NBA Spring Magazine 2024 - Beef Expo - Special Edition

Spring 2024 | ISSUE 30 

Regional Round Ups 

Guest Writers 

News & Industry 

Health 

Breed Societies 

SPECIAL EDITION 

Saturday 27 th April 

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Contents 

Spring 2024 

ISSUE 30 

14 

EDITOR 

Julie Holmes 

National Beef Association 

Concorde House 

24 Warwick New Road 

Leamington Spa 

Warwickshire 

CV32 5JG 

01434 601005 

julie@nationalbeefassociation.com 

DEPUTY EDITOR 

Neil Shand 

ceo@nationalbeefassociation.com 

The largest 

technical beef 

event in the 

UK celebrating 

the British Beef 

Industry 

08 

CHAIRMAN 

Robert Venner 

ADVERTISING 

Julie Holmes 

01434 601005 


DESIGN, PRINT & PUBLISHING 

Ghost Design Consultants 

A National Beef Association Publication 

A specialist organisation open to 

everyone with an interest in the UK 

beef industry. 

Company No. 3678612 

26 

42 

32 

Regulars 

Features 

NATIONAL BEEF ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE 

SPRING 2024: Issue 30 

NEXT ISSUE: Summer 2024 

NBA give notice that no part of this 

publication may be reproduced, stored 

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in 

any form or by any means electronic, 

mechanical, photocopying, recording or 

otherwise, without prior consent of the 

publishers. Every care is taken when 

compiling editorial and advertisements 

and the publishers can accept no 

responsibility for errors or omissions 

arising from publication. Views 

expressed and information contained 

in The National Beef Association 

Magazine are not necessarily those 

of the Editor or of the National Beef 

Association who cannot therefore be 

held responsible for any reason arising 

therefrom. Neither the Association, the 

Publisher nor the Editors endorses any 

services or products advertised in this 

Magazine. 

Chairmans report 4 

CEO Report 6 

Regional Round Ups 22 

Breed Society Focus 

Wagyu 40-41 

Breed Society News 44-46 

NBA Appoints Brilliant Young Ambassador to 

Champion the Future of the UK Beef Industry 8 

Celebrating Naturally Delicious British Beef at our farm event 10-11 

A powerful agritech connection: 

the UK expertise meets Latin America’s potential 12-13 

Beef Expo - Introduction 14 

Beef Expo - National Commercial Cattle Show 16-17 

Beef Expo - South Devons Competition 18 

Beef Expo - Seminars 18 

National BVD survey – important in the national conversation 24-25 

Guest Auctioneer - Matthew Probert 26 

Genetic Trends in Beef Sires used on Dairy Cows 28-29 

Guest Writer - Lisa Bennett 30 

BCBC - Revolutionising Cattle Breeding for 

a Sustainable Future 32-34 

100% green power all-year-round on electric fences 38 

Limousin Stacks up against Subsidy 42 

SPRING 2024 | The National Beef Association Magazine 03

Chairman’s Welcome 

Welcome to the Spring 

edition of Beef magazine 

Robert Venner 

I 

write this edition’s Chairman’s report 

after enjoying the hottest January of 

my life. I love this country, but I’d love it 

even more if I could skip January every 

year going forward. My eldest is working 

for a contractor at Kerikeri, near the Bay 

of Islands in New Zealand. Ryan Thomas, 

a self-made man who started with one 

tractor and at the age of 38, now has 25, a 

couple of foragers, a fleet of trailers, balers, 

wrappers, cultivation equipment and a 

digger. He employs 15 men through the 

season, including my lad and his mate as 

students. As Alex is only partially weaned, 

his mother insisted we went to see he was 

ok, having left for Auckland in the first week 

of October. It was probably his mother who 

was finding the weaning process the harder 

but anyway on 1 st January we set off for 

Christchuch. 

Christchurch? Those of you who know New 

Zealand will say “But that’s in South Island 

and the Bay of Islands is right at the top of 

North Island”. Well, if we were going to go 

that far I wanted to have a look around. I 

wanted to see what I have always been told 

is a beautiful country. A land of opportunity. 

A country where farmers know how to farm 

with utmost efficiency and are not held back 

by bureaucracy. Loads of beautiful sheep 

and fantastic cattle roaming sweet pastures. 

We did see some beautiful, amazing, breathtaking 

country. Arthur’s Pass, Hokitika 

Gorge, Frans Josef and Fox’s Glaciers, 

Wanaka, Arrowtown, Milford Sound, Mount 

Cook, Canterbury Plains, Banks Peninsula, 

Martinborough’s vineyards, Lake Taupo, 

100-mile Beach, Cape Reinga and all the 

other stunning rivers, mountains, tropical 

rainforests, lakes, beaches, sand dunes, 

hills and heaths and farmland along the way. 

A truly sensational county in every sense of 

the word as around every corner is a “wow”. 

New Zealand certainly was a land of 

opportunity as evidenced by Ryan’s 

achievements. For those who work hard I’m 

sure it still is but possibly not as readily as 

before. New Zealand farmers are efficient, 

but bureaucracy is catching up with them. 

There is a huge public debate about “dirty 

water”, which to be fair is a dairy and not a 

beef and sheep problem. “Dirty dairy” was a 

phrase I heard in discussion. Did I see fields 

and fields of beautiful sheep and fantastic 

cattle? I’m sorry to say I didn’t. The sheep 

that I saw were not my cup of tea, but I 

suppose the “composite” is bred for their 

purposes not mine. And to be honest I didn’t 

see very many sheep. January is towards the 

end of their season and most of the lambs 

had probably already gone but I didn’t see 

many ewes either. 

The cattle I saw were mostly what I would 

call “milk rats”. Fields of tightly packed 

New Zealand type small milking cows, quite 

often under irrigation. Consequently, the 

vast majority of grazing stores that I saw 

were milk rat cross Angus, Hereford or some 

Speckled Park. A lot of the bulls running 

were small and therefore so were the stores. 

I did see one field of Charolais sucklers but 

not a big herd and a field of half a dozen 

good Angus bulls near Makarora. But that 

was about the sum of the good cattle I saw. 

What I also saw were fields and fields of 

poorly or un-grazed overstood grass. The 

whole island apart from on the Canterbury 

Plains looked understocked. This I found 

quite shocking. The Country where 

efficiency is meant to be at its zenith. Where 

business is so good everyone is pushing on. 

But I don’t think the New Zealand farmers 

are pushing on. Ryan certainly was because 

he had to do the contracting for virtually 

every farmer north of Whangarei. But that’s 

how they generally achieve their efficiency, 

by not having any machinery and one man 

having it all. Generally, trade is slow in New 

Zealand. Milk, corn and lamb trades are flat. 

Beef is brighter but £600 behind ours. “We 

hitched our wagon to the China trade and 

now they don’t want us” one man said. 

Are there thousands of lambs and bullocks 

waiting to come our way to flood our 

market? I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re 

there or I certainly didn’t see them. There is 

plenty of ground and grass upon which they 

could stock up but then the quality of what 

they are producing just doesn’t look good 

enough. The sucklers have gone and nobody 

wants to bust a gut on hardworking ewes, 

so I came away encouraged for our own 

futures. Although Liz Truss spectacularly 

failed to negotiate a trade deal with 

Australia and New Zealand to anyone’s 

advantage apart from theirs and hers, I 

don’t think we need worry too unduly about 

New Zealand. 

Maybe next January I’ll go to Australia and 

have a look but as Alex is heading up their 

East Coast in August and September, I’ll tell 

him to keep his eyes open for me instead. 

The next event that we all need to keep 

our eyes open is our very own Beef 

Expo. Saturday 27 th April at North West 

Auctions, Junction 36 at the Rural Auction 

Centre will be the place to be for anyone 

serious about our industry. Neil and Julie 

have worked tirelessly for near 18 months to 

secure a vast array of trade stands, thought 

provoking speakers for the seminars and 

some political big hitters from all parties, 

who will also be in attendance as we enter 

election season. 

Beef Expo is free to enter whether you are 

a NBA member or not. It promises to be 

an amazing day. Please enjoy but just one 

thing. If you do enjoy the day or maybe even 

this magazine if you’ve borrowed it off a 

mate and you are not a member, please join. 

It’s only £75 plus £10 VAT or £40 if you are 

under 26. The NBA needs paid up members 

to be able to do what it does, so please find 

the membership form at the back of this 

edition and sign up. If you are a member, 

see if you can sign up a mate and take him 

to Expo. With where the beef trade currently 

is - I think we can all afford it. 

04 The National Beef Association Magazine | SPRING 2024

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Chief Executive’s Report 

Welcome to the Beef Expo 

edition of the NBA Magazine 

Neil Shand 

Beef Expo is once again knocking 

at the door; even a two-yearly 

event seems to come round 

incredibly quickly. Only four weeks 

and counting- Saturday 27th April is 

approaching fast! 

As an organisation, we are very excited 

about Beef Expo 24 - whilst we always 

want to be better than the one before, the 

content really is something extra special 

this time, in particular with regard to this 

year’s seminars. 

Our industry is often at the whim of both 

the weather and of politicians. Whilst 

it’s hard to direct a frustrated ‘WHY?!’ 

at the weather controller, politicians are 

another matter. Our main panel this year 

will provide the arena to allow you to do 

just that. Our elite political panel will 

consist of Mark Spencer MP - the current 

Minister for Farming and Food, who will 

also officially open the event. He will be 

joined by Daniel Zeichner MP- Labour 

Shadow Farming Minister, Tim Farron 

– the local MP, and Liberal Democrat 

Shadow Defra Secretary, and Prys 

Morgan, Procurement Director at Kepak. 

The topic will be Food, Farming and 

Finance, a broad spectrum into which 

almost any question to which you require 

an answer to can be fitted! 

The other seminars include a 

retailer Q&A, which will incorporate 

representatives from Asda, M&S, Aldi, 

and Coop, and Dovecote Park from 

the processing side. This group will be 

chaired by Alice Swift, CEO of Limousin 

Cattle Scoiety who has vast experience 

of both sides of the supply chain. It’s 

vitally important that we try and build 

better relationships with retailers; they 

are, after all, our end customer – and it 

would be beneficial to us if the symbiotic 

relationship which necessarily exists 

between us was a harmonious one. 

This year, the seminars will 

be held within the Exhibition 

Hall, ensuring they become 

more of a focal point. We 

expect the panellists to 

attract a great deal of 

attention this year, and we 

will be looking for maximum 

audience participation. 

Please have your difficult 

questions ready! Further 

information on all the 

seminars is detailed later in 

the magazine. 

We are also launching a free prize draw 

at the Expo, exclusively for members, 

for the chance to win a new Tepari cattle 

crush worth around £12,000. The crush 

will be situated within the exhibition hall. 

Beef Expo would not happen without 

the support of many organisations, and I 

would like to say a huge thank you to all 

our trade stand exhibitors, our sponsors 

at all levels, and the breed societies - 

without you we simply wouldn’t have an 

event at all. 

As we head towards splash down (or 

turnout as it is normally known), cattle 

trade remains strong. At the time of 

writing, the ground is drying up a little, 

but it will feel like it has been a very long 

winter for some - fingers crossed for 

some summer sun very soon. Projections 

suggest cattle numbers will remain tight 

in the coming months, with registration 

data also suggesting numbers will be 

lower for the foreseeable future. With the 

right weather, we might just see a beef 

bonanza over the summer. 

I hope to see you all at Beef Expo 24. 


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Industry News 

NBA Appoints Brilliant Young Ambassador to 

Champion the Future of the UK 

Beef Industry 

The National Beef Association is delighted to confirm the appointment of Annabelle 

Howell as the first Young Ambassador for the only organisation representing the 

interests of British beef farmers. 

Born and brought up in a livestock 

farming family and passionately 

committed to the industry from a 

very early age, 22-year-old Annabelle 

joins the NBA both as an inspiration to 

the next generation of beef farmers, and 

as an important part of the Association’s 

Management Team for the future. One of 

her first roles will be to support the NBA at 

the UK’s only dedicated event to the British 

Beef Industry, NBA Beef Expo, being held at 

North West Auctions, J36, on Saturday 27 th 

April 2024. 

