In line with the event theme, 'Beef Up Our Future,' the Beef Expo farm tours on Thursday, May 24, include three units across the Shropshire and Welsh Borders

First is James Evans’ Partridge Farm situated in Linley, near Bishops Castle, which spans just over 800 hectares (2000 acres) and is home to 300 Stabiliser suckler cows and 1000 Lleyn ewes. The sucklers are split into two units, a 180-cow spring-calving herd at Partridge Farm and a 120-cow autumn-calving herd at Walcot Farm, both producing quality maternal high-health status breeding stock and bulls finished in a semi-intensive system.

In 2007, James who farms in partnership with his brother Rob and father John, converted from traditional dairy cross sucklers to an all Stabiliser performance-recorded herd, completely overhauling his beef enterprise.

Performance recording was a key player in the decision to transfer to the breed. James believes strongly that beef producers should make use of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs), allowing them to identify animals that are truly genetically superior rather than relying on aesthetics which are often not directly correlated to performance.

As well as weighing cattle to calculate growth rates, James ultrasound scans all breeding stock to calculate their Muscle depth and Fat depth EBVs, and analyse the muscling along their loins, the most valuable area of the carcass. These values are used not only to indicate carcase quality of progeny but also to choose heifers on their ability to maintain body condition score (BCS) once mature.

The system is working well too, as James is currently achieving 95% of calves reared from cows put to the bull and his bulls are finished in 12 to 14 months at roughly 360kg. James has recently taken the step towards becoming organic and has also invested in new equipment to convert to precision grazing, to make the very most of the farms' pasture.

James added: “Grass is often the most underutilized feedstuff on suckler farms. Having invested in kiwi-tech equipment to set up a precision grazing system last year, we hope to increase grass production and utilise the grass far more effectively.

"We also aim to increase the grazing season with out wintering options being considered. By correctly managing the grass and having a grazing plan in place we hope to grow more grass than we previously did when using bagged fertiliser. This year will see our breeding bulls being grazed and sold off grass targeting growth rates of 1.6kg/day. The majority of our bulls will go on to suckler herds so it is vital that they and their progeny can convert grass efficiently,” said James.

Next up is Marc Jones, a farmer who has turned the family's 500-acre tenanted farm from a standard mixed unit reliant on subsidies to a modern profitable system that can survive without them.

Trefnant Hall farm is situated on the Powis Estate and is run by Marc Jones in partnership with his parents David and Jane. Prior to 2009, the farm lambed 1200 Welsh Mules inside in February and kept 120 Limousin cross suckler cows, producing store cattle sold at 14 months. The system was reliant on housing and concentrates and unfortunately did not achieve profits higher than the single farm payment.

In 2009, Marc took part in the Hybu Cig Cymru Scholarship to New Zealand and came back with new ideas to improve farm profitability. His aims were to improve utilisation of grass and forage crops to reduce the cost of production as well as maximising stocking rates and output.

Fast forward nine years and the sheep enterprise now consists of 800 Lleyn and Romney ewes which lamb outside and are outwintered on fodder beet.

The cattle unit has also changed dramatically. Marc now buys in about 300 Angus and Hereford calves from Meadow Quality each winter and rears them through to finishing at 20-24 months, grazing them through the spring and summer months and out-wintering on fodder beat. The calves are then marketed to Dunbia or through Meadow Quality at 250-320kg deadweight.

A further 450 calves a year are contract reared from 3-15 weeks of age for Dunbia. All are sourced from Co-op and Sainsbury’ dairy farms and are sold on to contract finishers.

The business has seen a massive turnaround in both output and profitability and now aims to produce one tonne of live weight per hectare as well as a profit which is three times the single farm payment.

"Our priority is to utilise grass and forage crops to reduce our cost base, the out wintering of stock and paddock grazing has been a key component of this," said Marc.

"We have developed the farm greatly over this period, with the majority of the farm being reseeded, tracks being installed and water and electric fencing infrastructure being put in place. This will hopefully put the farm in a good place with Brexit being on the horizon."

The third farm tour will take visitors to Frank and Jonathan Cornes' farm, at Bayston Hill just outside Shrewsbury. Here, the family finish about 1800 stores, bought in from local markets and fed on home grown fodder beet, grain and grass silage as well as ad-lib straw. The ration, fed ad-lib in hoppers, also contains live yeast to prevent acidosis and a 38% protein pellet.

They aim is to finish cattle within three or four months, killing out as R4L/-U4L at 400kg deadweight into Woodheads.

On arrival, cattle are wormed and vaccinated against IBR and blackleg before being housed in straw bedded yards in groups of roughly 50. Muck from the unit is utilised on the 1000 acres of arable ground.

Two of the sheds on farm are approved finishing units (AFUs), with a third due to be added. These sheds have excellent biosecurity and provide an outlet for cattle bought directly from herds currently down with TB, an increasing issue in the area.

The Cornes also finish some 15,000 lambs on stubble turnips grown on their own and neighbouring farms, utilising land from July through to March, that is then used for spring cropping of beet and maize.

Commenting on his beef enterprise Jonny Cornes said: “We try and utilise as much of our own home-grown feed which also helps to add value to our produce. The cattle do very well off grain and with the addition of live yeast and plenty of ad lib straw and silage we have seen very few cases of acidosis.”

Bookings for the visits can be made at www.beefexpo.co.uk, farm tour tickets are £30 (inc VAT) for NBA members and £36 (inc VAT) for non-members and are inclusive of all transport and a hot lunch on farm.