The NI farming community is being targeted by the UK's biggest and most prestigious agricultural shows.

The National All Breeds Show - incorporating New Smithfield - is among the major new features to be introduced to the Dairy Event and Livestock Show, the UK's largest livestock business event to be staged on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 September, at The NEC, Birmingham.

Addressing a party of agricultural journalists in Belfast, Nick Everington, Chief Executive of the event's organiser the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, (RABDF) said: "The sector's premier event will be building on the huge success of its inaugural event staged in 2010 at The NEC which attracted a record number of 480 exhibitors, of which 20% took increased space on the previous year, and 16,000 visitors, an overall 10% increase.

"In fact on day one, 10% of visitors flew in from Northern Ireland and Ireland to Birmingham International, just a 15 minute undercover walk away from The NEC.

"This year we are introducing two major features to the two acre Livestock Hall.

"The National All Breeds Show, a joint agreement made by ourselves, RABDF and Holstein UK is the dairy sector's premier competitive event staged over two days of judging.

"Tipped to become one of the top dairy cattle exhibitions in Europe, the show will feature leading genetics from seven different breeds and a comprehensive range of classes covering calves, heifers, stockmanship and milking cows," he said.

"The second new feature, New Smithfield, developed by RABDF in partnership with the Royal Smithfield Club, will be dedicated to all farmers with beef enterprises. High genetic merit cattle from the major beef breeds will be on show, while displays and practical demonstrations will focus on Estimated Breeding Values and meeting the needs of Britain’s meat processors."

He also said that the Dairy Event and Livestock Show will stage various other new features within the eight acre building housing inside stands which is conveniently divided in to 11 colour coded zones according to industry sector to enable visitors to easily locate exhibitors.

They include new farm business seminars along with the popular Farm Health Planning seminars and Feed Science Forums, together with a new workshop focusing on improving beef performance and efficiency. Outdoors, the working machinery demonstrations will this year focus on new developments in silage feeding and cubicle bedding.

"In fact, visitors will find information covering all technical and business aspects of the livestock industry, from feeding and genetics to recruitment, financial and environmental management which when combined will provide a one-stop shop for all livestock farmers along with their partner and their family."

Big Move

He added: "Our decision to relocate the event last year to The NEC with large, modern and easy accessed facilities, moved it up from being a good farming show to a very professional exhibition reflecting the true worth of the industry.

"The NEC venue is also providing us with the opportunity for future expansion as we continue to build the Dairy Event and Livestock Show to become the flagship not only for the UK industry, but also to rival its European counterparts," the senior executive concluded.

For further details see:

www.dairyevent.co.uk

(BMcC/GK)