Always deeply involved in her family’s 

700-head cattle finishing business in 

Norfolk, Annabelle started her own 

Charolais pedigree herd at the age of 

just 15, planning her own breeding 

strategy and winning multiple young 

handler championships including Young 

Stockperson of the Year in 2018. She 

qualified for the National Charolais Stock 

judging final in 2016, 2017, and 2019, 

and was invited to become an officially 

appointed Charolais Judge at the age of 

just 22. 

Alongside working with her father in cattle 

production, Annabelle’s career has always 

revolved around livestock, with early work 

experience being with United Auctions, 

Genus, and the British Charolais Cattle 

Society. Later she worked on a progressive 

dairy enterprise including calf-rearing 

and milking 350 cows. Before taking up 

her new appointment with the NBA, she 

served as Wagyu Coordinator at ABP York, 

and currently in livestock procurement for 

Pickstock Telford. 

The appointment of a Young Ambassador is 

a new milestone and initiative for the NBA, 

and CEO Neil Shand believes they could 

not have chosen a better representative 

for the future of the industry. “Annabelle’s 

credentials are unique and her professional 

and personal qualifications are tailormade 

for this role. She has livestock in her DNA 

and an astonishing breadth and depth of 

knowledge and experience covering every 

aspect from the day-to-day practicalities 

of farming to the sophisticated science of 

genetics and breeding, and the economic 

realities of marketing. 

“Most importantly, she brings a deep and 

genuine passion for livestock and the 

people who are taking this traditional and 

essential part of our farming heritage into 

the future. We all face steep challenges in 

safeguarding a sustainable future for our 

industry, and I am absolutely confident 

that no-one will carry the flag forward more 

effectively than Annabelle.” 

The new post at the NBA will give 

Annabelle Howell a national platform to 

champion the industry she loves. 

“I am incredibly excited to be joining 

the NBA and supporting the breeders 

and farmers who are taking our industry 

forward in these changing and challenging 

times. We have a once in a lifetime 

opportunity to create a positive future for 

the beef industry, with a growing focus on 

sustainable farming and breeding better 

animals to achieve a quality product 

whilst being more efficient and making a 

major contribution to cutting carbon and 

regenerating our environment. 

“The NBA is helping to 

ensure that the UK beef 

industry continues to play a 

key part in the future of the 

country’s food supply and 

its commitment to a Carbon 

Net Zero economy, and I am 

looking forward very much 

indeed to being part of this 

fascinating journey.” 


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Industry News 

Celebrating Naturally Delicious 

British Beef at our farm event 

The iconic Great British Beef Week (GBBW) returns on Tuesday, 23 

April 2024, coinciding with St. George’s Day. The week-long nationwide 

campaign celebrates the versatility and exceptional taste of British beef, 

while highlighting the dedication of beef farmers to sustainable practices. 

This year, AHDB are again 

encouraging people to enjoy 

‘naturally delicious’ British beef, 

particularly in one of our most iconic 

meat dishes – the Sunday beef roast. 

What is GBBW? 

Founded by Ladies in Beef (LiB)- Devon 

beef producer Jilly Greed and former NFU 

President Minette Batters, GBBW unites all 

sectors of the industry - farmers, retailers, 

butchers, restaurants, and more - to 

showcase the unique flavours of British 

beef. 

By showcasing the excellence of British 

beef products and encouraging consumers 

to choose locally sourced beef, GBBW helps 

foster a sense of pride in British farming 

heritage and promotes sustainable farming 

practices. 

British Beef Re-imagined Event 

Ahead of the festivities, AHDB and Anna 

Blumfield proudly present the British 

Beef Re-imagined event on April 16 at 

Deersbrook Farm in Essex. Attendees 

will embark on a “field-to-fork” journey, 

experiencing firsthand the processes 

involved in beef production. Through 

butchery and cookery demonstrations, 

guests will explore current culinary trends 

and innovative menu development ideas. 

About Deersbrook Farm 

Located on the Essex/Suffolk Border, 

Deersbrook Farm is helmed by suckler 

beef producer Anna and Phil Blumfield. 

Committed to sustainable practices, 

Deersbrook Farm attained Pasture For Life 

certification in 2015, ensuring cattle are 

raised on pasture throughout their lives. 

Specialising in pasture-fed Sussex cattle, 

supplemented with hay and silage bales 

prepared by Anna’s husband, Phil, the farm 

exemplifies excellence in sustainable beef 

production. 

The growth of the farm includes the 

establishment of a craft butchery and 

farm shop in 2018, showcasing not only 

their own produce but also locally sourced 

goods. Anna extends the farm’s hospitality 

through ‘Dining at Deersbrook’ events, 

offering unique farm-to-fork experiences in a 

picturesque setting. 

For Anna, the most rewarding aspect of her 

work is supplying top-quality beef to her 

community while promoting environmental 

sustainability. Actively engaged in local 

initiatives, such as Open Farm Sunday 


Industry News 

and educational farm visits, Anna fosters 

connections between her farm and the 

wider community, sharing her passion for 

agriculture and countryside pursuits. 

Karl Pendlebury, AHDB’s Senior Knowledge 

Exchange Manager, is excited to welcome 

chefs, culinary experts, and all those in 

the food service industry to the event. 

According to Karl, “The Great British Beef 

Re-Imagined is so important to the food 

service sector and their consumers – to 

inform and educate the chefs and buyers 

of the sector about the work farmers do on 

a daily basis and long-term strategies to 

produce Great British Beef in a sustainable 

and environmentally friendly system. 

“Beef farmers work hard to 

maintain a quality product 

with amazing animal 

welfare credentials to give 

consumers the confidence 

they need for a truly great 

product on the plate. 

“Along with the animal welfare systems 

in place around the country, farmers are 

working with the environment and nature in 

mind to reduce inorganic inputs and create 

wildlife corridors, which attract many insects 

that are beneficial to the ecology of the soil. 

“They are also working with different types 

of grasses and herbal lays to encourage 

deeper carbon sequestration and holding 

of more carbon in the soils via the deeperrooted 

plants. Planting hedgerows and 

trees also have a positive impact on the 

environment along with providing buffers 

to prevent soil erosion and giving livestock 

much-needed shelter from extremes of 

weather – cold, wet, and the heat when it 

arrives.” 

Karl added, “Farmers, butchers, and chefs 

all compete for the title of most important 

role in the food industry. However, to create 

a truly magical, reimagined Great British 

Beef dish that delights consumers, all of 

these roles must work in harmony.” 

Learn about environmentally friendly 

practices employed by British beef farmers 

during the farm walk or visit ahdb.org.uk/ 

knowledge-library/environment to find out 

more. Limited spaces are available to the 

event, book your spot now at ahdb.org.uk/ 

events/great-british-beef-re-imagined 

Join the celebration & 

share your creations 

Show your love for British beef 

by creating unique menus during 

GBBW! Share your culinary 

masterpieces on social media 

using the hashtags #GBBW24 

and #NaturallyDeliciousBeef. 

Find inspiration and explore 

a variety of recipes at 

SimplyBeefandLamb.co.uk. 

The GBBW campaign is 

supported by Agriculture and 

Horticulture Development Board 

(AHDB), Ladies in Beef, as well 

as Red Tractor, National Farmers 

Union, The Royal Agricultural 

Benevolent Institution 

(RABI), Hybu Cig Cymru and 

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). 


Industry News 

A powerful agritech connection: 

the UK expertise meets Latin 

America’s potential 

The region that is home to some of the greatest meat producers in the globe has 

emerged as a destination for British agritech companies to exchange knowledge and 

collaborate; in June, a delegation from markets such as Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay 

will visit the innovation hubs in the UK and meet with businesses and academics 

Latin America, with its population 

nearing 670 million, boasts significant 

agricultural resources, including one of 

the world’s most substantial livestock 

industries. The Mercosur bloc ranks as a 

leading cluster in global meat production 

and exportation, comprising Brazil, with over 

224 million heads of livestock; Argentina, 

with 54 million heads; Paraguay (13 

million); and Uruguay (11 million). 

Notably, Brazil achieved a new milestone 

in 2023, with its beef production reaching 

8.9 million tons from the slaughtering 

of 34.4 million animals, of which 25% 

for export markets. Similarly, Argentina 

experienced a surge in its beef exports, 

with shipments reaching 682 thousand 

tons, marking a 7.7% increase from the 

previous year, as reported by governmental 

sources. Located between these massive 

producers, Uruguay draws attention through 

quality differentiation and a framework 

environmental footprint. This market is the 

most advanced in the world in traceability, 

and prone to incorporate technology. 

In these complex ecosystems, 

innovation is playing a pivotal 

role in enhancing industry 

resilience, from biologicals 

and soil health conservation practices based 

on no-till production, to carbon markets 

and fintech and all sorts of productivity 

improvement tools. 

Latin America is not only a significant 

market for UK-based agritech firms but has 

also emerged as a strategic hub for bilateral 

knowledge transfer and collaborations. 

With facilitation by the British Science 

and Innovation Network, organizations 

like CREA, an Argentine non-profit led by 

agricultural entrepreneurs, and Brazil’s 

Embrapa, a public agricultural research 

corporation, are essential in fostering 

ongoing dialogue between the two regions. 

A notable initiative in this crosscontinental 

collaboration is the Smart Farm 

development programme, coordinated by 

Photo credit: Embrapa 


Industry News 

Photo credit: Embrapa 

the Agri-EPI Centre. It aims to connect the 

innovation ecosystems on both sides of the 

world, as well as facilitating the soft landing 

of companies abroad. 

Back in September, three British firms 

joined a delegation visit supported by the 

Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to 

South America. The trip through Uruguay, 

Argentina and Bolivia focussed on smart 

farm-related solutions and succeeded to 

establish connections with local producers 

and showcase British expertise. Dyneval 

presented its device on semen quality 

diagnose, LMA showed its veterinary 

sprayers, and Butyl exhibited its solutions 

on water management. 

As a result, deals are already booming. 

Organizations such as iLivestock are taking 

its farm management tool to the cattle 

and sheep sector in Argentina, whereas 

Pastoral has already started trials to 

support the local farmers on their transition 

to a more sustainable rotational grazing 

methods, with the aim to reduce carbon 

emissions. Additionally, AB Europe, Cogent, 

Cobbs Aviagen and Dyneval, specialists 

in animal genetics, have leveraged 

regulatory advancements in Latin American 

countries to introduce a comprehensive 

suite of assisted reproduction services, 

thereby providing access to cutting-edge 

reproductive methods. 

Not only livestock-wise technologies 

are succeeding, as Wyld Networks has 

progressed its connectivity solutions to 

allow their expertise on IoT to be deployed 

in the Southern Cone. Moreover, companies 

such as AgriTierra, based in Colombia, are 

expanding their consultancy services across 

the UK and Latin America in the agrifood 

sector. The examples are vast and include 

other groups from Mexico to Chile, such as 

Omex, Cocogreen, Crop Intellect and Engage 

Crop Solutions (crop health and protection), 

Lister Shearing, Intertek (sustainability), 

JCB (machinery), Croda (chemicals), 

Environment Systems and Trade in Space 

(satellite imagery). 

Coming next: meet the mission 

This June, a business delegation led by the 

Department for Business and Trade overseas 

team comprising 15 Latin American 

stakeholders from the industry will embark 

on a week-long visit to the agritech hubs in 

Bristol, Birmingham and Edinburgh. 

They will learn from companies in the 

sector focussed on sustainability, emissions 

reduction, traceability, nutrition, animal 

health, genetics, robotics, and artificial 

intelligence. The agenda will include 

one-on-one meetings with businesses, 

academics and seminars, visits to smart 

farms and facilities across the UK. The trade 

mission ends with the participation in the 

Royal Highland Show. 

If you are a British company interested in 

participating in our agenda of meetings, 

with members of business and trade 

missions, or want to learn more about the 

Latin American agritech market, contact 

DBT at exportsupport.latac@fcdo.gov.uk. 

Stay tuned: Latin 

American Events 

Expo Feria Internacional de 

Ganadería (Paraguay) 

July 6 - 21 

Expo Rural (Argentina) 

July 18 - 28 

ExpoInter (Brazil) 

August 24 - September 1 

Expo Rural Prado (Uruguay) 

September 6 - 15 

Feria Vidas (Bolivia) 

October (date to be confirmed) 

ExpoAgro Alimentaria Guanajuato 

(Mexico) 

November 12 - 15 

Content by Department for 

Business and Trade. 


