Visitors to the upcoming Dumfries Monitor Farm open meeting will be discussing how small changes can deliver big result for your farm and the environment. The focus will be on how better cows equal better sustainability, without changing your system.
The ‘EnviroBeef Day’, on Thursday 14 May from 10am-3pm at Barnbackle Farm, Lochfoot, Dumfries will highlight how the traits farmers already prioritise – fertility, health, growth, and longevity – improve productivity and profitability and reduce environmental impact.
The meeting includes a farm walk and lunch, and booking is essential. Attendees will hear from Monitor Farmer Richard McCornick and Quality Meat Scotland genetics specialist Dr Emma McGowan.
Emma’s work at QMS includes genetic projects that help the sector accomplish its goals for efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, and she has experience at farm and research level. Together Emma and Richard will be discussing how high-performing cows are naturally more environmentally efficient.
The day will kick off with an introduction to the Monitor Farm. Barnbackle is a 202ha (500ac) beef and sheep farm run by Richard and partner Hayley Currie alongside Richard’s parents, Andrew and Janice, with 178ha (440ac) owned and the remainder rented.
There are 150 suckler cows, 20 store cattle, and 700 ewes at Barnbackle. Cows are Sim-Luings and calve in spring and autumn. Most calves are sold as sucklers with only a small number kept through winter. Richard also runs a small herd of pedigree Charolais cattle, supplying local farmers with bulls to meet their requirements. Some of the cattle are outwintered on kale.
Discussions will focus on the traits the family prioritises, such as age at first calving, calving interval, health status, fertility and calf growth and performance. Comparisons will be made with Barnbackle’s performance vs national averages and the farm’s top-performing cows vs herd average.
A look at ‘The Green Cow’ will connect these performance traits to environmental outcomes, showing how they contribute to lower emissions per kg of output, improved resource efficiency and reduced waste.
Emma says: “We will be discussing the environmental benefit of improved fertility, growth rates, and longevity and the cumulative effect of marginal gains.”
A farm walk looking at key parts of the system will highlight top-performing animals, what makes these animals stand out, management practices supporting efficiency and sustainability, plus innovations or system improvements at Barnbackle.
Monitor Farm regional adviser Iona Smith says: “This on-farm event will show how the traits you already select for are the same ones driving sustainability. No new system, just a fresh perspective. It will be great to discuss this with a practical focus on the herd at Barnbackle, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to the meeting.”