Northumberland Monitor Farm: Get set for winter grazing - fully booked

Bale grazing and deferred grazing are useful tools to help achieve lower cost wintering systems; but getting set up requires planning ahead.

This year AHDB Monitor Farmer G Sordy & Sons plan to reduce their usual winter housing period by outwintering some of their spring calving suckler cows on 100ha of deferred hill ground and bale grazing young stock on some of the in-bye ground. Outwintering cows can reduce winter costs by up to 70% and therefore is an effective way of improving margins within the sector.

Preparations for winter must start now. G Sordy & Sons have already removed the sheep from some of the hill ground to allow grass covers to build.

During this meeting consultants Emily Grant and Rhidian Jones will guide attendees through the process of setting both systems up, including;

• Infrastructure requirements - water and fencing
• Shut off dates and recovery period for deferred grazing
• Working out how much feed you need and allocating it through the winter
• Target growth rates in young stock and the importance of BCS in cows
• Identifying suitable fields

G Sordy & Sons will also provide an update on how the finishing cattle are performing on the GS4 leys, their reduced wormer use in lambs and how they are preparing for tupping.

Lunch and refreshments will be served so please advise us of any special dietary requirements.

We look forward to welcoming you to the event. You can register for your free place by booking online, emailing KE.events@ahdb.org.uk or calling 01904 771218. Attendees must be over 16 years of age and suitable footwear must be worn.