2024 BEEF EXPO PREVIEW 

The largest technical beef 

event in the UK celebrating the 

British Beef Industry 

Saturday 27 th April 

North West Auctions, J36, Rural Auction Centre 

An outstanding line up of cattle, trade stands and seminar speakers for The National Beef 

Association’s one day exhibition showcase taking place in Cumbria on Saturday, 27 th April. 

Beef breeders, farmers, and businesses 

involved in the industry are expected to 

gather from all over the UK to celebrate 

the best of beef cattle breeding, and to 

share ideas and innovations that will help take 

Britain’s world class beef industry forward into 

the future. 

With thousands expected to attend this free 

event, the 2024 NBA Beef Expo will take place 

at North West Auctions, J36, Rural Auction 

Centre, Crooklands, near Kendal, during British 

Beef Week, on Saturday 27 th April 2024. 

Hosted by the NBA, the Beef Expo is the 

UK’s only event dedicated to the British beef 

industry and provides an important opportunity 

for farmers to access expert knowledge and 

advice. 

There will be some fantastic seminars 

lined up, which will focus on farming 

and finance; retailers and suckler 

profitability. 

This year, as part of Beef Expo, the NBA will 

be revealing the findings from the ‘State of the 

Industry Survey’ which was run in conjunction 

with the Farmers Weekly and supported by 

Dunbia, Herdwatch and KW Feeds. 

Alongside the show of cattle, the Beef Expo will 

also welcome a line-up of breed society stands 

and trade exhibitors bringing the latest research 

developments, technology, and innovation. 

This gives beef farmers the chance to view 

demonstrations and discuss potential options 

and ideas to improve productivity and efficiency 

at home. 

The 2024 NBA Beef Expo is supported by 

mainline sponsors: North West Auctions, 

AHDB, Boehringer Ingelheim, British Wagyu 

Breeders Association, Warrendale Wagyu, 

British Limousin Cattle Society and Dunbia. 

We are delighted to be returning to North West 

Auctions, J36, and look forward to welcoming 

you all on the day. 

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The National Commercial Cattle Show 2024 

The National Commercial Cattle show held as part of the National Beef Association’s 

bi-annual spring flagship event attracts the highest quality cattle from across the UK, 

and it is for many one of the day’s highlights. 

The NBA is delighted to announce that 

two expert judges have accepted the 

daunting challenge of separating the 

best from the very best in this fiercely 

contested competition being held at the 

North West Auctions Rural Auction Centre 

on Saturday, 27 th April 2024. 

Northamptonshire’s Frank Page has kindly 

agreed to judge the Native and Continental 

classes and the Supreme Championships, 

while Lincolnshire’s Jonathan Lyon will 

judge the Baby Beef classes, the Baby 

Championship and Young Handler classes. 

NBA Chief Executive, Neil Shand, believes 

that such highly respected judges underline 

the national credibility of the Beef Expo 

event and its importance to the industry. 

“British Beef is renowned 

throughout the globe and 

this event is a celebration of 

our wonderful industry and 

the people who are taking it 

forward into the future. The 

whole event provides a vital 

platform for discussion and 

debate through its seminars 

and trade show, and it gives 

farmers the opportunity to 

see first-hand the attributes 

of numerous breeds of 

cattle. 

“The cattle classes are right at the heart 

of the event, showcasing the best of beef 

livestock and their breeders and handlers, 

and our two judges have the exceptional 

combination of expertise, knowledge and 

personal showing success that commands 

absolute respect for their decisions.” 

The National Commercial Cattle Show will 

see in the region of 120 head of cattle 

compete in the 10 cattle classes for steers 



and heifers with the overall winner taking home the 

Supreme Championship title and the Hannah Brown 

memorial trophy, to be held for one year. As part of 

the sponsorship package from Thor Atkinson Steel 

Fabrications Ltd, they have kindly donated 3 x straws 

to every class winner from the Blonde bull Hallfield 

Plato, and 3 x straws from their own Limousin bull, 

Upperffrydd Power will be awarded to both the 

Supreme Champion and the Baby Beef Champion.. 

To support, encourage and highlight the next 

generation of commercial breeders and farmers, this 

year the NBA is also inviting the stars of the future 

aged between 14 - 21 to take part in the Young 

Handlers classes as part of the livestock section. 

The National Commercial Cattle Show 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 Thor Atkinson Steel 

Fabrications Ltd. 

*National Commercial Cattle Show entries guide will 

be available on the day 

SHOW CATTLE CLASSES: 

CLASS 1. Steer or Heifer by a 

Registered Native Sire 

Sponsor: Dugdale Nutrition. 

CLASS 2. Steer by any other 

Continental or Cross Bred Sire 

Sponsor: National Beef 

Association. 

CLASS 3. Steer by a Registered 

British Blue Sire 

Sponsor: Tithebarn Ltd. 

CLASS 4. Steer by a Registered 

Limousin Sire 

Sponsor: W E Jameson & Son. 

CLASS 5. Baby Steer (12 months 

and under up to and including 

425kgs) 

Sponsor: Hexham & Northern 

Marts. 

CLASS 6. Baby Heifer (12 months 

& under up to and including 

425kgs) 

Sponsor: H&H Insurance Brokers. 

CLASS 7. Heifer by any other 

Continental or Cross Bred Sire 

Sponsor: North West Auctions 

CLASS 8. Heifer by a Registered 

British Blue Sire 

Sponsors: Livestock Information 

Mole Valley Farmers 

CLASS 9. Heifer by a Registered 

Limousin Sire 

Sponsors: Darlington Farmers 

Auction Mart 

H&H Land & Estates 

Carr’s Billington 

CLASS 10. Young Handler, 14 

years to 21 years 

Sponsor: Show Winners. 

Championship Sponsor: Thor 

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South Devons Performance Championships | Sponsored by Neogen Europe Ltd 

This is the eighth 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, which contribute 

towards Breedplan Single Step evaluations across all traits. This year’s Championships are 

being held by kind arrangement of the National Beef Association at the Beef Expo in North 

West Auctions, J36, Crooklands, Cumbria on Saturday 27 th April. 

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 will be Mr Adrian Rundle from Newquay in 

Cornwall, who runs the renown KESTLE herd, and is very well known in the showing world 

and from society sales. 

Beef Expo 

Seminar Programme - 2024 

SEMINAR PROGRAMME 

SEMINAR 1 - 9.00am 

Food, Farming and Finance 

Chair: Neil Shand 

Mark Spencer MP, Minister of State for Food, Farming and 

Fisheries 

Daniel Zeichner MP, Shadow Minister for Environment, Food 

and Rural Affairs 

Tim Farron MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for 

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 

Prys Morgan, Livestock Procurement Director, Keypak 

SEMINAR 2 - 10.30am 

Farmers Weekly State of the Industry Survey 

Chair: Andrew Meredith 

John Powell, Deputy Leader, Head of Agriculture Sector Team. 

Meleri Griffith, Ireland and UK Growth manager, Herdwatch 

Sarah Haire, Head of Agriculture, Dunbia 

Tom Spears, Field Representative, KW Feeds 

Stuart Duff, Field Representative, KW Feeds 

Ben Harman, Beef Farmer and Vice Chair of the NBA 

SEMINAR 3 - 12.00pm 

Building Bridges from Farm Gate to Basket 

Chair: Alice Swift 

Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture and Fisheries, M & S Food 

Chris Brown, Senior Director Sustainable Supply Chain, Asda 

Joseph Keating, Senior Agriculture Manager, Co-op 

Nick Rose, Buying Director, Aldi 

Laurie Ibbotson, Commercial Director, Dovecote Park 

SEMINAR 4 - 2.00pm 

AHDB – Sucklers Without Subsidy 

Chair: Amy Hughes 

Claire Beaumont, Beef farmer, Gowbarrow Hall Farm, Cumbria 

Ruari Martin, Beef farmer, Castletown Estates, Cumbria 

Andrew Robinson, Armstrong Watson, Northern England. 


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NBA Regional Round-ups 

REGIONAL 

COUNCIL CONTACTS 

NORTHERN 

William Walton - Chairman 

Northumberland, NE47 

Email: fay.penpeugh@hotmail.com 

SOUTH WEST 

Robert Venner - Chairman 

Email: robert.venner@gth.net 

Phoebe Hart - Secretary 

Tel: 07309 666895 

Email: phoebe.hart@ 

molevalleyfarmers.com 

WALES 

Contact Head Office 

Tel: 01434 601005 

NORTHERN IRELAND 

Stephen Heenan - Chairman 

County Down, BT30 8RT 

Tel: 07889 159496 

Email: stephenheenan63@yahoo.co.uk 

SCOTLAND 

Paul Ross - Chairman 

Email: paul@lenahowe.co.uk 

Neil Wilson - Vice Chairman 

Email: neil@sabadvisory.co.uk 

Tel: 07734812704 

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NBA Regional 

Round-ups 

Northern Ireland 

As I write, the situation for farmers 

in Northern Ireland is one of 

concern and uncertainty. Upcoming 

legislation regarding ammonia 

controls is becoming a real concern for 

farm development in the future and the 

long term viability of the business. With 

permitted development seemingly a thing 

of the past and suggestions that as few as 

1/500 applications will be successful, I’m 

concerned for new entrants along with those 

wishing to progress their farms to become 

more efficient. 

Closer to home the rain continues to pour 

down. 1985 comes to mind. The terrible 

year that was 2023 and so far 2024 has 

proven to be no better. Winter cereals are 

a rare sight this spring due to poor ground 

conditions in the autumn. As such straw is 

in short supply. I have recently been quoted 

£40 for a single round bale of barley straw 

and an eye watering £110 for a large 8x4x4. 

Silage supplies among some neighbouring 

dairy farmers is starting to becoming a 

concern and I’ve been in the fortunate 

position to offer assistance. Limited breaks 

in the weather since the beginning of the 

‘open period’ has enabled some slurry and 

FYM to be spread but opportunities have 

been few. 

Our devolved Northern Ireland assembly 

has returned and along with this we have a 

new minister in charge of Daera. This was 

initially concerning to many farmers and the 

wider agri sector as up until recently he was 

a member of ‘friends of the earth’. 

Regardless of his 

resignation as a member, 

strongly held views of 

that type don’t disappear 

overnight. 

I eagerly wait for the 

minister to prove himself 

as a balanced individual 

understanding the 

economic impact the wider 

agri food sector has on the 

Northern Ireland economy. 

Ignoring this valuable 

contribution for a blanket 

environmental approach is 

not the way to go. 

Hopefully things will work out and the 

weather will improve. 


NBA Regional Round-ups 

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Industry News 

National BVD survey – important 

in the national conversation 

After a two year break, the National BVD Survey took place again in 2024, 

organised by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. 

will be the seventh time the 

National BVD Survey has taken 

place and it’s a really important 

“This 

piece of work nationally. At 

the moment we are still working on the data 

analysis gathered from over 600 farmers 

which will reflect the national and regional 

pictures across the UK. This will be useful 

to farmers, vets and policy-makers alike,” 

says Dr Ailsa Milnes, ruminant brand 

manager for Boehringer Ingelheim Animal 

Health. “There is no other BVD information 

gathering exercise on this scale. With BVD 

remaining a health and financial issue for 

many beef and dairy herds, understanding 

what actions farmers are taking, and plan to 

take, is helpful as the findings will be shared 

nationally and with respondents directly.” 

As with previous years, the National 

BVD Survey 2024 was carried out in 

collaboration with the regional eradication 

programmes in England, Wales, Scotland 

and Northern Ireland, along with the 

producer stakeholders in those countries, 

including the National Beef Association and 

RABDF. After indicating which UK region 

the farm is in, respondents were be directed 

to the relevant questions which relate to 

their national scheme. 

“The 2021 survey of over 1000 farms was 

split 43% dairy and 57% beef; with many 

also having youngstock on the farm,” says 

Dr Milnes “Since it was run last time, 

there have been some significant changes 

for producers in both Wales and England 

and it will be interesting to see how this is 

reflected in the responses.” 

