and FBD National Livestock Show, taking place this Sunday, August 13th, features a new addition with the establishment of a Sustainable Livestock Village.
A collaboration between the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc, Bord Bia, ICBF, Animal Health Ireland, Meat Industry Ireland and Dairy Industry Ireland, this village will offer practical tips to improve your farm’s carbon footprint, and will be officially launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D at 10:30am.
The supports available to farmers in meeting the climate challenge will be showcased, with representatives from Teagasc’s Signpost Advisory Programme demonstrating AgNav – the new sustainability platform - along with the 12 steps farmers can take to reduce emissions on their farms.
The actions being taken by Ken Gill and John Dunne, local farmers participating in the Teagasc Future Beef Programme, will also be highlighted. Both farmers – along with Future Beef Programme Advisor Aisling Molloy – will be present on the day to discuss not only the use of clover to help farm in a more sustainable manner, but also the other actions including grassland management and nutrient management planning being undertaken on their respective farms in Clonbullogue and Portarlington.
One of the key areas set out in the recently published Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve 2023 for the Irish beef sector to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions was a reduction in the age of slaughter of prime animals. As part of the Sustainable Livestock Village, Meat Industry Ireland – the body representing many beef processors – will be present to discuss its implications and its pathways to realisation.
Representatives from ICBF will also feature, with a live demonstration focusing on the Commercial Beef Value (CBV) in both suckler-bred and dairy-beef animals. The CBV is a value that is available for all cattle – provided a sire is recorded - that are likely to be finished as beef cattle. The ICBF team will discuss its use, the benefits of selecting animals with higher CBV values and how farmers can interpret it when making purchasing decisions.
Sustainable Farmer Awards
Along with the plethora of technical information available from the stakeholders involved in the Sustainable Livestock Village, this year’s Tullamore Show also features the Sustainable Farmer Awards.
Set to be crowned at 1.45pm in the main arena, these awards recognise beef and lamb farmers who have adopted best practice across a range of sustainability areas. Run in partnership with Bord Bia, Teagasc and the Irish Farmers Journal, the economic and environmental performance of the finalists’ farms will be presented, with a particular focus on how the implementation of sustainability measures have effected both.
More information on the Tullamore Show 2023 is available on the show’s website.
Also read: Forest and Energy Sustainable Living Section at the Tullamore Show 2023