Beef Expo Preview

The 2022 NBA Beef Expo makes a welcome return to the farming calendar on Saturday 28th May, at Darlington Farmers Auction Mart. Bringing together the very best in British commercial and pedigree cattle, equipment, ground-breaking developments and show classes for everyone involved in the industry, NBA Beef Expo is a celebration and exploration of everything British Beef has to offer.

The NBA is delighted to be able to hold its flagship event at the new auction, business and conference centre, an event which has been postponed twice because of the pandemic. It is hoped that the new timetable of a Saturday event will allow even more visitors to attend and benefit from the event.

Drawing in 5,000 beef farmers annually, the NBA Beef Expo is considered a major showcase for pedigree and commercial breed societies who want to promote the quality of their cattle. The event explores the importance of the livestock marts both for trade and for wider rural communities, and farmers, exhibitors, agricultural organisations and members of the public use the annual event to network, do business and share knowledge. The Beef Industry dinner, which usually takes place the evening before the Expo has this year been replaced with an on-site evening event, which is open to all exhibitors, and will hopefully improve the logistics of setting up for the main event. In addition to the well over 120 stands booked, the main event will also host the South Devon Performance Championships and the National Commercial Cattle Show, which showcases some of the UK’s finest beef cattle. There is over £6000 worth of prize money up for grabs this year. Alongside the cattle classes there will be demonstrations and trade exhibitions bringing the latest industry trends, research and technology, as well as a presence from all of the main pedigree beef breeds.

The renowned farm tours are set to take place the day before on Friday 27th May. The Richardson family from Bracken House, Melsonby, operate a large beef finishing unit, and Limousin breeders, the Suddes family from South Farm, Cornsay, are one of the foremost pedigree breeders in the north of England.

Bracken House Farm, Melsonby, covers 780 acres and has been farmed by the Richardson family since 1916. The farm finishes between six and seven hundred bulls and steers per year, all sourced from live markets. Finished bulls are sold live at Darlington market, whereas steers are sold deadweight through Woodheads or ABP. The farm is home to two Roundhouses which house a total of 390 head with integrated handling systems; Bracken House was the second farm in the UK to build one back in 2004, with the second added in 2019. In addition, the family also own and operate Lowgrange Quarry Ltd.

Rob and Janis Suddes farm alongside their sons Richard and Karl, at South Farm, Cornsay, which has been the family farm for over 100 years. Sitting at 900ft, the 800-acre unit carries the Cornsay herd of 120 pedigree Limousin cows and 500 acres of arable land, with the remainder being pasture. The family also work an additional 500 acres external to the farm on a shared farming basis, with all crops being established using conservation agriculture techniques. They also have 32,000 free range laying hens. The Suddes family regularly sell pedigree bulls and heifers from home as well as through Carlisle and other local auction marts, including Darlington and Hexham. Those not suitable for breeding are finished on homegrown rations at South Farm and sold live at 12-16 months old through Darlington market.

Traditionally taking place on the eve of the NBA Beef Expo event itself, these tours are always one of the highlights of the Expo, adding interesting and informative elements to the exhibition. They offer farmers the chance to see first-hand how other beef producers are planning for the future and adapting to a changing industry.

Tickets for the farm tours must be purchased in advance, and are available at a cost of £34 for NBA members and £40 for non-members. Please purchase your tickets from the Beef Expo website www.beef-expo.co.uk

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EBVs provide a more accurate indication of offspring performance. When buying a bull for replacement heifers, consider maternal traits … they matter. Check for:

Entries for the NCCS this year arrived quicker than ever and with it being the first show since the pandemic, exhibitors are eager to get back in the show ring and have the chance to showcase some of the best commercial cattle in the Country.

This year there will be a total of 10 classes in the competition, with three championships and a supreme championship, including classes for Native, Continental, British Blue and Limousin-sired steers and heifers. Also, part of the schedule are the baby steer and heifer classes, as well as the much-sort-after Young Handlers class. NBA Beef Expo brings together the highest quality commercial British beef cattle from the length and breadth of the UK, all looking to take home a share of the £6000 prize money. The winner of each class will be awarded £100, with section champions also receiving £100 and reserve £50. The Supreme Champion will walk away with the prize of £500, and Reserve will take home £250, whilst the Baby Beef Champion will receive £200 and Reserve, £100. All Championship prizes are generously sponsored by the National Beef Association. Taking place at Humbleton Park, home of Darlington Farmers Auction Mart on Saturday the 28th of May, we will see in the region of 130 commercial cattle forward, to be judged by the experienced Welsh duo, Bryn Lloyd and Dafydd Lewis. Bryn will judge the Native and Continental classes as well as the Supreme Championship and Dafydd will judge the Baby Beef classes, Baby Championship and Young Handlers. Commenting, NBA Chief Executive Neil Shand said “We are delighted to welcome our judges Bryn and Dafydd, to cast their eye over the phenomenal cattle we expect to see in the show ring. They are experienced judges, who each have a lifetime of knowledge and experience in the industry. It will not be an easy task, but I know both Bryn and Dafydd will do a fantastic job.”