For Wales, funded testing under the 

Gwaredu BVD scheme ceased at the end of 

2023. A voluntary scheme which differed 

from those elsewhere in the UK, it led with 

blood screening for antibodies at the same 

time as the herd’s TB test. Over the lifespan 

of the project, the scheme carried out tests 

on 85% of farms with cattle in Wales and 

identified 1,582 suspected PI animals 

through testing 93,191 animals 1 . These 

animals were found on 1,296 farms with 

some farms having multiple PI animals and 

some having none. This work suggests that 

the percentage of positive farms dropped 

from 27% to 23% 1 . 

Ailsa Milnes. 

Meanwhile, for producers in England in 

receipt of BPS payments, the Annual Health 

and Welfare Review, part of the Defra 

Pathway, offers a funded vet visit, with a 

focus on BVD for enterprises with cattle. 

These were launched during the summer of 

2023 and while slow to get up-and-running, 

are now being utilised by farmers. 

National BVD Survey 2024 

“BVD remains one of the most important 

cattle diseases globally due to its high 

prevalence and wide range of symptoms that 

negatively affect health and productivity. 

Some of the more obvious effects of BVD 

are relatively easy to quantify, such as the 

direct losses associated with abortion, cost 

of treatment and veterinary care, and loss 

of livestock,” she adds. “However, it can be 

difficult to determine the economic outcome 

of the more insidious effects of BVD such as 

immunosuppression and poor milk quality 

in beef suckler herds. It is also important to 

keep in mind the different costs associated 

with endemic (long-term presence of BVD in 

the herd) versus epidemic (acute outbreak 

in a naïve herd) infections.” 

A recent study estimates that the economic 

impact ranges from up to £552 per cow per 

year. Nationally, it is estimated that BVD 

costs UK farmers around £61m per year 2 . 

Naturally, these figures are estimates and 

vary between dairy and beef production, and 

between individual farms. 

“No-one can stand aside and tolerate these 

losses or run a herd that is at risk of being 

infected with this virus,” Dr Milnes remarks. 

“And, in spite of the 

best intentions, through 

screening and bio-security, 

time and time again we 

see naïve and vaccinated 

herds suffer devastating 

BVD breakdowns. For naïve 

herds, this is usually as the 

result of an unpredicted biosecurity 

breach. 

“For vaccinated herds, it tends to be where 

the timing of vaccine administration has 

gone awry, something easily done with the 

more complex killed vaccine protocols, 

especially for year-round calving herds,” she 

says. 

The 2021 National BVD Survey showed that 

farmers in every home nation - Scotland, 

England, Wales and Northern Ireland - had 

been caught out by vaccine timing protocols 

and had been forced to restart vaccination 

programmes 3 . 

“Most commonly this was due to going 

beyond the 12-month window, followed by 

missing the six-month booster and getting 

the timing of the second vaccination wrong 

in killed vaccine protocols. And while the 

BVD virus could have crept in when a 

herd’s protection was compromised leading 

to losses, it’s also expensive to re-start a 

vaccine programme. Either way, opting for 

a live vaccine such as Bovela® which has a 

flexible and simple single injection protocol 

can make a busy life managing a herd, 

slightly easier. Talk to your vet to find out 

more,” Dr Milnes concludes. 


Industry News 

The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, part of the Sustainable 

Farming Incentive (SFI) in England, aims to bolster the health and 

welfare of farmed stock, whilst at the same time improving the 

sustainable productivity of farming businesses. 

One element of this, the Annual Health and Welfare Review is a fullyfunded 

yearly vet visit valued at £372-522 which is available to all 

cattle farmers in England currently eligible for the BPS (Basic Payment 

Scheme) and more than 10 cows. The initial endemic disease focus is 

BVD (bovine viral diarrhoea) and will go some way to catching English 

producers up with those in other countries where programmes have 

been in place for a significant time. 

Reports indicate that uptake has been variable and, at the same time, 

that BVD control in England will move to mandatory in three years. 

There could be no better time to make use of the Pathway visit and 

make further inroads to BVD control on your farm. 

A review of BVD control should include: 

• Biosecurity assessment – consider how BVD might get onto the 

farm. Bought in cattle or contact with neighbouring cattle are the 

biggest risks, but BVD can be a risk even for closed herds, for 

example through visitors or staff. 

• Testing to find out the herd status – could there be a PI in the 

herd? 

• Vaccination review – few herds can rely on biosecurity alone, so 

the majority of herds will need a vaccination plan. It’s important to 

review vaccination protocols regularly to ensure all breeding cattle 

are fully protected to prevent the birth of PIs. 

References: 

1. Gwaredu BVD (2023) Voluntary Phase 

Summary 2017 -2022. Available at: https:// 

bvd.ahww.cymru/workspace/uploads/ 

files/bvd_impact-flyer_v16-compresse- 

64104277dce06.pdf [accessed 3 rd January 

2024]. 

2. Yarnall MJ, Thrusfield MV. (2017) Veterinary 

Record (13):347. doi: 10.1136/vr.104370. 

3. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health (2021) 

National BVD Survey 2021. 

Bovela® lyophilisate and solvent for suspension 

for injection for cattle contains modified live 

BVDV-1, non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9: 

10 4.0 –10 6.0 TCID 50 

, Modified live BVDV-2, 

non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93: 10 4.0 – 

10 6.0 TCID 50 

. UK: POM-V. Advice should be 

sought from the prescriber. Further information 

available in the SPC or from Boehringer 

Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, 

UK. Tel: 01344 746957. Email:vetenquiries@ 

boehringer-ingelheim.com. Bovela® is a 

registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim 

Vetmedica GmbH, used under licence. ©2024 

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. 

All rights reserved. Date of preparation: March 

2024. BOV-0034-2024. Use Medicines 

Responsibly. 

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Guest Auctioneer | Matthew Probert 

Guest 

Auctioneer 

Matthew Probert 

BSC (Hons) MRICS FLAA 

As I sit at my desk writing this 

article, like many individuals and 

rural businesses I often take the 

opportunity to briefly reflect on the 

past and consider plans for the future. Here 

at North West Auctions we have recently 

celebrated the ten year anniversary of the 

relocation to the Junction 36 Rural Auction 

Centre site which demonstrated a huge 

investment in facilities to serve farmers and 

the agricultural industry for many years to 

come. This site continues to develop its 

facilities and services to meet the needs 

of our customers in this ever changing and 

evolving industry. 

Auction marts are an integral part of the UK 

agricultural industry ensuring that producers 

are able to present their stock to the 

maximum audience available and are duly 

rewarded with fair prices for the high quality 

products which they have put time, care and 

attention to producing. 

There is no better way to 

sell stock than having ring 

side competition from 

buyers, ensuring maximum 

prices are achieved, 

demonstrating the age old 

method of public auction 

which has served the test of 

time proving that it is best 

to “sell live and thrive” and 

“bring stock to the buyers”. 

Recent years have seen the development of 

online selling platforms and the emergence 

of individual private trading companies with 

offer an alternative option to producers to 

sell their stock, how are these prices set? 

They are based on auction prices! A farmers 

not best suited under price makers and not 

being price takers. 

Over the last ten years the UK beef industry 

has experienced some significant changes 

which will create challenges, however 

they will no doubt create new and exciting 

opportunities as well. Throughout the 

UK and particularly so in the North West 

there has been a noticeable decline in the 

traditional sucker beef herd and sadly to 

say there appears to be no signs of these 

reduced stock numbers being replaced. 

One reason for this decline no doubt being 

to the ever aging farming community, 

along side the introduction of various 

environmental schemes which have 

encouraged producer to reduce stock 

numbers and receive payment for doing so. 

British farmers are a resilient bunch, often 

absorbing costs, trying new breeds and 

entering into schemes, all with a view to 

improving stock, increasing profitability and 

maximising returns and producing the very 

best stock and producing for the British 

consumer and world market. 


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Industry News 

Genetic Trends in Beef Sires 

used on Dairy Cows 

We estimate that in 2023, over half of prime beef animals finished in the UK 

had a dairy dam. This means that breeding decisions made by dairy farmers 

is having a huge impact on the beef industry. The beef sires chosen by a dairy 

farmer must be easy calving, but there is increasing interest in selecting these 

sires for other traits which will increase the value of the dairy beef calf. 

AHDB’s National Beef Evaluations 

use data from BCMS and a national 

network of abattoirs to produce 

EBVs (a measure of the genetic 

merit) for five carcase and three maternal 

traits for all breeds and crossbreds. They 

are grouped into Native (most common 

breeds: Angus, Hereford & South Devon) 

and Continental (most common breeds: 

Limousin, Simmental & British Blue) types 

to reflect the different genetic background. 

To understand the changing selection in 

beef sires, we looked at the average EBV 

for of dairy beef calves born between 2001 

and 2021 and their sires. We can then 

compare this to the suckler beef calves in 

the same period. 

Days to Slaughter 

Calves which finish more quickly cost less 

to rear so breeding for a reduced days to 

slaughter is highly desirable for finishers. 

These graphs shows that the average days 

to slaughter EBV for suckler beef calves 

and their sires (light and dark blue lines) 

have improved steadily over the last 20 

years. 

In the past, the genetic potential for days 

to slaughter of the dairy beef calves (green 

lines) was poorer than the suckler beef 

calves. 

However, since 2014 the improvement 

in sucklers calves and sires is dwarfed by 

the massive improvements in dairy beef. 

Although in the past the genetic potential 

dairy beef calves was poorer than their 

suckler bred counterparts, this is no longer 

the case. 

This is due to the huge improvements 

in beef sires used on dairy cows. If this 

trend continues, we would expect dairy 

beef calves to have the genetic potential 

to finish more quickly than their suckler 

counterparts. 


Industry News 

Carcase Weight 

For beef animals generally, a heavier carcase 

is desirable as payments are per kg cold 

carcase weight. 

Native sires 

For native sires, we do not see much change 

in calves from dairy herds from 2001-2016 

(green line). This is quite different to the 

trend seen in the native sires and their 

calves in suckler systems (light and dark 

blue lines), where the genetic merit for 

carcase weight increased by 7.6kg over 

the same period. Since 2016, the average 

carcase weight EBV of native sires used in 

dairy herds (red line) has increased by 3kg, 

although it remains lower than that of native 

sires used in suckler systems. 

Continental sires 

For continental sires, we see comparatively 

little change in both dairy and suckler. 

Before 2011, the average carcase EBVs for 

continental sires used in dairy herds (red 

line) were increasing, however this rate of 

increased has slowed and there is very little 

change since 2011. 

A key aspect to this trait is its unfavourable 

correlation with birth weight and calving 

ease. Selecting a beef bull with a good 

calving ease will remain a top priority 

for dairy farmers which will limit the 

improvements in carcase weight. This is 

particularly clear in the trends for native 

sires, which are often used for their 

good calving. These native sires used in 

dairy herds have a much lower rate of 

improvement for carcase weight than those 

used in suckler herds. 

What’s driving this selection? 

Many dairy farmers make use of genetic 

tools, such as AHDB’s herd genetic reports, 

to help breed high quality replacements 

heifers. When it comes to selection of beef 

sires there is similar data available through 

AI companies, pedigree breed societies and 

our National Beef Evaluations. However 

dairy farmers have generally not been 

incentivised to breed beef calves with good 

carcase traits, so beyond calving ease, we 

don’t expect the average dairy farmer to 

be selecting beef sires according to their 

carcase EBVs. 

However these results show that genetic 

progress is still being made. There may 

be several reasons for this, including the 

progress by pedigree farmers who breed 

these beef bulls, but also the prevalence 

of integrated systems, which allow the 

collaboration between beef processors and 

AI companies to ensure that the available 

beef AI sires will produce the type of calves 

that the finishers and processors need. 

Key messages 

• Although the genetic merit for carcase traits of dairy beef calves 

was, in the past, poorer on average than suckler beef calves, this is 

no longer the case. 

• This is likely due to strong selection, particularly for reduced 

days to slaughter in the beef sires available from the large AI 

companies. 

• If you are buying dairy beef calves, you can use AHDB’s National 

Beef Evaluations to look up their sire to give an idea of their 

genetic potential 

For more information about AHDB’s National Beef Evaluations, visit 

ahdbbeef.egenes.co.uk 


Guest Writer | Lisa Bennett 

Guest 

Writer 

Lisa Bennett 

I 

am delighted to invite you all to the 2024 NBA 

Beef Expo at North West Auctions, J36, Crooklands 

on Saturday 27 th April; the opportunity to hold the 

NBA Beef Expo at J36 for the second time is a great 

privilege. 

