Plans for big cattle expo at Three Counties Showground in Malvern, are beefed up (From Hereford Times)

Plans for big cattle expo at Three Counties Showground in Malvern, are beefed up

7:00am Sunday 5th February 2012 in Farming

PLANS for the National Beef Association’s renowned Beef Expo – held this year at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, on Thursday, May 24 – are moving forward fast.

The two farm tours, held the day before the main event, on Wednesday, May 23, have now been confirmed, with two exceptionally forward-looking and exciting units opening for visitors.

One is the farm of Beef Expo 2012 chairman Paul Westaway, at Dymock.

Between his pedigree Aberdeen Angus suckler herd and finishing unit for Angus cross Holsteins heifers and Holsteins bulls, Mr Westaway and his wife Kirsty run 230-head on their 55ha (135 acre) county council holding.

Mr Westaway will invite visitors to consider many elements of beef production, given his passion for Aberdeen Angus suckler cows, his own artificial insemination sales business, and an active involvement in Blade Farming’s dairy beef model, including a forage feeding trial with Holsteins and Angus cross Holsteins.

The other farm is the home of Charles and Sue Warner, son Roger and his wife Laura.

They finish more than 1,000 cattle a year at Tirley, Gloucestershire, with 600 head of stock on the farm at any one time.

Mr Warner will tell visitors that “pretty” just does not cut it on his farm – opting instead for any bought-in store he thinks he can finish at a profit.

These are mainly Friesian-type steers, purchased around 12 months of age, and finished quickly on a combination of grazing (in the summer) and total mix rations.

With wheat, barley, fodder beet and maize and grass silage all grown on the 160ha (400 acre) farm, there is plenty of variety for all the growing cattle.

Mr Westaway says: “Between the two farms, visitors will get to see very different farming enterprises and a selection of approaches to beef production – be it top pedigree suckler cow genetics, intensive finishing or beef from the dairy herd.

“Myself and Mr Warner are both looking forward to welcoming visitors as part of Beef Expo 2012 and are excited about being involved in what will be the biggest beef event in Europe this year.”

The tour is open to all at a cost of £15 per person, to include the bus trip and lunch.

Visitors will also have access to the UK Genetics Showcase, to be held that evening at the Three Counties Showground, ahead of the Beef Industry Dinner that night.

The main Beef Expo event, with Lloyds TSB Agriculture as major sponsor, runs on Thursday, May 24.

Full details on the Wednesday and Thursday events are at beefexpo.co.uk, where tickets for the Tour and the Expo can be purchased.