To be halter led and judged in show ring, all handlers of cattle entered in classes 1 to 10 to be 14 years of age and over.

This is the seventh year that the South Devon Herd Book Society is holding Performance Championships where performance recording breeders from across the country can compete in a unique technical event to showcase EBVs and appraisal of appearance. Since making the recording service free to its members there has been an increase in the numbers of South Devons being assessed for calving ease, growth, and carcase traits; and this information will help build the Single Step genomic EBVs which we are getting ever closer to publication. This year’s Championships are being held by kind arrangement of the National Beef Association at the Expo in Darlington on Saturday 28th May. Each class will be judged on inspection of the animals, and on their performance (Quality Beef Index for each bull and Suckler Replacement Index for each female) and will be placed accordingly. From these winners will be selected the Male, Female and Breed Champions. Judging the Performance Championships - Mr D M Thomas, Treguddick, South Petherwin, Launceston, Cornwall.

Christine Middlemiss, UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Professor Alice Stanton noted specialist on the health benefits of red meat and MP Daniel Zeichner to speak at NBA Beef Expo Seminars

This year an impressive line-up of speakers - all world leaders in their field - will deliver a series of seminars at the NBA Beef Expo. Also included in the panel of experts is Will Jackson, Strategy Director for Beef and Lamb at AHDB, John Powell, Head of Agriculture Sectors Team in Defra, independent Livestock Sustainability Consultant, Dr. Jude Capper, Sarah Tomlinson, MRCVS, technical director for the TB Advisory service and member of the bTB Partnership, Sophie Throup, Head of Agriculture, Fisheries and Sustainable Sourcing for Wm Morrison PLC, and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ruminant Veterinary Adviser, Kath Aplin. Facing significant challenge and change, the British beef industry is having to adapt quickly to thrive in today’s society. These world-leading experts will deliver a series of seminars exploring current industry issues, including sustainable beef production and its benefits to human health, future government support for agriculture, and animal welfare.

The topics on the agenda have been designed to equip farmers with the information they need to navigate an uncertain future and to tackle these important issues head on. Professor Alice Stanton has undertaken invaluable work within the beef industry in the area of human health. Alice will focus on the concerns surrounding red meat consumption, and the potential impact it has on wellbeing in a seminar entitled ‘Sustainable Beef Sourcing,

Health’. At the forefront of the ongoing conflict between consumers, plant-based alternative producers and the meat industry, Alice leads the way in research supporting the health benefits of red meat, whilst challenging misinformation and unreliable evidence, holding those who promote such findings to account. AHDB’s Strategy Director for Beef and Lamb, Will Jackson, will take a leading role in the discussion on ‘Future Agriculture Support’, which will explore the changes in funding resulting from the loss of BPS and introduction of ELMS. He will also outline further avenues of support available for farmers. Also speaking in this section is John Powell, Head of Agriculture Sector Team in Defra, a post he has held since 2020, and Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner. Daniel currently serves on the Opposition frontbench as Shadow Minister for Food, Farming, Fisheries and Rural Affairs. Throughout his time in Parliament, he has been an executive member of Labour’s national environmental campaigning group, Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA). Heading up the third part of the programme on ‘Animal Health & Welfare’, is the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Christine Middlemiss. Appointed in 2018, Christine had previously acted as CVO in New South Wales, Australia where she led major improvements to biosecurity across many farming sectors. This work included implementation of new outcome focused, risk-based biosecurity legislation, online animal certification processes, improving evidence and risk-based disease control approaches. Prior to her move to Australia, Christine led DEFRA’s Animal Traceability and Public Health policy team. A fourth seminar will offer visitors the opportunity to ‘MEAT the NBA Team’ who will give an update on their strategies to help the industry and intentions moving forward.