The 2024 event will differ from previous Beef Expos 

in that it will be a one-day event, and admission will 

be free to all visitors. This year’s Expo coincides with 

British Beef week, and will include an audience of beef 

breeders, farmers and businesses involved in the industry 

from all over the UK and overseas, gathering to celebrate 

Britain’s world class beef industry. 

At North West Auctions, we fully 

understand the importance of 

Beef Expo to the beef industry. As 

auctioneers, we have been serving 

the farming community for more 

than two hundred years, and as 

land agents and farm business 

advisors, we understand the wider 

agricultural implications of the 

changes and challenges that beef 

farmers are currently facing. 

Nationally, suckler cow numbers continue to decrease 

year on year, and with costs continuing to rise, efficiency 

is a top priority for all producers. A high percentage of 

beef is currently being sourced from the dairy industry, 

driven by the increased success of using sexed semen to 

create dairy replacements. 

This enables the dairy farmer to maximise returns 

by using beef on a higher percentage of his herd, 

creating welcome cash flow. Many are now on contract 

agreements, ensuring that the supply chain has regular 

numbers & consistent quality to fulfil requirements 

within the market place. Although cultured beef is being 

seen as a potential threat, there is an argument that it 

could create a premium for the ‘real thing’; it remains to 

be seen how the cultured product will be pitched on the 

market if production is scaled up. 

The livestock industry continues to be challenged by 

strong competition from environmental schemes. As 

many observers have pointed out, the mix of population 

growth with continuation of schemes including tree 

planting, rewilding and generally creating low production 

land, could mean we are heading for an uncomfortable 

future. 

The need for diversification to survive continues to be 

at the forefront of many business plans, but not all 

enterprises are suited to this, many are restricted with 

available options. 

A common theme of the difficulties farming businesses 

are currently facing is the lack of skilled and reliable 

labour. There is current awareness of the range of careers 

within the industry being promoted within the education 

system, and enrolment at our agricultural colleges 

and universities continues to increase - the student 

population is also attracting greater diversity. This is 

great news for the future, but the shortages need to be 

addressed now. 

On a positive note, from calves through to finished cattle, 

prices have continued to increase, triggered by demand 

within the beef supply chain. 

I look forward to welcoming you all to the Beef Expo on 

Saturday 27 th April. 


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Industry News 

Revolutionising Cattle Breeding for 

a Sustainable Future 

This was the theme of the British Cattle Breeders Club conference held in 

Telford, in January. Acclaimed academics, scientists and leading farmers told 

delegates how a combination of tools could help farmers deliver Net Zero. 

Building a profitable 

business with green 

credentials 

Aberdeenshire suckler farmer Duncan 

Morrison said running a simple, low-cost 

grass-based system has helped him build a 

‘lean and mean’ business. 

Since taking on a 226-acre tenancy in 

2016, Mr Morrison and his wife Claire have 

grown their business to 650 acres and will 

bull 250 spring-calving cows and heifers 

this spring – a mix of Aberdeen-Angus and 

Stabilisers. 

He advocated for farmers to become 

less fixated on beef prices and explained 

how the UK had one of the highest 

deadweight prices of £5.03/kg compared 

to its counterparts (New Zealand: £3/kg; 

Australia: £1.93kg and USA: £4.99). 

“I’m not advocating low beef prices, but it is 

not the main factor of profitability,” he told 

delegates. 

He said there was huge scope for 

improvements with QMS data showing the 

average calving period was 15 weeks. 

Mr Morrison runs a low-input, grass-based 

system and finishes cattle and sells breeding 

stock. 

He says having the right genetics for his 

system has been integral. To find this, he 

has implemented a strict culling policy 

backed by data. 

Cows are weighed regularly to eliminate 

those less productive ones. Last season, 

cows weighed 656kg on average and 

weaned 41% of their bodyweight but the 

target is to raise this to 50%. 

In the spring and summer, cows and calves 

rotationally graze herbal leys and are 

outwintered on deferred grass or kale during 

the winter. 

He expects animals to calve outdoors 

unassisted following two cycles with the 

bull. Last season, 77.5% of calves were 

born in the first cycle. Cows and heifers 

calve in one mob from mid-April to reduce 

labour. Cows are fed bales at night at grass 

to facilitate daytime calving. He is running 

160 cows/labour unit by selecting easycalving, 

docile genetics and ensuring cows 

have good mothering ability and good teat 

and udder scores. 

“I want cows that can stand up and be 

counted. A simple system with low fixed 

costs can be an attainable target for most 

farms,” he told delegates. 

Duncan’s tips for building a profitable suckler enterprise included: 

1. Base your system on the back of what your farm can achieve. 

2. Set clear aims and objectives and work out a plan to achieve them. 

3. Invest in flesh not metal – move away from a heavy mechanised system to 

create a ‘lean and mean’ business. Mr Morrison’s business owns ‘grass, cows 

and quad bikes.’ 

4. Build the system first, then breed cows to suit the system. Cows spend 125 

days on bale grazing/deferred grass and, to find resilient replacements that can 

survive tough winters, heifer calves are kept in the same system ‘to filter out 

genetics that does not work before they cost money’. 

5. Remove unnecessary processes like de-horning and foot-trimming by using 

polled bulls and culling for foot misdemeanours. 

6. Performance record ‘under pressure’ to select which animals to keep. Mr 

Morrison records frame score, BCS, and mature weight at weaning, for example. 


Industry News 

Brongain Farms - Carbon Neutral by 2030 

Brongain Farms is using data to pinpoint 

areas for improvement in its quest to 

become carbon neutral by 2030. 

Father and son Rowan and Greg Pickstock, 

who are also beef processors, farm 350ha in 

Llanfechain. 

They are targeting a daily liveweight gain of 

1.1kg to produce net zero beef from grass. 

Currently, dairy-beef animals are finished 

at 650kg aged 22.5 months, and are on 

grass for 270 days, with a target to reduce 

slaughter age to 20 months. 

About their system 

They source heifer and steer calves from 

nearby dairy farms. Calves are fed on 

automatic machines and are weaned onto 

a straw and concentrate diet at 10 weeks. 

They then transition to a forage-based TMR 

by four months of age. 

Animals are rotationally grazed for 250-270 

days of their life from six months of age 

in mobs of 150 head, typically from early 

March to late November. During the winter, 

cattle are housed and fed a forage-based 

TMR of grass silage and barley, or protein 

blend, when necessary. For the final 60-day 

finishing period, cattle are fed a silagebased 

TMR supplemented with 5kg rolled 

barley. 

Grassland improvements 

Since incorporating herbal leys and clovers 

into their grassland swards, they now 

use no artificial nitrogen on the 160-ha 

grazing platform, instead using digestate 

from the abattoir. 

“The focus over the last three years has 

been to improve forage quality. Over the 

last two seasons, they have switched from 

a two-cut system to multi-cut silage 

system. This has led to greater 

animal performance and reduced 

bought in protein which is helping 

meet our carbon aspirations,” 

explained Brongain nutritionist 

Iwan Vaughan, from Dairy 

Diagnosis. 

They are using Bokashi to ferment 

manure anaerobically. This has 

retained 11% more nitrogen, 56% more 

carbon and reduced emissions by 2.6% 

within the first year it was implemented, 

with its effect on emissions in subsequent 

years being routinely measured and 

validated. 

Alongside this, they have integrated clover 

and multi-species into grass and use 

remedial-only tillage. 

Using mixed swards was seen as an integral 

part of meeting carbon demands and 

improving soil health but it has also helped 

lift grass production from 7t DM/ha to 10- 

11t DM/ha, explained Mr Vaughan. 

Animal health 

Animal health has been another big focus 

area for the Brongain team with weight data 

showing pneumonia significantly increases 

days to slaughter. Over the last couple of 

years, they have made ventilation changes 

to the shed and implemented strategic 

vaccination programmes. 

Genetics 

Mr Peart said that ‘genetics underpinned 

each of the key areas of efficiency gains 

needed to hit net zero’. 

They work with dairy farmers to select sires 

for calving ease and growth rate using Genus 

ABS Nuera Profit Index. 

“On the dairy farm we procure the calves 

from, we want zero-calving intervention 

because of the associated growth rate drop, 

pneumonia risk and other health risks that 

come with that,” explained George Peart, 

sustainability lead for Promar and advisor to 

Brongain. 

Cattle are weighed monthly, and a large 

proportion of calves are genomic tested to 

match sire with health risk, finishing time 

and carcase quality. 

Future 

The team at Brongain now plans to delve 

deeper into ranking animals individually. 

They will start measuring gross energy 

intake from forage and activity tracking 

animals to assess how much energy is going 

toward growth versus maintenance and 

establish the variation in feed conversion, 

even at pasture. 

“In the future, if we can 

select for specific rumen 

microbiome and the 

associate methane drop, 

this is something we will be 

diving on very quickly,” said 

Mr Peart. 


Industry News 

Data Driven Decisions 

Government policy should reward outcomes, 

not breed, and farmers must harness the 

power of data to improve efficiencies and 

lower farm emissions. 

These were two key messages from British 

Limousin Society Chief Executive Alice 

Swift at the British Cattle Breeders Club 

Conference. 

With over 60% of UK land unsuitable for 

growing crops she emphasised the important 

role suckler cows played in the uplands, 

converting grassland into protein-dense 

food. 

“Farm support [is often geared towards] 

native breeds. Why can’t it be irrespective 

of breed? Let the farmer decide which breed 

works for them. 

“Suckler cows play a vital role in grazing 

the uplands – these added-value outcomes 

must be quantified and rewarded through 

government support, irrespective of breed.” 

Mrs Swift called for the industry to do more 

to highlight the value of suckler cows to 

retailers, saying it was impossible for suckler 

cows to compete with dairy beef based on a 

carbon model alone. 

“There is a place for suckler cows because 

so much of the UK is rough grazing. The 

suckler cow does an awesome job of turning 

that into beef. 

“They are hefted grazers, 

and they graze really 

efficiently – you can’t 

regenerate soils without 

suckler cows.” 

She echoed the importance of using data 

to identify where improvements could be 

made. 

“To be efficient, you need a live calf per 

cow per year. Over 250,000 cows in the UK 

don’t rear a calf to weaning. That’s massively 

inefficient and is a huge opportunity for 

us to understand why, and genetics will be 

playing a part in that.” 

This data was based on SRUC figures that 

showed only 80% of the UK’s 1.3m sucklers 

reared a calf to weaning. 

“In our industry, we are steeped with 

emotion, opinion, and history, and that’s the 

kind of debate we bring to the table. [But] 

we must park that and look at the data.” 

She said reducing the average slaughter age 

from 27 months down to 19 months would 

deliver a 12% reduction in carbon and 

called for processors to ‘be bold’ to drive 

this change at a farm level. 

“If processors were to put a premium on 

delivering that younger age at slaughter 

surely, we would see progress. 

“We have seen processors deduct for cattle 

over 30 months so let’s see them add it 

back on at the other end.” 

She also encouraged the whole industry to 

start working together. 

“I sense within this industry it is a bit native 

versus continental [and] suckler versus 

dairy. It doesn’t have to be that way because 

we all have that common goal of producing 

steak. 

“And we can’t do without suckler beef – 

there isn’t enough dairy beef in this country 

to sustain demand. The two must exist 

together.” 

Alice highlighted 5 ways beef 

farmers can improve their 

green credentials: 

1. Produce a live calf per cow per 

year by selecting easy-calving 

genetics. 

2. Consistently deliver >1kg/ 

day but don’t look at growth 

in isolation. There’s no point 

in getting the growth if you’re 

having to fill animals full of 

concentrate. 

3. Feed Efficiency breeding values 

will soon be launched by BLCS. 

It is important sire information 

is on passports so this can be 

verified. 

4. Consider carcase traits to 

improve eating quality. 

5. Reduce age at slaughter. 


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Industry News 

Cheshire Farm Vets 

Cheshire Farm Vets are a farm dedicated vet practice situated in the heart 

of Cheshire dairy land. Whilst dairy does make up a proportion of our 

client base we work closely with a number of beef and sheep enterprises. 

