Beef farmers will have the opportunity of visiting three leading beef and sheep farms in the Skipton area on the day before the UK’s national beef event, NBA Beef Expo 2007, which is being organised by the National Beef Association at Skipton Auction Mart on Thursday, May 17.

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Coaches for the farm tour will leave from Skipton Auction Mart on the morning of Wednesday, May 16, at 9.00am and return in good time for the pre-event conference in the conference centre at the mart commencing at 4.00pm

“The farm tour has been a highly popular part of Beef Expo in recent years and I would urge farmers interested in joining the tour to make their reservation right away as places are limited to the first 300 applications received,” said Mr Emslie.

“The tour will take in three innovative beef farmers, who are tackling the challenge of post de-coupling in their own diverse ways, which should make for very interesting and informative farm visits. We are most grateful to our three host farmers who are kindly opening up their farms to allow delegates to view their beef enterprises.”

The 300 delegates will be split into three groups for the visits which will be to the following farms –

J C Crabtree and Son, Bolton Park Farm, Bolton Abbey, Skipton. Upland farm of 740 acres with a suckler herd of 150 mainly Aberdeen-Angus cross cows, previously crossed with Limousin bulls but now with Stabiliser. Also flock of 1200 ewes. A growing proportion of beef and lamb from the farm sold directly to local restaurants and at three farmers’ markets.

J A and J M Wade and Son, Royd House Farm, Cononley, Keighley. Suckler herd of 200 Limousin, Belgian Blue and Gelbvieh cross cows crossed with Belgian Blue, Limousin and Charolais bulls. Heifers sold store through Skipton Auction Mart and bull calves kept entire and sold prime through Gisburn Auction Mart. Also flock of 300 Mule ewes. Farm extends to 500 acres.

Rowntree Farms, Windy Pike Farm, Carters Lane, Gisburn, Clitheroe. Herd of 150 Aberdeen-Angus cows founded in 2002 on high-lying LFA farm of 500 acres. All grass apart from one field of whole-crop. Pedigree bulls and females sold for breeding, steers to Dovecote Park and some heifers slaughtered locally for sale off the farm as boxed beef. Also flock of 400 ewes.

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