| 22/01/07
Beef producers located throughout the North West are pledging their
support in the Northwest Stabiliser™ Project, a three - year, £375k
Northwest Food Alliance (NWFA) awarded initiative funded by the Northwest
Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
Within 12 months of its launch, a producer group and a total of
11 multiplier Stabiliser herds have been establised to generate a
pool of breeding stock. Within these herds, approximately 1,000 cows
were mated to Stabiliser bulls during 2006. More than 150 farmers
have registered an interest in the project. In addition, three Focus
Farms have been established.
The Project’s activities for the next 12 months include a series
of Focus Farm open days, together with the launch of a fourth Focus
Farm and a beef branding initiative to enable farmers using Stabiliser
genetics to add value.
“The Northwest Stabiliser Project which has a projected return
of £10.8m to the industry over 10 years, is offering opportunities
for all beef farmers located in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester,
Lancashire and Merseyside. The initiative is designed to enable them
to introduce the Stabiliser as a catalyst to improve the breeding
efficiency of their suckler cows and the meat quality of the progeny
to subsequently enhance the competitiveness of their suckler herds,” explains
project board director, Richard Fuller.
“The farmers who have expressed interest so far have one thing
in common, they are all seeking the opportunity to reduce production
costs and improve the output value of their suckler enterprises,
and the Stabiliser will provide them with a proven solution,” he
says. “The Stabiliser concept is delivering cost savings worth
an approximate £120 per cow per year based on the MLC average
recorded performance for 2004.”
The Stabliser is a composite damline imported eight years ago by
the Stabiliser Cattle Company from the USA where it was developed
to deliver consistent high eating quality beef produced for least
cost per kilo in subsidy free systems. A total of 9,650 cows were
recorded to have been mated to Stabiliser bulls in the UK in 2006,
a figure up 52% on the previous year.
· The Northwest Stabiliser Project’s
next Focus Farm open day will be held at Low Foulshaw Farm, Levens,
Kendal on 21 February at 1.30pm. The event will provide an opportunity
for visitors to determine how this progressive herd is developing.
For further information contact Lowri Williams on 01490 420304
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