As a team we are passionate about our 

relationship being farmer-led, we want to 

understand what you want to achieve with 

your livestock and how we can support you 

reaching those targets. For us we focus on preventative 

healthcare, labs/ diagnostics and ensuring we have a 

well-stocked dispensary. 

We believe ‘prevention is better than cure’ and want to 

work with you to focus on preventive health care on your 

farm and in your herd. 

We can carry out an initial farm visit to help us to 

establish any risks and then formulate an ongoing plan 

to increase and maintain the health of your business. 

Our approach is supported by science with onsite lab 

facilities we are able to run a number of diagnostic tests 

that ensure that we are using the correct preventative 

option for your herd. This investigative work has been a 

great insight in our recent work within beef suckler units 

looking at respiratory pathogens in calves. This insight 

guaranteed that the correct vaccines were prescribed to 

farm, overcoming the problem and reducing to cost to 

the farmers. 

If you would like to find out more about Cheshire Farm 

and how we can support your herd please call our 

friendly team on 01270 310 010. 

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01833 695 695 www.cheshirefarmvets.com 


Industry News 

Castle Farm Vets 

Castle Farm vets are a team of dedicated farm animal vets that are 

committed to giving you the comprehensive, compassionate, individual 

care that you, your farm and your animals need. 

We are proud to have established leading Bovine 

and Ovine advanced breeding services. The 

ambition of these services are to allow our 

clients to achieve significant gains in herd 

genetic performance over the shortest timescale. Therefore 

maximising stock quality, efficiency and ultimately 

profitability. These techniques can also offer a safe way 

of maintaining genetics despite disease status, this is 

particularly useful for Johnes and Neospora positive 

animals. 

Conventional Bovine embryo transfer (MOET) is performed 

by programming a cow with hormones to recruit additional 

oocytes (eggs), artificially inseminating the cow, collecting 

the day seven embryos and transferring into a recipient 

dam. This is a process that people have had great success 

with and we continue to offer in our portfolio. 

Over the last few years we have witnessed a shift in our 

work from conventional ET to In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) 

reflecting many of its advantages, including: 

• Being able to collect from empty or pregnant animals 

(up to 3.5months) 

• Simple and cost effective synchronising program 

consisting of less than half the injections when 

compared to conventional ET 

• Straws of valuable semen can be split over multiple 

donors 

• Donors can be collected from every 3-4 weeks 

• Can work well when other methods have failed 

The IVF process involves minimal injections. Followed 

by collection at our purpose built facility in Barnard 

Castle. The cow can be on her way home within the 

hour. Fertilisation of the oocytes then takes place in the 

lab using semen of your choosing the following day and 

embryos are frozen the following week. 

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Industry News 

100% green power all-year-round 

on electric fences 

Sustainability and convenience play an increasing role on farms, not only 

in production processes, but also the tools used to manage animals on the 

land. And grants may make it even cheaper to buy them… 

One of these tools is the electric 

fence energiser. Solar-powered 

energisers are often thought to 

be effective only in summer and 

expensive. Gallagher has proven through 

technological innovations that this is 

outdated. Gallagher solar energisers work all 

year round, even in low-light periods. 

Safe and easy to use 

A solar-powered energiser offers 

many advantages. First of all, there is 

convenience: compared to a batteryoperated 

energiser, a solar-powered 

device is about 80% lighter and therefore 

more portable. This increases not only 

convenience but also flexibility in daily 

operations. In addition, there is no need to 

charge the battery or replace 9V batteries 

because the sun charges the internal 

battery. 

Another reason to choose a solar-powered 

energiser is safety. Thanks to smart, 

patented Gallagher technology, the device 

remains reliable all year round, with minimal 

risk of a dead battery, that could cause 

animals to break out. Also, farmers no longer 

have to go into the field every so often to 

check and replace the battery or 9V battery. 

This makes it a reliable solution. 

The solar energiser also excels in terms 

of sustainability. It functions entirely on 

solar energy, helping to reduce the farm’s 

carbon footprint. The longevity of the device, 

backed by a seven-year warranty highlights 

the durable quality of Gallagher products. 

Saving hundreds of pounds 

Many light mobile electric fence energisers 

run on a non-rechargeable 9V battery 

that lasts for a maximum of one season. 

Although cheap to buy, these devices 

actually cost more per year when compared 

to a solar-powered device. When comparing 

a 9V battery device to the solar-powered 

device with internal battery, savings of more 

than 50% can be made in annual costs. 

When heavier battery devices are compared 

with heavier solar powered devices, the total 

purchase cost of these devices is even lower. 

This is because heavier battery devices cost 

Solar powered electric fencing keeps cattle contained. 

a lot and a solar device contains a smaller 

battery. Also, for battery-powered devices, 

two large batteries are needed to keep the 

device in operation: one to charge and one 

to use. 

Technology does not stand still 

Since 1980, Gallagher has continuously 

invested in improving their solar energisers. 

This has led, for example, to a patented 

technology that ensures devices retain their 

power longer, making them more reliable 

than competing devices. Gallagher devices 

are also more resistant to moisture, insects 

and intensive use. 

Gallagher is currently expanding its range 

of devices with a lithium battery. This is 

the same kind of battery that is found in a 

smartphone. 

In 2024, the S20 and S30 Lithium were 

launched. Compared to previous solarpowered 

devices with a lead-acid battery, 

lithium models are even smaller and lighter. 

This makes them even more portable. They 

also charge three times faster and make 

the most of available daylight during dark 

periods of the year. 

Tap into grants 

The Farming Equipment and Technology 

Fund (FETF) provides investment towards 

specific items of equipment, which will 

improve the productivity and efficiency of 

The Gallagher 

S30 Solar 

Lithium energiser 

is light to carry. 

farming. The first round for 2024 for the 

FETF Animal Health and Welfare portal is 

open for a short period this spring. There 

will be further application windows expected 

to be open in 2024. 

The Wales Small Grant Efficiency Fund 

supports capital investments in equipment 

and technology from a pre-defined list of 

items available to improve the efficiency 

and environmental performance of farm 

businesses. This round of applications is 

open until 16 April 2024. 

Gallagher solar energisers are eligible for 

these grants. 

Visit www.gallagher.eu/solar or your local 

Gallagher stockist for more information and 

advice. 


WAGYU BREEDERS ASSOCIATION APPROVED 

EUROTIER 2024 

November 12-15, Hannover, Germany 

Plans are underway for a British Livestock Pavilion at EuroTier, 

Hannover, Germany, Tuesday 12 th – Friday 15 th November 

2024. Held every two years, this is the world’s largest indoor 

livestock exhibition where the British Livestock sector has 

benefited from a strong presence over a number of years with 

a joint industry stand supported by cattle, sheep and pig 

societies alongside breeding (AI & ET) and other associated 

companies. Stand packages are available at either £500 or 

£1,000 (exclusive of VAT). Please contact Richard Saunders 

with all expressions of interest by 30 th April. 

Email: richardsaunders1965@yahoo.co.uk. 

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BRITISH WAGYU 

BREEDERS ASSOCIATION 

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• DNA & Genomic Testing 

• Crossbred Marketing Opportunities 

• Fullblood Registration Facility 

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Breed Society Focus | Wagyu 

TEN-YEAR TREND UNDERLINES 

HUGE BRITISH WAGYU GROWTH 

• Figures double year-on-year 

• 35,550 births in 2023 compared to 17,083 in 2022 

Figures released by the British Cattle Movement 

Service (BCMS) for 2023 show that British Wagyu, 

known for its highly marbled premium beef, has more 

than doubled its numbers on the year. The figures, for 

beef cattle born in England, Scotland & Wales, reveal over 

35,000 Wagyu-sired calves were born in 2023. Of these, 

33347 were crossbred (sired by a Wagyu bull) and 2203 

purebred or Fullblood - totalling 35,550 head of Wagyu 

animals when compared to 17,083 in 2022. 

You will find a breakdown by country below: 

Wagyu 

crossbred 

Wagyu 

purebred 

England Scotland Wales Total 

22,444 5,324 5,579 33,347 

1,231 487 485 2,203 

Total 35,550 

British Wagyu Births 2023 - source BCMS 

With a decade of BCMS figures now available, the ten-year 

trend is one of huge growth. Just 2,405 Wagyu-sired calves 

were born in 2014 compared to 35,550 10 years later with 

the breed now representing 1.8% of the circa 1.9 million 

beef-sired calves born in Great Britain annually. 

Says WBA Director Chris Dickinson: “Consumer demand 

for the world’s luxury beef shows no sign of slowing and 

it’s great to see British Wagyu numbers continuing to grow 

year-on-year. The 

profile of the breed 

has risen dramatically 

over the past decade 

and it is the easy-care 

nature of the cattle 

combined with a 

premium return that 

has attracted so 

many new farmers 

and breeders. It 

also taps into the 

expansion of beef 

from the dairy herd 

backed by integrated 

beef schemes like 

Warrendale’s. British 

Wagyu has become 

a significant player 

in the UK beef industry and 

as both a Wagyu producer and British Wagyu Association 

Director there is still great potential ahead.” 

The figures are backed by a British Wagyu quality assured 

branded beef scheme now entering its third year alongside 

MIJ (Meat Image Japan) carcase camera technology 

which takes digital images from the cut ribeye surface to 

objectively measure marbling score, marbling fineness and 

ribeye area giving an overall DMs (Digital Marble Score) for 

each body of beef. 


Wagyu | Breed Society Focus 

British Wagyu Births GB 2014-2023 - source BCMS 

40000 

35000 

30000 

25000 

20000 

15000 

10000 

5000 

0 

2014 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 

Wagyu purebred Wagyu crossbred Total 

WARRENDALE WAGYU CONFERENCE 

BRITISH WAGYU ‘GOLD’ AT BEEF EXPO 

Saturday 

27 th April 2024, 

North West 

Auctions, J36, 

Cumbria 

Beef Expo, the 

annual flagship 

beef event 

organised by the 

National Beef 

Association (NBA), will 

see British Wagyu take 

centre-stage as a Gold 

Sponsor. 

Working together with Yorkshire-based Warrendale Wagyu, 

who will also be running the pre-event exhibitor BBQ on the 

Friday night, the event provides a showcase for all things 

British Wagyu. This will include a display of Wagyu beef 

cuts, demonstration of the MIJ (Meat Image Japan) carcase 

camera, information on Fullblood genetics as well as details 

of how farmers can join Warrendale’s integrated British 

Wagyu supply chain. Various ages and types of cattle will 

also be exhibited on the stand. 

Says British Wagyu Association Company Secretary Richard 

Saunders: “As the fastest growing UK breed, Beef Expo is 

a great opportunity for British Wagyu to demonstrate what 

we have achieved so far and where we are going from here. 

Having forged strong relationships with farmers and built 

strategic ties with industry, we aim to capitalise on this 

growth to meet consumer demand.” 

www.wagyufarmers.co.uk 

• 19-20 September 2024 

• In partnership with British Wagyu 

All roads lead to Lincolnshire for a two-day conference 

Thursday 19 th to Friday 20 th September including an 

overnight hotel stay on the Thursday. Building on the hugely 

successful May 2023 conference held in Shropshire, plans 

are underway to showcase the British Wagyu & Warrendale 

Wagyu story with a line-up of top speakers, farm visits, 

entertainment and, of course, some beautifully marbled 

British Wagyu beef at our gala dinner! 

Provisional Timetable 

Day One: Thursday 19 th September - Forest Pines Hotel, 

Ermine St, Broughton, Brigg, DN20 0AQ. Arrival from noon, 

lunch, afternoon conference followed by Gala Dinner 

Day Two: Friday 20 th September - Farm visit courtesy of Gary 

& Jayne Hancock, Gainsborough Road, Willingham by Stow, 

Gainsborough, Lincs. Arrival and refreshments from 9.30am, 

10am farm tour followed by lunch. Day concludes 2pm 

Look out for further information coming soon 

Picture courtesy of Sam Frost, Norfolk Wagyu Beef 

CELEBRATE WORLD WAGYU DAY! 

Not only is June 21 st our Summer Solstice but this 

auspicious date is also World Wagyu Day! 

Founded by avid steak connoisseur Steve Haddadin in the 

USA in 2022, we can’t wait to recognize World Wagyu Day 

here in the UK and join with our friends, colleagues and 

customers around the world to celebrate beautifully marbled 

Wagyu beef! Check out www.daysoftheyear.com for further 

information about World Wagyu Day. 



Industry News 

Limousin Stacks up against Subsidy 

For upland farmers opting to breed 

Limousin cattle, it is not uncommon 

for their breed choice to be questioned 

when government subsidy schemes 

favour native cattle, but commercial return 

higher than subsidy value is what sees so 

many choose Limousin. 

John Swift (no relation to our CEO!) has 

been breeding Limousin cattle since 1988 

on his farm, Dry Howe, an upland unit 

between Kendal and Shap rising to 1900 

feet. He initially introduced Limousin in 

1988 and continued with the breed after 

restocking following the Foot and Mouth 

outbreak in 2001. 

In 2017, John entered the higher-level 

Stewardship Scheme and committed 

425 acres of his fell to the restoration of 

woodland pasture. Despite the additional 

payment for native cattle, John stuck with 

the unsubsidised Limousin. Says John: 

“The commercial return from the increased 

conformation and younger age at slaughter 

far outweighed the ‘benefit’ of the native 

payment”. 

The native payment equates to 

approximately £6,000/ year which he easily 

makes up and more from the returns from 

Limousin in the live ring; “the surplus young 

bulls sell at 10-month-old as stores at local 

markets averaging £1,200 but for a similar 

aged native bred you’d be lucky if they made 

£450. Limousins are bred for calf vigour 

and to put weight on which is what we need 

to farm efficiently”. 

Breeding decisions: 

John operates a 10-week calving window, 

with heifers calved indoors from mid-January 

and the cows in March. Cows are calved at 

the main farm, for ease of management, by 

selecting bulls with good ease of calving. 

Cows and calves remain at the farm until the 

middle of May, when calves are around 70 

days of age with an average weight of 128 

kgs. The bulling heifers are synchronized 

then served using AI before going up on the 

fell. They calve on average at 33 months of 

age. 

Extended grazing keeps costs down: 

The Environmental Scheme limits stocking 

density and forbids preserved forage feeding, 

yet John’s low-density grazing system 

remains profitable due to the hardiness of 

Limousin genetics and their ability to thrive 

on forage. Minimal concentrate feeding 

(1kg/head/day) is introduced in autumn to 

habituate calves to handling before weaning, 

resulting in significant cost savings during 

winter. 

Following weaning, the cows are returned 

to the fell and remain there until around 

Mid-December. These additional 60 grazing 

days results in a saving of around £25 

per cow on feed and bedding costs for the 

winter period. 

Weaned calves are housed and some 

retained as bulls, whilst the remainder are 

sold at local markets. Commercial bulls 

achieve an average weight of 390kg at ten 

months, selling for £1,200 with a daily live 

weight gain of 1.1kg. The total cow-and-calf 

concentrate cost per commercial store bull 

is £165, targeting a £1,000 margin over 

concentrates per commercial bull sold. 

The next generation: 

John’s daughter Lauren, is poised to 

continue the family farming legacy and 

emphasizes commercial viability supported 

by data-driven decisions. Lauren has 

questioned the value of the tree planting 

and is concerned that stewardship schemes 

overlook Limousin, citing data showing 

Limousin’s weight, grazing ability, and calfproducing 

abilities: “There is a perception 

that native cattle are smaller and therefore 

better for the land, but the data speaks for 

itself. Our cows weigh on average 630kg, 

graze evenly, are on the hill till mid- 

December and average 14 calves/cow” 

When asked would John encourage other 

upland farmers to consider buying a 

Limousin bull he confirmed, “Definitely, 

you won’t find another breed with the same 

efficiency and commercial return on this 

type of ground as the Limousin breed.” 

Dry Howe, 

Farm Facts: 

Size: 1,900 acres 

Topography: Hill farm, 1,900ft 

above sea level. 

Location: Situated between 

Kendal and Shap, Cumbria. 

Cow No: 45 suckler cows, 11 

heifers, 2 x stock bulls 

“Many assume that only 

natives would suit my farm, 

but that couldn’t be further 

from the truth” 

“The business is targeting a 

margin over concentrates of 

£1000 per commercial store 

bull sold” 


Breed Society News 

Breed Society 

NEWS 

Breed Societies, do 

you have any news 

you would like us 

to publish? 

Email your copy and any images to 


Young Shorthorn breeders steal the show at Stirling 

It was a weekend to remember for 

young Beef Shorthorn breeder, Grant 

Stephen with his sole entry, Glendual 

Sammy leading him to his first Overall 

Championship and hitting top price on 

sale day of 21,000gns, selling to North 

East pedigree breeders, W J & J Green, 

Corskie. 

No stranger to the show circuit, the March 

2022 born bull was Reserve Junior Male 

at Stars of the Future 2022, third prize 

at Royal Highland Show 2023 as well as 

Champion at Nairn and Reserve at Keith 

Show last summer. He was sired by Fearn 

Godfather and out of HW Gorgeous Tessa 

who Grant purchased as a heifer calf at 

foot at the HW dispersal. 

Judge for the day, John Scott from Fearn 

Farm said, “It was a tremendous show 

of bulls at this year’s sale but I selected 

Glendual Sammy as my Senior and Overall Champion as I think 

he is a really good example of the breed – quiet, long, easily 

fleshed with plenty of depth about him.” 

Following behind in Reserve Overall was the Intermediate 

Champion, Westbroad Scotia, a Shawhill Leroy son out of 

Westbroad Rusty 15 th , from fellow young breeder Natalie Hynd. 

Purchased as a calf from the Westbroad herd, Natalie had 

successfully shown Scotia since a calf with tickets including 

Junior Male Champion and Reserve Junior Overall Champion at 

Stars of the Future 2022 and Reserve Junior Male and Reserve 

Overall Male at Royal Highland Show 2023. He released at 

15,000gns to pedigree breeders, J W Frame, Little Galla. 

With 10 bulls breaking the five-figure mark it was a recordbreaking 

average for the breed of 7,491gns for 47 bulls sold, up 

1,794gns on the year. 

Achieving second top price of the day at 20,000gns was 

Willingham Spitfire, a son of Willingham Lieutenant Commander, 

from the Haigh family. Heading south to breeder Mrs Mary 

Cormack, Spitfire stood third prize in the pre-show, having 

previously been Royal Highland Show 2023 Junior Champion, 

Male Champion and Reserve Overall Champion. The Haigh’s 

achieved a second five figure price with Willingham Salamander 

who sold for 12,000gns to the Monuntbenger and Coxhill herds. 

15,000gns was achieved for the second time for the Reserve 

Intermediate Champion, Duncanziemere Saltire from Alistair Clark & 

Sons. He sold to Glenrinnes Farms, Morayshire. 

Other leading prices included 11,000gns and 10,000gns for 

Coxhill Spartacus and Coxhill Sultan from Mrs Lucinda Townsend, 

11,000gns and 10,500gns for Sovereign of Upsall and Squadron 

Leader of Upsall from Hon. Gerald Turton and 10,000gns for Burllie 

Saltire from D & M Wylie. 

Through in the heifer ring, the average was also up on the year at 

2,593gns for 13 heifers sold with top price of 4,000gns going to 

the pre-show Champion, Balgay Silky Blythesome S189 from Balgay 

farms. The May 2022 born heifer out of Balgay Silky Blythesome 

and sired by Glenisla Macleod sold to J Dodge from Shetland. 

Mr Scott highlights, “As one of the fastest growing native breeds 

in the UK, the Beef Shorthorn breed has given a lot to the cattle 

industry over the last 200 years and will continue to do so, 

especially with input costs continuing to rise. The breed is known for 

its maternal traits - fertile, easy calving, milky and docile – making 

it an ideal low input suckler cow. 

He concludes, “It’s great to see the breed average up on the year 

with bulls keenly sought from both pedigree and commercial 

breeders from across the country.” 


Easy finishing stock, thanks to the Charolais Sire 

James Nisbet, farms almost 2,500 

acres, much of it tenanted land on the 

Dumfries House estate owned by King 

Charles III. He runs his own herd of 480 

Black Angus crosses, 2,000 breeding 

ewes, and 350 store cattle to provide 

stock to sell at different times of the 

year. James said, “I have always put 

my cows to the Charolais, however, until 

two years ago I was putting my heifers 

to Angus bulls. But after a couple of 

difficult breeding years, I changed my 

breeding policy and switched back to 

Charolais. They’ve done an excellent 

job for us. There has been such an 

improvement in Charolais bulls in recent 

times and they are now much easier to 

calve, have a much better temperament, 

and importantly for me they are 

producing the highest quality progeny.” 

James doesn’t use EBV measurements, 

he relies on his own eyes to select a 

smaller, thicker type of bull, as this is 

what suits his model best. He puts 

about 90 heifers to the bull for six 

weeks, with an average of 83 heifers 

in-calf. He keeps cows up to ten years 

old, and 410 are put to the bulls, left for 

11 weeks, and 390 are expected to be 

in calf. Calves are born March, April and 

May, and weaned October, November, 

December when they’re over 350 Kilos. 

Once weaned, James will expect his 

calves to achieve the kind of marketleading 

net weight gain that keeps the 

Charolais at the top of the EBV rankings. 

He said, “I would think that our calves 

are putting on 1.7 to 1.8 kilos quite 

James Nisbet 

comfortably a day, and I know they go on to 

do well for the finishers.” 

The Nisbet’s sell in the region of 450 calves 

each year, starting on the first Wednesday 

in January at UA Stirling, selling every 

Wednesday thereafter until the end of 

Devon Cattle Breeders’ Society 

The Society’s Spring Show & Sale is fast 

approaching and we are anticipating a large 

crowd of both vendors and purchasers to be 

present on the day. It all takes place on 26 th 

March at Sedgemoor Market. The Show starts at 

10am followed by the sale at noon. Don’t miss 

out on the opportunity to purchase quality Devon 

cattle. 

We are in the process of producing a new 

Breed Brochure that will be launched at the 

Devon County Show in May. Look out for it a 

the summer shows and get yourself a copy. 

Packed with interesting features and lots of 

advertisements giving great opportunities to find 

Devon cattle for sale. 

Devon Cattle Breeders’ Society members will be 

exhibiting at the Spring Calf Show at Sedgemoor 

once again. It is on the 26 th April and a chance 

to see young Devons in the show ring. 


March. James stated, “the primary aim is 

to produce first class meat, and we must 

produce what the consumer wants at an 

affordable price, which makes the Charolais’ 

fast weight gain and finishing all the more 

important!” 



British Simmental advantages in daily carcase gain shown 

in analysis of National Beef Evaluation Data 

Analysis of AHDB’s National Beef 

Evaluation (NBE) data (December 

2023) has shown that Simmental sired 

progeny have a superior Daily Carcase 

Gain in comparison to all Continental 

sired, and Native sired progeny. This 

latest analysis is in addition to the first 

release in October 2023, which showed 

that Simmental sired calves finished 

on average over five weeks earlier than 

those by all Continental sires, with 

these calves costing on average over 

£70 less to finish, and resulting in 

significantly reduced CO2 emissions. 

Furthermore, Continental sired calves 

out of Simmental dams finished over 

four weeks earlier than the average of all 

suckler dams. With regards to maternal 

traits, the average genetic merit for 

Simmentals is also shown as higher than 

the average for all Continental breeds. 

The average Daily Carcase Gain is the 

average growth rate across the lifetime 

of the animal – carcase weight per day 

to slaughter. The table, Figure 1, shows 

that the average Daily Carcase Gain 

(DCG) of the progeny of a Simmental 

bull out of All Dams is 4.6% better than 

the DCG of the progeny of a Continental 

Sire out of All Dams, and 17.5% better 

than the DCG of the progeny of a Native 

Sire out of All Dams. 

The ‘ultimate combination’ for Daily 

Carcase Gain is shown as the progeny of 

a Simmental bull out of a Simmental 

dam. Emphasising the strength of the 

Simmental breeds maternal qualities, 

the highest rates of Daily Carcase Gain 

attained by both Continental and Natives 

sires are for progeny out of Simmental 

dams. 

UK’s oldest cattle breed looking to the future with Board 

Apprenticeship Scheme 

The Beef Shorthorn Society have announced three young upand-coming 

members as successful applicants of their new 

Board Apprenticeship Scheme. 

Ruth Bleakley, 31; Kirsty Leigh, 28 and Millie Birch 27 will be 

involved within the Board for a 12-month period, shadowing 

Board members along with other opportunities including the 

involvement in the successful Youth Development initiative, 

recognition as Young Ambassadors of the Society as well as 

supported attendance to the British Cattle Breeders Club 

Conference in January 2025. 

Situated across the UK, the three apprentices each have a 

passion for contributing to the development of the breed and 

members. 

“I decided to apply for the Board Apprenticeship Scheme as 

I think it’s important to involve the younger generation in 

decisions that will affect the long-term plans for the Society,” 

says Ruth Bleakley, from Northern Ireland. 

Having already attended their first Board meeting, the young 

apprentices were given insights into internal running’s of the 

Society including breed development, marketing, and the charity’s 

finances and budgets. Over the next 12 months they will have 

further opportunities to focus more specifically on various sections 

of the Society. 

Millie Birch from Stafford said, “I have lots of ideas that I hope 

to propose to the Board to benefit the breed, members and future 

members. As part of the Apprenticeship Scheme, I would like 

to continue to encourage young members of the breed, whether 

this is more interaction at shows and sales or through our youth 

development programme.” 

Kirsty Leigh, based in Worcestershire highlights, “As an active 

member of this Society, with a particular interest in genetics, I 

believe that I have the traits and long-term commitment that could 

help develop our breed.” 


GET READY FOR 


A BETTER FUTURE 

AHDB Beef & Lamb’s new knowledge exchange programme continues in 2024 

and aims to challenge farmer thinking for long-term business success 

Farmers, industry stakeholders and the wider agricultural 

community are invited to join AHDB Beef & Lamb in 

embracing its new Roots to Resilience programme and 

its goal to empower farmers and build a more resilient 

future for British agriculture. 

AHDB’s Beef & Lamb team unveiled its innovative 

systems-based knowledge exchange programme, 

Roots to Resilience, in December 2023, challenging 

farmers to stop thinking in black and white and unlock 

their full potential. This systems-based approach 

recognises that agriculture is not just about individual 

people, crops or livestock but involves a multitude of 

factors, relationships and feedback loops that influence 

each other and the entire system. 

Head of Engagement for Beef and Lamb Samantha 

Charlton comments on the programme: “Our levy payers 

are at the heart of everything we do at AHDB, and Roots 

to Resilience is about shining a light on the people within 

farming businesses. 

“It can be challenging for farmers to focus on the future 

and invest in themselves when their time and brain space 

is filled with daily tasks and problem solving. We want 

to challenge their thinking and help them reach their 

long-term goals by looking at the entire system instead 

of focusing on technical application alone. We understand 

that every farmer and every farm is different and that 

one-size-fits-all approaches are outdated and rarely 

successful.” 

ROOTS to RESILIENCE 

The new programme kicked off with a three-day workshop 

for 50 farmers in December, incorporating part of the 

renowned Ranch Management Consultants (RMC) 

‘Ranching for Profit’ course presented by RMC owner 

Dallas Mount. Dallas has worked with thousands of farmers 

and ranchers across the US, Canada, Mexico and Australia 

to position their businesses for economic profit and 

ecological health. The workshops will also run during 2024, 

and for those that cannot attend, supporting modules will 

be available online with additional free events open to all 

levy payers. 

Samantha said: “The farmer workshop in December gave 

delegates the opportunity to step away from practical 

farming for three days and focus on long-term planning. 

The aim was very much about focusing on people and what 

they want to achieve not just in their businesses but in their 

lives, as we know how intrinsically linked the two are. 

“The workshops played a pivotal role in not only providing 

those attending with bespoke action plans for their 

businesses but in equipping us at AHDB with greater 

insight into the topics that our levy payers want and need 

more help with, so we can deliver the best value for money 

in terms of the support services we offer.” 

To find out more about the Roots to Resilience 

programme or to sign up for the events, visit: 

ahdb.org.uk/roots-to-resilience/ 

© Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2024. All rights reserved. 


Beef Breed Directory 


www.luingcattlesociety.co.uk 

Dairy Cottage, Tower Road, 

Ayton, Berwickshire TD14 5QX 

Welcome! This directory is your one-stop shop for finding 

the contact details you need for the UK’s Beef Breeds. 

Advertise here 

Contact Julie Holmes t: 07393 463225 e: julie@nationalbeefassociation.com 

Tel: 01890 781358 Mob: 07592 139708 

Email: secretary@luingcattlesociety.co.uk 

BREEDING SALES 

February, May & October 

Fieldsman: Charles Symons 

T: 01573 440207 Mob: 07971 231885 

E: cjmsymons1@gmail.com 

PART OF FARMING’S FUTURE 

www.redrubydevon.co.uk 

WAGYU BREEDERS 

ASSOCIATION 

A LEAGUE OF 

ITS OWN 

EASY CALVING - DOCILE 

info@britishwagyu.co.uk 


Unit 1, The Stable Yard, Woodhayes Farm, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4TP 

t: 01404 47863 e: dcbs@redrubydevon.co.uk 

Avenue M, 

Stoneleigh Park, 

Kenilworth, 

Warwickshire. CV8 2RG 

Tel: 02476 697222 

Email: 

charolais@charolais.co.uk 

www.charolais.co.uk 

THE 

ULTIMATE 

SUCKLER 

COW 

01377 227 790 

info@stabiliser.co.uk 

www.stabiliser.co.uk 

nba 34 x 68 mm 2023 v2.indd 08/03/2023 1 

13:25:42 

SIMMENTAL 

THE BREED YOU CAN BANK ON 

THE BRITISH BLUE 

CATTLE SOCIETY 

Holme House 

The Dale, Ainstable 

Carlisle,Cumbria CA4 9RH 

01768 870522 

info@britishbluecattle.org 

SETTING THE 

STANDARD 

www.britishbluecattle.org 

PROFIT THROUGH 

EFFICIENCY 

MATERNAL MAINSTAYS 

OF THE SUCKLER HERD 

*SIMMENTAL = NO.1 

CONTINENTAL BREED 

FOR AGE AT SLAUGHTER 

* NATIONAL BEEF EVALUATION DECEMBER 2022 

THE BRITISH SIMMENTAL CATTLE SOCIETY 

+44 (0) 2476 696513 

information@britishsimmental.co.uk 

www.britishsimmental.co.uk 

48 The National Beef Association Magazine | SPRING 2024 

NBA Breed Directory (34x68.5mm) Spring.indd 08/03/2023 1 

09:25:00

MELTON MOWBRAY MULTIBREED SALE – 27 MARCH 2021 

WELSHPOOL SPRING SALE – 20 MAY 2021 


National beef association 

Fighting for the 

future of the 

British Beef Industry 

SALERS 

MATERNAL 

MAGIC 

The Hereford does it all 

SUITS ANY SIRE 

& 

SUITS ANY SYSTEM 

www.nationalbeefassociation.com 

SALERS CATTLE SOCIETY OF THE UK 

Jasmine Cottage, Gavinton, TD11 3QP 

secretary@salers.uk 

07903 626249 

WWW.SALERS.UK 

Visit www.herefordcattle.org to find out more 

01432 272057 

GRAZING SYSTEMS | BEEF QUALITY 

ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES 

Gascon 

Cattle 

Society 

Breed Secretary: 

Pauline Milton 

07787722497 

gasconcattle@btconnect 

.com 

www.britishwhitecattle.co.uk 

01954 232796 | 07771 333303 

www.gascon.org.uk 

A versatile hardy suckler 

breed 

t: 02475 099146 

e: info@beefshorthorn.org 

www.beefshorthorn.org 

www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk 

01738 622477 

Patron: Her Majesty The Queen 

Stirling Agricultural Centre 

Stirling FK9 4RN 

Tel: 01786 446866 

info@highlandcattlesociety.com 

www.highlandcattlesociety.com 

Aberdeen-Angus, its more than a breed, it’s a brand. 

The perfect 

suckler cow 

w w w . r e d p o l l . o r g 

( 01245 600032 

secretary@redpoll.co.uk 


NBA Membership 

National Beef Association 

Membership 

WHO ARE THE NBA? 

The NBA is a charity, set up by beef farmers, for beef farmers. We 

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beef farmers have a future post Brexit. 

MEMBERS BENEFITS 

Members receive a weekly e-newsletter, which includes the latest 

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to selling breeding animals. 

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN US? 

Without the support of fellow farmers we wouldn’t be able to carry 

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Hexham & Northern Marts 

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AHDB Meat Services 

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ANM Group Ltd 

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B.I.G Ltd 

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C & D Auction Marts Limited 

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Craven Cattle Marts Limited 

www.ccmauctions.com 

Datamars Livestock 

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KW Feeds 

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McCartneys 

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Meadow Quality Ltd 

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Southern Counties Auctioneers 

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Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart Ltd 

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Tudor, Lawson, Dallimore & Parry 

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Berrystock Feeds 

www.berrystockfeeds.co.uk 

Frome Livestock Auctioneers Ltd 

www.fromelivestock.com 

NWF Agriculture 

www.nwfagriculture.co.uk 

Bishopton Veterinary Group 

www.bishoptonvets.co.uk 

Harrison & Hetherington 

www.harrisonandhetherington.co.uk 

Rumenco 

www.rumenco.co.uk 


# 

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Visit www.nationalbeefassociation.com/about/how-to-join today and help 

us make sure your industry’s future is secure. Alternately, fill out the form 

below and return to us via post. 

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CHEQUE 

Made payable to the National Beef Association. 

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Please pay Lloyds Bank plc, Malvern, WR14 4QG. Sort code: 30-95-41 Account No: 23358760 For the credit of the National Beef Association 

The sum of: (circle selected amount) £75 + VAT Voluntary amount £ Under 26* £40 

Commencing: Immediately and annually thereafter, until further notice. PLEASE QUOTE PAYMENT REFERENCE: 

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The NBA complies fully with the General Data Protection Regulation. Please see our privacy policy for more details, which can be requested from the NBA Head Office. For any queries or 

concerns regarding GDPR, please write to: Data Protection at National Beef Association, Concorde House, 24 Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5JG 

Please use Gift Aid to make your subscription worth more to NBA. For every pound you give us, we could earn an extra 25p 

from the Inland Revenue. Gift Aid Declaration: I want the National Beef Association to treat all subscriptions I make from the date of 

this declaration until I notify you otherwise as a Gift Aid donation. I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/ 

or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. 

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Please return this form to: National Beef Association, Concorde House, 24 Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5JG 


AFTER THE ONE-TWO PUNCH OF PI REMOVAL AND BIOSECURITY, YOU’LL WANT TO KEEP YOUR GUARD UP AGAINST BVD. 

A DISEASE WITH AN IMPACT OF OVER £40 PER COW PER YEAR 1 . SPEAK TO YOUR VET ABOUT HOW THE UK’S MARKET 

LEADING BVD VACCINE 2 PROVIDES 12 MONTHS’ PROVEN PROTECTION AGAINST BOTH BVD TYPE 1 AND 2, WITH JUST ONE JAB 3 . 

When used as part of a comprehensive approach to BVD including culling of PIs and biosecurity. 

References: 1. Yarnall and Thrusfield (2017) Vet Record doi: 10.1136/vr.104370 2. Kynetec (2019) BVD sales data by value. Full year 2018 3. For 

active immunisation of cattle against BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, to prevent the birth of persistently infected calves caused by transplacental infection. 

Bovela lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle contains modified live BVDV-1, non-cytopathic parent strain KE-9: 10 4.0 – 

10 6.0 TCID 50 

, modified live BVDV-2, non-cytopathic parent strain NY-93: 10 4.0 –10 6.0 TCID 50 

. UK: POM-V. Further information available in the SPC or 

from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, UK. Tel: 01344 746957. Email: vetenquiries@boehringer-ingelheim.com. Bovela is 

a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, used under licence. ©2019 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All 

rights reserved. Date of preparation: Jul 2019. AHD12633. Use Medicines Responsibly. 

MakE BVD history

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